MONTICELLO – Sullivan County’s top elected official says the county may be heading into “… the defining time on our county’s history.”
County Legislature Chairman Scott Samuelson wrapped up his relatively brief … just over 22 minutes … State of the County address Friday with that observation. It was a reference, in large part, to the announcement that Sullivan will get one of the four full casinos approved for the state.
Samuelson: “… an extraordinary moment in time”
Samuelson did not dwell directly with the casino resort to go up outside
Monticello, but he noted, instead, the need to seize the opportunity it
brings, while not forgetting other opportunities to grow the county.
In particular, he pointed out vacant but viable county-owned business and industrial sites adjacent to the county airport, the agricultural industrial park in Liberty and the Emerald Corporate Park in Rock Hill.
“These properties have sat vacant and underutilized for far too long. We must work quickly and efficiently to capitalize on the county’s raised profile to turn these vacant parcels into job opportunities for all of our constituents.”
Another critical need is to simply keep pace with maintaining the county and its infrastructure, including roads.
“We must develop a long-term plan, not only to catch up on repairs, but to continue adequate maintenance on an annual basis. That means putting funds back into the county’s annual operating budget. It is imperative that we begin to formulate a multi-year plan to address this critical situation.”
Delaying simply compounds the cost, when it becomes a matter of reconstruction, rather than maintenance.
Fellow Democrat and former legislature chairman Jonathon Rouis is encouraged with the county’s future.
“For so long we’ve been on the precipice of good things; I think we finally have news and the catalyst we need. And, I do agree with him that our, you know, the work is about to begin here and we really have to roll up our sleeves and embrace the opportunity and make the most of it.”
Republican Kitty Vetter, who was picked by Democrat Samuelson to be his vice-chairperson, thinks the chairman hit the right notes.
I think most of the notes were absolutely correct; I really do,” Vetter said. “I think that our county is moving forward.”
Samuelson concluded his address by sticking to tradition, thanking “… all of our county employees, from the county manager and commissioners, to our department heads and supervisors, to the workers on the front lines … for your hard work and dedication.”
