The Freemans Journal - Cooperstowns Newspaper Since 1808: LETTERS

The Freeman's Journal - Cooperstown's Newspaper Snce 1808

Friday, November 27, 2009

A Chance To Show Christmas Love

To the Editor:
Every year The Zone Community Center does a project called Christmas Love, where we place Christmas trees in local businesses with ornaments that have a less-fortunate child’s information on it so community members can help give these families a good Christmas.
The gifts are distributed as part of the Richfield Springs Lioness’s Santa Anonymous Program, which provides food and clothing for the families as well. The teens and after-school program have been helping to make the ornaments, write the information on them and set up the trees.
We would like to invite the community to participate. We have set up Christmas trees at NBT Bank and Kinney Drugs where you will find ornaments with the gender, age and a gift item that the child might like.
We encourage anyone who would like to help out as an individual or as a group to choose a name off of one of the trees, purchase and wrap a gift for the child you choose and return the present, with the original ornament attached, under the tree where you choose the name.
The presents will then be collected and distributed in time for Christmas. We know that times are difficult for everyone this year but we want to thank everyone in advance for any help you can offer to help us share the Christmas spirit.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at (315) 858-3200. And on behalf of The Zone, I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

AMY WYANT
Director, The Zone
Richfield Springs

Cutting Code Enforcement Dangerous, Reduces Fees To County

To the Editor:
I am requesting your help to stand up for the citizens of Otsego County and to prevent irreparable harm to the economy and safety of our area.
The budget cuts to the Code Enforcement Office, by the Otsego County Board of Representatives, will have a disastrous effect on the construction and tourism industries in Otsego County, and will affect the livelihoods and safety of citizens and visitors.
The reduced staffing being proposed which includes cutting the directors position, leaving the office with no trained code enforcement administrator and full-time inspector, and freezing all hiring for vacant positions, will severely limit the ability of the office to complete its mission and will result in a loss of revenue to the county.
The Code Enforcement Office is tasked with the enforcement of Article 18 of the state Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code Act and Otsego County Local Law for 21 towns.
To meet that responsibility, the Code Enforcement office performed over 750 Building/Fire Safety inspections and issued over 700 renovations, building, septic, electrical and mobile home permits, as well as inspecting these activities to ensure compliance.
This activity, which is required by state law, enforced the codes concerning safer buildings and code compliant construction while contributing over $141,000 in fees to the Otsego County treasury. No other department protects and contributes as much.
Included in the building/fire safety inspections are inspections of all tourist accommodations – hotels, motels and residential rental properties – in addition to all apartment buildings and businesses, restaurants, churches, schools and adult and day-care centers.
The proposed cuts to the department will limit the amount of inspections that can be performed and the number of building permits issued and will cause major delays in construction projects, including projects at Bassett Hospital and the Cooperstown Dreams Park, as well as many other current and future projects throughout the county.
The effect on the construction industry will be substantial. The Otsego County law governing inspection of rental units will not be enforced and will limit the amount of rental properties available for our visitors. It will also have a negative impact on the revenue many people depend on during the summer rental season.
The thought of our visitors staying in uninspected housing units is a liability and safety nightmare that cannot be allowed.
The proposed cuts in the Public Safety agencies, including the Sheriff’s Department and the Codes Enforcement Office, are irresponsible to say the least, and are fiscally and legally shortsighted.

ROBERT SNYDER
Otsego County Building/Fire Safety Inspector
(Homeowner and taxpayer)

Labels: 12-04-09, Letters to the Editor

posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 12:00 AM

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