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COOPERSTOWN AND AROUND

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Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, January 15, 2015

Clark Splits With Her Original Allies Rowinski, Stuligross Denied Committee Chairmanships After Coup Attempt By JIM KEVLIN

hen 2013 dawned on Otsego County, the county Board of Representatives was deadlocked over a chairman. At the organizational meeting Wednesday, Jan. 2, votes for Jim Powers, R-Butternuts, and Rich Murphy, D-Town of Oneonta, had failed. What to do? Oneonta Democrat Linda Rowinski raised her head and looked quizzically at Kathy Clark, the Otego Republican. Clark didn’t shake her head. Rowinski nominated her and, with the help of fellow Oneonta Democrat Kay Stuligross, a biIan Austin/The Freeman’s Journal partisan majority elected the county board’s first U.S. Rep. Chris Gibwoman chair. son, R-19, was among What a difference two years make. attendees at the Saturday, Jan. 10, Otsego County Law Enforcement Academy graduation at SUNY Oneonta. Officers Joshua Flint and Jeremy French will join the Cooperstown department/DETAILS, A3

Congressional Local Drought May Be At End

Freeman’s Journal file photo

For returning amity to the county Board of Representatives, Kathy Clark, center, Kay Stuligross, left, and Linda Rowinski were this newspaper’s 2013 Citizens of the Year.

At this year’s reorganizational meeting Wednesday, Jan. 7, Clark was facing a Democratbacked challenge from Powers. When the dust settled, Clark had carried the day and her former allies, Rowinski and Stuligross, were without committee chairmanships. The sequence of events began around New Year’s weekend, when Rowinski called Powers: Would you support a Democrat for chair? Perhaps Stuligross or Gary Koutnik, D-Oneonta? “We needed a new direction; we needed a new leader,” Rowinski explained later. According to county Rep. Don Lindberg, RWorcester, Powers replied: No, but would you support me as an alternative to Kathy Clark? “He was not working to take that position,” said Rowinski. “But he was willing to take it.” And Please See COUP, A5

Constitution Decried

ith U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson’s announcement he won’t run again in 2016, state Sen. Jim Seward, RMilford, is being mentioned His Work Done, Stein as a possible candidate. Revives Consultancy If Seward were to run and win, he would be the first By JIM KEVLIN congressman from Otsego County since George Fairchild (1907-1919), Oneonta COOPERSTOWN Herald editor who later became the first chairman of ooperstown? Basethe IBM board. ball. Glimmerglass The first congressman Opera. Hyde Hall. from here was William Coo- The Farmers’ and Fenimore per, founder of Cooperstown museums. Singer Sewing and of The Freeman’s Machine. Journal. Certainly. But during CALLING QUILTERS: his 30-plus The one-day registration years as a for the Fenimore Quilt Club key player in 2015 show is 10 a.m.-3 Mary Imop.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, at gene Bassett the Cooperstown Art AsHospital’s sociation, 22 Main St. Two transformaentries per exhibitor. Info, Stein tion into the call Jean Lyons at 547-2709. eight-county The show is Feb. 7-22. Bassett Healthcare Network, Mike Stein always wanted FREE CARE: Northto hear somebody say: “I’ve ern Catskills Dental, heard of Cooperstown. Isn’t Cooperstown, is taking that where that great hospital reservations for its Feb. 6 is?” Give Kids a Smile Day. Call Even Mike Stein, whose 547-2313. retirement from Bassett (but not from his fundraising consultancy) was marked Please See STEIN, A6

Opponents Dominate At Hearing

ALL IN THE FAMILY

He Helped Set Course At Bassett

By LIBBY CUDMORE ONEONTA

‘C

Ian Austin/The Freeman’s Journal

CCS freshman Tyler Bertram, following in dad/coach Dave Bertram’s footsteps, is already a leader in Hawkeye basketball.

Bertram Son Follows Bertram Dad In Shining Early On The Hardwood By LIBBY CUDMORE

COOPERSTOWN

avid Bertram knew, from the time son Tyler was 3, that he took after his dad. “I remember we were out in Glens Falls, and he was just out on the court, dribbling away,” said the CCS

Hawkeyes’ basketball coach. “The players would babysit me,” said Tyler, just a freshman and a starting guard for the CCS team. “I’ve always been around it, and I’ve always loved it.” The young Bertram has been tearing up the basketball court this season, scoring 30 of the team’s 67 points again CobleskillRichmondville at the Dick White Holiday Please See BERTRAMS, A7

onstitution Pipeline Means Jobs!” “Constitution Pipeline Means Economic Development!” These were the messages, bright on a truckmounted LED screen, that greeted supporters and Ommegang’s objectors Larry Bennett objects Tuesday to the pipeevening, line project. Jan. 13, as they entered SUNY Oneonta’s Lecture Hall #3, where the state Department of Environmental Conservation was holding a public hearing on the Constitution Pipeline. But inside, the majority of the 80 speakers who signed up for three minutes to adPlease See HEARING, A6

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TwenTy under forTy An InvITATIOn TO OTsegO COunTy CITIzens All around us, young men and young women are creating Otsego County’s future.

