by Kieron Kramer
District Five County Legislator Stan Brownell of Hoosick Falls was selected Vice Chairman of the Legislature at the Majority’s Organizational meeting last week. Not since Henry Zwack of Stephentown left the post of County Executive in 2001 has a District Five public official held a leadership post in County Government. District Five includes the towns of Stephentown, Berlin, Grafton, Petersburgh, Hoosick and the Village of Hoosick Falls. According to the Troy Record, the post carries with it a $5,000 yearly stipend.
In an interview after the Rensselaer County Legislature’s regular meeting on Tuesday evening, December 8, Brownell said
that he was looking forward to serving as Vice Chairman. “It is a great opportunity for District 5 to have someone a little more elevated in the Legislature to serve its interests over the next four years,” he said. Brownell replaces Thomas Walsh of Troy. Martin Reid of West Sand Lake has moved up to be Chairman of the Legislature after the shocking defeat of Neil Kelleher, the powerful Lansingburgh Legislator who had served as Chairman from 1995 to 2009.
According to Brownell, the Vice Chairman sits on the Special Rules Committee where representatives of the Republican majority and the Democratic minority meet to move resolutions to the regular meeting agenda. Brownell would also take part in Committee assignments, and he would preside over meetings in Reid’s absence.
The voters were angry last November, and probably still are, and voted to “throw the rascals out” regardless of political party. Ten legislators from both parties, more than half of the body, were replaced, some of them hard working and efficient. In a genteel move typical of this Legislative body, all the dearly departed were honored by resolutions recognizing their distinguished service, Republicans first. They are Neil Kelleher, Majority Leader Robert Mirch of Troy, who served in the body for 15 years, starting as a Democrat, James Brearton of Troy who has served for 28 years, Michael Picarillo of Troy, who was appointed to replace Nancy McHugh in April of 2009, Catherine Vandenburgh of Troy, who replaced Laura Bauer in July of 2009, Democrat Keith Hammond, representing Poestenkill and East and North Greenbush, first serving in 1996, Minority Leader Ginny O’Brien of East Greenbush, who has served on the Legislature for 11 years, Brian Zweig, representing East and North Greenbush and Poestenkill for the past four years, he was a former Board member of the Rensselaer-Taconic Land Conservancy, Kevin Harrington, also representing East and North Greenbush and Poestenkill for the last 4 years, and Flora Fasoldt of Sand Lake, serving for one four year term. When Hammond’s resolution was introduced he quipped, “Next year maybe I can get a week.” Sometimes the Legislature emphasizes an important aspect of our community by dedicating a week on its behalf, like Breast Cancer Awareness Week. Kelleher retorted, “You’ll have to speak to someone other than me.”
But Neil Kelleher won’t be forgotten nor will he be, in fact, gone. Brownell said that Kelleher will serve as a Special Legislative Assistant to the Chairman for at least one year at a yearly salary of $15,000. “So we will not be losing him completely,” Brownell said. According to Brownell this makes sense considering that there is not a bureaucratic cadre in place to help a new Chairman learn the ropes of his office.
Not to be too smarmy, there was a certain amount of politics as usual in spite of the fond farewells.
For instance, a resolution congratulating Deputy Secretary for the Environment Judith Enck on her appointment as Regional Administrator for the EPA was introduced by the entire Legislative body, but it was defeated on a straight party line vote, Brownell abstaining. Chairman-to-be Reid said that the position is an important one and that Enck is not a scientist or engineer but an advocate and as such is not qualified to hold the post. “Now with the global warming debate we need scientists rather than advocates,” he said. “The Bottle Bill was her baby,” he added, “now water bottles are taxed.” He also expressed his concern that she would be persuaded to prohibit natural gas drilling in New York State.
Meanwhile a local law was introduced at this session to be voted on at the “clean-up” meeting on December 17. This local law would raise the fee the County Clerk charges for “recording, entering, indexing and endorsing a certificate on any instrument” from $5 to $20 and the fee is also increased from $3 to $5 for each page or portion of a page. Brownell and Lester Goodermote, who also represents District 5, presumed the law would pass. Legislator Ken Herrington who represents District 3, which includes Brunswick, Cropseyville, Pittstown and Schaghticoke among other towns, said, “The fees [County Clerk] Merola asked for will hold property taxes at a lower level.” Hammond replied that “there is plenty of room to cut in the budget rather than first trying to control property taxes with fees.” Unlike the Bottle Bill, which also tries to develop a revenue stream by using the bottle deposit to defray expenses, which the Republicans claim to be a tax, this is not a tax, it is a fee. Go figure.
Later in this session a resolution was introduced by the Majority and passed unanimously in opposition to a new State fee for issuing license plates. At least Hammond was consistent, voicing his opposition to both fees.
Besides, property taxes are rising in the 2010 County Budget. According to Goodermote the tax levy will increase by 3% in spite of the new County Clerk fees. He has seen figures that calculate this as an $11 increase per one hundred thousand dollars of assessed value, on average. Brownell warned that the increase could vary substantially depending on the location of the property within the County. According to Goodermote this is a great budget compared to the increases in other neighboring counties. And both District 5 Legislators said that there would be no cuts in services to County residents and no job cuts for County employees. Albany County has a 5.9% tax levy increase in 2010, but a press release from Rensselaer County said, “The reduction of costs due to the increase in state mandates was achieved through reductions in spending in various areas of county government, including reduction of 24 positions. The budget also continues a hiring freeze and continues Medicaid fraud efforts.” The press release also maintains that services will not be cut.
Riding In Comfort
The Legislature passed a resolution authorizing the purchase of a medium duty handicapped accessible bus for the transportation route between Hoosick Falls and Albany for $142,2484. This purchase was authorized previously for $140,000, but Yankee Trails, Inc., who will operate the route, wanted more comfortable seating for passengers than could be afforded under the previously approved funding. So Yankee Trails will be providing the $2,484 extra to fully fund improved seating on the new bus.
The Legislature also authorized the purchase of a pre-owned 15 foot Cube Van for use by the County Highway Sign Department. The 2005 GMC 3500 Cube Van will be purchased from Upstate Auto Sales on Route 7 in Hoosick Falls for $8,771