Dec 12, 2024 Government Operations

[00:00:06]

WELCOME. THANK YOU, LEGISLATOR PRATT. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS MITCH FORD. I'M THE ONEIDA COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CHAIRMAN. I'LL START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. THERE IS A ISSUE ON THE TERMS OF THE ELECTION COMMISSIONERS.

TRADITIONALLY FOR YEARS, IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS, AND THERE'S BEEN A REASON FOR THAT. THE ELECTION COMMISSIONERS REPORT REALLY TO NOBODY. ONCE THEY'RE ELECTED, THEY COME IN. THEY CAN STAY TWO YEARS. THE ONLY PERSON ON EARTH THAT CAN REMOVE THEM IS THE GOVERNOR. FOUR YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL WITH COVID, I ALMOST DIED. I WAS IN INTENSIVE CARE. I GOT A CALL FROM THE CHIEF OF STAFF, KEVIN RIVERA. TONY PICENTE, STATE PEOPLE UP IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. WE HAD BOTH YOUR SIDE AND MY SIDE PUT IN A NEW COMMISSIONER OR PUT IN THE COMMISSIONER. CAROL-ANN CARDONE. ROSE GRIMALDI IN JANUARY. IT WAS A REAL PUSH TO GET THEM OUT BECAUSE THERE WAS A REAL MESS AT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T REMEMBER, I WAS CALLED AND I KEPT ON SAYING, I WILL DO MY BEST TO ASK HER TO RESIGN. AS YOU GUYS. SOME OF YOU DID WITH ROSE GRIMALDI, BUT IN THE END, THEY COULD TELL US NO, THE ONLY WOULD HAVE TO BE THE GOVERNOR. THE GOVERNOR AT THE TIME DID NOT WANT TO GET HIS HANDS IN THIS. THEY WANTED TO HANDLE IT AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE LEVEL. THESE TWO COMMISSIONERS ARE THE BEST COMMISSIONERS WE HAVE EVER HAD. I WANT TO START THAT OFF BY SAYING THAT THEY'VE BEEN GREAT. THEY CLEANED THAT OFFICE UP AND IT'S SMOOTH. THERE'S NO MORE ARGUING. THERE'S NO MORE BICKERING. THEY WORK AS A TEAM. WE'VE HAD, WE HAD WE'RE THE FIRST COUNTY TO REPORT TO THE STATE THAT NIGHT OF THE LAST ELECTION. THE FIRST. THAT'S GREAT. BUT WITH THAT SAID, TO DOUBLE THEIR TERMS AND LISTEN TO ME, YOU'RE DOUBLING THEIR TERMS. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ONE OF THEM, WE HAVE TO PICK A NEW COMMISSIONER THAT WILL FILL OUT THAT TERM. AND IF THEY DON'T WORK OUT, WE'RE STUCK WITH THEM FOR FOUR YEARS INSTEAD OF TWO. IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME IN 2020 THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH COMMISSIONERS. THERE WAS COMMISSIONERS I HATE I'LL BRING UP I'M SORRY TO BRING UP NAMES, BUT I HAVE TO ON OUR SIDE. AND THERE WAS A COMMISSIONER ON YOUR SIDE. TONY PICENTE CAME OUT IN THE NEWSPAPER TO SAY SHE NEEDS TO RESIGN. SHE REFUSED TO. YOU GUYS ARE STUCK WITH HER UNTIL THE END OF THAT TERM. THERE WAS NO WAY THE GOVERNOR WAS GOING TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT. AND THAT WAS TWO YEARS. IMAGINE THAT HAPPENING FOR FOUR YEARS IN SEPTEMBER. OUR COMMITTEE, AS YOUR COMMITTEE DID, SELECTED THESE TWO FINE COMMISSIONERS TO SERVE A TWO YEAR TERM. AND THAT WAS OUR UNDERSTANDING WHEN WE RECOMMENDED THEM TO YOUR BOARD LAST SATURDAY WAS NOON. SARAH CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS COMING DOWN AND SHE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS. AND I SAID, WE HAD SOME TALKS AND I TOLD HER WHY I'M AGAINST IT, AND SHE AGREED WITH ME NOT TO DO THIS.

