OCCA supports drilling task force
The Otsego County Conservation Association agrees with The Daily Star's Oct. 1 editorial, "Drilling task force would help," which dealt with a proposal to form a gas-drilling task force to "assess the ability of Otsego County to meet the emerging infrastructure needs as gas drilling progresses and help the various entities develop plans for meeting those additional needs."
County Board Chair James Powers has expressed concerns about not having adequate resources to staff such a committee. We understand his concern, but not taking advantage of the minimal resources we do have and allowing things to move ahead with no plans whatsoever will only cost us more in the long term.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation has a role in regulation, but it is ill-advised for the county to shun responsibility in deference to the DEC.
Readers may wish to refer to OCCA's Aug. 2-3, 2008 piece, "Is the DEC up to the task?" _ available through the Star's Web archives or at OCCA's website, occainfo.org.
Our long, unsatisfactory experience with MOSA should make us even more wary of counting on the DEC to be of help in major environmental concerns.
Rep. Stephen Fournier stated, "What worries me "¦ is that it might be stacked with people who all have the same opinion." That worries us too, but his committee would appoint task force members and would therefore have control over that concern.
Irrefutably, gas-drilling entails many environmental concerns. It does not behoove us to displace responsibility for addressing them. Planning is proactive, not obstructive.
The Environmental Concerns Committee should form a task force to examine an industry that could change the face of Otsego County.
Martha Clarvoe
Hartwick
Clarvoe is president of the Otsego County Conservation Association.
Rural seniors are being overlooked
The Otsego County congregrate nutrition program for 2010 was $842,160, of which about $457,667 is federally and state reimbursed. The board canceled three nutrition sites servicing seven towns and one village by taking out $34,800. This program is at least 50 percent reimbursable with federal and state funds, thereby costing the county only $17,400.
There is no plan in place to service seniors in these areas. Rep. Fournier said they were looking for free rent sites. He should start in Oneonta. The county pays $535 per month to Elm Park Methodist Church in Oneonta for a meal site and another $1,219 for office rent there for a total of $1,774 per month.
Why do we need two Offices of the Aging to run this program? Remove this office and that would take care of the rents at the eliminated sites. The county is discriminating against senior citizens in the rural areas and misappropriating congregate nutrition dollars by paying for office rent.
Every senior in the county, including Oneonta, should call their representatives and complain about this injustice.
Better yet, attend the budget hearing on Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Cooperstown. Board Chairman James Powers and Aging Director Frances Wright are guilty of malfeasance and poor leadership and should step down. This reduction has to be approved by the state Office of Aging. It has not approved this change.
You can contact Rosemary Christoff at NYSOFA at (800) 342-9871 or www.nysofa@ofa.state.ny.us to voice your disapproval of this change.
Joseph J. Kenyon
Worcester
Kenyon is a former Otsego County Representative of District 6.
