The First Meeting

I'm not sure I'll be posting about each meeting; I'd rather talk about issues and planning. But this was the first meeting for me, and therefore, significant.

The meeting began with calling the roll. After the Pledge, we were all sworn in by Judge Brian Burns. He began by telling us that he had run across a copy of Board minutes from 1804, and was struck by the similarities he found between that meeting and this. In 1804, it was very probable that the founder of Cooperstown and the driving force behind the creation of Otsego County, Judge William Cooper, was in the room, or nearby, ready to provide his wisdom, influence or experience to the legislators.

As we were sworn in, we faced the folks who had come to speak, and to listen, and I saw the importance of this moment reflected in some of the faces: lighter, vibrant, luminous. This was a moving and significant moment for me – and, I'm sure, for my colleagues – and it seemed that the folks in the back of the room understood that – which made it all the more special.

On to business. After a protracted nomination process and debate, we elected the first female Chair of the Otsego County Board in history. More details in the Daily Star article. Kathy Clark will be a fine Chair; she got a good start on Wednesday.

After dozens of routine approvals, we got to the Home Rule resolution, which is what most of the folks in the back of the room had come for. Earlier in the meeting, there had been a very long public comment period; speakers from both sides of the fracking issues made their cases, without exception, passionately and articulately. Our debate focused more tightly on the details of the resolution before us: it was simply a resolution of support for Senator Seward's legislation empowering each local municipality to determine whether or not to allow hydrofracking within its borders. I voted for the resolution (more detail here), as did all Board members who had run on an anti-fracking platform, and it passed. I still don't quite understand why we should oppose letting our Town Boards make decisions about something this significant.

Next meeting is next week (Wednesday, January 11 at 6:00 PM), when committee assignments are made. This is an important process, and one that highlights the power of the Chair. Here's hoping the assignments are made in a truly bipartisan manner, allowing all Board members to make a difference.

Senator Seward's Survey

I assume that you all got the same survey in the mail that I did, from NY State Senator Seward's office. He asks a few simple questions about some important topics, and leaves room for comment.

One of the questions involves the home rule issue for gas drilling. Sen. Seward has proposed legislation allowing local municipalities (county, town, city) to restrict, regulate or ban the kind of heavy industry that hydrofracking represents. This is a very difficult and controversial topic – giving us local folks the ability to say “no” to some of the largest corporations in the world.

If you agree that this is an important issue for us here in Otsego County, I would urge you to complete the survey and send it in. Make your opinion known. We are at a point in time where we are able to have an impact at the point of action. Let's not miss it.

If you didn't get a survey, or don't have it any more, you can complete it at Sen. Seward's website. I looked there and didn't find it, so I've contacted Sen. Seward's office and I will update here as soon as I get a reply.

UPDATE:  1-10-12:  The survey is now up on the site, available from the home page - just click on "Share Your Ideas for a Stronger New York." 

Possible Job Opening

I just got a notice of a job opening in the Board of Elections, and thought this blog might be a good way to spread the word.  The position is not currently open, but the BoE anticipates a retirement this Spring.

The Board of Elections tries to strike a party balance with the whole staff, which is why they will be looking for a registered Democrat.

 

Here's the message:

The Otsego County Board of Elections anticipates a possible job opening at the Board of Elections to replace a long term employee who is planning on retiring in the Spring.  The position to be filled is for an Elections Specialist.  They pay is about $30,000 / per year with standard Otsego County Benefits.  The job is in Cooperstown and requires a M-F, 8 hour / day schedule.  It is mostly clerical / administrative in nature.  If you know of any interested Democrats who might be interested in this position, please ask those people to go to this link and fill out the form there.
http://tinyurl.com/OCElections
We will be in touch with them once the position opens. 

 Questions?  You can call the BoE at (607) 547-4247 or -4325, or contact them by e-mail.

SGEIS Comment

Earlier this week, my wife and I attended a letter-writing workshop at Capresso on Main St. Dave Hutchison, a retired Hartwick College geology professor, provided information and strategies for making effective comments on the DEC's current draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (dSGEIS). This is, as I understand it, the State's statement regarding whether hydrofracking is safe or not. It's a 1,500 page document, so it's pretty complex. At the end of the day, however, the draft indicates that hydrofracking can be safe if proper precautions are in place.

Here's the letter I wrote today, and will send to Gov. Cuomo and the DEC:

I am a newly-elected County Representative. During the next few years, I'll be asked to take action, on behalf of my constituents, on the topic of hydrofracking here in Otsego County.