[

That observation inspired Hometown Oneonta & The Freeman’s Journal The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce The Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce to recognize these future leaders.

]

Below is a nomination form to help us identify and celebrate Otsego County’s future. This form will also be available on allotsego.com, cooperstownchamber.org and otsegocc.com. We hope you will participate, suggesting an admired employee, co-worker, friend, family member, or simply someone you’ve observed who is excelling and inspiring. Of the nominees, 20 will be selected by a panel of community leaders to be honored at a reception on Thursday, February 26.

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We will recognize 20 young professionals within otsego County who have had a positive impact on the company or organization they work for and the communities in which they live.

Nomination Form RequiRements — nominees must be employed and have lived and worked in Otsego County for at least 2 years. — nominees must be under 40 years of age as of march 1, 2015. — nominees must have some community involvement. Community involvement will be strongly considered. nominees who hold political office will not be considered solely on the basis of political achievements. Professionals in business and non-profit sectors are eligible. individuals are also encouraged to nominate themselves. Nominations must be received by February 6, 2015. NomiNee Name: ______________________________________ __________________________________________ First

last

Birthdate: ______________________________________ (must be after March 1, 1975) Company Name: __________________________________________________________ Position: ________________________________________________________________ Business Address: ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ e-mail: ______________________________________________ Phone: ____________________________ NomiNAtor Name: ______________________________________ __________________________________________ First

last

relationship to Nominee: __________________________________________________ Company Name: __________________________________________________________ e-mail: ______________________________________________ Phone: ____________________________ Please explain why you are nominating this person/yourself ____________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2015

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At the Otsego County Law Enforcement Academy graduation Saturday, Jan. 10, Cooperstown Police Chief Mike Covert, left, pins a badge on graduate Joshua Flint. At right, freshly badged Jeremy French salutes Covert.

Jan McGrath â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sweet Adeline Of Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

he members of Oneontaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s City of the Hills chapter have selected Jan McGrath of Cooperstown as their 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sweet Adeline of the Year.â&#x20AC;? She was awarded a certificate and pin on Sept. 20 in Syracuse at the 2014 Vocal Fest, a music education weekend for Sweet Adelines Internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greater NY/ NJ Region 15. Janâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s narrative and photo were dis-

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played along with other â&#x20AC;&#x153;Women of Noteâ&#x20AC;? chapter winners during the weekend. Music has been part of McGrath Janâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life for many years. Growing up in Otego, she was in the school chorus. She participated in college musicals at SUNY Delhi and is in both the choir and a quartet at her church, First Baptist in Cooperstown. Inspired by a performance by City of the Hills Chorus in Cooperstown in 1993, Jan joined the chorus in the following year. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now the baritone section leader and often will lead the chorus with warm-ups at the beginning of rehearsal. She is assistant director, the chorusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historian and

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is current president of the board of directors and has been for several years. Jan has sung in three of the chorusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; quartets, currently with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Four of Hearts.â&#x20AC;? In the early years, Janâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s young son would occasionally come to rehearsals and play quietly during the evening. At home he would pick up the lead part of the songs Jan was learning and sing while she quietly would duet the Bari part with him. That young son, Patrick, now living in Medina and working for the state Department of Corrections, is the father of three children who love to put on â&#x20AC;&#x153;showsâ&#x20AC;? for grandma Jan and her husband, Jim. Jan is completing her 46th year in Bassett Hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Human Resources Department. At First Baptist, she is church treasurer and, of course, in the choir.

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Perspectives

THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2015

A-4 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL

Bold Action Brings Unintended Consequences. Take Parking...

ne thing you can say for the Cooperstown village trustees: They’re a self-confident group, reacting to pretty much everything in stride. So it was a novelty the other day when engineers from Barton & Loguidice, the Syracuse firm planning the second phase of the downtown redo, reported that, by accepting $1.2 million in federal funds, the traffic signal that has hung from a cable at Main and Chestnut for the past halfcentury or more, will have to go. In place of the single signal will rise a small forest of “masts” with eight traffic signals where now there is one, one that has performed effectively, guiding the cars of a half-million visitors a summer for who knows how long. When the engineers completed their presentation, there was dead silence. Perhaps, given that Cooperstown is in the Glimmerglass National Historic District, an adjustment could be made, it was suggested. Maybe, the engineers replied. However, having accepted the federal money,

It seems that Cooperstown’s unobtrusive traffic signal at Main and Pioneer, left, may be replaced with a forest of “masts” and signals like the one at right, from Hagerstown, Md., an unintended consequence of a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“once you start working on an intersection, you have to bring it up to (federal) code,” one added. State grants have fewer strings, but the attached strings are worth thinking about as Otsego County – of modern necessity – seeks to leverage outside money as local resources decline. • There was little secondguessing the afternoon before, when the same usually unruffled trustees plunged, with no discernible second thoughts, into Phase II of the village’s controversial – controversial everywhere else but the Village Board

FOR THE RECORD

Can Governor Build On One Fine Speech?

