Do you know how many people work for the city of Oneonta? It’s 204. That number includes 141 full-time and 53 part-time staff, nine elected and one appointed position. I suspect that that number is more than you thought.
It takes many people to operate the city government, and during the last six weeks I have had the pleasure of visiting the departments and meeting the people who deliver for Oneonta as professionals every day. In addition to the employed staff for the city, we also have 113 volunteer positions for board and commission service.
The commissions range from A to Z, from airport to zoning, and many more in between. The commissions and boards are an important part of city government because they provide direction and oversight for many activities the city undertakes. We are fortunate to have an abundance of community members willing to dedicate their time and energy for the betterment of Oneonta through board and commission service.
We routinely need new members to step forward and participate. If you are interested in getting involved with the city through board or commission service, please contact the city clerk’s office and complete an interest form. I will call you!
At 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, I will hold my first Community Conversation at the Elks Lodge, 84-86 Chestnut St. The purpose of these quarterly public meetings is to provide general information about initiatives the city is working on and, more importantly, to hear your questions, thoughts and feedback. I believe these meetings will be an important activity in support of my duty to advise the Common Council and city administrator on policy and strategic planning.
On March 3, as prescribed by the city charter, I will deliver the State of the City address to the Common Council. I invite you to attend. I will describe in essence what I have learned about the condition of the city, both through the campaign in 2025 and on the job since the first of January, along with recommendations for actions by the council that may lead to overall improvements in operations.
The address will be followed by the council’s 2026 workshop meeting. The meeting is also open to the public and will not function like a regular meeting. Instead of a normal agenda, the council will engage in a strategic planning session to identify key opportunities, along with goals and plans to achieve them.
The workshop meeting will not necessarily conclude with a formulated strategic planning, but with the main components identified and a sense of direction. A complete strategic plan will soon follow. The Common Council will ultimately agree to adopt a strategic plan, and the Budget and Strategic Plan Committee will be given the task of monitoring and reporting on it to the full council.
My next column will follow the workshop meeting and will describe its outcome for all to see. In the meantime, please call the city clerk’s office and ask about how you can get involved with the city.