County Board Approves Committee to Study Administrator

In a reversal from past county board action, local Supervisors voted unanimously Friday afternoon to convene a special committee to review and research whether an county administrator would be beneficial to county government. Blenheim Supervisor Shawn Smith offered the motion.

The county board's unexpected shift in posture came after Mr. Smith offered a local law that, if approved, would authorize the legislature to appoint an administrator to oversee county government's daily affairs. Supervisors had previously voted against the administrator concept at their May meeting. 

Although similar in nature to a proposed local law offered by Schoharie Supervisor Gene Milone at the organizational meeting in January, Mr. Smith's bill would specifically exclude the administrator from serving in any additional capacities in county government during his or her appointed tenure.

Conesville Supervisor Bill Federice, who seconded Mr. Smith's proposed committee, told the Schoharie News that, "A special committee to study and make a recommendation to the full Board is exactly what is needed." Mr. Federice had previously written in a letter to the editor that stated more information was required before supervisors could reach a decision. 

Chairman of the Board Tony Vanglad is expected to name the committee's membership in the coming week, which sources within county government expect will be comprised of only supervisors. There is no word on how long the legislators will be tasked with researching the concept before making a final recommendation to the entire county board. 

Mr. Federice, among other members, will be watching the committee's work carefully, because as the Conesville Supervisor told us, "I am truly undecided on the issue and look forward to the debate going forward based on all the information needed to make a decision which is in the best interest of the county." 

Letter to the Editor: Federice Responds to "Unwilling to Act" Editorial

Editor's note: the original op-ed published on the Schoharie News Wednesday afternoon can be found here. We appreciate Mr. Federice's response and hope other Supervisors will in join the discussion as well, as debate is essential to our thriving democracy. 

Dear Editor, 

I find unfortunate your assertion that the Schoharie Board of Supervisors is unwilling to act.  The vote against a County Administrator you cite as an example was not on the agenda.  Supervisor Milone who brought up the subject was not asking for a vote at that time. He was asking when we could could continue the conversation.  Unfortunately, the discussion turned into a debate which frankly we were not prepared to have.

I voted against the Administrator with the comment during the role call vote that we need to continue this discussion.  We simply did not have all the facts yet to conduct a final vote on the subject.  More information such as salary, job description, expectations of an Administrator, qualifications, etc. need to be discussed with specificity. Perhaps, in my view, an Administrator may not be a good idea for Schoharie County but in all fairness the discussion has not covered all the points to make a final decision.     

Lastly, I take umbrage at your characterization of the monthly Board Meetings being a three ring circus. We frequently have disagreements and we can be passionate in arguing for what we think is best.  What is wrong with that?  Isn't that what our founding fathers had in mind in establishing a representative democracy?    

Bill Federice, Conesville Town Supervisor

Supervisors Request State Comptroller's Office Review AECOM Contract

The Schoharie County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Friday afternoon to send a letter requesting the Investigations Unit of the Legal Services Division of the Office of New York State Comptroller look into several matters regarding the conduct and execution of the stream bank remediation project.

Conesville Town Supervisor Bill Federice, who drafted the letter with assistance and support from the freshmen class of legislators, introduced the request for the entire board's approval following the county board's lunch recess. 

Speaking in support of the request, which comes in light of the growing controversy surrounding the $2.6 million budget shortfall in the stream bank project being administered by AECOM, Broome Town Supervisor Bill Smith said that he believed, "taxpayers in the county deserve answers."

Board Chairman Tony VanGlad, who reported that he has been in discussions with state officials over opening avenues of additional funding to cover the project's unexpected costs, cautioned against sending the letter too soon as he has received nothing definite yet, although he added that he should know by next week.

In late March it was revealed in separate articles published by the Times Journal and the Schoharie News that the stream bank project was in economic peril, due in part to county lawmakers and AECOM officials working under two different budget assumptions that resulted from the contract being altered retroactively. 

After contemplating Chairman VanGlad's concerns, Supervisors agreed to hold off on formally sending the letter into the State Comptroller's Office until May 1, when funding issues should theoretically be resolved, or at least stand closer to being addressed.