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Cooperstown Now

‘Sanctuary Village’

Without discussion, the Village Board prepares a few minutes ago to unanimously approve a resolution declaring Cooperstown a “sanctuary village.” From left are Trustees Dean, Falk and Kuch, Village Attorney Tillapaugh, Mayor Katz, Village Administrator Barown, and Trustees, Sternberg, Allstadt and Maxson. (AllOTSEGO.com photo)

By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

COOPERSTOWN – The Village Board a few minutes ago declared Cooperstown a “sanctuary village.”

On a motion by Trustee Cindy Falk, seconded by Trustee Jim Dean, trustees and Mayor Jeff Katz voted unanimously, 7-0, not “to participate in the Delegation of Immigration Authority”under the Immigration & Nationality Act of 1996.  The vote was perfunctory, without discussion.

Katz said the trustees began discussing the measure “200 catastrophes ago,” an apparent reference to the Trump Administration record, and that the matter has been fully discussed among trustees.

That may be a surprise to village residents at large.  In the most recent edition of the Village Voices, the trustees’ official communication with residents through information in the water and sewer bills, there was no mention this was being contemplated.

It was not immediately clear whether this would effect any of the federal funding anticipated for the Pioneer Street reconstruction this summer or the sewage-treatment plant project.

Posted

31 Comments

  1. How disgusting, decide to not abide by federal law and not even let the people living there have a say. I hope you get all your funding cut and the people rebel. Your job is to protect the people you represent.

  2. So apparently this board feels that they are not bound by silly things like laws (at least the ones that they don’t agree with). I wonder how they would feel if Cooperstown residents ignored those local regulations that the board themselves passed simply because the residents didn’t agree with them.

  3. This is unnerving. As a travel agent I send many of my clients to Cooperstown. Last year my clients spent a total of 114 hotel nights in Cooperstown and the surrounding area.

    I also have a personal trip planned. I may have to cancel that.

  4. Does this mean visitors to Cooperstown can disregard parking regulations and not pay the exorbitant fines? What about zoning regulations? Will there be other laws and regulations that will no longer be enforced?

  5. Imagine that. No discussion with the village. Well guess I won’t be spending any money there or the town of Otsego

  6. …and just in time for seasonal hiring. Whew!
    Let’s see…I think I can figure this out…along with the relaxing and limited enforcement of short term rental regulations. The renting of properties outside the village. The facilitating of getting menial workers into the village from urban areas. Makes me wonder what local buisinesses the board is pandering to. I mean, everyone knows there’s a seasonal labor shortage. Thinly veiled and disgustingly clever.

  7. This here is the dumbest thing I’ve read in a very long time. Where will all the pompous residents be housing these illegals?

  8. When your a communist you don’t need to discuss matters with the people. You just do what you know is best for them.

  9. Out of the pan and into the fire!! Liberals pissed off because they can’t get away with shit like they could with obama! Never get my business there again!!!!!!

  10. I will no longer be going to Coopers Town until they reverse this insane law! They apparently don’t need my $$ or anyone else!

  11. Was planning a trip to the Hall of Fame this summer but not any more. I will not support a lawless community.

  12. The Law is the Law. 7 people can not decide for the village which law they will uphold. We have a system of laws that we all have to live with.

  13. If you would like to report illegal aliens, please call Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (347-2423). They will need to know names, locations (either work place or residence) and any other specific information you can provide. Visit http://www.ice.gov for more information.

  14. Ahhhh – I see by this thread the Christian dogma is alive and well. Not. WWJD? Deny sanctuary? I’ll spend twice as much in Cooperstown this year. Congrats to the village board for doing the right thing.

  15. These comments are mostly nonsense. The law in question reads that:
    ————————
    The 287(g) program, one of ICE’s top partnership initiatives, allows a state or local law enforcement entity to enter into a partnership with ICE, under a joint Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), in order to receive delegated authority for immigration enforcement within their jurisdictions.
    ————————
    287(g) Training Programs
    Prior to being delegated ICE immigration authority, selected state and local officers must attend and successfully complete ICE’s 287(g) Immigration Authority Delegation Program (IADP), which is the 287(g) basic training course.
    The basic training program is four weeks in duration and includes coursework in immigration law, the use of ICE databases, multi-cultural communication and the avoidance of racial profiling. This training is conducted at Federal Law Enforcement Training Center – Charleston.
    Additionally, every two years, every 287(g) state and local officer must return to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Charleston, SC and successfully complete Immigration Authority Delegation Refresher Training Program (IADRP).
    ————————
    It would be silly for our village to get involved in this program (which has nothing to do with :”sanctuary”) and the complex training programs it requires. We have better things to do. I think that the Freeman’s Journal has done everybody a disservice by mixing up the to concepts.

  16. I was totally confused about this policy when I first heard about it, but now I totally understand. If I roll thru a stop sign in the village and a police officer pulls me over and checks me out and finds I have an outstanding parking tickets he says “You are under arrest”. If I am an illegal alien and I roll thru a stop sign and he checks me out and I am an illegal alien he says “Have a nice day”

  17. Very upsetting and extremely troubling that this can be done without the vote or input from residents and taxpayers of Cooperstown!

  18. Well you know there is no accounting for stupidity or arrogance in Government even in what used to be a Beautifull Little Village

    Let’s first strip the word trust from trustee as it denotes something greater than they are and replace with “clueless clowns”
    The mayor replace with “Dic tator”

    If they are so free with our Village to make it a Sanctuary Village without our permission or due process, then let us petition them, to be equally Noble as to offer “Their Own Homes” to the same folks first ! Why not!
    These great minds could start a new movement called Sanctuary Homes and be the recipients of all that is good with lawlessness!

    After all true leaders show by example !

    Manno

  19. What they should have done was talk to people who’ve been living in a town where illegals have taken up residence. Talk to anyone from Suffolk County Long Island, and they’ll have a story or two. Also, has anyone thought this through as to where they will live. Cooperstown is probably too expensive, so my guess is they’ll be looking at the surrounding towns to rent a home. How is it that 7 people can make a decision that could effect an entire county. This is not how democracy works.

  20. If Hugh MacDugall is correct I tend to agree with him. If its not that big of a deal then let it go. If the federal government does not agree I believe they should cut off appropriate funds to sanctuary cities. I grew up in Cooperstown but I can see its not the town I once knew. New York city liberals have taken over my beautiful town. Ed Kirn

  21. Great. Standing up to Trump and his violations of the US constitution shows that mayor Katz and the town board have intelligence. We do not have a dictator like Trump and his GOP cronies running Cooperstown. To all of you right wingers not coming to Cooperstown. Adios. We have too many people in the town during the summer months anyway. Go to Alabama or Louisiana. Nice and hot and sweaty for you. I happen to love it right here. DrZ

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