HARTWICK - Town officials in Hartwick told representatives from the New York State Department of Transportation that sidewalks should be part of the plan to upgrade a 3.2 mile stretch of State Highway 28, south of Cooperstown.

Local officials also heard from the DOT that it now appears a plan to move the historic Willsey house will likely have to be changed. Following an initial conversation with federal highway administration officials, project manager John Fitzgerald of the DOT office in Binghamton said that to pursue the idea of moving the house could delay the project as long as 18 months.

Members of the planning and town boards met Thursday night in an effort to reach a consensus about the pedestrian walkways and give the highway agency some direction for the design phase of the project.

Late last year the DOT asked the town to make a choice about sidewalks following public meetings in which there was no clear choice among property owners and officials. In January, the agency sent a questionnaire to property owners along the highway asking their preferences about sidewalks. More votes among those responding were cast for sidewalks with some favoring east or west sides of the highway or both.

Planning board co-chairman Dick Kelly, who lives on Route 28 in Hyde Park, said he had come to the conclusion that sidewalks should be included from the intersection of County Route 11-C to the Dreams Park on the east side of the highway.

Town supervisor Carol Niedzialkowski commented that she had driven up and down the highway, talked to many people and agreed with Kelly.

"I'm also in favor of lowering the speed limit to 35 miles per hour in the summer," she said. "We're inviting people into the area; inviting families. People feel they have to drive from Leatherstocking Lodge to McDonald's because it's not safe."

Planning board member Paul Ingalls, who lives and farms on Route 28, said it would be easier to install sidewalks on the west side of the road from the Dreams Park to the Commons because of the church and cemetery which are situated so close to the road.

"It would make more sense to have it on the west side in Hartwick Seminary," he said.

Project manager John Fitzgerald explained to the boards that it was important to think about the future of the highway corridor and what the town envisions for it.

"From the town's point of view, it should be what it will look like in 20 years. If it continues to develop, maybe you'll want to consider sidewalks on both sides," he said. "You want to make sure you're doing the right thing for the future."

DOT engineer Kirk Boothroyd commented that putting in curbs and sidewalks will give the area a more urban look.

"I like that urban look, Kelly said. "It dresses it up."

Niedzialkowski polled all the town officials on the question of sidewalks and with the exception of Mary Balcom of the town board and planning board member Lynn Green, all were in favor.

The supervisor said she expects the town board to adopt a formal resolution at its meeting March 8.

Fitzgerald said they would take the town's recommendation and return to the drawing board to see what the designers can do to sidewalks into the design for the project.

"The recommendations from the town are recommendations we will consider. When we look closer we will know if they're feasible," Fitzgerald said.

Niedzialkowski asked Fitzgerald and the designers to also take a look at the impact of sidewalks on the west side of the highway from the Commons to the Dreams Park.

With the sidewalk question answered, talked turned to the Willsey house and the fact that it now looks like the house will remain where it is.

Fitzgerald said federal highway administration officials don't believe the DOT will be allowed to move the historic house to change the curve in the road.

Because the project will utilize public funds, the agency must work to minimize the impact to structures which may be eligible for inclusion on the state and national registers of historic places.

"They're telling us, 'it doesn't look good,"' Fitzgerald said. "It does not look like we will be able to move that house back."

Fitzgerald said he believes the DOT's designers will be able to adequately address safety concerns and that the federal highway agency will require them to use one of those design options that does not impact the house as severely.

"If you don't fix that curve, you haven't accomplished anything on that road," said Dr. Francis Fassett whose home and veterinary practice are across from the Willsey house. "If Mike's house isn't moved, I don't see how you can fix much."

Fitzgerald said that if the Willsey house is not moved, the road will be widened on both sides and impact both the Willsey and Fassett properties.

Boothroyd explained that the DOT can meet is safety goals by employing a design option that does not require moving the house.

"We can't always fix non-standard curves," Fitzgerald said. "We have those curves all over New York state. It is very close to meeting standards."

Town officials stood firm in their belief that the highway would be better if the Willsey house were moved back from the road, but Fitzgerald cautioned that they should expect the project to be delayed substantially - maybe as much as 18 months to the fall of 2006.

Niedzialkowski said she didn't believe it was fair to hold up the project and has asked Senator James Seward for assistance.

"We're not ready to roll over," she told the DOT representatives.

Fitzgerald said they will pursue moving the house, but that there is no guarantee the federal highway administration will go along with the plan.