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City Council Approves Stage, Discusses Zoning of Markets By TONY SAVIO
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ONEONTA n addition to motioning to move forward with the Al Gallodoro Memorial Stage in Muller Plaza, one of the main topics of discussion at the Oneonta Common Council meeting on Tuesday, September 17 was a proposal to change the zoning code for what is designated as a “neighborhood market.” After raising more than $10,000.00 for architectural drawings and other services through a GoFundMe campaign created by Kevin Wood, the grandson of legendary saxophonist and former Oneonta resident Al Gallodoro, the Common Council voted to move forward with the next step of making the stage a reality. The city will accept the gift of architectural drawings and associated rights to begin the formal RFP (request for proposals) process to receive bids to build and install the stage. According to a September 21 post on the Al Gallodoro Facebook page managed by Wood, the group “will continue to raise money via [its] GoFundMe campaign to ensure that we provide amazing world-class entertainment the day the stage is unveiled sometime in 2025.” The topic that inspired the most discussion at the meeting, however, was the definition of neighborhood markets. City officials have been talking about the zoning of neighborhood markets for several months, since a late 2023 proposal to open an Oneonta location on Walnut Street of the popular INSIDE ► CFOC awards DEI grant, page 3 ► sociality a healthy habit, page 4 ► T’nette kuzminski’s ‘garden,’ page 5 ► celebrating our neighbors, page 6 ► cardelle’s “On stage” returns, page 7 ► literacy organization turns 50, page 12 ► christmas cards now available, page 12 ► calendar, page 14 Follow Breaking News On
Cooperstown business Stagecoach Coffee provoked strong responses from neighborhood residents, resulting in the withdrawal of that proposal. The concern about regulating neighborhood markets stems from precedents of two or more similar shops opening on the same street. “Tightening up the definition allows us to move forward in a way that we create parcel uses that are beneficial to the neighborhood,” said Fourth Ward Council Member Kaytee Lipari Shue during the discussion. Under current regulations, neighborhood markets cannot exceed 1,000 square feet and cannot be within 500 feet of each other. Common Council members discussed size regulations and the number of seats each neighborhood market can offer its customers. Current business owners can use 25 percent of their space, or 250 square feet, for customer seating. The regulation specifies permission to offer 15 indoor seats and five more outside. Fifth Ward Council Member Len Carson expressed concerns about the logistics of the seat regulation, questioning the ability of neighborhood markets to fit the allowed number of chairs in their shops. Based on the need to allow approximately 32-35 square feet per person for indoor seating, Carson said he kept “doing the math” and concluded that “there’s no way to get 15 ever into 250 square feet, so you’re going to struggle to get eight into that space.” After deliberation, the Common Council did not come to a decision and the topic was tabled for a later date. Continued on page 12
Photo by Darla M. Youngs
It was standing room only as approximately three dozen people awaited the start of the Village of Cooperstown public hearing on Monday, September 23 to discuss proposed amendments to the current village sign law.
Community Speaks Out For and Against Sign Law Amendment By DARLA M. YOUNGS
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COOPERSTOWN pproximately three dozen people gathered at the Cooperstown Village Hall on Monday, September 23 for the Board of Trustees meeting and public hearing on proposed changes to the village’s sign law. The public hearing, where it was standing room only, comes as a result of an inquiry by Joan Parillo regarding possible placement of Hometown Heroes banners in the village. The banners can be seen in communities throughout Otsego County and New York State, and have become a popular way of honoring the service of indi-
vidual veterans, but the village’s current sign law would prohibit the hanging of such banners on public property. Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh opened the public hearing at 6:35 p.m. by reading the guidelines for public comment. Nineteen individuals respectfully addressed the assembly, including both residents of the Village of Cooperstown and those residing in the immediately surrounding areas. Comments ranged from support of the current sign law and concerns that the banners might be too distracting and therefore likely to cause accidents, to those in favor of the proposed amendments so that veterans could be further Continued on page 13
Nonagenarian Channels Dylan in Sculpture, Paintings By TERESA WINCHESTER
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BUTTERNUTS n Friday, September 20, Marcus Villagran, 92, sat at the kitchen table in a 125-year-old farmhouse in the Town of Butternuts, where he lives with his fellow ceramic artist and partner of 10 years, Elizabeth Nields. He cut a striking figure, wearing a rust-colored fedora over his shock of white hair and an army green woolen overshirt. He was using scissors to slice up apples, gathered from a tree on his property and already peeled and halved. He planned to serve his applesauce at his September 22 opening, held at the Dunderberg Gallery, a renovated hardware store he owns and operates in Gilbertsville. His exhibit is titled “Jack of Hearts: Sculpture and Paintings by Marcus Villagran.” The title refers to “Lily,
Photo by Teresa Winchester
Marcus Villagran’s stoneware tile and wood sculpture of Bob Dylan (36x30x2 inches).
Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts,” a nineminute-long narrative ballad recorded by Bob Dylan for his 1975 album, “Blood on the Tracks.” It is the tale of an abusive diamond mine owner (Big Jim), a bank robber (the Jack of Hearts), Lily (a dancer having an affair with Big Jim), and Rosemary (Big Jim’s long-suffering wife). Ultimately, as the song recounts, Rosemary hangs for the murder of Big Jim. Villagran sees the song as “a story about a mythical being who never had to win a card game or a boxing match or any kind of fight.” “It’s a purely mythical event,” he said. At the exhibit opening, singer-songwriter Keith Torgan performed the song. Villagran said his mother played piano and was “the singer in the family.” “She taught me to love all music, but I Continued on page 12
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