DIVIDED, COUNTY BOARD

ADDS JOBS, OK’S BUDGET

COOPERSTOWN – Otsego County’s $100 million budget for 2016 was approved today, but by a badly split vote.

Those voting “nay” including county Board Chair Kathy Clark, R-Otego, and county Rep. Don Lindberg, R-Worcester, who chaired the board’s Budget Review Committee.

“Next year’s going to be a very tough year,” predicted Lindberg, who is leaving the board at year’s end to become Worcester town supervisor.  “There’s nothing in the future that’s going to bring in any more money.”

The proposed budget reduced county staffing by 26 positions, but today the representatives added back two transfer-station attendants, one DMV clerk, and one of the three Building Services jobs that were on the chopping block, Lindberg said.

He also objected to $700,000 in revenues that he said turned up during the final deliberations.  Last year, the county had to write off $4 million it expected from the state; this year, $1.2 million.  As in those two cases, the $700,000 isn’t there, he said.

Retiring county Rep. Janet Hurley Quackenbush, R-Town of Oneonta, also made a motion to distribute $210,000 in bed-tax money to towns and villages, but that motion failed.