The Cooperstown Central School superintendent died in an apparent ATV accident Sunday about a quarter mile from his home on Patrick Road in Richmondville.
Clifton J. Hebert, 51, was reported missing by his wife at around 11pm Sunday night and his body was found near the old railroad tracks at around 3am.
Classes were canceled in Cooperstown on Monday due to the death. Mr. Hebert began as Cooperstown superintendent in July 2010.
The State Police are investigating the accident and Schoharie County Coroner Matt Coltrain ordered an autopsy which was scheduled for Monday at Ellis Hospital.
Mr. Hebert was last seen by his wife Tammy Hebert, who is the assistant superintendent at Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School, at about 11:30am, according to Schoharie County Sheriff Tony Desmond.
As she left to go to work Sunday, Mr. Hebert said he would have dinner ready by the time she got home that evening.
When she arrived home, she did not see her husband and he had not prepared dinner. She also noticed that his four-wheeler was missing, Sheriff Desmond said.
She contacted a neighbor who searched for Mr. Hebert on his ATV but the missing man was not found. Ms. Hebert, according to the Sheriff, called Mr. Hebert's brother in Connecticut.
State Police responded to the scene after a 911 call to county dispatchers at 11:47pm.
A search began and personnel from the Cobleskill Fire Department and the county Search and Rescue Team were called in at about 12:31am, according to Sheriff Desmond.
Several fire departments were contacted and ATVs were brought in from the Sharon Springs, Carlisle, Central Bridge, Summit, and Schoharie departments.
Searchers discovered four-wheeler tracks across the road from the Hebert home. The tracks went down an embankment and then up a hill, Sheriff Desmond added.
There are several ATV trails in the area, which is not far from the Warnerville Cut-Off, according to Michael Hartzel, the director of the Schoharie County Office of Emergency Services.
Shortly after firefighters and county rescue personnel arrived, 11 teams were sent out in the first search, Mr. Hartzel said. Then a grid search was made on foot.
Despite cold conditions during the night which dropped temperatures to 27 degrees, the search continued, both Sheriff Desmond and Mr. Hartzel said.
"All the guys did a great job," Mr. Hartzel added.
He noted that family members aided in the search, including the victim's brothers.
Mr. Hebert's body was found in a rugged, heavily wooded area, Sheriff Desmond said.
The organized search was conducted by Cobleskill State Police patrols, New York State Forest Rangers, and the county rescue team, according to the State Police.
Crisis counseling was available at the Cooperstown school district on Monday for staff members and students. Regular school activities were to resume on Tuesday, and counseling was to be available for students during the school day, according to the school website.
Members of the Cooperstown Central school board met Monday morning and will convene regularly throughout this week to move forward on a short-term plan for district supervision, according to the website.
The State Police are still investigating the death.