Clark Might Appoint

Hulse To Otsego Now

IDA Foe Would Fill One Of 9 IDA Seats

COOPERSTOWN – Rick Hulse, a foil to Otsego Now’s economic-development initiatives when he was a county representative, may be nominated by county Board Chair Kathy Clark, R-Otego, to Otsego Now’s board at the county Board of Representatives’ monthly meeting at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Clark was at a NYSAC conference in Albany today, and didn’t respond to an e-mail.

But a Clark ally on the board, county Rep. Ed Frazier, R-Unadilla, said she was considering Hulse “and a couple of others” for the position on the former IDA board being opened by the resignation of Len Marsh, the Medical Coaches COO.

“But I don’t know if she made a choice,” Frazier said.

The Unadilla representative chairs the Administration Committee, which vets all resolutions before they go to the full board.  However, he said, appointments are the board chair’s prerogative, which the full board usually supports but can also reject.

At the county board’s office, no late resolutions had been filed this afternoon.  Such resolutions are prepared by the county attorney, but Ellen Coccoma’s office said they were unaware of any late resolutions.  However, if Clark can simply make the appointment with the board’s affirmation, such a resolution would not be necessary.

It was unclear this afternoon how much support a Hulse appointment would receive.

County Rep. Andrew Marietta, D-Fly Creek, who defeated Hulse in the Nov. 3 county board election, said, “I don’t know about Rick’s qualifications and how well they fit with Otsego Now.”   He said he would rather the appointment not be raised tomorrow, without being able to weigh Hulse against other prospective candidates.

“I’ve heard some other people comment, what about getting some local women with business backgrounds on the board,” he continued.  “I would say that’s a better argument.”

Last month, word circulated at the County Office Building that Clark was considering appointing Hulse to a new position of “finance director.”  Asked about it, she said she was considering naming a “finance committee” to keep track of county finances year ’round, after the county board was surprised last fall by at $9.5 million shortfall.

Hulse, she said, might be a prospect for that committee.