Ho 05 01 15 full

M

THE

ARKERS OF

H

ISTORY

NEW BOOK LOCATES ALL ROADSIDE SIGNS IN COUNTY/SEE B1

HOMETOWN ONEONTA !

E RE

F Volume 7, No. 32

City of The Hills

& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch

Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, May 1, 2015

Complimentary

CRISIS RESOLVED After Tense Special Council Meeting, City Manager Rides With OPD Patrol

By LIBBY CUDMORE

A

t a special meeting called at 8 a.m.

Friday, April 24, OPD Sgt. Branden Collison stood up and invited City Manager Martin Murphy to join him for a ride-along in the after-hours of OH-Fest.

Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Fashion student Zubida Azan’s “It’s a Rainy Princess” gown was inspired by umbrellas, one of many novelties at SUNY Oneonta’s annual recycled fashion show Thursday, April 23, in the Human Ecology Building.

City Manager Murphy addresses concerns at the special Common Council meeting Friday, April 24.

And at 1 a.m. Sunday morning, April 26, Murphy got into the passenger seat of Collison’s cruiser. “All in all, it was a relatively good night,” he said. “I was really impressed by their ability to remain calm in such emotional situations, especially when some of them had been at work all day already.”

Please See RESOLVED, A7

Taking‘Oh,

Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Oh,’Out Of OH-Fest

By LIBBY CUDMORE

S

tanding in Neahwa Park, watching Panic! At the Disco play, Lt. Douglas Brenner got his review of OHFest straight from DO Message the source – his To Visitors: niece Jacqueline Courter, a SUNY Come On In student. “She said this was the he Downtown best one she‘s Oneonta organization been to,” he will cut the ribbon said. “The music on its Welcome Center at was good, the 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 1, crowd was rowdy at 2 Dietz St., launching its enough but not first “Fabulous First Friday” too rowdy, and event of 2015.

Oneonta’s Noel everyone was The ribbon cutting will Palladino was all looking to have a eyes amid the Main be followed food – on a good time.”

Street hub-bub.

BBQ theme – and live music And Brenner throughout the downtown. had to agree. “The concert really reflected For dessert, stop by the the whole atmosphere,” he said. “There History Center, where the weren’t a lot of troublemakers.”

GOHS is again hosting its Last year’s festival – medical calls for annual Cakewalk – musical Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA alcohol poisoning, fights, intoxicated conchairs, for cakes – from 5 Hartwick and SUNY students packed Main Street during OH-Fest Saturday, April 25, but cert goers slapping cars and concertgoto 8. there was no trouble, and no trouble that night in the Neahwa Park concert.

Please See OH-FEST, A7 SIGN OF SPRING: The paving season began with the arrival of May, with a paving overlay planned on portions of Walnut and Center streets in the next few day, April 27. “It took us days, and the milling of porBy LIBBY CUDMORE six minutes to respond, but

By LIBBY CUDMORE tions of Chestnut Street and the house was fully engulfed Burnside Avenue. arilyn Bailey in flames,” said Fire Chief hen Robin Seletsky plays a fondly remembers Patrick Pidgeon. “We were DOING BID-NESS: “Freylekh” tune – Yiddish for a birthday party able to get the four-wheel Oneonta’s Small Business “Joyous” on her clarinet – she she attended as a girl at the drive vehicle in, with an Development Center is offer- isn’t thinking about herself. She’s thinking Lockwood family’s camp on engine partway there, with ing a 20-hour Small Busiabout how she is merely the conduit for New Island. “After I-88 was relay pumping from the ness Training Program, 9 inspiration. built, the house was cut off,” interstate and pumping from a.m.-4:30 p.m., Wednesdays “The term ‘klezmer’ refers to the artshe said. the Mill Race.”

May 6, 13 and 20, at Morris ist, not the style of music,” she said. “It The two-story home, long Bailey was wistful. “We Hall, SUNY Oneonta. Cost: comes from the Yiddish ‘kli’ meaning Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA abandoned, a hulk visible had to go down Rose Av$75 total. Call Michelle song and ‘zemer’ meaning vessel – the Robin Seletsky is launching Oneonta’s from I-88, burned in an enue, go under the highway Catan, (607) 432-4500 ext Please See SERIES, A3 newest concert series Sunday, May 3. early morning fire on MonPlease See FIRE, A3 208, to reserve a spot.

T

‘Temple Beth El Presents...’

New Series Celebrates Novel Music

W

Little House Everybody Knew Consumed In Suspected Arson

M

HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD

•

A-2 HOMETOWN ONEONTA

The Quilt 88 Main Street Zoo Worcester, NY 12197

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

HOMETOWN People

5 STAR HELPS FAMILY SERVICES ASSOCIATION

Tropp Publishes, Then Graduates

A New Quilt Store ustin Tropp of PittsOpening 2/14/14! burgh, Pa., who will

D

be graduating from SUNY Oneonta in May, has published his first book, “Running for Local and 88 Main Street Worcester, NY State Office: Hours: Tues-Sat 9:30-4; 607-397-9047 150 Things You Should Know,” available via Closed Sun and Mon thequiltzoo@gmail.com amazon.com Learn • Fabricsto • Notions •Tropp Classes • Kits managed his first Monthly Raffles • Baby Quilts campaign, for•a Bags state house Sew Classes Applique Table Techniques Toppers • Applique Techniques candidate in Nashville, Fabrics • Gifts “ Sewriday Happy 11-2 Day ” ever Tenn., when he was only 21, Classes Bring • Notions a lunch & a project that of Joshua Rawlings, the Can’t wait to see at The Zoo! 607-397-9047 youngest The coffee’s on! Republican to ever www.thequiltzoo.com Bonnie &run Nina from that city, who came within 3 percentage points

ESTATE of ROD & JEANNE JOHNSON OF MIDDLEFIELD, NY

Country Americana Auction - Part II A great collection of Upstate NY antiques to be sold unreserved.

Thursday, May, 7, 2015 - 4:30pm Hesse Galleries, 350 Main St., Otego, NY   For the illustrated order of sale go to www.HESSEGALLERIES.com or www.AuctionZip.com - Auctioneer # 2029

of victory.

Dustin went on to work on Congressional, local and state elections in Pittsburgh and Oneonta.

He is a Tropp double major in political science and music industry, and applies knowledge of band management to political campaigns. He currently does volunteer work for the Grammy Music Awards through their “Grammy U” program as a recruiter and classroom speaker.

IN PHI BETA: Amy Hait of West Oneonta was initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Hait is pursuing a degree in environmental engineering at Clarkson University.

Visit our Healthy Kids Day booth during OH-Fest April 26!

City resident registration for Summer Parks Programs Starts may 5

Geo. Fordham

registration will be at the y this year!

YMCA Gym: May 4, 5 & 6 - 5pm to 7pm. May 9 10am - noon.

YMCA Front Desk beginning May 11 - 5:45am - 9pm Mon-Fri. 8am - 4pm Sat. Non residents: May 28 & 29 5pm - 7pm & May 30 10am - noon plus the week of June 1, Front Desk

Indian Lament

For more information go to www.oneontaymca.org OneOnta Family ymCa 20-26 FOrd avenue OneOnta ny 13820 607 432 0010

AUCTIONEERS & APPRAISERS Dedicated to both Seller & Buyer

Proof of residency required. Last year’s passes not valid. Seasonal passes for non-residents available. Outdoor pool opens Sat. June 27.



Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Blaine Jennings and Ben Guenther of Five Star Subaru, left, present a check for $14,564 to Family Services of Oneonta’s Kim DeFalco, Rudy Ballard, Vicki Salmon and Fred Albrecht, holding check at right. The donation comes from Five Star Subaru’s Share the Love Event back in December where anyone buying a car could donate part of the purchase cost to the cause.

This is the first year that they have been able to donate to a local charity.

3 County Educators Among 7 Cited By SUNY Oneonta

T

hree Otsego County educators were among seven who received Awards for Exemplary Service Thursday, April 23, from SUNY Oneonta’s Secondary Education Department in a ceremony at Morris Conference Center, part of National Teacher Appreciation Week: • Foreign Language Education, to Melinda Freer, a Spanish teacher at Milford Central School for more than 20 years. A resident of Milford, she holds degrees from SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Albany.

• Social Studies Education, to Tabitha Mummenthey, a U.S. history teacher at Oneonta Middle School, where she has taught for the

last eight years of a 16-year teaching career. The Jefferson resident holds degrees from Elmira College and SUNY Oneonta.

• English Education, to Martin Thompson, a SUNY Oneonta student teaching supervisor. A resident of Ballston Lake, he taught English in grades 7-12 over a 43-year career. He holds degrees from SUNY Oneonta and Skidmore College.

IN HONOR SOCIETY: Kayla Ray of New Berlin was inducted into SUNY Oneonta’s Edward K. Griesmer chapter of National Residence Hall Honorary, a branch of the National Association of Colleges and University Residence Halls.

D N A R G ING! N E OP

We’ve assembled a team here at Carpets Plus with over 100 years experience in this market!

We’re here to serve your flooring needs.

GRAND OPENING SPECIAL!

Starting at

1

$ 99

LIVE REMOTE WZOZ 103.1

10 AM TO NOON Meet Leslie Ann during a LIVE broadcast!

SF

INCLUDES CARPET, PADDING & BASIC INSTALLATION!

Over 50 carpets to choose from at this price!

Carpet • Vinyl Ceramic • Wood Laminate • LVT, VCT Area Rugs • Carpet Tile Floor Cleaning Supplies MORE!

Customer Satisfaction 100% Guaranteed!

Everyone Leaves Happy!

GIVEAWAYS!

• • •

HOT DOGS AT NOON!

• • •

SPECIAL DISCOUNTS!

South Main Street, across from Stella Luna on Market St. 607-434-7933 • 607-434-3788

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-3

Fire That Destroyed New Island Home Evokes Memories In Oneontans FIRE/From A1 overpass and across a little bridge to get to it,” she said.

“Kathleen Lockwood had her party there, but it wasn’t the family home. I think it was more like her father’s fishing cabin.”

The blaze was under control within two hours, and no one was hurt. But the house itself was a total loss.

The fire is being treated as “suspicious.”

“It’s an abandoned building with no source of ignition unless someone was doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing,” said Lt. Douglas Brenner, Oneonta Police Department. “We have a witness who said they saw

“There are signs pointing to people camping and seeking shelter in those outbuildings,” he said. “There’s new and old cans, lean-to’s and blankets set up like they’re making sleeping arrangements.”

The police are currently looking at two “persons of interest” and are working to locate them for questioning.

The city owns the house, said Brenner, but they have to trace the history of how HOMETOWN ONEONTA the city came to possess the Oneonta’s Marilyn Bailey reflects on the nowproperty in order to charge razed family getaway of a girlhood friend during any suspects. “It’s a historia GOHS tour of Electric Lake in 2011. cal anomaly,” he said.

And although the fire someone running from the who smelled like smoke.” was accidental in nature, building, and we had some It’s a popular place for other calls about people the homeless, said Pidgeon. Brenner says that charges of arson will still be filed

‘Temple Beth El Presents...’

Is Launched

Women’s Health at FoxCare

SERIES/From A1 musician is the vessel for the music. What an enlightened way to view inspiration!”

For Seletsky, Klezmer music is a family tradition. “My dad, Harold, was a clarinetist and a composer,” she said.

“I remember him playing Klezmer at Jewish weddings in Park Slope, Brooklyn.”

Now, Selestsky, who teaches music both at Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta, is turning her musical talents and experience to launching Oneonta’s newest music series.

The inaugural performance in “Temple Beth El of Oneonta Presents” is singersongwriter Basya IF YOU GO: Basya Schecter, Schechter 3 p.m. Sunday, at 3 p.m.

May 3. Temple Sunday, May 3.

Beth El, 83 Chestnut St., Seletsky Oneonta. Info, handtickets, (607) picked 286-9085.

Schechter. “She sings in Yiddish, Hebrew and English. And she has a voice like a goddess.”

Seletsky learned to play clarinet at a young age, studying classical music at LaGuardia School of Performing Arts, the setting for the movie “Fame.” “I was immersed in music from the time I was very young,” she said.

But she didn’t get into Klezmer music until later in her career, when it came to the forefront of the World Music scene in the early 90s. “So much of it died out during the Holocaust, and the second generations weren’t interested in the Old World music,” she said. “But bands like the Klezmatics took that as a point of departure and authenticity, and they brought it forward.”

She asked her dad to teach her, and he shared his own compositions with her. And now, just a few years after his passing, one of those Freylekhs appears on Big Galut(e)’s eponymous debut.

“The first track, ‘Seletsker Freylekhs’ is a medley of two tunes, one of his and one of mine,” she said.

But her interest in traditional and world music didn’t stop at her own doorstep.

She met Basya Schecter at a Jewish music retreat and was immediately captivated by both her talent and her story. “She came from an ultra-orthodox home, where singing in public was not accepted,” she said. “She’s made this journey from that to being one of the premier female artists in the Jewish music community, but her music transcends faith, age and culture.”

The series is made possible by a New York State arts grant and generous donation from a member of Temple Beth El, and Seletsky is hoping that ticket sales and continued interest will keep the series going. “We want to have all kinds of music that inspires and makes people feel good.”

when a suspect is identified. “They probably didn’t mean to burn the building down; they were probably just trying to stay warm,” he said. “But they should have known better than to start a fire in an old building.”

And Pidgeon warns oth-

ers who might be considering a campfire to think twice. “There is a burn ban in effect and you can’t have an open campfire,” he warned. “You may think it’s just a small fire, but those embers can fly away and land several feet away.”

where a healthy life begins

Public Forum

Now accepting new OB and GYN patients Call for an appointment (607) 432-3711

Thursday, April 30 7 pm Hartwick Town Hall (Hwy 28, Portlandville)

Featuring County Treasurer Dan Crowell

County Representative Ed Lentz Town Supervisor Chris Harmon

Meet your elected officials.

Speak your mind. Ask your questions!

Everyone is invited!

Women’s Health at FoxCare One FoxCare Drive, Suite 303 Oneonta, New York 13820

Triple Crown Baseball Factory Indoor Baseball and Softball Training Facility

Swing Tune-up time!

Sunday, May 3

For more information, contact Ed Lentz at lentze@otsegocounty.com or 607-263-5425

OAK HILL MOTORS & RV We Sell Pontoon Boats Too!

SESSION I: 11 am - 12:30 pm SESSION II: 1 pm - 2:30 pm Batting instruction supervised

by Triple Crown college coaches & players • Tee Work • Soft Toss • Overhand • pitching machine

$25 for TCBF Members $40 for non-members 607-431-8222 · 174 Roundhouse Road, Oneonta · Call to reserve your spot!

