Published: March 13, 2008 09:01 am         

Letters for March 13, 2008

Katz didn’t listen to people

Several months ago I attended a meeting at the Cooperstown School in regard to paid parking for the village of Cooperstown.

Approximately 300 people attended this meeting. Out of the 300, approximately 95 percent were against the idea of paid parking and several voiced their concern and disapproval.

When the meeting came to its end, village trustee Jeff Katz made a comment that was somewhat disturbing. Mr. Katz expressed his view that the people at the meeting were “not his constituents.” When Jeff Katz ran for his first term, I voted for him!

I believe that when residents speak out for or against an issue, an elected official should listen and act on behalf of the people he or she is representing.

Seeing how I am not considered one of Jeff Katz’s

constituents, I will be casting my vote this year for Doug Walker and Neil Weiller. I believe Doug Walker, a native son of Cooperstown, and Neil Weiller, one of our local businessmen and residents, are more concerned about the everyday workings of our village and the concerns of the residents.

So everyone who attended the meeting, remember, we are not Jeff Katz’s constituents, and I urge you all to vote Republican.

Joseph Kenney
Cooperstown

Walker, Weiller the right choice

I am writing this letter to support Doug Walker and Neil Weiller. They have lived in this town forever and both have been businessmen in our village. They both understand the history of our village as residents. We have all seen the uprisings that are caused by the newcomers that are trying to remake our village into the towns that they just moved here from. We have a unique community that has a long history of supporting our entire village. Please vote for Carol, Doug and Neil so we can return our village to home rule.

With all the time our present board has claimed to have devoted to parking meters, it is still evident that they haven’t gotten it right, and now they are running an ad to hire three new meter maids. This is another example of putting the cart before the horse. As you may not be aware, there are many new aspects of installing and running these meters according to state law that were never a part of their first, second or third proposals, and unfortunately, they still don’t know what they are doing. It’s too bad that such intelligent people having spent so much of their personal time in trying to put this together seems to have been a waste.

Please vote for Carol, Doug and Neil. They are proven business professionals that understand the history of our village, and will do a professional job for us all.

Tom Catal
Cooperstown

Vote Waller, Weiller, Walker

I am writing this letter in support of candidates Waller, Weiller and Walker for the Village Board.

Carol Waller has transformed the office of Mayor into an advocate for Cooperstown and all its residents.

I should remind everyone that it was she that brought the first major grants from state and federal governments to Cooperstown to help improve and maintain our infrastructure; from the not too glamorous sewage treatment plant improvements to rebuilding of the entrance to the Village Office building. It was she that continuously prodded the County until finally $100,000 was freed up to help our Village’s infrastructure. It was she that got the largest grant in Cooperstown’s history, $4.18 million for the Linden Avenue welcome center.

It was she that opened up Village government to the people through numerous public discussions of the parking issue. It was she that led the effort to get the Otsego Lake water supply under control to preserve that resource for the future. It was she that led the efforts to coordinate the 2007 Induction Ceremony that safely welcomed 82,000 visitors. She has accomplished much during the past six years and deserves all of our thanks and support for her fourth term.

Neil Weiller has operated a very diverse business on Main Street for the past 17 years. He has been active in the community, serving as a Board member for the Opera, Chamber of Commerce and the SPCA. He will bring the voice of a diverse businessman to the Board.

Doug Walker is a native son who has the experience of starting three successful businesses on Main Street, Danny’s Market, Walker Gallery and National Pastime. He currently operates a B&B, and will bring to the Board his business experience and the experience of a long-time resident who has traveled via the U.S. Marine Corps and the Peace Corps around the world.

I urge your support for these three candidates.

Frank Leo
Cooperstown

Vrooman an excellent choice

We are writing this letter to offer our endorsement and support of a man whom we feel would be an excellent Trustee of our wonderful village. We have known Jim for a little less than four years and in that time, we have observed his sincere concern for the citizens of Cooperstown. He keeps abreast of exactly what is happening and gets involved to solve problems. He is intelligent, sensitive, organized and hard working. Jim, along with his wife Charlene, are usually seen at town functions, willingly offering their time and support. We feel privileged to wholeheartedly endorse someone who works as conscientiously as Jim Vrooman, and feel that Cooperstown would be very lucky to have him elected as one of our next Trustees.

Fran and John LeRoux
Cooperstown

What makes a great trustee?

