Motion to Release "the Report" Blocked as Supervisors Spar

Toward the end of a long meeting of the Board of Supervisors last Friday, the County probe into personnel practices came into discussion. The issue was broached by Sheriff Tony Desmond, who asked the Board for the report to be released "as soon as possible." He asked for the dispatch to be issued as early as that day-- and that if the Board could not release in its entirety that at least the portion about the Sheriff's Department could be issued. The Sheriff said that it was not fair for the report to be held as people have been asking about the issue during a political campaign. Desmond said that if there was a problem in the Department, especially one involving his leadership style, he needed to know immediately.

Blenheim Supervisor Bob Mann asked for a more precise time on the release. County Attorney West hoped for the report to be 'wrapped up' by the end of this current week. Chair Phil Skowfoe also asked the attorneys conducting the probe on a precise timeline and did not receive any firm answer.

Jefferson Supervisor Dan Singletary spoke up, stating that he was concerned that the report "does not include what you want" while motioning to Schoharie Supervisor Gene Milone. Singletary stated that the report was "political" and did not reflect "reality." The Jefferson Supervisor said that he requested tapes of the interviews through the Freedom of Information Act.

Singletary motions to Milone. Photo credit SCHOPEG

Milone fired back, saying that "I don't know what kind of political agenda he's talking about" while adding that the tapes could not be FOILed because the report was not released. He also asked if the report would be done by early October. Mike West said that this was certainly possible. He previously had expected an earlier finish date. Milone said that his probe was to get to the "truth" of recent actions in County government.

Photo credit SCHOPEG

Esperance Supervisor Earl van Wormer said that he is asked about the communique "every day" and that people expected it released because "they paid for it with taxpayer dollars." He also mentioned that while the original probe was based on complaints of potential harassment, that no one deserved to serve in the County under adverse conditions. He said that he originally expected the report to cost $50,000. He said that the County "owed it" to the complainants to bring the report to a conclusion, despite the fact that it has dragged "on and on."

The timing of the report bothered Blenheim Supervisor Bob Mann, who believed that it could be used as a political football. The original draft of the interviews are currently available to the Supervisors and Mann called for the transcripts to be placed "on the table" to prevent politicization. Mann feared that it would be delayed until after the election and asked "Why can't they see it now?" Singletary asked again for a copy of the tapes. Attorney West said that the issue had already been discussed and that he had no further comment.

Singletary then intimated that the final report would be manipulated through editing to change its ultimate meaning. West said that he could not initiate disciplinary actions no matter what the results of the probe. Anne Batz said that she was concerned that even though the probe started with "good intentions" she was not convinced of the same now. She was concerned that "hearsay" could result in discipline. She said that she believed that there were "inaccuracies" in the report. Carlisle Supervisor Larry Bradt called for the final report so that questions would be settled.

Skowfoe was asked by Sharon Supervisor Sandra Manko if the Board would reconvene when the report was ready. A special meeting would be held to discuss it and its implications. He replied yes but West said that the report would not be issued until accepted by the Board.

After discussing Butternuts Brewery for several minutes, Cobleskill Supervisor Tom Murray made a motion to release the report immediately. Harold Vroman followed by motioning to delay until the paperwork was complete and that the lawyers involved be present. Discussion ensued on the cost of the probe-- which Attorney West estimated as "close to $300,000." When van Wormer called for the report to be finalized he was interrupted by Murray who said that if van Wormer was serious he would cut off funding for the probe.

Skowfoe called for a roll call vote. On Vroman's motion, Murray and Singletary voted no while the rest of the Board voted yes. Murray's motion received no second.

Richmondville Moves to Unionize

The Village of Richmondville has approved a plan to see its employees unionize. The community is one of the smallest in the area to accept public sector unionization. Mayor Kevin Neary has said that it is the right of the employees to organize.

County Report Aims for October Release

Boiling under the surface of County government for the last year has been the report conducted into the actions of the Schoharie County's handling of personnel and other issues. Launched after a series of complaints and lawsuits, the County Board of Supervisors approved the probe in a contentious yet nearly unanimous vote. Spending over $200,000 in County funds so far, an outside firm was hired to conduct a sweeping look into multiple facets of how business has been conducted.

Fitzmaurice & Walsh, based out of Westchester County conducted the probe, which was originally slated for a January 2013 release. During the almost two-year long probe, over 400 witnesses have been interviewed and personnel shifts dating back to 2009 have been questioned.