Fri-Sun May 1st-3rd 10am-5pm

Huge Selection Great Pricing

15% OFF All In-Stock RV Parts in the Store

Door Prizes & Refreshments

Weekend Giveaways New This Year: Puma, Sandpiper, Viking, Layton, Bridgeview Park Models 298 Harter St., Herkimer • Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat. 10-4

315-866-3030 • www.oakhillsales.com

HOMETOWN Views

A-4 HOMETOWN ONEONTA

FRIDAY, May 1, 2015

EDITORIALS

Breathe. Oneonta’s Had 6 Traumatic, Turbulent Months

S

o much has happened in the past six months – and it’s only been six months – since Marty Murphy assumed the helm of Oneonta City Hall’s administration last Oct. 1.

No doubt, Mayor Dick Miller’s original plan was to bring Oneonta’s second city manager up to speed in The Miller Method, to put him in the picture on The Miller Initiatives. But, with Miller’s passing on

Oct. 25 – Murphy was three weeks into his new job – that wasn’t to be.

Deputy Mayor Russ Southard, to the thanks of his fellow citizens, assumed duties that he never expected nor desired. But, unlike the retired Miller, Southard has a demanding job and family responsibilities, plus he’s new to the mayoralty.

Taking Murphy by the hand, as Miller no doubt would have, just wasn’t to be.

City Hall is a picture of

Voters Elected Supervisor Atwell, And Should Decide If She Stays

W

as there a full call was “a total surprise. moon in Otsego As far as I could see, we County’s skies were getting along.”

Tuesday, April 21?

As in Oneonta, the Town As City Council member of Otsego fathers (and Mike Lynch was mothers) should bomb-throwing in take a deep breath.

Oneonta, in Fly Supervisor Atwell Creek the Otsego has been elected Town Board was twice to the town’s being harangued by top job. She is up an engineer angry for election again in at a stymied local November. Let the project. voters, not HuntsThe haranguer man, decide if she Geddes Atwell was charged with deserves another disorderly conduct, term. (Although then Town Board member Atwell isn’t sure she wants Julie Huntsman announced to run again.) she was resigning, and Town Board member called on Town Supervisor Huntsman had accepted a Anne Geddes Atwell to do two-year responsibility on the same, saying, “by my running for office, and she experience, she has not had a responsibility to see demonstrated competence it through. She certainly or leadership.” shouldn’t call on Atwell to To Atwell, Huntsman’s follow a regrettable lead.

transition: New city manager. New mayor. Four of the eight Council members – Bob Brzozowski, Chip Holmes, Mike Lynch and Larry Malone – aren’t running again this fall; they’re winding down.

In Mike Lynch’s case, though, can anyone be blamed for wondering if a Dec. 31 departure isn’t soon enough?

To the surprise of his fellow Council members, Lynch emerged from an executive session at the Tuesday, April 21, Common Council meeting to reportedly declare, “Something’s wrong. It’s obvious that something is broken and we’re going to find out what it is.”

Apparently it wasn’t obvious to Southard and other Council members, who said the executive session dealt with establishing a 360-degree review system for the city manager position. They called a special Council meeting for Friday the 24th where they reaffirmed their support for the city manager.

Can you believe it? Lynch didn’t attend.

• Council member Mike Lynch hasn’t exactly been a friend of professional management at City Hall, and explicitly so: “It (the charter) doesn’t pertain to my job,” he told the Charter Revision Committee last summer.

A year ago, almost to the day, he participated in the premature agitation that

HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Oneontans should do what they can to make City Manager Marty Murphy and his wife Penny feel at home. It’s the friendly thing to do – and good for the city.

resulted in the ouster of the first city manager, Mike Long. That, too, caught his colleagues by surprise.

A murky effort followed to circumvent charter-defined credentials in the hiring of Long’s successor. In the end, Lynch declared his sympathy for that effort and became the sole vote against Murphy’s hiring.

Since, he’s voted against key Murphy initiatives – a professional study of the fire department’s equipment needs and the hiring of a Community Development director among them. And he’s routinely made motions to table other initiatives – recently, a paid-parking adjustment and leasing city land for billboards.

Certainly, that’s his right, but it’s part of a troubling piece.

Now, there he goes again, over-stating an evolving situation – Murphy’s just getting settled – as a crisis that demands immediate attention. It isn’t and it doesn’t.

It’s hard to know what Mike Lynch is up to and why. Certainly, though, his colleagues should strive to limit the damage he might do in the few months remaining, as they did at the special Council meeeting. .

• Yes, City Hall is in flux.

This simply is not the time to further rock the good ship City Hall as it navigates through storm to safe harbor.

It’s been said that Murphy hasn’t reached out to city workers, and he’s pledged an open door policy. This is good. Perhaps the depart-

Congressional Report

LETTERS

Zoning Preserves What Makes Cooperstown Special To the Editor: In last week’s editorial, “In Itself, Deluxe Hotel Is Not A Bad Idea For Cooperstown,” a number of points are made in support of the construction of the proposed hotel. It is lamented that Cooperstown’s business district is not what it used to be.

Crowds thin out after 6 p.m. Some stores close completely in the winter months. Special events are not what they used to be.

But, if what is claimed is to be believed, much of this decline can be changed because the 120 people staying at the proposed hotel during the summer months would be able to keep the cash registers ringing.

& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch

Jim Kevlin

Editor & Publisher

This seems contrary to the theory that instead of week-long visitors increasing business on Main Street, week-long visitors actually prevent the needed business which occurs when visitors stay but two or three days.

Instead of a having one set of visitors, with one amount of money to spend, visiting the village each week, the shorter-term tourists have two or three sets of visitors, with two or three amounts of money to spend, visiting each week. It would seem the latter scenario would be the one more likely to make cash registers to ring.

And while, if local workers and materials are used in the construction of the hotel, it would be a big help,

HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Tara Barnwell

Advertising Director

M.J. Kevlin

Business Manager

Thom Rhodes • Jim Koury Advertising Consultants

Kathleen Peters Graphics

Celeste Brown Thomas

Copy Editor

Libby Cudmore Reporter

Ian Austin Photographer

Stephenie Walker Production Coordinator

Tom Heitz Consultant

Judith Bartow Billing

ment heads can organize coffee klatches for the city manager and staff to get to know each other in casual, low-key conversations. In the end, though, Murphy’s got to be the boss.

The city manager’s success is important to everyone. Perhaps city residents could make a special effort to reach out to Murphy and his wife, Penny, to make them feel welcome and supported in their new home.

He’s a change agent, and it can be a lonely role.

For his part, Murphy is in a trust-building stage with his new bosses. Before he introduces an initiative at Council meetings, he should be sure Council members are fully advised and nodding their heads in advance.

He needs a few singles and doubles, leading – but not right this minute, necessarily – to triples and home runs.

As they did with Long, Council members are focusing too quickly on making sure the personnel evaluation process is in place.

First, there should be goal setting, and with an acting mayor and four departing Council members, that should probably wait until the new mayor and Council take office Jan. 1.

Job One is to calm things down. Take it day to day, a step at a time. Time is the greater healer. In 18 months, we may find today’s crises – certainly the manufactured ones – have largely resolved themselves.

Katherine Monser Office Manager

MEMBER OF New York Press Association • The Otsego County Chamber Published weekly by Iron String Press, Inc. 21 Railroad Ave., Cooperstown NY 13326 Telephone: (607) 547-6103. Fax: (607) 547-6080.

E-mail: info@allotsego.com • www.allotsego.com

shortterm, to the struggling construction industry. But what is the long-term effect of having a $4 million property smack in the middle of Main Street? Since assessments are based on surrounding properties, does a property of substantially more value than others have the potential of increasing the assessments of other properties over time. According to what is being said about the current increase in assessments on Main Street, this might prove to be a real problem down the road.