To be a Village of Cooperstown Trustee or a Mayor is a great honor, but making informed decisions with care and empathy while working with people throughout the Village is what being a great trustee is all about. Being a trustee is not the same a running a business. It is about being able to work for all the residents and citizen taxpayers who elected you. If a trustee does not understand this,then chances dim for the future of our village.

A great trustee has to be able to listen to the whole Cooperstown family, includ- ing the businesses that make us such a great village. We cannot treat tourists as a commodity and say, “How can we squeeze some extra money out of them, too?” Surely they need to contribute their share, and this is what has brought people here to visit for the last 200 years.

Our recent attempt to initiate paid parking has some great merit; however, the trustees who did the research and voted to implement it do not appear to have their facts straight. We are now looking at a bid of $27,000 or more on two parking machines for Doubleday Field parking lot. What happened to the less than $10,000 machines that we were all told about at the informational meetings? At one meeting, prices of $6,000 to $7,000 per machine were even mentioned.

Repeatedly our Trustees were asked: are we crossing our T’s and dotting our I’s. In November, approximately 300 people came to the last meeting on parking. Were the trustees who were responsible for the parking proposal listening to the overwhelming majority of the 300 people who were there in opposition? The Mayor listened, two trustees listened and four trustees did not want to hear us. The four trustees, Katz, Kuhn, Kull and Mebust, voted for their own, prearranged, agenda and squandered the opportunity to unite us by simply listening. As voters in the upcoming election, we have an obligation to “speak up” and elect those who understand how important it is to listen to us.

What makes a great trustee?

- A trustee that understands all the residents and taxpayers.
- A trustee that listens.
- A trustee who understands the importance of Main Street to our village.
- A trustee that understands the tax burden, and how to control it. Anyone can be a trustee ... The trick is, can you be a great one?

On March 18, please vote for Carol Waller, Doug Walker and Neil Weiller.

Paul A. Clark
Cooperstown

Vrooman and Katz are right

Neil Weiller’s letter, published in the Feb. 29 edition of The Freeman’s Journal, provides me a welcome opportunity to clarify the Village Pride committee efforts.

Mr. Weiller asked if Main Street business owners have been invited to join the process, and if Main Street business owners have been approached to become part of the solution. He is referring to the process that the Village Pride Committee, chaired by Charlene and Jim Vrooman, has put in motion to form a cohesive plan for the beautification of downtown Cooperstown, and the solution being the implementation of that plan.

The response to both questions is a resounding yes.

There initially was an article in the newspaper about the project, and there has been a letter (enclosed and available at the Village Clerk’s Office) hand delivered to the business owners on Main Street, explaining the plan and inviting their participation.

There have been meetings and the public was invited. I am told that Mr. Weiller attended at least one of those meetings and was personally invited to join the committee’s work. He declined.

What was his purpose in asking questions, when he was well aware of the answers? This type of innuendo gives the wrong impression to the reader, and is the same tactic utilized in the campaign against paid parking.

Mr. Weiller also stated in his letter, “I firmly believe that the Main Street Business owners of this community are valuable allies in our search for solutions.” Of course they are. The Village Pride Committee has already involved them and they have responded positively. Many of the businesses have been doing their part throughout the years in making the fronts of their establishments attractive, including the spaces around the trees. But, there has not been a concerted effort since sometime in the 1990s to bring all interested citizens together in a united effort to beautify downtown Cooperstown. Mr. Weiller actually pointed this out in the history lesson he presented in his Feb. 29 letter. Jim and Charlene Vrooman identified a situation needing attention, followed proper Village protocol, involved the businesses and residents and took action. On March 18, the Village will elect two Trustees. Consider carefully the type of person you want to represent you. Jim Vrooman and Jeff Katz are men of integrity and action. I urge you to vote for them.

Grace Kull
Cooperstown

Vote for Katz and Vrooman

I congratulate all four gentlemen who have stepped up to run for public office this year and made a commitment to serve our Village.

Cooperstown will continue to face great challenges in the years ahead, and will need solid individuals to face them head on. I believe those individuals should be Jeff Katz and Jim Vrooman. These are good men of great integrity and character, and have the stamina to resist individual interests and work for the common good of all the people of Cooperstown.

