Published: October 02, 2009 07:30 am      

Letters to the Editor: October 2, 2009

Dick Miller can improve Oneonta

As a former Oneontan and Hartwick College graduate, I'm writing to express the enthusiastic support of my family and me for the candidacy of Dick Miller for mayor.

The Lambros family was in business on Main Street for 72 years. Over the last 30 years, we have witnessed not only the steady decline of many of center city's beautiful old neighborhoods, but also the sad current state of Oneonta's once-vibrant downtown business district.

For too long, Oneonta has lacked full-time, experienced and dynamic leadership, not only to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods, but also to develop a healthy business climate and restore Main Street to its former role as a magnet for business and community activity. Who else is better qualified to work with the business and college communities?

After his retirement from Hartwick, Dick Miller demonstrated to the community his personal commitment by not only staying in the area, but by buying and transforming a 30-year neighborhood eyesore in center city into a home all would be proud have in their own neighborhood.

Oneonta needs a capable leader at the helm to guide it through the difficult financial times we face. As he brought Hartwick College back from the brink of financial collapse through personal commitment and business acumen, we hope he will be elected to do the same for Oneonta, because throughout Miller's life he has been a consummate problem-solver, and an inclusive leader who knows how to listen and when to act.

Please consider what is at stake for the future of Oneonta in the upcoming election for all Oneontans: its children, old-time residents, newcomers, students, colleges and businesses. We must support Dick Miller, who is a once-in-a-lifetime mayoral candidate in the most difficult of times.

JoAnn Lambros-Pavlostathis

Norcross, Ga.

Daily Star's criticism hurt Soccer Hall

I refer to the editorial of Sept. 10 titled "It may be too late for Soccer Hall."

You state that "Through the years ... we (The Daily Star) have been highly critical of the lack of enterprise, initiative and gumption by the Soccer Hall's management." That has to be the understatement of the year. The fact is that your editorials and stories have been much more than "highly critical." They have been consistently negative and have never faltered in relentlessly sniping at the Hall and its activities. There is lots of blame to go around, but The Daily Star should take much more credit for the role that it has played in undermining the Hall.

Since moving to Oneonta in 1999, when the Hall was officially opened, I have been bemused and baffled by The Daily Star's consistently negative editorializing and reporting. As a Hall of Famer, former director and interim president, I was astonished by the paper's vendetta against an Oneonta institution that has been a major economic force in the community, and whose closing will impact many local businesses.

I would also note that it is somewhat ironic that the retirement of Cary Brunswick should be announced on the same day, and on the same page, as the announcement of the closing of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Thankfully that means one less of the old guard on the paper's editorial board. Regrettably, Mr. Pollak, the self-acknowledged author of the negative editorials, still remains.

The loss of the Hall will be felt throughout the community, which is more than I can say for Mr. Brunswick's retirement. Hopefully his departure will result in a positive change in the editorial policy of The Daily Star although, sadly, too late for the Hall.

George C. Brown

Oneonta