The battle over whether to separate the county's planning and economic development departments began in volleys of strong and sometimes pointed arguments Monday morning.
Speakers on both sides of the issue argued at the public hearing on the proposed $85.7 million Schoharie County budget for 2015.
Under the proposed budget presented by Treasurer Bill Cherry, which was then approved by the finance committee, the director's position for planning and development would be zeroed out and replaced by another planning position. In addition, the marketing specialist post would be unfunded, replaced by full-time and part-time economic development specialist positions.
Alicia Terry is the director and Sarah Blood is the marketing specialist, and Mr. Cherry has criticized both in the past.
Supervisors will continue their discussion of the matter at a special meeting set for Thursday, November 20 at 8am. The meeting is expected to be in executive session.
At Monday's hearing, Ms. Terry urged supervisors to rethink the dismantlement of the department.
In 1973, she added, supervisors had the foresight to form the department.
"Personalities and petty politics should not play a role in something as important as the county budget," she told supervisors and more than 30 residents and county officials at the hearing.
Ms. Blood defended her work and her position.
She began in the department just before the flood in August 2011.
She said she worked hard to aid the businesses in the county that were devastated by Hurricane Irene by getting grants and low-interest loans.
Now, three years later, she told supervisors, "Main Streets are buzzing and business have rebuilt." Ms. Blood said she worked with more than 200 businesses in the last three years.
During that time, she added, the unemployment rate in the county has dropped from nine percent to less than 5.8 percent.
"That's success," she argued.
"I've helped with that. That's economic development. That is job creation."
Several residents backed Ms. Terry and the work of the department.
At a meeting of the county planning commission last week, nine of 11 members spoke very highly of Ms. Terry's work, according to Peter Shulman, the commission's chairman.
The proposals in the budget are more examples of actions against women in county government, according to Susan Armstrong of Cobleskill.
"Anyone who knows Ms. Terry and Ms. Blood, knows how they work...There needs to be a big light shone on what's happening in county government."
Supervisor Gene Milone of Schoharie noted that the finance committee was in favor of restructuring the department.
"It's not Mr. Cherry solely that's responsible for this."
Sandra Manko of Sharon, a member of the finance committee, responded, "I remember voting no."
Three members voted no, she added.
Sean Jordan of Jefferson, another member of the finance committee, countered that "not one word was said not to do it ...
"If we got them to put this much effort into their jobs, we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place," he added, a comment that drew several groans from the audience.
Bill Smith of Broome said it was "unfair for someone to lose their job for political reasons," especially without an evaluation.
Carl Barbic of Seward supported a suggestion by Mr. Shulman to split the department into two, one for planning and another for economic development.
Supervisors continued to discuss the issue behind closed doors in executive session.
The public hearing on the budget will continue at the November 21 board meeting.
The proposed budget has been reviewed by the board's finance committee and still holds a tax levy hike of 5.77 percent. This is slightly under the state tax increase cap which means that residents would still be eligible to get a refund check from the state to offset any increase in taxes.
The average tax rate increase in the county is 4.86 percent in the preliminary spending plan.