Oppose
proposed
subdivision
Ned Walker will present
the final revised plans for his
proposed subdivision off
Browdy Mountain Road to
the Town of Otsego Planning
Board on Sept. 2. Unless the
residents of Cooperstown,
the Town of Otsego, and
those who appreciate the
natural forested surroundings
of the lake take action
now, the tall, richly wooded
mountain face just south of
Five Mile Point will be
changed forever.
There are very serious
reasons to oppose this subdivision,
which involves carving
up the steep face of the
mountain above the lake in
order to build three new
houses. Mr. Walker’s original
plan has had to be considerably
revised because of
objections from the NYS Department
of Environmental
Conservation (DEC) and the
Board of Health. And although
it appears that some
of the problems have been
addressed, such as septic
systems and storm water
run-off plans, the proposed
development still poses a
threat.
A key concern is the steep,
narrow private road that is
supposed to serve the entire
development. Mr. Walker obtained
permission for a minor
subdivision in 1994 to
build his own and one other
house on his 24.5-acre property
in 1994.
Because it was only a minor
subdivision, presented
as a family compound, the
requirements for the private
road that served both houses
were waived. Now Mr. Walker
wants the same narrow,
800-foot-long, steep road to
serve three more houses.
This is a major safety threat,
as it involves the ability of
emergency vehicles such as
fire trucks to gain timely access.
The consequences of not
being able to quickly contain
a fire on one of the steep
slopes surrounding the lake
would be horrific, and make
it imperative that this issue
be addressed.
The Planning Board was
initially concerned about the
safety of the road, but inexplicably,
has let this issue go.
At its February meeting, according
to the minutes,
“there was considerable discussion
about the suitability
and safety of the road.” But
when Walker presented his
application at the March
meeting, the minutes record
that “(Planning Board) Attorney
Ferrari said he foresaw
no problems for the
Board on the road, saying
‘This is how these projects
get done in rural areas.’” I
find this attitude appalling.
Mr. Walker’s private road either
meets the requirements
or it doesn’t, and according
to letter of the law, it
doesn’t.
The other key issue is that
this development will change
the character of the lake.
That may sound dramatic,
but it’s true.
Most of us who enjoy being
in a boat out on the lake
cherish the large areas of
natural, forested mountains
around the lake. The proposed
Walker subdivision,
which is on the tallest mountain
on the west side of the
lake, would diminish the unspoiled
beauty that residents
and visitors so deeply value
and enjoy. If approved, it
would also set a precedent
that will only encourage
more developments, more
trees cleared, more impacts
on the ecology of the lake and
its surroundings.
As more people learn the
details of this proposed subdivision,
they are opposing
it, and we encourage other
Cooperstown residents to
take action immediately!
There’s not much time. The
Planning Board will discuss
and likely vote on Mr. Walker’s
final revised application
at its meeting on Tuesday,
September 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Make your voice heard by
writing a letter to the Town
of Otsego Planning Board
(Town Hall, Route 26, Fly
Creek, 13337) so that it will
be received before Labor Day
weekend, so that it can be
available to the Board before
the meeting. Planning Board
meeting minutes relating to
the Walker subdivision may
be accessed online at http://
townofotsego.com/planningminutes.
htm.
Other background information,
such as previous letters
to the Planning Board,
reports, photographs, etc., is
available by emailing saveth
emountainside@gmail.com.
We urge you to contact us,
ask questions, request information,
and join us in preserving
the beautiful mountainside
on the lake.
Marilyn Bradshaw
Cooperstown
Lambert for
county judge
I support the candidacy of
John Lambert for County
Judge in the upcoming Conservative
Party primary.
I have known John for
many years and have always
found him to be a quality individual.
Born and raised in
Otsego County, he has always
had our local community
at heart. He’s been a
competent and hardworking
attorney for the village of
Cooperstown. He’s part of a
respected law firm in Cooperstown
— Lambert and
Trosset — and has experience
in the courtroom for all
county courts. I believe he
seeks to make our county a
safer place.
Outside his law practice,
John also gives back to his
community in other ways.
