Otsego, Schoharie Cooperative Extensions to Merge

The Daily Star reported that enrolled members of the Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Schoharie County voted Wednesday night in favor of merging with the Otsego County Extension Association.

Don Smyers, executive director of the Otsego association, said plans of a possible merger have been discussed for about a year. According to a media release, the extension offices in Schoharie and Otsego counties have been managed by a single executive director since Sept. 1, 2009.

Smyers said the two organizations have been carefully considering the benefits of the shared arrangement, and for it to move forward, both associations will have to vote in favor of the plan.

He said although the Otsego association will hold its annual business and board of directors meetings Dec. 2 at FoxCare Center, members will not be voting on the merger at that time. Instead, members will have the chance to vote through a ballot that will be sent by mail.

The goal is to have the ballots sent to members by the end of the month and have the return date set for sometime in December, Smyers said.

"I think people naturally always get nervous when you mention any type of change," Smyers said Thursday morning. "You never quite know what change is going to bring."

Read more at the Daily Star.com