Cooperation enhances community
I read the articles in last week’s Mercury and thought it very interesting that while the Richfield town board apparently sees no value in Canadarago Lake, The Zone does. They sponsored a bass fishing tournament on the lake to raise funds for their new building. I also thought it interesting to see a group of people from Canadarago Lake supporting The Zone by having a unit in the Pride Days parade and by having Lake Association members donating their time at the food booth. This is the type of cooperation that enhances our entire community. Jane A. Feisthamel Richfield Springs Clean elections for New York?Clean elections is a radical idea – but one whose time has come – in fact, already came, but has had to wait for over 200 years to be implemented: a government for the people and by the people. What has been blocking it? Well, obviously, people’s natural desire for money and power. How do you get them besides working for them? Well, you could try getting the people into office who will look after your interests. But you shouldn’t think these office holders have it easy. Not only do they have to attend all those meetings and read all those documents, they also have to spend countless hours phoning for dollars. Whom do they phone? The clerk earning minimum wage? No, she can’t pay for all those ads. But the corporation executive can and he will. Not out of the goodness of his heart, however, but because he wants what the official can deliver, such as big tax breaks and freedom from expensive regulations. A large percentage of his day has to be spent earning his keep this way, time better spent looking after the needs of his constituents. But he needs money to get into office and stay there. He is not a free man. How can we free him to listen to all of us who voted him into office? In other words, to get that government for the people and by the people? Only through publicly financed elections. Connecticut will soon have them. Maine has had them since 1995. Arizona even elected a governor that way. What about New York? Does Sen. Seward support clean elections? Let’s ask him. Hilda Wilcox Cooperstown TEAM approach will benefitUnfortunately, I was out of town and unable to attend the July 21 Richfield town board meeting. The comprehensive coverage by the Mercury, and in particular, Janine Giordano, was greatly appreciated. After reading all of the articles that pertained to that meeting and the decision by the town board not to support the lake study, I am disappointed in the apparent lack of importance given to Canadarago Lake. I am even more concerned by the potential division of the town of Richfield into the “lake people” and the “town people.” As a town of Richfield resident who happens to live by the lake, I buy my gas, groceries, rent movies, frequent the restaurants and purchase hardware supplies in Richfield Springs. For all of these opportunities I am grateful. Conversely, the town of Richfield, and the village of Richfield Springs residents have an enviable opportunity to utilize the resources of Canadarago Lake. Whether personally fishing or boating, these two groups also are able to enjoy Fourth of July fireworks, snowmobile races, ice fishing contests, and even a fundraiser for The Zone with their Canadarago Lake bass tournament. I would hope that the lake is not viewed by the town of Richfield board as a “matter of convenience” – something to use for their benefit, but not that they would want to invest in or support. As a former physical education teacher and coach, I always preached “team.” The town board needs to approach the residents of the town of Richfield as a T.E.A.M. Together, Everyone Achieves More. It may sound hokey, but it is amazing what can be accomplished when people work as a team. I sincerely hope that the town board will reconsider their vote and will provide the $2,500 it will cost for the study. A TEAM approach would certainly see the benefit to all parties in preserving and improving Canadarago Lake. Kathy Faber Richfield Springs Kids should have some sayTo have a better world in the future, we must have a better world now for our children and youth. What they experience in their formative years not only molds them for today, but sets behavior patterns for years to come. This is why we should practice democratic decision making with children in homes, school, religious organizations, and other social units. If children are told all their lives what to think, do and be, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for them as adults to make intelligent decisions and feel knowledgeable and comfortable about self-actualization and democratic ways in problem solving. Some areas will not be negotiable, though any area which is pertinent to their needs or interests should always be open for honest discussion and possible alteration. Many people who have contributed positively to humanizing our society were involved as youngsters in honest discussion with adults and in responsible, democratic decision making. Their lives are further testimony to the worth of these practices. Timothy Hume Behrendt Cold Brook Think hard before you voteIn about three months, we will select a new commander-in-chief of the USA. The debate rages on as to whether experience or judgment should be the main trait of the candidates. When we look at the accident statistics of teenagers, what is often the major