Community meetings scheduled next week in Bath, Corning

Bath, N.Y.—New York State Senator Tom O’Mara (R-C, Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R-C-I, Corning) will hold a series of community meetings across the region in the coming weeks, beginning next week with public forums in Bath and Corning.

O’Mara said that additional meetings will be scheduled before the end of the year in towns throughout the remainder of his 53rd Senate District, which is comprised of Chemung,  Schuyler, Steuben and Yates counties, and a portion of Tompkins County (the city and town of Ithaca, and the towns of Enfield, Newfield and Ulysses).

The local lawmakers said that the meetings are informal and open to the public.  They’re aimed at giving local residents an opportunity to directly share their concerns, opinions and suggestions for better government.  This year’s meetings will also provide a valuable opportunity to assess the local impact of this year’s session of the state Legislature and to look ahead at some of the key regional issues that need to be addressed in the 2012 session beginning in January.

“The best ideas come from individuals at the grassroots level -- residents, small business owners and other employers, local government officials.  So we hope our constituents will take advantage of these community meetings to contribute to the debates over taxes, economic development, health care, budget reform, Medicaid reform and other key issues," O’Mara and Palmesano said in a joint statement.  “Community meetings offer the kind of direct give-and-take that’s fundamental to effective government.”

On Tuesday, September 20th, O’Mara and Palmesano will visit the Bath Town Hall (110 Liberty Street) for a meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m.          

On Thursday, September 22nd, the legislators will be in Corning at Corning City Hall (1 Nasser Civic Center Plaza) for a meeting that also begins at 5:30 p.m.

They stressed that any local residents unable to attend next week’s meetings can always contact them directly to share specific concerns and suggestions. 

O’Mara and Palmesano share a district office in Bath (105 E. Steuben Street,  Bath, N.Y., 14810)  where O’Mara can be contacted at 607-776-3201 and Palmesano at 607-776-9691.

They can also be contacted by e-mail: O’Mara at omara@nysenate.gov and Palmesano at palmesanop@assembly.state.ny.us.