The claim is also being made that the village’s zoning ordinance is “hellishly” complicated. However, it should be noted that over the years the zoning ordinance, which is a product of much work and long hours on the part of village residents, has served the vil-

lage well in maintaining the village’s delightful character. In fact, because of the zoning ordinance the village would seem to be well positioned to make certain that development is in the best interests of the community.

Granted, it might seem that the zoning rules and regulations may not seem to be in the best interests of developers who want to trade on the village’s reputation to line their own pockets. But, contrary to what is claimed, the zoning ordinance was not created to block anything substantial but rather to preserve what has made the village successful for lo these many years.

Having watched the time and commitment which has gone into developing and maintaining the zoning ordinance over the past 30-plus

Please See ELLSWORTH, A6

Landlocked Cooperstown Has To Grow Up, Not Out To the Editor: Cooperstown is landlocked, it cannot expand horizontally, it can only grow up – vertically. During the tourist high season, the pedestrian and vehicular density of the village core approaches that of some urban centers.

To accommodate those visitors, the village should address its expansion needs vertically – by utilizing all of the upper floor spaces available on Main Street.

Attendant parking is a necessity in such a densely used area. Height waivers – to accommodate mechanical rooms, stairways and

railings are likewise essential to vertical development.

The hotel developers may have gotten ahead of the approval process by cutting down trees behind the TJ’s building – for that, they should be required to plant trees in the park behind the building, and they should be required to post a completion bond for the demolition of the TJ’s eyesore.

Beyond that, the village should approve the project, as modified by the HPARB’s conditions, and start to take advantage of being able to grow up, if not out.

CHIP NORTHRUP Cooperstown

Gibson Proposes Testing Pupils Per ‘Grade Span,’ Not In Every Single Year Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson’s weekly e-letter to constituents. His 19th District includes Otsego County.

O

ur fight to empower state and local school systems continues to gain support. This week, U.S. Jon Tester, D-Mont., introduced a companion to the bill I authored to reduce the frequency of federally mandated assessments.

Families and educators across the U.S. agree the federal government’s testing regime is onerous and unfair, shifting classroom focus away from teaching and learning to testing. As thousands of New York State parents opt to have their children sit out of these assessments, and as the Senate prepares to vote on updating our main federal education law, I am grateful to Senator Tester, a former teacher, for joining our effort. As the father of three public school students and someone who spent several years teaching professionally, fixing this problem has been a major priority of mine since I retired from the Army.

We are hopeful that Congress will adopt our reforms and put an end to the one-size-fits-all approach to testing. The bill I re-introduced in the House this year with Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema,

D-Ariz., the Student Testing Improvement & Accountability Act, currently has 32 bipartisan co-sponsors from 19 states.

Our legislation replaces current annual testing requirements for math and language arts with the exact same grade-span testing requirements in current law for science classes.

This returns federal testing

requirements to the onceper-grade-span standards in place before No Child Left Behind, when math and reading assessments were conducted once in grades 3-5, once in grades 6-9, and once in grades 10-12.

State and local school systems ought to determine best practices for accountability – what works for New York may not work in Montana. The Student Testing Improvement & Accountability Act gives us a greater say in how we assess our students and schools, and it permits states to require more frequent testing if they seek it.

AllOTSEGO.com • MORE LETTERS, A6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR WELCOME • E-MAIL THEM TO info@

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

HOMETOWN 125 Years Ago

The Local News – About 200 dogs have been registered in the Town Clerk’s office in compliance with the provisions of the new state law.

Shooting at the rifle range on the Odell Brown farm began Wednesday.

Preparations are making for the fine new residence of George B. Baird at the corner of Chestnut and Church Streets. The dwelling will cost about $20,000.

The dynamo placed in Auburn prison for the first electrical execution is the machine formerly in use in the Oneonta electric light company’s plant. It is a Westinghouse machine, designed to supply 650 lights. The execution of the murderer Kemmler, who was to have died by electricity in Auburn prison this week, was stayed yesterday by virtue of a writ of habeas corpus issued by Judge Wallace of the United States Circuit Court on the application of Roger M. Sherman. The application on which the writ was granted and Kemmler’s life was spared, for a time, was made in order to determine whether the proposed killing by electricity is in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth amendments of the Constitution of the United States.

May 1890

80 Years Ago

People all over the world are praying for a revival, Miss Sara C. Palmer, evangelist, told her audience at the United Presbyterian Church Sunday evening. Her subject was “The Power of Prayer.” Three well-attended meetings were held yesterday to open the three-week evangelistic campaign that Miss Palmer is conducting here. Miss Dorothy P. Clarkson is in charge of the music and the young peoples’ activities for the services. Miss Palmer spoke in the morning on “The Wonders of the Cross” and in the afternoon she addressed a large audience at a woman’s rally, speaking on the theme “A Brave Woman’s Reward.” Services will be held at 7:30 each evening this week and every night except Mondays during the following two weeks. Miss Palmer will tell the story of her life at tonight’s meeting.

May 1935

60 Years Ago

It hasn’t been announced yet, but the Army engineers will burrow under Greenland’s mighty icecap this summer and, if successful, run subway trains beneath the packed snow and ice just as subways run under New York City.

This spectacular project, known as Operation Ice Cube, is awaiting final approval by Danish authorities who govern Greenland. A volunteer construction crew of six officers

History

100 Years Ago

HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-5

will also be available to the public for beginning, intermediate and advanced dance students May 1 through 4.

May 1, 1975

30 Years Ago

Studies of hundreds of cancer victims by the American Cancer Society have found that more than half of the white collar workers and 84 percent of the blue collar workers surveyed reported job-related problems during and following their illness. Outright dismissal, demotion, denial of promotion or pay hikes, and demands that they give up group health and/or life insurance as the price of keeping their jobs were cited. Others reported psychological abuse, isolation and shunning by fellow workers, as well as teasing and hostility. Dr. Robert J. McKenna, president of the American Cancer Society says “Many insurance companies have an antiquated view of cancer and see it as a fatal rather than a highly curable disease.”

May 1915 May 1985 and 172 men commanded by Lt. Col. Elmer Clark is standing by to begin the dangerous tunneling through the solid As Wal-Mart’s Supercenter approaches its grand opening million-year-old ice. Their work will be supervised by 60 in June or July, merchants on Southside say the competition scientists, all Arctic specialists. Using the latest snow-tunneling equipment, they will bore 100 feet below the surface doesn’t worry them. They believe that Wal-Mart will draw more shoppers to benefit all. Local store managers will be to build this unique deep-freeze subway. The purpose is to link scattered Arctic outposts by fast electric trains that will counting on their varied product lines and customer service streak under the icecap with troops and supplies. Greenland to compete with Wal-Mart’s reputed hard-hitting, predatory retail strategy. “I’m not going to worry,” said Andrew Mcstands as a mammoth stationary iceberg in the path of SoNichol, manager of NRM Music at Southside Mall. “NRM viet bombers that could strike America from Arctic bases.

May 1955 Music’s prices are competitive,” he said, “and our selection is better than a discount department store can offer.”

May 1995 Rene Prins, principal oboist of the Albany Symphony and a member of the faculty of Hartwick College will Andrew Card, President Bush’s Chief of Staff, appearing present a recital in the Theatre for the Arts at Hartwick on three Sunday morning talk shows appealed for CongresCollege at 8 p.m., Tuesday, May 6. The public is invited sional Democrats to work with the administration and Reto attend without charge. On the program will be works by J.S. Bach, G.F. Handel and Paul Hindemith as well as some publicans rather than complain and stall action on Capitol new pieces by lesser known composers. Assisting Prins will Hill. “We’d like to see more cooperation from Democrats,” Card said. “We have some serious problems in the country be Charles Schneider on the keyboard instruments, Janet that must be addressed. We’d like to see the Democrats be Nepkie, cello and John Mazarak, viola. The featured vocal part of the solution rather than just carp about the problem,” soloist will be soprano Janet Bucci.

