Bethel

To the editor: 

The headline of this article implies that the ensuing discussion was personal in nature, a notion which is categorically false.

This seated Legislature has set out to right the financial ship of this county while ensuring equity and propriety in resource allocation. It is unconscionable to me that discussion of the utilization of an important position, that has been vacant for upwards of 15 months under the current org. structure, became a theatre. 

It harkened back to the good ole days of Sullivan County where handshake deals abound but accountability does not.

This position is vital to the protection of our society’s most vulnerable: children. As such, when the sheriff asked to fill that position on November 25, we proceeded.

The chief of patrol and the undersheriff along with a detective met with the commissioner of health and family services on December 2. All went well and we proceeded. The detective went to The Family Violence Response Team on December 5 with the undersheriff, the commissioner, the head of DFS Legal along with the head of the team and the sheriff filled that position.

It was at the December 2 meeting that everyone learned that the DA planned on filling that position with a retiring trooper: 15 months after the position was initially vacated, and two weeks after the process to fill it alternatively started. 

As the District Attorney stated: Political warfare, yes. Gamesmanship, clearly. But the games didn’t start with the Legislature, the solutions did.

The manipulation of the timeline and the facts is just another injustice inflicted upon victims for personal and political edification.