THIS THERE ARE SAFEGUARDS. EVEN IF THE COMMITTEE PICKS A COMMISSIONER YOU DON'T LIKE, YOU CAN VOTE IT UP. YOU CAN VOTE IT DOWN. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD CAN SIT ON IT FOR 30 DAYS, AND THEN IT GOES TO THE RESPECTIVE CAUCUSES, AND THEY CAN CHOOSE WHO THE ELECTION COMMISSIONER IS. TO DOUBLE THEIR TERM. A COMMISSIONER'S TERM, WITHOUT ANY SAFEGUARDS. BEING ABLE TO CORRECT AN ACTION THAT'S NOT GOOD BY THEM. IT'S JUST A RECIPE FOR DISASTER. AND I'VE WORKED WITH BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, AND OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN CHAIR WITH THE COMMISSIONERS AND PROBLEMS WITH COMMISSIONERS. YOU DON'T WANT THIS TO GO FOUR YEARS. THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING. SO AND EVEN THE PROCESS WE AS A COMMITTEE AND I TALKED TO ALL MY TOWN CHAIRS, CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING. WE SAID TWO YEARS. THIS BODY IS CONSIDERING FOUR

[00:05:08]

[b. 2024-1013 – BOARD OF ELECTIONS RE:   APPROVAL TO EXTEND THE TERMS OF THE ONEIDA COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONERS FROM TWO YEAR TERMS TO FOUR YEAR TERMS; .1) AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 343 OF 2024 TO AMEND THE TERM OF NICHOLE SHORTELL AS THE REPUBLICAN COMMISSIONER OF ELECTIONS FOR ONEIDA COUNTY; .2) RE: AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 343 OF 2024 TO AMEND THE TERM OF SARAH F. BORMANN AS THE DEMOCRATIC COMMISSIONER OF ELECTIONS FOR ONEIDA COUNTY  ]

SUCH A CHANGE IS ALLOWABLE UNDER ELECTION LAW. THE ELECTION COMMISSIONERS ASSOCIATION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IS WORKING WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO MAKE FOUR YEAR TERMS FOR ELECTION COMMISSIONERS UNIVERSAL. ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, THERE ARE ALREADY 34 UPSTATE COUNTIES THAT HAVE SWITCHED TO THE FOUR YEAR TERM, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE A FEW MORE THAT ARE LOOKING VERY SERIOUSLY AT IT AS WELL AS WE ARE TONIGHT, AND I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH MITCH THAT THAT IT'S A WELL-OILED MACHINE DOWN IN THE ELECTION BOARD. AND I'M GOING TO REITERATE WHICH I WHAT I SAID AT THE GOVERNMENT OPS MEETING IN NOVEMBER AFTER THE ELECTION, THAT THEY GOT A TREMENDOUS COMPLIMENT FROM THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS BECAUSE WE WERE THE FIRST COUNTY TO COME IN IN A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR, WHICH WAS REALLY, REALLY SOMETHING. SO I COMMEND BOTH OF THEM. THEY'RE BOTH HERE. THIS IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THIS ISN'T NEW, BUT I'M GOING TO LET THEM BOTH COME UP AND SPEAK TO IT AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. HI EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SARAH. QUESTIONS FOR NIKKI AND SARAH RELATIVE TO THIS DOCKET. GO AHEAD. CHAD, THIS IS CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE. BUT THAT SAID I THINK ANGELA LONG, A DEMOCRATIC COUNTY COMMISSIONER, SERVED FOR DECADES, 35 YEARS, 35 YEARS AND WAS REAPPOINTED EVERY TWO YEARS. YES, YES. SHE WAS PERFORMING AS THE TWO OF YOU HAVE PERFORMED WONDERFULLY WELL. WE THEN APPOINTED, I THINK, JORDAN KARP, WHO WE THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE IN THERE AND SERVE WELL. HE WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH LOCAL POLITICS AND D.C. POLITICS, AND HE TOOK OFF. HE DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS GOING TO LEAVE, BUT HE DID. ANOTHER ONE THAT LEFT WAS MIKE ALAIMO, FOR REASONS BEST KNOWN TO HIMSELF, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH MICHAEL LEAMY, THE MAYOR OF UTICA. CAROL ANN CARDONE HAD HER CHALLENGES, AND RUSSELL STEWART WAS SUPPOSED TO MAIL THINGS OUT AND MADE PROMISES THAT HE'D MAIL STUFF TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN ALBANY, AND HE FAILED TO MEET DEADLINES. AND THAT WAS A PERFORMANCE ISSUE. AND MITCH IS FAMILIAR WITH THAT. I THINK WE'RE BACK ON TRACK. WE'RE I'VE NOW HAD WITH SARAH THE SIXTH ELECTION COMMISSIONER. SO A LOT OF STUFF HAPPENS. AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE TOO LONG AND THERE'S BEEN SIX ANGELA LONGO, JORDAN KARP, RUSSELL STEWART, MIKE GALLIMORE, CAROLYN CARDONE, AND NOW SARAH. I WOULDN'T SWITCH OUT NICOLE OR SARAH FOR THE WORLD BECAUSE OF THEIR PERFORMANCE. I DON'T EVER SEE THEM GOING ROGUE, UNLIKE SOME OTHERS THAT WE'VE HAD. SO. BUT I AM TROUBLED BY THE FACT THAT LIFE IS IN THE UNKNOWN ZONE. SO WITH THAT SAID, I HAVE TO DEFER TO MITCH HAS LIVED IT WITH STUFF THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST, AND HE'S STRONGLY OPPOSED TO IT, AND CALLED ME UP ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. I IT WAS NEWS TO ME WHEN MITCH CALLED, AND IN DEFERENCE TO HIM WHO'S HAD TO DEAL WITH ALL KINDS OF THINGS DOWN THERE AND GET IT RIGHT. I CAN SEE MYSELF AS A NO VOTE, BUT NOT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH NICOLE AND SARAH. I SEE THEM SERVING AS LONG AS THEY WOULD WANT TO, AS ANGELA LONGO DID. SO THAT'S THAT'S WHERE I COME DOWN. AND WITH THAT, I