A five-day residency of the Hartford Ballet Company begin- he told Fox News. Card implored the Democrats to do more than simply play what he called “partisan politics.” ning today at Hartwick College is the outstanding cultural Democrats deny they are holding up progress. Rather, they event of the year at Hartwick College according to Dr. criticize President Bush for his unwillingness to reach Adolph Anderson, President. Two performances at the Thecompromises with the minority party while insisting on his atre for the Arts will be open to the public without charge. own proposals.

There will be an informal ballet lecture demonstration at 3 May 2005 p.m. Friday, May 2 and a one-hour fully costumed Children’s Program at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 3. Master classes in ballet

20 Years Ago

40 Years Ago

10 Years Ago

Home improvement

Member FDIC

Money can’t buy love Successfully serving Cooperstown & Oneonta

But a no closing cost

GIFFORD PAVING

mortgage might

www.GiffordPaving.com 315-822-5254

make you smile

www.GiffordPaving.com or jgifford18@yahoo.com

Saturday, May 2 We’re open for the season! a Thousands of hanging baskets a Potted plants a Vegetables a Herbs a Perennials a Shrubs a Landscaping Service Let our 38 years of experience help you with all your gardening and landscaping needs!

Mortgage closing costs can add up to thousands of dollars. Stop into your local branch to see how you can save big time with our no closing cost mortgage.

communitybankna.com

County Rte 46, Mt. Vision 607-432-1260 Just off Route 205 Exit 13 off I-88 9 miles north of Oneonta

FaMily oWned and operated Since 1976 open 7 dayS a Week 8 aM to 7 pM like us on Facebook: Mount Vision Garden center, inc.

FOLLOW US

PERSONAL

BUSINESS

W E A LT H

Valid on owner occupied, 1-4-family residential properties. Property and hazard insurance are required and are the responsibility of the borrower. For mortgages with less than 20% down payment, Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is required and customer is responsible for PMI premiums. Other applicable fees/charges, including deed stamps or deed transfer taxes, are not mortgage closing costs and will not be paid by the Bank. If a customer elects to obtain owner title insurance, the customer is responsible for the owner title insurance premium. Should the no closing cost mortgage be closed or discharged within the first three years, the Bank may collect the third-party closing costs from the customer that were waived when the loan was opened. If a customer selects an attorney to represent him/her, customer is responsible for attorney fees. Community Bank will not pay for a survey, nor any other item that is ordinarily paid for by the seller. ADDITIONAL “NO CLOSING COSTS” PRODUCT DISCLOSURE: “No closing costs” means no: origination fee/ points; application fee; flood check fee; credit report fee; appraisal fee; mortgage recording fee; abstract update or title search fee; lender title insurance fees; bank attorney fee; mortgage recording tax.

AllOTSEGO.com

00929_Mrtg_58x10_GS_Ad_F.indd 1

CHECK

www.

CBNA00929_Mrtg_58x10_GS_Ad, 5.8”w x 10”h, GS

DAILY FOR BREAKING NEWS OF OTSEGO COUNTY

4/17/15 2:42 PM

LETTERS

A-6 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015

We Expect Visitors To Share Cooperstown’s Bounty On Our Terms ELLSWORTH/From A4 reason that in the Business District the permitted uses include: (1) Retail stores and shops. (2) Personal service shops. (3) Banks, offices, restaurants, theaters, auditoriums, gymnasiums. And (4) Accessory uses for the foregoing.

A hotel is only permitted upon the issuance of a special permit by the Village Board, suggesting that a hotel is not thought to be automatically in the best interests of Main Street.

Likewise, it was not a random decision that in the Business District the maximum height is 3.5

stories or 42 feet. These regulations were not arbitrary when they were enacted. They represent what the community wants and needs.

And over the years they have proven to be in the best interests of the community.

And now, members of the community will have the opportunity to express their views on the height of the proposed hotel project at a public hearing at the regular Zoning Board of Appeals meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, in the Village Board room.

Granted, much of Cooperstown’s success as a tourist

destination is tied to the Baseball Hall of Fame. But what puts Cooperstown ahead of other destinations is that it has always been an authentic community and not just one aimed at the tourists.

People live and work here. People are born and die here.

We are not just another tourist destination, but rather a living, working community that is the result of the tender loving care it has received throughout its history.

And while it might seem that we who live here are indeed overly protective of our community, it is that protection that has allowed

Supervisor’s Actions At Planning Board Embarrassment To The Town Of Otsego To the Editor: I wish to express my extreme disgust, embarrassment with actions and behavior of the Otsego town supervisor during the Town Board meeting Wednesday, April 8. In my many years of public meetings and community interactions, I have never seen behavior so reprehensible, disrespectful, rude, insensitive and a clear over-extension of so-called power.

The details of the interaction were almost too unbelievable to observe. Joe Potrikus, Planning Board vice chairman and nominated liaison, was attempting to make a Planning Board presentation. To start with he was interrupted over the definition of liaison. Which incidentally means: a person

who helps organizations or groups to work together and provide information to each other.

During attempts to continue, he was interrupted repeatedly, mocked and then in mid-sentence told he was not allowed to speak any more. Mr. Potrikus, to his credit, should have been congratulated for maintaining his dignity and his composure. He spoke with respect and with effort to provide useful and practical information that would have been appropriate to subsequent discussions.

Unfortunately he was unable to finish. As the planning board representative, (an appointed position from the Town Board), he has all the rights to speak on behalf of the Planning

across the four operating funds. During the four years reviewed, the town received more than $1.7 million in sales-tax revenue. The board should have first eliminated the tax levy in the part-town funds before allocating sales tax to the town-wide funds, but did not do so.

There is much more that shows this supervisor and Town Board do not know what they are doing.

State audit saved us the 20 percent decrease in our taxes this year.

This board does not

want any business in the town, as it wants to control everything that happens. It replaced the Planning Board attorney with the town attorney, but that did not last very long. (I believe that was a conflict.)

I think the Planning Board and the ZBA do a great job.

It is a thankless job but this Town Board wants to run what is happening on both of the boards. It is a wonder we can get people to serve on these boards with actions of the Town Board.

The supervisor should apologize for her actions on April 8 at the Town Board meeting. As the Republican town chair, I also believe that Anne Geddes Atwell should resign as the supervisor of the Town of Otsego.

SHEILA ROSS Fly Creek

FoR youR complete REaL EStatE nEEdS

Michael P. Welch

tion program director and experience on the school board certainly enhance her resume.

Marcy Birch’s unique strength also lies with her approachability, reasonableness, thoughtfulness and ability to work with differ-

sight of the shared goal and helps guide the process with action plans. Her keen insights help others to go beyond the action plans and keep the issue alive and pertinent to the organizations basic mission, adding strength and credibility to the outcomes.

Marcy’s tenure on the Cooperstown Central school board has been outstanding.

She is particularly skillful at bridging the greater community by articulating the crucial issues and filtering the results for us to easily understand – not always

an easy task. She makes the time to perform the job and is never too busy to do what she feels it takes to be accountable to her constituents. She shares her unique perspectives, stretches our thinking and never says “we can’t” or “it won’t work”; these only challenge her to prove such clichés are not an option until, at least, thoughtfully studied.

