Tusten to consider ending elections for highway supervisor position

Voters may decide by referendum

By FRITZ MAYER

NARROWSBURG, NY — The Town of Tusten board voted unanimously on April 14 to take a step forward in the creation of a department of public works. The move would combine the highway department with the department of sewer and water, and end the election of the highway superintendent. Instead, the town board would appoint a commissioner and deputy public works commissioner.

The plan sparked dissent from a few members of the public who attended the meeting. Chris Holden asked supervisor Ben Johnson, “What have you got against democracy?” He called the plan a power grab.

Johnson rejected that interpretation, and said it would bring more accountability to the person entrusted to oversee the town’s roads and would save the town money. He said that another benefit would be that employees from the two departments could be shifted from one area to another as needed, and the new setup would greatly aid in scheduling.

Another resident, Kevin McDonough, said that it was troubling to “use an election to end an election.” He also said that with the highway department spending $1.2 million per year, more than 60 percent of the town’s tax levy, it seemed important that residents be allowed to vote for the highway superintendent.

Johnson countered that with the current arrangement there are no set hours required for the highway superintendent to be on the job, and the superintendent is not required to cooperate with the water and sewer supervisor.

Norman Meyer, chairman of the Tusten Democratic Party, said the plan would “take the electoral process away from people” and create a management system that would become more powerful than the board. He called the plan flawed.

Board member Carol Wingert supported the plan. She said it showed vision and was fiscally sound. She added that the board is trying to create more accountability in the positions and protect the town for the future.

Johnson made the point several times that the board is quite satisfied with the performance of both current highway superintendent George Kinch and the water and sewer superintendent Scott Birney. He said if the plan goes through, he would suggest to the board that Birney be appointed commissioner of the new department and Kinch be appointed deputy commissioner.

The board voted to allow Johnson to go to the town attorney, Jeffrey Clemente, to have a referendum drawn up. At the next town meeting on May 12, the board will vote on whether to have the referendum placed on the ballot for the general election in November. If the board votes in the affirmative, public hearings on the referendum will be held and the board will work to publicize and explain the plan to Tusten residents.

At this point, of the 15 towns in Sullivan County, only Fallsburg has an appointed commissioner of public works rather than an elected highway superintendent.