LEGISLATURE STUFF - A Rootin Tootin Swearing-In

A rootin’ tootin’ touch was added to the usually staid conducting of the Oath of Office by the Greene County Legislature recently, as lawmaker Michael Bulich (District 1, Catskill) was joined by no nonsense granddaughter Reagan and daughter Carly in cowgirl headwear.

CATSKILL - He was not successful in his bid to become chairman of the Greene County Legislature but there was nothing in lawmaker Michael Bulich’s voice to indicate that would be a problem.

Bulich represents District 1, Catskill, and is one of the most vocal members of the board, frequently voting a flat out “no” on resolutions having to do with government spending that his colleagues approve.

“There needs to be a push to keep government small,” Bulich said this past December, explaining why he was seeking the chairmanship. 

“That isn’t happening. We are fortunate our financials are in good shape but that doesn’t mean government isn’t growing too much.”

Political prognostications gave Bulich a better than good shot at unseating chairman Patrick Linger when he and his fellow Republicans huddled to effectively choose the next legislative leader.

There are 11 Republicans on the 14-member board. Amongst themselves, if they can ultimately agree on who that will be, even if they disagree, it doesn’t matter what the two Democrats and lone Conservative think.

Linger emerged from the GOP huddle with a 7 to 4 vote in his favor. Given that scenario, the GOP has traditionally held the line when the moment comes to officially name the chairman.

That moment came on January 7 as lawmakers gathered to take the Oath of Office at their annual reorganization meeting. The chairmanship can officially unfold only after everyone has been sworn-in.

There was reliable speculation - if there is such a thing - that tradition would be broken and the chairman’s appointment might become a floor fight.

Bulich was going to be the first vote cast since he is one of the four District 1 representatives and his name is alphabetically at the top.

No drum rolls were heard but it was also reliably speculated Linger was prepared for battle if it went that way. It didn’t.

Bulich, during a roll call vote on Linger’s appointment, said “yes” as easy-sounding as if that was always what he wanted (acknowledging it is impossible to read any person’s or politician’s mind).

“I respect the majority,” Bulich said afterwards. Journalistically speaking, it came across as classy which can also be said for how Linger handles the job. The reason this is being written at all is because of another thing that happened a short while earlier.

Lawmakers are customarily joined by family members for the Oath of Office, a serious occasion that takes place every three years.

When it was Bulich’s turn, his granddaughter Reagan and daughter Carly held the Good Book, providing a touch of innocent pleasantry.

They were decked out in Stetson-style western hats, not at all out of place under the circumstances and the political pageantry.

“Reagan wants to be a little cowgirl so she asked to wear them,” grandpa said, noting she was not named after the onetime Republican president.

Eventually getting down to business, lawmakers maker numerous appointments and designations including: 

—Lawmaker Michael Bulich (appointed associate director with the Altamont Fair Board of Directors for a one-year term, and reappointed to the Greene County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board, a 3-year term);

—Lawmaker Sherry True, District 8, Cairo (appointed to board of directors of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene counties).

The appointment is for one year, with legislative Majority Leader Matthew Luvera serving as alternate representative for the same term.

—Mountain Eagle and the Times Union (designated official newspapers of Greene County for 2025 for the publication of local laws, notices and other matters required by law);

—Mountain Eagle (designated as official Greene County Republican Party newspaper to publish election notices and official canvass for 2025);

—Mountain Eagle (designated as official Greene County Republican Party newspaper to publish concurrent resolutions and laws for 2025);

—Daily Freeman (designated as official Greene County Democratic Party newspaper to publish election notices and official canvass for 2025);

—Mountain Eagle (designated as official Greene County Democratic Party newspaper to publish concurrent resolutions and laws for 2025);

The official bank depositories for Greene County were designated (with the maximum amount which may be kept on deposit in each);

—National Bank of Coxsackie ($22 million), Greene County Commercial Bank in Catskill ($70 million);

—JP Morgan Chase in Saugerties ($1 million), NBT Bank in Windham ($11 million) and Key Bank, Catskill branch ($20 million).