Guest Column: Mayor Keith T. Pierce

“Let's get those decorations up”

ODESSA, Dec. 2 -- Just a brief reminder to all my fellow "village people" -- especially those folks on Main Street. Let's get those X-mas lights up. Remember, I will help if needed! The Odessa Fire Department got our snowflakes up on Wednesday, with new "brighter" bulbs!

We also were able to light up the Municipal Building this year. I wanted you all to know that this did not cost the Village anything because we were able to clean up all the old steel at the DPW building and received $131.00 for it at the scrap yard, which in turn paid for all the lights. Labor was provided for free by the Pierces and Eric Wheaton. There's always a way to get things done if you just look around!

If you didn't know, we were successful in getting those giant trees down on Merchant Avenue without too much calamity. I believe the only destruction was a few cracked windows when the huge trunks hit the ground. As close as we can figure, the trees were roughly 134-140 years old. Put in context, they would have been planted only about 20 years after the end of the Civil War! Clean-up continues, but we were able to get a crew from the Monterey shock camp for a couple of days to help. I would still like to get a slab cut off for display, but we are not equipped with a chainsaw large enough to accomplish that task. If anyone out there has one, we would greatly appreciate the help.

So let's get those lights up and get in the Christmas Spirit! Thanks to all who have lights up around the Village; there seem to be more this year than ever before! All we have to do is get Main Street involved. Maybe those nice ladies at Mane Street Hair Designs can be the first and get the ball rolling!

-- Mayor Keith T. Pierce

E-mail: villageofodessa@stny.rr.com

Photo in text: Mayor Keith T. Pierce

Village Board members

Pictured below, from left: Mayor Keith Pierce and Village Board Trustees Peggy Tomassi, Rita Decker, Robin Thoman and Shawn Crane..

Mayor: Keith Pierce

Trustees: Rita Decker, Peggy Tomassi, Robin Thoman, Shawn Crane

Village Clerk: Kristi Pierce, 300 E. Main St., Odessa, 594-2100

Deputy Clerk: Kay Collins, 300 E. Main St., Odessa, 594-2100

Department of Public Works: Vacant

Municipal Building: 300 E. Main St., Odessa, 594-3792

Dutton S. Peterson Memorial Library: 106 First St., Odessa, 5942791

Schuyler County Officials

Legislature Members:

Top row (from left): Thomas Gifford, Delmar Bleiler, Doris Karius, Glenn Larison

Bottom row: Michael A. Yuhasz, Dennis Fagan, Paul Marcellus, Stewart Field

Legislature Chairman

Thomas M. Gifford, 535-9517

Legislature Members:

Michael A. Yuhasz, 535-4967

Doris L. Karius, 546-5544

Delmar F. Bleiler Jr., 594-3437

Glenn R. Larison, 594-3385

Dennis Fagan, Tyrone

Paul Marcellus, Watkins Glen

Stewart Field, Reading Center

County Clerk: Linda Compton, 535-8133

Sheriff: William Yessman, 535-8222

Undersheriff: Breck Spaulding, 535-8222

County Treasurer: Margaret Starbuck, 535-8181

District Attorney: Joseph Fazzary, 535-8383

State, Federal Officials for Schuyler County

Sen. Charles E. Schumer

United States Senate
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-3201
DC Phone: 202-224-6542
DC Fax: 202-228-3027
Email Address: http://schumer.senate.gov/webform.html

Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand

United States Senate
478 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
DC Phone: 202-224-4451
Website: http://gillibrand.senate.gov/

U.S. Rep. Eric Massa

United States House of Representatives
1208 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
DC Phone: 202-225-3161
DC Fax: 202-226-6599
Website: http://massa.house.gov/

State Senator George H. Winner, Jr. -- Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Yates, western Tompkins, Enfield, Ithaca (Town and City), Newfield, Ulysses(Trumansburg)

Room 415, Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: (518) 455-2091
Fax: (518) 426-6976
www.senate.nyssenate53.com

Assemblyman Tom O’Mara -- Chemung, Schuyler, Tioga
Room 720, Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248
Phone: (518) 455-4538
Website: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=137

Assemblyman James G. Bacalles -- Steuben, Yates
439 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248
Phone: (518) 455-5791
Website: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=136