Published: September 04, 2008 09:38 am         

Village’s 2025 group meets

By JIM AUSTIN
Cooperstown Crier

The 2025 Commission will begin its look at the village’s future by looking back at its history. The commission is charged with developing ideas and plans that will help guide Cooperstown’s development for the next five, 10 and 20 years.

Following the final presentation last fall by Notre Dame students who spent the semester studying the village, Mayor Carol Waller remarked that she wanted to form the commission to review the students’ proposals and begin considering plans for the future of Cooperstown. Commission members began that task last Thursday evening during their inaugural meeting. The commission is chaired by Bill Waller, the mayor’s husband, who read a statement from her. In it she said watching the Notre Dame students analyze the village prompted her to think about the importance of the future.

``Not that the Notre Dame Study is what we should do, but we should be thinking about the issues they raised and also the solutions they proposed. I look at the Notre Dame study as a tool, not necessarily a complete plan,’’ she wrote. ``I am particularly concerned with the pressures on the village, not only from within, but also from outside our borders.’’

Commissioners discussed past planning efforts and the fact most of them are gathering dust on shelves.

Trustee Neil Weiller said the commission is there to produce a plan, but asked how planning gets implemented — how does the process continue?

``They (the plans) all talk about the same issues,’’ he said, asking how to avoid the same fate for their work.

Bill Waller said the implementation of any plan is up to elected officials and not to commissioners. Weiller said he wanted to look at finances from a long-term perspective. He pointed to the foresight of the sewer and water boards, which established reserve funds in anticipation of future work. Both the water and sewer departments have the money to make the repairs/ upgrades included in the South End streets project now under discussion.

He said he wants to get above the day-to-day operations and get a look at the big picture.

``As a village, we need to be more proactive in looking forward. How do we make sure that in 20 years we’re not in the same place we are now?’’ he asked.

``We’re going to craft the blueprint, but not specify the hinges on the door,’’ said Commission member Eric Straus, President of Leatherstocking Corporation.

Bill Waller said he would like to plan on regular meetings of the commission along with periodic town meetings to involve the public in the process.

The commission’s next meeting will be held Thursday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in the village meeting room. Waller said he will make arrangements for a presentation by Jesse Ravage and Hugh Mac- Dougall on village history and historic preservation. Commission members include Bill Waller, Neil Weiller, Teri Barown, Eric Straus, Jesse Ravage, and Milo Stewart, Jr.

Former Chamber of Commerce Director John Bullis was also appointed, but a replacement has not been named.