He has been President of the
Cooperstown Central School
Alumni Association for nearly
five years. He serves on
the Board of Directors for
Hyde Hall and the Otsego
Lake Association. On summer
evenings, he coaches a
local youth baseball team.
I believe John is a good
advocate for family values
and a strong community.
He’ll have my vote in the upcoming
primary.
Terry Bliss
Cooperstown
Many negatives
to concert
Why are so many Springfield
people upset about the
rock concert proposed by
Madison Square Garden Entertainment?
First, Springfield does not
have the infrastructure to
manage so many visitors.
There are security risks,
medical risks, traffic issues,
ecological risks, and other
serious problems that can
and likely will get out of
hand. The project threatens
the safety and health of the
community.
Second, three out of four
respondents to a recent community
questionnaire stated
that they highly value the
rural character, scenic beauty,
peace and quiet, and agricultural
base of Springfield.
The rock concert is not consistent
with these values.
Noise, cars, and crowds will
disrupt the very values we
cherish.
Third, the proposal is way
out of scale with our community.
Imagine (as Don Simpson
of MSGE has suggested)
that your family invites visitors
to Thanksgiving dinner
and 250 people show up on
Thursday with plans to stay
the entire weekend. They
want to use your bedrooms,
eat the food in your refrigerator,
bathe in your bathrooms
and stay up all night
in party mode. Even if you
anticipated this crowd, your
house is simply too small.
Springfield is too small for
MSGE’s rock concert.
Fourth, although this is
billed as a once-a-year three
day event, we are concerned
that once this event is approved,
there will be other
projects on the boards. Does
anyone really believe that
MSGE will be satisfied using
its land only one weekend a
year? We already have seen
other proposals for a motor
cycle race track (no longer
active) and a sports/ entertainment
camp (actually in
Richfield Springs). How
many of these projects can
we absorb before those values
that make Springfield
such a wonderful community
disappear?
Fifth, the recent very nice
addition of Amish families to
our community may be lost
as a result of the rock concert.
This festival flies in the
faces of our Amish friends
and defies the very values
that they live by. We run the
risk of losing their valuable
contributions to our town as
they are firm in living according
to their beliefs.
How many more reasons
are needed in order to have
doubts about this project and
its negative impacts on both
Springfield and the entire
surrounding region?
Harry Levine
East Springfield
911 system
works
This is an open letter of
thanks to our local EMS
squads, fire departments and
the Otsego County Sheriff’s
Department. I have had two
occasions recently within a
two-week period to use our
911 emergency system. My
husband became very ill and
passed out while driving and
my daughter called 911.
Within minutes we were being
assisted by Sheriff’s Department,
ambulances, etc.
It made a scary situation
much more bearable. Then,
10 days later, I came upon
my daughter right after she
had been involved in a bad
car accident. People were already
on the scene and
helped to remove her from
her vehicle. She was badly
hurt, but thankfully is recovering
nicely. I am so very
grateful to everyone in our
community who responds to
our 911 calls. For a small, rural
community I am so impressed
with the courage and
caring that everyone showed
to us in our time of need.
Ann Marsala
Cooperstown
The Big Picture
My father taught me that
if I was ever approached by
strangers who offered me
candy or puppies, and talked
a slick talk and told me stories
that were beyond my
wildest dreams, that I should
be suspicious, because these
people always had ulterior
motives. He said there were
predators out there and I
needed to be very careful. My
father wasn’t wrong about
this. I regret that I didn’t pay
more attention to his invaluable
advice. I could have
saved myself a lot of grief
throughout my life.
It really bothers me that
MSG representatives have
met and are continuing to
meet with certain groups in
private sessions to influence
them by offering enticements
to gain support for MSG.
Why do they keep doing this,
since there has been so much
talk and written public information
about private meetings
and how it doesn’t pass
the “smell test“? It seems
that there might be something
wrong with MSG’s organization
if they feel it is
necessary to go to all that
trouble to gain the favor of
the Springfield community.
During the late fall of
2007 and many times during
the winter following, MSG
representatives met with
some town officials privately.