[00:10:03]

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE DECISION IS. I'M, YOU KNOW, THE DECISION OF THE LEGISLATURE. I ABSOLUTELY WILL CONTINUE TO BE DEDICATED TO ONEIDA COUNTY VOTERS AND DEMOCRACY, AND I'M SURE NIKKI WILL, TOO. YEAH. GO AHEAD.

MARIA. HANG ON IT FOR ONE. WHEN DID YOU START WORKING ON IT? AND WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE YOU WANTED TO START WORKING ON IT? WELL, I THINK IT'S THROUGH THE ELECTION COMMISSIONERS ASSOCIATION. IT'S KIND OF ON THE CONFERENCES, OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THAT ON OUR AGENDA.

CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW THE BILL IS IN THE SENATE. IT'S PASSED THE SENATE AND IT'S IN THE ASSEMBLY RIGHT NOW TO MAKE IT UNIVERSAL THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE STATE. SO WE'VE KIND OF PUT IT TOGETHER.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND GETTING OTHER COUNTIES DOCUMENTS AND HOW THEY WENT ABOUT GOING TO DO IT. SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE MEANT, LIKE WORKING ON IT. AND WE AND WE THOUGHT MAYBE LIKE AFTER THE GENERAL ELECTION, WE WANTED TO PROVE OURSELVES TO EVERYONE HERE THAT WE DID, YOU KNOW, A GREAT FOUR YEARS AND WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. I MEAN, THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW ME, I HAVEN'T I'VE BEEN I'VE WORKED THE SAME POSITIONS, RIGHT? I DON'T LEAVE, I DON'T QUIT AND I DON'T LEAVE. WE ARE COMMITTED, I GET THAT. BUT YOU SAID YOU WERE WORKING ON IT FOR A WHILE, SO I GUESS I WAS WONDERING WHAT A WHILE WAS. OR JUST DOING THE RESEARCH AND FINDING OUT HOW TO GO ABOUT IT AND JUST LEARNING ABOUT IT. YEAH. WHAT A YEAR SINCE WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT. AND LIKE SARAH SAID, LEARNING ABOUT IT IN. HAVE YOU CHECKED WITH EITHER THE CHAIRS TO SEE HOW THEY FELT ABOUT IT OR WHAT WHAT WAS ON THEIR HONESTLY, I IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME EVEN TO CHECK WITH THE CHAIR AND I AND I TOLD THAT TO KEN, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK IT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, AT LEAST IN OUR PARTY. I DID NOT HAVE TO CLEAR ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED AT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS THROUGH MY PRIOR CHAIR, SO IT DIDN'T CROSS MY MIND TO BRING THIS UP TO HIM BECAUSE IT'S NOT A COMMITTEE COMMITTEE QUESTION. I HAD CHATTED WITH MITCH BRIEFLY ABOUT IT, AND I DIDN'T KNOW HE WASN'T THE KEENEST ON IT, BUT I DID NOT KNOW IT WAS QUITE AS PASSIONATE AND I RECENTLY SPOKE ABOUT IT.

