TO FIGHT CORONAVIRUS:

County Appoints

Advisory Boards,

On Health, Jobs

Bassett’s Parker, DMOC’s Harrington

Convening Groups Before 4/1 Meeting

By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

COOPERSTOWN – The county’s Emergency Task Force has formed two subsidiary task forces – one focused on health, the other on economy – to advise the Otsego County government how it can help efforts to combat the coronarivus and its fallout, Task Force chairman Allen Ruffles, the county treasurer, said a few minutes ago.

The COVID-19 Health Impact Task Force/Otsego County, which meets Monday, is being organized by Diane Parker, Bassett Hospital’s director of education.  The Economic Development Task Force, which met Wednesday, is being organized by Cassandra Harrington, executive director, Destination Marketing of Otsego County.

“The two groups need to come together and share their ideas,” said Ruffles. “We’re keeping health in the forefront, but we’re also considering the economic fallout of all this.”

Their recommendations will help guide the Emergency Task Force, which has been overseeing emergency measures, and will also advise the full county Board of Representatives on policy and action steps.

Both boards will have had initial meetings by the next county board meeting next Wednesday, April 1. For health reasons, the meeting will be closed to the public, but will be broadcast, gavel to gavel, on Facebook Live.

In addition to Parker, individuals aside to serve on the health task force include three county county department heads: Heidi Bond, Public Health; Sue Matt, Community Services (including mental health and addiction), and Tamie Reid, Office for the Aging

Also, SSPCA Executive Director Stacie Haynes, Pathfinder Village’s Director of Compliance Caprice Eckert, SUNY Oneonta’s Melissa Fallon, Counseling Center director; Heidi Tanner, Hartwick College director of wellness; Centers at Cooperstown’s Sarah Mattice, Opportunities for Otsego’s Dan Maskin, and representatives from Fox Hospital and Springbrook.

In addition to Harrington, the economic task force includes Otsego Now CEO Jody Zakrevsky, Otesaga General Manager John Shideler, Baseball Hall of Fame Vice President/Development Ken Meifert, Otsego Chamber President Barbara Ann Heegan, Cooperstown Chamber Executive Director Tara Burke, Destination Oneonta Director Katrina Van Zandt, Otsego 2000’s Ellen Pope, and Sweet Home Productions proprietor Mark Drnek, the new Common Council member, Ward One.