Common Council OKs Extension Of Fire Pact Until Valentine’s Day By LIBBY CUDMORE • for www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – With less than 72 hours before the expiration of its fire contract Town of Oneonta Fire District #1, Common Council this afternoon voted to extend the contract 45 days, as recommended by state Supreme Court Judge Michael V. Coccoma at last Thursday’s hearing. “It’s unfortunate that this is how we have to do business,” said Mayor Gary Herzig during the special meeting. “But I’m confident that…
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Oneonta Common Council - Page 11
City Council May Vote On Fire Pact Tonight ONEONTA – Common Council members tonight will be asked to vote on the Town of Oneonta Fire District #1’s offer of a “mid-to high $800,000” contract for fire protection to cover the East End, Southside and West End sections of the town. “That’s a number below this year’s contract of $946,000,” said Mayor Gary Herzig. “They’re basing it on the historical formula, but without including ambulance billing and administrative costs.” Council members…
BULLETIN Van der Sommen Over Hennessy, But Tight Races In 4th, 5th Wards ONEONTA – Independent Paul Van der Sommen, proprietor of the Oneonta Tennis Club, appears to have defeated veteran Common Council member Maureen Hennessy, a Democrat, in the city’s First Ward. However, Republican Council member Madolyn Palmer in Ward 5 and her challenger, Democrat Dana Marie Levinson, were within a couple of votes of each other. In the three-way race in Ward 4, the Democrat, Michelle Osterhoudt, and independent…
Rose Avenue Residents Ask Council For Reduced Speed, Cleaner Streets By LIBBY CUDMORE • for AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – Armed with a petition bearing 169 signatures, including from several health officials, John Woessner, 29 Rose Ave., asked Common Council this evening to limit speeds on his street to 15 mph and to clean the streets, which are often dusty from traffic from the commercial zone where Otsego Ready Mix, Eastman Associates and Northern Eagle Beverages are located. “This is a health issue,”…
Russ Southard Will Fill In When Mayor Is Out Of City…
Oneonta’s Paul Van Der Sommen Files As Independent Candidate In Ward 1 Paul van der Sommen, Oneonta Tennis Club owner, has filed a petition with the county Board of Elections to run for Common Council in Ward 1. He will be facing Maureen Hennessy, the Ward 1 incumbent. In Oneonta races, mayoral candidate Gary Herzig, a Democrat, has also filed to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot as an independent. In the Ward 4 race, both Jeff Back and Republican…
Council Fails To Gain Majority To Approve Hungerford Stipend ONEONTA – With her allies – Council members Mike Lynch and Larry Malone – absent from this evening’s Common Council meeting, a motion to give Acting City Manager Meg Hungerford a $31,771 stipend failed for lack of a majority. The vote in favor of the stipend was 4-2, with Dave Rissberger and Bob Brzozowski voting no. Rissberger specifically cited budget concerns. “This isn’t a reflection on the job Meg is doing,”…
City Manager Gets $60,000, Doubling His Severance, Plus In Exchange, Martin Murphy Agrees Not To Sue City Hall By LIBBY CUDMORE • for allotsego.com ONEONTA – In a special meeting at 9 a.m. today, City Manager Martin Murphy and the Common Council reached a settlement agreement, allowing Murphy to voluntarily resign with six months severance pay. Murphy, who had served as city manager for 10 months following the departure of former city manager Mike Long, was suspended by a vote of 5-2,…
City Council May Consider Murphy Severance Saturday ONEONTA – Acting Mayor Maureen Hennessy has called for a special meeting of Common Council for 9 a.m. Saturday in City Hall; the public is welcome to attend. No agenda was released, but the meeting could be to act on a severance counter-offer from suspended City Manager Martin Murphy. A return call from Hennessy for particulars was being awaited at this hour. Murphy was suspended by a 5-2 vote, with one abstention, at a…
Acting On Study, Common Council Votes To Buy $1.1 Million Fire Truck ONEONTA – On the recommendations of the Center for Public Safety’s 2014 study, Common Council Tuesday evening unanimously agreed to authorize the purchase of a brand new 100 Mid Mount Platform Fire Truck from Ferrara Fire Apparatus Inc in Louisiana to replace the failing 1987 ladder truck. “This has been in the works for a long time,” said Council Member Larry Malone. “We’ve managed to squirrel away $400,000, so we…