I’ve had the opportunity to work very closely with Jeff on the Village Board for the past three years. I won’t attempt to list all of his many accomplishments, but they are impressive. Jeff is an extremely bright, creative and thoughtful person. He is fiscally responsible. I know of no one who works as hard as he does. He has a great sense of what our Village priorities should be, and what it will take to meet them. Jeff is a very active member of our community. He listens to opinions of all of the people, and does his best to consider those individuals who do not choose to express theirs. He always does his homework, but fully understands that we elect public servants to eventually make decisions and act. Many decisions are difficult, but I am very proud of the choices and stands that Jeff has taken. He is a key member of our Village government and he deserves to be re-elected.

Jim is a more recent acquaintance of mine, but he has demonstrated to me that he has great ideas for Cooperstown.

He is forward thinking and has already stepped up and worked hard for the community. We need new people too in our Village government, and especially those who have a fresh set of eyes, coming from other communities because they want to raise their families here. I believe Jim is that kind of person and is worthy of being elected to the Village Board.

Our Village has serious problems to solve. Much progress has been made in the past three years to address these problems, but much more lies ahead. We need serious men who will do the research, understand the issues inside and out and not be reticent to decide and act. I know that Jeff and Jim will work tirelessly to keep Cooperstown moving forward.

Paul T. Kuhn
Cooperstown

Vote for a united Cooperstown

In conversing with Neil Weiller, it becomes clear that he is neither a Democrat nor a Republican. He does not seek to represent selected constituents, but the whole village, with its varied interests and needs. To this end, he will also appear on the ballot for village trustee as an independent under the Cooperstown United Party. This reflects his desire to improve communication between the various groups that reflect Cooperstown’s heritage and diversity; e.g. Otsego 2000, the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Business District, Bassett Healthcare, and our rural agrarians to name a few.

Now is the time for realistic visionary leadership with so many issues confronting the village, be it economic growth, revenue sources, parking, or fostering further cultural diversity and more effective use of our rural agricultural resources.

Neil is a communicator. He has researched the various comprehensive development plans generated for Cooperstown dating back to Mayor Howard Talbot in the 1960s.

As village residents, we need to look in no uncertain terms to the future, not just stopgap measures for the next one to two years. Although at times a “Band-Aid” approach is needed, we need to define where we would like to position ourselves 5- 10-15 years from now. I would submit that we all would be best served with a thoughtful, well-defined and feasible plan for Cooperstown’s sustained and improved viability.

In such a process, voices across all economic strata need to be heard and represented equally. We believe Neil is a highly qualified to orchestrate this endeavor, having served as CFO of several major corporations; and now as a long time village merchant. Serving as a village trustee is clearly a timeconsuming and often thankless job. Neil is excited to bring his talents, time, energy and communication skills to this position. That is why we encourage you to Be Heard as a village by voting for Neil Weiller.

Cathy and Don Raddatz
Cooperstown

Re-elect Katz

I have some thoughts concerning the upcoming election for Cooperstown village trustee. A look at the facts illuminates why we would be fortunate as a community to have Jeff Katz re-elected to a second term. Jeff has been a thoughtful, dedicated, intelligent and caring trustee over the past three years. Having gotten to know Jeff on a personal level, I can tell you that he has spent countless hours researching and working towards successful outcomes on various village issues.

Though I have only been a resident of the village of Cooperstown for five and a half years, I do feel my opinion matters. Jeff Katz believes that the opinion of all Cooperstown residents matters.

Jeff has personally made himself available to answer any questions I have had (however rudimentary at times) and has provided clarification on issues that I found unclear. I have never hesitated to pick up the phone and call Jeff. Let’s re-elect Jeff so that he can continue the progress he has made on behalf of us all.

Emily Cadwalader
Cooperstown

Walker, Weiler the best choice

On Tuesday, March 18, residents of the Village of Cooperstown will go to the polls to elect a mayor and two members of the Board of Trustees. As with all elections, it is important that the citizens make their wishes known by casting their votes.

Judging from recent letters to the editor, an argument seems to be being made that the village has to change, and that long time residents of the area are simply resistant to change. I would argue that is not the case. The Ellsworth family has lived at 105 Pioneer St. since 1912. In the ensuing years, the village has undergone tremendous change, including the establishment of the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the two organizations which arguably could be identified as being responsible for the greatest change within the village. And while adjustments had to be made as both of these organizations grew, it was accepted as change which ultimately benefited the area.

Without these two organizations there is little doubt that the economic picture of the village, and its residents, would be vastly different. Hence, it would seem that the argument needs to be made that resistance to some of the currently proposed changes, is not simply a resistance to change, but rather a resistance to change which would not seem to produce overall benefits for the area.

