Chairman & District 1 Legislator

Sullivan County Legislature

Bethel

To the editor:

My favorite line from the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan is that “everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.” That includes me, and that includes Lise Kennedy as it pertains to her May 13 letter “Painful to Watch.”

Once again, Ms. Kennedy shows a very strange relationship with the truth. She states that legislators did not vote for this equipment that limits public speakers to the Legislature’s three-minute rule. That is another mistruth by the Spin Squad. On December 14, 2021, Resolution 459-21 was passed, designating the new equipment as a line item in the County Budget.

On January 27, 2022, Resolution 42-22 passed as well. That resolution gives the Clerk of the Legislature the authority to limit the time people speak to 3 minutes – not 3 minutes and 5 seconds, not 3 minutes and 30 seconds, not 4 minutes, etc. This same rule (11B of the Rules of the Legislature) also does not give the chair of any committee the right to let the public speak for however long they want. Contrary to Ms. Kennedy’s uninformed assertion, it is solely the Clerk’s discretion.

The Spin Squad wants to go back to chaos and, despite their demands for respect and decorum, they consistently choose to disrespect the rules and violate the decorum of legislative meetings. This Legislature – and the public we serve – does not want chaos. That’s why we put rules in place to have civil meetings.

By the way, if any member of the public wants to share their thoughts with the Legislature, they need not wait for a meeting of legislators. Email Annmarie.martin@sullivanny.us, or mail AnnMarie Martin, Clerk of the Sullivan County Legislature, 100 North Street, Monticello, NY 12701, and she will ensure all nine of us receive the comments. I read everything she sends me.

Or reach out to me directly. I’ll gladly take public questions and feedback, positive and negative, at Robert.doherty@sullivanny.us or 845-807-0441.