Much of the news that we have amassed has been already published. However, we can report a little additional information. Since early 2013 the date of publication for the report has been pushed back repeatedly. Our sources involved with the current County government says that the unveiling is currently slated for the middle of October. In addition, multiple past and present members of the County-- both elected and civil service have received additional attention. Whether these individuals, still unnamed, are going to be implicated in illegal activity is yet unknown. Sources stress that past officials may be implicated in the report although specific allegations of wrongdoing have not been forthcoming.

In addition, there has been disagreement over the cause of selling the County's home health services to the Rochester-based HCR. One claim is that the services, when provided by the County, had been a major money loser-- to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Another claim states that Schoharie County had been making six figures off of the prior arrangement. Additional research will be done as neither claim is immediately verifiable.

Pumpkin Patch Mud Run on October 5th

The Pick-a-Pumpkin Pumpkin Patch is holding its first ever run next month. The event, which is including a 5k, a 2k run, and a mud run. Come on down for fum. More information here. All proceeds go to SALT.

Interview: Sheriff Tony Desmond

Sheriff Tony Desmond's law enforcement career began in 1967 as a road patrol officer: the lone State Trooper in Schoharie County, covering a jurisdiction of 626 square miles, and after serving one four-year term that saw both his department and jurisdiction devastated by Hurricane Irene, he's standing before the voters in hopes of securing a second term.

This time on the Republican line.

But it wasn't always that way. Desmond, who was first elected four years ago on the Democratic, Conservative and Independent lines, started our conversation by stressing he was "never a Democrat,"  and that in 2009, he "didn't want to try and get the Republican nomination and get knocked down," because two candidates had already declared and that he simply re-registered as an Independent. Today, he is again a registered Republican.

However, the politics behind Desmond's blurred political lines appeared to be the least of his concerns moving forward.

Photo Compliments of Desmond's Campaign Site

The Issues

Sheriff Desmond's first priority for a possible second term is to "get a public safety building and jail back in this county," which he hopes FEMA makes a decision on. He added that his department and FEMA have "good relations," something that was evident when the Sheriff's office was able to avoid laying off correctional officers by having them patrol and secure the FEMA trailers that were housed at Guilford Mills.

The Sheriff also wants to work with the County Board of Supervisors, of which he was previously a Republican member of from the Town of Sharon Springs, to hire another 9-1-1 dispatcher and road patrol deputy, stating that right now there are not "enough people to go around."

The Candidates

When asked for his opinion of his two opponents this fall: Cobleskill Police Chief Larry Travis and Deputy Sheriff Todd Ethington, Sheriff Desmond commented that both are "good men," and that they "have the desire to be sheriff of this county," even going so far as to call Chief Travis a gentlemen, although he wasn't so kind of his subordinate - saying "I don't know about his experience," dismissing his position as a road patrol officer.

SAFE Act

Of course no conversation would be complete without a discussion of the infamous NY SAFE Act, which Sheriff Desmond reminded me that he is "still opposed to" and that he believes was put in place to "override the second amendment." In another interview he has said that he had no intention of enforcing the law.

In conclusion

After sitting down with Sheriff Desmond for roughly an hour, I can tell he still has the fight in him to protect and serve Schoharie County residents, reminding me as our conversation neared its end that if anyone has objections with his department to take it out on him... and him alone... and not the deputies who serve these great communities.

Research Finds Bleau a Legal Candidate Despite Enrollment

Questions have been circulating about the nominating process in the Town of Wright. Karl Remmers has been nominated to fill the Democratic line, although questions have been raised about his party affiliation change from Republican to Democrat earlier this year.

However, similar questions have been raised about current Deputy Supervisor and Republican-ticket candidate Amber Bleau. Ms. Bleau is currently enrolled in the Conservative Party, which has rankled some.

At first glance in New York election law, it may appear that such a candidacy is illegal.

Except as provided in subdivisions three and four of this section, no party designation or nomination shall be valid unless the person so designated or nominated shall be an enrolled member of the political party referred to in the certificate of designation or nomination at the time of filing of such certificate.

However, a closer reading shows the process to be totally legal.

This section shall not apply to a political party designating or nominating candidates for the first time, to candidates nominated by party caucus, nor to candidates for judicial offices

In New York State it is a non-uncommon process for candidates to attempt nomination by multiple parties-- even both the Republicans and Democrats. In Middleburgh this year Town Clerk Brenda Lawyer and Town Highway Superintendent Dale Nunamann appear on the Republican, Democratic, and Conservative Party tickets. They are both registered Republicans.
The debate over whether Bleau or Remmers did the right thing morally may still continue, but the legal opinion is settled.

