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Volume 9, No. 14
City of The Hills
& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch Complimentary
Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, January 13, 2017
Airbnb To Collect Bed Tax Under Deal With Treasurer COOPERSTOWN
A
irbnb patrons will now have to pay a 4 percent occupancy tax just like any other tourist
spending a night in Otsego County. County Treasurer Dan Crowell announced Tuesday, Jan. 10, he has signed Please See TAX, A2
SERVICE BEGINS IN NEXT FEW DAYS
Oneonta Taxi Company Ahead Of Uber By JIM KEVLIN & EMILY MURPHY
W
hile the state Legislature struggles with what to do about Uber, entrepreneur Al Rubin, A&D
Transportation Co. president, has acted. By the time you read this, Rubin’s Oneonta taxicab company will be offering an Uber-like service through Red Route, an app developed by three college pals, two Please See RUBIN, A2
CLARK HANGS ONTO HELM
County Board Revolt Is Quelled – For Now
Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
Joshua Underwood, 25, will be arraigned in City Court on Jan. 18, where he is expected to be sent on to County Court to face murder charges in the New Year’s Day death of Mark Morrison, 52.
Springbrook Offers Even Higher Wage
T
o attract and retain DSPs – direct support professionals – Springbrook hiked wages to Governor Cuomo’s 2019 level as of New Year’s Day. “We refuse to wait for New York State to fix this problem for us,” said Patricia Kennedy, CEO of the community for disabled youngsters and adults in Milford, announced the decision Friday, Jan. 1. The decision will cost $1.2 million, she said. More details at
AllOTSEGO.com
www.
‘BYE TO HOLIDAY: City crews will be picking up Christmas trees curbside (not in the road) until Monday, Jan. 23. Or you can take your tree to Silas Lane. HISTORY ANGLE: What role historic preservation might play in the Downtown Revitalization Initiative will be discussed at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan 22, at the Greater Oneonta Historical Society center. Public welcome. BOUND FOR HALL? Jeff
Bagwell, Tim Raines, and Trevor Hoffman are considered top contenders for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame this year/SEE B8
BINGO!
After Tense Reorganization, Reps Emerge Focusing On Strategic Plan, Action Steps Even exploring the posBy JIM KEVLIN sibility of a county manager. Those are some of the COOPERSTOWN plans and ideas for 2017 that surfaced during convermplementing the stratesations with a cross-section gic plan. of the 14-member county Completing a compet- Board of Representatives itive salary schedule for de- in the days following the partment contested heads and reelection managers. WednesApday, Jan. pointing 4, of Otsego Kathy Now Clark, board R-Otego, members as board supportive chair. Clark Vs. Carson of CEO Clark Sandy won Mathes’ countywide stratreelection through weighted egy: the food hub, D&H voting, but failed to gain yard redevelopment, and support of half the board: revitalization of Oneonta, Four Democrats and a ReCooperstown and Richfield publican voted “nay,” Springs. Please See COUNTY, A7
Fading In Oneonta
I
New Revelations Listed On ‘Focus Facility List’ Hair Pulled, Arm Twisted, U.S. Report Says By LIBBY CUDMORE INDEX
FOR FINDINGS detailed in federal report, type “focus” in search line at
WWW.ALLOTSEGO.COM
F
ollowing four arrests for neglect, a scathing review from Medicare. gov and an $18,000 fine by the state Department of
Health, Focus Otsego has been scrambling to improve their staffing and care levels to get off the federal Special Please See FOCUS, A7
Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
Hampshire House resident John Powers, 97, a 60-year Bingo player, is at the Elks every Monday with nephew-in-law, Jim Weibel.
By LIBBY CUDMORE
O
n Monday night, Bingo at the Elks Club is the only game in town – literally. “I used to play every night,” said Ana Vendemmia. “The Moose Lodge, St. Mary’s Church, even out in Sidney and Laurens. This is the last one.” Every Monday night, as many as 80 players gather in the Elks Hall to try and
The city’s new bingo inspector, Judy Sweet, has just one game left to inspect.
win prizes, big and small. “It’s our Boys Night Out,”
said Jim Weibel, who was playing with his unclein-law, John Powers, 97. “I pick him up from the Hampshire House and we come play bingo every week.” And even with a moderate, $3 admission, the jackpot can get pretty hefty. “Last week, someone won $2,000 in the progressive bingo game,” said Judith Sweet, who was appointed bingo inspector by ComPlease See BINGO, A2
HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD
January Clearance Event
Don’t miss out on HUGE savings during our Month of Clearance UP TO 75% OFF SELECT SEASONAL MERCHANDISE THROUGHOUT THE MALL!