I've made a tremendous effort to understand this process and its effects on the landscape where it occurs. I have found no source of information that suggests that it will be as safe as we need it to be.

In Otsego County, our natural resources – beautiful countryside, pristine lakes and rivers, clean air and water – are the economic engines that support so many of our citizens in the tourism industry. We cannot lose this, and the drilling rigs, pumping stations, buffalo tanks and endless heavy truck traffic will change our world forever.

But more importantly, we – and every other community located above the shale deposits – have not been shown any evidence at all that our water will be safe if drilling proceeds. In fact, we're being convinced of the opposite. Exempting the NYC and Syracuse watersheds from drilling suggests that you are already concerned about the danger (and arguments about different treatment processes are not convincing, as the chemicals causing the concerns are not necessarily removed by other municipal water systems). And the news from Pavillion, Wyoming, where groundwater has clearly been contaminated by hydrofracking, simply helps to make the case.

There is no technology currently available that will guarantee the safety of our watersheds in the presence of hydraulic fracturing. We need a guarantee, not assurances that it is 'reasonable safe.' There is no remedy for contamination – you can't go back and 'clean up' a watershed or aquifer – and so I must request that you take action to suspend the granting of drilling leases statewide until technology is developed which can guarantee that our water will not be compromised.

Here's the distinction I think needs to be made: hydrofracking must be 100% guaranteed safe for it to be safe at all, because we can't go back and fix it. And there's no way it can be made safe given current technology. Case closed.

Budget Workshop

The newly-elected Board members got a glimpse of the steep learning curve facing them last night at Treasurer Dan Crowell's first 2012 County Budget workshop. But after all the complexities are sorted out – and they are many, especially given the funding traffic among the County, towns, city, state and the federal governments – the news seems better than one might expect. Sales tax revenue is above expectations, and there are other expected expenditures which will be less than anticipated.

It's still a tough time to try and fund a municipal government – and so far it has taken the elimination of 23 full and part time positions to balance the budget. Even though 19 of these position are currently vacant, that will have an impact on services. Our fund balance is in good shape, especially compared with other nearby counties, with the possible exception of the $5 million owed to it by the Manor which, at this point, the Manor cannot pay.

The conversation last night – hard work, tough choices, good people trying to do an almost impossible job – strengthened my commitment to prioritization and planning. If we had a clear view of, for instance, the top three (non-mandated) County priorities, this process would be – well, not easier, but simpler.

The next budget workshop – open to the public – is on Monday, November 28 at 1:00 PM, in the Board room at the County Office Building.

I had an interesting reaction to the Pledge of Allegiance we all said at the beginning of the brief Board meeting which preceded the budget workshop. In a career in public schools, I've said the pledge a million times (most recently that morning). This time, my first as a part of the system of government that the Pledge is about, I was moved to tears by the words – especially “...one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

That's my job – a little part of maintaining that Nation. It's an awesome privilege, and a massive responsibility. I'll do my very best to live up to the confidence of the citizens who sent me to Cooperstown.

Civil Debate

I was a little distressed to see the headline on the front page of the Star – two days after the election - “Split county board could lead to clashes.” Of all the ways to characterize the new configuration in Cooperstown come January, this was not, perhaps, the most useful.

There will certainly be a new atmosphere at Board meetings; from a deficit of 5-7 (and, within the last year, 4-7), the Democrats will have an equal number of voices in debate. And although Republicans will have the advantage in weighted votes, the greater number, and variety, of Democratic voices will guarantee a new environment in the Board room on Wednesdays.

I think this is going to be a very good thing, but characterizing the new term as adversarial, rife with 'confrontation' and 'clashes,' can only make real progress much harder.

If there were no differences of opinion, there wouldn't be a need for democracy – or for government at all, actually. We expect those differences. They form the heart of the legislative process. Handled well, they lead to creative solutions to difficult problems.

I was not elected to sit quietly and listen; I'm not so good at that anyway. I will certainly join the debate, and make my points in no uncertain terms. However, the privilege I have been granted – to represent my neighbors in a democratic legislature – requires that I honor those citizens, and my fellow legislators, by acting with the utmost civility and respect. I suspect that this is the fundamental intent of all the County Reps, veteran and rookie, Republican and Democrat. Speculating on uncivil discourse which may never happen is in no one's best interest (although it makes better news than its opposite).