DO YOU FEEL IT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR YOUR TERM TO RUN LONGER THAN THAT CHAIR, THAN THE ONE I'M SORRY. RUN LONGER? YEAH, I THINK IT'S A TOTALLY TWO DIFFERENT POSITIONS. IT'S NOT IT'S NOT A COMMITTEE POSITION AT ALL. SO I ASK SO MANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE. NO, IT'S GOOD, IT'S GOOD. ALSO,

[00:15:07]

BEFORE WE LEAVE. YOU'RE BOTH GREAT. I'M NOT LIKE, TRYING TO SAY ONE THING OR ANOTHER. IT'S JUST I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE BACKGROUND OF HOW YOU GOT TO WHERE YOU ARE AND WHY YOU'RE THERE, AND WHY WE SHOULD BE VOTING YES FOR THIS. AND SO THAT'S. I THINK THAT'S IT. THANK MARIA. YEAH. OKAY, MIKE. GO AHEAD. DO YOU BOTH SUPPORT GOING TO FOUR YEAR TERMS? I MEAN I DO FOUR YEAR TERM BUT I ABSOLUTELY AM NOT TRYING TO PRESSURE. IT'S DEFINITELY THE LEGISLATURE'S THE LEGISLATURE'S DECISION AND I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO YOU KNOW I KNOW MY CHAIR IS OPPOSED TO IT. SO I REALLY DON'T WANT TO I WANT TO REMAIN AGNOSTIC, BUT I WOULD I WOULD LOVE A FOUR YEAR TERM. BUT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY, YES, IT'S OKAY. WE'LL PROTECT YOU ON THE WAY OUT. HE'S GOOD TO ME. AND YOU KNOW MIKE. GO AHEAD. YEAH. SO TO MARIA'S QUESTION, BECAUSE I LOOKED INTO THIS EARLIER THIS WEEK, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR WELL OVER A DECADE FROM THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY STANDPOINT. THEY HAD A BILL AND ORIGINALLY THAT DIDN'T PASS EITHER BECAUSE THEY HAD SO MANY ATTACHMENTS TO IT. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO JUST CHANGE THE TERMS, THEY WANTED TO DICTATE TO THE COUNTIES HOW MANY EMPLOYEES THEY HAD EVERY YOU'D START WITH 40,000 REGISTERED VOTERS. YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE FOUR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. THEN FOR EVERY 20,000 AFTERWARDS, THEY HAD A SCALE THAT WAS GOING TO COST THE COUNTIES A HALF $1 MILLION MORE IN SALARIES. SO IT WENT NOWHERE. SO AND LAST YEAR, THE SENATE REWROTE THE BILL. THE ONE THAT THE GIRLS ARE EXCUSE ME TALKING ABOUT NOW, THAT DID PASS THE SENATE IN A BIPARTISAN MANNER.

BOTH PARTIES WERE AGREEING TO IT EXCEPT FOR FIVE NO VOTES IN THE SENATE, THE ASSEMBLY WAS FULLY SET TO PASS IT THROUGH. THEY HAD ONE PERSON STAND UP AND SAY, LOOK, WE'RE TAKING AWAY FROM THE COUNTY'S HOME RULE. AND FOR THAT REASON, THAT'S WHAT HUNG IT UP IN THE ASSEMBLY. THEY ALL AGREED BIPARTISAN, THAT THIS THIS SHOULD GO THROUGH. THEY DID PUSH IT, LIKE THEY SAID, THROUGH THEIR ASSOCIATION, THAT WE WANT TO GIVE THE COUNTIES THE OPTION TO DO THIS RATHER THAN HAVING IT CRAMMED DOWN THEIR THROATS. AND LIKE YOU SAID, 35 COUNTIES HAVE GONE WITH IT SO FAR. AND THERE ARE MORE HEADING THAT WAY. BUT THIS THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS DREAMT UP BY THE GIRLS OR BY THE COUNTY. THIS HAS REALLY BEEN IN ALBANY FOR OVER A DECADE IS WHERE WHERE IT STARTED FROM ANYWAY. AND THAT'S I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE. AND ALSO I'M SUPPORTIVE TOO, THOUGH, BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUITY, THE COMPLEXITY OF THE WAY THAT THE ELECTION LAWS ARE CHANGING. I THINK WE NEED CONTINUITY. I DON'T THINK TWO YEARS IS ENOUGH.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED CONTINUITY DOWN THERE. AND I THINK YOU GUYS ARE PROVING RIGHT NOW THAT YOU CAN DO THIS TOGETHER. AND AS I SAID, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A WHILE. AND MIKE, DID YOU WANT DID YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? NO, I'LL JUST SAY TWO. I THINK EXTENDING TO A FOUR YEAR TERM, YOU KNOW, GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND THE BEST APPLICANTS, I THINK A TWO YEAR OPPORTUNITY IS A RISK FOR SOMEBODY TO CHANGE CAREERS. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR BOTH OF YOU TO HAVE DONE THAT AND MADE THAT DECISION TO TAKE ON A TWO YEAR TERM. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, FROM HERE AND MOVING FORWARD, HAVING THE FOUR YEARS OF CONTINUITY WILL ONLY BE HELPFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST ELECTIONS POSSIBLE. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION. GO AHEAD KEITH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. START WITH A QUESTION TO CHAD. HOW MANY SHERIFFS HAVE YOU BEEN THROUGH? MARSHALL'S BEEN HERE A WHILE. HE'S GOT A FOUR YEAR TERM. YEAH, ONLY TWO. SHERIFF STANDING OVER THERE.

