A legislator criticized the county executive’s abrupt termination of Mike Lewis, Putnam County’s commissioner of finance, and said a separate 19-page memo requesting the county attorney’s removal had not been read by the county executive.

The legislator, speaking on the floor, thanked Lewis for his service and said the termination occurred “after the 2026 budget process had begun,” when department heads were meeting with county officials about the upcoming budget. The legislator described Lewis as a transparent source of answers during prior budget discussions and said he was concerned the termination may be linked to Lewis’s transparency.

The legislator also said a comprehensive, 19-page memo requesting removal of the county attorney had been delivered to the county executive and that, when the chair asked about a response, the legislator was told the county executive had not read the letter. The speaker said, “He couldn’t be bothered to read the letter. That’s what he thinks of this legislature,” and characterized the treatment as disrespectful to an equal branch of government.

The transcript records the comments as statements by a legislator; the session excerpt does not record a response from the county executive or a formal motion regarding either the termination or the memo. No disciplinary or personnel actions were initiated on the floor in the provided excerpt.

Background: County executives generally have authority to hire and terminate department heads subject to county charter and applicable policies; the transcript reflects a legislator’s public criticism and request for a response but does not document subsequent official steps or investigation in this excerpt.