Editorial Saving Article IX Among the most important sections of our New York State Constitution is Article IX, one that has been on the local books since the organization of our local governments—our counties, cities, towns and villages: home rule. This, in a broad sense, describes those governmental functions and activities traditionally reserved to or performed by local governments without undue infringement by the state. More technically, home rule refers to the constitutional and statutory powers given local governments to…
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Letter from Chip Northrup ‘HABsteria’ Imminent Without Planning Now To avoid another summer of HABsteria, I’d suggest the following: Coordinated Plan—Since Otsego is the largest New York lake in the Chesapeake Bay watershed (which starts in front of our house on the Susquehanna), funding for watershed mitigation can be obtained from the Chesapeake Bay watershed authority—to supplement, not replace—a state-approved plan. Although the DEC 9-E Plan is imperfect, it’s better than a repeat of last summer’s Dueling-Banjos of HABsteria. Since…
Letter from Phil Durkin Cherry Valley Dems Backing Benton Co-chairs of the Cherry Valley Democratic Committee, Dennis Laughlin and Kathleen Taylor, have announced that, at its February 14 meeting, the committee unanimously endorsed MacGuire Benton as the Democratic candidate for the position of Otsego County clerk in the November 2023 election. MacGuire enters the race having the experience of the Cooperstown Village Board, Deputy Elections Commissioner and work in the private business sector. He brings the energy and vigor of…
The Partial Observer What Is the Cost of ‘Saving’ a School? Further Thoughts on the Schenevus-Worcester Merger Schenevus/Maryland/Westford friends:As a community, we have gone back and forth about whether or how students would benefit from an annexation merger with Worcester. We have sincere disagreements, despite all wanting what we believe to be best for our community’s children. Many want an answer to whether the district can or can’t be “saved.” This is an honest question, but not the one I…
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…
Fire District Holds First Meeting After December Election By CASPAR EWIGFLY CREEKThe newly-constituted Board of Fire Commissioners of the Fly Creek Fire District held its annual organizational meeting and first monthly meeting on Thursday, January 12. The agenda moved forward in an organized manner and was free from the discord that had marked the recent election. “We’re going to start with a clean slate,” said Sam Hoskins, who was elected chairman of the board on December 13.At the outset, Hoskins…
Revote Petition Filed Dec. 2 A petition calling for a revote on the Schenevus/Worcester school district merger was submitted on December 2 by Schenevus resident Nicole Miskell. The hard-copy petition was given by Miskell to Dr. Catherine Huber, district superintendent at the Otsego Northern Catskills BOCES office in Milford.…
Former Supervisor Sets Record Straight, Reflects on Future Merger Revote Petition Filed By DARLA M. YOUNGSSCHENEVUS Schenevus Central School District Superintendent Theresa Carlin resigned during a special Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, December 27, effective December 31. Carlin stepped down just over a year after Schenevus taxpayers voted against a proposed merger with Worcester Central School. The merger had been approved in a straw vote held by both districts in September 2021, but Schenevus residents ultimately opposed the merger…
Letter from Joan Kegelman Further Thoughts on Fire District Election Regarding your recent coverage of the Fly Creek Fire District election, the current board endeavored to bring the district into compliance with the state’s regulations. However, there are those apparently who feel that rules do not apply to them, and that they are entitled to do things as they wish, regardless of state guidelines, protocols of the office of the state comptroller, and legal counsel. I take exception to the…
Editorial An ‘off-year’ election? Not by a longshot All politics is local, Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill famously said in the 1980s. So it’s a mystery that we call it an “off-year” election when local races fill our ballot, and an even greater mystery that biennial apathy replaces voter interest. We are voting to fill the offices that affect the fundamentals of our county, towns, and villages, choosing the people to whom we’ll entrust our local tax dollars as…