FOUR YEAR TERM. CORRECT? CORRECT. THERE'S OTHER FOUR YEAR TERMS IN THE COUNTY, TOO. WE DON'T BAT AN EYELASH AT IT. THEY'RE INCOMPETENT. SHERIFF, IF YOU WALKED OUT OF HERE TONIGHT, WENT HOME AND DIDN'T REPORT BACK TO DUTY TOMORROW, WHO WOULD TURN YOU IN? PROBABLY NOT TOO MANY.

GOT STUCK FEEDING THE COWS. SHE WOULD. SHE MIGHT ALREADY BE IN ARUBA WAITING FOR YOU. SO YOU DON'T KNOW. SO THE POINT IS, WE HAVE ELECTED PEOPLE THAT ARE SERVING FOUR YEAR TERMS. THIS ONE'S NO DIFFERENT, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE AS LEGISLATORS, IT'S NOT AN ELECTED POSITION. WE APPROVE THAT. BUT IF WE DON'T DO OUR JOB AFTER TWO YEARS, WE CAN BE REMOVED. SO MR. FORD, YOU MENTIONED THE ONES THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REMOVED IN THE 2020 DEBACLE, ETCETERA.

YES. COUNTY EXECUTIVE FELT IMMENSE, IMMENSE PRESSURE. YES. WE WERE THE LAST COUNTY IN THE NATION TO REPORT THAT ELECTION. PRETTY EMBARRASSING FOR US. SO I LOOK AT IT AND SAY OUT OF THAT

[00:20:03]

