Trustees Talk Fees, Possible Dog Park, Fairy Spring Plans

By SARAH ROBERTS
COOPERSTOWN

The latest monthly meeting of the Village of Cooperstown Board of Trustees was held on Monday, February 24. Over the course of the meeting, which began at 6 p.m. and ran for roughly two and a half hours, the six trustees and mayor discussed matters including upcoming special events in the village, changes to parking regulations, grants and project updates, plans for a potential new dog park, and the results of the Village Seal Contest.

Among the special events discussed was the Lakefront Park Concert Series, as well as waiving fees for outside dining applications from restaurants, with the outdoor dining period beginning May 15. Deputy Mayor Cindy Falk noted that this is a bit earlier than normal.

“Some restaurants may want to start earlier if it’s nice out. Let’s hope so, after this winter,” joked Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh.

Ye Old Bubble Tea was approved for vending during the concert series and the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Weekend.

A wedding ceremony was also approved for Lakefront Park. Falk suggested formalizing a fee structure for private events in the future.

Nelson Mondaca was appointed to the village Planning Board as second alternate, and there was a prolonged discussion regarding adjustment of the zoning fee schedule and caps.

There was discussion about prohibiting parking on Brooklyn Avenue. While it was readily accepted that at least one side of the street had to be marked with “no parking” signage to allow for ambulances to get through, the idea of prohibiting street parking on the west side was met with some resistance due to the limited driveway parking available to the houses on the street.

A public hearing has been set for the next village trustees meeting on Monday, March 24 to allow those most affected by any proposed change to “offer their two cents.”

As the discussion turned to grants and projects, most of the talk revolved around Fairy Spring Park, including the addition of Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant bathrooms and ramps.

“The public is going to want to know what we commit ourselves to,” said Trustee Joseph Membrino. “Every meeting that we’ve had about this, the same stumbling has seemed to occur…we aren’t tight on what we actually [intend].”

A public information meeting on the Fairy Spring Park Project has been set for Wednesday, March 19 at 6 p.m. in the Village Meeting Room at 22 Main Street.

The next major item under discussion was the Parks Board Report, primarily concerning the possible creation of a dog park in the village. The proposed location of the new park would be off of Linden Avenue. This proposed location consists of two acres of green space. The village holds a permanent easement, and does not own the land itself, officials said.

Mayor Tillapaugh pointed out to trustees that the 2019 survey in which local residents voiced support for the dog park project listed the proposed location as Badger Park; however, that location could cause complications, as it is residential. Nearby homeowners and their dogs may be bothered by the activity and noise.

Trustees said that if people are against the idea of the proposed dog park, or have any concerns, they hope these could be brought forward.

The winning submission for the Village Seal Contest was announced; however, both its image and the name of the person who designed the seal were withheld until the trustees have determined the process for retrieving total rights over said image in order to use it freely. The new Village Seal features a sailboat on Otsego Lake.

The Cooperstown Board of Trustees meets again on Monday, March 24. Village officials can be contacted at (607) 547-2411 or—if necessary—by going to www.cooperstownny.org and clicking the “Report a Problem” button in the upper right corner of the screen.