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County GOP passes over Baer for budget position
Jan 03, 2011 5:58 am
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Roy Brown was chosen to lead another year by his GOP caucus in recent weeks. Photo from Columbia County homepage."]
[/caption]After all the back and forth in local letters columns between the chairmen of Columbia County's Republican, Conservative and Independence parties and 2010 Chief Financial Officer Art Baer - largely over some bad choices such as the decision to buy the old Ockawamick School for county offices, it seems the party chiefs have won, with the Hillsdale town supervisor passed over for his county-wide position for the coming year. At least by his own party.
The Register Star has a story this morning that quotes "multiple sources" confirming that at a caucus of Republican supervisors which took place Dec. 22 saw current Board of Supervisors Chairman Roy Brown, R-Germantown elected as the county Republican Party’s choice for 2011 BOS Chairman. And county Treasurer, Ken Wilber, will take on the title of county Budget Officer - currently held by Baer, R-Hillsdale.
The Columbia County Board of Supervisors, including all elected officials, will vote to appoint a Board Chairman at their 2011 organizational meeting this Tuesday at 3 p.m., at the Supervisors’ Chambers at 401 State Street, Hudson. At that time it will be interesting to see whether Baer's call, in his letters, for a public repudiation of behind-closed-doors decisions by party chiefs gets heeded.
[/caption]After all the back and forth in local letters columns between the chairmen of Columbia County's Republican, Conservative and Independence parties and 2010 Chief Financial Officer Art Baer - largely over some bad choices such as the decision to buy the old Ockawamick School for county offices, it seems the party chiefs have won, with the Hillsdale town supervisor passed over for his county-wide position for the coming year. At least by his own party. The Register Star has a story this morning that quotes "multiple sources" confirming that at a caucus of Republican supervisors which took place Dec. 22 saw current Board of Supervisors Chairman Roy Brown, R-Germantown elected as the county Republican Party’s choice for 2011 BOS Chairman. And county Treasurer, Ken Wilber, will take on the title of county Budget Officer - currently held by Baer, R-Hillsdale.
Baer and Brown declined comment and deferred to county Republican Party Chair Greg Fingar, who they said was in charge of speaking to media sources regarding the caucus. Fingar has not returned phone calls regarding this story since the caucus was held.
The Columbia County Board of Supervisors, including all elected officials, will vote to appoint a Board Chairman at their 2011 organizational meeting this Tuesday at 3 p.m., at the Supervisors’ Chambers at 401 State Street, Hudson. At that time it will be interesting to see whether Baer's call, in his letters, for a public repudiation of behind-closed-doors decisions by party chiefs gets heeded.