I am, once again, voting for Marcy Birch for the CCS board.

RICH McCAFFERY Cooperstown

ing views in a productive, collegial way.

As a former educator and taxpayer and parent, I am excited by the prospect of Marcy Birch continuing our school board.

RICK JAGELS Cooperstown

John Mitchell Real Estate

In Cooperstown We Are a “House Sold” Word 216 Main Street, Cooperstown

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

607-547-8551

607-547-5622 office 607-435-3213 cell mpwwelch68@gmail.com

www.johnmitchellrealestate.com info@johnmitchellrealestate.com

Don Olin

Dave LaDuke, Broker Laura Coleman 607-435-2405 607-437-4881

REALTY

Mike Winslow, Broker 607-435-0183

37 Chestnut Street Cooperstown Margaret Savoie

Madeline K. Woerner 607-434-3697

owner/Broker

AllOTSEGO.homes Exclusively offered at $265,000

This 1½-story ranch has 460´ of road frontage. Open floorplan, newly painted, new wall-to-wall carpet, carpeted loft, glass-enclosed sunroom w/propane gas stove. Large deck, mini pond and waterfall. Rumford wood-burning fireplace w/brick hearth. Mature plantings, stone wall. 3-zone oil hot water heat. Many extras included in the sale. Low maintenance and move-in condition. Ready for immediate occupancy.

CCS Candidate Thoroughly Prepared, Committed To the Editor: It has been a privilege to work side by side with Marcy Birch over several years in a variety of volunteer capacities and organizations.

She is always fully engaged with any project she commits to. She arrives at meetings having thoroughly researched every issue and encourages feedback and others views. She plans strategically and understands that issues typically follow a process and can often be slow moving. She is tenacious and never loses

downtown hotels does not mean the Cooperstown should also have a downtown hotel.

The charm of Cooperstown, for visitors and residents alike, is that we are not like everyone else. In fact, we never have been, which allows us to consider ourselves the most perfect village. And there is no reason to be like everyone else now, especially if it might mean we would become the most imperfect village.

CATHERINE LAKE ELLSWORTH Cooperstown

Birch Approachable, Reasonable, Thoughtful

To the Editor: I was grateful to hear that Marcy Birch is runBoard. In counter balance, ning again for a seat on the over a different topic, two Cooperstown Central school lawyers not associated with board. the town were allowed to I have seen her commitspeak uninterrupted for over ment to the lives of young 45 minutes. I had the feel- people and her ability to ing that Mr. Potrikus was make good things happen being abused simply for the for them through her work amusement of the superviwith Ecumenical youth sor. group, fundraising to enI felt terribly embarrassed able youth outreach in the for the other members of Dominican Republic and the Town Board who have scouting. been working very hard to Her work as a speech improve the quality of the pathologist, special educatown. It is a shame that they have to be on the same stage as this supervisor. In my opinion she is an embarrassment to the town, its board and its citizens. I seriously question whether she is fit to lead this organization.

TOM HUNTSMAN Fly Creek

Town Board Meddling With Planning Board, ZBA To the Editor: The state audit for the Town of Otsego for 2010-13 was disturbing. It revealed that unrealistic budgets resulted in annual operating surpluses that caused the unexpanded surplus funds to increase in the general townwide and highway part-town funds year after year as indicated.

The general part-town funds’ unexpended surplus remained relatively unchanged during this period due to limited activity and routine nature of the items accounted for in this fund.

The highway town-wide fund’s unexpended surplus declined during this period, mainly due to unbudgeted equipment purchases.

The impact of the salestax variances was exacerbated by the inconsistent allocation of sales-tax revenues

Cooperstown to be referred to as the “most perfect village.”

We are always happy to share it with our many visitors. But we do expect our visitors to share it on our terms, not on their terms.

And the same is true for proposed projects within the village. We are not opposed to change, but it must be change on our terms which are outlined by our zoning ordinance.

Thus, as a community, we have every right to say this proposed hotel project is not in keeping with our Main Street shopping district.

The argument which has been made that other communities have

ProPErty DEtails —3.00 acres —Private septic —Private well —Stone driveway intErior FEaturEs —1,700 sq ft —2 stories —7 rooms

Don Olin REALTY

—Entry foyer —Living room, dining room —Open kitchen —3 bedrooms —2½ baths —Baseboard heat —Oil fuel —Underground electric w/200 amp service

ExtErior FEaturEs —Built in 1997 —Attached 2-car garage —Full foundation —Unfinished basement with garage access

37 Chestnut street · Cooperstown · 607-547-5622 · 607-547-5653 (fax) parking is never a problem!

For Appointment Only Call: M. Margaret Savoie, Real Estate Broker/Owner – 547-5334 Marion King, Associate Real Estate Broker – 547-5332 Eric Hill, Associate Real Estate Broker – 547-5557 Don DuBois, Associate Real Estate Broker – 547-5105

Tim Donahue, Associate Real Estate Broker – 293-8874 Madeline Sansevere, Real Estate Salesperson – 435-4311 Cathy Raddatz, Real Estate Salesperson – 547-8958 Jacqueline Savoie, Real Estate Salesperson – 547-4141 Michael Welch, Real Estate Salesperson – 547-8502

For reliable, honest answers to any of your real estate questions, call 607.547.5622 or visit our website www.donolinrealty.com

Home of the Week Come take a look at this affordable 3-BR, 2-bath home. It features a sunny large kitchen leading to a rear deck which is great for entertaining. Master BR and bath downstairs, perfect for retirees. Bonus 24' x 48' barn for storage or animals. Conveniently located in walking distance to Springfield Landing and your deeded lake rights.

Minutes to the Village of Cooperstown and Bassett Hospital.

MLS#96592 $134,900 Springfield

John Mitchell Real Estate

216 Main Street, Cooperstown • 607-547-8551 • 607-547-1029 (fax) Dave LaDuke, broker 607-435-2405 Mike Winslow, broker 607-435-0183

Madeline K. Woerner 607-434-3697 Laura Coleman 607-437-4881

HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-7

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

Special Common Council Meeting Appears To Clear Air RESOLVED/From A1 In the aftermath of two weeks of silent protest by city workers and comments

by Council member Mike Lynch, who declared he’d had “dozens of contacts with city workers who are concerned about the management of the city,” Murphy clarified his “open door” policy, inviting any city worker with concerns to come and talk to him about it.

“It really caught me offguard,” said Murphy. “No complaints were brought to my attention, and I’m still at a loss for what was going on.”

Reflecting back, he said, he’d sat in on two union mediations since he’d ar-

issues were out there, we were able to settle those contracts.”

Common Council members say they are oping to move forward from the incident. “Friday’s meeting was a chance to clear the air,” said Council member Bob Brzozowski.

And Murphy is looking forward to getting back on track with several proposals that had been tabled in earlier Council meetings, including the proposed fire study that was rejected in Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA March. On Monday, April Tom Pondolfino, city Water & Sewer supervisor, 27, members of the Facilidetails city workers’ dissatisfaction during the special Common Council meeting Friday, April 24. ties, Technology & Operations committee discussed an amended version of the rived, one with the PBA and a resolution. “That shows study – just EMS and fire the other with the sergeants’ that we’re working tounion, both which came to gether,” he said. “Whatever – for $33,000, instead of the

Taking‘Oh,

original $84,000. “It’s not an indictment of our fire department,” said Mayor Russ Southard. “My motive is to make sure we can sustain the department – they’re such an asset to the community.”