In fact, it would seem that the village is headed in a direction that not only changes it unique character, which has served it long and well, but also has the unpleasant possibility of eroding the quality of life of village residents. In light of such change, it would appear that it is time to elect leaders for the village who understand the village’s past, comprehend its present state and have the foresight to work for its needs in the future. It is time to re-elect Mayor Carol Waller and elect as Village Trustees Doug Walker and Neil Weiller.

Catherine Ellsworth
Cooperstown

Vrooman a good addition

The residents of Cooperstown are very fortunate to have so many dedicated individuals willing to devote time and energy to our Village. One of the Village’s most dedicated public servants, Paul Kuhn, is leaving office this year. Paul is among the hardest working and most knowledgeable members of the Board of Trustees, and he will be missed. As a newcomer to the Board last year, I learned a lot from Paul and would like to express my appreciation to him for his work.

All of us who live in Cooperstown have also greatly benefited from the hard work of Jeff Katz, who is completing his first term and seeking reelection to the Board. Many letters in recent weeks have documented Jeff’ numerous accomplishments, and I would like to add my own voice to all those who support Jeff. Jeff works tirelessly on behalf of village residents, and he is committed to making sure that our government is responsive and fair.

Jim Vrooman is another individual who has demonstrated his willingness to devote his time, creativity and effort toward beautifying our town through the creation of the Village Pride Committee. I have been impressed with Jim’s can-do attitude and forward thinking, and the many useful ideas he has brought to the Board and various Village committees in the past few years. Jim is seeking election as a trustee, and I believe he would be a great addition to the Board.

Lynne Mebust
Cooperstown

Weiller sees the big picture

I am supporting Neil Weiller’s candidacy for the Cooperstown Board of Trustees.

Neil has been a friend for 17 years, who I know to be conscientious, resourceful and productive. I believe he would put his skills to work for Cooperstown, where he has a long heritage and strong appreciation for preserving and enhancing the community.

Neil has an excellent business education, and spent many years in finance and accounting before opening his business here, where he is in touch not only with residents, but also the many types of visitors we see yearround. In his campaign, he has taken an independent approach that indicates his style and appeals to many people. If you elect him a trustee, I think he will carefully investigate issues in “big picture” fashion, and make cautious decisions to enhance our quality of life.

Ursula Hage
Cooperstown

Katz deserves re-election

I am pleased to endorse Jeff Katz for re-election to the Cooperstown Board of Trustees.

During his tenure, Mr. Katz has drawn on his wealth of experience and diligence, consistently proving his dedication to the Village and to its residents. His adeptness and patience is invaluable when addressing the nuts and bolts of Village administration, while his broadbased talents, resources, and foresight provides Cooperstown with levelheaded, beneficial direction.

Cooperstown must be prepared for a challenging future. As is true with every era, and to quote one of Cooperstown’s most illustrious concert artists, “The times, they are a-changin’.” As much as some cling to the warm nostalgia of Cooperstown’s past, it is as unrealistic to ignore economic and social change, as it is to ignore the inevitably of a new moon. Stagnation is as disrespectful of history as indifferent transformation. Jeff Katz can protect Cooperstown’s hallowed traditions, and embrace the progress that will ensure its vitality.

Jeff Katz has proven his abilities, his vision, and his admirable willingness to serve. Cooperstown deserves his superior representation, and Mr. Katz deserves reelection.

Brenda Berstler
Cooperstown

Walker, Weiller will listen Village of Cooperstown residents and it businesses need trustees that hear us. Trustees need to be more aware of all the residents of our village. Trustees need to work with the Main Street businesses and not against them. The businesses need to do their part too. Having a better rapport with the merchants is very important;

they are a vital part of our village.

In my 50 years on Main Street, it has never been as tattered looking as it is now. A broken village lamppost’s glass for over a year in front of my building. Maybe our trustees that don’t think Main Street business owners and residents have any pride should look at the parts of Main Street the village owns and maintains. Take pride in those little things and Main Street, so it won’t look as trashy as it has been labeled. Many of us recall the night in November 2007 at Cooperstown Central School when the majority of 300 people and over a hundred proxies were against the paid parking laws, and asked for more thought from our elected trustees. The majority asked for a more detailed look at what our options could be and asked our trustees to vote no.

Please elect trustees that will make conscious effort to hear to us all next time.

