City Manager Idea Going Out Of Favor After Three Failures, Disillusionment By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – After Common Council’s lively discussion last night over whether to replace a city manager with a city administrator, Mayor Gary Herzig today summoned council to a special meeting next Monday, Oct. 12, to decide the question and move on. At last night’s meeting, veteran Council member John Rafter has dim predictions for the current system: “I don’t think we’ve been…
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Meeting Rescheduled For Wednesday Weather, Holidays Keep Council Members Away From Their Final Duties Winter weather and holiday travel plans resulted in a near-empty Oneonta Common Council meeting earlier this evening, where outgoing members Michelle Fraser, First Ward, Melissa Nicosia, Second Ward, and Dana Levinson, Fifth Ward, didn’t attend their final meeting as Council members. With Michelle Osterhoudt having resigned Nov. 30, that left only, from left, David Rissberger, Third Ward, City Manager George Korthauer, Mayor Gary Herzig, City Clerk…
FIELD FIRMING UP FOR ELECTION 2019 Council Member John Rafter Also Runs For Second Term ONEONTA – With Common Council member John Rafter’s announcement a few minutes ago that he plans to seek another term, the outlines of the 2019 campaign are firming up. Three incumbents, Rafter, Dave Rissberger and Michele Frazier are running again. But five Council members are not. And, with six newcomers surfacing already, there will be no shortage of candidates to replace them.…
Council Committee Focus: Town-Gown Chairman John Rafter Aims To Focus On Neighborhood Noise, Apartments By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – Town-gown relations – noise and mischief in neighborhoods, and the large number of shortterm rentals in the city – are on Common Council member John Rafter’s agenda this year. And it’s now on the agenda of the council’s Legislative Committee, whcih he chairs, and which met last night for the first time in 2019. Rafter told committee…
KORTHAUER VISITING DEPARTMENTS City Manager Greeted At City Hall Reception…
Airport Commission To City: Name Terminal For Dennis Finn By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.COM ONEONTA – During public comment at this evening’s Common Council meeting, city Airport Commissioner Jeff Back laid out his case for naming the Oneonta Municipal Airport terminal in memory of the late Dennis Finn. “Dennis was a valued founding member of the airport commission,” he said. “His involvement with the airport goes back to it’s construction and pre-dates the original dedication ceremony in 1966. His…
CHARRETTE ON DOWNTOWN ONEONTA Grocery Store, High Line Ideas At Public-Engagement Meeting By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – A grocery store. A high line, an elevated walking trail overlooking murals and mosaics. More sports in Neahwa Park. These were some of the ideas presented in the Foothills atrium at tonight’s Public Engagement Meeting, sponsored by the Downtown Revitalization Initiative Local Planning Committee. “We’d love to see more artistic spaces with murals,” said Carol Mandigo, the local muralist. “We’re…
Council Discusses Options To Keep Teen Center Open By JASON BRICKELBACK • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – Common Council this evening discussed options to continue operation of the Oneonta Teen Center despite the YMCA’s choice not to carry the program beyond Dec. 31, when the Y’s contract with the city expires. “At first we were led to believe that the Y would be able to continue after the 31st until we find another operator,” Council member Dave Rissberger told his…
Greenway Project Suspended, But Existing Trails Still Open By LIBBY CUDMORE • for AllOTSEGO.COM ONEONTA – For now, at least, plans to expand the Susquehanna Greenway are dead. “The city would have to come up with $40,000 just to do a redesign,” said Council member Melissa Nicosia, Second Ward, who brought the resolution to suspend the project from the Community Development Committee. “We would have to start the work by September and finish in January. It’s just not in the best interest…
Charter Committee Recommends: Let Mayor Vote On City Manager By LIBBY CUDMORE • for www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – Though a mayor’s vote is normally limited to breaking ties, the ad hoc Charter Review Committee is recommending that a mayor be part of the search for the city manager, and be allowed a vote along with Common Council to make the appointment. “Both have to be heavily involved,” said Council member Russ Southard, Sixth Ward. “Otherwise, you don’t have a buy-in. Mayor Dick Miller was heavily involved…