New IDA Members Set to Be Appointed by Legislators
Putnam County lawmakers appear to have finally decided on new members to join the beleaguered county Industrial Development Agency, even if the final approval will be delayed by a week.
Five county residents were moved forward, including William Carlin, Erin Meagher, Bill Nulk, Dario Gristina, and Steven Baranowski. Carlin is the commissioner for the Department of Finance, Meagher is a trustee in the village of Brewster and Mahopac-Chamber of Commerce CEO, Nulk is the Putnam County Chambers of Commerce president and former IDA member, Baranowski is the past Conservative Party chairman in the Town of Carmel and past member of the county’s Fiscal Vision and Accountability Committee and Gristina owns CPL Group on Long Island and ran for state assembly in 2012 as a Republican challenging Steve Katz.
After the county Legislature’s Economic Development Committee signed off on the five residents during its committee meeting, a special full legislature meeting was held, but the five soon-to-be members weren’t voted through because Legislator Dini LoBue voted against accepting additional information attached to the approval that was necessary, halting the entire process.
Another special full meeting will be held Monday, April 25, where the new members would be voted on. Each term would last until the end of this year only and up to seven members can join the board.
“It’s a shame that we can’t move forward with this this evening,” Legislature Chairperson Ginny Nacerino said, adding later, “To do nothing is counter productive.”
Nacerino said resigned members were still representing themselves as members and have records and files that need to be turned over once the new board is instituted.
Legislator Dini LoBue said she wasn’t in favor of a “Band-Aid approach” and believes a broader search for new members is necessary with advertisements. LoBue said the additional couple of weeks would allow lawmakers to vet the individuals coming forward and also get a ruling from the county law department if Carlin as a county employee can serve on the board.
She said the legislature is “running just to hit a brick wall.”
Most lawmakers were in support of getting the five individuals on board as soon as possible.
“There’s a tremendous need,” Legislator Carl Albano said.
“I think we should move forward,” Legislator Roger Gross added. “Things are in limbo.”
Legislator Barbara Scuccimarra suggested bringing on Philipstown resident Teri Waivada, who is part of the Westchester IDA, as a consultant who would only want to be paid for gas travel.
Former CEO of the IDA, Neal Sullivan, who was actually let go by former IDA chairman Richard Ruchala, spoke about how critical it was to hire someone like Waivada because of how complicated running an IDA can be. If the five people are appointed without help, it won’t ever get off the ground, he stressed.
“You’re going to be in a really deep hole trying to just figure it out,” he said. “It’s a tremendous amount of work.”
Economic Development Corporation Jill Varricchio said the audit for the IDA must be completed promptly and the county will have to spend money in order to invest in the agency’s future.
Nulk said the IDA wouldn’t work unless the structure changes and an executive director is hired to do the legwork.
Nulk actually resigned along with the rest of the IDA in January out of protest because of apparent lack of support from the county. The IDA board pleaded with the county for a year to get funding for the agency, but to no avail.
“You need someone to do the actual mechanics,” Nulk said.
Ruchala, who resigned, said he wished the new members all the best and hopes a structure is put in place to support the board. He also slammed the county executive and legislative branches for their lack of help over the year and pointed out until new members are put in place, he’s still the chairman.
“All the work we did for them with the best of intentions, the administration and the legislature actually owes the IDA a written policy,” Ruchala said.
