Editorial of 09/10/2026

And the Award for Local Government Transparency Goes to…

The citizens of Otsego County have a right to know what their local governments are doing and how decisions are being made. But the public’s access to information can vary, especially when the towns are small, with tiny staffs, and the issues are complex.

To be well informed, a resident would need to attend every town council and advisory board meeting or trust that local journalists will go to all meetings and report on important developments. (As you probably know, we don’t have enough staff to cover them all.)

And even if local news reporters attended every public meeting, some conversations among officials inevitably would occur privately in “executive session,” limiting the full view. Elected and appointed officials who run towns and villages are on their honor to use executive session only for certain prescribed reasons, and to keep the rest of their discussions in the light of day. That’s why open meetings laws are called “sunshine laws.”

Likewise with public records, New York State’s Freedom of Information Law applies equally to “all units of state and local government in New York State,” according to the Committee on Open Government’s pamphlet called “Your Right to Know.” By law, citizens should be able to see a boatload of local government documents, with some exceptions.

But local towns and villages are run by individuals who get first crack at interpreting public records law. They may lean toward openness or choose to withhold. If the answer is no, you can appeal, but few will have the time and energy to go on a public records odyssey. (We need look no further than Hartwick to see a serious breakdown over access to town records, even among the town officials themselves.)

That’s why we were so pleasantly surprised to see how the Town of Springfield has handled public documents concerning the controversial Manocherian housing development—and why we’re giving the town props for transparency.

Go to https://www.springfieldny.org/ to see what we’re talking about. A note at the bottom of the website’s front page points visitors to where they can find documents about the Manhattan developer’s proposal to build 126 homes on 1,525-acres spanning the Towns of Springfield and Otsego.

On the Planning Board page, you’ll find links to view the Manocherian sketch plans; its Full Environmental Assessment Form; a report from an independent engineer the town hired; and the town’s 300+ page justification, recently sent to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, about why Springfield should be the lead agency in deciding environmental questions regarding the large residential development.

There’s nothing simple about the Manocherian proposal, but Springfield has made it simple to access public documents that will color and shape what happens next.

Since the summer of 2025, many area residents have turned out at public meetings trying to understand the impact this development could have on local roads, the region’s unspoiled character, future tax bills, the health of Otsego Lake and the aquifer that supplies well water to existing residents. The Town of Springfield and the Town of Otsego are currently disputing “lead agency” designation for the Manocherian project. We are not weighing in on either side—that is for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to iron out. We are simply giving credit where credit is due for easily-accessible public documents.

In the spirit of full transparency, we note one public meeting misstep on Springfield’s part. At a June 2026 Planning Board meeting, Chairman Henry Moore tried to shoo away a few latecomers, saying the room was too full and he was concerned about the fire code. Thankfully, Springfield’s planning board’s attorney quickly intervened. The citizens found empty seats and the meeting continued for all in the full sunshine.