Oneonta business owners and officials are pushing to reinstate a $60,000 budget to boost summer foot traffic on Main and Water streets, arguing that better marketing and coordination could revitalize downtown.
In attendance at Thursday’s Finance and Human Resources Committee meeting were Wayne Carrington, owner of the B-Side and Autumn Café, Jim Seymour, co-owner of Black Oak Tavern and Brew-U, and Kaler Carpenter, youth services coordinator for Friends of Recovery of Delaware and Otsego.
Scott Harrington, R-Sixth Ward, was absent, leaving Cecelia Walsh-Russo, D-Second Ward, and Don Mathisen, D-Eighth Ward, to discuss the spending request, which was endorsed by Mayor Mark Drnek.
Mathisen quickly said he was not in favor of reconsidering the budget request. He said that he and other council members already removed the expense from the budget in December when the Common Council was looking for ways to reduce the $1.68 million deficit in the 2025 budget.
Carpenter said he and his Club Odyssey team organized and staffed many activities on Muller Plaza for 14 weeks for the past two summers, setting up tables, chairs and umbrellas six days a week, providing family-friendly games and keeping the plaza clean.
“We attracted nearly 7,600 visitors last summer,” he said. “There is the value of the increased foot traffic, and there is the value of creating a safe and welcoming place you want to hang out.”
He said that FOR-DO earned $16,500 for organizing 14-weeks of activities, a small part of the $60,000 budget.
They spent $3,259 on bubbles and pogo sticks and $1,000 to create a large community bulletin board. Last summer, the covered bulletin board became a conversation piece advertising all the was going on during the summer in Oneonta.
City Finance Director Virginia Lee said that although $60,000 was budgeted in 2024, the city spent closer to $35,000 to support downtown.
Drnek proposed that $20,000 of the $60,000 requested for downtown support be earmarked for marketing.
A coming plaza attraction is the Al Gallodoro Memorial Stage, which Drnek said is scheduled to be ready by June 21.
Gallodoro was a famed saxophone player who taught at Hartwick College later in his career. The project was funded with American Rescue Plan Act funds totaling $254,873 and city Parks and Recreation Reserve funds totaling $106,481.
“We have a beautiful, little stage being built and I asked Geoff Doyle from the Foothills to book groups to perform on the new stage,” he said.
Carrington asked if the city must pay artist fees of 1.8% and Lee said yes. Carrington suggested that the city and venues like the Foothills, B-Side and Black Oak coordinate efforts to get an umbrella agreement to reduce each individual entity from paying this cost.
Seymour said he wanted the city to focus on not just Main Street, but nearby Water Street.
“I want to see the city put effort into marketing and beautifying Water Street,” Seymour said. “We talked about string lights and making it a place that we can go and relax.”
City Administrator Greg Mattice said that decorative light poles like the ones on Market Street are on back order for Water Street.
Seymour requested garbage cans and trash removal. Lee said garbage bins have been ordered.
“How do you balance competing interests? What is the city’s process of making decisions?” Carrington asked the council members.
“You need eyes on the street,” Walsh-Russo said. “This is absolutely necessary. Dead space needs to be eliminated.”
Drnek said better coordination was needed between the merchants and the activities FOR-DO provided.
“What we were lacking was a coordinated effort to involve all the merchants,” he said.
Community Development Coordinator Judy Pangman recommended listening to the business owners present rather than debating with them
“I would like to see more business owners come to these Finance meetings,” she said.
Drnek said a $60,000 request is a very small ask considering the entire city budget.
“Some of our businesses are down 20, 30, 40 percent,” Drnek said. “We swore an oath that we do our very best for our city.”
Walsh-Russo and Mathisen agreed to move the proposal for funding to a discussion by the full council.
“Listening to our business owners is so important. I think we need to do more of it,” Walsh-Russo said.