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL, ABSOLUTELY HISTORIC. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AND SAY THE EARLY VOTING, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY, CLEANING, VOTER ROLLS, HOW DIFFICULT THAT IS TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE THAT ARE NO LONGER ON THE ROLLS. NOT AN EASY TASK. YET IN YOUR COMMISSIONERS AND THE POLL WORKERS, YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ARE FAIRLY AGED. AND I'VE GOT SOME EXPERIENCE. I'LL SHARE THAT IN A SECOND. BUT WHEN A POLL WORKER SAYS, I'VE WORKED 35 YEARS AS A POLL WORKER, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO OPERATE THAT THAT TOUCHPAD OR TURN ON THE MACHINE, THE VOTER MACHINE, THAT'S AN ISSUE THESE LADIES HAVE TO DEAL WITH. AND IF WE UPSET THEM, MAYBE THEY GO BACK AND COMPLAIN TO SOMEBODY. I'M NOT GOING TO COMPLAIN TO THOSE TWO BECAUSE THEY KNOW ACCOUNTABILITY IS IN THE FIRST LINE. NOT ONLY THAT, YOU MENTIONED STARTING ELECTIONS. WE JUST FINISHED THIS ELECTION THIS FALL, AND THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC SEES. THEY SEE A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION THAT WAS REPORTED TIMELY, ETC. WHAT THEY DON'T SEE IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT MONTH. WE GOT COUNTY COMMITTEES THAT ARE GOING TO START SCREENING CANDIDATES BY THE END OF NEXT MONTH. AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT, WE GOT PETITIONS THAT ARE PUT TOGETHER. AND THEN THE FUN STARTS BECAUSE THESE TWO GET TO SCREEN PETITIONS. AND THEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OF SCREENING CANDIDATES THAT HAVE NOT MET THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT, A LITTLE POLITICAL THERE, I WOULD THINK. SO WHEN YOU LOOK HERE IN TRENDING AND I WANT TO SHARE THIS OUT OF TOWN, THE TOWNS I REPRESENT, THE LAST YEAR, LAST TWO YEARS TOWN OF VERNON, TOWN OF VERONA, PUT TWO ELECTIONS UP TO EXTEND TWO YEAR TERM LIMITS TO FOUR YEAR FOR TWO POSITIONS. TOWN SUPERVISOR AND TOWN HIGHWAY. ONE OF THE TOWNS PASSED A 2 TO 1 MARGIN. ONE OF THE TOWNS FAILED AND THE VOTERS DENIED IT AND KEPT IT AT TWO YEARS. BUT IRONICALLY, THAT SAME TOWN THAT VOTED IT DOWN A VAST MAJORITY OF THEIR TOWN COMMITTEE WAS IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING TO FOUR YEARS. INCIDENTALLY, THEY'RE THE SAME ONES THAT NOW ARE ARGUING, WELL, WE SHOULDN'T DO THAT. WE SHOULD KEEP IT TWO YEARS. IN A PHONE. PHONE CONVERSATIONS THIS WEEK, THE CHAIR OF THE COUNTY. MISTER, MISTER, MISTER ROZIER CALLED AND EXPRESSED HIS CONCERNS OF DOING THIS. SO I SAT BACK AND ANALYZED. I WAS AT THAT THAT COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE WHERE MY COLLEAGUES ON THAT COMMITTEE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO SUPPORT THESE TWO. THAT'S A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. THIS BOARD, WHICH IS SPLIT, REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT, VOTED UNANIMOUSLY ON BOTH CANDIDATES. SO TO ME, AS AN EDUCATOR, IF I'M A TEACHER AND I SAY I'M GETTING I'M HITTING IT OUT OF THE PARK, I'M DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB. I WANT A LITTLE MERIT RECOGNITION. MAYBE FOUR YEARS ISN'T A BAD THING, ESPECIALLY IF I PLAN TO WORK HERE A WHILE. MAYBE THAT TWO YEAR TURNOVER OF PREVIOUS COMMISSIONERS, CHAD, WASN'T NECESSARILY THAT THEY WERE DOING A BAD JOB MOVING. MAYBE THERE WAS A LITTLE MORE TO IT THAT THAT LONGEVITY WOULD ATTRACT A LONGER PERSON IN THERE. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AND SAY, LAST YEAR, THIS BOARD DEALT WITH TERM LIMITS AND THERE WAS DISCUSSION ON DOCKETS THAT WOULD EXTEND OUR BOARD FROM TWO YEARS TO FOUR. IF YOU REMEMBER THAT ARGUMENT, I THINK I'M THE ONE THAT SAID, NO, IT SHOULD STAY TWO YEAR BECAUSE I WANT TO GIVE THOSE VOTERS THAT OPPORTUNITY. THEY THINK I'M DOING A BAD JOB, GO AHEAD AND PRIMARY ME. GO AHEAD AND RUN AGAINST ME. AND IF IT'S TIME FOR ME TO MOVE ON, IT'S TIME FOR ME TO MOVE ON. NOT SCARED OF THAT, RIGHT? AND THAT MAYBE IS THE EDUCATOR PIECE. BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY TO MY DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES THAT WHEN THAT DOCKET HIT THIS FLOOR AND MARIA, YOU MENTIONED WHAT'S HAPPENING AND I'LL USE FOR YOUR BENEFIT. AND, AND MIKE WILL LEAVE UTICA POLITICS BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY

[00:25:03]

AND NOW IT GOES THE OTHER WAY. I STARTED MENTIONING REACHING OUT TO MY REPUBLICAN PARTY TOWNSHIP.

TEN PEOPLE SIT ON OUR TOWN COMMITTEE AFTER THE CALL FROM THE COUNTY CHAIR, I BUZZED THEM QUICK WITH A TEXT, HEY, THIS IS COMING DOWN. GIVE ME AN OPINION. I'LL SHOW YOU THE DEMOGRAPHICS.

