By Tom Grace
Cooperstown News Bureau
COOPERSTOWN _ The Otsego County Board of Representatives has moved the time of its night meeting from 7:30 to 6 p.m.
``We want to meet at a time when our members can get back home at a reasonable hour and when we're accessible to the public,'' board Chairman Sam Dubben, R-Middlefield, said Friday.
The board tried its new meeting time Wednesday, and representatives were pleased to be done by about 8 p.m., he said.
When the board met at 7:30 p.m. _ as it has periodically for years _ meetings often lasted until 9 or later, and members from distant towns would not arrive home until late.
``It can be a safety issue, especially with the weather at this time of year,'' Dubben said. ``Some of us, particularly with long rides, don't want to be on the road late at night."
On the first Wednesday of every month, the board meets at 10 a.m. The night meeting, which is held when deemed necessary, usually falls on the third Wednesday.
When the board met Wednesday, members voted to authorize paying Blue Wing Services Inc. up to $85,000 for services that include designing communication towers and buildings, procuring bidding documents, managing projects and handling matters that relate to the State Environmental Quality Review Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.
Blue Wing, a county consultant, is already under contract to help the county upgrade its telecommunications system at a cost not to exceed $172,790.
The resolution to authorize the additional expenditure was approved unanimously by all members present. Rep. Keith McCarty, R-Springfield, was absent.
In other business, the board appointed members of the 2010 Otsego County Fire Advisory Board, including firefighters from the following fire companies: Kevin VanBuren of Cherry Valley, Thomas Redding of Cooperstown, Scott Convis of Edmeston, Marv Mulford of Fly Creek, Gerald Theis of Gilbertsville, John Bush of Hartwick Number 1, Mike Basile of Hartwick Number 2, Doug Roberts of Middlefield, Mike Strong of Milford, Ray Howland of Morris, Tom Brown of Otego, Thomas Reed of Pittsfield, Ray Smith of Richfield, Frank Frey of Schenevus, John Saphier of Schuyler Lake, Carl French of Unadilla, John Wilber of Wells Bridge, Ronald Curtis of West Exeter, Ralph Ritton of Westford, Duane Trask of West Laurens and David Leonard of West Oneonta.
