Letters- Nov. 23, 2007

On November 19th I attended the public meeting with a very large number of local residents at the Middle/School auditorium to express opinions and concerns to the Village Board of Trustees about the proposed parking law.

I was most impressed with the way our Mayor Carol Waller conducted the meeting and controlled the reactions to the comments from the public. The Mayor has done an outstanding job during her terms as Mayor and continues to demonstrate her concern for the community and its residents. She showed this in her comments to the Board and the public audience before the Board voted on the parking proposal.

It was obvious that the Board members who supported the parking law were not affected by any comments opposing the plan from the majority of the people who spoke and they disregarded the suggestions offered by our Mayor.

It was unfortunate that these Village Board members who supported the bill would not consider allowing a six month delay in order to enable those in favor of the law and those opposed to the law to reach a consensus for the good of our community.

Signed,

Jane Patrick


	To the Editor: At the end of this month, Metro Fashion will change hands after 20 successful years as one of Main Street's mainstays. I joined Mary Beth Dow at Metro in 1992 as a high school student working afternoons, evenings, and summers, just one of the many who became part of the Metro family over the years. Beth's combination of creative T-shirt designs (who could count the number of Woody Jackson "Balls and Bats" flag tees she's sold over the years?) and clothing and jewelry made Metro a frequent stop for visitors and locals alike. Metro is a welcome and familiar place, from Beth’s faithful tradition of sweeping the stoop every morning, to the out-of-town regulars who make Metro their first stop during annual summer visits, to the husbands from town who come in every Christmas Eve looking for last minute gifts for their wives (which Beth has already picked out and saved for them behind the counter). Metro is a piece of what makes Main Street what it is and what I hope it will always be, a place to stop in, visit an old friend, and find out what’s new in town. Metro may be changing hands, but those who have been part of the Metro family will take with us what we’ve learned in our years of working there, which provide pretty good life lessons as well: Always smile and say hello when someone stops in. Keep the t-shirts folded. Give a discount to locals. And always sweep the stoop in the mornings. JANICE DEAN New York City To the Editor: I would like to thank our trustees and mayor for making an important and difficult decision about village parking Monday, Nov. 19. It is essential for people to remember that we elect our village officials to make decisions for us because their judgment is respected. Although we expect them to listen to our ideas, they are not elected to be arbitrators of public opinion and their decisions will not always be in alignment with our own. I was dismayed and embarrassed that our trustees, who have listened with patience and respect to our myriad of opinions about parking, were publicly heckled and disparaged at the meeting. I would hope that many people, regardless of their opinion about the outcome of the vote, will join me in thanking all of the trustees for the time, dedication, and commitment they put forth in making important decisions for our village. KATE RESNICK Cooperstown To the Editor: You represent who?! I was one of the MANY people to attend the paid parking hearing in Cooperstown Monday, Nov. 19. I took my 12-year-old daughter with me because I thought it would be a good opportunity for her to see how government works. What she got out of the experience was an excellent lesson in how government DOES NOT WORK! Her simple question, "Why don't they vote on it?'' I still haven't figured out the answer to that one! PEG WILSON Cooperstown On November 19th I attended the public meeting with a very large number of local residents at the Middle/School auditorium to express opinions and concerns to the Village Board of Trustees about the proposed parking law. I was most impressed with the way our Mayor Carol Waller conducted the meeting and controlled the reactions to the comments from the public. The Mayor has done an outstanding job during her terms as Mayor and continues to demonstrate her concern for the community and its residents. She showed this in her comments to the Board and the public audience before the Board voted on the parking proposal. It was obvious that the Board members who supported the parking law were not affected by any comments opposing the plan from the majority of the people who spoke and they disregarded the suggestions offered by our Mayor. It was unfortunate that these Village Board members who supported the bill would not consider allowing a six month delay in order to enable those in favor of the law and those opposed to the law to reach a consensus for the good of our community. Signed, Jane Patrick To the Editor: I am sorry I didn't get this letter into last week's Freeman's Journal while the elections were fresh in mind, but ths is worth saying anytime. I was a strong supporter of Philip Durkin, who had been our county representative for Cherry Valley, Roseboom and Middlefield. Never have I seen in our district such shameless dirty politics. The day before Nov. 6, one of his opponents sent out two statements full of half truths and misrepresentations. Phil had no time to respond and, of course, the opponent won. Now I am waiting with anticipation to see if the winner will give us the online minutes of each town board meeting and of the county reps' meetings, and if he will attend each as Phil did whenever possible. We had really refreshing open government. And, finally, I am most interested in seeing how he's going to "clean up the mess in Cooperstown," as he promises to do. NANCY WALLER Roseboom To the Editor: At a time when we gather with family and friends to reflect on our many blessings, I ask that you take a moment to reflect on the abundance that we enjoy, not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day. It is easy to take for granted the safe, plentiful and affordable food that is available to us. However, that food did not just magically appear inside the store or on the table. It is the hard work and dedication of New York’s 35,000 farm families, along with countless others including, processors, distributors, marketers and retailers, that make this food available for our nourishment and enjoyment. Beyond providing wholesome and consumable products, farmers and the agricultural community enrich our lives on a daily basis by creating jobs, generating economic activity and preserving open space which lowers taxes and provides a habitat for wildlife. So this Thanksgiving, please join me in serving New York products at your holiday dinner and give thanks to the deserving farm families and the entire food and agricultural industry in New York State. PATRICK HOOKER Richfield Springs (Mr. Hooker is state agriculture commissioner.) \| Letters- Nov. 23, 2007 \| Letters- Dec. 14, 2007 \| Letters- Dec.21, 2007 \| Letters- Jan. 04, 2007 \| Letters- Feb.1, 2008 \| Letters- Feb. 15, 2008 \| Letters- Feb.22, 2008 \| Letters- Feb,29, 2008 \| \| Our Services \| Contact Us \| Great Links \| Return Home \| Classified Ads \| News Archive \| Cooperstown Homes \| Calendar -Best Bets \| Letters to the Editor \|