Cornell Cooperative Extension _ Helping you put knowledge to work. In lieu of the "new" human resource exit strategy and the arrogant silence as answer to the protests from the community regarding this matter, they should make it clear to you, how their form of knowledge works. This "not-for-profit" institution has set an accepted exit strategy, with its board and university’s support. What are the implications? Might it be, that the board is standing behind this "new" exit strategy as a model? Keep in mind this board is comprised of representatives from Bassett Healthcare, Pathfinder Village, a (former) Cooperstown Central School administrator, Oneonta School District, The Farmers’ Museum, Nationwide Insurance (Oneonta office), A.O. Fox Hospital, Cornell University, and the Otsego County Board, to name a few. What are the ramifications of these unwarranted dismissals and the blindsiding effect they have on the county, the state and the country?

Numerous inquiries have been sent out to these "representatives" and others. Not one response. If the representatives in their collective silence represent a new collective mindset concerning "unemployment" exit strategy, then I think you have a "new" fear looming on the horizon.

Your County Board of Representatives allocated money to help support an institution, CCE, which through its actions has contributed to the county’s unemployment rate. So what are the taxpayers paying for? Certainly not community outreach. With a multitude of letters of concern, written to prominent parties, involved directly, and/or proposed to hold CCE in such high regard, not one response has been received. That encompasses the state, county, the CCE board and CCE Executive Outreach Board (and Human Resource Department). What would you suppose?

Richard J. Pokorny

Middlefield

Object to proposed hotel

We are property owners at 3 Main St. and are abutters to the property of Woodside Hall. We object and are opposed to the efforts of Mr. Marc Kingsley to change the zoning of our neighborhood from R1A to R1 to accommodate his commercial enterprise at Woodside Hall. Until now, the properties east of the Susquehanna River have been free of the cancer that has infected most of the rest of the village.

Tourism, while a financial necessity for Cooperstown, need not overwhelm the entire village. It is enough that it has ruined the business section of Main Street without it being extended into our neighborhood. Once the zoning is changed, who knows what other commercial venture will be developed along Estli Avenue.

We are totally against the application of Mr. Kingsley to change the zoning of the residential area east of Estli Avenue. It’s time that the villagers voice their concerns for the quality of life in our town and neighborhoods. Rather than let tourism mold the character of our town, let’s begin to demand that our leaders respect and protect the people who live here and pay taxes.

Grace and Bob Lettis

Cooperstown

Feury ideal

for trustee

This letter is in support of Tim Feury, who is running for Village Trustee in Cooperstown. Tim has always been very civic minded and true to his convictions in life. He is a tireless advocate for what he believes in. I have personally known Tim for seven years and in that time he has shown kindness and understanding to everyone he meets. A rare quality these days. Tim has been very instrumental in assisting our Cooperstown United Methodist Church with its capital improvement plan, and Tim also brings with him a wealth of knowledge about finances and business relationships.

A true family man in every sense of the word, Tim and his family constantly open up their hearts to everyone they meet. I believe Tim has what it takes to be a successful Village Trustee and someone we all would be proud to have representing us. To coin a baseball phrase, Tim will definitely "step up to the plate" for all of us.

John Santello

Cooperstown

V-Day campaign a success

On behalf of the V Day Campaign of Cooperstown, we would like to thank the community for its support and generosity at our recent production of "The Vagina Monologues." We were able to raise more than $2,500 for national and local women’s causes. A very special thank you to Janet Erway with The Cooperstown Art Association for allowing us to use their space in the library; Carol Waller, who supplied the cast with their beautiful gerber daises; and Kim Potts of Leatherstocking Salon who came to the dressing room each night to help the ladies with their hair.

We would also like to thank the following people who so generously donated to our Chinese auction: Richard Duncan, Michael Whaling, Robin @Essential Elements, Kim @Curves, Frank Leo@Tunnicliff Inn, Chris Beebe, the art students at Cooperstown High School, Eileen Murphy, Cooperstown Concert Series, Maribeth Rubenstein, Will Dennison and Edna Strany.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Burk-Sciallo

Eileen Lieber

Make sure to vote March 20

On Tuesday March 20, from noon to 9 p.m., Cooperstown Village residents will have the opportunity to vote and therefore elect two of the candidates who are running for village trustee. I encourage all people over the age of 18 to take an active part in our government by registering and voting in this and every election. If you are unable to vote on March 20, you may obtain an absentee ballot from the Village Office by calling 547-2411 as soon as possible.

I am voting for Tim Feury, whom I have known for 40 years to be an honest, hard working, church going, family loving, community-minded man who grew up in Cooperstown, played CCS basketball, was an actuary for Blue Cross Blue Shield, is financial advisor for the Cooperstown Methodist Church, and is prepared to make sound decisions for the Village of Cooperstown. Please vote!

