NEWS
Proposed Budget Bombshell Terry Axed, Planning Overhauled
The proposed Schoharie County Budget for 2015 had many ups and downs, but one firm note of savings. After years of chronic issues stemming out of the County Planning and Development Office headed by Alicia Terry, County Treasurer Bill Cherry is proposing a major restructuring of the entire department.
According to the proposed document, the County Planning and Development Office will be split into two pieces, neither of which would be department levels. Senior staffing of the current department will fill the vacuum. The position of Director, currently filled by Alicia Terry, will be eliminated, saving taxpayers $73,393. The Office Manager position, currently unfilled, will be eliminated at a savings of over $40,000.
A Planner position will be placed back into the budget after it was eliminated by Cassandra Ethington, which will offset the savings of the Office Manager's salary. The Marketing Specialist position will also be removed and replaced with two Economic Development Specialist I positions-- one full time and one part time at approximately the current cost. The proposed budget states that this change will "enable us to expand our scope of activity in reaching out to businesses in order to encourage them to relocate to Schoharie County and bring much-needed jobs to the area."
All told, the salary savings at the Planning Department this year alone will total almost $70,000 even counting for other employees' raises.
Terry has been seen as the last remaining former Ethington ally remaining in the County Departments.
According to the proposed document, the County Planning and Development Office will be split into two pieces, neither of which would be department levels. Senior staffing of the current department will fill the vacuum. The position of Director, currently filled by Alicia Terry, will be eliminated, saving taxpayers $73,393. The Office Manager position, currently unfilled, will be eliminated at a savings of over $40,000.
A Planner position will be placed back into the budget after it was eliminated by Cassandra Ethington, which will offset the savings of the Office Manager's salary. The Marketing Specialist position will also be removed and replaced with two Economic Development Specialist I positions-- one full time and one part time at approximately the current cost. The proposed budget states that this change will "enable us to expand our scope of activity in reaching out to businesses in order to encourage them to relocate to Schoharie County and bring much-needed jobs to the area."
All told, the salary savings at the Planning Department this year alone will total almost $70,000 even counting for other employees' raises.
Terry has been seen as the last remaining former Ethington ally remaining in the County Departments.