The Village of Cooperstown hosts a virtual ‘cannabis informational session’ on Monday, November 8, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Those interested can join the meeting through the village’s website, www.cooperstownny.org. Questions can also be submitted in advance. Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh said the virtual meeting follows safety protocols and allows presenters to be heard clearly by not wearing masks. The Village Clerk will read questions submitted during the program. Village Trustees hold a Special Meeting on November 10 at 10 a.m. to discuss a local law opting out of having a cannabis store or lounge sited in the Village, followed by a public hearing on November 29 at 6:30 p.m., during which the public can speak on the proposed new law. INSIDE ►NEW EDITEROR: The Freeman’s Journal, Hometown Oneonta, and AllOTSEGO.com welcome a new editor. Page A3. ►HALLOWEEN PHOTOS: See how your friends and neighbors celebrated, Page a11. ►FILM FESTIVAL UNDERWAY: This year’s Glimmerglass Film Days virtual and in-person. Page A12. ►WORLD SERIES DREAMERS: A bunch of Braves and Astros already got a taste of Cooperstown glory in their Dreams Park days. Page A7. ►’MYSTIC ROCKERS’ come to town: Nashville band ‘Roanoke’ opens concert series Saturday. Page A14. Follow Breaking News On
AllOTSEGO.com ►ELECTION RESULTS: Some came in too late for the print edition; check your answers here!. ►can you believe what you’re paying?: Drivers everywhere are shelling out more for a gallon of gas. ►halloween parade packed ‘em in: Cooperstown’s Main Street filled with jolly costumes as the march returned.
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Cooperstown virtual ‘cannabis info session’ is November 8
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Mark Drnek wins Oneonta Mayor race County’s election results falling into place as we go to press According to unofficial results available at press time, Mark Drnek (D) is the new mayor of Oneonta, defeating Republican challenger Len Carson. “I want to thank Len Carson for running a respectful and issue-oriented campaign, and I look forward to working with him in the realization of our many shared goals for the future of our City,” Drnek said in a statement. Mayor-elect Drnek’s statement continues: “I want to thank my ‘kitchen cabinet.’ Former Mayor Kim Muller, Councilman Dave Rissberger, Oneonta Fire Mark Drnek Department Assistant Chief (Retired) Jim Maloney, County Representative Danny Lapin, our head-cheerleader, Jen Armstrong, and the love of my life and our Campaign Manager, Betsy Holland. A special thank you to Mayor Gary Herzig, Dan Buttermann, Macguire Benton, Vicki Hurlburt, Diandra Sangetti-Daniels, Avery Miritello, the City of and Otsego County Oneonta Democratic Committees, and everyone who has posted, shared and otherwise engaged on our behalf.” The Mayor-elect has lived in Oneonta for 38 years. He said he came to Oneonta during a tour of upstate and “fell in love.” He decided he wanted to live there full-time. Drnek has an impressive resumé. He has served as a Common Council member representing the Eighth Ward since 2019. He is the host of the popular radio program “Blue Light Central” and owner and creative director of Sweet Home Productions, a marketing company
which provides multimedia to businesses in the Oneonta area. As a Common Council member, he co-chaired the “Survive and Thrive” initiative, alongside former Mayor Gary Herzig, which helped downtown businesses. He also organized socially distant “Meet me on Main Street” events, which closed the street for entertainment, activities, and vendors. Born in La Rochelle, France, he lived in Long Island’s Mastic Beach until 18. “It was much more like Schenevus back then,” Drnek said of his Long Island upbringing. He moved to New York City at age 18, where he attended college as a Visual Arts major. He became an illustrator for Scholastic Magazine for children, and still provides freelance illustrations for Leatherstocking Education on Alcoholism/ Addictions (LEAF). He also designed the “Rocky Roadster” coloring page for Destination Oneonta. Drnek said he was “relatively successful” in his illustrations career. He also was a morning on-air news reporter for WZOZ and a director of creative services for The Daily Star. As mayor, Drnek envisions creating an entertainment district on Market Street. He hopes to attract one thousand more people to Oneonta by target-marketing New York City and downstate residents looking to move upstate. By doing this, he believes it will improve the tax base and allow him to implement the changes he wants to make. During a pre-election debate hosted by the
League of Women Voters, Drnek said he “lay awake at night” thinking of improvements to attract people to Oneonta. “We are poised to do great things, but the window to act won’t be long,” Drnek said, who hopes to use money from the Downtown Revitalization Initiative to improve Market Street and create “green energy-driven conveyances” to take people from there to Main Street. “Thank you to the voters of City of Oneonta. I am humbled and motivated by your support, and I’m excited to get started,” Drnek said in his statement. “We are all in and all in this together. On January 1, we begin our journey into a bright and inclusive future. I can’t wait.”
In other races ... In the Town of Hartwick, incumbent Town Supervisor Robert O’Brien looks to be the winner after an unofficial vote tally at press time. Challenger Brian LoRusso said late Tuesday night that he was not disappointed by the loss. “The amount of exposure we got for our campaign was a win/win,” he said. • In the Town of Oneonta, the unofficial tally at press time shows Randall Mowers as the winner in the race for Town Supervisor with more than 75 percent of the vote. • In the race for County Board District 3, the incumbent, Rick Brockway (R) looks to be the winner with more than 60 percent of the vote. • In the race for County Board District 13, Donald Scanlon (R) looks to have defeated challenger Mark Pawkett (D) in a tight race. • Look to AllOTSEGO.com for additional election night updates.
New cannabis laws leave enforcement a little hazy By Kevin Limiti Otsego County Sheriff’s Department confirmed this week it is investigating a local business for “gifting” marijuana but that it also is not certain of enforcement protocol. County Sheriff Sergeant Michael Stalter called the process a “convoluted quagmire.” “It’s a very difficult thing right now,” he said. “We’re trying to catch up on the new (marijuana possession) laws as it is. The “gifting” process reportedly at issue finds cannabis products changing hands, but not directly for sale. A customer purchases a token item or donates to a business, then receives differing amounts of medical-grade marijuana depending on the size of the donation. In a published report, the chair of the state’s new Cannabis Control Board, Tremaine Wright, said on October 21, “The cannabis being exchanged in the transactions described, those remain illicit. There is no grey market in New York State. This conduct is not legal and must stop. Individuals
who do not cease run the risk of severe financial penalties.” How local police departments in Otsego County and elsewhere enforce the Board’s declaration remains unclear. Otsego County District Attorney John Muehl said that a business “gifting” marijuana would be illegal.
He said it was legal “only if it’s a true, complete gift with no strings attached.” He said violations would be punishable by fines up to $250 per incident. Corporal James Kelman of the Cooperstown Police Department said he hadn’t heard of
marijuana gifting in Cooperstown and said the police department was “kind of finding a balance to figure out what is transpiring.” He called the process of marijuana legalization “uncharted territory.” Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh said she had heard of businesses gifting marijuana in other counties, but not in the Cooperstown area. “What has not been licensed and authorized are the cannabis retail shops and lounges,” Tillapaugh said. “The only legal way to get (marijuana) is a medical prescription.” Municipalities have till December 31 of this year to opt-out retail dispensaries of marijuana. Cooperstown has a Board of Trustees meeting on November 8 to discuss the possibility of opting out of retail sales. Mayor Tillapaugh favors opting out but does not oppose scheduling a referendum on the subject in the March 2022 village elections. Under the state’s new marijuana laws, municipalities retain the right to control the time, place and manner of sales. To date, the towns of Otsego, Hartwick, and Oneonta have no plans to opt out. Cherry Valley has not yet made a formal decision on the topic.
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD