The seven candidates in next week's village election faced the largest crowd for a Candidates' Night in many years.

Following brief opening statements, the candidates fielded questions from the audience which began with village historian Hugh MacDougall asking about the importance of legal training and background for the office of village justice.

Gary Kuch, the Republican candidate for justice, admitted his was "weak" except for what he had learned in is his position as high school principal. Kuch said he would attend all the village justice training offered by the state, if elected.

Enid Hinkes, a Democrat, is completing her first four-term as justice and seeking a second, responded that she holds a law degree and had a private law practice in Washington D.C. for 28 years where she handled family and criminal court cases. She still maintains an appellate law practice in Washington D.C.

Her legal training, she said, put her in a better position to make certain court matters are handled in a manner consistent with the law.

Former mayor Wendell Tripp asked the four village board candidates who will bear the burden of paying for the operations and maintenance cost of the Linden Avenue visitor center and parking lot once it is built.

"I don't really know," said Republican incumbent Lee Malone, who serves as deputy mayor and chairs the village finance committee.

Malone suggested that the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce would be one obvious choice.

"Who will pay those is something that will have to be "ironed out," she said.

Dan Naughton, the second Republican candidate for trustee and a newcomer to village politics, said he was afraid it would become the responsibility of the village taxpayers.

If it is built, he said, village taxes will go up to pay to maintain it.

"Unless we get a guarantee tourism will be responsible, we don't need it," he said.

Democrat Milo Stewart Jr., who served one three-year term on the board and was defeated last year in his bid for reelection, said the operations and maintenance cost should be paid by the visitors who will use the facility and not the village taxpayers.

"It should not be put on taxpayers," he said.

Grace Kull, an incumbent who is also running on the Democratic ticket, said the board had not gotten to the point of determining how those costs will be paid. She said that some of the grant money might be set aside, or, like Malone, suggested perhaps the chamber of commerce would cover the cost.

"It won't be charged to our taxpayers," she said.

Tom Lyon then asked the candidates what is being done to work with the county to increase the village's share of sales and bed taxes.

Stewart replied that he did know what it would take to convince the county to give Cooperstown a greater share of the sales tax revenue, but that if elected, he was sure the board would work to do so.

Malone said the mayor and trustees are working hard to get more sales tax dollars.

"They just don't get it. They think Cooperstown is rich," she commented.

Naughton said the village board needs to plead its case before the county board representatives and suggested if they are not responsive, village residents should "vote them out."

Mayor Carol Waller, who is running unopposed for a third two-year term, said the county collected $29 million in sales tax revenue and Cooperstown receives approximately $250,000 as its share.

The planning committee, she said, has been working on going to the county, but that the village can not impose a tax.

"There's not much we can do except ask," she said.

Waller said the village is seriously looking into changing Cooperstown into a city so it can collect bed and sales tax.

Former village trustee Stephen Mahlum brought up the relationship between the village and the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce. Mahlum said that sometimes that relationship isn't what it should be. He asked if the village was still picking up the Chamber of Commerce's garbage and whether it should be.

"I believe we are," said Waller.

The mayor likened it to picking up garbage on Main Street which she said was primarily tourists' garbage. The chamber's garbage is, to a large extent, generated by tourists, she said.

"I do not feel we should be picking up chamber of commerce garbage," Naughton said.

Kull commented that she was not aware of the village's practice of picking up chamber of commerce garbage.

"To be perfectly honest," she said. "They shouldn't. The chamber should take care of it by themselves."

"I disagreed with it before and I still do," added Stewart.

But Malone said the village and the chamber work well together and there are many things the chamber does for the village.

"I'd hate to make that a focal point and loose the things the chamber does for the village," she said.

Michael Jerome asked the candidates about the pros and cons of becoming a city in order to collect more tax revenue.

Malone said that at this point she doesn't know much about it, but that there are advantages and disadvantages. She said the board needs to have a very thorough understanding before making such a move, but that right now she does not know enough to have a feeling.

"I don't know enough," Kull said. "It's very complex. I know village sounds better, but there are advantages to a city."

"It maybe worth it, but I don't like the sound of it," Stewart added.

Waller said she didn't like being the city of Cooperstown, but that the village has to look at every avenue for additional funds.

June Christman asked Kuch about a possible conflict of interest between his role as high school principal and village justice if he is elected because of confidential student information.

Kuch pointed out that the high school is not in the village and students who got in trouble there would be sent to the town of Otsego court in Fly Creek.

But it is not just students, he said, judges can and do have their friends and neighbors in court also.

If he does perceive there to be a conflict, he said he has the option to recuse himself and would.

Hinkes agreed it would be appropriate for a judge to recuse him- or herself if they perceived a potential conflict. She added that in Kuch's case it would not just be current students, but that he would also have knowledge of the personnel records of former students also.

"There's a lot of confidential information that comes before a principal that shouldn't come before a judge," she said.

Hinkes was asked if there was a conflict with a village justice handling appellate court case to which she replied there is absolutely no conflict because her practice is in Washington D.C.

In closing, Naughton said the biggest issue for him was taxes. He said in the five years he worked for the village, he was one of the most frugal maintenance men. He said. "it may be small things, but it's where many of our tax dollars are wasted."

Malone said she is "qualified, experienced and motivated" and has no real personal agenda except to serve the people of Cooperstown.

"I'm not a lawyer and to some people, that's a good thing," Kuch said.

Waller, who is again running unopposed, said she is proud to be mayor. She also assured village residents that all of the questions about the Linden Avenue project will be answered "before one shovel full of dirt is turned over."

The biggest thing facing the village right now is maintaining its infrastructure without it becoming a burden to the taxpayers.

Stewart said good communication is high on his list of priorities.

"I have the time and a love for our town," he said.

Kull said she has the time it takes to be trustee and considers it a priledge to serve on the board.

Hinkes said the village deserves a judge who, like herself, has the experience, training and time for the job. She added that she would like to see alcohol and substance abuse programs established in Cooperstown.

The election will be held next Tuesday, March 21, with voting from 12 noon to 9 p.m. in the firehouse on Chestnut Street. Voters will select a mayor, two trustees and a justice.