Remember what
Dr. Phil says
It was with dismay and
disappointment that I read
the New Year’s edition of the
Freeman’s Journal. It is their
right to choose whomever
they want as Person/Persons
of the year.
But to deify the four men
that were chosen and present
them as the saviors of
Cooperstown is a direct insult
toáevery one of us who have
ever served as a Trustee for
the Village.
They were elected to do a
job and they are doing what
they think is right just as all
past Trustees have done. If
they can put Cooperstown
``on a firmer financial footing,’’
good, that’s what they were
elected to do. That’s what all
of us in the past were doing
our best to achieve. But to be
so divisive in the way they are
going about it and to imply
that they are the only ones
concerned is blatantly incorrect.
The paper also incorrectly
stated that ``Grace Kull, rattled
by the parking dispute declined
to run again.’’ Nothing
could be further from the
truth. I declined to run again
because I had served six years
as a Trustee and if I ran again
I would be ninety-years-old
at the end of my third term.
There were other things that
I wanted to do with my life.
And I have. In this past year
I have raised $5,000 to dig a
well in an undeveloped country
which will supply clean
water to over 250 people for
twenty years.
As far as being rattled by
the parking dispute, let me
state unequivocally, that I am
proud to be one of the four
who had the courage to stand
up for what we believed in.áIf
anything rattled me, it was
the reaction of some of the
citizens of the Village who
were angered by our vote and
acted with a mob mentality
and personally attacked us.
The biggest insult was
the attempt to humiliate us
by the merchants on Main
Street who put signs in their
windows saying ``Shame on
You’’ and putting our names
on the signs. I was not and am
not ashamed that I voted to
try to get some much needed
revenue in a manner which
is perfectly acceptable by
many cities and villages that
depend on tourism and by the
tourists themselves. The only
other dependable source of
income is toáraise taxes and
that is unfair to the small tax
base in Cooperstown. One of
the most vocal against paid
parking was Neil Weiller, who
led the merchants in their
anti-paid parking campaign.
You can disagree with
someone’s point of view, but
civilized people do it in a
civil manner. Not by personal
attacks.
One of the other points
made in the newspaper is that
these men ``ask questions
until they get answers,’’ Why
is it that they all voted to ban
parking behind the Fire House
and then re-voted to allow
the parking because, and this
was in the newspaper, ``They
didn’t understand what they
were voting for the first time.’’
Why didn’t they understand?
Why didn’t they ask questions
then?
As Trustees you are expected
toáunderstand what
you are voting for, and it is
inexcusable that these men
admitted that they didn’t
understand what they were
voting for.
The implication is that no
other Trustees ask questionsáor
try to understand the
issues.
That is a great injustice to
Lynne Mebust and Jeff Katz.
I worked with them on the
Board and can attest to the
fact that there are no two people
more concerned with the
welfare of the Village and who
delve deeply into the issues,
get the facts and act on them.
It is unfair for the Journal to
print articles pitting the four
``Men of the Year’’ against the
two of them, who I believe act
honestly and prudently and
always in the best interest of
the citizens of the Village.
When you go to the polls
to vote in the next Village
election, don’t be swayed by
biased opinions. Look at all
the issues and the exemplary
records of Lynne and Jeff.
Lynne has been one of the
best Trustees Cooperstown
has been fortunate to have
and Jeff, who has many years
experience as a Trustee and
Acting Mayor is the logical
person to be the next Mayor
of Cooperstown.
Remember what Dr. Phil
says, ``No matter how flat a
pancake is, it always has two
sides.’’
Grace Kull
Cooperstown
Hawkeyes look
forward to season
On behalf of Cooperstown’s
new baseball team, I would
like to thank all those who
have supported our efforts to
bring a high-quality baseball
experience to Doubleday
Field. As many of you know,
our very successful ``name
the team,’’ contest concluded
recently. Out of approximately
80 entries from across the
United States, Cooperstown
resident David Pearlman submitted
the winning entry, the
``Cooperstown Hawkeyes.’’
We are currently attempting
to select a team logo
from several excellent entries
developed by our local BOCES
students.
The selection process will
conclude within the next two
weeks; however, the expertise
and professionalism demonstrated
by all of the BOCES
contestants has been truly
gratifying.
Over the last several
months, several community
members have approached
me and asked about how
they could play a more active
and direct role in team affairs.
We would welcome all members
of our community who
wish to become involved
with the team.
The first meeting of the
``Friends of the Cooperstown
Hawkeyes,’’ will be held on
Sunday, Jan. 17, at 3 p.m. in
the meeting room at Cooley’s
Stone House Tavern, 49 Pioneer
St. in Cooperstown Village.
The meeting topics will
include the general direction
of the team as well as many
specific aspects of team
organization and administration.
Everyone is welcome to
attend.
The Cooperstown Hawkeyes
are looking forward to
a great inaugural season.
Thank you for you support
and participation.
Thomas J. Hickey, President
Cooperstown Hawkeyes