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ndrew’s eulogy for his father was moving but it also had some self- serving political elements to it. That was a little troubling in this setting. For example, Andrew called for peace between those people who believe the police have been overly aggressive and the police, themselves. This occurred just as New York Mayor Bill de Blasio was facing what might only be called a police revolt as officers turned their backs on the Governor Cuomo in executive authority. By suggesting that the Cooperstown during Presitwo sides had to get to- dent Obama’s visit. gether, Cuomo was once again pulling the rug out from under the mayor. Sigmund Freud suggested that our characters are set by the time we are about 4 years old. So even if Andrew wanted to change his political persona, one questions whether or not he could. Many people admire the man because “he gets things done.” While others think that he’s made many mistakes, he still easily won reelection as governor, even though he lost many votes that he might have gotten had people liked him more. And so, what we might call “likeability” is crucial to Andrew’s political success. If he tries, he could build on that Mario eulogy to gain some likeability traction. Whether he does that or not is up to him. – ALAN CHARTOCK

For 206 Years

James C. Kevlin Editor & Publisher

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Tara Barnwell Advertising Director Thom Rhodes • Jim Koury Advertising Consultants Celeste Brown Thomas Copy Editor Judith Bartow Billing

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Libby Cudmore Reporter

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OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR Otsego County • Town of Cherry Valley • Town of Middlefield Cooperstown Central School District Subscriptions Rates: Otsego County, $48 a year. All other areas, $65 a year. First Class Subscription, $130 a year. Published Thursdays 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 Contents © Iron String Press, Inc. Periodicals postage paid at USPS Cooperstown 40 Main St., Cooperstown NY 13326-9598 USPS Permit Number 018-449 Postmaster Send Address Changes To: Box 890, Cooperstown NY 13326 _____________ Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of Judge Cooper is in The Fenimore Art Museum

room at 22 Main – paidparking initiative. Five years ago, Pay & Display machines were added to the Doubleday Field lot. Last year, the P&D system was expanded to Main and Pioneer. This summer, it will be expanded from Main to Lake on Fair, Main to Bassett along River, and installed along Church Street, which runs on the south side of the block with the Baseball Hall of Fame. If anything, Mayor Katz had to restrain his crew, asking that only “lowhanging fruit” be plucked at this time. But Street

Committee chair Cindy Falk’s report made it clear where things are going: It analyzed Chestnut south to the village line, plus Lake, the Lakefront Park lot, Fish Road (the boat-launch access), Elk, Main around the county government complex, and Leatherstocking behind it. Adding P&D machines at the south end of Pioneer, across from Bassett Hall, was also in the mix. You can see where this is going. If this board remains in place, the whole village will be P&D’d in less than a half-decade. (An aside: Do you

remember folks complaining this much about parking meters? Maybe part of the problem is the P&Ds. They are mystifying and inconvenient, as Don Hall of Whitehall says in his Letter to the Editor elsewhere on this page. P&D turned the lower floor of Oneonta’s downtown parking deck into vacant space. It will be interesting to see what happens as P&Ds are installed in the lot at Dietz and Wall. A caution to all: Go easy on P&Ds.) • Katz takes the long view on this. If P&D revenues continue to flow – some

$350,000 last summer along, with the changes adding $100,000 – village streets, ever a source of complaining chatter, will be completely repaired and, if necessary, rebuilt, in a decade. Fine. Still, when all the streets are pristine, there will still be too few parking spaces and too many cars. There will still be a “parking crisis,” as Trustee Falk described it a few months ago. Pretty much every decision the Village Board considers, she said, slams into the wall of too few parking spaces. During the trustees’ hourlong parking discussion, no one mentioned service, or quality of life, or what constituents may prefer, or even specific projects to be funded. Only chasing paidparking dollars. This Village Board has made up its mind, which is what elected officials are chosen to do. Good for them. If everyone is as much in agreement at the Village Board, end of discussion. If not, there are party caucuses at the end of this month to nominate candidates for the March 10

DICK DOWNEY OTHER VOICES

Fracking Is Dead. Long Live Fracking

nergy continues to make headlines. While New York refuses to issue permits for high-volume hydraulic fracturing, oil broke the $50 a barrel mark, bringing gasoline to $2.50 a gallon nationally. That’s more than a dollar a gallon pocketed by drivers every time they fill up compared to last year. Thank a fracker! Shale plays in Texas and North Dakota have increased U.S. oil production to 9 million barrels a day, upsetting markets and decreasing prices by 45 percent. Gas production from the Marcellus and other shale formations is now equal to that of Iran’s. The U.S. is awash in cheap energy. Thank a fracker! Drivers aren’t the only beneficiaries. Energy was costing workingclass households earning $50,000 or less income about 20 percent of their after-tax dollars. No more, as costs of everything goes down. The U.S. still makes things. Onethird of the gross domestic product comes from the sale of manufactured

goods or extracted products. Whether we move them by rail, plane, truck, ship or pipeline, we use a hydrocarbon. Cheap energy means we’re competitive globally. More sales means more jobs. Check with Amphenol in Sidney; they’re hiring again with the advent of the Constitution Pipeline. Farm costs for fertilizer, planting, weed control and harvesting are also affected positively. Lower overhead means more money for the 401(k) or maybe a new computer. For those lucky enough to have shale under their feet, royalties allow equipment upgrades. Prosperous farms revive a dying heartland. Retailers see sales as shoppers keep more of their paychecks and spend more with extra money in the checking account. The medium household income from all sources rose last year by a measly $178. IHS Insight predicts that lower energy costs alone will save the average family $750 annually. That’s stimulus! Four times last year’s gain and not a cent in government debt passed down to the grandchildren.

