The Oneonta Common Council voted unanimously to create a new transit supervisor position within Oneonta Public Transit on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
The council unanimously passed a separate motion revising the city’s organizational chart and staffing. Currently, the OPT has budgeted 10 full-time positions and 32 part-time positions. Thirty are part-time bus drivers.
“We are working to increase ridership without increasing buses and additional employees,” City Transportation Director David Hotaling said Tuesday.
Hotaling said that the addition of a supervisor is just a reconfiguration of existing personnel, adding that there is an entry level driver training program in place helping train new bus drivers.
“Ten people have completed training in the past month,” he said.
Future of 27 Market Street
Parking, homelessness and the lack of affordable housing are issues raised on a regular basis at Common Council meetings.
Drnek announced Tuesday that the proposed sale of 27 Market Street would be discussed during multiple council meetings this year.
Three residents of the city of Oneonta read statements and passed out paper copies of their remarks to all council members. Two petitioners opposed the sale of 27 Market Street and one suggested compromise.
Marge O’Mara, a resident of the Seventh Ward, said that she strongly opposed the construction of any building at 27 Market Street.
“It is clear that we need this additional parking,” she said. “The city of Binghamton partnered with a nonprofit organization (Greater Opportunities) to utilize state funding to renovate vacant multi-family properties into newly remodeled supportive housing units.”
Bryan Shaughnessy, a resident of Belmont Circle and the owner of property across from 27 Market Street, said that city officials “disregarding feedback from downtown businesses about vacancies and parking problems.”
He said that Clinton Plaza pays $110,000 in property taxes based on a letter submitted at the Jan 7 council meeting by Robert Semaya, manager of the entity that owns Clinton Plaza.
“Two years ago, The Working Kitchen, a business located at 142 Main Street, had plans to build a showroom which included a significant investment from its owners,” Shaughnessy said. “Unfortunately, those plans have since been canceled as indicated by the ‘for lease’ sign now displayed in their window.”
Charles Sherrard, the third petitioner, suggested that all parties look for common ground.
“We need not be enemies,” he said. “I would implore the council to build affordable housing. We are the future of this city. Engage in discussion with neighbors.”
Elayne Mosher Campoli, D-First Ward, said the discussion should not be about “parking versus housing.” Oneonta needs both, she said, and that a parking task force that is working on the issue.
Kaytee Lipari Shue, D-Fourth Ward, said she met with about 15 of her constituents recently. There was a request for public safety departments to give regular updates on crime, homelessness and other matters like the former encampment near Home Depot.
Don Mathisen, D-Eighth Ward, said that he visited the encampment recently and it was vacant.
Cecelia Walsh-Russo, D-Second Ward, said there has been a lot of press that two council members in Providence, Rhode Island, have opened up its City Hall as a warming station.
Drnek distributed a PowerPoint to the council last week entitled Urban Density, which is also addressed in the city’s strategic and comprehensive plan.
The document stated that with urban renewal between 1970-1990, Oneonta lost more than 2,000 residents. Oneonta lost all of the buildings on Broad Street and lost the far side of Chestnut Street.
The mayor posed this question to the council: “Is a re-commitment to density the answer?”
Mathisen said, “We should be more dense.”
Michael Foster Rothbart, D-Seventh Ward, also said yes to density. He suggested that the city must decide if it wants to take a map-based approach or a type of development approach.
Walsh-Russo offered Jeff Speck as an expert in urban design and city planning who has given TED Talks about walkable cities.
Scott Harrington, R-Sixth Ward, posed a broader question: “How do we bring more people to Oneonta when the state of New York is losing population?”
Lipari Shue reminded the council that “our city has an aging population.”
Len Carson, R-Fifth Ward, urged the council that to listen to what the public has to say.
Drnek stated that he will be giving a State of the City speech on Feb. 18 at the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center.
Other business
In other business, City Administrator Greg Mattice reported that the city received $6,024,585 in sales tax revenue between January and November 2024. He said that this is positive news since the sales tax revenue is in excess of the $5.4 million budgeted in the city’s 2024 budget. The city received $600,306 in sales tax for the month of November 2024.
Mayor Mark Drnek announced the death of a long-term city employee, Val Wagner. He said that she died unexpectedly. She worked for the city clerk’s office for more than 20 years.
Drnek announced that the city has secured up to 35 reserved parking spaces for county employees who complained about receiving parking tickets from the city. Final arrangement are still being negotiated.