Running Sullivan County Is Like No Other Place

Over more than a year after the abrupt firing of Dan Briggs, Sullivan County is finally getting a new County Manager. His name is David Fanslau and he will start in September.

Fanslau who will report to our legislature will be paid $120,000 a year. That is about $100,000 more per year than his bosses earn.

Although Fanslau has experience in running government in New Jersey, he will soon see that Sullivan County is like no other place.

The big question - will those in power allow him to manage?

Legislature Chairman Chris Cunningham has said partisan politics has no role in the supervision of our county government. We all know that if that were the case, Dan Briggs would still the man in charge.

Fanslau will be walking into a government filled with overwhelming financial woes. While Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther came to our rescue with state monies which restored most of our recent budget cuts, he will soon realize it was nothing more than a band-aid.

The job to properly manage our affairs will not be easy. We need great change here.

Sullivan County is filled with government and then some more government. Sullivan County is filled with politics and then some more politics. Sullivan County residents are forced to pay taxes and then some more taxes. In fact, if we are not paying taxes, we are forced to pay surcharges and higher prices.

Fanslau will observe that one of the reasons our economic situation is so bleak is because there is no aspiration to invite potentially high paying industry to our county. He will learn that there is no yearning to train our work force in innovative fields either.

My friend Gary Matises mentioned to me that Honda is looking to build small planes in America. He said Sullivan County International Airport would be a perfect place for such a facility. I laughed at him when he suggested that I contact some officials to look into it. I told him it would go on deaf ears like everything else does here.

When I recommended an Internet Hub for Sullivan County everyone said it was a great idea too.

There is really no desire for change.

Our officials would rather see our children leave our county when they complete their college education, than work to keep them here with employment opportunities that would be high paying. They may say something else.

Fanslau will rapidly understand that there needs to be massive consolidation between our county, town, and village governments. We could be saving enormous amounts of monies if we made bulk purchases.

Sullivan County needs to merge departments so they can run more efficiently. We need some massive liposuction to get rid of the pork and fat.

We have so much part-time government no one has the time to make change even if they could or cared to. Our legislators and other officials require additional sources of revenue to support their families besides their elected positions.

We lack leadership and have no team effort in Sullivan County.

But - All is still not bleak Mr. Fanslau. The opportunity here can be enormous.

You are walking into Sullivan County at a time when there can be immense positive change.

Our Charter Revision Commission is looking into the possible creation of a County Executive, who would be accountable to all the residents of Sullivan County

Taxpayers are finally speaking out, and have had enough. People from diverse backgrounds - social, economic, and political are organizing.

The time is now to bring Sullivan County back.

Roll up your sleeves Mr. Fanslau, do your own analysis, and set your own goals.

Do what is right for the residents of Sullivan County and the people will be behind you, despite what our elected officials might do or say.

Email Bill