Thank a fracker! The bonanza doesn’t stop on our shores. A recent Wall Street Journal headline said: “Tumble in Oil Prices Spurs New Bets on Global Growth.” The obvious benefits of lower costs, less debt and more jobs are all “unambiguously positive,” says the European Central Bank president. America’s productivity forces energy back into the marketplace rather than us having to boot-lick a cartel of kleptomaniacs. Russia, aptly described as “a gas station posing as a country,” has seen its ruble plunge over 40 percent. That means less money for military adventures. Nuclear ambitious Iran and revolutionary Venezuela will have less dough to push their agendas. The Saudis are paying attention. Suddenly, our country isn’t dependent on countries that don’t like us. Thank a fracker! This is an excerpt from an op-ed Dick Downey of the Unatego Area Landowners Association provided to the Press & Sun-Bulletin.

LETTERS

Welcome To Cooperstown? We Think Not To the Editor: My wife and I have been visiting Cooperstown for the past 20 years. We have always loved the beautiful drive, visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame, shopping and having dinner afterwards. On at least four occasions, we stayed overnight there. Now, I can honestly say we doubt we will be visiting Cooperstown again for quite awhile, if at all. On our most recent trip there, we were offended and disgusted by the new parking fees of $2 per hour. This may seem a small fee to some, but one day and afternoon spent in Cooperstown will cost anywhere from $10-20 just for the privilege of parking in your village to visit the Hall of Fame and patronize local businesses. The kiosks at which parking vouchers must be purchased do not even ac-

cept dollar bills; however, they do accept credit cards. Was this system created for your convenience in tacking on additional parking violation fees in case someone is a few minutes over their allotted parking time? During this last visit, I observed an incident involving an elderly couple who pulled into a parking spot; a sticker on the back of their car indicated that the man driving the vehicle was a World War II veteran. The woman got out of the vehicle and proceeded to the kiosk to buy a parking voucher, but she encountered a line at the kiosk and had to wait. When she finally returned with the voucher in hand, their car was already being served with a parking violation ticket. The woman and her husband tried to explain to the officer that they were

not trying to avoid paying parking fees but had just experienced a delay in purchasing a parking voucher because of the crowd at the kiosk – all to no avail. They were informed that it was too late, and they were issued a parking ticket. What should they have done? Park in the middle of the street until the woman got through the cluster of peop!e at the kiosk and then parked their car? If this is the way that Cooperstown intends to treat visitors patronizing their businesses, why would anyone ever want to spend their time, gas and money to travel there a second time, only to be treated like this again? In closing, I would like to add that every store and restaurant employee that I spoke to during my last visit indicated that almost all of the businesses in

Cooperstown were opposed to the new parking policy, and that it was an inconvenience to everyone. Such a policy will only negatively impact on future tourism in the beautiful and vibrant village of Cooperstown. I know that it has for me. DONALD HART Whitehall

Fresh Ideas For A Fresh 2015 To the Editor: 2015: • Bill Cosby should take a lie detector test. • “Arab Spring” should be renamed “Arab Winter” • Ukraine should offer swapping land that Russia has seized for Chernobyl. GERRY WELCH Cooperstown

AllOTSEGO.com

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2015

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL A-5

Powers, Democrats Tried, But Failed To Topple Chair COUP/From A1 so things were set in motion. On Monday the 5th, Powers called Lindberg seeking support, but “I told him I can’t,” said the Worcester rep. “I think the way I think – and he doesn’t think the way I think.” Powers also called Ed Frazier, R-Unadilla. Frazier was noncommittal, but later called Powers back to make it crystal clear: “I don’t want you going forward thinking you have my support.” Said Frazier: “Jim knew it – I was not supporting him.” On Tuesday the 6th, Stuligross hosted a Democratic caucus at her Walnut Street home, and Powers addressed the group. Ed Lentz, D-New Lisbon, said there was extensive discussion about whom to support, but no vote was taken. “When I left there,” he said, “I wasn’t sure what I was going to do.” • In interviews with five Democrats and two Republicans – attempts to reach Clark and Powers were unsuccessful – it seems Clark’s opponents were goaded by three issues: ► One, her participation in committee meetings, where board chairs in the past generally served in an ex officio role, attending whatever meetings they wished but not voting. According to the interviews, Rowinski’s Solid Waste & Environmental Concern Committee was a particular battleground. Clark cast the deciding vote on lowering the tipping fee once MOSA was dissolved, while Rowinski hoped to keep it stable until the impacts of the garbage authority’s dissolution were fully understood. At one point, another Democrat said, County Attorney Ellen Coccoma was asked for an opinion, and she ruled – to the disagreement of some – that Clark was acting within her authority. For his part, Lindberg said Clark’s participation in committee meetings was sometimes essential. Frazier agreed: “She only voted when she had to, or when she was needed to get a quorum. In my view, that isn’t a legitimate complaint.” Rowinski also objected to what she views as the over-powering role of the Administration Com-

