Since none of us are able to get our letters to the County Board member T. Jerritt why not swampe the newspaper with our letters of support for Barbara Dix. I have tried all of the email addresses that have been posted here and have yet to get one letter through to him. All have been returned. He evidiently has blocked all mail concerning Barbara Dix and so if we write the newpaper there perhaps this will be the way to get attention to the problem. Jean Payton ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2003 8:50 AM Subject: letter: support for Barbara Dix > Copy of letter to Mr. Lyman emailed directly to him. > > Dear Mr. Lyman > > I just returned to Virginia from my fourth trip this year (so far) to Oswego > County. As always, I stopped in at the Records Center to continue my > historical research on Oswego County before 1850, and to take advantage of Barbara > Dix's tremendous knowledge of Oswego County History. I was dismayed to be > informed that her position will no longer continue and that there will be other > cutbacks in the Records Center which I depend upon so much for my research. > > Perhaps you are unaware of how much the Records Center is used and how > valuable an asset Barbara is. When I was there on Thursday (8/7), the room was > nearly full, although I was able to find a seat. I was not the only person there > from Virginia, two ladies were also visiting from Ophelia, VA, and there was > another individual from South Carolina. All out-of-staters were visiting > Oswego County solely to do family and other historical research. There was no > other reason for any of them to visit Oswego County, just as there is no reason > for me to visit if I am stymied in obtaining records for my research. The last > time I was there, two people were there from California, and they were > delighted at all the information available to them. Of course, they knew about > Barbara and the Records Center before they decided to visit. > > I too work for a government organization, and I am familiar with budget cuts. > Rational budget cuts should focus on short term costs - travel, training, > the typically excess communication functions. They should not eliminate the > backbone of a particular organizational group. One can replace a vehicle, > outdated computers, even redundant personnel (e.g., clerk) who do not have highly > specialized qualifications, once finances are better - this is not a permanent > recession/depression. But once one eliminates a specialist, the nerve center > of a legitimate county function, then one loses all that has been built up > over the years. Even if another historian is hired when times get better, there > will be a great loss in knowledge of what has been done and what needs to be > done just for the Records alone, let alone personal knowledge of Oswego > history. Barbara has personally overseen the progress that has been made. One > cannot afford to lose, nor can one even come close to replacing, someone as > valuable as Barbara. > > I know decisions have been made. I also know they can be changed. I urge > you to reconsider and keep Barbara Dix in the position of County Historian. > > Larry Turner, Ph.D. > Woodbridge, VA > > > ==== NYOSWEGO Mailing List ==== > Northern New York History and Genealogy > www.nnygenealogy.com > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >

Jean, Is the County Clerk not the recipient and handler of record for correspondence for the Co Board? This individual is responsible for the public opinion to be passed on. Yes? No? Sherry ----- Original Message ----- From: JEAN PAYTON <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2003 8:02 AM Subject: Re: letter: support for Barbara Dix > Since none of us are able to get our letters to the County Board member T. > Jerritt why not swampe the newspaper with our letters of support for Barbara > Dix. I have tried all of the email addresses that have been posted here and > have yet to get one letter through to him. All have been returned. He > evidiently has blocked all mail concerning Barbara Dix and so if we write > the newpaper there perhaps this will be the way to get attention to the > problem. > Jean Payton > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2003 8:50 AM > Subject: letter: support for Barbara Dix > > > > Copy of letter to Mr. Lyman emailed directly to him. > > > > Dear Mr. Lyman > > > > I just returned to Virginia from my fourth trip this year (so far) to > Oswego > > County. As always, I stopped in at the Records Center to continue my > > historical research on Oswego County before 1850, and to take advantage of > Barbara > > Dix's tremendous knowledge of Oswego County History. I was dismayed to be > > informed that her position will no longer continue and that there will be > other > > cutbacks in the Records Center which I depend upon so much for my > research. > > > > Perhaps you are unaware of how much the Records Center is used and how > > valuable an asset Barbara is. When I was there on Thursday (8/7), the > room was > > nearly full, although I was able to find a seat. I was not the only > person there > > from Virginia, two ladies were also visiting from Ophelia, VA, and there > was > > another individual from South Carolina. All out-of-staters were visiting > > Oswego County solely to do family and other historical research. There > was no > > other reason for any of them to visit Oswego County, just as there is no > reason > > for me to visit if I am stymied in obtaining records for my research. The > last > > time I was there, two people were there from California, and they were > > delighted at all the information available to them. Of course, they knew > about > > Barbara and the Records Center before they decided to visit. > > > > I too work for a government organization, and I am familiar with budget > cuts. > > Rational budget cuts should focus on short term costs - travel, training, > > the typically excess communication functions. They should not eliminate > the > > backbone of a particular organizational group. One can replace a vehicle, > > outdated computers, even redundant personnel (e.g., clerk) who do not have > highly > > specialized qualifications, once finances are better - this is not a > permanent > > recession/depression. But once one eliminates a specialist, the nerve > center > > of a legitimate county function, then one loses all that has been built > up > > over the years. Even if another historian is hired when times get better, > there > > will be a great loss in knowledge of what has been done and what needs to > be > > done just for the Records alone, let alone personal knowledge of Oswego > > history. Barbara has personally overseen the progress that has been made. > One > > cannot afford to lose, nor can one even come close to replacing, someone > as > > valuable as Barbara. > > > > I know decisions have been made. I also know they can be changed. I urge > > you to reconsider and keep Barbara Dix in the position of County > Historian. > > > > Larry Turner, Ph.D. > > Woodbridge, VA > > > > > > ==== NYOSWEGO Mailing List ==== > > Northern New York History and Genealogy > > www.nnygenealogy.com > > > > ============================== > > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, > go to: > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > > > > > ==== NYOSWEGO Mailing List ==== > Northern New York History and Genealogy > www.nnygenealogy.com > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >