To the Editor:
The sun shone down on Cooperstown Saturday, Aug. 9, as 600-plus people came out to show their support for “Miss Mary” Turi.
A warm “thank you” goes out to all the kids, parents, grandparents, friends, neighbors, corporate sponsors (over 50!), bakers, volunteers, sign hangers and even several unsuspecting tourists!
Our community pulled together on very short notice. We could be amazed at the way this community responded to Mary, but we’re not amazed at all. The Cooperstown Community can always be counted on to rise to the occasion.
Again, thanks to so many, and please keep Mary in your thoughts as she continues to recover. Mary – see you back in preschool soon!
MARCIE BIRCH
and other organizers of ‘Mary Turi Day’
Toddsville

TOP PHOTO: Mary Turi’s family members from New Jersey and Pennsylvania participating in Mary Turi Day include, from left, Briana Turi, Justin Scott, Sean Turi holding Shawn Scott, and Darla Foley. The event, to benefit the pre-school teacher who is fighting cancer, was held Saturday, Aug. 9, at Barnyard Swing in
Hartwick Seminary.

BOTTOM PHOTO: Some 36 individuals and businesses contributed $100 each to sponsor holes on the miniature golf course. Here, David Baker, 4, of Milford, one of Mary Turi’s students, tests his skill.


353 Love Springfield, Don’t Want It Ruined

To the Editor:
The truth hurts and it’s becoming quite clear by the letters in the papers personally attacking anyone or group who takes the time to do independent research regarding Type I projects, such as the proposed MSG Entertainment festival in Springfield.
When the facts start coming out unfavorably, people pushing for the project who have no real information to defend their claims, distract us with statements that make no sense. It’s almost like they all read and copied from the same propaganda pamphlet.
One point repeatedly mentioned is jobs. Please tell me how dumping human waste and garbage for less than a week, and a few permanent grass-cutting jobs, are going to bring industry or provide long-term growth?
If this concert were to go through, some people would make some money, but money isn’t everything in life that matters. You know what they say, “the love of money is the root of all evil.” Some people hear the word, “money” and their brains shut off. Our quality of life in Springfield is not for sale.
The example for a model of our concert, which MSG used from the beginning, was a concert in Manchester, Tenn., called “Bonnaroo.” Rolling Stone Magazine did an expose on this concert in a recent issue which showed: nudity, drugs, alchohol, crime, traffic jams for days, noise, litter everywhere, trespassing on private property.
This resulted in jails being full, hospitals overloaded and resulting environmental problems and decreased property values. When we called to check with the Sheriff’s office in Manchester, this is what they told us also. Some of our town officials and pro-everything people said these aren’t legitimate concerns.
These same people say our petition was gathered by a handful of NIMBYS (not in my backyard): 353 NIMBYS, that’s some big backyard! Let me tell you, this rock festival isn’t only going to affect a handful of NIMBYS; it will affect our whole town and neighboring towns as well.
They also accused us of using scare tactics and unfounded information, but the Planning Board just confirmed our concerns are very real. They must have us confused with their petition. Our petition was signed by 353 intelligent, knowledgeable, upstanding citizens and taxpayers who make up their own minds and can’t be coerced.
In fact, MSG’s plan being a Type I action and the moratorium calling for a nine-month halt of all Type I actions does reflect that our petition was also in favor of the moratorium. 353 vs. 189, and not all of these 189 were taxpayers.
The larger percent of the town’s wishes are reflected in the results of the questionnaire sent out by the Comprehensive Planning Committee, which these same people and some town officials also choose to ignore.
We are for appropriate development and new business. This festival is too large for this town and bad for the environment. It will likely bring real-estate values down and taxes up. The whole town will suffer as a result.
The motorcycle track project was shot down because the SEQR process proved it would be bad for the environment and inappropriate for this small town.
I’m getting fed up with some town officials and pro-everything people being quoted in the paper bad-mouthing our town, saying things such as “our town is dead,” “farming is dead,” and 45 businesses “failed” and the town has “no future.” Blah, blah, blah. Springfield is none of these things.
Your life is what you make it. Don’t blame the town if you are unhappy with your life. If you don’t like Springfield, move to a town that better suits you. Stop trying to ruin our town for those of us who truly love it and care about its future.
Contrary to an earlier letter, we are not all “part-time residents nor retired or rich.” As for me, I just want to live a peaceful, country life.
ROSEMARIE HARRISON
20-Year Resident
East Springfield

Vacant Doubleday Means Village Is Losing Money

To the Editor:
If I was to close my restaurant for four days in August, most people would think I had gone mad.
But the fact is no games were played in Doubleday Field Aug. 4, 5, 6 and 7, a loss of at least $4,800; a loss to merchants of four times that amount. If every member of the board is OK with this kind of scheduling, something is wrong.
The facts are that around 300 parking tickets are sitting on the judge’s desk waiting to be adjudicated, a value of $10,500.
If the board doesn’t understand the ramifications of these facts and if the residents of Cooperstown don’t realize how much these constant losses of revenue mean to us, then call me I will be glad to go over the losses of revenue that constantly occur in our village.
I would like to see one member of the board stand up and be counted as a bearer of the facts. I would like Grace Kull to explain that the mayor said we are generating $1,000 a day on the parking machines as a fact. I would like the mayor to publish the actual numbers earned from the Pay & Display parking machines.
Grace, if you want to know what I think, stop in at TJ’s. I will be glad to buy you lunch and you will be able to clear up all of the misstatements I have made. Bring any member of the board with you that would like to clear up my thoughts on how to run a successful business.
TED HARGROVE
Cooperstown

Who Are We Going To Believe?

To the Editor :
Which one are we to believe: Ted Hargrove or Mayor Waller?
Both had their monetary pronouncements in the Aug. 1 issue of The Freeman’s Journal. Ted says that we have a financial disaster at Doubleday Field, while the mayor describes the revenue success in the same area, Doubleday Parking lot.
I guess you could say that both are true, but if one offsets the other, who’s to worry? In fact the merchants would benefit more from Carol’s report than Ted’s.
Wait till next year when all of Main Street will have paid parking. What a revenue stream the village will have then.
BOB LETTIS
Cooperstown

‘Most Highly Qualified.’ Can We Do Any Better?

To the Editor:
With the ugly political season ahead of us let us look to one ray of hope on the horizon, Judge Jill Ghaleb.
Judge Jill Ghaleb was appointed by our governor to be our county court judge this year to fill the vacant slot left by Judge Coccoma.
She was also unanimously ratified by the full state Senate. Obviously, all agreed on her qualifications.
It is unfortunate that judges must also be backed by political parties to run for office when none of their decisions should be politically based.
All judges must abide by the same rules and base their decisions on current laws.
They cannot deny people’s rights that are given to them by law. They, in turn, cannot grant things that are not allowed by our laws.
I have known Judge Ghaleb for 10 years. In that time I have learned that her ethics and morals lend her to be a great judge.
She also has the compassion needed to deal with the many issues that arise in our courts today. If you’ve met her you immediately know what I’m talking about, and if you don’t know her I urge you attend one of the many events that she will be attending in the near future.
I urge you to vote for Judge Ghaleb in the upcoming Conservative Primary on Tuesday, Sept. 9, and then again in November, where she will appear on several lines.
Every vote counts. The main points to remember are that Judge Ghaleb has the most experience and she is the only candidate for Otsego County Judge that has been deemed “highly qualified” by the most strict review board in New York State.
You can’t beat that distinction.
MEG KIERNAN
Fly Creek

Labels: Letters to the Editor, Opinion