Public commenters raise concerns about committee procedures, regionalized health care and a possible reentry housing site
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Summary
During public comment at the Sullivan County Legislature meeting, speakers urged clearer committee procedures to comply with the Open Meetings Law, voiced concern about regionalization of hospital services and confirmed interest in a reentry/transitional housing project in Monticello.
Speakers during the public comment period urged the Legislature to tighten committee procedures to ensure compliance with the New York Open Meetings Law, warned that regionalization of hospital systems may reduce local services and reported optimism about possible transitional reentry housing in Monticello.
One public commenter asked the Legislature to require two readings of committee items—one in committee and one at the full Legislature—so members have time to review changes and the public can see redlined drafts. The commenter said committee-of-the-whole meetings with all nine legislators present are occurring and argued the practice can obscure substantive deliberations; they referenced the Open Meetings Law in arguing for clearer procedures.
The same commenter warned that recent state-level health-care consolidation and safety-net transformation efforts—including a state announcement of a multibillion-dollar safety-net program—appear to be centralizing regional hospital services, which may increase travel burdens for patients in Sullivan County. The commenter said local cancer patients already travel for care and urged the Legislature to advocate to keep services in-county.
A separate public commenter read remarks from Martin Colavito, reporting that funding for transitional reentry housing had been delayed but that conversations continue about a Monticello site and possible votes and funding in the future. The commenter said proponents are hopeful funding may return in spring and emphasized community support for proven transitional reentry programs.
A legislator responded briefly to the hospital comments, noting that regionalization can offer purchasing power and staffing resources and citing examples where larger systems such as Montefiore have integrated hospitals in the region; the legislator said it is too early to know whether service levels will decline and that time will tell.
The public comment period concluded without a formal legislative directive recorded on these issues at the meeting; speakers asked staff and legislators to track the matters and continue work outside the meeting record.