By JIM AUSTIN
Cooperstown Crier
FLY CREEK — Otsego Town Supervisor Tom Breiten
said this week that he will not seek re-election in
November.
His decision means voters will select a new supervisor
and board member Meg Kiernan hopes to get the
job.
Kiernan, a Democrat, is in the final year of her first
four-year term on the town board. She confirmed
Wednesday that she plans to begin circulating nominating
petitions next week.
``I think I have learned a lot in the last four years. I
like being involved and I have a good rapport with the
board,’’ Kiernan said. ``Listening to all sides of an issue
is one thing I’ve learned.’’
So far, no other candidates have announced their
interest in the job.
Town Councilman Bill Michaels, who heads the
town’s Republican Committee, said that at this point
they have no candidate.
Michaels said if anyone is interested in running, he
would be pleased to meet with them and discussed
what is involved in the position.
``We haven’t had anyone interested, but we would
welcome anyone who wanted to run,’’ he said.
Kiernan’s decision to run for supervisor instead of
another term as a councilperson will create a vacancy
on the town board. Anne Atwell’s term on the board is
also up this year and she intends to seek re-election.
Breiten, who is in the last year of his third two-year
term as supervisor, said he has enrolled in graduate
school to earn his Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture
and will not have sufficient time to devote
to another term in office.
``It’s rewarding and important work, but I no longer
have the time,’’ he said.
He said some of the highlights of his almost six
years in office include:
- updating the town’s comprehensive plan;
- establishing procedures to perform almost all of
the accounting work in-house;
- working to make certain the required documentation
was filed with FEMA following the flood of 2006
so the town would be receive more than $900,000 to
repair damage;
- reducing taxes almost every year including a significant
cut last year;
- developing an investment strategy for the town
that has generated more than $200,000 in additional
interest revenue;
- completing a townwide
revaluation of property.
Breiten said he believes
he will leave the town in excellent
shape financially.
There will be, he said, a
reasonable fund balance,
some of which will be used
in the new budget to reduce
the burden on taxpayers in
these tough economic
times.
``The new supervisor
should be someone who is
good with numbers, open
minded without a personal
agenda and willing to do
his or her homework when
the town faces tough issues,’’
he said.
It will also be important
for that person to understand
both sides of development
issues and implications
to the tax bases and
development patterns.
``It’s nice to have a little
economic growth, but you
have to be careful it doesn’t
have a negative impact on
the quality of life,’’ Breiten
said.
He also said it was remarkable
that no one from
the Village of Cooperstown
was on the town board.
``The village represents
one-half the tax base, but
has no representation on
the board, he said.’’