The study will come up for a vote at the next Common Council meeting on Tuesday, May 5. “We need a comprehensive fire analysis to figure out what the best structure is for our department,” said Murphy.

“We want to look at the baseline to see if we’re overstaffed or if we’re understaffed.”

Murphy also proposed to the committee that it consider a study of “risk assessments” in the city

to determine the sort of structures and fire risks Oneonta has to help guide future purchase and staffing decisions.

Southard said that council is waiting to hear back on how much the risk assessment study will cost before it is brought up for a vote.

“All in all, I don’t think we’re in a bad position,” said Murphy. “Can we make improvements? Yes. And I want to help do that.”

“Everyone on Common Council is committed to moving the city forward,” said Southard. “So let’s get this back on track and get done in this city what needs to be done.”

Oh,’Out Of OH-Fest

OH-FEST/From A1 ers relieving themselves en masse as they left the venue – cast a dark shadow over the event.

Last fall, Common Council debated on whether or not to allow the concert at all, finally compromising on having the show end at 9 p.m. and bringing in more police. “In total we had 17, including state and campus police, sheriffs, detectives, myself and Chief Nayor,” he said.

This year, Brenner reported, the calls were nearly double, but they were for small complaints, such as noise violations. “We had the resources to address these issues before they became serious disruptions,” he said. “We never had more calls than we had people.”

As a result, fewer citations were issued and no arrests were made.

“We attribute that to two things,” he said. “The first is that we as a police Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA department were able to stop things Kylee Beckwith and Olivia Held, Gilbertsville, compete on the inflatable Bungee Race before they got out of hand, and secduring OH-Fest activities downtown Saturday, April 25. ondly, the colleges got the word out

Lieutenant Brenner’s niece snapped a “selfie” of her uncle at OH-Fest.

about how to behave.”

And from what he saw, everyone had a good time. “People were out having barbeques on their lawns, enjoying the carnival downtown,” he said. “That’s what it’s supposed to be.”

RESERVE

SUMMER CAMP! Children Ages 6+

Our Summer Camp is held on a brand new beautiful equestrian center set on 250 acres, and its just a few miles from Cooperstown. Learn all aspects of horse care, ride all disciplines, or go for a mountain bike ride, care for the newborn animals, then jump into the pool to cool off! We have a variety of qualified camp counselors with backgrounds in horseback riding, art, education, and farming!

YOUR SPACE TODAY IN OTSEGO COUNTY’S Premier TOURIST BOOK

&

GUIDE TO THE GOO D LI

FE IN

COOPERSTOWN ONEONTA

Be included in the most comprehensive summer guide of places to go and things to do in and around Otsego County

Daily Activities Horseback riding (non-riders welcome), trail rides, air hockey, ping pong, a little golf (putting), archery, fishing, boating, hikes, mountain biking, picnics, arts and crafts, swimming and SO MUCH MORE! $350/week* Please e-mail/text for questions or to apply.

IA

M C O O PE

OUNDE

D LIFE

D

HOMETOWN ONEONTA

For 207 Years

& The Otsego-D

•F

OUNDED

IA

R

1808 BY

L

Cooperstown’s Newspaper

O M C O PE

elaware Dispatch 607-547-6103 • fax 607-547-6080 • info @allotsego.com 21 Railroad Avenue, Cooperstown NY 133 26

IN

6424 St. Hwy 28, Fly Creek 607-434-8302 Oakstonestables@gmail.com

Newspaper

•F

1808 B Y

Oakstone Stables

Cooperstown’s

R

Publishing May 2015 Advertising deadline Friday, May 8

LICATION OF

IN

*Extended day $5/h | *Daily rates also available *Discounts for siblings/repeat campers

Jim Kevlin for THE GOO

A SUMMER 2015 PUB

E WIL

9 am – 3 pm 9 am – 3 pm 9 am – 3 pm 9 am – 3pm 9 am – 3 pm 9 am – 3 pm 9 am – 3 pm

DG

June 29 – July 3 July 6 – July 10 July 13 – July 17 July 20 – July 24 July 27 – July 31 Aug 3 – Aug 7 Aug 10 – Aug 14

JU

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7

L

TIME

D G E WIL

DATE

JU

CAMPS

For 207 Years

Reserve your ad space now!

Call 607-547-6103 or e-mail ads@allotsego.com

HOMETOWN ONEONTA & The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch

A-8 HOMETOWN ONEONTA

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

OneOnta • 75 Market Street 607-433-1020 COOperStOwn • State Hwy 28 607-547-5933

MLS#98735 $136,900 Priced to Sell! 4 BRs, 1½ baths on 1 acre. Fantastic location for easy access to I-88, close to Binghamton, Sidney and Oneonta.

Call Carol A Olsen @ 607-434-7436 (cell)

MLS#99280 Contemporary Ranch! 5 Acres. 3-4 BRs, 2½ baths, radiant heat, hardwood floors, htd in-ground pool.

Call Carol A Olsen @ 607-434-7436 (cell)

P R NE iC W E!

MLS#92977 $110,000 Real Country Living in a Small Town Newer kitchen, new septic, new furnace. Walk-up attic that could be converted to a loft. Oversized 2-car garage out back.

Call Carin Eaton @ 607-267-5541 (cell)

MLS#99322 $74,900 Morris – 3-BR, 2-bath doublewide, and 3-BR, 3 bath singlewide on 0.85 acres! 1-car garage, 2 sheds.

Fenced yard, pond. Newer metal roof, windows on DW. Call Suzanne Darling @ 607-563-7012 (cell)

MLS #97282 $147,900 Remarkable Price! Remarkable Home! Owner sacrifice – looking to sell by May 15. Gleaming hardwood floors, custom woodwork, new kitchen, attached garage.

Call Amber G. Luettger @ 607-643-5041 (cell)

MLS#98593 $144,000 Cozy Cape Cod close to I-88. 3 BRs on ground floor and 1 upstairs. Upstairs could also be expanded. Recently refinished hardwood floors throughout.

Call Adam Karns @ 607-244-9633 (cell)

P R NE iC W E!

MLS#99321 $35,000 Oneonta – 0.91 acre bordering Neahwa Park. Includes a 34’x 60’pole barn built in 1991 that currently has 4-5 house stalls, 2-overhead doors. Great storage.

Call Suzanne Darling @ 607-563-7012 (cell) MLS#93225 $86,000 Adam Karns 607-244-9633 (cell) MLS#94868 $120,000 Home and Business Home has 3+ BRs, 1½ baths, Spacious 2 bath house is close tospace I-88. Large 3,900 sq ft4 BR, of renovated commercial below. backyard, shed. Make your Nice cornerworkshop/garage, lot with plenty ofsmall parking! appointment today. Priced to go this week!

Call Suzanne Darling @ 607-563-7012 (cell) Virtual Tour: www.RealEstateShows.com/708598

MLS#98414 $129,000 Oneonta Moneymaker! Over $14k in income!

Excellent condition, huge balconies, great rental history. Priced for immediate sale!

Call Amber G. Luettger @ 607-643-5041 (cell)

MLS#95713 $212,000 Motivated Seller! Beautiful views. Milford Schools.

3-BR, 2 bath ranch has full basement, 2½-car garage, workshop, and stocked pond on 4.25 acres.

Call Carol A Olsen @ 607-434-7436 (cell)

MLS#98520 $164,000 Energy-Efficient, Move-in Ready Home! Solid, meticulously kept home in a great neighborhood.

Conveniently located, large rooms, plenty of amenities.

Call Sharon Teator @ 607-267-2681 (cell)

MLS#99267 $169,000 Under Appraised Value! Versatile commercial building w/extensive office space, kitchen, full bath.

