The GEIS study of the Cooperstown region is nearing completion, and the board of volunteers who have worked on the project from the start will begin the process of editing the first draft for content.

Bill Gates, town of Otsego supervisor, David Bliss, Middlefield supervisor, Dr. Henry Weil, Middlefield town planning board chairman and the liaison between the GEIS project and the anonymous donors funding it, and Cooperstown Mayor Wendell Tripp met with project coordinator Nan Stolzenburg Wednesday to discuss the current state of the document.

The largest task still looming is the summary, which Stolzenburg will write. It will probably be based on the six questions initially posed that the GEIS strove to answer, and may also include information about the readability of the document, which could be close to two hundred pages long all told, with an extensive series of appendices and maps at the end.

"One of the last chapters will focus on mitigation practices targeted to a specific type of development," Stolzenburg said. "Not policy of legal aspects, but project specific, on the ground methods. The next chapter will focus on methods that municipalities can use to mitigate legal, program and policy aspects of development."

There are a variety of software options available for mapgazing and calling up specific parcels of land or aspects of the geography that might pose problems. Stolzenburg has divided these geographical limitations up into three sections: extreme, significant and moderate. An example of extreme limitation forbidding development would be a body of water. Significant and moderate aspects are far more abundant and ambiguous, and a parcel containing several may still be suitable for development, Stolzenburg said.

"This is a document of information and education," Weil said. "Not new rules."

"The point is to present a variety of perspectives that can be taken into account," Gates said after the meeting. During a discussion with the rest of the group, he said, "This is a mountain of information. Just digesting it is going to be a lengthy process."

Stolzenburg said she has attempted to maintain objectivity about aspects of the study. Rather than passing judgment on the relative value or disadvantage of a geographical condition, she said she has made every effort to present the information in as factual a manner as possible.

"I didn't try to overinterpret the data," she said.

The committee agreed that the finished document will likely have two audiences, the first being those who pick it up and read it out of curiosity or concern, and the second being those who will use it long term, like planning boards, town boards and developers.

"You can't promote tourism without placing it in the context, constraint and desire of the community," Stolzenburg said.

"My overall reaction is that this is wonderful, impressive work," said Tripp.

The committee will be meeting shortly to discuss changes. The results of this discussion will be forwarded to Stolzenburg, who will incorporate the suggestions into the document and create another draft prior to public review.