NORTH BRANCH, NY — About 40 people braved the freezing rain and turned out to an event to honor Sullivan County Legislator Cindy Gieger in the Old North Branch Inn on December 5. Among those on hand were fellow legislators Gene Benson and Cora Edwards. On several issues, the three Democrats have teamed up with the two Republicans in the legislature to form a majority in the legislature.

Ken Hilton, retired supervisor of the Sullivan West Central School District, called Gieger a reformer, and compared her to the late president Teddy Roosevelt. He read from one of Roosevelt’s writings, replacing the singular male pronoun of Roosevelt used with the singular female pronoun. He said, “It’s not the critic who counts. It’s not the woman who points out how the strong woman stumbled. Credit belongs to the woman who really was in the arena, her face marred by dust, sweat, and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs to come short and short again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming. It is the woman who actually strives to do the deeds, who knows the great enthusiasm and knows the great devotion, who spends herself on a worthy cause, who at best, knows in the end the triumph of great achievement. And, who at worst, if she fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that her place shall never be with those cold and cruel souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

When Gieger spoke, she said good government is about reading, reviewing and understanding every issue and not rubber stamping anything. She said, “It’s about bringing the issues out in public discussion, as I have come to realize that quiet, smooth operation of government with little public input is not good.”

She spoke specifically of some of the reforms that she has championed in the Division of Family Services, and thanked Commissioner Randy Parker for aiding in those reforms, referring to a recently completed investigation that involved Parker. She reiterated her statement that the investigation cleared Parker of any wrongdoing. She further said the investigation did point to some areas that needed improvement, such as the county’s whistleblower policy, which she said had wrongly been used to “freeze people in their positions.” She said this and other concerns are being worked on.

At the end of her remarks, after thanking those who have supported her through the past three years, she said she would once again throw her hat in the ring next year, adding that she hoped to serve another term again in the company of Benson and Edwards. Benson said he too would run for office again.

In a My View on page 7, Gieger summarizes some of her remarks.