Zach Staff, regional aviation planning manager for the McFarland-Johnson consulting firm, Binghamton, presents recommendations for airport upgrades to Oneonta’s Albert S. Nader Regional Airport during a presentation to Common Council this evening. With him, seated, is Turner Bradford, senior engineer for the firm. (Jennifer Hill/AllOTSEGO.com)
By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
ONEONTA – For years, it was believed that as many as 23,000 takeoffs and landings happened annually at the Albert S. Nader Regional Airport since the 1980s.
In reality, said Zach Staff, McFarland-Johnson Consulting’s regional aviation planning manager, research for an updated airport master plan found annual takeoffs and landings over the last 30 years really averaged about 4,600.
“People would go with the old number and it was just gathered by word of mouth,” said Staff.
Staff and Turner Bradford, senior engineer for the Binghamton-based firm, presented the updated data to Common Council this evening.
Colleen Blacklock urged Common Council to consider including renewable energy sources in any business development plans in D&H yard during public comment at tonight’s meeting. (Jennifer Hill/AllOTSEGO.com)
By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
ONEONTA – Though the formal public hearing on the Railyards Generic Environmental Statement isn’t until Tuesday, March 5, citizens told Common Council tonight that it doesn’t focus enough on used of renewables.
“I would like to see us explore this idea of an ‘eco park,’ a net-zero eco park with wind and solar and geothermal energies,” said Colleen Blacklock, who is associated with the Concerned Citizens of Oneonta.
Mayor Gary Herzig stands with Police Sgt. Eric Berger, left, and Police Detective Joseph Tiemann, right, who were awarded the City’s Employees of the Quarter award this evening at Common Council. The pair were recognized thanks to a letter from Dan Maskin, CEO of Opportunities for Otsego, who commended them on their work with his staff during a recent active shooter drill at their facility. “They did an outstanding job working with and training my staff for the unimaginable,” said Maskin. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Mayor Gary Herzig and City Manager George Korthauer believe that Oneonta would be a good site for a boutique hotel. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO,com)
By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
ONEONTA – Downtown Oneonta could soon be the site of a new boutique hotel.
Oneonta’s Common Council authorized the Mayor to contract with the consulting firm, REVPAR International, Inc., Alexandria, Virginia to do a marketing feasibility study for developing a downtown-area boutique hotel during their meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 20.
Funded by a state grant of $19,000, the feasibility study will determine if a boutique hotel would be a good addition to Oneonta.
This is an Ideal Shield electric-car charger, similar to one ordered for the Dietz Street lot.
ONEONTA – Looking for a “Clean Energy Communities” designation, a ChargePoint Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) charging station has been added to the Dietz Street parking lot.
“Over the last two years, there was a joint effort among City departments and the Council to takes steps to earn the Clean Energy Communities designation,” said Council member Melissa Nicosia, Second Ward. “I am proud to have been a part of being able to complete this initiative. Clean Energy can only benefit our community in the future.”
The EV charging station is a pier-mounted console which will allow EV drivers to recharge their batteries over time.
One REVPAR project, the Betsy Hotel on Miami’s South Beach, won a World Boutique Hotel Award in 2012.
ONEONTA – Common Council Tuesday will be asked to approve a contract with REVPAR International Inc., Alexandria, Va., to do a feasibility study on whether a boutique hotel would be successful in downtown Oneonta.
During Mayor Dick Miller’s administration, such a plan was discussed for the lot between Ristorante Stella Luna and Foothills, but the concept did not move forward at that time. The land was owned by the late Gene Bettiol.
Bernie Zeh tells Common Council a new fire-safety regulation has damaged his business by excluding all but one local company. Liz Rose of Peter Clark Rentals, left, seconded Zeh’s concerns. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
ONEONTA – During last evening’s Common Council, Bernie Zeh Jr. petitioned Council to hear his grievance.
Zeh said his business, ABM Fire Equipment, Hartwick Seminary, is suffering unfairly due to a recent regulation that requires fire-sprinkler inspectors to obtain a Level II inspectors certificate from the National Institute for Certification in Engineering and Technologies (NICET).
“We were not notified of this change,” Zeh said.
Common Council passed the new code at a January 2016 meeting.
“It wasn’t until August 2017, when a customer called us to say the city would not accept our report that we were even made aware that there had been a change,” said Zeh.
