SULLIVAN COUNTY –– Last week it was announced, that for the sixth year in a row, the NYS Comptroller’s Office has designated Sullivan County free of fiscal stress.

The Office recently released its 2020 Fiscal Stress rankings for municipalities and school districts statewide, based on the annual financial reports submitted to the Office. Sullivan County again scored well, earning the best rank of “No Designation” (meaning there are no indications of the County being susceptible to fiscal stress at this time).

Entities receive a fiscal score and an environmental score. Based on the fiscal score, the system assigns an entity to one of three categories of stress or to the “No Designation” category if its score doesn’t meet the threshold of stress. The three categories of stress are “Significant Fiscal Stress,” “Moderate Fiscal Stress” and “Susceptible to Fiscal Stress.”

Sullivan County Manager Josh Potosek added in a press release that for the first time, the county also received ‘No Designation’ for environmental stress, “... meaning prospects look good for the County continuing that stability.”

According to the county, in 2019, Sullivan earned a Fiscal Stress score of 42.1 points. That improved to 35.8 in 2020, a lower score being indicative of better finances. Meanwhile, the Environmental Stress score dropped from 30 in 2019 to 23.3 points in 2020, resulting in the removal of the “Susceptible to Environmental Stress” designation.

Unlike Fiscal Stress, the data used to create the Environmental Stress score – population changes, poverty levels, tax base, unemployment rates, state/federal aid and other items – represents issues that are not fully within the County’s control.

“This ranking shows our residents and taxpayers that we have a great group of hardworking professionals running this County together as efficiently as possible,” said Sullivan County Treasurer Nancy Buck, who works closely with Potosek and Budget Director Janet Young to monitor revenues and expenditures.

Poll inspectors needed
At Thursday’s meeting of the Sullivan County Legislature’s Government Services Committee meeting, Board of Elections Commissioner Lori Benjamin said they are “extremely short” in their number of poll inspectors.

According to the Board of Elections’ website, they employ inspectors to work Primary, Special and General Elections at the rate of $250 per election.

Applicants must be: A US Citizen and a resident of Sullivan County; Registered to vote and willing to work for either the Democratic or Republican party; Fluent in English (speaking, writing and reading); Able to work from 5 a.m. until after the polls close at 9 p.m. on election days; Willing to work out of their voting district; Professional in their ability to work with a team and treat the public with respect and courtesy; and elected officials may not serve as inspectors.

Training classes are offered annually with a choice of morning or afternoon sessions, each of which last about 2.5 hours and for which attendees are paid $25. In order to work on election day(s) attendees MUST pass a Written exam at the end of the class.

People interested in being a poll inspector can contact the Board of Elections by calling 845-807-0400.

Shortage of bus drivers
It’s no secret that there is a nationwide school bus driver shortage. In his report to legislators, Sullivan County Clerk Russell Reeves noted that the County Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has no wait on CDL permits.
“We make sure that you can get right in,” said Reeves.

Briefs compiled by Joseph Abraham