Scott Samuelson, the chairman of the Sullivan County Legislature, announced his committee assignments for the legislative session, and while on the surface it appears he has changed very little with chairs of committees remaining intact, his selection of certain legislators being appointed and thrown off committees is in actuality a devious ploy on Samuelson’s part to control, muzzle, and prevent certain legislators from delivering on their election pledge of open and honest government with a mission of positive productive change.
Although he will deny it, the key to Samuelson’s strategy is apparently to control the majority votes in each committee with his core loyal backroom supporters. In the Political world this might be norm, but this tactic might backfire in his face in a county that has so many in its population crying out to put an end to business as usual.
Everyone expected legislator Gene Benson to be punished for his attempt to become chairman of the legislature and he indeed was. Benson was thrown off as vice chair of Public Safety and replaced with former legislative chairman Jonathan Rouis. Benson was also thrown off of the Personnel Committee and once again replaced with Rouis.
Benson is known for speaking his mind on many issues and is credited for leading the movement to replace David Fanslau as County Manager. He has also been critical in the way our tourism contract is handled, and is a vocal advocate denouncing the SAFE Act.
The most devastating alteration was in Health and Family Services where legislator Cora Edwards was thrown off the committee and replaced with legislator Ira Steingart. As a member of this committee Edwards was instrumental in assisting chair Cindy Gieger in fighting for sweeping change in the Department of Family Services.
After years of a legislature that looked the other way, Gieger, Edwards, and legislator Kitty Vetter were forceful and effective in their attempt to begin to clean up DFS fraud and abuse – Now their efforts have the potential of being flushed down the toilet with Steingart most likely joining legislators Kathleen LaBuda and Jonathan Rouis as a voting block to protect certain people in the administration.
If Samuelson were so concerned about placing legislators on committees where they could do the most for Sullivan County he would have put Edwards on the Community and Economic Development Committee – Something she has professional experience in.
Samuelson has without a doubt subscribed to the Labuda philosophy in counting to five for the full legislature and executive committee, and three in committees.
If you recall, a bipartisan coalition of three Democrats and two Republicans delivered on a new County Manager, brought sweeping change to the Department of Family Services to cleanup welfare fraud, brought an upgrade to 911 emergency services, and fought for high speed Internet throughout Sullivan County.
Samuelson apparently paid tribute to legislators Cindy Kurpil Gieger, Cora Edwards, Gene Benson, Kitty Vetter and Alan Sorensen by placing all five of them on the Agriculture and Sustainability Policy Committee this way he can’t say he stacked the deck on the other committees.
If you recall, Samuelson knowing he needed one of the five to sway his way to remain as chairman, worked on Vetter whom he considered the weakest link to support him. He succeeded by telling Vetter he would get his coalition to support her as Vice Chair. Vetter even supported Samuelson as chairman over fellow Republican Alan Sorensen.
Samuelson made it appear there was a new bipartisan coalition between Democrats and Republicans, but that was just for show.
I hope that in reviewing the committee assignments legislator Kitty Vetter realizes what Samuelson accomplished. She will see that he reworked the committees to have them controlled by his minority of four that includes LaBuda, Rouis, and Steingart.
Vetter should also pay direct attention to the release announcing the assignments – It contained information that Ira Steingart was Vice Chair of the Executive Committee. That position one would have thought was set aside for Vice Chair of the Legislature Kitty Vetter. Perhaps it was in reality an error – But then again maybe it was an intentional Freudian slip.
At the end of the day, legislators each have one vote, and if they want to be heard on an issue they will be. As long as the votes are there – they will succeed.
Conceivably it shouldn’t be about votes or politics – It should be about working together and doing the right thing for Sullivan County.
Here are the 2014 Sullivan County Legislature Committee Assignments
District Legislator
1 Scott Samuelson
2 Kathleen LaBuda
3 Kitty Vetter
4 Jonathan Rouis
5 Cindy Kurpil-Geiger
6 Cora Edwards
7 Gene Benson
8 Ira Steingart
9 Alan Sorensen
Committee
Personnel Committee
Chair IRA STEINGART
Vice-Chair KITTY VETTER
Member CINDY GEIGER
Member KATHY LABUDA
Member JONATHAN ROUIS
Committee
Community & Economic Development
Chair IRA STEINGART
Vice-Chair ALAN SORENSEN
Member GENE BENSON
Member JONATHAN ROUIS
Member KATHY LABUDA
Committee
Health & Family Services
Chair CINDY GEIGER
Vice-Chair KITTY VETTER
Member JONATHAN ROUIS
Member IRA STEINGART
Member KATHY LABUDA
Committee
Public Safety
Chair CORA EDWARDS
Vice-Chair JONATHAN ROUIS
Member CINDY GEIGER
Member ALAN SORENSEN
Member KATHY LABUDA
Committee
Ag. & Sustainability Policy
Chair CINDY GEIGER
Vice-Chair CORA EDWARDS
Member GENE BENSON
Member KITTY VETTER
Member ALAN SORENSEN
Committee
Veterans
Chair GENE BENSON
Vice-Chair KATHY LABUDA
Member CORA EDWARDS
Member ALAN SORENSEN
Member KITTY VETTER
Committee
Management & Budget
Chair JONATHAN ROUIS
Vice-Chair GENE BENSON
Member CORA EDWARDS
Member KITTY VETTER
Member IRA STEINGART
Committee
Public Works
Chair KATHY LABUDA
Vice Chair JONATHAN ROUIS
Member CORA EDWARDS
Member IRA STEINGART
Member CINDY GEIGER
Member SCOTT SAMUELSON
Member KITTY VETTER
Committee
Planning, Enviro. Management & Real Property
Chair ALAN SORENSEN
Vice-Chair IRA STEINGART
Member CORA EDWARDS
Member CINDY GEIGER
Member GENE BENSON
Committee
Government Services
Chair KITTY VETTER
Vice-Chair CORA EDWARDS
Member ALAN SORENSEN
Member GENE BENSON
Member CINDY GEIGER
Committee
Executive
Chair SCOTT SAMUELSON
Vice-Chair IRA STEINGART
Member KATHY LABUDA
Member JONATHAN ROUIS
Member CINDY GEIGER
Member CORA EDWARDS
Member GENE BENSON
Member ALAN SORENSEN
Member KITTY VETTER
Committee
Capital Planning & Budgeting
Chair KATHY LABUDA
Vice-Chair GENE BENSON
Member JONATHAN ROUIS
Member IRA STEINGART
Member ALAN SORENSEN
Bill Liblick has made a name for himself on National TV Talk Shows where he spouted his outspoken views from the front row. Now he offers you his opinion every week in the “MOUTH THAT ROARS” Column in THE SULLIVAN COUNTY POST.