Legislature picks ‘Option 3’

SULLIVAN COUNTY –– The Sullivan County Legislature redistricting process, which began in January, came to a close on Thursday when legislators, by a 5-4 vote, chose “Option Three,” of the three map-based proposals provided by Main Street Communications. The decision, however, did not come without fireworks. 

Resolutions for each map were on Thursday’s full board agenda. Before the vote occurred, Legislator Nadia Rajsz, referencing discussion from the week prior, said she thought they had an agreement to slow the process down so they could better understand the maps. 

“Why this is being rushed, I still don’t understand …” she said.

“We sent out the RFP [Request for Proposal] in January,” said Legislative Chairman Rob Doherty, “and we received it back on February 10. We then put on a resolution on April 7 to award the contract and move the process. We then all received the maps over two months ago. They’ve been out in the public now for over 10 weeks. There’s other work to be done. I don’t feel like this is being rushed at all.” 

Rajsz said there’ve been many negative comments from members of the public and that the maps weren’t palatable.

“You want to go to one map like they did last time?” Doherty asked, referencing how only one map was made public the last time the County Legislature (then Democratically controlled) went through the process. “Do you want to open a fraud investigation like one legislator asked to do? And then found out that it wasn’t true …”

What Doherty was referring to was a request by Minority Leader and Legislator Ira Steingart last month for County Attorney Michael McGuire to ask for an affidavit from the mapmaker, Dave Heller of Main Street Communications, to see if he had communication with any members of the Legislature aside from when they met publicly, as well as a group during an executive session. 

Legislators had dictated to Heller that during the process, he was only allowed to communicate with County Manager Josh Potosek and Real Property Tax Services Director Chris Knapp, and that Heller was to contact Potosek should any of the legislators try to contact him. 

Steingart brought up the issue again at this month’s meetings, stressing the importance of making sure there was no outside influence in the making of the maps. Doherty then publicly asked the County Manager if Heller contacted him relating to legislators trying to reach out to him, to which Potosek said he did not.

Chair, Minority Leader go at it

“First of all, I didn’t ask for a fraud investigation,” said Steingart, in reference to Doherty’s earlier response to Rajsz.

“That’s what it amounts to,” said Doherty.

“You can call it like it is [because] you’re trying to control the whole issue,” said Steingart.

“I’m not controlling the issue, it’s a process,” said Doherty.

“I’m doing my job by asking the question,” said Steingart.

“We agreed to a process,” Doherty fired back.

“The bottom line is it’s my job to make sure it was done fairly,” said Steingart.

“And my question is what was the answer?” said Doherty, cutting Steingart off. “What was the answer to your question?” 

“You gave me the floor, let me speak,” said Steingart, raising his voice as Doherty continued to ask what the answer given in response to Steingart’s question on outside influence was. “Let me finish and then you can ask any question you want. You have a great way of cutting people off when you want to make a point. Number one, that’s an outright lie, I didn’t ask for a fraud [investigation] …”

“Did you have any evidence?” asked Doherty, once again cutting Steingart off. 

“ … Second of all, you’re giving misinformation,” said Steingart. “Joey [Perrello] asked the Board of Elections when they would need it [the new map]. You said they needed it by September, October. They said they would not touch it until January.”

As the Democrat reported last week, while legislators had until January to make a decision on the map, Knapp and Potosek stressed a tighter time frame since the new districts have to be codified into law and the Board of Elections (BOE) will need to redraw affected elected districts to match. 

Potosek, following a presentation to legislators and the public on August 11 about the redistricting process, said Knapp and the BOE had a lot of work to do in order for electorates and people running for office to know what district they’re in. Potosek added that administratively, September was the latest they’d look for a decision on a map to be entertained. 

Steingart continued that the new map would be in effect for 10 years. 

“Why shouldn’t we take our time and make sure it’s done fairly? We all realize all of us are not going to be happy,” said Steingart. “But that doesn’t mean that you cut people off in a public comment when they spoke earlier. You are controlling this like you’re a dictator, and it sends the wrong message to the public.”

Steingart was referencing events earlier Thursday morning, when the recessed public hearing on the maps [from August 11] was opened and then quickly closed.

“Did anyone from the public [not] have the right to speak?,” asked Doherty.

“You cut them off, yes …” said Steingart.

“That was a recessed meeting sir,” said Doherty, noting that many of the individuals in attendance had already spoken on August 11. “Did they speak once already?”

“There’s no rule that you can’t speak a second time,” said Steingart, “and you cut them off. Maybe they found out [new] information in-between. You’re making up your own rules to control it.” 

“You said I had the right to ask questions,” said Doherty. “I’m asking questions but you’re not giving me any answers here … So let’s move on.” 

The vote

Following the discussion, a vote was called on the maps, with Options One and Two failing unanimously. 

Steingart then made a motion to table the resolution on Option 3. However, Chairman Doherty and Legislators George Conklin, Nicholas Salomone, Majority Leader Legislator Alan Sorensen and Vice Chair Michael Brooks voted against the motion, while Legislators Joe Perrello, Luis Alvarez, Steingart and Rajsz voted in favor. Therefore the motion to table failed and the vote moved forward.

Then, by the same 5-4 combination, Option 3 passed.

This means all nine districts will shift their boundaries to conform with the “Option 3” map come January 1, 2024.