Chairman Clark and Vice Chair Frazier, above, at recent County Board meeting. At right, Powers, foreground, and Lindberg are side by side in County Board room.

mittee, again being chaired by Chair Vince Casale hosted a Frazier, which again has four breakfast there – the phone lines Republican members to a single had been burning with Clark partiDemocrat (Stuligross). Instead sans seeking to ensure support for of “Admin” keeping matters from Clark was firm. coming to the full board, “there Counting noses, Lindberg said, needs to be more discussion beit appeared that four Democrats tween all representatives,” Rowin- – Rowinski, Stuligross, Lentz and ski said. Koutnik – were supporting Pow► Two, Clark’s resistance, now ers, and three Republicans – Powresolved, to giving raises to the ers himself, Betty Ann Schwerd, county’s managers and department heads. Powers had long supported raises for managers, whose salaries had been unchanged for five years. This issue swayed Rowinski, she said: “One Republican stood against his party: Jim Powers. That’s why I supported him.” But Lindberg said, “We just didn’t have the money.” In the end, he supported a 5 percent hike, while Clark proposed 7. ► Three, personal interactions that some representatives thought were overbearing. “I think discussion has been inhibited by Kathy’s style,” said Rowinski. Lentz put it this way: “There is some disagreement with Kathy’s leadership. I think, overall, she does a good job.” “I don’t care who the chair is,” said Frazier, who was reelected vice chair, “the other 13 aren’t going to agree with them on 100 percent of the issues. She IS a strong woman.” • By the time Republicans gathered the morning of County Rep. Rowinski engineered the organizational meeting Kathy Clark’s election as chair in at the Doubleday Cafe in 2012, but the two are now at odds. Cooperstown – county GOP

Freeman’s Journal file photos

R-Edmeston, (who was to lose her Intergovernmental Affairs Committee chairmanship), and Keith McCarty, R-East Springfield. The horse-trading was intense, according to Lindberg, who himself achieved the chairmanship in 2006 by reaching an agreement with the Democrats. This time, “they begged me. They offered me the world,” he said; but it wasn’t to be. The county board has a complicated weighted-voted system, with county reps’ voting clout depending on the number of people in their districts, so the Republicans at the breakfast had to parse the numbers. They concluded “we needed Beth,” Lindberg said, referring to Beth Rosenthal, D-Roseboom. Rosenthal was being courted by the other side as well. “I spoke with Jim, and I was trying to separate the past from the future,” she said. Powers had been the most outspoken county board supporter of fracking – “the poster child of fracking,” is how Rosenthal put it – and, even after Governor Cuomo announced the statewide fracking ban, she felt some of her supporters would feel betrayed if she supported him. “Even if I could get over that,” Rosenthal was asking herself, “what is his vision?” She didn’t hear a compelling one. When the organizational meeting was convened at 10 a.m. on the 7th, it was unclear

to many in the second-floor county board chambers at 197 Main St., Cooperstown, what the outcome would be. Powers invited Rosenthal into the conference room across the hall. When they emerged, however, Lindberg saw Powers raise his head toward Rowinski and nod slightly in the negative. • The resulting vote was anti-climactic. To one Democrat, when Frazier – who represents District 1, and therefore votes first – went for Clark, the rebellion was at an end. When Lentz – District 5, with the greatest weighted voting – went for Clark, the rest knew it was over. Rosenthal’s aye vote from District 7 just confirmed what the number crunchers already knew by then. All the rest, including Stuligross and Rowinski, then voted for Clark, but, it turned out, too late to save their chairmanships. Powers was replaced on Public Safety & Legal Affairs by Lindberg. Stuligross, who had chaired the committees that shepherded through the Otsego Manor sale and filled in as IGA chair when Schwerd dropped out for a few months last year, received no chairmanship, although she is on the influential Administration Committee. Rowinski was replaced at the helm of Solid Waste by Rosenthal. It’s unfortunate, said Lentz, who emerged as Performance Review & Goal Setting chair, that, whatever Clark’s motivation, there is an appearance of “retribution.” Said Lindberg, “Elections have consequences.” Nonetheless, the county reps interviewed were, to a person, looking ahead, eager to move forward on SolarCity’s energy project, building the towers for the $8 million emergency communication system, agreeing on an economic-development strategy (last year, the county board failed to get behind the IDA’s single-point-ofcontact strategy), and high-speed broadband Internet. After the organizational meeting, Clark hosted her colleagues for lunch at The Otesaga. Five Republicans attended, and Democrat Stuligross. “It’s just politics,” she said philosophically about what had transpired. “You move on.”

