Hoping for a bang in membership around Independence Day, Cobleskill Partnership Inc. got a fizzle instead.
The downtown advocacy group held a well-advertised meeting to bring in new members and energize current ones, but attendance was sparse at best.
The gathering at the Bull’s Head Inn last Tuesday included eight board members and three general members.
The meeting was also open to anyone interested in downtown Cobleskill. Five non-members showed.
In existence for more than 20 years, CPI has had projects range from events, such as the holiday celebration and Cobleskill Day, to improvements such as the Community Plaza at the corner of Main and Division streets and the upgrading of business facades.
CPI’s Streetscapes Committee finished makeovers of 16 tree pits along Main Street just last week. (See related story.)
Active membership dwindled in recent months, however, and Tuesday’s meeting was an attempt to reverse that.
It was publicized several times in the Times-Journal and broadcast heavily on Facebook.
“We were all disappointed we didn’t have more people,” said Tim Snyder, who chairs the Streetscapes Committee.
“I know all organizations are going through membership problems. But we’d like people to step up and see what CPI can do.”
If Tuesday’s tiny turnout is an indication of interest in downtown, said CPI President Brian Kaiser, maybe it’s time to quit.
“Hanging on to the last breath is not the way I want to go out,” Mr. Kaiser said.
It’s conceivable, he added, that CPI could scale back its efforts and limit projects to events “with one leader for each one.”
Several board members suggested having a second roundup meeting, advertised even more broadly, later in the summer.
CPI’s goal has been––and still is––to make downtown Cobleskill a better place to live, work and visit, and that goal remains foremost, according to Bruce Tryon, who chairs the organization’s Public Relations Committee.
Striving for that goal means keeping the organization active by reviving community interest, he added.
“CPI needs to remain viable and find a way to tap into the unique talents and skill sets that those who live in our village and town offer,” Mr. Tryon said.

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Note: Jim Poole, who wrote this story, is a CPI board member.