Advertisement. Advertise with us

MUCH-ANTICIPATED ANNOUNCEMENT

KENNEDY UNVEILS

ENERGY TASK FORCE

AT CHAMBER SUMMIT

Entity Will Develop County Policy On

Economic Development, Environment

At this morning’s Energy Summit, County Rep. Meg Kennedy, right, and Keith Schue, Cherry Valley, a member of the new county Energy Task Force, listen while gas-opponent Tony Ingraffea, the Cornell professor, describes how he’s living off the grid  The summit will continue all day. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)

By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

Kennedy announces the make-up of the county’s new Energy Task Force, tasked with developing a county approach to economic development and the environment.

COOPERSTOWN – In an announcement awaited with anticipation, county Rep. Meg Kennedy this morning revealed the 21 people who will comprise the Otsego County Energy Task Force.

Charged by the county board, the task force will determine county government’s approach to the sometimes conflicting goals of economic development and environmental projection.

Kennedy, who is leading a five-person Leadership Team in this matter, announced the list before 155 people at an appropriate forum:  the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce “Energy Summit,” underway through late afternoon in The Otesaga’s ballroom.

“It’s going to be a project,” said Kennedy of the task force’s mission.  “But I think we are all dedicated to a better future for county.”

The task force is made up of four “workgroups,” as follows:

  • BUILDING & EFFICIENCY: Ashley Wisse, New Ecology; Bennett Sandler, Heat Smart Otsego; Joe Yelich, Oneonta school superintendent; Jonathan Flyte, Bassett Hospital; Patrick Ryan, SUNY Oneonta; Steve Yerly, City of Oneonta
  • ENERGY SUPPLY & DISTRIBUTION: Amy Wyant, NYSERDA’S Mohawk Valley Economic Development District; Karen Sullivan, county planning director; Keith Schue, engineer; Lou Allstadt, retired executive VP, Mobil Oil; Russ Southard, Oneonta Common Council and Mirabito Energy Products.
  • ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Barbara Ann Heegan, Otego County chamber; Jody Zakrevsky, Otsego Now CEO; Casey Maestro, New York Power Authority; Dan Sullivan, NYSERDA’s Mohawk Valley Economic Development District; Jaquelyn Courter, Southern Tier 8 Regional Planning Commission.
  • ENVIRONMENT: Danny Lapin, OCCA; Dave Rowley, retired Edmeston school superintendent; Gina Keaf, SUNY Oneonta; Mark Davies, City of Oneonta and Hartwick College; Trish Riddell Kent, Oneonta town board.

Also announced were 14 TECHNICAL ADVISERS: Doug Zamelis, Irene Weiser, Ley Backus, Tim Johnson, Josh Edmonds, Carol Kelly, Carolyn Lewis, Karl Seeley, Amy Wyant, Lachlan Square, Jim Barber, Pat Szarpa, Wayne Mellor, Tony Gentile.

In addition to Kennedy, C-Mount Vision, and county Rep. Michele Farwell, D-Morris, the Leadership Committee includes Oneonta City Engineer Greg Mattice, OCCA’s Leslie Orzetti and Oneonta Town Supervisor Bob Wood.

The summit this morning ranged from Schue addressing what he called “DENIALISM” to Leatherstocking Gas CEO Mike German underscoring the link between gas and jobs, to retired Mobile VP Lou Allstadt demonstrating how the cost of fossil fuels will continue to go up while the cost of renewables go down.

Posted

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Related Articles

SCOLINOS: It’s All We Need To Know: Home Plate 17 Inches Wide

COLUMN VIEW FROM THE GAME It’s All We Need To Know: Home Plate 17 Inches Wide Editor’s Note:  Tim Mead, incoming Baseball Hall of Fame president, cited John Scolinos, baseball coach at his alma mater, Cal Poly Pomona, as a lifelong inspiration, particularly Scolinos’ famous speech “17 Inches.” Chris Sperry, who published sperrybaseballlife.com, heard Scolinos deliver a version in 1996 at the American Baseball Coaches Association in Nashville, and wrote this reminiscence in 1916 in his “Baseball Thoughts” column. By CHRIS SPERRY • from www.sperrybaseballlife.com In 1996, Coach Scolinos was 78 years old and five years retired from a college coaching…

Piper Seamon Scores 1,000th point

1,000 THANKS! Piper Seamon 5th CCS Girl To Hit High Mark The Cooperstown Central student section erupts as Piper Seamon scores her 1,000th career point in the Hawkeyes’ 57-39 win over Waterville at home last evening. Seamon becomes the fifth girl and only the 14th player in school history overall to score 1,000 points.  Inset at right, Pipershares a hug with teammate Meagan Schuermann after the game was stopped to acknowledge her achievement. Seamon will play basketball next year at Hamilton College. (Cheryl Clough/AllOTSEGO.com)  …

Sports Can Resume, Superintendents Told

CLICK HERE FOR MEMO TO SCHOOLS Sports Can Resume, Superintendents Told COOPERSTOWN – In a memo released Friday evening, county Public Health Director Heidi Bond advised local school superintendents that sports can resume as early as Monday. “Effective Feb. 1, participants in higher-risk sports may participate in individual or distanced group training and organized no/low-contact group training,” Bond wrote, “…including competitions and tournaments, if permitted by local health authorities.”…