Linda Graham Smirk

Cooperstown

Vote Mebust

for trustee

It has been our pleasure to know Lynne Mebust personally and professionally. As Treasurer of the PTO and head of the Crayon Carnival, she has shown calm leadership and a high level of skill and problem solving. She has shown herself very capable of handling financial decisions and has always been willing to take on big projects. Her background in strategic planning and grant writing would help the Village in enormous ways. Her time on the Village Parks Board has shown her to be energetic and thoughtful and her input has been consistently productive.

Since she arrived in Cooperstown, she and her husband Kai have been vital members of the community, while raising three boys. Lynne Mebust will be an excellent asset to the Board of Trustees and has our complete support.

Jeff and Karen Katz

Cooperstown

More support

for Mebust

This March, Cooperstown residents have the opportunity to elect a truly talented and qualified leader to the Village Board of Trustees _ Lynne Mebust. I have known Lynne since my return to Cooperstown nearly three years ago and have worked with her closely on the board of the Cooperstown PTO.

As the PTO’s fundraising chair, I work frequently with Lynne in her position of treasurer. In this role, Lynne has worked to improve our organization’s budget process, by creating and following procedures and guidelines. I am impressed with her ability to manage the budget proactively. She has an uncanny ability to see the big picture while keeping the closest eye on the bottom line.

She does not shy away from complex situations and is comfortable synthesizing a lot of information with the goal of moving forward with a consensus. Clearly her prior work managing grants had prepared her for this role.

Lynne has put her concern for Cooperstown’s schools into action through her many activities in the PTO. As a trustee, she will bring this same dedication to the concerns of the Village. Her experience combined with her ethics and her love for all things Cooperstown makes Lynne Mebust my choice for Village Trustee. I hope that you will make her yours too.

Susie Lasher Knight

Cooperstown

Break the

bubble of silence

Having lived in Cooperstown for some 38 happy years, I know village concerns are supposed to be about water and sewer and zoning and streets.

However, I also know we do not live in an opaque bubble here, unable to look out into the big bad world.

I know an outside world exists and that in it millions of people, including our own American young soldiers, are suffering terrible life-long injuries of body and mind and some are dying. For what? That question exists and continues to exist, not only in the heads of people in the streets of Iraq and Afghanistan but also in our heads in Cooperstown.

Even in this cozy town, we are out brothers’ keepers, whether in Cooperstown or in the other side of the world.

What I’m leading up to is a plea to my neighbors in and around Cooperstown to join me on Sunday, March 18, at Templeton Hall on Pioneer Street in a Town Meeting dialogue about such questions as these: Why are we in Iraq? Are the four long years of our presence there beneficial to "ordinary" Americans and "ordinary" Iraqis or will we have never-ending war to look forward to that will broaden in scope and engulf the world of our grandchildren in debt and terror of many kinds we cannot now imagine?

Should we be patient, willing to follow the leader, George Bush, the daddy-who-knows-best, the decision maker, and wait till he gives the signal for stopping the war (when our treasury, billions slimmer by the month, starts to yell uncle) or should we urge our representatives to Do Something _ like impeachment, for example?

These and other life-and-death questions need to be discussed if we are to continue living in a land of the free _ as moral beings.

I know that in a small town it takes a certain degree of fearlessness to speak out on such matters as these. And I know that President Bush, if we do nothing, will be happy to represent us by "staying the course." Our silence _ as long as we and our children aren’t shipped off to Iraq _ or Iran _ will not interfere in any way with our daily comfort in Cooperstown _ in fact, it may even help to insure it.

However, what if in the tradition of town meetings in early America we decide to break our silence and join the thousands across the country in a true exchange of views, we can make our representatives in Congress know that we are alive and awake, and have opinions outside of our village bubble?

But if we snuggle back into our bubble and stay mute and let those in high places do our thinking for us, what will our grandchildren say about us?

Please come and exchange ideas with us on Sunday, March 18, at 2 p.m. in Templeton Hall.

Hilda Wilcox

Cooperstown

Hage for trustee

To the Village Residents of Cooperstown:

We are writing to express our support of Eric Hage in his candidacy for Cooperstown Village Trustee. We’ve known Eric and Noelle for more than five years and have witnessed their genuine commitment to the betterment of our community.

And, although we are not residents of the village, we share their devotion to family and community service.

As a member of the Cooperstown Fire Department I shall never forget the effort Eric and Noelle put into hosting members of the FDNY after 9-11. As a way of saying thanks, Eric and Noelle rallied our community and arranged accommodations, a baseball game against the CFD at Doubleday, a scenic round of golf at Leatherstocking, and a very memorable church service to honor those who gave so much.

