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VISIT www.ALLOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER/ONLINE
Oneonta, N.Y., Thursday, April 11, 2024
Volume 16, No. 24
COMPLIMENTARY
Otsego SWCD Back On Track after NYS Comptroller Audit By DARLA M. YOUNGS
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OTSEGO COUNTY ollowing an in-depth audit conducted by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli’s office, the Otsego County Soil and Water Conservation District and its governing board “have been strengthened in ways that are exemplary for any type of organization,” SWCD Board Chair Margaret Kennedy said in a telephone interview on Monday, April 8. “We are right where we need to be,” Kennedy added with assurance. Kennedy, one of two members of the Otsego County Board of Representatives serving on the SWCD board, explained that the OSC audit released last month was a performance audit, intended to examine policies, procedures, and internal controls, and to identify areas in need of improvement. “The Board of Directors (Board) did not effectively manage grants or ensure that authorized disbursements were supported and for appropriate District purposes,” the OSC report reads under the section titled Key Findings. “As a result, District officials made overpayments, unsupported payments and unnecessary payments at taxpayers’ expense.” Specifically, the comptroller’s office found that during the initial audit period—January 1, 2017 through July 31, 2022—district officials: • Overpaid landowners totaling $174,950.00 for six grants resulting in an inappropriate use of local taxpayer money. • Made 49 disbursements totaling INSIDE ► THOUSANDS VIEW ECLIPSE AT SUNY ONEONTA, page 2 ► GROUP HOLDS BENEFIT for feral cats, page 2 ► CANO To ‘reimagine’ the arts, page 3 ► floral paintings to be featured at Caa, page 3 ► composting efforts could be better, page 4 ► kids and kinetics a challenging equation, page 4 ► local audubon chapter strong on advocacy, page 5 Follow Breaking News On
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$145,876 without adequate support (out of 63 disbursements reviewed totaling $154,080.00). • Paid $11,630 in unnecessary payments, including excess tree purchases, late fees, interest, unused cell phone accounts, sales tax and lease payments for a copier that had been replaced. • Paid employees for unsupported leave payments totaling $8,860.00 and an unallowed payment totaling $1,192.00. According to the comptroller’s report, the audit period was extended through December 31, 2022 to calculate unnecessary expenditures and through May 23, 2023 to review grant disbursements and closeouts. A read through the Otsego County Soil and Water Conservation District board meeting minutes beginning in 2021 shows that on April 16 of that year, Brian Steinmuller, assistant director of New York State Agriculture and Markets, was present at the board meeting to discuss concerns about grant reporting and closeouts. The minutes state that Steinmuller was “here today to stress the fact that grant projects need to get done in the field and office properly.” Administration of the grant is just as important as the field component of the grant, Steinmuller said. The April 16 minutes go on to report that Steinmuller had e-mailed thenDistrict Manager Jordan Clements on March 12 “expressing concern about past due closeouts, 19 months overdue.” Steinmuller said he would pull in another coordinator from Ag Continued on page 7
Totally Awesome People all over the lower 48 United States enjoyed the eclipse at varying degrees on Monday, April 8, including Chip Northrup in Texas (top photo by Rob Cooper, Dallas) and Wriley Nelson in Pulaski (bottom photo by Wriley Nelson). There won’t be a total solar eclipse that passes over the United States again until 2045.
New Exhibit, ‘As They Saw It,’ Celebrates ‘Herstory’ up with Maggie North and Sophie Combs from Springfield Museums and Martina Tanga and Erica Hirshler COOPERSTOWN from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. omen artists are seldom Challenging themselves to look through seen and rarely heard in their collections to find what these instithe museum space. This tutions had in common, they wanted to is a known fact that has troubled both showcase a diverse array of artists in professionals in the museum field and everything from age, background, race, visitors alike for ages. Six women curaand art medium. tors, however, are rewriting that issue “It was interesting to see what and reclaiming the “herstory.” everyone could bring to the table,” said Their exhibit, “As They Saw It: Cannon. Women Artists Then & Now,” opened at The exhibit, which travelled from the Fenimore Art Museum last week to much Springfield Museums, makes its final excitement. The exhibit, a partnership stop here at FAM before the artwork is between FAM, Springfield Museums, Photo by Emily Hilbert returned to their home collections. and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is The show is unique to FAM, as it not only a collaboration of institutions, “Maremaid,” 1815, Mary Ann Wilson, watercolor on paper. is a first to cover such a lengthy timeby women.” but of female viewpoints as well. As Julia Madore and Ann Cannon, associate line of artists—early 19th century to described in a press release, “As They Saw Continued on page 7 It” is about women, by women and curated curators of American Art at FAM, teamed By EMILY HILBERT
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THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER EDDM PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ONEONTA PERMIT NO. 890