Thanks to all of the singers and folks who attended the 200 Years Singing In This Place event at the First Presbyterian Church. Your participation added to the joy of the day in this part of our Bicentennial celebration of our historic building. It was a great day.

Katie Boardman

Director of Music

First Presbyterian Church, Cooperstown

Stranger’s help appreciated

On Sunday evening, on a return trip from visiting relatives downstate, we were passing through Franklin when we hit a deer. We pulled over to see what damage there was to our van when a young man stopped to see if we were okay. On looking it over, we were not sure if we could make it to our home in Cooperstown.

The young man was going home to Schuyler Lake and said he would follow us to make sure we made it there okay. We did, and want him to know how much we appreciated his concern for us.

Thank you, again and again.

Peg Torruella

Cooperstown

Exercise class thriving

Congratulations to the Springfield senior exercise class on starting their fourth year. They must be doing something right because they continue to have 20 to 25 people every class. These seniors realize that after 30 years of age we lose one percent of muscle mass every year. A 65 year old has already lost 35 percent.

These exercises are beneficial and designed for seniors and we encourage seniors to take part in our one hour sessions on Monday and Thursday at the Community Center in Springfield. The class is sponsored by The Otsego Office for the Aging and is free to everyone. You may call me at 315-858-2151 if you have any questions.

George E. Rutler

Springfield Center

CCS: For the Record

Following are specific points that all school district residents should know.

First, you think that you just approved a budget with a 2.4 percent tax increase. What a deal you say. However, the budget you approved contained a refund of your tax dollars. In the past it would appear that you have been over taxed, and thus the amount of $650,000 is being returned to you. If it were not for this refund, the tax levy would have been up over 9 percent. This money has been allowed, unlawfully, to accumulate in a reserve fund and had to be returned to us. By law, the district administration and board can keep 2 percent of the total budget, or approximately $300,000 in the reserve fund. And, in spite of the fact that another $500,000 was returned to you at the beginning of the 2006-2007 budget process, the balance rose to over 1.6 Million by the end of the school year, 6/30/06. The perception on the part of the public is that the board is holding the line because that is what we’re told by the school. The facts suggest something else entirely.

Second, you think you just approved a capital project of $7.2 Million. What you approved was a project costing over $10.5 million with interest. Realistically, much of this work is needed, but very little publicity was given to the true amount.

Third, at the public hearing concerning the budget and capital project earlier this month a worried citizen asked the board if any attempt is ever made to produce a budget with no tax increase. Board President Scalici responded, "No, we don’t do that." Meanwhile the superintendent readily admits that enrollment is expected to decline 2 percent per year indefinitely. We’re nearing enrollment of 1,000 now versus over 1,350 ten years ago. It will be interesting to see how the school will continue to field its now 44 sports teams as the enrollment continues to drop.

The CCS board has been asked on several occasions to adopt a meaningful plan of cost reduction that preserves the quality of education. Veiled attempts have been tried with little impact so here we sit and wait ... until next year?

This situation will not improve without you getting involved. Speak up at meetings, address our elected officials and, most important, VOTE.

Rick Hulse, Sr.

Cooperstown

Writer should come forward

Recently, I received a two page unsigned scathing subjective document focusing on the operation of the Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School District. In my review, I found it to be self-serving, vindictive, without substance and clearly without defined knowledge of the duties and responsibilities and due diligence of a public school district in New York State. It is very sad to see a community defeat a budget based on a package of "contrived garishness."

Hopefully, this letter will be read by the "coward" and come forth to greet public school officials and those people who work diligently to maintain a quality academic institution within the resourcefulness of its school community. I personally challenge this "coward" to publicly address "any and all" issues referenced. I have always been a firm believer it takes an individual to tell the truth and practice the doctrine of diplomacy in addressing issues of individual and collective concern.

Dr. James P. McCarthy

Cherry Valley

Administration lacks credibility

May I begin by congratulating Ms. Green and Ms. Leonard on their recent CCS School Board victories. Hopefully, they have heard what the CCS Superintendent was unable to comprehend. Essentially, the public has vocalized that the school administration and board of education are severely lacking in credibility. In as much, they have once again defeated the capital budget.

What? The paper reported that the capital budget passed by 75 votes. Yep. 374 - 299.

At least one hundred twenty five of those PRO votes came from CCS faculty, staff, and administrators, who never had to leave their place of employment to cast their ballots. In fact, I wonder if any of them even had to stay after work to vote. When I voted (approx. 2:00 p.m.), voting CCS personnel outnumbered the public voters by 2 - 1.

And logically, one assumes that at least 50 percent (62) of the CCS spouses (or significant others) ventured out of their way to support a budget that would directly benefit their better halves. Hmmmmmm, that adds up to over 180 voters with special agendas.

Not to be misunderstood, CCS personnel and spouses (as long as they are district residents) have every right to vote as they see fit. Frankly, they would be fools not to support that which would benefit them. Yet, at the same time, if we take the over 180 fore mentioned PRO Votes out of the mix _ the Capital Budget would have been defeated by over one hundred votes. Yes, over 60 percent of those with no special agenda voted against the budget.

Ms. McPhail, Mr. Scalici, and all other CCS personnel must realize that they do not have the public support. When they eat at the local restaurants, shop at the local grocery, and walk the local streets, they are surrounded by those who disapprove of their agenda. They have lost credibility. It is time for change.

Before closing, you might ask yourself what happened to the other 203 votes _ the difference in vote totals between the operating budget and capital budget? That’s right _ someone wants us to believe that one of every four voters did not deem the capital proposal worthy of their vote. This is in great contrast to elections in the neighboring school districts.

Eric Rheinhardt

Cooperstown

Make decisions based on facts

This letter is directed to the authors of the letter that circulated last week about the Cherry Valley-Springfield budget and to those voters who believed that information to be factual and truthful.

That information is completely and utterly false and misleading. Please make your judgment about the CV-S budget based on facts and not slanted and misleading stats. Come and voice your opinions, either pro or con, about the budget and the school to the Board of Education and the Administration, but do not rely upon self-serving biased information passed off as fact by people who are not willing to stand up for their figures by signing their mass mailed letters.

Jordan Jaquay

Cherry Valley