In the wonderful 1984 movie, "Moscow On The Hudson," Robin Williams plays a musician who defects from the Soviet Union.

To say that his life in New York City is vastly different from the deprivations he had known under the Communist regime in Moscow would be an understatement.

In one memorable scene, Williams’ character goes into a supermarket and asks where the line to purchase coffee is.

He’s told there is no line and is directed to an aisle where he is confronted with a dizzying assortment of coffee brands.

He mumbles: "Taster’s Choice ... decaffeinated ... Maxwell House ... El Pico ... Chock Full O’Nuts ... espresso ... cappuccino ... Café Français ... Sanka ... Folger’s ... Café Caribe. Coffee. Coffee! Coffee!"

Then he starts hyperventilating.

The poor man’s reaction was a result of the economic hardships inflicted on the Soviet citizenry by a succession of "Five-Year Plans."

Those plans were productive when it came to building hydroelectric power plants and heavy industry, but when it came to providing coffee and other consumer goods, the grandiose Five-Year Plans became objects of ridicule.

We hope for a better fate for the city of Oneonta’s recently approved 15-year plan, but frankly, we have our doubts.

For one thing, previous plans _ the most recent in 1995 _ have been ignored to the extent that most folks never realized there had been any.

For another, the current plan has fewer teeth than a jellyfish ... and about as much backbone.

It’s disheartening to think that it took 17 months and $60,000 to cook up such cold, weak cup of coffee.

The intention is for the plan to be a guide for city government and community development for the next 10 to 15 years and includes a land-use map and zoning recommendations.

But the plan is nonbinding. That means the current Common Council and those that follow over the next decade and a half are free to pretend it isn’t even there.

The most promising original aspect _ the intention for the city to go from a weak-mayor system to a strong one _ was watered down to virtual nothingness.

Language in the administrative and government section was changed from a call for charter reform that would increase executive branch powers to suggesting charter reform be studied.

Gee, that was certainly courageous. By all means, let’s forthrightly "suggest" that something be "studied."

We understand that a plan was required by New York state to be a basis for zoning laws, and this satisfies that need. But we can’t help but regret that a real opportunity for beneficial change for city government has been frittered away.

Mayor John Nader said, "It’s already proven to be a valuable document for us."

However, a more-realistic appraisal came from Fourth Ward Alderman Keith Bott before the plan passed unanimously.

"I am not certain it will be used extensively by everybody," he said.

The only good news from this exercise in futility is that unlike the Soviet Five-Year Plans, Oneonta won’t have to waste time and money again for another 15 years.