They also sought to meet
with others who were unwilling
to meet privately but who
had enough integrity to suggest
they make necessary
contacts at public meetings.
I am really concerned about
the people MSG has involved
in their escapades. They are
causing them to have their
reputations questioned by
the rest of the population in
town by involving them in
these trysts.” Why should
their names be tainted because
of what MSG has asked
them to participate in? These
people have become victims
of MSG’s aggression.
In early winter, when the
moratorium was being considered
by our planning
board and town board, a
group of businessmen and
real estate people were rallied
and offered enticements
to fight the moratorium. The
whole idea was a stall tactic
that would allow enough
time to get the MSG application
for Site Plan Review
submitted to the planning
board before the moratorium
was passed. The “big secret”
of the rock concert came to
light only after it was a sure
thing that the “big foot” was
in the door far enough to gain
successful entrance. The selected
group then passed a
petition around town against
the moratorium based on
false premises.
It was a known fact that
the moratorium only pertained
to Type I Actions, or
large projects that are controversial,
or projects that
would change the character
of the community. The moratorium
would not have affected
any other kind of development.
The petitioners claimed
that the moratorium would
impede the economic growth
and development of the community,
which was not the
truth. People were even told
that their very food would be
taken from their mouths.
Some people believed it so
they signed the petition, not
knowing they were being
hoodwinked.
The prospect of MSG coming
to Springfield has already
had many effects on the
town.
Members of the town
board and planning board
are paying the biggest price,
physically and mentally.
They are being overworked
and not rewarded. They have
been required to devote much
more of their time just to accommodate
the needs of
MSG. There are mountains
of extra paperwork to read
and digest. Extra meetings,
extra paperwork, extra effort
for everything is taking a toll
on these individuals. I might
add that the planning board
members receive no compensation
whatever for their efforts,
and the town board
members receive what is
considered a stipend for their
efforts.
Special interest groups
are also being overworked
trying to keep on top of the
information. It’s rush, rush,
just to accommodate the almighty
MSG. It’s all about
MSG and not about Springfield.
Springfield has become a
battleground with neighbors
against neighbors, husbands
against wives, children
against parents, families
against families. People are
bitterly opposed by the prospect
of the rock concert in
Springfield. Others think
they can make a fast buck,
pulling cars out of the mud
or cleaning porta-johns, and
collecting garbage. How rich
do people think they will get
from a three-day festival?
Even employment for a
month won’t make you rich.
Get real! How does anyone
think they will be able to
transverse Routes 20 and 80
to get to the job, the hospital,
the bank and the grocery
store?
How will the farmers be
able to carry on with their labors
when MSG closes our
roads? Again, why is MSG
dictating what will happen
in our town? Since when does
a stranger move to a new
neighborhood and tell the
people who already live there
what they can do or not do?
Why are we allowing this to
happen? For a lousy few
bucks a handful of people
might be able to put in their
pockets at the inconvenience
of the rest of the whole town?
Nobody is going to make any
real money on this music fest
except for MSG. They will
just bulldoze us, and our rolling
hills, and leave us lying
in the dust with empty pockets
and bills to pay from their
mess while they skip town
with the gold. Believe it!
Money is the root of all
evil. Evil has settled on
Springfield. The results are
becoming obvious. Already,
our town is being destroyed
and MSG isn’t even here yet.
What will happen when they
do get here?
If everything is so legitimate,
why do they need to go
around meeting with groups
and offering enticements to
buy favor?
Why are we allowing this
to happen? Greed is just another
evil. The grass is not
greener on the other side of
the fence. It’s time to come
back home
where you know how
green the grass is. Life is better
in Springfield and we
don’t need MSG taking that
away from us.
It’s time for us to come together,
support our Comprehensive
Plan and develop the
town ourselves.
We need to be proactive is
seeking out acceptable ways
to improve our economy
here.
Other towns have done it
and we can too. MSG is not
the answer to our problems
but it could be the nemesis
that destroys our town.
Jeannette Armstrong
Artist in Residence
Springfield Center