Mostly insulated, partially heated!

Call William ‘Billy’Vagliardo @ 607-287-8568 (cell)

MLS#98863 $139,000 Center City Victorian with Character! Private back yard, rocking chair front porch, screened back porch.

Open floorplan in LR, formal DR and a nice kitchen!

Call Sharon Teator @ 607-267-2681 (cell)

MLS#97987 Bargain—Under Assessed Value! Delaware County farm w/ 21 acres, 4-BR, 3-bath home, outbuildings, orchard, separate efficiency apartment.

Call Lynn Lesperence @ 607-434-1061 (cell)

lis NE tiN W g!

MLS#98741 $34,650 Great Price! Build your dream house on this 6.3-acre surveyed parcel w/hilltop vistas. The property is mostly open w/stone walls. Possible seller-financing.

Call Ed Greenaker @ 607-287-3519 (cell)

MLS#97599 $132,500 Too many upgrades! Modernized 3-BR, 2-bath farmhouse sits on nearly an acre of fenced land.

New roof, floors, paint, insulation, pellet stove.

Call Adam Karns @ 607-244-9633 (cell)

lis NE tiN W g!

lis NE tiN W g!

MLS#89932 $59,900 2 BR, 1 bath quaint cottage on ¾ acre. Country living!

New roof. New kitchen.

Call Gabriella Vasta @ 607-267-1792 (cell)

lis NE tiN W g!

P R NE iC W E!

for complete listings visit us at realtyusa.com

PR NE iC W E!

AllOTSEGO.homes

MLS#98599 $498,000 Stunning Views from this custom-built chalet on 45+waterfront acres w/creek frontage, waterfall, 2 ponds. Very efficient, environmentally friendly home.

Call Thomas Platt @ 607-435-2068 (cell)

lis NE tiN W g!

lis NE tiN W g!

MLS#99103 $489,000 Timber! A large parcel in Otsego County, this 324.7acre surveyed property is all wooded. Considerable value in standing timber. Possible seller-financing.

Call Ed Greenaker @ 607-287-3519 (cell)

MLS#98981 $99,900 Spacious 4-BR, 2-bath home on almost 4 acres w/a newer detached 2-car garage. The grounds are lovely, nice trout stream. Owners must sell, priced to move.

Call Thomas Platt @ 607-435-2068 (cell)

MLS#99355 $339,000 3-BR, 2-bath ranch w/attached 2-car garage on 10+ park-like acres w/deck overlooking yard and stocked pond. Comfortable 1-floor living, huge kitchen.

Call Thomas Platt @ 607-435-2068 (cell)

Amazing, affordable, updated city home is right near Valleyview school making this the ideal location! Updates include new roof, new furnace, new hot water heater, new windows throughout, new doors and appliances—and freshly painted to top it off. Outside you will find a large driveway, cute backyard on a large lot, and a 3-story detached garage w/awesome storage and woodstove so you can work even in the cold months!

MLS#97893 $89,900 Laurens – Cute 2-BR, 2-bath home on .32 acres. 2-car garage, hardwood floors. Second floor is a master Cooperstown home.

Seller closing (up suite with its Village own bath.

Shed haspays electric andcosts furnace. to Call$3,000 Frankw/acceptable Woodcock @ offer).

607-435-1389 (cell)

Great Starter Home has new roof, gas furnace and newer windows. This home has been newly remodeled w/3 BRs, 1½ baths, formal DR, large kitchen and comfortable LR. Laundry is on the second floor for easy access. Fenced yard w/awning, and spacious enclosed porch. Close to downtown, parks and colleges. Could also be used as a rental property.

MLS#99388 $109,900

$119,900 MLS#99372

Lizabeth Rose, Broker/Owner Cricket Keto, Licensed Assoc. Broker Peter D. Clark, Consultant

HUBBELL’S REAL ESTATE 607-547-5740•607-547-6000 (fax) 157 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326

ASHLEY

E-Mail: info@hubbellsrealestate.com Web Site: www.hubbellsrealestate.com

REALTY

CONNOR

29 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown · 607-547-4045 Patricia Bensen-Ashley – Licensed Real Estate Broker/Owner

Prestige estate on 80 aCres

Camelot on 109 aCres

(8030) This nicely kept 4-BR, 2-bath farmhouse features den, modern kitchen, main-level master BR, gas stove, 3-car garage, newer windows, deck, large porch, dairy barn, 3-bay shed. Borders large creek. Follow your heart home. Cooperstown Schools.

Hubbell’s Exclusive—$375,000

Thinking of Remodeling?

Think of Refinancing!

(7862) Picture-perfect vintage Colonial w/rolling hills outlook. Historic 1840s, 4-BR, 2+ bath residence.

Gracious LR, gas fireplace, formal DR w/access to stone front porch. Custom kitchen w/professional stove, double ovens, window seat, butler’s pantry.

Custom closets and built-ins, wide pine plank flooring. Heated 2-car garage. Cooperstown Schools.

Hubbell’s Exclusive—$775,000

LGROUP@STNY.RR.COM www.leatherstockingmortgage.com 607-547-5007 (Office) 800-547-7948 (Toll Free)

New Purchases and refinances • Debt Consolidation Free Pre-Qualification • Fast Approvals • Low Rates Registered Mortgage Broker Matt Schuermann NYS Banking Dept.

Loans arranged by a 3rd party lender.

31 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown (directly next door to Stagecoach Coffee)

Jim BenJamin

CooPerstown italianate

(7158) Remodeled 4-BR, 3-bath residence in the Village. Enticing home w/scenic views has den, master BR suite w/jacuzzi, new kitchen w/hickory cabinets and granite counter, formal DR. Pantry, newer furnace, 2-car garage. A premier-caliber home!

Hubbell’s Exclusive—$239,000

Since 1947, our personal service has always been there when you need it most. With comprehensive coverage for all your AUTO • HOME • LIFE insurance needs.

BUSINESS

Hours: M-F 8am-5pm Phone: 607-432-2022 22-26 Watkins Ave, Oneonta, NY 13820

AllOTSEGO.homes

Field Stone House in Cherry Valley, the historic village between Cooperstown and Sharon Springs. This home was built on bedrock w/3’-thick walls, and most of the original architectural detail remains. Originally it was likely a showroom for the Cherry Valley Organ Company which was next door.

This artist-owned property offers wood floors, beautiful stone detail, LR, DR w/Rumford fireplace, fully applianced kitchen, and a newer addition of family room/art studio w/full basement. On the main floor, ¾ bath w/an original outside stone wall. Upstairs are 3+ BRs and ¾ bath. Basement has what is likely the original cooking fireplace w/Dutch oven. Property is just under 4 acres bordering 2 streets. Cherry Valley Creek, a designated trout stream, runs through the property and the backyard has been transformed into a meditation pond (spring-fed) w/stone sculptures and stepping stones, flower and vegetable gardens, and trails.

Offered Exclusively by Ashley Connor Realty— NOW $242,000 Visit us on the Web at www.ashleyconnorrealty.com Contact us at info@ashleyconnorrealty.com

For Appointment: Patricia Bensen-Ashley, Broker/Owner, 607-437-1149 Jack Foster, Sales Agent, 607-547-5304 • Robert Schneider, Associate Broker, 607-282-2814 Donna Skinner, Associate Broker, 607-547-8288 • Chris Patterson, Sales Agent, 518-774-8175

CALL 607-547-6103 TO ADVERTISE IN REGION’S LARGEST REALTY SECTION/MORE ADS, A6