Published: October 02, 2008 04:13 pm         

Letters for October 02, 2008

Support CYB As many people are

aware, the Village of Cooperstown has been reviewing many options for the property located at the end of Linden Avenue. Those of you who have attended meetings related to this project have seen many proposals, and much discussion, about the future of Linden Avenue. I am writing to make the public aware of the proposed project’s potential affect on the youth of our community, and more particularly, on Cooperstown Youth Baseball (CYB).

The CYB’s history on Linden Avenue began in the early 90’s when the Village and CYB entered into a 99-year lease agreement providing CYB the use of the facilities on what was once the Village dump.

Through extensive fundraising and sweat equity, then and now, the facilities at Beanie Ainslie Field have grown to be one of the best little league facilities in upstate New York. We now have an excellent baseball field, clubhouse, outdoor batting cage, practice field and visions of an indoor batting facility.

Through the Linden Avenue improvement project, the Village wants to move CYB. On several occasions we have expressed to the Village our desire to remain where we are. We have expressed our concern with many major issues related to a possible move. We have asked for open dialogue with the Village about our concerns. The Village has thus far chosen not to engage CYB in any open public dialogue about our concerns. It chooses to go forth with its plans and use the project architect as the intermediary, rather than have to deal with its leaseholder itself. The architect now wants to proceed with investigative digging on the property leased to CYB. Several holes 4 by 8 by 20 feet deep are to be dug throughout the property.

We have urged them to stop until proper dialogue directly between the Village and CYB occurs.

We believe CYB has a valid, binding lease at its current Linden Avenue location. The land at issue for a proposed move currently has two owners, neither of which is the Village of Cooperstown. No one has come forth to even begin a dialogue of future property rights for CYB, which are critical to any considerations for the future.

We believe that CYB, both past and present, has been a very good steward of this property. On behalf of the children of our community present and future, we ask for the support of our community to help CYB continue its long standing commitment to the physical, mental, emotional, and social growth of our children. On behalf of the Cooperstown Youth Baseball Board of Directors I urge you to attend the Village Gateway Technical Committee Meeting at 9 a.m. on Oct. 9, and/or the Village Board of Trustees Meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 20 to express your concerns.

David Borgstrom

President, Cooperstown Youth Baseball

A case he will never forget

I write this to say thank you to the Office of the Aging, a true treasure that Otsego County offers its residents.

In September I made an appointment with the Office of the Aging in Cooperstown to learn more about Medicare Supplemental Health Insurance plans and Medicare D prescription plans. I was changing plans and wanted to become more informed about new possibilities.

During my meeting with David Polley, Coordinator for Services of the Aging, we learned that my current heath insurance plan had just been cancelled retroactive to last October without any notification to me.á We both were shocked and needless to say I was frightened. á To be without health insurance and to know that I would now be responsible for all doctor, hospital and drug bills incurred since last year was a was a helpless feeling.

David was relentless in weaving his way through health insurance and Medicare bureaucracy. It was a case that he will never forget, and we were both relieved when he was successful in having my health insurance reinstated until December 1, 2008.

Since then he has helped me immensely in determining what future programs are now best for me.

I write this because I was so impressed with the professionalism, the knowledge, and the caring that this county official demonstrated as he handled my case.á I saw my county tax dollars being spent on an extremely qualified and talented advocate for the senior citizen.á That office is a great asset for the seasoned adult and I highly recommend that he/she takes advantage of it. They will save you money, they will find ways to increase your quality of life, and they will give you guidance for finding affordable financing for long-term care.

Kudos to the county and to David Polley.

Barbara Lasher

Cooperstown

Wake up and smell the roses

I know the community is aware of the proposed Springfield Music and Arts Festival. The sponsor of this festival was forthcoming with information presented on June 11 at the Springfield Community Center.

Let me recap the presentation’s high points, the event is going to be geared for ages 6-60 and most of the concert goers will camp on site. This will be an event the whole family can attend and we will have music for everyone, Don Simpson the event promoter stated. The music could consist of country, rock, jazz, blues and pop.

This event will mean many seasonal jobs and some full-time positions. It was also said that anyone with a construction background or any other goods of services that the construction and operation will require will come from Springfield first.

Mr. Simpson stated MSG wants to be partners with the community; the goal is to work hand-inhand.

He went on to say that, ``if it’s not a success for you, then it won’t be a success for us,’’ and ``we want to give back to everyone in the community.’’

Now I would like to give you a heads up on what the option could be on this same site. There has been a gentleman from Texas also looking at this land to start a very large dairy operation.

He has expressed interest in the same 1,000 acres as the festival promoters. This farmer is proposing to put 5,000 head of cattle in Springfield. We as a community will have little say in this happening. There is a right-to-farm act which will allow this to move for- ward quickly and unhindered. Do you who are so concerned about protecting Springfield from corporate America realize the impact the farm would have on Springfield? Here is a small insight: the manure produced by 5,000 cows equals 87 tons per day. That’s approximately 32,000 tons

per year. The same 5,000 cows will drink 150,000 gallons of water per day...

that’s 54,750,000 gallons per year!

Will this affect the quality of your life? You can bank on it! This is not for a week, but all year long. Think back to when the two farms on the property were spreading slurry; now think eight to ten times that. Instead of trying to stop the Springfield Music Festival, consider what we can gain as a community. It’s time to stop and listen to MSGE and help make this a successful event for Springfield and MSGE.

Wake up and smell the roses before all you smell is slurry!

