Beautification panel eyeing city's look

Staff Report - The Daily Star

ONEONTA — The city's new Civic Beautification Committee will be looking at ways to improve the Oneonta's appearance, according to Chairman James R. Koury.

Koury, Oneonta's City Clerk, said the committee will develop an action plan that includes a schedule and information on funding sources. And the committee embraced the idea of making Oneonta a "mural city" as proposed by Cynthia Marsh and Jennie Williams, mural project coordinators.

Koury said to foster support for the "mural city" idea, a mural should be painted on a public building. The committee will review a list of public buildings that could be used, he said, and the painting would be on a theme unique to the city.

The Civic Beautification Committee had its first meeting in City Hall Tuesday.

Oneonta Mayor Kim Muller, who took office in January, formed the committee, and Koury said it charge it to look at signage and street-scaping issues. Muller will seek possible funding to have a mural painted on a city building, he said.

Signage issues include appearance, clarity of direction and uniformity, Koury said, and the committee will work within local and state regulations.

The focus of street-scaping will be on sprucing up the city's entry-ways and major corridors, such as Main and Chestnut streets, he said. Committee members agreed that the city would benefit from having a uniform, thematic entry-way design to let visitors know that they are entering the city.

As it works toward an action plan, Koury said that the committee will develop a mission statement, review parts of the city's Comprehensive Plan and Strategic Plan for Downtown Oneonta and consider previously made recommendations about civic beautification.