Close to 100 local officials attended Northern Oneida County Council of Governments yearly meeting and dinner at the Franklin Hotel, Rome on October 26th. Ronald C. Brach, the executive director of the New York State Legislative Commission on Rural Resources was the guest speaker for the evening and shared with those present information this commission learned from listening sessions held around the state in rural areas this past year. Copies of the Executive Summary by the Commission on Rural Resources which contains more detailed information was unveiled at the meeting and made available to NOCCOG town and villages for review. Mr. Brach stressed that the report is not cast in stone and the commission is encouraging feed back from the report. Mr. Brach stated that rural communities need to work on an action agenda to address their present and future needs and need to make state agencies and officials aware of this agenda.
Floyd Supervisor, John Buczek, presented a gift and a resolution on behalf of NOCCOG and the communities it represents in recognition of Kevin J. Smith, the director of infrastructure and natural resources for the Tug Hill Commission, who will be retiring in November. Kevin has worked closely with NOCCOG and the circuit riders in the past, as well as working directly with many NOCCOG communities on numerous projects during his tenure with the Tug Hill Commission.
A business meeting followed with NOCCOG chairman, Robert Sauer, presenting the chairman’s report regarding NOCCOG projects during the past year. Fiscal officer, Mark Scheidelman, presented his report and noted that all NOCCOG communities paid their membership support in full for 2006 and dues for 2007 will remain at $550. The proposed budget for 2007 was presented and approved. The business meeting included approval of the minutes of the 2006 annual meeting and the election of officers for the NOCCOG executive board for 2007 which will remain the same with Robert Sauer Chairman, Arnie Talgo vice-chairman and Mark Scheidelman Fiscal Officer.
