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The Altamont Enterprise — Thursday, April 11,1996 Ife»||ii^#l^flWI«»'^ ? %p|fe|te : hearing-bid R<>hins,(»,,.'., Hardware ' ','• Robinson Hardware' ByEdMcMullen ALBANY — Republican Mi- nority Leader Peter Crummey failed in his bid Monday evening to secure a resolution to hold a public hearing about reducing the size of the Albany County Legislature by close to half. Crummey (26th), who originally proposed the reduction in 1995, told The Enterprise beforehand that he anticipated resistance from the Democrats. \All we're doing is asking for a public hearing. These guys will try to prevent citizens from being at the hearing. The Democratic machine is denying the public access to government. \We have the largest legisla- ture in the state. Are these guys trying to tell me this is the most productive? Citizens shouldn't have to pay for overbloated gov- ernment. The Democrats want to hold on to their fiefdoms,\ he concluded. When the proposal, Local Law B for 1996, came up, Leg- islative Chairman Robert Houghtaling (D-38th) denied Crummey's request for a roll- call vote to hold the hearing. \This law is not legal,\ Hough- taling said, adding that Crummey's request was \out of order.\ \Are we that afraid of a public hearing?\ Crummey said. \I'm not afraid of something brought up for purely political reasons,\ Paul Collins (D-9th.) rebutted. \We anticipated a challenge. Let's play by the rules,\ urged Collins. He went on to say a roll-call should be taken to de- cided whether or not Houghtal- ing's ruling should be sustained. Houghtaling continued to hold that Crummey's initiative was out of order. \I challenge that,\ Crummey said. Again, Collins interceded, saying if the roll call were \positive\ it would sustain the chairman. Houghtaling's position was upheld 22-16. \I respectfully request we make a transcript of these pro- ceedings,\ Crummey said. Asked what his next strategy would be afterwards, Crummey said, \I have to talk to the con- ference who sponsored it,\ Calling Houghtaling's posi- tion \high handed\ and an \outrage to Democracy,\ Crummey questioned the legal foundation of the action. He re- quested the transcript in case a legal action were pursued, he said. Houghtaling, according to Crummey, took the position he did to \prevent the Democrats from having to vote no again\ to the public hearing. Alexander Gordon (D-39th) Purchases & Refinances Good Credit..Bad Credit.No Credit Bankruptcy..OK Judgements..OK Collections.OK Debt ConsdHdation.Jnvestor Cash Out.iNo IricomeVerificaiton LOWRATES..FAST CLOSINGS 1-806-5S5-S715 Homestead Funding Corp. SltferJftaM^A&»^NY12212 ' DftDtpVttMl* said he believed that the pro- posed downsizing was given a unanimously unfavorable rec- ommendation from the legisla- ture's law committee. Houghtaling's fesponse, he said, was guided by the opinion of the County Attorney Michael Lynch, who advised that the proposal was \not a legitimate resolution. Based on that, the chairman has to take the advice of counsel.\ Addressing the approaches to cutting county government costs, Gordon said, \If the thought is, these people want to reduce the cost of government, former legislator (Robert) Reilly had a good thought: donate your salary back. If the thought . is, the districts become larger with less representation, I see no wisdom in that... A con- stituency of 7,500 is one you can do a fair job of relating to.\ Knick appraisal A resolution authorizing the appropriation of $19,500 for the appraisal of the Knickerbocker Arena narrowly passed 19-18. Gary Domalewicz (D-llth) opposed the resolution. \This is the worst time in the world to sell anything, whether it be a house or the Knick Arena.\ The appraisal, he said, would be a waste of taxpayers' money, particularly since the Knick's \profit and loss statement is just starting to come around.\ He cautioned his colleagues to let the Knick better position itself to entertain possible buyers. \Appraisal means nothing... It's what you'll get for it,\ Domalewicz said. Gordon said later he also op- posed the resolution because it were better for the Knick to be \managed with the vigorous management it's getting at this point. If it stands a chance of running in the black, then it can get a valid appraisal.\ Audits and purchases County comptroller Michael Conners addressed the legisla- ture during the public hearing about two resolutions that were on the floor. One resolution, which was in line with recommendations from the KPMG Peat Marwick Audit Report, would empower the county purchasing agent to create a procedure for a small purchase policy that would al- low individual departments to buy items of small value that the county doesn't have re- served for bidding. Petty cash funds would be established for each department. Conners said, \Our intent is to present two or three options to the audit and finance com- mittee.\ He issued a memo to the legislature that stated his Newspaper Project publishes Civil War maps and letters ALBANY — \I Will Try to Send You All the.Particulars of the Fight: Maps and Letters from New York State's Civil War Newspapers, 1861-1863\ is available from the Friends of the New York State Newspaper Project. The book is a collection of maps related to Civil War battles that were not included in the major Civil War map collections, including the atlas that accom- panied the official records of the Union and Confederate armies. All proceeds from the sale of the book will be used to mirofilm newspapers from across New | York State- To ctt?der, send a check or money order for $22 ($iia j pltts t postage/handling) payable to $0$;$ W? N-aiar Ifbrk State Newspaper Project, t».0. Box 2402, Albany, NY 12220. office, the county purchasing agent and the county executive are currently working on the development of a small pur- Chase policy. \There are a number of options being ex- plored other than petty cash funds which will accomplish the same end,\ the memo stated. Another resolution, requir- ing timely completion of county audits, Conners called \not necessary. We're going to do that.\ Although he asked the legis- lature to vote against the reso- lution, he lauded its intent. He went on to say he ad- dressed the issue in his 10-point platform last year when he ran for the comptroller's seat. \You don't have a copy because it's a piece of campaign literature.\ Conners said he filed for an extension of the county's an- nual financial report the first week of January. \We will be filing the 1995 AFR electroni- cally on or before May 1. Clearly it will be correct because of the 1995 audit.\ The resolution, Conners con- tinued, undermines the newly revised county charter. \We all know we wanted a strong char- ter and we have a strong county executive. For the legislature to take oyer negotiation of (audit) contracts contravenes that charter.\ The purchasing policy reso- lution was defeated 21-16 after Christine Benedict (R-28th) called for a roll-call vote. The timely completion of county audits resolution was turned back 21-17. Crummey, asking for a roll-call vote, called the resolution an \important Peat Marwick recommend ation.\ Before the vote, Collins said, \Lliave every confidence in Mr. Conners to fulfill his campaign platform. Therefore, I vote no because last fall, I voted for Mr. Conners.\ \It's nonsense,\ Crummey said of Conners' remarks. \It's odd when Republicans advance initiatives by Peat Marwick, the Democrats have no use for it or say 'it's already done.'\ Budget amendment The legislature unanimously amended its department for the aging budget by putting in an additional $25,000 to renew a home delivered meals contract with Senior Services of Albany. The funding will provide a sub- sidy of $.15 per meal to predom- inantly low income residents in Albany, Colonie and the Hill- towns. Dom DeCecco (R-33rd) asked that Bethlehem, Coeymans and New Scotland be included in the resolution. 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