There's a lot of hard work to do. Let's go into the new term expecting not conflict and clashes, but lively and stimulating – and ultimately fruitful – debate.

Thanks!

Well, that was exciting!

Thanks to all who voted - you probably know how I feel about voting by now; it's patriotic, and essential to democracy.  Also essential are folks who are willing to take on the democratic process even when they're outnumbered.  Barbara Jass worked hard, learned a lot and provided friendliness and good cheer in a hard campaign.  Thanks, Barbara! 

I'm looking forward to January and the start of a new adventure.  The Democrats won't have the majority, but there will be seven of us, and seven Republicans, and the committee assignments should be interesting.  I know that I am not the only one who will be looking carefully for ways to have an impact on propositions and policy.  Right now, I am most interested in finding ways for the Board to establish a clear set of priorities for Otsego County; this will assist us in all major decisions, and will allow us to make decisions which are truly in the County's best interest.

Right now the plan is to continue this blog as a major channel of communication between me and the citizens of District 11 (and anyone else who's interested).  Feel free to use the Comments section available at the end of each post, or write me directly at otsego11@gmail.com.

And thanks again.  Let's make some progress!

Election Day

Well, we're down to it.

Dozens of candidates in Otsego County, and thousands nationwide, have been working for months (in some cases, years) to prepare for Tuesday, Election Day. Citizens striving to be part of democracy in a different way.

I've met lots of you and heard from more. I've talked and listened. I've stuffed envelopes, and prepared for debates. I've walked every street in this District and knocked on just about every door. I am exceptionally grateful for your hospitality, as you welcomed me onto your porches and smiled while you let me say my piece. For a moment, we did democracy, together, there on the porch.

So let's do it again. Democracy. Let's go down to the Foothills atrium on Tuesday and vote. Everybody wins when people vote.

And, again, thanks. Win or lose, I've had a great time.

Debate

 It turns out that if you missed the League of Women Voters' debate last Tuesday night on the SUCO campus, it's available online (or will be shortly) here. I participated in the County Board candidate debate, with Barbara Jass, my Republican opponent, and the two candidates for the seat representing the Town of Oneonta on the County Board: Rich Murphy and Scott Gravelin.

I've been in awe of the LWV for a long time. They have a passion for democracy that is unparalleled in our society, I think, and they make an enormous effort to include all citizens in the process, without a taint of partisanship, ever.

Anyway – here's one more way to find out about the candidates. Enjoy!

UPDATE:  The video doesn't seem to be posted at the LWV site yet (it's 11/5).  Sorry - keep checking...

Daily Star questionnaire: Prosperity

I just finished completing a platform questionnaire for the Daily Star.  I'll be posting the questions, and my answers.  Here's the third one.  The fourth one was about hydrofracking; I took it almost verbatim from my "Clearing Up The Onion a Little" post, so there's no need to repeat it.

If elected, what steps would you take or support to ensure the county's economic prosperity?

I think we need to be realistic about what County government can do to substantially impact the economic prosperity of Otsego County. I find it odd that the voices which strongly oppose government intervention or regulation (mostly in good times) are the first raised to demand that government improve the economic environment in bad times. 
 
Government – federal, state and local – can, at best, adjust some of the parameters at the periphery of economic activity. Tax policy, regulation, infrastructure and active marketing of under-used economic resources are its major tools. The primary responsibility for economic growth lies with private industry. I think that the County has a role, as well, but at most, a secondary one.

In Otsego County, we have some of the best conditions for economic activity that could be imagined. World-class tourism sites, breathtaking lakes, beautiful and accessible countryside; history, opera, geology, art. Clean, fresh air and water. Rail and highway access. We have two hospitals and two colleges. 
 
We have not suffered from a lack of economic development councils and the plans they have developed. It's hard to believe that, over the years, all that activity has missed major methods of marketing our County and workable ideas for stimulating business. We certainly need to keep doing this kind of thing: letting professionals examine what is, and plan for what could be.

Once again, of course, we need to consider just what role the County has in economic development, especially in a long-term economic downturn, when drastically reduced revenues require public and private organizations to make hard choices. Tax incentives, infrastructure upgrade and regulatory relief can encourage business growth, but they each have their cost: incentives and infrastructure cost the other taxpayers money, and regulatory relief often has a negative impact on their quality of life. How much of this cost are we willing to pay? Hopefully, it will depend on the priority level established by the Board, if they are able to – and choose to – take on that responsibility.