As the November 7 election approaches, Otsego County will select its new county clerk. The race has been framed around experience, but I would counter that the race is about vision. I will be voting for MacGuire Benton for county clerk because he will bring a focus on entrepreneurialism and improved accessibility of services to our residents.…
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Assemblyman Chris Tague (R,C-Schoharie) welcomed Assemblyman Scott Gray (R-Watertown) and the Tourism Task Force to his vibrant district as part of the ongoing tourism tour.…
Hundreds Attend Rally In Rain To Protest Crimes Against Asian People By GREG KLEIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com About 250 people attended a rally Sunday, May 2, at the Otsego County Courthouse, to support the community’s Asian American and Pacific Island residents. The “Otsego Rally for Solidarity with Asian Americans” was organized and run by a group of Cooperstown Central School freshmen, including 15-year-old Cate Bohler, who said she wanted to speak up to support her friends or anyone who…
‘Mac’ Benton Steps Back From Challenging Marietta In Exchange, Incumbent Will Support Trustee As His County Board Successor By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – Village Trustee MacGuire Benton has decided not to challenge fellow Democrat Andy Marietta for the county board’s Cooperstown/Town of Otsego seat. An email the two men sent today to members of the county Democratic Committee says “we have come to the conclusion that there is much more that we agree on than which…
Sanctuary Drive Hits Roadblock D.A. Dismisses Idea; Reps Put Off Action By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com The 2A Sanctuary Movement’s effort to banish all gun laws from Otsego County appears at a standstill, at least for now. “The county board has no real authority or jurisdiction,” county Rep. Dan Wilber, last week, told the county board’s Public Safety & Legal Affairs Committee, which he chairs. “Enforcement is left to the district attorney and the sheriff’s office.” Wilber said…
Benton Is Planning Primary Challenge To Veteran Marietta 2021 County Board Dispute Shaping Up By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – Democrat MacGuire Benton confirmed a few minutes ago he plans to challenge the dean of the county board Democrats, Andrew Marietta, for the Cooperstown/Town of Otsego seat in next June’s primary. “Primaries are the sign of a healthy democracy,” he said, adding he’s looking forward to “an exchange of ideas.” He added, “It’s early, and I look…
Editorial If You Want Public Office, You Ought To Say Why Publicly The county board’s Administration Committee set a poor precedent in deciding to interview candidates for state Sen.-elect Peter Oberacker’s District 6 seat in “executive session” – that is, in secret, out of the public view. The county attorney, Ellen Coccoma, last week advised the Admin Committee when it interviewed the Republican candidate, Jennifer Mickle, that whether to do so in public or not was optional, up to the reps.…
JULY MEETING HELD TODAY County Board Retreats From Threatened Cuts To Promotion Agency By JIM KEVLIN ׇ• Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – After tabling the measure two weeks ago, the county Board of Representatives today rallied behind Destination Marketing of Otsego County, with nine reps rejecting a resolution to reduce funding for its promotional arm from 15 percent to 24 percent. Rep. Andrew Stammel, D-Town of Oneonta, proposed the larger cut for DMCOC, saying, “With the present state of the…
EDITORIAL If Not Allen Ruffles, Someone With SOME Of His Qualities The question was, “Do you think THEY will let the county administrator do the job?” They, of course, being the county Board of Representatives. But the question misunderstands how the new county administrator job is envisioned. Judging from discussions surrounding the new job’s creation, the county representatives aren’t looking for someone to tell them what to do. They’re looking for someone who will allow them to do what THEY…
CLICK FOR VIDEO OF COUNTY BOARD Partisanship Debated As Board Reorganizes Also, Assemblyman Salka Addresses County Reps …