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Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, January 30, 2014
Volume 206, No. 5
COOPERSTOWN AND AROUND
MAYOR’S REELECTION SEEMS ASSURED
SO FAR, KATZ UNOPPOSED Cooperstown’s Dana Leonard, with boyfriend Sandy, are seen on the beach at St. Augustine, Fla., Monday, Jan. 27, after completing her 86-day, 4,000-mile, anti-fracking “Save the Ales” bike ride from San Francisco. The idea was to dramatize Ommegang and other breweries’ need for clean water.
Sidewalk Cafes OK’d Downtown
Cooperstown’s first couple, Mayor Jeff Katz and wife Karen, were all smiles as he was nominated for a second term Tuesday evening, Jan. 28, in the Democratic caucus at the firehouse.
Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal
County Rep. Don Lindberg, RWorcester, left, voted “aye.” Bill Dornburgh, center and Dr. Don Pollock voted “nay.”
Otsego Manor Sale Is Likely By Year’s End County Picks Highest Bidder By RICHARD WHITBY INDEX
COOPERSTOWN
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la gay Paree, sipping absinthe in sidewalk cafes along Cooperstown’s Main Street may soon be part of the picture. The Village Board Monday, Jan. 27, approved an ordinance to allow open-air dining downtown. During a public hearing, resident Tier French cautioned that the cafes may block traversing of the sidewalks by the handicapped. Another resident, Susan Bruce, called it “a fabulous proposal for the town.” See text of new law at WWW.ALLOTSEGO.COM
APRE MOSA? Karen Sullivan, Otsego County planning director, will address the topic, “Life After MOSA,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, at the First Presbyterian Church chapel, 25 Church St., sposored by the OCCA and League of Women Voters.
Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal
Promised Republican Fails To Surface By JIM KEVLIN COOPERSTOWN
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espite Republican predictions that they would field a candidate against Mayor Jeff Katz, none had sur-
faced as the Democratic incumbent was nominated for a second term Tuesday, Jan. 28, in an upbeat caucus at the firehouse. Even the standard-bearer was mystified. “All I’ve heard is rumors,” said Katz. “I’m certainly not on the inside there.” At the GOP caucus in Vil-
lage Hall the Thursday before, Republican county Chair Vince Casale had been selected as a “placeholder” in the mayoral slot. He said he had one or two possible mayoral candidates, but they were out of town. By the deadline for this ediPlease See CAUCUS, A7
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he sale of Otsego Manor to a private buyer is being predicted by year’s end after a county committee appointed to privatize the nursing home voted 4-3 Monday, Jan. 27, to begin Stuligross contract negotiations with Focus Ventures L.L.C. of Rockland County. “We voted to sell to Focus Ventures because we had determined they would continue the high quality of care expected,” county Rep. Kay Stuligross, D-Oneonta, who chaired the effort, said in a press release distributed after the vote in the Please See MANOR, A6
CCS Volleyball Team Wins Trustees Reject Cameras Downtown 1st Division Title Since ’96 Worry, Expense Cause Village Board To Reject Idea, At Least For Now By LIBBY CUDMORE COOPERSTOWN
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f Rich Jantzi is a little hoarse, he’s got a good reason. “I don’t have much of a voice left from all the cheering and screaming,” he said.
Monday night, Jan. 27, By JIM KEVLIN the CCS Hawkeyes volleyball team beat the Herkimer Magicians, 3-2, to clinch COOPERSTOWN their first division title since 1996 and in their first year t looks a little like Hal,” Mayor Jeff as a Division II team. “DolKatz said on viewing one of the geville’s won it 18 years in cameras proposed to surveil Main a row,” said Jantzi. “This Street at December’s Village Board meettime, they were sitting ing. “And that didn’t work out too well.” Please See TITLE, A6 He was referring to “2001: A Space
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Odyssey,” where computer Hal refused to allow humans to abort his mission. Katz delayed a decision on surveillance cameras downtown for a month, but by Monday, Jan. 27, none of the trustees had gotten over the Hal hurdle. The mayor polled the board. “I’ve been here 40 years, and I haven’t seen anything (downtown) that would make me that concerned,” said Trustee Jim Dean. Please See CAMERAS, A7
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