BOUND VOLUMES Compiled by Tom Heitz with resources courtesy of The New York State Historical Association Library

200 YEARS AGO

The honorable David Stone, U.S. Senator from North Carolina, has resigned his seat, with an address of which the following is the conclusion. “The political atmosphere of our country is so loaded with clouds and threatening in its aspect, that I should certainly remain at the post assigned me, if I conceived that by remaining I could be of any service, whatever sacrifice it might cost me. But, my opinions and views differ so radically from those of the persons who conduct the affairs of the nation, and who appear to be strongly supported by the public sentiment of the nation, and as I am conscious I possess a very fallible judgment, but which, such as it is, must be my guide in the performance of my public duty, entirely independent and uncontrolled by party, I therefore conclude it is best for me to withdraw from the scene.” January 12, 1815

175 YEARS AGO

Federalism – This once honored and honorable term seems to have become a word of reproach, its friends as well as its enemies repudiating the name. How fallen – none so poor as to do it reverence; none so poor as to own it as their cognomen. The self-styled Whig Party seems anxious to rid themselves of this, to them, appropriate name; and they strive to hide the obnoxious features of their creed with the cloak of Equal Rights; endeavoring, by filching from democracy her good name, to palm themselves on the people as the exclusive friends of popular freedom. But they will find their efforts futile – no long success will attend their shifts and disguises, for their practices and principles will shine forth to contradict the oft-repeated assertion. On the intelligence of the people the Democrat relies, knowing that they are disposed to act for the best interests of the country, and knowing that their intelligence will always rebuke “old enemies under new disguise. January 20, 1840

125 YEARS AGO

In the Town of Otsego it is a very unusual thing to find a Democrat a candidate willing to accept the nomination for the important office of Supervisor – an unfortunate fact. And for a few years past the Republicans – holding well together themselves – have been able to detach some Democratic votes from the head of our ticket on account of a wholly non-partisan contest over Railroad Commissioner. We think the Democrats have got rather tired of that onesided “give-away game,” and have this year made up their

150 YEARS AGO

week announced the appointment of five members of a Cooperstown Zoning Board whose duty it shall be to formulate a program for regulating building development in the village. Action was taken pursuant to the provisions of a resolution adopted at the December meeting of the Board of Trustees, in accordance with the terms of the General Village Law of the state. The new board consists of G. Reed Sill, Owen G. Clark, both trustees, O.L. Van Horne, Lester J. Clark, and W. Carter Burnett. January 17, 1940

50 YEARS AGO

Otsego Lake went into the deep freeze in a hurry this year. The lake was completely closed by ice early Friday morning after a cloudless night which saw temperatures here drop to 15 below zero. As late as Thursday afternoon, wide expanses of open water remained on the lake, with ice coverage at the southern end only as far north as the Cooperstown Country Club. At the northern end, only small patches along the lakeshore existed. Old-timers said they could not remember the lake closing as quickly as it did last January 13, 1865 year. There never has been a year since records were started minds to have an old-fashioned political contest for a politi- in 1849 that the lake hasn’t frozen over completely. January 20, 1965 cal office. But in a close town, as has for three years past been demonstrated, a few disaffected Democrats may throw success into the hands of their opponents – who in turn Hours for the skating rink at the bottom of Fish Road laugh at their folly and crow over “Republican success.” It alongside Lakefront Park are 3 to 9 p.m., Monday through is hoped there will be a large caucus this year, harmonious action, and a Democratic victory. It is high time there was a Friday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. The rink be closed weekdays from 6 to 7 p.m. change. January 17, 1890 Hockey playing will be permitted only from 4:30 to 6 p.m. for children and 8 to 9 p.m. for adults. On weekends, children’s hockey hours will be from Noon to 1 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. Hockey sticks and pucks will be permitted on the The Hop Outlook – A number of sales have been made during the week at 10 to 15 cents per pound. Growers seem ice only during hockey periods. Helmets are required. January 17, 1990 perfectly willing to sell at these prices. Dealers are showing sufficient interest in State hops to secure samples the past week of several crops in this county. With the improved Bassett Research Institute scientists are investigating prospects for business with the opening of the New Year whether overweight people who have overweight dogs and the indications of prosperity in this country, it is fair might be able to partner with their pets in a healthy proto assume that our growers will have an opportunity soon gram of diet and exercise in order to lose weight. “Project to dispose of their crops. Advices from the west coast and Friend” will test whether people with overweight dogs abroad also show a better tone. The tone is about steady on can lose more weight than those that do not collaborate good hops, but low grades are weak. January 13, 1915 with their pet. All volunteers will receive a small financial reward, and those with dogs will also receive a 6-month supply of dog food. January 14, 2005 Mayor Rowan D. Spraker on Wednesday of last

25 YEARS AGO

100 YEARS AGO

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A-6 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL

