Lawmakers again reject return of comptroller’s aide
KINGSTON, N.Y. » Ulster County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach won’t be getting a confidential secretary any time soon.
In an 11-9 vote, county legislators on Tuesday again denied Auerbach’s request to re-create the job.
Earlier Tuesday, the chairman of the Legislature said Auerbach had reneged on a deal that would have put an additional staff person in the Comptroller’s Office.
The position of confidential secretary in the Comptroller’s Office was eliminated in 2017, part of about $100,000 in cuts to the office that were included in County Executive Michael Hein’s budget for that year and approved by the Legislature.
Auerbach repeatedly has requested that funding for the post be restored, but lawmakers have consistently rejected the request.
Legislator David Donaldson agrees with Auerbach that the cuts were “political retribution” for disagreeing with Hein and said restoring the funds would be “righting a wrong.”
“It’s wrong, it’s been a personal vendetta, and that’s all it is,” said Donaldson, D-Kingston, a frequent critic of fellow Democrat Hein.
During a Republican caucus prior to the Legislature meeting, Legislator Dean Fabiano called eliminating the position unfair to the Comptroller’s Office.
“This position, to me, has turned into a political football,” said Fabiano, R-Saugerties. He said the Comptroller’s Office should have the same staffing as other offices, and he note Auerbach is the only countywide elected official without a confidential secretary.
Some legislators have criticized Auerbach for suing the county to try to force it to give his office more money, while others have said the confidential secretary acted more as a political operative for Auerbach than a secretary.
“My main concern is what that person does,” said Legislator James Maloney, R-town of Ulster. “If he’s going to be a secretary, a secretary should be in the office 8 to 4 or 9 to 5, not out running around.”
Legislature Chairman Ken Ronk previously proposed creating the civil service position of administrative assistant in the Comptroller’s Office, which he said would have performed the office duties of a confidential secretary but “would not be going to Chamber of Commerce meetings, would not be going to naturalization ceremonies, would not represent the comptroller when giving out awards.”
During Tuesday’s GOP caucus, Ronk said Auerbach initially was receptive to the idea and that the two men “shook hands.”
But “a week ago, he came and said he changed his mind,” said Ronk, RWallkill. “As far as I’m concerned, you can only shake my hand and go back on it so many times before I don’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth.”
“I feel like the comptroller spit in my face,” Ronk said. “He said he wants a confidential secretary or nothing.”
Ronk said the difference between the two positions is that a confidential secretary would be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the comptroller, while the administrative assistant would be a civil service employee who either would be chosen from a civil service list, or, if appointed by Auerbach from outside of the list, have to pass a civil service test. Ronk said there currently is an active civil service list for the position from which Auerbach would have had to choose.
Auerbach did not attend Tuesday’s meeting of the Legislature.
Voting against the resolution were: Ronk, Mary Wawro, C-Saugerties, James Maloney, R-Ulster, Richard Gerentine, RMarlborough, Kevin Roberts, R-Wallkill, Craig Lopez, R-Pine Bush, Heidi Haynes, R-Marbletown, Herbert Litts, R-Lloyd, Julius Collins, D-Ellenville, Kathy Nolan, D-Shandaken, and Brian Woltman, R-Kingston.
Voting for the resolution were: Fabiano, Donaldson, Lynn Archer, DAccord, Tracey Bartels, a non-enrolled voter from Gardiner, Laura Petit, IPort Ewen, Jonathan Heppner, D-Hurley, Manna Jo Greene, D-Rosendale, Hector Rodriguez, D-New Paltz, and James Delaune, D-New Paltz.
Legislators Mary Beth Maio, R-Lloyd, and Lynn Eckert, D-Kingston, were absent. Legislator Jopseh Maloney, I-Saugerties, whose wife works in the Comptroller’s Office, left the room during the debate and vote.
“This position, to me, has turned into a political football.”
— Legislator Dean Fabiano, R-Saugerties