Board Discusses County and State Finances, Development, Government Transparency

By BILL BELLEN
OTSEGO COUNTY

Shortly before the Wednesday, October 1 meeting of the Otsego County Board of Representatives, the Public Safety and Legal Affairs Committee convened for a brief meeting of its own. Otsego County Sheriff Richard J. Devlin Jr. used this time to request approval to contract with CFG Health in New Jersey to supply jail medical services for the county.

The proposal included a three-year contract with a year one price of $777,262.00. Committee Chair Daniel Wilber said the contract had been talked about extensively already, and the proposal was subsequently passed. Devlin noted it will save the county about $150,000.00 over an unspecified time period.

Chairman Edwin Frazier Jr. began the first public hearing of the morning shortly thereafter, regarding an additional mortgage tax for Otsego County. As no one stood to address the board, this hearing was adjourned. The board then transitioned to a second public hearing on a proposed “local law to override the tax levy limit established in general municipal law 3C.” Once more, no audience members spoke, and so the public hearing was adjourned.

Frazier then stood before the board to recognize the county’s September 2025 retirees. Frazier commended Jennifer Taylor, a case worker for the Department of Social Services, and David Jaeger, a heavy water equipment operator for the Otsego County Highway Department, for their many years of service to the county and its citizens.

As the clock struck 10 a.m., the meeting was officially called to order. Rep. Richard Brockway was absent. Rep. Jill Basile was not present for any votes during the consent agenda portion of the meeting.

Numerous speakers utilized the privilege of the floor to address the board on issues concerning them. Notably, Teresa Winchester, Lynn Ohl, and Gilbertsville Mayor Aidan Woishnis each spoke to their grievances regarding the recent closure of the Gilbertsville Meadowbrook Bridge on County Route 4. Winchester read from a letter describing how the bridge was closed due to it being declared unsafe for use, but said that the county had known of its failing condition for years. She said funding was secured for a bridge replacement in 2023, but that work that was supposed to be done in 2025 never occurred, with a new expected completion date in October of 2027. Being the third bridge closed in Gilbertsville, with a fourth to soon be under construction due to New York State Department of Transportation plans, all three speakers called attention to the damage to local business, school bus routes, and emergency services, and said that the bridge replacement should be given priority.

Following these pass-ionate orations, Edward Dawyot addressed the board, talking about increasing electricity bills and criticizing changes in the management of NYSEG and local companies’ involvement in the power grid. Dawyot called for moving power lines below ground, mirroring practices he witnessed during his time in Las Vegas.

With Dawyot’s remarks closing out the privilege of the floor, the meeting moved to the sole special presentation of the day. Jody Zakrevsky, chief executive officer of the County of Otsego Industrial Development Agency, began by introducing newly appointed Economic Development Director Terrell Marshburn, who said he was looking forward to bringing his ideas to the community.

Zakrevsky then detailed progress on the Richfield Springs Business Park, estimating the project’s budget to be around $2.4 million, with a scheduled completion date in January 2026. Among other contributors, the Economic Development Administration supplied the IDA with a sizable $1.2 million grant. The Otsego Now website elaborates further on the project and says that the property consists of “85,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space to house Andela Products and Ruby Lake Glass.”

Next, Zakrevsky spoke on Sportsfield Specialities’ purchase of 34 acres of land to build a new campus and office space in the Oneonta Business Park. Zakrevsky stated that around $160,000.00 came out of the IDA’s income in processes to hire virtual archeologists and excavation companies to prepare the property for sale. He also shared that the IDA has been working with building inspectors to increase assessments of properties of interest to ensure accurate valuations. Assessments so far have increased the collective expected valuation of properties by more than $25 million. Zakrevsky mentioned how the IDA was concerned with funding earlier in the year, as they were running out due to the Richfield Springs project and lack of support from the Federal Economic Development Administration. In gratitude for the faith that the county had in them in such financially difficult times, the IDA presented the board with a $600,000.00 check to pay back the loan they took from the county, a year and three months before the payment was due.

