SUNY Vice President Hosts Meeting

On Improving City’s Quality Of Life

ONEONTA – Steve Perry, SUNY Oneonta vice president/student development, last evening convened a meeting of landlords, law enforcement agencies, his Hartwick College counterpart Meg Nowak, and Mayor Dick Miller to begin discussing additional ways to tackle student rowdiness in the City Center.

The ad hoc group picks up on a committee formed by Mayor Dick Miller in 2012 after the closing of three bars downtown for serving underage patrons, a move that pushed partying in residential neighborhoods.

In an interview a few minutes ago, Perry said there is no expectation that a single master stroke will eliminate the challenge, but he hopes for “two or three” additional steps that can continue applying pressure.

He said he has two motivations. One, city residents deserve a good “quality of life.” And, second, he is concerned about hazards created for students by excessive drinking.

Mayor Miller said he is “delighted that SUNY Oneonta is taking the lead and that Hartwick is participating. The issue has its roots in student behavior. And the two academic institutions have the professional staffa and expertise to deal with the public impact” of student behaviors.

“I’ve said from the beginning that City Hall’s principal role is enforcing the law,” he said, and he intends to see that happen.