Members of the Periodic Compensation Review Committee issued statements today regarding a draft report from the committee, which has been published on the county web site for public comment.
Dr. Gerald Benjamin and Brian Cahill issued the following statement:
"Because the Chairman of the Ulster County Periodic Compensation Review Committee failed to consider amendments and additions to this draft report and to bring them to the committee for its review, and because we think that the current draft report as written does not accurately reflect the record of the committee’s work, we disassociate ourselves from this draft of our committee report."
Dr. Benjamin, a renowned Professor of Political Science at SUNY New Paltz is a former Chairman of the Legislature and currently the Director of the Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach (CRREO). Mr. Cahill is also a former County Legislator and employee at IBM. Both are Legislative appointments to the Periodic Compensation Review Committee.
Fellow Legislative appointee member, Wayne Gutman, a former Town of Shandaken Supervisor, recognized the draft nature of the document in stating, “As a result of time constraints regarding actual Public Notice relative to lateness of last Committee meeting, committee members have not had ample time to review this "draft report" as it has now been released for public review. While the burden of constructing the "draft report" was set upon the Chairman, and in view of said time restrictions, and now considering the resulting lack of continuity among committee members regarding the hastily released draft, it should be, and must be only and strictly considered (as it was intended) a DRAFT REPORT; then subject to receiving of public comment and final committee digestion and perfection towards a FINAL DRAFT recommendation to Legislative body, with the serious, most deliberate, and best effort of all well intentioned Committee members serving the challenging goals of this volunteer public endeavor.”
The draft report can be seen at: http://ulstercountyny.gov/sites/default/files/documents/DRAFT%20Period%20Compensation%20Review%20Committee%20Report_0.pdf