cause of death among them? Obviously, the ideal is both experience and judgment. When one has judgment without experience or experience without judgment, I think we can agree that is not the ideal. The teenage statistics tell us what is more important statistically in safety. When I was going through gunnery training as a Navy pilot, my instructor told me that, under fire, I had to do something. Just sitting there would certainly get me killed. Any action in that situation would give me a chance at survival. Now look at Congress under major threats. They go on vacation without doing anything to face the threats, which are so numerous all around us. They just sit there and do nothing to address the issues. Because of their inaction, I submit that they are likely, in great numbers, to lose their seats in Congress, but only if we Americans demand that they earn their pay Think hard about the integrity, ability, energy and desire to serve without personal aggrandizement, of each candidate, then vote. The leadership we elect is what we deserve. Don McKay Richfield Springs
Town lucky to have KingI live in the village of Richfield Springs and I attended the last town of Richfield board meeting. I was amazed at how well Mr. King, the town supervisor, did while having to deal with the apparent lack of understanding of the other board members. It is upsetting to attend a meeting where you cannot hear or understand the board members who are speaking and I was in the third row and had my hearing aid on. This town is very lucky to have a supervisor who gathers facts, listens to all of the residents and then votes in the interest of all members of the town. William Mahardy Richfield Springs Am I the only one?First of all, I would like to express my support to Mr. Lyle Phetterplace concerning his recent letter, “68 windmills need to be reinstalled now,” and would like to offer some opinions of my own in the form of questions to the public regarding the Jordanville Wind project. Am I the only one who realizes that the Public Service Commission can be so easily controlled by special interest groups such as Otsego 2000 and the Jordanville Monastery? Both offer weak and false statements, such as windmills harm the environment, killing birds and making noise. Tourism in the area is being affected by the price of gas and people are choosing to stay at home so they can save money to heat their homes this winter, not because they don’t want to see windmills on the hilltops. Am I the only one that believes even these special interest groups are controlled by a certain few who don’t have to worry about what they pay for energy or property taxes and just don’t want to see the windmills from their property? Am I the only one who believes that if this project were put to a vote it would pass overwhelmingly? The needs of many would indeed far outweigh the wishes of a few. Am I the only one that realizes the millions in tax dollars the county and townships need and are denied by special interest groups, the public “screw us” commission and the elected officials who have turned their backs on us when we need them most? This includes the judge in Onondaga County. Am I the only one who could have had to helplessly watch their home burn or could have needed medical care and had no assistance because the road couldn’t be plowed due to lack of equipment and manpower last winter? For some people it was days before they could get out. Am I the only one that thinks their property values won’t go down and that windmills really aren’t ugly? And lastly, am I the only one who realizes that we have an energy crisis in this country and that we have the power to start addressing this dependency on foreign oil and the strangle hold it has on us, by supporting green energy and voting out elected officials who don’t have the backbone to support our needs? This is a national crisis that needs to be addressed starting at the local level. How can any of us not consciously support this and continue to sit by and do nothing about it? It is a challenge that cannot be ignored to save our way of life now and in the future. Pete Hutchins Richfield Springs Town’s decision appallingI was appalled when I read the lead story in the July 24 edition of the Mercury, “Town denies $2,500 for lake study.” Although not a lake resident myself (I live in the town of Warren), I am concerned about Canadarago Lake and its environs. This lake and Otsego Lake are our communities’ greatest natural assets. I am also aware of the flooding problems and the issue of the dam at the outlet and the silt buildup on Canadarago Lake. I have friends who live on the lake and who, along with many others, suffered severe, expensive damage to their homes in the flood of June 2006. When I first moved to this area in 1970, Canadarago Lake in the summer looked like coagulated pea soup. Through the efforts of New York State, Cornell University and, above all, the local residents, the lake was cleaned up and restocked with fish in the early 1970s. It is now one of the outstanding lakes for fishing in New York State. Property values around the lake increased and so have tax revenues. Unless the lake is well managed, however, it could go back to becoming a stagnant, stinking slough, of interest only to mosquitoes. I was, therefore, astonished to read that the Richfield town board decided not to contribute its share, $2,500, to fund the