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Civil service consolidation voted down By BILL SHEEHAN
Recorder News Staff
A proposed local law that would have shifted the city's civil service affairs to the county starting in 2009 was struck down in a split vote of Amsterdam's Common Council Tuesday night.
The vote against the law was 3-2, with 3rd Ward Alderwoman and Intergovernmental chairwoman Kim Brumley and 2nd Ward Alderman Dan Roth in the minority in their support of the measure.
Police Chief Thomas Brownell, who admitted that he was "not a big fan of the Civil Service Commission" advised council members to be wary of giving up local control over the system.
"I just hope we're going into this with eyes wide open," said Brownell, asking if there would still be some local authority of level of cooperation with regard to local matters.
"I just don't know if this is the kind of consolidation we need," he said.
Brumley, who sponsored the measure, said she was assured that the city would not suffer in the change, citing the use of the Fonda office by a number of other municipalities in the county.
"I have not heard where there has been any non-cooperation by the county and I expect they would probably pretty much do whatever we requested. We need to take advantage of services offered by the county that we, as taxpayers, are paying for. This is just a baby step to show that we are interested in sharing services," argued Brumley, admitting that the savings to the city — $18,000 a year — was "no big windfall."
"We need to stop being a territory of our own and think of the bigger picture," she said.
Fourth Ward Alderman William Wills said he was voting against the measure because it "doesn't go far enough."
"It doesn't transfer for a year and we should go [with the county] for personnel services too," said Wills.
First Ward Alderman Joseph Isabel agreed with Wills, saying that the city "should do more to consolidate."
Roth said the council "needs to take one step."
"This is just a small element of what the future has to bring," he said.
Fifth Ward Alderman Richard Leggiero said control over the system "should stay in Amsterdam."
A clearly frustrated Brumley later called for a meeting of the council's Intergovernmental panel to discuss where the council does want to go with shared services.
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Contact Bill Sheehan at billsheehan@recordernews.com.
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