THURSDAY-FRIDAY, JANUARY 15-16, 2015

Opponents Dominate Constitution Pipeline Hearing At SUNY Oneonta HEARING/From A1 dress DEC Administrative Law Judge Molly McBride and Stephen Tomasik, point of contact between the DEC and the pipeline, offered a contrary point of view. “A lot of us pushed to deny frackers the right to spoil our land with wells,” said Larry Bennett, Brewery Ommegang’s Creative Services manager. “Now we need to deny the pipeline. These companies have the right to make a profit, just like my company does, but not at the expense of our land.” The Constitution Pipeline, which

is under federal jurisdiction, was approved by FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, in December. But the state DEC still must issue permits regarding wetlands, water quality and other matters, and the hearings – in Binghamton Monday the 12th and Cobleskill Wednesday the 14th – are part of that process. The 129-mile project, from drilling sites in Northeastern Pennsylvania to Schoharie County, is intended to deliver natural gas to the Iroquois pipeline that serves New York City and the Tennessee, serving Boston.

“I am baffled why we are even here tonight,” said Felix Bridel, 14, of Franklin, who was there with his mother, Carmela Marner, and her parents, Carol and Eugene. “This pipeline is carrying fracked gas, and when it explodes, it will poison the water. We won’t be fleeing Earth in a rocket anytime soon, so we’re stuck with this Earth, and if you let the pipeline through, you will be blamed for the deaths of the innocent.” Landowners from Chenango and Delaware counties, dressed in orange, peppered the crowd, but few

approached the podium, and one was temporarily removed for booing a speaker. And when Russ Honicker, Cooperstown, called for “those who think it’s a good idea to protect our children” to stand, McBride called the audience back to order. McBride repeatedly reminded the crowd to cease clapping, and occasionally hushed a stray comment from both sides of the debate. “We understand that this is an important, emotional issue,” she said. “But we want to respect everyone who is speaking here.” In addition to the calls for the

pipeline not to be built, there were several pleas to direct the need for energy and jobs to renewables. “Solar and wind need a lot of welders too!” said Lisa Barr, Oneonta. “The fossil fuel industry will strangle prospects for a sustainable future.” And Adrien Kuzminski, Fly Creek, Sustainable Otsego moderator, had strong parting words for the DEC at the end of his three minutes. “This is an ethical issue,” he said. “When your grandchildren ask why you continued allowing fossil fuels, it will be impossible to say, ‘We didn’t know’.”

Mike Stein, Witness To Modern Bassett’s Creation

STEIN/From A1 by a reception Friday, Jan. 9, didn’t know where things were going when, a newly minted organizational development specialist, he arrived in Cooperstown in 1982. He had little idea of what was to come. Few people did, even Dr. William Streck,

the endocrinologist who was promoted to Bassett president/CEO soon after Stein’s arrival. “Bill had a vision,” said his lieutenant. “But he didn’t KNOW.” Until about the time Stein arrived in Cooperstown, reimbursements to hospitals were cost-based: Hospitals

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spent the money, and the federal government and insurance companies reimbursed it. Soon, though, DRGs – diagnostic related groups – arrived. DRG’s, the first of now three-decades-long efforts to reward efficiency in healthcare, was “a seismic shift” for the industry, Stein remembered during an interview on his first day in his new office at 211 Main St. “The earth was moving beneath us.” In the pre-DRG days, there was much less need for public relations and fundraising. When the need arose, “I sort of was there,” said Stein. “I had written employee newsletters at my former job. This” – telling Bassett’s story and raising the money so it could grow – “sort of evolved.” Raised in Brooklyn’s Flatbush section, Mike graduated from SUNY Albany, earned a master’s from the University of Michigan, worked in higher ed, and was at the Bank of New York in Westchester County when he answered the help-wanted ad that brought him and wife Doris to Bassett. Up to that point, the community’s perception was that the Clark family would cover any Bassett deficit. But “the stakes were being raised,” Stein said: Bassett’s budget would grow from $50 million to a half-billion today. “We knew no single family philanthropy would sustain Bassett’s need for growth and, actually, survival.” As the new “acting director of public relations and fundraising,” it was Stein’s job

to “change the community’s perception.” Then as now, the fundraising arm was the Friends of Bassett, but it was a different era, with solicitation confined to a few thousand dollars raised through an annual mailing to 100 or so local families. As the mid-’80s moved toward 1990, Streck suggested, “Why don’t you take over the Friends of Bassett as well?” Stein, with the late Jane Patrick at his side, began learning fundraising from the ground up, attending every conference that seemed potentially helpful. He also sought out Ralph Chamberlain, who operated the Sportsmen’s Tavern in Fly Creek but was also a fundraising consultant in New York. Chamberlain also agreed to chair the Friends first major fundraising effort: $20,000 toward a $500,000 birthing center. A $5 million drive followed – $7 million was raised in all – toward the $25 million Bassett Clinic, which opened in 1992. A key breakthrough was obtaining a Kresge Foundation grant. When Kresge concludes a project will actually be built, “they finish campaigns,” Stein said. Throughout this period and beyond, “we had a lot of car and plane time together,” recalled Streck, and he couldn’t say enough about his associate: “He’s a very talented and insightful individual. He has a great sense of people. He’s really a kind and unselfish guy. And he has a great since of humor. “When you combine all

