Oneonta Common Council has contentious vote on housing commission appointment, confirms new fire chief By KEVIN LIMITI • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA — In a two and a half hour meeting, the issue of housing was forefront as the Common Council struggled to come to agree on the choice of an out-of-city resident as part of the housing commission on Tuesday, July 20. This appointment was narrowly approved, 4-3, with Kaytee Lipari Shue, Len Carson and Scott Harrington being the…
Online home of The Freeman's Journal and Hometown Oneonta
Advertisement
Mark Drnek - Page 8
Community Advisory Board document on OPD best practices set to be reviewed By KEVIN LIMITI• Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA — A committee including mayoral candidates Mark Drnek and Len Carson approved final changes to the Community Advisory Board police review document, which will sent back to the original CAB members followed by a public hearing. The process should take about a month to complete, according to city officials. The Community Advisory Board met Tuesday, July 13, at City Hall to…
First in-person common council since COVID celebrates recent achievements By KEVIN LIMITI • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA — The Common Council met in person Tuesday, July 6, with an atmosphere of visible joviality and relief after spending a year meeting via Zoom. “This is something we haven’t done in a long time,” Mayor Gary Herzig said, which elicited some appreciative chuckles. Some of the agenda items passed included motions authorizing the acceptance of a state grant for the development of…
Main Street in Oneonta will be closed for festivities Saturday, July 3 STAFF REPORT • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com Main Street in Oneonta will be closed for the “Meet me on Main” event this weekend, starting at 10 a.m., Saturday, July 3. The event will include music from three different stages as well as artists, vendors, ice cream, barbecue and outdoor dining. There will also be face painting, juggling and a picnic game challenge. Go to 8thwardoneonta.com/meet-me-on-main for more information.…
Campaigns Off To Fast Start In ’21 Revised Calendar Requires 6-Month Campaign Season By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com Election Day is still six months away, but in the past few days it’s been off to the races, the local races. With Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig’s announcing his retirement last week, three candidates immediately emerged to succeed him, a Democrat and two Republicans. Leading up to Tuesday, March 2, the first day nominating petitions can be circulated, a similar…
CLICK FOR OVERVIEW OF NEW EFFORT Town-Gown Task Force Convenes First Meeting After meetings and discussions since last September, the City of Oneonta’s Town-Gown Task Force held its kickoff meeting Thursday over Vimeo. The effort is co-chaired by Common Council member Mark Drnek, who is running for mayor, and Melissa Marietta, SUNY Oneonta adminstrator. Both Mayor Gary Herzig and SUNY Oneonta President Dennis Craig are members.…
Oneonta Republicans Endorse Len Carson Gelbsman Didn’t Concede At Caucus By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – Mayoral candidate Len Carson announced a few minutes ago that he received the city Republican Committee’s endorsement this evening to run for the city’s top office in the Nov. 2 elections. The committee chair is Susan Lettis. Carson said both he and Craig Gelbsman, who has also indicated he is interested in running for mayor, were at the caucus. After receiving…
Councilman Drnek Running For Mayor ONEONTA – With yesterday’s statement by Mayor Gary Herzig that he would not seek another term, Democrat Mark Drnek, 8th Ward councilman, announced he is running to succeed him. Drnek, who describes himself as a longtime community activist and advocate for local business, has been active in the city’s COVID response in his first 14 months in office.…
Students Invited To Decorate Downtown By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – Following the success of the downtown Halloween events, where SUNY and Hartwick students decorated scarecrows and handed out candy to trick-or-treaters, Council Member Mark Drnek, Eighth Ward and chair of the Survive, Then Thrive committee, has invited students to help decorate downtown for Christmas. “If you or your friends are artistically inclined, we would love it if you would help decorate our windows for Christmas,” he…
Drnek: Marketed Right, Oneonta Has Future As A Telecommuting Hub By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – Calling Oneonta a “jewel,” Mayor Gary Herzig said that the city’s Economic Development Task Force is looking to not only support the city’s downtown, but bring people here to settle. “Our goal is to have every single business not only survive the crisis, but thrive afterwards,” he said during tonight’s Common Council meeting. “We’ve always known it was a jewel, but…
