Josh Potosek has been acting Sullivan County Manager for the past several weeks and so far everyone seems to be pretty impressed with his job performance.
Potosek is setting a nice tone at our County Government Center with his pleasing demeanor. Employees are happy with his style and communications skills, while department heads are getting their needs and concerns addressed with legislators so they can properly run Sullivan County.
The Management and Budget Commissioner took over the County Manager reins after David Fanslau was forced out nearly two months ago.
If you remember, a bipartisan coalition consisting of legislators Gene Benson, Cora Edwards, Cindy Gieger, Alan Sorensen, and Kitty Vitter cited Sullivan County’s fiscal condition, job performance, and unwillingness to provide legislators with information as reasons for Fanslau’s exit.
Scott Samuelson, Jonathan Rouis, Kathleen LaBuda, and Ira Steingart were staunch Fanslau supporters to the very end. They did everything feasible not to confront Fanslau’s expiring contract and abide by the wishes of the majority. They hoped the issue would disappear, but it didn’t.
When confronted, they used the excuse that a super majority was needed to hire or fire the County Manager despite the fact Fanslau’s contract was expiring.
The super majority issue apparently is not dead yet. Steingart is supposedly going around with a petition calling for a referendum in this November’s election to go back to the super majority clause that was changed in the charter by the legislature’s majority.
Josh Potosek is acting like a County Manager should. He is focusing all of his energies into properly running Sullivan County. He is informing all legislators with much needed information. Employees are finally speaking with legislators and answering their questions, while not being fearful of reprisals or being reprimanded.
Potosek, who was hired by Fanslau, seems to be well aware of Sullivan County’s needs, and is a well trained numbers man. At legislative committee meetings and executive sessions he is sharp, knowledgeable, and swift with his answers to difficult questions.
Sullivan County has been advertising aggressively for a new County Manager with advertisements being placed in many publications. Perhaps they have what they are looking for in Josh Potosek.
Although there are specific requirements and qualifications that were placed into the charter for the County Manager position, and while Potosek might not have all of them that can be changed.
If you recall, the specifications were placed into the charter after Dan Briggs was fired. This was an attempt to ward off a political appointment to the position, even if that person was capable of doing the job like Briggs did.
Oddly enough, if we went to a County Executive form of government, the only qualification needed would be to get the majority of votes on Election Day.
If a person from outside the Hudson Valley were hired, he or she would first have to learn about our landscape and needs to even begin to get the job done. So, why not give Josh Potosek a chance?