Early voting began Saturday, October 28 and Election Day itself is just five days away from this paper’s publication date. Benton and his supporters are crying foul after Basile’s announcement, contending this is just a last-minute campaign ploy—that she has not gone through the proper channels to make such a claim, nor have costs associated with the satellite office been included in the county’s 2024 budget.…
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DAN WILBER
We have two candidates in the running for Otsego County clerk. Jennifer Basile, a paralegal, and a notary who has been working in that office for 14 years. Jennifer has been the deputy clerk for seven of those years. She knows the complex workings of that office inside in out. Local attorneys who are a prime source of the documents maintained by the office give her great reviews.…
Letter from Bryan LoRusso Rebuttal to County EMS Program Stance I have been following the movements of the Board of Representatives and the 911 director over the last two years in regard to the county’s paid EMS program that the constituents of Otsego County never approved. After reading last week’s article on AllOtsego.com, I have many thoughts to share and questions to be answered. The Board of Representatives, including prior members, has never aggressively helped fire/EMS volunteerism in Otsego County.…
Otsego County Seeks To Supplement Struggling Local Emergency Services By GREG KLEIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com Emergency medical services are struggling to respond to calls county-wide, leading Otsego County officials to consider stepping in with supplemental services. “I’ve been in the service for 47 years. I have never seen it this bad,” said Rep. Dan Wilber, R-Burlington, Edmeston, Exeter, Plainfield, who is a member of the Edmeston Fire Department and Rescue Squad and the chair of the county’s Public Safety…
All GOP County Reps Ready To Run Again By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – All Republican members of the county Board of Representatives plan to run again this fall, according to Dan Wilber, R-Burlington, who has been designated to recruit candidates. Wilber said his goal is also to run Republicans, who now control six of the 14 districts, in all district seats now held by Democrats. Democrats control seven districts, although – with Conservative Meg Kennedy voting…
Village, County, City Completing Review Of Police Procedures By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com With April 1 a few weeks away, it’s crunch time. Following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis last spring, Governor Cuomo issued an order requiring all 330 communities in New York State with police departments to form Community Advisory Boards to review “policies and procedures” by that date. That covers three governments in Otsego County: • The Village of Cooperstown: Monday, Feb. 22, the Village Board…
‘False Equivalency’ Or Not? County Board Split On How To React To Capitol Attack Editor’s Note: For an hour at its monthly meeting, Wednesday, Feb. 3, the Otsego County Board of Representatives debated two resolutions: H, condemning the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. And G, condemning both the attack on the Capitol and summer-long riots that followed George Floyd’s death. RESOLUTION NO. G RESOLUTION: CONDEMNING VIOLENCE IN THE UNITED STATES AND REAFFIRMING THE BOARD’S COMMITMENT TO THE RULE…
Sanctuary Drive Hits Roadblock D.A. Dismisses Idea; Reps Put Off Action By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com The 2A Sanctuary Movement’s effort to banish all gun laws from Otsego County appears at a standstill, at least for now. “The county board has no real authority or jurisdiction,” county Rep. Dan Wilber, last week, told the county board’s Public Safety & Legal Affairs Committee, which he chairs. “Enforcement is left to the district attorney and the sheriff’s office.” Wilber said…
PSLA MEETS THURSDAY Gun-Sanctuary Resolution To Go Before Committee By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – Below is the text of the resolution that would declare Otsego County a gun-law sanctuary, where the state’s SAFE Act would not be enforced. The resolution will be considered Thursday by the county board’s Public Safety & Legal Affairs Committee. Dan Wilber, R-Burlington, committee chairman, hasn’t been available to discuss the matter. Scheduled for noon, the meeting may be viewed via Zoom…
CLICK HERE FOR 2AS STATEMENT Petitions Signed By 3,295 Seek Gun Sanctuary Chairman Bliss Refers Issue To Public Safety Committee By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – The Otsego 2AS movement arrived this morning in the county Board of Representatives’ chambers. County Rep. Rick Brockway, R-West Laurens, presented petitions on 2AS’ behalf with 3,295 signatures calling on the county board to declare Otsego County a gun-law sanctuary, where the state’s SAFE Act, consider one of the toughest such laws…