Remember - blog posts migrate downward, so the most recent post is at the top; the oldest at the bottom.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Northern Transfer Station

Andrew Marrietta, County Rep from the town of Otsego, recently prepared this letter in order to clear up the confusion, created primarily by a political opponent, regarding the closure of the Northern Transfer Station, outside of Cooperstown on Rt. 28.  The facility, which has been deteriorating for years and was, originally, poorly designed, leading to safety and traffic issues, will be updated and improved, resulting in a much better experience for all concerned.  The renovation will, however, required a six week closure, which is, naturally, of concern to residents.
     For the last year and half, I have received many phone calls about the disrepair of the Northern Transfer Station
in Cooperstown. I have had local Cooperstown residents call me about punctured car tires, and they have related how
they no longer visit the Transfer Station or bring their recycling because of the poor quality of the entrance road and
paving around the building. I’m a frequent visitor to the Transfer Station myself, going there weekly. There is no
question that the Transfer Station is in need of significant repairs and shows the impact of years of deferred
maintenance.
     Since being appointed to the Solid Waste and Environmental Concerns (SWEC) Committee in January of 2016, I
have continuously learned about the County’s solid waste management operations, including the significant repairs
planned for the Southern Transfer Station in Oneonta and the Northern Transfer Station in Cooperstown. The SWEC
Committee received updates on these construction plans and coordination between Casella Waste Management and
Cobleskill Stone, including that the general rollout was to occur sometime in 2017. This construction information shared
with SWEC also made clear that the scope and scale of the work at the Northern Transfer Station would require some
limited closure. Although the question was raised about trying to allow some kind of access during the repair and
renovation, the safety and logistical challenges were stressed and outweighed any such option.
     I also have learned through the SWEC Committee that the County supports a number of Drop-Off Centers, which
are listed on the County website (
www.otsegocounty.com/depts/sw/OCDropoffCenters.htm) , and include Cherry
Valley, Decatur, Exeter, Hartwick, Maryland, Morris, Oneonta, Pittsfield, Richfield, Springfield, Unadilla, Westford and
Worcester. Many of these Drop-Off Centers offer recycling and bagged garbage disposal options. More specifically, I
learned that the Drop-Off Centers in Exeter, Cherry Valley and Richfield Springs offer recycling and bagged garbage
options, while Hartwick offers recycling only.
     Otsego County’s solid waste management information and efforts are guided by the County’s Planning
Department Head Karen Sullivan and her staff. The SWEC Committee members are supported and informed by these
essential County employees. With this in mind, the July 31
st announcement that the Northern Transfer Station closure
would occur August 21
st and last until September 30th was not ideal. I myself actually learned on July 31st of the
Cooperstown Transfer Station upcoming closure first from a constituent, John Phillips, who called me from NTS about
notices being given. I then called Karen Sullivan about this notice, which she confirmed and explained the reasoning for
the action and her Department’s plans to notify residents and work to make the most of the 3 week timeframe. She
indicated Board notification and a press release were being sent, which all County Reps received that day (July 31
st).
     Overall, this news was unexpected, but regardless of the timing, I understood this was a difficult decision made by our
Department Head in the best interest of Otsego County, so I contacted the Town of Otsego Supervisor, the Mayor of
Cooperstown and my additional contacts about the closure on July 31
st. I emphasized the scope of the work being
carried out (relocation and replacement of 30 year old scale; improving the scale entry and traffic flow; new drainage
catch basins; removing the “mound” that exists adjacent to the existing scale house with a smaller unit; road
improvements; and new signage), and I pointed out the Drop-Off Centers. I also encouraged people to attend the
August 2
nd County Board meeting, including John Phillips, to share their feedback and concerns about the closure. It was
at this meeting that expanding the operating hours of Exeter to mirror the Cooperstown Transfer Station (Mon, Wed,
Friday 7am to 12pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm), which was already a County Drop-Off Site, was discussed and then
finalized the next day.

No comments:

Post a Comment