TAKING THE OATH

POWERS CHALLENGE

TO CLARK FIZZLES

County Board Chair Reelected Unanimously

COOPERSTOWN – The only thing missing was white smoke coming out of the chimney at 197 Main.

The attempt by county Rep. Jim Powers, R-Butternuts, to replace Kathy Clark, R-Otego, as chair of the Otsego County Board of Representatives had completely fizzled by this morning.

The three-year chairperson was routinely reelected shortly after the county board’s reorganizational meeting was called to order at 10 a.m. today.

It was unanimous – 6,227 weighted votes to zero.  In the end, even Powers, bowing to the inevitable, voted for the woman he’s been trying to build a coalition against in recent days.

Powers got more traction last year, when he met with Democrats in an effort to put together an anti-Clark majority bloc.  This year, several representatives – including Clark’s vice chair, Ed Frazier, R-Unadilla — reported being sounded out for support by Powers.

Frazier said he rejected Powers advance.  And no one could be found to say he or she was actually supporting him.  In the end, that’s because nobody was.

Seven freshmen members took their seats today:  Andrew Stammel, Margaret Kennedy, Peter Oberacker, David Bliss, Andrew Marietta, Len Carson and Dan Wilber.