Staff Report

Doug Reeser, second from left, receives check and plaque on behalf of Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center

On Wednesday, May 19^th Doug Reeser of Andes accepted an award from NYSERDA on behalf of the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center in Oneonta for which he is Board President and project Construction Manager. The NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) check was for $140,000. The High Performance Building Plaque recognized the energy efficient measures incorporated into the new center that will, according to NYSERDA, help cut energy costs by more than $65,000 a year. The measures include high performance wall and roof insulation, EIFS (exterior insulation and finish systems) compound on the exterior, sensors in the lobby that turn off the compact fluorescent lighting during daylight. and the computerized Building Management System which can program 4 zones for on-demand ventilation. Reeser offered thanks to Sen. James Seward for the $6 MM already obtained from the state through his efforts.

Reeser, long time board member/president of the Andes Society of History and Culture (ASHC), was volunteer Construction Manager for the restoration of the Hunting Tavern Museum, completed in 1998, for which he was also instrumental in obtaining grants. In addition he supervised a retrofitting of the dining hall at the ASHC’s Pleasant Valley Meeting House and a septic system design for approval by the DEP so that patrons no longer needed to use the outhouse!

Doug Reeser has again offered his volunteer expertise to supervise the work of the 25,000 square foot addition at Foothills where he has worked alongside architect, Norm Davies and contractor, Rick Eastman in building the 624-seat theater and 8,000 square foot atrium. The building, whose mission is to provide cultural and civic events for the tri-county area, is a gorgeous state-of-the art, green facility. An additional $750,000 is needed, however, for acoustics, a sound system, stage lighting and a fly tower. Says Reeser, who is committed to reducing our environmental footprint, adds, “I work with a skilled and welcoming staff. Call us at 607- 431-2080 and I’ll be happy to give you a tour!”