Who will chair the county Legislature?

By DAVID HULSE

MONTICELLO — With the May 31 effective date of Rusty Pomeroy’s resignation drawing closer, the Kentucky Derby wasn’t the only horse race going on last weekend.

Pomeroy (D-3), who has chaired the Sullivan County Legislature since its 1996 inception, is leaving to take a position with a New York City/Washington DC law firm.

In addition to the extra $9,000 in annual salary, the holder of the position chairs the regular monthly and executive committee meetings and has considerable power in setting the county’s agenda.

Four of Pomeroy’s colleagues, Leni Binder (D-7), Chris Cunningham (DC-1), Rodney Gaebel (RC-5) and Robert Kunis (D-8), have expressed interest in the job.

Seasoned observers of government center politics say that the appointment is a toss-up among the three Democrats, who will continue to hold a 5-3 majority when the new appointment is made in June.

Binder did not automatically jump into the race, but “after several people talked to me, I decided to do it,” she said. The majority leader chairs the Health Committee and has a reputation for her longstanding involvement in social issues. She and Gaebel are also the legislators with the reputation of putting in the most hours on the job.

“I have the ability and the experience to develop the issues we’ve been working on and keep the county moving in the right direction…. I work well with everyone and I’m not afraid to ask for help,” Binder said of her candidacy.

“I want it. I’ve always wanted it. That’s no secret,” Cunningham said recently. In his second term, the chairman of the General Services Committee has been busy repairing political fences. The legislature’s first majority leader has often been the sole dissenting voice on legislative votes, and has been outspoken in his skepticism about the impacts of casino gaming in the county. Once dubbed as the “Teflon Legislator,” Cunningham, several times in the past, allied himself on issues with former controversial legislators Richard Levine and Steven Kurlander.

Binder replaced Cunningham as majority leader after Levine made an unsuccessful effort to oust Pomeroy during the mid-term reorganization of the legislature’s first term.

While he still marches to his own drummer, Cunningham is proud of having rebuilt his relationships with Pomeroy and his Democratic colleagues during the second term. “I think right now the board needs vision and consensus building. I think I can do that and I have been doing it over the past months. I wouldn’t be looking for the appointment if I didn’t think that I could do that,” he said.

Kunis is the current vice-chair of the legislature and will assume the chair until an appointment is made. He also chairs the Planning and Community Development Committee and county’s Industrial Development Agency.

Kunis also has been known to break ranks with the majority on issues. His recent support was instrumental in the approval of a salary adjustment for District Attorney Stephen Lungen, which was opposed by Pomeroy and the Democratic majority.

In the past, he’s been criticized by his colleagues for less than perfect attendance at some of the sub-committee and budgetary functions.

He recently sold the Liberty business, which formerly occupied much of his time, and said he’s ready to devote his time to the legislature. “In years past, I really didn’t have the time. Now, I do…. I’ve sold the business. It won’t interfere,” he said.

“I think I can do whatever I can to move us forward and continue the progress we’ve made in recent years,” Kunis added.

Gaebel is the dark horse in the race. The minority leader said he’s still in the race but is aware that party politics will likely prevail. “I didn’t just get off the boat.”

Gaebel and the Republicans will more likely be the subject of solicitations from Democrats seeking their support, should the Democrats split. But it’s early yet. “Nobody’s said anything to me so far,” he said.