Patricia Doxsey is reporting for the Daily Freeman Dutchess County will be led by an unelected executive for the coming year. When county executive Marc Molinaro resigns to become the representative of 19th Congressional District in the U.S. Congress, he will leave the county in the hands of William O’Neill. O'Neill is a Republican who has served in Molinaro’s administration since 2012, but has never been elected to public office. And O’Neill will remain in the position for a full year. The county charter states in part that the acting county executive “shall serve until the commencement of the calendar year next following the first annual election held not less than 60 days after the occurrence of such vacancy.” That language, county officials said, means that the race for a new county executive cannot take place until November 2023, with the winner being sworn in on January 1, 2024. Legislature Chairman Gregg Pulver, a Republican, said he hopes county lawmakers will change that charter provision once a new executive takes office. He said, “I think we’re in great hands [with O’Neill] but I think if you look into the future, you’ve got to look at something like that and see if there’s a better way. There is no doubt this is going to work, I just worry about the future and who might be not so qualified to do this job and isn’t elected.” Pulver has already indicated his intention to seek the GOP nomination to run for executive in 2023. This will be the second time in the county's history that an unelected person was put in charge of county government. The first and only other time occurred in 1978. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.