LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION congratulating the Village of Owego upon the
occasion of being named the Coolest Small Town in America by BUDGET
TRAVEL MAGAZINE

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend those towns and villages which symbolize the historical, social
and cultural development of this great State and embody the spirit of
the principles upon which this Nation was founded; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to congratu-
late the Village of Owego upon the occasion of being named the Coolest
Small Town in America by BUDGET TRAVEL MAGAZINE; and
WHEREAS, On Wednesday, April 15, 2009, with over 20,000 votes, BUDGET
TRAVEL MAGAZINE announced on the CBS Early Show, that Owego, New York,
is the Coolest Small Town in America; and
WHEREAS, The community immediately began celebrations on the day of
the announcement with free coffee being offered at The Goat Boy, and
discounted desserts at The Hand of Man and River Rose Cafe; then, on
Friday, April 17, 2009, the merriment continued at the downtown Art
Walk, which combined art with celebration, and an official toast was
made at the Jailhouse Restaurant; and
WHEREAS, Over a period of three months, BUDGET TRAVEL MAGAZINE went on
a quest to discover the "Coolest Small Town in America"; with over 152
nominations, submitted at the beginning of February, the magazine
narrowed it down to the top 22 finalists, and finally to the top five
before naming Owego the "Coolest"; and
WHEREAS, Overall, BUDGET TRAVEL MAGAZINE was looking for places that
had some kind of edge to them but with a population of less than 10,000;
some of the criteria necessary to be considered included being a locale
that offered charming coffee shops and spectacular restaurants, as well
as great art galleries and country shops; and
WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Mayor Edward Arrington, the Village
of Owego campaigned for months, using its Victorian-era charm, quirky
stores, riverside setting and unusual restaurants to take the prize; the
people, the food, the architecture, and the shops, all added up to make
Owego, New York, the Coolest Small Town in America; and
WHEREAS, The video submission sent by Tioga County Tourism Director,
Stella Reschke to BUDGET TRAVEL MAGAZINE during the contest contained
images from various festivals that take place in Owego, New York,
throughout the year including the Strawberry Festival, Lights on the
River and Holiday Showcase; the video also included images of music
events, fishing, biking, and some of the historic details of the
village; and
WHEREAS, In the end after receiving various comments, photos and vide-
os, Owego, New York, was selected by BUDGET TRAVEL MAGAZINE in recogni-
tion of its gorgeous outdoor splendor, beautiful historic architecture
and fierce local pride, truly representing a picturesque postcard town
in Main Street America; and
WHEREAS, Owego, New York, and all it has to offer will be featured in
the October 2009 issue of BUDGET TRAVEL MAGAZINE; this publication is
distributed to more than 630,000 subscribers and its
www.budgettravel.com Web site gets more than 1.8 million unique page
views per month, bringing great exposure to this wonderful town; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of Owego, New York's extraordinary achievement
and enduring contribution to the State of New York, this Legislative
Body is proud to pay tribute to this spirited village, and to join them
in celebrating this momentous honor; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate the Village of Owego upon the occasion of being named the
Coolest Small Town in America by BUDGET TRAVEL MAGAZINE and to enthusi-
astically salute its residents as they celebrate this auspicious occa-
sion; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Owego Mayor Edward Arrington.