Sullivan County personnel commissioner position abolished

Action comes after two emergency meetings

By FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY — Reporters last week received three emails from Sullivan County Manager David Fanslau regarding the personnel department. The first was a glowing announcement that the Sullivan County Legislature, in an emergency meeting on the morning of November 29, had voted unanimously to hire Emily Gerle of Eldred to become the new commissioner of personnel.

The county had been conducting a search for a replacement since the former commissioner Pamela Rourke announced her intention to leave in July. In an emailed press release, Fanslau said, “Emily will assume the position of commissioner of personnel at a time when the county will be commencing collective bargaining negotiations, as well as the need to develop a comprehensive attrition program and a focus on employee training and cross-training.

“I am confident that Ms. Gerle has the experience, dedication and enthusiasm necessary to perform with extraordinary results for Sullivan County,” Fanslau added.

A few hours later came news that Gerle had negotiated a new deal with her current employer, Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown, where she was serving as recruitment director, and would thus not be joining the county after all.

In a second emailed release, Fanslau said, “I spoke with Ms. Gerle several times this week, and as late as 7:00 p.m. last night, Wednesday, November 28, she informed me that she was accepting the position under the terms and conditions outlined during our negotiations.”

That was Thursday afternoon. By Friday, Fanslau had decided to recommend to the legislature that they “…abolish the division of personnel and position of personnel commissioner, and make the departments of personnel and risk management directly accountable to the division of management and budget for administrative purposes.”

He said of the change, “I believe it will reduce redundancy and simplify the operations of the Department of Personnel. Whereas the former personnel commissioner also dealt with payroll, the StopDWI program and the Center for Workforce Development, the new personnel officer will deal strictly with personnel issues.”

Fanslau also recommended Neversink resident Carolyn Hill to become the new personnel officer for the county. Hill has been the assistant personnel officer for the county for 21 years.

County lawmakers approved Fanslau’s recommendations at an emergency meeting on December 4.