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TTENTION,
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RIDES!
TO PREPARE FOR WEDDING EXPO 2014 AT FOOTHILLS, SEE B2-3
HOMETOWN ONEONTA !
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F Volume 6, No. 16
& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch Complimentary
Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, January 10, 2014
Efficiency Embraced By County
City of The Hills
Consultant To Apply Lessons Of Business To Local Government Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
Native Oneontan Norma Anderson, home for the holidays, watches daughter Linneah sled behind OHS after a recent snow. After below zero temperatures in recent days, a high of 45 was predicted this weekend.
Republican, Democrat Fill Town Posts WEST ONEONTA
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he Democrats took control of the Oneonta Town Board in the Nov. 5, elections, but the impacts are mixed so far. Monday, Jan. 6, Democrat Joe Camarata took over the chairmanship of the Planning Board, Trish Kent replacing long-time Republican chair Kellie Place, according to Town Supervisor Bob Wood. But when the Town Board met Wednesday, Jan. 8, it planned to name a Republican, Trish Riddell Kent, to the vacancy created when Republican Janet Hurley Quackenbush was elected to the county board. ESSAY CONTEST: The
OCCA is sponsoring an essay contest for middleschoolers on the question, “What does ‘think global, act local’ mean to you?” Nine winners go to DEC’s weeklong Environmental Education Camp next summer. For details, e-mail admin@occainfo.org or call 547-4488.
Cooperstown Mayor Jeff Katz joined Oneonta Mayor Dick Miller on dais.
Joe Sutaris, senior vice president for Community Bank, which sponsored the State of the State breakfast, welcomes 120 attendees.
Bob Hanft, a member of the county IDA board, questions the delegation about municipal consolidations.
State Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, addresses 120 businesspeople gathered at the Otsego County Chamber’s State of the State breakfast Tuesday, Jan. 7, at Foothills. Others are, from left, Mayors Dick Miller, Oneonta, and Jeff Katz, Cooperstown; Assemblymen Pete Lopez and Bill Magee, and Congressman Chris Gibson. Jim Kevlin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
PROSPERITY, HERE WE COME Good Things Await In 2014, County’s Politicians Tell State Of State Breakfast
men Bill Magee, D-Nelson, and Peter Lopez, R-Schoharie, and Mayors Dick Miller his year will be a big one of Oneonta and Jeff Katz of for economic developCooperstown. Each made ment, Otsego County’s opening remarks before sitting state delegation and U.S. Rep. as a panel to answer questions Chris Gibson, R-19th, told 120 from the audience. business and community leaders To begin, Chamber PresiTuesday, Jan. 7, at the Otsego dent/CEO Barbara Ann Heegan County Chamber’s annual State detailed the organization’s of the State Breakfast at Foothills “public policy agenda” for the Scott Davis, partner in Country year, which contained four Performing Arts Center. Club Automotive, is recognized “core initiatives”: improving Congressman Gibson was as the new chair of the Otsego joined by state Sen. James the regulatory environment and County Chamber board. With Seward, R-Milford, AssemblyPlease See BREAKFAST, A7 him is wife Kathy. By RICHARD WHITBY
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By JIM KEVLIN COOPERSTOWN
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ick Hulse Jr., R-Fly Creek, a business consultant turned Otsego County representative, uses terms like “functional process map” and “continuous improvement.” That may sound disRick Hulse sonant to the untutored, but it’s music to the ears of Kathy Clark, R-Otego, who was unanimously reelected county board chair at the reorganization meeting Tuesday, Jan. 2. So harmonious with her larger goals, in fact, that Clark has created a Government Efficiency Committee and named the freshman Hulse, who in his private life is managing director of Xonitek Consulting Group, to chair it. “You’ve got this talent NOW. You’ve got Please See HULSE, A6
FRACKING FOES FINDINGS STIR ACTIVISTS’ ANTIPATHY
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wo leading anti-fracking activists, retired Mobil executive vice president Lou Allstadt and Dallas oilman Chip Northrup, have concluded there is too little natural gas beneath Otsego County to make the controversial gas-extraction method viable. The two will outline their findings, which are controversial among fracking opponents, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, at Foothills. Public welcome. For a report after the presentation, visit
WWW.ALLOTSEGO.COM
Youngsters Due In Palace Cigar – But It’s Not What You Think
OWL President Aaron Sorensen paints the walls of the former Palace Cigar with the color Free, donated by Sherwin Williams, preparing a “play space” to open Saturday, Jan. 19.
‘Owl’s Nest’ Aims To Challenge Youngsters To Learn, Grow By LIBBY CUDMORE
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eek inside the big front windows of former Palace Cigar Store at 277 Main St., and you won’t see wire racks of magazines or rows of cigar boxes. Instead, the walls are bright pink,
with green carpeting laid down and children cutting old “Shazam” and “Misty” comics into collages and artwork. You might even see a few kids curled up right there in the window, reading quietly among books and pillows. Opening Saturday, Jan. 18, the Please See OWL, A6
Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD
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