This week’s “My turn” column is by James Powers, chairman of the Otsego County Board of Representatives.
Otsego County is moving forward, changing for the better. I am proud of our county government and would like to address several areas where I believe positive change is taking place. Otsego County is involved in several exciting communications projects.
More than $1 million in grant money has been secured from state and federal sources to fund these projects.
Blue Wing has been hired as the county’s communications consultant.
It will conduct a needs analysis and design a new Emergency Services Telecommunications System based on that analysis.
An equipment shelter has already been placed at the Blend Hill tower near the city of Oneonta. Rep. Michael Arcuri has secured $400,000 in federal money to fund a wireless telecommunications link from the city of Oneonta to the Blend Hill tower to connect the city of Oneonta to the county’s ESTS.
The Federal Communications Commission has mandated that the ESTS of the county be upgraded from its present two-gigahertz system. With the cooperation of local government and the grant money from state and local agencies, the ESTS system can and will be upgraded.
The county will be running its own fiberoptic line from 197 Main St. to the Public Safety Building, including Otsego Manor, the Highway Department, and the Meadows.
The county is laying the fiber-optic line itself at a savings of $300,000. This line, when completed, will provide a savings of $60,000 per year in telephone bills. In the future, businesses and the school might be added to the line.
New York state has invested $1.3 million in the county’s annex building to provide court space. We are planning a children’s center for the Family Court located in that building. It will be welcoming, comfortable, secure and close to the court.
The Board of Representatives voted to provide financial support for Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood provides no- or low-cost essential health services to Otsego County residents.
Waste management has been a contentious issue in this county since the creation of the Montgomery Otsego Schoharie Solid Waste Management Authority 20 years ago. The Otsego County Service Agreement with MOSA is due to expire in 2014. In preparation, Otsego County has hired Hans Arnold as a solid waste consultant.
MOSA has a $9.5 million debt and $12.5 million in reserves. It is Arnold’s suggestion to use the reserve to retire this debt. This would open the door for a new service agreement and could fundamentally change the way solid waste is handled in Otsego County. It is Arnold’s suggestion that the county issue a Request for Proposal to operate the transfer stations and retain the user fee to maintain and upgrade facilities.
There is a projected loss of $1.1 million in sales tax revenue compared to 2008. Department heads were asked to make budget cuts of 5 to 10 percent. To date, this effort has removed $900,000 from the budget to offset the shortfall in sales tax.
This was difficult but necessary and included items that we should do, wanted to do, and needed to do. It is clear from the decrease in sales tax revenue that Otsego County residents have decreased their household spending. County government must do the same.
Otsego County and the Civil Service Employees Association have been involved in protracted labor negotiations. Make no mistake. The county has wonderful employees who deserve full compensation for the many services they provide.
Otsego County has offered a 3 percent annual raise retroactive to 2007 accompanied by excellent health care and retirement benefits. Salary and benefit increases are paid by the taxpayers of Otsego County. It is essential to balance the demands of the union with the pocketbooks of the taxpayers. We believe the offer is fair to both groups. Given the financial condition of the county, to offer more would be fiscally irresponsible. I would like to address the issue of a county manager. It will not happen on my watch. The Board of Representatives is directly responsible to the voters.
Two years ago, the budget process was deeply flawed. The voters did not hesitate to show their displeasure, and the composition of the Board of Representatives was changed.
That’s the way it should be. Government should be is accountable directly to the voters.
However, county government should learn from its mistakes. For this reason I would like to see Otsego County appoint a budget officer.
The county treasurer would be responsible for collecting the taxes and paying the bills. The budget officer and the Board of Representatives would chart the present and future financial course of Otsego County.
The members of the Otsego County Board of Representatives work hard, and I would like to express my appreciation and thanks. We do not always agree. In disagreement there is opportunity for discussion, compromise and understanding. I would like to thank the voters of Otsego County and my district. It is a privilege to represent you.
To write for “My turn,” contact Daily Star Publisher Tanya Shalor at tshalor@thedailystar.com or 432-1000, ext. 214.
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Welcome to our story comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including the unpopular ones. We only ask that you keep your conversations clean, civil and on the topic of the story you are commenting on.
Coinciding with our websites redesign, we launched our new story comments feature through Disqus.
