Warren County Board of Supervisors chairman Kevin Geraghty released his committee assignments last week, and there are few surprises.
But on Tuesday, Jan. 18, the widening chasm on the board was evident when Johnsburg’s Andrea Hogan angrily resigned from the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) special committee, saying Geraghty hadn’t returned her two phone calls and citing what she said was “disrespectful” behavior toward her. Geraghty declined to comment.
Geraghty, a Republican, rewarded fellow Republican Gene Merlino of Lake Luzerne by giving the Tourism and Occupancy Tax Committee chairmanship back to him. Merlino, the longtime chair of the committee, was removed in 2021 by then-chair Rachel Seeber.
Seeber, who was not nominated for a second one-year term as chair at this year’s organizational meeting, remains as chair of the National Association of Counties special committee. The Queensbury Republican also remains on the special committee dealing with federal funding from COVID relief, and on the National Association of Counties special committee.
Chester Independent Craig Leggett now chairs the powerful Finance Committee, and essentially is second in command should Geraghty be unable to serve as chairman. Queensbury’s Doug Beaty chaired that committee last year, but is no longer on the committee.
Beaty was also replaced as chair of the the Governmental Operations & Advocacy Committee by political rival John Strough, Queensbury Town Supervisor.
Frank Thomas of Stony Creek is now chair of the Personnel, Administration & Higher Education Committee, replacing Democrat Claudia Braymer from Glens Falls. He remains chair of the Budget Committee. Braymer remains as chair of the Proposed Septic Inspection at Transfer special committee.
Brad Magowan of Queensbury, a Republican who was defeated by Geraghty for the chairmanship of the board, was replaced as chair of the County Facilities Committee by Republican Dan Bruno of Glens Falls.
Horicon’s first-year Republican supervisor Mike Geraci is chair of the Public Safety Committee, replacing Democrat Jack Diamond of Glens Falls. It’s rare for a first-year supervisor to chair a committee. Diamond remains on the committee.
Bolton’s Ron Conover, who nominated Geraghty to be chair, retains his chairmanship of the Public Works Committee.
Democrat Peter McDevitt of Glens Falls is now chairing the Environmental Concerns & Real Property Tax Services Committee, replacing Lake George’s Dennis Dickinson.
Republican Edna Frasier of Hague remains chair of the Health Services Committee.
Ben Driscoll of Glens Falls, a Democrat, will continue as chair of the Human Services Committee.
2022 COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
(First name listed is chair)
BUDGET: Thomas, Leggett, Frasier, Merlino, Diamond, Wild and Beaty.
COUNTY FACILITIES: Bruno, Strough, Thomas, Magowan and Conover.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Dickinson, Geraci, Driscoll, McDevitt and Seeber.
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: Wild, McDevitt, Hogan, Strough, Leggett, Beaty and Diamond.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS/REAL PROPERTY: McDevitt, Dickinson, Geraci, Braymer and Runyon.
FINANCE: Leggett, Thomas, Bruno, Merlino, Runyon, Diamond and Driscoll.
GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND ADVOCACY: Strough, Driscoll, Conover, Frasier and Thomas.
HEALTH SERVICES: Frasier, McDevitt, Hogan, Braymer and Conover.
HUMAN SERVICES: Driscoll, Frasier, Seeber, Magowan and McDevitt.
PERSONNEL: Thomas, Conover, Beaty, Frasier and Wild.
PUBLIC SAFETY: Geraci, Wild, Diamond, Frasier and Beaty.
PUBLIC WORKS: Conover, Dickinson, Thomas, Bruno, Merlino, Hogan and Strough.
TOURISM/OCCUPANCY TAX: Merlino, Dickinson, Braymer, Wild, Runyon, Strough and Leggett.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES
EMS: Leggett, Merlino, Dickinson, Geraci, Diamond and Runyon.
PARK OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT: Merlino, Dickinson, Magowan, Seeber, Hogan (alternative county member).
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES: Seeber, Leggett and Allen.
EXTENSION SERVICE: Driscoll, Bruno, Hogan, Runyon and Magowan.
PROPOSED SEPTIC INSPECTION AT TRANSFER: Braymer, Magowan, Frasier, Bruno, Leggett, Geraci and Thomas.
ARPA ADVISORY (No current chair after Johnsburg’s Andrea Hogan resigned): LaMothe, Agnew, Bittel, Thomas, Braymer, Wild, Seeber, Moore, Swan and Gaddy.