Their support of the fire service doesn’t end there. They made it a point to attend public hearings to speak in favor of our service award program. As a result of their support and others, the Cooperstown Fire Department is achieving new heights in participation, membership and service.

Eric has also been a strong supporter of local sports programs. He can often be found with his kids attending high school basketball and football games. He has volunteered time as a coach with soccer and most recently the Cooperstown Youth Football League. As president of the league, I had the opportunity to work with Eric this year and truly enjoyed his support, especially his sense of humor and enthusiasm for teaching. I saw first hand his strength as a supportive member of our coaching staff whose love for the game was surpassed only by his enthusiasm for each child’s success.

However, what stands out about Eric is his balanced approach to life and ability to keep things in perspective. As an accomplished student, investment professional, and entrepreneur, his life experiences speak volumes about the value he has to offer the very deserving Village of Cooperstown.

Eric is acutely aware of the need and potential for sustainable economic development to assist with easing of the tax burden, but fully recognizes that any such initiative should also be balanced with the safeguarding of the community’s character and charm.

He acknowledges the need to be supportive of the quality of life issues that are essential for attracting and retaining the young and old who vitalize our local economy.

On March 20, the residents of Cooperstown have the privilege of electing people from the community whose values will have a positive impact. It is for this reason that we ask for your support in electing the Independent candidate, Eric Hage.

Michael and Colleen Perrino

Hartwick

CV-S project vote is Tuesday

On March 13, eligible voters of the Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School District will have the opportunity to vote on a proposed capital project.

The proposed project focuses on safety and security, needed building repairs, energy conservation, expanding educational opportunities, and realizing operational efficiencies. To fund the project, about a one-half of one percent (.54 percent) increase in our school taxes will be necessary.

This additional investment by the community will ensure that our school is designed to appropriately serve our current enrollment in a safe, secure, efficient and up-to-date facility.

Details about the project are available at the school Web site, http://www.cvscs.org. Highlights include: replacing the leaking roof; building a new secure entrance that all visitors must pass through before entering the school; expanding and relocating the Library Media Center for up-to-date, inclusive education in technology; and installing energy efficient systems that will save tens of thousands of dollars each year.

The project proposal is largely the work of a dedicated Citizens Advisory Council. The 20-member Council, including residents, parents, teachers, administrators, and Board members, met nearly every week between October and January. The group worked diligently to develop a proposal that balances the needs of the school with the resources of the community.

The members of the Citizens Advisory Council deserve our thanks and respect. Please join me in honoring the work of our neighbors by taking the time to familiarize yourself with the project details, and going to school on March 13 between 12 and 8 p.m. to cast your ballot.

Steve Schneider

Cherry Valley

Wind worth

the sacrifice

What better way to ensure farmland protection and preservation of rural character than with wind?

Growing up in the rural landscape of upstate New York has certainly had its pros and cons over the decades, for me and my family. There are certain prices you pay living in rural areas, such as the convenience of businesses near to provide for your needs and wants at any given moment.

However, for every time that I wish I had more comforts at my fingertips, there are at least quadruple the amount of times I appreciate the tranquility of this area that has been my home for decades.

I fear, as many farmers do, the seemingly unavoidable blight of what once represented the cornucopia of America _ our farmlands. With the increasing size of our population, it is clear that we are running short on room for everyone and we all have to make compromises in order to accommodate this population. We need to keep farming, as America needs farms to sustain itself.

What better way to ensure this than to host a wind farm that will provide a positive and sustainable economic impact!

For the area really needs it. It will protect our farmers and their land, enabling them to continue farming and maintaining the rural character of this area that many treasure.

Many people in the towns of Warren and Stark understand what it is like to have a very tight budget. We eat food and fill up landfills but can’t really afford to support the more expensive organic produce, or the responsibly made, but over-my-budget trash bags or paper products.

We use electricity, but we can’t afford to pay a premium to do our part in supporting renewable energy. But what we now have in our hands is the opportunity to support something that is good for the environment, good for our schools and our children and their children, good for our air, good for our land, and good for the economy and our own pockets. For all of the resources that I use from this land, I know I can handle seeing majestic wind towers as I look out my window.

If it is quiet enough, I may even hear a "woosh" from the blades as they pass though the wind, generating clean electricity for our state. It will remind me that I supported this and did what I was capable of to make this world better, cleaner, and healthier for everyone.

To those of you in other areas that might see the turbines in the far distance on a clear day, I hope you will be able to think that, too, and be proud that you supported sustainable development that benefits the good of many, not just a few.

Lorene Bernhardt

Jordanville, N.Y.