Michael Beckingham

East Springfield

Advocates call for moratorium

This week the Board of Directors of the Advocates for Cherry Valley voted unanimously to call on the Town of Cherry Valley and the Otsego County Board of Representatives to endorse, develop and support initiatives calling for a local and statewide moratorium on drilling for natural gas. The Advocates for Cherry Valley accept the critical importance of natural gas as an energy resource. And we fully recognize the economic benefits that its proper extraction could bring to our region.

But, in the wake of the gas industry’s relentless onslaught, many troubling questions have arisen that clearly indicate insufficient preparation on the part of the Department of Environmental Conservation, the designated lead agency in all matters related to gas exploration and drilling.

A further issue is the agency’s historical bias in favor of the energy lobby. Indeed, too much so to allow local communities any real assurance that their interests will be adequately protected.

The DEC’s draft supplement to the existing Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS), now being prepared for public scrutiny, is likely to be inadequate to the danger. If history is a precedent, typical procedure will allow the DEC to control an agenda both ill advertised, perfunctory and dismissive of public concern.

The potential consequences of inadequate safeguards, particularly with respect to the water table, suggest the cost of error could be catastrophic and irreversible.

Perhaps it is time to reconsider how issues so fundamental to public well being receive a final resolution. Too often in the past we have seen how special interests trump collective wisdom. We need only look at the PSC’s recent reversal of its long-standing tradition of opposition to monopoly control of utilities. Last week, under pressure from Senator Charles Schumer and the Governor’s office, it allowed Iberdrola, a foreign conglomerate, to retain the means of both production and distribution of electricity in New York, thus laying the groundwork for further vertical integration of the energy industry in our state.

Caution dictates a moratorium of sufficient duration to allow for a full airing of the issues, both pro and con.

Andy Minnig

Advocates for Cherry Valley

Seward hasn’t done all he could

It’s time for a change. Having been chairman of the insurance committee of the state senate for some time, our representative of 22 years, Jim Seward, has not done all he could to keep out health insurance at a level all families can afford. I recently learned that during the first half of 2008 nearly half of Seward’s campaign contributions came from insurance companies. The Utica Observer Dispatch of Sept. 10, 2008, reported that the state Senate Republican Campaign Committee has received more that five times as much insurance company funded money as the state Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, according to Citizen Action of New York, If we find this report disturbing, we can do something about it. We can choose to retire Senator Seward an elect Don Barber this November. Barber has vowed support of a newly introduced universal health care plan currently before Congress. And with new Democratic leadership we can work toward such a bill in our state as well.

Don Barber, a town supervisor for 10 years, also a builder and a lifetime farmer, deserves our vote for state senate, not only for health care, but also for other issues essential to so many families in our district. Here are a few.

Gas drilling: Barber supports gas drilling once the proper environmental protections are in place — but not before. He realizes how important the discovery of gas can be for our area, but he is also fully aware of potential dangers to our water supply from improper drilling decisions.

Property taxes: Barber will place a tax on millionaires, the one percent of top income earners in the state, in order to pay for substantial property tax cuts. He will also roll back unfunded mandates, which put too much of a burden on local families.

Minimum wage: Don Barber supports increasing the minimum wage — unlike Jim Seward, who has voted against increasing the minimum wage. Unions: Don Barber has been endorsed by unions because he understands the role they play in workplace standards and in economic stability for everyone.

Public financing of elections: Don Barber has vowed to do what he can to bring about the most basic change of all: Clean Elections, which, already in place in Arizona and Maine and soon to be in place in Connecticut, will assure us a government of the people, by the people and for the people, since under this policy no longer will candidates be forced to solicit funds from Big Business, but can truly represent the people who put him in office. Though many of us have felt warm gratitude toward Senator Seward for his many thoughtful grants to important local enterprises, it is time for a change. Let us vote for Don Barber for state Senate.

Hilda Wilcox Cooperstown Jumping for joy I would like to thank the lady that let two young men at Taylor’s gas station use her jumper cables to start my car. Great to know there are still good people in this world.

Elaien McLean

Hartwick

Seward a friend to Farm Bureau

In recognition of such strong legislative support, New York Farm Bureau has named a number of State Legislators to its annual “Circle of Friends” list.

The award is provided based upon an individual lawmaker’s record of support for New York agriculture and the Farm Bureau. As president of New York Farm Bureau, I am pleased to report that this year Senator James L. Seward has been recognized as a member of the Farm Bureau’s “Circle of Friends.”

This award is reserved for those state Legislators, such as Senator Seward who had superior voting records on issues and showed strong support for New York agriculture during the 2008 state legislative session. Each member of the Farm Bureau “Circle of Friends” has demonstrated an understanding of the important issues impacting farmers and the considerable impact the industry has upon our economy and quality of life.

New York Farm Bureau, the state’s largest general farm advocacy organization, works closely with the State legislature to strengthen and enhance the agricultural industry in New York State. This year’s legislative session proved to be a challenging one for farmers, but with significant support from key legislators in the Senate and Assembly, agriculture will continue to be one of New York’s most important industries. New York Farm Bureau is a non-partisan organization and does not endorse elected officials or political candidates. We are pleased, however, to provide the “Circle of Friends” designation to Senator Seward as a way to show our sincere appreciation for his hard work on behalf of agriculture in New York State.

John Lincoln, President

New York Farm Bureau

Gillibrand has proven her merit

As this year’s election draws near, I felt it appropriate to state my gratitude for all of the hard work done by Representative Kirsten Gillibrand during her first term. As an active duty Air Force officer and an absentee voter from the 20th District, I personally appreciate her diligent representation on the House Armed Services Committee as well as her work on the House Committee on Agriculture. Specifically, I’m pleased by her positive support on important veteran’s issues such as improved health care and expanded postservice benefits.

Christopher Willis

Columbia, S.C.