MONTICELLO – Sullivan County’s Veterans Service Agency Director, John Crotty, has not had a raise in several years.
“Why is John overdue for a pay raise?” asked commander of the Sullivan County American Legion, John Lacey, noting the former director’s top pay was $64,000.
Many veterans attended the public comment portion of Thursday’s session and listened as Lacey (podium) praised the work done by Crotty
Crotty is currently making $52,000. The proposal before the legislature at their final meeting of the year was to increase it to $65,000.
“He has a dedicated outreach to the VA in their homes, community, senior citizens and schools,” said Lacey.
There was no argument from Republican Kitty Vetter, who noted family times to the military, but she said it should be left to the incoming legislature, which will not include her.
Vetter said the decision should be left to the next legislature taking over in January.
“Outrageous” responded LaBuda. Neither legislator will return next year.
It also will not include Democrat Kathy LaBuda, who strongly supported giving Crotty the raise now, instead of leaving it for the next legislature in January.
“We have a $207 million budget and a $6 million fund balance, and we’re talking about $12,000, folks, $12,000, and to say that we should let the new legislature decide is outrageous,” said LaBuda.
Only Gene Benson, another Democrat who leaves the legislature, but who has chaired the Veterans Affairs Committee, agreed with LaBuda.
The other legislators, including Chairman Scott Samuelson, one of three who will still be around for the next four years, felt it should be up to the new legislature to set a salary when they reappoint Crotty.
Samuelson, who usually does not participate in debates prior to votes, urged looking at the big picture, which includes many inconsistencies on how decisions on made regarding personnel.
“It points out so many of the inequities within this county government and salaries and to … and I have been saying all along … that taking one off just will not fix this issue,” Samuelson said. “We need to look at the whole picture.”
The motion to increase Crotty’s salary failed, with only Benson and LaBuda supporting approving the salary increase now.
Another departing Democrat, Cora Edwards, said she recently met with Crotty and he told her that regardless of what happened on Thursday, he would be back on January 1.
There were other contentious issues during the final session of the four-year legislative term.
Among them, the future of the Ethics Board. The motion on the agenda called for suspending the board “… until format training is compete.”
Cindy Kurpil-Geiger, whose one term ends, claimed she was an unfair victim of how the county ethics policy was improperly applied against her.
Departing long-term legislator, Democrat Jonathon Rouis, called it a “… bad law when you wrote it.”
County Attorney Sam Yasgur issued a rare cautionary warning.
“Suspend the board, you have in effect interfered with your own local law,” Yasgur said.
Edwards asked Yasgur to recommend a change that would make the intent a bit more palatable.
Yasgur suggested leaving that to the new legislature to decide whether “… there should be any changes to its law or procedure.”
That passed on a five-four vote.