Upon the conclusion of the presentation, Frazier moved the agenda along to committee addresses. Rep. Keith McCarty spoke for the Public Works Committee and listed a few bids that were approved for roofing repairs and window replacements at county facilities.

He said there is ongoing discussion on how to refurbish the veterans’ monument, in Cooperstown and suggested that a GoFundMe could be created to support the effort. On a more disconcerting note, McCarty then brought up concerns over the ability of the county to plow snow this winter, with five or six vacancies still needing to be filled.

Rep. Margaret Kennedy represented the Administration Committee and talked about a presentation that was given comparing Otsego County municipal spending and revenue trends to those of similar counties.

“With regard to the trends in spending and revenues across municipalities, the trends have been that expenses have been increasing by roughly 7 percent a year on expenditures,” Kennedy recounted. “So then obviously, when we’re trying to stay within a 2 percent cap, that comes to a pinch point after a certain number of years. And, I think as we are well into our budget season now, we know that we’re kind of living in that space.”

Kennedy went on to detail how the Administration Committee was exploring a concept for a program for centralized administrative services, approved a proposed study of revenues, and designated Destination Marketing as Otsego County’s official tourism promotion agency, a designation required for the organization to receive state funding.

Rep. Andrew Marietta shared information from the latest Technology and Strategic Planning Committee meeting and addressed what committee members see as a need to publish Otsego County’s ClearGov page.

“We feel that given the ongoing discussions we’re having around our budget and the…challenges we’re facing, and the impact that those possible cuts will have on services provided by our departments, that our strategic plans and all of the information that’s in our strategic plan—as well as the quarterly updates that many of our departments have entered—really is invaluable information for Otsego County residents as we move into a very difficult decision-making process.”

Marietta further noted that the committee was in support of going on the record saying that they will make the entire page accessible to the public via a resolution later added to the consent agenda.

County Administrator Steve Wilson shared that of Otsego County’s $169 million budget for 2025, the county has spent 63 percent as of the end of September, though he said to keep in mind that many of the expenses incurred by the county actually occur after the end of the calendar year. Wilson mentioned that the county’s contingency fund was $1.6 million this year, with $834,654.00 spent as of resolutions passed at this meeting. He then told the board that Otsego County, who he will represent, was invited for the second time to a national conference on citizen-centric budgeting, which focuses on improved transparency and communication with a county’s citizenry.

Kennedy spoke again before closing committee addresses and mentioned how Frazier brought a resolution to the Administration Committee from the recent New York State Association of Counties conference that was intent on “pass[ing] a resolution urging Governor Hochul to alter state spending and ensure New York’s on a fiscally responsible path.” Kennedy’s takeaway from the NYSAC conference was that county governments would be taking on a lot of economic brunt from federal funding cuts. The resolution addressing these concerns, Resolution 342, was pulled from the consent agenda for individual consideration, and later approved.

Rep. Michelle Catan elaborated on the progress at the last Southern Tier 8 board meeting. She shouted out Tammie Harris for coordinating a medical Innovative Readiness Training program where the military comes into communities to offer medical, dental, and veterinary assistance at no cost. Southern Tier 8 approved Otsego County hosting this program in 2027, with some services tentatively being located at Hartwick College.

As the meeting moved to the consent agenda, Resolution 334 was pulled in favor of further private discussion on the matter in executive session. The rest of the consent agenda was approved unanimously.

Frazier once again emphasized the importance of passing the resolution addressing Governor Hochul in order to combat the 250 percent increase in the expected state budget deficit. He stated that he felt it was unjust to make counties pay for state programs when the state doesn’t properly allocate its budget. The resolution was passed unanimously before entering executive session.

The meeting returned to open session roughly 20 minutes later and the board withdrew Resolution 334 following apparent discussion surrounding it during executive session. Resolution 344 was introduced and passed, overriding the tax levy limit. Marietta introduced Resolution 346 to publicize the information available on Otsego County’s ClearGov page, which was passed. With a final few votes, business was completed for the day and the meeting was adjourned. The full meeting can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz2kp4c5oSs&t=395s.

The next Otsego County Board of Representatives meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 5 at the county offices in Cooperstown.