hydrologic study needed to serve as a basis for the proposed lake management plan, thereby possibly killing the plan. The Mercury’s reporter, Janine Giordano, stated in this article that, “The board’s decision...was based on two main reasons, financial impact to the town and its desire to support the community as a whole, not just a segment of the community – referring to the lakefront taxpayers.” I fail to understand these reasons. Regarding “financial impact,” town Supervisor Wayne King indicated, “...the cost would amount to roughly $1.80 per household for one year.” As far as the benefit to “just a segment of the community,” I counted 167 households whose primary address was on the lake out of 617 households listed in the Canadarago Lake Improvement Association’s directory. (By primary address, I mean there was no other address listed except, in some cases, a post office box.) These 167 households represent residents, not squatters or illegal aliens. And this seems like a significant segment of the community! More importantly, however, the health of Canadarago Lake affects all of us in the surrounding community, not just those with homes on the lake. Hopefully the Richfield town board can reverse its decision. If not, its members might be looking for other ways to fill their spare time after next November. William G. Isaac Richfield Springs Concert can help us growI don’t understand why every time something that could potentially enlarge our tax base, create jobs and encourage economic growth for our community, the immediate response is, “How can we stop this?” I have seen this here in Springfield with a ball park project on County Route 31, a motorcycle track and recently with MSG and the ball field project on Allen’s Lake Road. This is also the same mindset taken toward wind turbines and natural gas exploration. I’m not saying there is no reason for concern or that we shouldn’t be cautious. I, myself, am concerned that my neighbor, who shares a property line, has opened his land up to natural gas exploration. One of the soon-to-be wells will be on his property. Did I have questions and concerns? Yes! How will this affect my water, my property value and my quality of life were some of the big ones. The truth is, I will stay informed and monitor my water quality. Mostly, I will wish my neighbor good fortune because he is my neighbor and it is his land! Recently, our town board voted down a moratorium which some hoped would stop all Class I projects in Springfield. I commend the board for its decision. Those who voted this moratorium down represented their constituents well. As you can recall, there were 189 signatures turned in opposed to any moratorium that would impede or prevent economic growth and development for Springfield. I know some will say that there were 353 signatures turned in the same evening as the vote that were ignored by the board. These signatures had nothing to do with the moratorium. They were aimed at the MSG project that is currently before the planning board, not the town board. These signatures were gathered by a handful of NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) using unfounded information and scare tactics. Believe it or not, I was not familiar with this term a year ago. NIMBYs seem to surface when it directly affects them. The group usually consists of 40-50 folks all wanting to know, “How can we stop this?” They will be at every meeting for as long as it takes to kill the project and then they are gone. As long as the next proposed project isn’t in their back yard, they are seldom heard from again. These people may want what’s best for Springfield almost always, except when it directly affects them. If they truly cared about the community, they would allow MSG and other projects to go through the process and address true concerns. By true concerns, I am talking about traffic, ecological impacts, water quality and trash removal, to name a few, not a couple of women with body paintings in Tennessee. Do I feel MSG is the best option for Springfield? Maybe not, but it will create economic growth, some full-time jobs, many summer jobs, an outlet for arts and products, and mostly it will preserve the view shed. This is the same view that was such a hurdle in the approval of the subdivision of 20 lots on one of the farms MSG is proposing for the concert site. Instead of thinking, “How can we stop this,” why not, “How can we grow through this?” Some things that will come from this are: a larger tax base, commerce, jobs and green space. We, as a community, could also negotiate to receive economic perks from MSG for our town’s willingness to allow this concert and all that it entails. I know Bonaroo is continually used as a scare tactic to gather opposition to MSG but has anyone asked what the community in Tennessee gains economically from this music fest? Some things we could ask MSG to contribute to could be: fire and EMT budget, town highway budget, scholarships for Springfield graduates, and a town park on a portion of this property. These are just a few suggestions of things that we, as a community, could gain from this. This project could work if we are open minded and willing to work with MSG as a community toward a better Springfield. This is not to say we let big business walk on us, but with us, toward the future. Paul Leentjes East Springfield
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