Here & There Column 2-7-12

Are They Really "Working Together"?

A considerable amount of public backlash appears to have pushed the Sullivan County Legislature to not look for a new tourism agency this year but this issue is not stopping and will be continued the next time proposals for a new contract are brought up.
Sullivan County's new legislature chairman Scott Samuelson following his oath taking ceremony said, "this is a bipartisan body and we're looking forward to working together," but the new Democratic majority (which includes Samuelson) appeared to be showing different colors recently when they bypassed the normal committee process, apparently making decisions behind closed doors, and then voted 5-4 on a resolution authorizing bids on tourism-marketing services which which could have replaced the present Sullivan County Visitors Association.
Of course there has been the denial that a backroom deal was struck with other Democrats to change agencies.
What took place certainly raises some questions as to what happened to the Legislature's new Democratic majority which campaigned on openness and transparency.
During his inaugural remarks Samuelson spoke broadly about how "this is only the beginning" and that "there is much to do to regain the trust of the citizenry of this great community," and "there will be a new way of doing business in Sullivan County."
These are great and inspiring comments by the new legislature chairman but for an issue to be brought before the full board, with no public notice, and which it appears was discussed by one political party in closed session, the issue of open government and what some have called backroom politics send the wrong message to the folks throughout Sullivan County.
If this is what was meant by the statements that there was going to be a new way of doing business in Sullivan County and that there was much to do to regain the trust of the citizenry then the promises of the Democrats and the legislature chairman do not ring out with truthfulness.
The theme of working together harmoniously quickly become tainted if politics is going to play a leading role in this and future decisions.
We strongly support legislature decisions to examine any agency working for the county where public funds are used but do it openly so that the public knows what is taking place and that all board members are brought into the discussion and decision making process.
Legislators who approved the resolution authorizing bids on tourism marketing services included Kathy LaBuda, Gene Benson, Cora Edwards, Cindy Geiger and Scott Samuelson. Voting against the resolution were Ira Steingart, Jonathan Rouis, Alan Sorenson and Kitty Vetter.
The new legislature during its first full days of committee meetings did not publicly discuss the idea of potentially replacing the Sullivan County Visitors Association and this matter was not on an emailed agenda the morning of the day the resolution authorizing bids on tourism-marketing services was approved.
All legislators should be given the opportunity for input on all matters brought before the full board, otherwise it just starts looking like the same "good old boy politics" and promises of working together and being a bipartisan body is nothing but BS.
The Sullivan County Visitors Association appears to have been given the green light for this year because the legislature says they did not want to disrupt the marketing plans in place already for this year.
It will be interesting to see how the process plays out next January.