MONTICELLO — Wanting to have time to digest ideas about the 2015 proposed county budget, legislators last week agreed to set the two required public hearings a month earlier than usual.

“The last two years, we've crammed all of the work [into late December],” Legislator Cora Edwards lamented during the October 16 Executive Committee meeting.

The earlier hearings - November 6 at noon and November 13 at 5 p.m. at the Government Center in Monticello - won't give the public much time to get to know the tentative budget, but legislators indicated they'd be better able to take the public's concerns into consideration before voting on the budget by the end of December.

Grahamsville resident Ken Walter was critical of the 5 p.m. hearing time, as that won't give working residents much of a chance to stop by.

“It's closing the door [on them],” he argued.

Legislator Jonathan Rouis countered that past experience indicates no difference in attendance no matter what time is set, while Legislator Kathy LaBuda preferred the 5 p.m. time to ensure department heads and staff are available for any questions.

Charting the

charter revision

The county is gearing up for the next charter review, and a yet-to-be-named commission is anticipated to begin meeting in January.

Legislators invited the co-chairmen of the 2005-2007 revision commission - Rob Green and Dick Riseling - to speak at the Executive Committee meeting, in order to give them a better understanding of what's at hand.

Riseling could not be present (he'll come next month), but Green was able to relate his experiences.

“I learned a lot about county government, home rule,” he explained. “... We had a tremendous amount of cooperation from the commissioners.”

He recommended legislators set aside some funds for the commission to obtain expert advice - a recommendation later advanced by Legislator Kathy LaBuda, who wants $5,000 allocated to that goal in the upcoming county budget.

Green noted that much of the original commission “felt the recommendations were not completely digested by the Legislature at the time” and recommended some sort of formal feedback be given to the new commission before its ultimate recommendations are voted upon.

Legislator Cindy Gieger wants to create specific guidelines and goals for the new commission, but Legislator Jonathan Rouis disagreed.

“They're supposed to take a new look at the whole thing,” he argued. “[Our] input first defeats the point of an independent review.”

Green seconded that thought, saying, “We make recommendations, and then you as legislators dissect the recommendations we make.”

“I know other counties do it differently,” countered Gieger, “but I would be comfortable with that approach.”

Legislator Cora Edwards wondered if periodic reports should be filed with the Legislature, but Green advised against it, saying the commission's deliberations will likely remain fluid until they settle on a course of action at the very end.

Board to Board

The Center for Discovery's associate executive director, Dr. Theresa Hamlin, was unanimously appointed to the SUNY Sullivan Board by legislators that day.

She'll serve out the unexpired term of former Chairman Nick Speranza and then will serve her own seven-year term, lasting until 2024.

Hamlin won the seat over several other candidates, and Legislator Cora Edwards thought those candidates should be asked to form a committee to study SUNY Sullivan's falling admission numbers.

Edwards said the college missed its enrollment goal this year by 130 students.

“That's a significant number,” she observed.

Legislature Chairman Scott Samuelson said he'd “suggest it” to SUNY Sullivan's board chairman “and see how they want to handle it.”