County Tourism in Pretty Good Shape, Consultant Says

SCHOHARIE COUNTY _ The state of tourism in Schoharie County is fairly solid, a consultant told the county Board of Supervisors at its Friday, Dec. 19 meeting.

"We had a really great October, actually greater than our predictions," said Cassandra Harrington of Destination Marketing. "Schoharie County is really receptive to visitors and tourism."

She added that the average length of stay for visitors to the county is 2.8 days and that 38 percent of the visitors are from New York City. Among the methods Destination Marketing is using to promote tourism in the county is running advertisements in newspapers and placing brochures at various spots around the county, Harrington said.

The firm is going into its last year of a three-year contract with Schoharie County to promote tourism and she said she is hopeful the BOS will decide to enter into a new contract. Harrington added  the firm just agreed to a new five-year contract with neighboring Otsego County.

Also at the Dec. 19 meeting, County Administrator Bryan Best said the county should have Requests for Proposals for transportation services out by mid-January and be ready to present options and solutions by the March meeting.

It was announced at the Dec. 19 meeting that Best will be voluntarily foregoing his scheduled 2.5 percent salary increase in 2026, and that his annual salary will remain at the same $150,000 it was in 2025.

"The county is going through some financial difficulties," Best said after the meeting. "Everyone is being asked to tighten their belts and I didn't feel I should be accepting a salary increase after only six months on the job."

The BOS approved a resolution at the meeting directing that $15,000 be put into a Fire Training Center Facility reserve fund every year to pay for inspection of the facility every fifth year, along with needed maintenance and repairs, as needed.

Also approved was creating a veteran's reserve fund made up of $4,009 in previously received donations, with the funds to be used in support of veterans.

Three public hearings were held at the Dec. 19 BOS meeting, resulting in the passage of three new local laws. One eliminates term limits for members of the county Community Services Board, another re-establishes the county's Department of Public Works and prescribes the powers and duties thereof, and the third amends residency requirements for the position of Assistant District Attorney.

The new law authorizes the recruitment and appointment of persons for the position of Assistant District Attorney who are residents of Schoharie County or are residents of a continguous county.