Please vote WWW: Waller- Walker-Weiller.

Joan P. Clark
Cooperstown

Katz cares about community

The letters regarding the upcoming election for Cooperstown Village Trustees have been fascinating. It would appear that some of the people who have lived here for a long time or were born here and are still here would like to have some kind of minimum years of residency established before a person can run for office. Who would set such a limit?

They feel that no one should run for office that is a “newcomer.” What exactly is the definition of “newcomer“? Does it occur to them, that the “newcomers” have chosen to live here, and didn’t just end up here? Does it occur to them that these “newcomers” come from varied places and varied backgrounds and bring with them energy, a pride of place, and a deep feeling about the community in which they have chosen to live?

Jeff Katz typifies this kind of resident. He cares deeply for the place that he has chosen to call home. He has devoted endless time, energy, innovation and intelligence to the problems facing the Village. He is exactly the kind of person who should be re-elected as a Trustee.

Jane Goodwin Duel
Cooperstown

Katz worthy of election

There are many reasons to reelect Jeff Katz. Below are a few worthy of consideration.

- Jeff Katz is beholden to no one. Jeff does not work or own a business in Cooperstown. He has no financial ties to the business community or any Cooperstown employer. He is able to look at issues with an objectivity many others cannot.

- Jeff Katz is informed, responsible, and articulate. He takes his committee responsibilities seriously, and comes to all meetings fully prepared and updated. He is able to explain complex issues in a concise and easily comprehended manner.

- Jeff Katz is effective. He gets things done. He is able to translate ideas into action.

- Jeff Katz is concerned about our taxes. He has a strong business background, and understands the financial issues facing our village and the problems inherent in our limited tax base.

- Jeff Katz was not born and raised in Cooperstown. He brings a wealth of experience and new ideas from living and working in other places. While he is respectful of our village’s traditions, he brings a fresh perspective to the issues our village faces. Please join me in voting for Jeff Katz on March 18.

Kate Resnick
Cooperstown

A Vision for Cooperstown

The Cooperstown area has witnessed tremendous change in the past 20 years. Most of that change has been thrust upon our Village from the outside, and we have been forced into a reactive position. Although we have done a good job putting out the “brush fires,” I believe that the Village must now take a proactive role in identifying, directing, promoting and capitalizing upon future change.

Change is taking place — globally, nationally and locally — inducing green and energy efficiency initiatives. Cooperstown should be involved in like-minded programs. In our community, there is an emerging renaissance of our proud agrarian heritage, led by organic farmers and artisanal food producers. Cooperstown should take an active role in promoting these fresh local resources. The “Regional Cultural Development Corridor” initiative seeks to organize our diverse artistic community into a force that not only serves our tourist and quality of life purposes but also supplies a tool for economic growth. The Village should be the epicenter of this effort. Cooperstown is well positioned to take a leadership role in these and other forward- looking initiatives. If we are to maintain our position in the forefront of American villages, we must take that lead.

Education, not baseball cards or T-shirts, is Cooperstown’s biggest export. We invest 53 percent of our property taxes in education, but very little in developing an economic, cultural and social environment in which those we educate can stay and prosper. We must reverse that trend.

How do we accomplish this?

Our first priority should be to develop a Village Mission Statement — one that defines who we are, where we are going, and how we’re going to get there. Our goals should include plans for economic development, lifestyle diversity, enhancement of our quality of life and financial security.

The entire community — residents, employers, educators, foundations and cultural institutions — must be part of the process from its inception. We need both short- and long-range goals. However, identifying and setting an agenda is not enough; community-wide support, grit, determination and action are imperative if we are to attain our vision. Why should we do this?

- Support of these and other initiatives will have a positive impact upon our quality of life.

 It is an avenue to the demographic mix necessary to support the diversity of shopping, dining, entertainment and employment opportunities we all crave.

 It should lead to a reduction of Cooperstown’s disproportionately high percentage of both the county and town tax burdens.

 Conversations with legislators, civic planners and leaders of foundations have highlighted a number of avenues for financial support for these initiatives.

I believe that change is good for Cooperstown. I recognize that while effective change requires perspective, direction and purpose it must also respect, honor and incorporate the best of our past. To succeed, we must all have the courage to become involved.

I ask for your support. Please contact me at muskrathill@yahoo.com or 547-5190 with your visions for the future of our village. Neil Weiller Cooperstown