A dispute between downtown Cooperstown businesses about a right-of-way has continued, with one following through on a cease-and-desist letter promising to remove concrete blocks obstructing Doubleday Court.
Agents of Cooperstown Wood Bat Factory seem to have twice obstructed access to Doubleday Court, the sole road entry to parking spaces used by visitors to the co-op 139 Main/Doubleday Court Inc. and its members, Cooperstown Coworks and Cooperstown Country Crafts. The deed for the co-op property includes mention of the right-of-way, though legal ownership of the asphalt drive is split between the co-op and Spooky Hollow Holdings LLC, the land owner for the batting cages.
Matt Kent, the owner of the bat factory and cages, is also contracted by the city of Oneonta as the airport manager for the Albert S. Nader Regional Airport through Hawkeye Aviation LLC.
Molly Hernandez and Dan Hernandez, co-owners of Coworks, said Molly Hernandez has left notes for many years on vehicles likely parked by batting cage employees in the right-of-way, stating that they were not allowed to park there because it makes it difficult for other vehicles to enter the tight space.
The most recent notes were left in June, the two said. Molly Hernandez is president of the business co-op.
Molly Hernandez said that when she first met Chris Kent, the batting cage’s manager, in 2024, he said that if they made an issue about the parking “‘my brother will put a gate on your lot and you’ll never get in,'” referring to Matt Kent.
Coworks member Amanda Chase observed a skidsteer and concrete blocks blocking access to Doubleday Court the morning of Wednesday, July 15. She said she texted Molly Hernandez asking about it.
“I think we’re being Punk’d,” Chase said she texted.
The Hernandezes said they attempted to rectify the issue with the batting cages’ owners, who they believed to be responsible for the blockage, to no avail.
On Thursday, July 16, the Hernandezes called Yoshi’s Towing to remove the blockage. They said Chris Kent threatened to press charges for felony theft if the blocks and skidsteer were removed, and that he called the police.
Cooperstown Police Department Officer-in-Charge Jess Lanza arrived on the scene and spoke with both Matt Kent and Chris Kent. Lanza consulted via phone with Village Attorney Martin Tillapaugh.
“I took the position that this was a private matter,” Tillapaugh said of the parking issue and what the property rights are, adding that the village needed access to the right-of-way for emergency purposes. “I told the police officer they should open up and let courts decide.”
He said the village wanted it open from a safety perspective, but could not adjudicate the dispute and “we don’t have any way to order it.”
Yoshi’s Towing cleared the obstruction and took the skidsteer away. A company representative said that the Hernandezes were correct that Matt Kent and Chris Kent picked up the skidsteer from impoundment.
Lanza said it was the first and only time CPD had been called to the location, and he saw the issue as a matter of public safety. The right-of-way is “not for one party or another.”
The same night as the tow, security camera footage showed, at least two individuals came to the site with additional concrete blocks and heavy machinery to move them. The individuals placed blocks near the batting cages and partially obstructing Doubleday Court. The Hernandezes said they recognized one of them as Matt Kent.
A delivery driver hit one of the blocks while navigating the tight space on Tuesday, July 21, Dan Hernandez said. He provided photos of scrapes on the car’s front bumper.
The Hernandezes said their attorney had a cease-and-desist letter served both to Spooky Hollow Holdings LLC’s Oneonta office and the batting cages earlier that day.
The letter from Fly Creek-based attorney Ryan Miosek gave Spooky Hollow Holdings LLC one day to remove the concrete blocks.
The letter stated that the business “unlawfully and without any recognizable justification caused the easement to our client’s driveway” “to be blocked first by a skid-steer and concrete blocks and now concrete blocks.”
It continued that “it is our further understanding that you have threatened to dig a trench through my client’s lawful easement if they attempt to remove the concrete blocks.”
With no response and no removal of the blocks, the Hernandezes said, they had the blocks removed on Friday, July 24, more than a week after they were placed there.
Molly Hernandez, who also serves as Otsego town clerk, said she hoped the removal would be the end of the ordeal.
“I don’t think there’s anything else we can do right now,” she said. “I mean, yeah, we would be thrilled if (Matt Kent) just didn’t put anything there again.”
The Kents and Leatherstocking Hand-Split Billet Co. offices have not returned repeated requests for comment during the last week and a half.
An individual at the office answered a Friday request for Matt Kent by saying, “no he’s not available,” before hanging up the phone.