Bassett Healthcare photo

Congratulating Mike Stein and his wife, Doris Motta, center, are, from left, Bill Streck, Lorna Wilhelm, Bassett COO Bertine McKenna, and Friends of Bassett Executive Director Joshua Truman.

those skills, he just excelled in the areas for which he had responsibility.” While all this was going on, Bassett was growing from 70 doctors to 250, and 400 “providers” to 1,200. Today, eight-county employment is in the 4,500 range. Bassett was also raising its profile, hosting a state Conference on Rural Health. “It was an exciting time,” Stein said. The clinic complete, Stein took his first hiatus, joining Presbyterian Hospital in New York City in 1992 as vice president/development, but 1994 found him back at Bassett with his running pals – Streck, Dr. Gerald Groff and others who would be frozen in time by Lauren Groff’s debut 2008 novel – as vice president for PR, fundraising and marketing. And he was preparing another capital campaign – $15 million to upgrade emergency rooms at Bassett and its two new affiliate hospitals, O’Connor in Delhi and Cobleskill. A $12 million campaign for the Bassett Heart Care Institute

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In 2005, Stein first set up his fundraising consultancy, conducting campaigns for Foothills, Springbrook, the Oneonta Family Y, Brookwood. But he continued his Bassett affiliation as executive director of government and community affairs, tending Bassett’s business in Albany and Washington, D.C. When the economy faltered, Stein returned to Bassett fulltime in 2010, absorbing the duties of Friends of Bassett executive director when Scott Barrett, whom he’d recruited, moved on to Syracuse. Stein also recruited Bill Stamp, still a key player today as vice president/marketing, planning and communications. As Bassett’s profile rose regionally, it did nationally, thanks to a front-page article in the New York Times on its salaried-doctor model. Lately, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, mentioned Bassett on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “I made a lot of friends,” Stein said of Bassett and Cooperstown’s lure. “It became home. My daughter was born here. We bought our first house here – we bought our second house here. I always felt I could do good work here, important work here.” Three years ago, with Streck anticipating retirement (he recently joined HANYS as chief medical & health systems innovation officer), Stein advised Bassett he would stay through the transition. With Vance Brown succeeding Streck last summer, Stein is returning to his consultancy. Already, he’s advising the Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Institute in Utica, Catskill Area Hospice and Pathfinder Village, as well as community hospitals elsewhere in New York State and the Midwest. In one of his recent forays, to River Hospital in Alexandria Bay, another of his hopes was realized when a hospital administrator remarked, on learning of Stein’s Cooperstown connection: “You know, that Bassett – that is the place that really got it right.” Said Stein, “That was it for me: We’d really arrived.”

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THURSDAY-FRIDAY, JANUARY 15-16, 2015

Bertrams Shine At Basketball BERTRAMS/From A1 Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 27. “My team has helped a lot,” he said. “I would not be scoring what I am without them.” It’s a family thing. David grew up playing basketball with his brother in Eldred, a country town northwest of Port Jervis. “We had nothing else to do,” he said. In addition to his high school team, he played with the Jersey Jayhawks, an AAU program designed for young players determined to take their skills as far as they can. In 1990-94, Dad Bertraum was a shooting guard for Niagara University, at one time ranked third in 3-point shooting, with an average of 46 percent. He was an MVP his senior year, and after college, played semi-professionally with the Hudson Valley Kings. And Tyler seems to have picked up on the family legacy. On Thursday, Jan. 8, with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, Tyler broke the school’s 3-point record, previously nine 3-point shots, set by Ethan Bliss in 2013. The Hawkeyes went on to win that game, against Dolgeville, 69-25. As Dave played with the Jayhawks, Tyler also plays on a travel team, and took second place in the iHoops skill challenge in Albany, a USA Basketball program similarly aimed at developing top youth players. “We went for fun, but I ended up placing in the top three,” said Tyler. “The regional tournament was held at the Celtics’ stadium in Boston, so I got to play on that floor.” He placed second. “It was definitely a good moment,” said David. “I was watching him break this record as his coach,” said the father.

“But as I was looking around the gym at everyone cheering, I had to remind myself to be in that moment as his parent too.” Tyler practices about two hours a day, both on the court and at the hoop at home. “I get to choose that this is what I want to do,” he said. “But I have to keep

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL A-7 practicing to make myself better.” “And hopefully, he’ll continue to get better and grow bigger,” added David. And even his sister Josephine, 10, is getting in on the family games. “She plays on a travel team out of the Clark Sports Center and the Oneonta Boys and Girls Club,” he said. “I never wanted to push them in that direction, but she started

showing interest.” But for all the skills his father taught him, he’s showing his father a thing or two. “He’s taught me pa-

tience,” said David. “And he’s got me on the shooting – he sees the floor well, he knows how to make the right pass at the right time.”

But David still has a few skills up his sleeve. “Now I’m just waiting for the day he can beat me in one-onone,” he said.

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