Albany Perspective Reforms May Be Costly, Dangerous Editor’s Note: State Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, has represented Otsego County in Albany since 1986. As we approach the start of 2020, there are a number of new laws that will take effect in New York State. Among them are provisions I am deeply concerned about that will put public safety at risk. The measures include: • Bail changes that will allow 90 percent of individuals arrested to walk free without posting bail;…
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County Manager Decision Expected This Afternoon The Otsego County Board of Representatives was scheduled to convene at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, on a historic matter: Whether to pass its executive authority to a hired professional, a county manager. As of presstime the evening before, it appeared certain – as certain as these things can be – that a coalition of Republicans, Democrats and the sole Conservative representative would create the $150,000 a year position. For the first report on…
LETTER from JAMES DEAN Study Before Acting On New Zoning Law To the Editor: Sufficient affordable apartments, which the Village of Cooperstown needs, come from an efficiency of scale in single- and multi-building design and construction, lower cost of larger parcels of land, and lower operating expenses with the newest technologies. All of this comes with building new, planned developments, from the ground up. Newly built rental housing units, of all types, on sufficient land, are so important to the quality…
BOUND VOLUMES Dec. 5, 2019 200 YEARS AGO Robbery – On the night of Thursday last, the shoe shop of Mr. Stephen Gregory, of this Village, was forcibly entered and robbed of stock and shoes to the amount of at least $250. Suspicion has rested upon John Gardner, who was, late in the evening, seen lurking about town, and had formerly been familiar in the shop. He is a short, thick-set fellow, of dark complexion, with remarkably large eyebrows, his…
We’re All In This Together On Arms, Will Enough Ever Be Enough? The 2020 proposed U.S. military budget is $737 billion. When is enough, enough? This is 37 percent of the $1.7 trillion military spending for all the world. It is more than the next 13 nations combined (numbers in billions): China ($224), Saudi Arabia ($70), India ($55), Germany ($49), UK ($49), Japan ($47), Russia ($44), France ($40), South Korea ($38), Brazil ($29), Italy ($29), Australia ($26) and Canada ($21).…
EDITORIAL On County Manager, Now Hard Work Begins By the time you read this, it’s very likely Otsego County will have created a job of county administrator, joining all but a handful of counties around New York State. Heading into the Wednesday, Dec. 4, monthly meeting of the county Board of Representatives, the momentum to professionalize government was clear. Six of the seven Democrats were firmly in favor, plus two Republican leaders – chairman David Bliss and Schenevus’ Peter Oberacker.…
EDITORIAL Kennedy, Bliss, Committee Deserve Praise Who gets the praise for professionalizing Otsego County government? Foremost, probably county Rep. Meg Kennedy, C-Hartwick. The idea caught fire with her, evident in her close questioning of SUNY New Paltz Vice President Gerry Benjamin, keynoter at “County Manager v. County Executive,” a forum on the idea Dec. 14, 2017, at Springbrook’s new community center. In the months that followed, she became the first local county representative ever recruited to New York State Association…
Front Porch Perspective On Thanksgiving, Remembering Blue Four years ago on a snowy winter day, Dr. Fran Fassett came to our house and released our good old Blue from his failed body. It was amazingly peaceful, even blessed time. Anne and I had had Blue for about 10 years. He was a rescue dog who’d been picked up along Route 88 near Oneonta. Thank God, he was brought to our own animal shelter. A friend on staff there contacted Anne;…
THIS WEEK’S NEWSPAPERS The Freeman’s Journal • Hometown Oneonta Dec. 5-6, 2019 PHOTO OF THE WEEK FRONT PAGE County Manager Decision Expected Today Debate Renewed On Funding Animal Shelter Organizers Cancel 2020 Polar Bear Jump Santa Arrives At Renovated Pioneer Park Rare Woman Plow Driver Fights Ezekiel Common Council OKs $20 Million Budget EDITORIALS On County Manager, Now Hard Work Begins Kennedy, Bliss, Committee Deserve Praise COLUMNS SEWARD: Reforms May Be Costly, Dangerous MATHISEN: Memoir Takes Us To 911 Bombing…
IN MEMORIAM: Rosalie H. Weir, 92; CCS Teacher Aide Has Many Survivors TODDSVILLE – Rosalie H. Weir, a mother, daughter, wife, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother, was unexpectedly called home Saturday morning, Nov. 30, 2019, from her home in Toddsville to join her Lord and family. She was 92. Of Polish descent, she was born Sept. 1, 1927, at home in Ashley, Pa., one of seven children of Anthony Zukowski, a coalminer, and Helen (Gouse) Zukowski. After moving to the Cooperstown…
