Buttermann Announces His Candidacy for Oneonta Mayor

ONEONTA—On Thursday, February 6, Dan Buttermann announced his campaign to be the next mayor for the City of Oneonta. Buttermann will be pursuing Democratic and Independent lines for the November ballot.

“Oneonta is a special place. I am fortunate to call Oneonta home for my family and me,” Buttermann said in a media release. “I am committed to putting forth my best effort to ensure Oneonta remains a special and attractive community for many more generations.”

Buttermann has served his community as a member of the Oneonta City Schools Board of Education, the Oneonta Town Planning Board, and is currently serving on the Board of Directors of Opportunities for Otsego and the Oneonta Concert Association. Buttermann is also a past president of the Oneonta Rotary Club.

“My record in community action is founded on collaboration. Now is the time for action,” Buttermann said in a statement. “Our city is at a pivotal point and we need leadership that works to shape the best ideas by bringing people together. We have extraordinary opportunities in Oneonta, from our educational institutions heading up West Street to the entrepreneurs on Main Street, and many more. We can successfully capture these opportunities only through the collective action of our community members.”

Buttermann said his immediate focus will be on the budget, resource management, and fiscal stability, so that the vision and long-term goals of growth for the city can be achieved.

“We also need innovative strategies to expand housing options, increase public safety, support existing businesses and attract new investments. Within our capacity to change lies tremendous potential for a new era of prosperity and opportunity for Oneontans today and tomorrow. I am eager to help bring Oneonta into a new chapter mindful of its rich history and how it can inform our future progress,” Buttermann said.

Since 2017, Buttermann has led the team organizing TEDxOneonta, which brings together citizens from diverse backgrounds and experiences to hear inspiring ideas from the TEDx stage and to connect with each other. By taking this initiative, Buttermann has brought big ideas about farming, business development and leadership to his community. To date, more than 30 speakers from around the country and globe have come to share their ideas, and their TED talks online have received more than 600,000 views.

Buttermann graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in clarinet performance, and later from Southern Methodist University with a master of business administration. He was named one of “20 under 40” by “The Freeman’s Journal,” “Hometown Oneonta” and AllOtsego.com in 2015 and received the Leadership Otsego Distinguished Alumnus award from the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce in 2023.

Buttermann lives downtown in the City of Oneonta with his wife, Ana Laura, and their three daughters, Malena, Layla, and Nadia.