Putnam Legislators Restructure Budget After Byrne Request
The Putnam County Legislature last week authorized a budget reallocation request by Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne to restructure the executive branch in order to streamline and centralize services monitored by his administration.
“When I was elected, I was given a mandate from the residents of Putnam County to govern in an open and responsible manner. Being able to make some key personnel changes in my first weeks in office will be enormously helpful in finding creative solutions to problems, and save taxpayer dollars,” Byrne said. “I thank Chairman Paul Jonke and all other legislators, from both sides of the aisle and from both sides of the county, who helped pass this important budget transfer package. The public display of bipartisanship is refreshing and will help enable us to restructure positions, compensation and save the residents of Putnam County thousands of dollars in the process.”
The move creates two positions, a Director of Communications and a Director of Compliance and Intergovernmental Relations. At the same time, it eliminates two positions, the Director of Constituent Services in the County Executive’s Office, and an unfilled Purchaser position in the Purchasing Department.
The work of those positions is being reassigned to different individuals in the County Executive’s Office, including the Deputy County Executive, who will receive increased compensation as a result.
“This move saves taxpayers over $64,000. Plain and simple,” said Putnam County Legislative Chairman Paul Jonke. “I applaud our new County Executive for finding an opportunity for real savings so early in his term. And quite honestly, he deserves to be able to structure his executive staff as he sees best fit to serve this county. I’m encouraged and excited for what’s next for our community.”
“I am encouraged by the creation of executive positions assigned to communications, compliance and intergovernmental relations,” said Legislator Nancy Montgomery, the lone Democrat on the Legislature. “I applaud the County Executive’s bipartisan approach in including me, the minority leader, on these negotiations. Establishing these areas as administrative priorities and values is a great start, and I am eager to be part of setting the same tone on the Legislature.”
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