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On Tuesday, December 3, the City of Oneonta’s Common Council initially declined to pass the tentative 2025 budget that they had approved on November 19. When put to a second vote, six of the seven council members consented to pass the 2025 budget of $20 million, with the caveat that there would be future budget cuts and solutions to cover the deficit while drawing down less of the reserves.…
Lee shared, “During 2019, $843,517.00 of the fund balance was used due to investing over $1 million into equipment needs. (In) 2020, the pandemic hit. Due to the leadership of the excellent department heads, over $2 million of expenses were delayed due to the unforeseen consequences of the pandemic, which meant that those delayed expenditures needed to be realized in the future.…
The November 19 Oneonta Common Council meeting attracted about 25 concerned citizens, the equivalent of a full house. There were 20 motions on the agenda. The council debated various issues for more than four hours. Just before 10 p.m., the council approved the proposed 2025 budget and voted to exceed the tax cap. By this time, only three members of the audience remained. Two were city employees, Brian Knapp, the fire chief, and Chris Yacobucci, director of Public Works.…
The mayor has stated that a qualified candidate has been identified, yet has delayed sharing this individual’s name with the council and community. Increased transparency in this process—such as disclosing the candidate’s name earlier—would allow both council members and residents to engage meaningfully...…
We, the concerned citizens of greater Oneonta, are frustrated by the apparent lack of transparency in the administration of our City Hall government. Dear Mayor Drnek and city staff, your behaviors of ignoring us are clear and your unwillingness to listen and act accordingly is causing this divide in our city.…
Mayor Drnek and City Administrator Greg Mattice, PE, answered questions for more than two hours. Executive Director of the Greater Oneonta Historical Society and Vice Chair of the Planning Commission Marcela Micucci fielded questions from the audience.…
HAPPENIN’ OTSEGO for WEDNESDAY, MAY 31 Seniors Learn To Paint With Oils SENIOR PAINTING—10-11:30 a.m. Seniors aged 55+ are invited to learn to paint with oils with library curator Judith Jaquith, an accomplished artist who has exhibited several times. Free, space limited, registration required. Materials provided. Worcester-Schenevus Library, 170 Main Street, Worcester. (607) 397-7309 or visit facebook.com/WorcesterSchenevus WARD MEETING—6 p.m. Residents of the First Ward of the City of Oneonta are invited to a meeting hosted by Common Council Member Luke…
Letter from Andrew Hamill Council Candidate Elaborates on Policy As a candidate for the Oneonta City Council, I can only hope that I will do well to help serve the people and the city in any capacity possible. If there are any doubts about this, do know that I will keep my personal opinion separate from the task at the job itself. If I am elected to the Council, I want to increase the size of the Commissions from five…
SUNY Student Running for Common Council By TED MEBUSTONEONTASUNY Oneonta political science major and Maryland, New York native Andrew Hamill announced his candidacy for Oneonta Common Council in December, running as a member of his own party, “Unity for Oneonta.” Hamill hopes to bring accountability and pragmatism to the council, vowing to lead with a spirit of compromise. “We need Common Council members who are willing, and dedicated to reason and building a consensus with their constituents,” said Hamill. “As…
Oneonta-Cooperstown Bus Changes Oneonta Public Transit this week consolidates four bus runs into two, addressing a driver shortage, overlapping existing routes, and changing ridership data. OPT Director David Hotaling told the Oneonta Common Council in December that existing “East End” and “Cooperstown” routes overlap, and “West End” and “River Street” routes faced dwindling ridership. The Council unanimously approved the plan.…