Disqus gives users the ability to log into our story comments feature so that they may be able to track their conversations, receive emails when their comments get a reply or to even have your comments update onto your Facebook or Twitter accounts.
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5. Hate speech of any kind.
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2. Express opinions and contrarian views.
3. Stimulate debate with respectful language.
4. Stay within the boundaries of these rules.
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND OR TERMINATE ACCESS FOR:
1. Violating any of these Online Rules of Conduct.
2. Deliberately disrupting discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or spam.
3. Misrepresentation of identity or impersonating another user.
WE WELCOME:
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July 13, 2009
My Turn: Otsego County facing many positive changes
- Big Chuck D'Imperio
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Safety Patrol D.C. visits never get old
I asked Cam Morris, head of Eastern Travel/Oneonta Bus Lines, how many years her company has been handling the Safety Patrol trip to Washington, D.C.
Continued ... - My pal Brucie, savior of Sidney's hospital
- Catching a whiff of 'Vermont Vapor'
- Selections from the virtual mailbag
- Recalling days of 'Doughnut King'
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Safety Patrol D.C. visits never get old
- Cary Brunswick
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We've become our own worst enemies
The past month has been marked by a seeming unprecedented number of man-made tragedies, as distinct from those caused by violent outbursts of the natural world, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis.
Continued ... - Plenty of blame to go around for Bangladesh horror
- Obama is going against his word on Social Security
- Reflecting on a Florida trip
- Those magnificent spies in their flying machines
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We've become our own worst enemies
- Chuck Pinkey
- Guest Column
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Records seizure is an insult to free press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
Continued ... - The evangelical view of same-sex marriage
- Manor's fate will be Otsego board's legacy
- A closer look at our economy - Part II
- Use fracking to fill budget gaps
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Records seizure is an insult to free press
- Lisa Miller
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A view from above
Fire towers in the Catskill Mountains have always been destination points, built to capture some of the region’s best views. These sentinel stations served an important role for the earliest possible sightings of forest fires in the remote mountain ranges. But the fire towers and those who manned them fulfilled a multitude of other roles as well.
Continued ... - Being a parent is a constant learning process
- Healthy doesn't have to mean expensive
- A family era ends with close of Potter series
- Independent stores make up for loss of Borders
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- Mark Simonson
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General Clinton Canoe Regatta got a new home in 1972
Ever since 1963, when Charles Hinkley and a group of Tri-Town businessmen came up with the idea for what we know today as the General Clinton Canoe Regatta, people lined the shores of the Susquehanna to watch the canoeists as they made their 70-mile trek from Cooperstown to Bainbridge.
Continued ... - Sunday movies in Oneonta finally shown in 1934
- Politics, fitness and landmarks dominated local news in May 1968
- Local people sought income in many ways in 1933
- Local windstorm in 1983 caused tense moments
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- Rick Brockway
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Kids have sparkle in their eyes
When I was in my teens, old Bill Naatz told me about a stream north of Lake George where a man had panned out enough gold to make his wife a wedding band. It was all rumors, but to his grandson and myself, it sounded like the makings of a great adventure.
- People make the outdoors even better
- Turkey season has ups and downs
- Spring air isn't always the freshest
- Adriondacks keep growing and growing
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Kids have sparkle in their eyes
- Sam Pollak
- William Masters
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Schreibman tops Chris Gibson on women's issues
As the time to vote draws near, we need to remember how money can run politics more than we can. Raising funds is a prominent (if not the dominant) task of getting elected. Raising issues is also crucial, but those efforts are subject to distortion and fear-mongering.
- Republicans feelentitled to allthey can garner An entitlement is a legal benefit available from the government to individuals who are within a defined category of recipients, such as needing insurance for unemployment or health services.
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Romney focuses on self; Obama emphasizes unity
Mitt Romney criticizes President Obama for saying a person's success is rooted in his community, and is not all his alone. Romney belittles this with his belief in individual initiative. He is better at the put-down than the push-up.
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Romney shows little regard for common man
The Republicans in Congress have voted over and over, 33 times, redundantly and uselessly, to rescind what they call Obamacare.
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Scouts' gay ban creates problem where none exists
The Boy Scouts of America's "emphatic reaffirmation" of its vow to exclude any and all homosexuals from its hallowed ranks is ill-considered and pathetic, especially in view of its having reviewed the matter for two years.
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Schreibman tops Chris Gibson on women's issues
