After 3 Years, It’s Time To
Properly Implement City Charter
Read the city charter: Meg Hungerford does not have the qualifications to be Oneonta city manager.
Efforts to put her in that position regardless damaged the last year of the Miller Administration, and continuing efforts to do so are preventing the implementation of a sensible city charter approved by 75 percent of the voters.
It’s past time for Mayor Gary Herzig to close the door on the Hungerford option and move on.
Instead, by forming an ad hoc committee to review the charter, and asking that the review be done before the end of the year so the current Common Council can fast-track any changes, the new
mayor risks poisoning his administration with many city voters before it’s even begun.
By all accounts, Hungerford is an excellent financial officer. But she lacks the training, experience and qualifications specified in the charter for the $120,000 position: • One, she lives in East Meredith, 10 miles from Oneonta (and in another county, Delaware, not Otsego.) • Two, she lacks the master’s degree in public administration or a related field. (Does the home to Hartwick and SUNY Oneonta really believe that doesn’t matter?) • Three, she lacks the relevant professional experience.
There’s nothing the matter with not meeting the qualifications for Oneonta city manager. Many people don’t. Many brainy, happy and successful people don’t meet the qualifications for brain surgeon, or construction engineer, or ship captain; but they don’t seek do brain surgery, build skyscrapers or pilot a Viking cruise ship.