Town of Richmondville Moves to Limit Fracking

The Town of Richmondville took two major steps to limit the introduction of fracking into the community. On September 12th the Board considered a proposed law to inhibit the practice of hydraulic fracturing.

First was the adoption of law number 2 of 2013 which further extends a moratorium on fracking in the community. In the resolution to pass the law, the Board stated that it is not simply acting due to public opinion against the practice, but to prevent a "crisis condition" by giving the Board time to review relevant information on how to proceed. 

Gibson with New Ad

EDIT-- Linked wrong video. He'res the latest ad.

Mann Challenged in Blenheim

Longtime Supervisor Robert Mann, Jr. has been challenged in Blenheim. Mann, who has served in the position for well over a decade is being taken on by Shawn Smith, who nabbed the Democratic ticket.

Smith, from his professional website

Smith currently serves as the Town Attorney of Schoharie and Fulton. Smith is a partner in his own law firm. He is a native of Jefferson and graduate of Albany Law School.

ALS Dinner in Esperance September 28th

Come and support a good cause on September 28th in Esperance to raise money to fight against ALS. The affliction, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease is a way to get a great meal for a great price for the whole family.

This disease has affected our family greatly, please consider purchasing a ticket or making a monetary donation. TICKETS: $10 age 14- adults $5 age 6-13 and 5 and under free.

Sign up for the event here.

Travis Leads Way on Reducing Fair Bill

Cobleskill Police Chief Larry Travis did the Schoharie County Sunshine fair a large favor at the last Cobleskill Village Board meeting. Travis advised the Village Board to bill the Fair less than originally anticipated for Village police coverage over the last two years. Travis and the Board discussed the issue and waived $12,000 in 2012 costs and $10,500 in 2013 costs. The former numbers were based on traditional charges between the Fair and the Village. The original numbers were not based on actual hours served, as was the crux of Travis and Mayor Galasso's argument.

Wright Signs Poke Fun at Remmers' Opportunism

Karl Remmers' decision to seek the Democratic nomination in the Town of Wright's supervisor election, after having failed to secure the Republican one against Town Councilman Amber Bleau, has exposed his political opportunism to the voters, which has led some town residents to put up some interesting signs regarding the matter:

Ms. Bleau has also received some positive signage from Karl Remmers' opportunism fallout as well, albeit in the form of  a poem:



The election in Wright is definitely turning out to be one of the more interesting supervisor races this year.

NY-19 Race Featured in National Media

The race for the Congressional District NY-19 may still be over a year away, but it has already heated up. Incumbent Chris Gibson (R) has been challenged by the husband of a co-creator of Facebook, Sean Eldridge.

Now the story has reached RealClearPolitics, after Eldridge was profiled by the New York Times several months ago.

Left-- Gibson (R), Right-- Eldridge (D)

Eldridge and his husband are multi-millionaires and have recently purchased a $5 million mansion in the Hudson Valley. He has built up his resume over the last several years, with his run for Congress an open secret:

And as a senior adviser and spokesperson for Freedom to Marry -- a group that led the successful fight to legalize same-sex marriage in New York -- Eldridge cut his teeth in the grassroots style of campaigning needed to succeed in the largely rural district, while earning media experience as a public face of the group.

This does not impress the Gibson camp, which slammed the 27-year old.

“If you look at this race, it’s really going to test the hypothesis of whether or not a congressional seat can be bought,” Gibson spokesperson Stephanie Valle said of Eldridge. “We certainly don’t have the expectation that we’re going to be able to match the millions of dollars that Mr. Eldridge will be able to put in the race, but we’re confident we’ll have the funds necessary to win.”

Gibson, a colonel and graduate of West Point is a veteran of the Gulf War, Kosovo, and the Afghanistan conflicts.

Desmond Wins Praise from Beekman Boys for Harvest Festival

Sheriff Tony Desmond has won praise by the Beekman Boys of Sharon for his work during a recent event. The television stars took part with many in the Sharon area for the annual Harvest Festival. The event drew thousands and security was in part provided by the Sheriff's Department. On the Beekman Boys' Facebook page, Desmond was praised for his recent work along with a picture with the celebrities.

County Sheriff Tony Desmond and his skilled officers take on the massive task of keeping traffic moving and our visitors safe. We're proud to say that we haven't had a single serious incident to date.

Ethington Gains Key Endorsement in Jefferson

While much of the political news out of Jefferson has been about the current Supervisor race, there are other happenings there of recent note. Candidate Todd Ethington has been barnstorming in the sparsely populated town with his campaign marking 100 doors knocked on recently.

