Advertisement

Russ Southard

/

Weather, Holidays Keeps Council Members Home From Final Meeting

Meeting Rescheduled For Wednesday Weather, Holidays Keep Council Members Away From Their Final Duties Winter weather and holiday travel plans resulted in a near-empty Oneonta Common Council meeting earlier this evening, where outgoing members Michelle Fraser, First Ward, Melissa Nicosia, Second Ward, and Dana Levinson, Fifth Ward, didn’t attend their final meeting as Council members. With Michelle Osterhoudt having resigned Nov. 30, that left only, from left, David Rissberger, Third Ward, City Manager George Korthauer,  Mayor Gary Herzig, City Clerk…

/

Dostal: There Are ‘Misconceptions’ About RSS Project

People Who Would Live In RSS Are Committed To Recovery, Dostal Says LEAF Director Responds To Neighbors Organizing By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – In response to the formation of “Sixth Ward Neighbors United,” LEAF Executive Director Julie Dostal said there are “misconceptions” about the proposed Rehabilitation & Support Services housing development and the 14 units set aside for people in addiction recovery. “Those people get to move into those units because they have engaged in a…

//

Sixth Ward Will Fight River Street Housing Project

THE TARGET: RSS PROPOSAL 50 Neighbors Uniting To Fight Housing Project By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – Christened “Sixth Ward Neighbors United,” River Street residents and businesspeople met for more than two hours with  city, county and state elected officials at the Sixth Ward Athletic Club Thursday evening  to discuss strategies to oppose RSS’s housing development in their neighborhood. “There are multiple bad reasons for RSS’s project,” said Fran Colone, a vocal critic of the housing development…

/

Council Approves Nick’s Application

City Council OKs Nick’s Diner Plan $230K CDBG Application Albany-Bound By PARKER FISH • Special To www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – The audience filled the seats and spilled out into the hallway as the Common Council again debated, then approved Nick’s Diner’s application for a $230,000 CDBG grant. The vote enables Nick’s prospective owner Rodney Thorsland’s to submit the application to Albany for its approval. Thorsland’s request has been hotly debated in the past three Common Council meetings, with several community members…

//

Mayor Herzig Appoints Comprehensive Plan Committee

Mayor Appoints Committee To Revise City’s Comp Plan By LIBBY CUDMORE Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – Council member Russ Southard, Sixth Ward, Greater Oneonta Historical Society Executive Director Bob Brzozowski, developer Seth Clark and Destination Oneonta’s Rachel Jessup were all named this evening to the Steering Committee to update the city’s comprehensive master plan. “This is the group that will facilitate the update to the 2007 comprehensive plan, incorporating the City’s vision, addressing the railyards and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative,” said Mayor…

/

Angry Townfolks Object To Annexation Idea

Angry Townfolks Object To Annexation Talk ONEONTA – A workshop to look at the process of annexing brought out a full house of Laurens and Town of Oneonta citizens who accused Common Council of planning to annex the Oneonta Municipal Airport and the city’s water supply. “You must have some reason for holding this workshop,” said Bill Starna, the retired SUNY Oneonta anthropology professor. “Otherwise, are you just poking around in the dark?” “There is no proposal here,” said Council Member…

/

Greenway Project Suspended, But Trails Still Open

Greenway Project Suspended, But Existing Trails Still Open By LIBBY CUDMORE • for AllOTSEGO.COM ONEONTA – For now, at least, plans to expand the Susquehanna Greenway are dead. “The city would have to come up with $40,000 just to do a redesign,” said Council member Melissa Nicosia, Second Ward, who brought the resolution to suspend the project from the Community Development Committee.  “We would have to start the work by September and finish in January.  It’s just not in the best interest…

/

Charter Commission Recommends Giving Mayor Vote on City Manager

Charter Committee Recommends:  Let Mayor Vote On City Manager By LIBBY CUDMORE • for www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – Though a mayor’s vote is normally limited to breaking ties, the ad hoc Charter Review Committee is recommending that a mayor be part of the search for the city manager, and be allowed a vote along with Common Council to make the appointment. “Both have to be heavily involved,” said Council member Russ Southard, Sixth Ward.  “Otherwise, you don’t have a buy-in.  Mayor Dick Miller was heavily involved…