Council member Michelle Fraizer, First Ward, explains the benefits of enticing remote-access workers to the city with City Manager George Korthauer. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
By CATHY NARDI • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
ONEONTA – Connectivity is a future focus of economic development and Oneonta Council member Michele Frazier, First Ward, wants the Hill City to be a competitive presence.
“People are able to work remotely,” Frazier said. “They look for an ideal place to live, and we have a wonderful community, we are a perfect place for workers who want to live in a place like this and work remotely.”
Frazier asked that the board consider municipal Internet to be a possible infrastructure provided by the city. This coupled with a push to market the city to remote workers could be a new focus that has the potential to bring young adults to the area, Frazier said.
ONEONTA – Bank of Cooperstown Vice President Rachel Lutz Jessup, who is treasurer of Destination Oneonta, will brief Common Council on DO’s recent activities when it meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers.
Common Council also plans to update the city’s harassment policy to comply with recent guidelines established by the State Division of Human Rights.
Al Rubin, commissioner for the Town of Oneonta Fire Commission, stands and addresses Common Council this evening, encouraging the City to talk with him to negotiate a formula for long-term fire coverage. Despite being elected to the position, talks between the two have been stalled, due to the chair of the fire commission not supplying the paperwork authorizing Rubin’s position to negotiate. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
By CATHY KOPLEN NARDI • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
ONEONTA – Following two years of stalemate, the Town of Oneonta Fire Commission reached out to the City of Oneonta to re-open talks about the contract with the town Fire District.
“We feel the contract is very important,” said Town Supervisor Bob Wood said. “We would like to encourage you to talk, especially with Commissioner (Al) Rubin. He has expressed a strong intention in finding a formula that is fair, one we can go forward with.”
Oak Street resident Penny Cypress shows Council members Michele Frazier, First Ward, and Melissa Nicosia, Second Ward, photos of parking problems along Oak Street. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
By CATHY NARDI • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
ONEONTA – With citizens voicing concerns that narrow streets lined with cars are limiting access for emergency vehicles, Common Council voted to restrict parking to one side of Oak Street, a short street between Dietz Street and Ford Avenue.
“That fire on Ford Avenue really sunk into me as to how difficult it would be if we had a fire,” said Oak Street resident Kristen Sloth told council at its Tuesday meeting. “The fire trucks and rescue vehicles were all parked along one side of the street on Ford. If we had a fire, they would have a hard time getting down our street.”
Oneonta Common Council has scheduled a special meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15, to consider a grant application to the state Department of Transportation for pedestrian and bicycle improvements along state Routes 23 and 28 and the James F. Lettis Highway. The public is invited to attend. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Reading from a prepared statement, 3rd Ward Council member David Rissberger apologized for his outburst at the previous Common Council meeting. (Parker fish/AllOTSEGO.com)
By PARKER FISH • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
ONEONTA – The topic of OH Fest – SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College’s collaborative spring event – led to a heated exchange between 3rd Ward Council member David Rissberger and 5th Ward Council member Dana Marie Levinson two weeks ago at a Common Council meeting.
Talking led to shouting between the two until Mayor Gary Herzig stepped in to bring order to the discussion. Two weeks later, Rissberger apologized at last night’s Council meeting for his conduct, yet reaffirmed his belief that OH-Fest should be held off city property. It is currently held in Neahwa Park.
James Kavanaugh, SUNY senior and president of the Inter-Fraternity Council at SUNY Oneonta, says that if Common Council fines people for providing alcohol to minors, there will be “unintended consequences,” including drinking in public spaces. (Parker Fish/AllOTSEGO.com)
By PARKER FISH • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
ONEONTA – Despite Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta students protesting that the “Social Hosting” law could have “unintended consequences,” Common Council voted unanimously to pass a law which would create a fine of up to $1000 for any person holding a party or social gathering where minors were found to be consuming alcohol or using other illicit drugs.
“I’m concerned that many students at both Oneonta and Hartwick will start drinking in other places,” said James Kavanaugh, a SUNY senior and president of the Inter-fraternity Council at SUNY Oneonta. “God forbid someone were to fall off Table Rock after drinking a little bit. I believe that there could be unintended consequences if [the council] were to vote yes on this resolution.”
ONEONTA – Common Council is set to vote Tuesday on naming Michele Frazier to the First Ward council seat vacated by Paul van der Sommen’s resignation. Van der Sommen moved to Florida.
Frazier, a realtor with the Benson Agency, sits on the Oneonta World of Learning board and teaches in the SUNY Delhi Liberal Arts Department. If appointed, she will serve a term through Dec. 31.