EIGHT OUT OF TEN SAID, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM. FOUR OUT OF THE TEN WORKED EXTENSIVELY AS POLL WORKERS AND THEY SAY IT'S THE BEST EVER. WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT EXTENDED. SO COMES BACK TO THAT LENGTH OF MERIT. AND I THINK THE WHOLE BOTTOM LINE, TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION, WE WANT TO PUT PEOPLE IN PLACE AND REMOVE THE POLITICS THAT IT'S NOT TWO YEARS AND YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS. WHO DID YOU TICK OFF, WHAT PETITIONS DIDN'T GET FILLED OUT? WHAT'S THE WRONG AVENUE? ELIMINATE THAT. THESE TWO ARE VERY COMPETENT AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING. I'M SURE IF THERE'S A FAILURE IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS THAT THIS BOARD, ALONG WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IN EVERY ACTION, WOULD TAKE EVERY STEP TO REMOVE SOMEBODY THAT EMBARRASSES THIS COUNTY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. CHAD, AS I SAID, I BELIEVE IN WHAT NICOLE AND SARAH ARE DOING AND I DON'T FORESEE THEM GOING UNTIL THEY WANT TO STEP OUT AND RETIRE. THAT SAID, ONCE THEY DO RETIRE, HOWEVER MANY YEARS AS ANGELA LONGO WAS HERE FOR 35 YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO STILL WE'RE NOT GOING TO REMOVE THAT FOUR YEAR SITUATION FOR THE NEXT ONE. AND THIS JOB IS VERY MUCH A SINK OR SWIM JOB. AS AT OUR COURIER ASKED TONY PICENTE, HOW MANY TIMES SINCE DAVID PENDERGAST HAVE WE'VE BEEN THROUGH AIRPORT COMMISSIONERS NOW? FORTUNATELY, THERE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAD THE POWER TO LET THEM GO AND SHOW THEM THE DOOR BASED ON PERFORMANCE. AND IT IS A VERY MUCH A SINK OR SWIM JOB. I KNOW WITH TITLE PEOPLE, IT'S VERY HARD TO FIND SOMEBODY TO FILL A PARTICULAR ROLE BECAUSE IT JUST LIKE THE HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT. IT'S HARD, IT'S DIFFICULT, AND THEN YOU GET THE RHYTHM. SO I AGAIN, IT'S NOTHING AGAINST NICOLE AND SARAH, BUT I DON'T FORESEE US ONCE THEY LEAVE CUTTING IT BACK TO A TWO YEAR TERM AND TO THAT NEXT NEW PERSON ACTUALLY HAS SHOWN THAT THEY CAN HANDLE IT. AND IF THEY CAN'T HANDLE IT, EVEN WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE OF ELECTIONS, IT BECOMES VERY PROBLEMATIC FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED. ANYWAY, I DEFER BACK. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND NORM, MANY YEARS AGO, MANY MORE THAN I CARE TO REMEMBER. I HAD THE SAME SITUATION AS MITCH, A SUPERVISOR. I WAS A BOARD MEMBER. HE WANTED A FOUR YEAR TERM. IT WAS SCARY. I MEAN, I WON'T GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THE SITUATION, BUT IT WAS SCARY WORKING NEXT TO THAT GUY. AND SO I FOUGHT AGAINST THAT FOUR YEAR TERM THAT HE WANTED, AND HE WASN'T SUCCESSFUL. BUT ON THIS ISSUE, AND I MAY BE WRONG, BUT I THINK EVERY PERSON IN THIS ROOM SUPPORTS THESE TWO GALS. SO BASED ON THAT, I'LL SUPPORT THE DOCKET. OKAY. YOU'RE SET.

NORMAN, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY. THE RESOLUTION THAT IS PENDING BEFORE YOU AND THE RELEVANT SECTION WILL ACTUALLY WANT. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ACTION. SO THE STATUTE SAYS THAT IT CAN BE RESCINDED AT ANY TIME BY A SUBSEQUENT ACTION OF THE BOARD. IT JUST CAN'T AFFECT THE PEOPLE SITTING IN THE TERM. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE TO APPROVE THIS NEXT WEEK, IT TAKES EFFECT FOR THE TERMS OF THE TWO COMMISSIONERS THAT BEGIN JANUARY 1ST, 2025, FOUR YEARS LATER, WHEN YOU'RE CONTEMPLATING ANOTHER APPOINTMENT, YOU CAN MAKE THAT APPOINTMENT FOR TWO YEARS. SO THIS IS NOT ASSUMING THAT THE STATE STATUTE IS THE SAME AT THE TIME. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A PERMANENT CHANGE. IT CAN BE RESCINDED AT ANY TIME AS LONG AS IT'S NOT AFFECTING ANY OF THE APPOINTMENTS OF THE INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY. SIT DOWN. THANK YOU MA'AM. YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANKS FOR CLARIFYING THAT. OKAY, LET'S TAKE THE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU GIRLS. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO GO

[a. 2024-0679 – BOARD OF ELECTIONS RE:  APPROVAL OF A TEMPORARY USE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ONEIDA COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND THE CLINTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT  ]

[00:30:03]

[c. 2024-0900 – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RE:     APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT AND RENEWAL AGREEMENT AND STATEMENT OF WORK BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY, THROUGH ITS DIVISION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND TRAINOR ASSOCIATES, INC.  ]

YEAH. BECAUSE TRAINER IS THE FIRST ONE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL THE SAME BASICALLY. RIGHT. YES.

