MAYOR HERZIG, CRITICS JOUST From Across County, Activists Blast City Hall Over Vote On D&H Yards LOOK FOR FULL DETAILS IN THIS WEEK’S FREEMAN’S JOURNAL, HOMETOWN ONEONTA…
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COMMON COUNCIL OKS DOCUMENT Comp Plan Focuses On ‘Zombies,’ City Arts Scene By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – An office to market the city as a destination for arts and culture, the reuse of “zombie properties” and continuing the Downtown Revitalization Initiative were all recommended as part of Oneonta’s updated Comprehensive Plan, adopted unanimously by Common Council during their meeting this evening. “You’ve given us a road map that will use over the years,” said Mayor Gary…
Herzig ‘Not Surprised’ RSS Project Not Funded By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – Mayor Gary Herzig today said he’s not surprised the state rejected Rehabilitation Support Services’ application for low-income housing funds for an affordable housing development project in the Sixth Ward. “Oneonta does need affordable funding,” he said, “but, unfortunately, the way RSS went about it was not the right way.” RSS’ plan sparked controversy last October when Sixth Ward residents and business owners abruptly learned the organization…
Job Corps Honors Fallen Hero Heller Chris Kuhn, Director of the Oneonta Job Corps Academy, addresses family, friends and firefighters gathered in ‘the octagon,’ a hallway interchange on the third floor of Oneonta Job Corps named in honor of the late John D. Heller, who lost his life in December rescuing his fiancee and their nephews from the Walling Street arson. “We love him and we miss him.” said Kuhn. “It is our hope that when people walk through this space…
EDITORIAL Downtown Revival IS Exciting; Let’s ACT Excited About Plans There’s a lot going on in the City of Oneonta right now, as City Hall’s DRI (the Downtown Revitalization Initiative) begins distributing $10 million in state money, leveraging it in a way that attracts many millions more in private investment. Certainly, there are time pressures. There are conflicting agendas. There’s not ever going to be enough money to make everybody happy. Lately, environmentalists are ready to swoop down on any…
Herzig Revokes OH-Fest Permit For Park Concert If Protest Breaks Out, OPD Lacks Resources To Control It, He Says By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – City Hall revoked OH-Fest’s Neahwa Park permit this morning after Mayor Gary Herzig learned on www.AllOTSEGO.com overnight that large numbers of students might protest concert headliner Sean Kingston after learning last week he and his bodyguard were accused of a gang rape in 2010. The city’s decision throws into doubt whether the Saturday night…
Oneonta Considers Bike-Share Program By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA –The city is moving toward establishing a Bike Share and Microbility Program, with Mayor Gary Herzig asserting, “A bike share is a good thing.” “But there are many different models of bike shares,” Herzig said in the Council’s Legislative Committee meeting this evening, “And we want to make sure that we control what model we put in here, how it operates, and that it’s what’s best for the…
Downtown Improvement Awards To Be Announced Tuesday March 5 ONEONTA – Mayor Gary Herzig will announce the recipients of the $2.3 million in Downtown Improvement Funding as part of his State of the City address at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5. “The grant applications from our business owners far exceeded all expectations,” said Herzig. “That so many demonstrated a willingness to invest their time, energy, and resources into building a better downtown is very exciting. The award announcements, along…
Is Additional Affordable Housing Needed In City? Council Committee Asks By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – A $10,000 Opportunities for Otsego proposal to determine the need for low- and moderate-income housing in the city and how to fill it met skepticism from a Common Council committee last night. Still, the Community Development Committee forwarded the proposal for discussion by the full Common Council, which next meets at 7 p.m. this coming Tuesday. OFO Housing Director Audrey Benkenstein…
Oneonta Must Prepare For State’s Marijuana Legalization, Mayor Says By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – The legalization of marijuana is coming soon to the state and Oneonta should begin preparing for it. Similarly to the montana marijuana laws, then once the use of medical marijuana becomes legal in Oneonta, then there will also be rules to follow, in order to comply with the industry and the law. So, if you’re thinking of making the most of those…