While the current focus in the community may be the race between Dan Singletary and Sean Jordan, it appears that Ethington is reaching into the past. The candidate was endorsed by longtime popular former Supervisor Charles Buck. Mr. Buck, a Republican, has emerged as a top supporter of Ethington and could hold sway over dozens of votes in Jefferson.

This has been announced along with the photo on the Ethington camp's facebook. As of today, it appears that the candidate with the most endorsements is still Sheriff Tony Desmond.

Wooly Bear Caterpillar Calls for Mild Winter

With wintertime just around the corner, predictions are boundless as to what mother nature will send our way in the meteorologist's nightmare that is Schoharie County (with our deep valleys and cutting hillside, weather can change from one extreme to another here), but if the wooly bear caterpillar's amazing powers of prediction are to be relied upon, we might be in for a milder season than expected.

According to Dr. C.H. Curran's 1950's experimentation with the wooly bear population of Bear Mountain State Park, there is a correlation between the percentage of reddish-brown segments on the caterpillar to the severity of the upcoming winter. Although doubted by scientists, Dr. Curran's findings were essentially that the browner the wooly is; the milder the winter will be.

And if the caterpillar I discovered over the weekend is any indication, perhaps the forecasts are inaccurate concerning the upcoming winter: with over a whole third of the coloring a reddish-brown, with Curran's standard being roughly 40%, nature's smallest weathermen are definitely going against the conventional wisdom in calling for a nicer than usual winter - and don't I ever hope they are right.

Ethington Accused of Impropreity in YouTube Video

Todd Ethington has recently been accused of attempting to influence a hiring decision. In a video posted to YouTube, Ethington reportedly leaves a message on an answering machine. The poster of the video accuses the candidate of inappropriate behavior. In the video a voice clearly says in part "...this is Todd..." Much of the audio appears difficult to make out.



The controversy has bled over into a poll conducted by the Schoharie News. In the comments a link to the video and commentary are listed.

Edit: 3:16pm. Jeff Bever has written on the Schoharie News' Facebook page that he did not list this video. Its originator is not known at the moment.

Sheriff's Interviews to Start Wednesday: Desmond, Ethington, Travis

Over the past two weeks I have had the pleasure of sitting down and getting to know each of the three candidates for Schoharie County Sheriff, with each interview/conversation lasting close to an hour and covering a wide range of topics - including drug enforcement, experience, the SAFE Act and politics as well. 

In reviewing my notes with each of the candidates, I have been internally debating as to which order I should present the pending three articles - and after much procrastination (thanks to Professor Tusang for encouraging me to do so in all of my studies) - I have decided to present them simply in alphabetical order. 

Thus, Sheriff Desmond's interview will be published Wednesday afternoon; followed by Deputy Ethington's Thursday morning and finally Chief Travis' Friday morning. Each will be roughly four-six paragraphs long, pending on content and will be based mostly on paraphrasing rather than direct quotation, due to the fact the speed of sound travels far faster than my brain's ability to comprehend the words said and then relay the information to my nervous system which travels to my hand and after muscle movement forms the written word. 

I can honestly say my opinion of all three candidates has improved during the course of these interviews and I hope all of yours is as well, because all three of these candidates are hard working, well qualified men who deserve our respect as protectors of the law and consideration as candidates for Sheriff.

Gibson Votes to Defund Health Care Law

Congressman Chris Gibson took a strong position against the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. He joined the majority of the House of Representatives in the effort, although a similar measure in the Senate appears destined to fail. He wrote in an email to his supporters:

I've been consistent since first retiring from the Army that the Affordable Care Act is not the direction our country should take in terms of health care reform. Although the goals are the right ones: to drive down health care costs and expand access to quality care - this law has not – and will never - live up to those goals.

Ethington Sweeps Southern Schoharie County

Todd Ethington continues the robust pace of his door-to-door campaign with his latest round of barnstorming. On Saturday, Ethington attended the Rock the Valley fundraiser in Schoharie and the Harvest Fest in Sharon, both also attended by Larry Travis.

Sunday Ethington brought attention to the southern part of the County. This region appears to be one of the most supportive regions for the Deputy. This part of the County has also been one of the least traversed during the current campaign and could see a large swing in any direction.

Ethington wrote on his facebook page:

Went to Conesville Fire Department's Open House and had a great breakfast, then hit South Gilboa Road, heading to Jefferson to put up two of the big signs and walked the whole hamlet. Will be back up and at it tomorrow.