NONE OF THOSE THREE DO ARE WEB HOSTING OR SITE DESIGN. SO WE CAN VOTE ON THEM ALL TOGETHER.

RIGHT? RIGHT. BUT WHAT HE'S SAYING IS TRAINER IS THE WEB HOST. AND THE OTHER THREE ARE THE OH OKAY. SO TRAINER WOULD BE SEPARATE CORRECT. SO TRAINER SEPARATE OKAY. CORRECT. I'M SORRY I MISREAD THAT. THAT'S NUMBER 900. SO WE SHOULD DO THAT ONE OKAY OKAY. SO LET'S VOTE ON THE TRAINER ONE. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE TRAINER ONE BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE SAY ALL IN FAVOR.

[d. 2024-0934 – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RE:     APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY, THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND CONVERGEONE, INC.  ]

[e. 2024-0935 – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RE:     APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY, THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND JDE COMPUTER STAFFING, INC.  ]

[f. 2024-0933 – IT RE:     APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY, THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND COMSOURCE, INC.  ]

[g. 2024-0974 – FINANCE RE:   APPROVAL OF SEVEN (7) REFUNDS AND NINE (9) CORRECTIONS TO VARIOUS ERRONEOUS TAX ASSESSMENTS  ]

[h. 2024-0956 – FINANCE RE:     APPROVAL OF THE MORTGAGE TAX RECEIPTS AND DISTRIBUTION FOR THE PERIOD ENDING SEPTEMBER 2024  ]

[i. 2024-0137 – BONDING RESOLUTIONS 1) RE:     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A COMPREHENSIVE BUILDING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (PHASE 5) IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK, AT A MAXIMUM ESTIMATED COST OF $5,000,000 AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $5,000,000 BONDS OF THE COUNTY TO PAY THE COST THEREOF (DPW 071). 2) RE:     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE RECONSTRUCTION AND RESURFACING OF COUNTY ROADS IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK, AT A MAXIMUM ESTIMATED COST OF $3,000,000, AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $3,000,000 BONDS OF SAID COUNTY TO PAY THE COST THEREOF. (DPW-076) 3) RE:     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING COUNTY BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK, AT A MAXIMUM ESTIMATED COST OF $4,500,000 AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $4,500,000 BONDS OF THE COUNTY TO PAY THE COST THEREOF (DPW-077). 4) RE:     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ADDITION TO 121 2nd  STREET BUILDING FOR USE BY CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK, AT A MAXIMUM ESTIMATED COST OF $8,000,000 AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $500,000 BONDS OF THE COUNTY TO PAY COSTS THEREOF (DPW-105). 5) RE:     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ASBESTOS REMOVAL AT THE COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK, AT A MAXIMUM ESTIMATED COST OF $2,000,000 AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $2,000,000 BONDS OF THE COUNTY TO PAY THE COST THEREOF (GEN-004). 6)RE:     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING COUNTY-WIDE COMPUTERIZATION IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK, AT A MAXIMUM ESTIMATED COST OF $1,100,000 AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $1,100,000 BONDS OF THE COUNTY TO PAY THE COST THEREOF (GIT-010). 7) RE:     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE RECONSTRUCTION AND EXPANSION OF THE MOHAWK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE SCIENCE AND TECH BUILDING ON UTICA CAMPUS IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK, AT A MAXIMUM ESTIMATED COST OF $42,080,000 AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $14,415,000 BONDS OF THE COUNTY TO PAY COSTS THEREOF (MVC-051). 8) RE:     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE MOHAWK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE BUILDING ON THE ROME CAMPUS FOR A DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK, AT A MAXIMUM ESTIMATED COST OF $4,500,000 AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $375,000 BONDS OF THE COUNTY TO PAY COSTS THEREOF (MVC-117).  ]

THANKS, CHRIS. YOU CAN LEAVE NOW. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. I'LL MAKE THE

[00:35:05]

VERY NICE OF YOU. THANK YOU. O

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.