Sullivan County Legislature approves multiple routine resolutions; vote fails on setting public hearing for Liberty homeless shelter

The Sullivan County Legislature met in a full board session that included a proclamation recognizing September 2025 as Hunger Action Month, a presentation by the Center for Discovery and a sequence of resolution votes. Lawmakers passed several blocks of routine resolutions, approved tourism and grant items and accepted public auction bids; one motion to set a public hearing on a proposed Liberty homeless shelter failed.

Votes at a glance

- Resolutions 1–8: moved and passed as a block; vote recorded as unanimous ("9 zip").

- Resolution 9 — Appointments to the Sullivan County Land Bank Corporation: motion moved and seconded; two legislators abstained, producing a recorded vote of 7 in favor, 0 opposed, 2 abstentions (abstentions identified in the record as two named legislators). Outcome: approved.

- Resolutions 10–16 and 18–25: passed as blocks; votes recorded as unanimous where noted in the record.

- Resolution 17 — Sister community partnership with Ternopil region (Ukraine): deferred to allow attorney review of additional language; scheduled for a future meeting (October or November) per the record.

- Resolution 26 — Set public hearing for Oct. 16 at 11 a.m. for a Liberty homeless shelter: the motion was put to a roll call. The record shows four legislators voting in favor and five opposed; the motion failed.

- Resolutions 27–38: passed as a block (recorded "9 zip").

- Resolution 39 — Authorize Sullivan County Visitors Association tourism grant program: motion passed (recorded as unanimous in the minutes).

- Resolution 43 — Waive rules to consider late bids, then accept or reject bids from the September public auction: both the waiver and the accept/reject motion passed by unanimous vote, per the meeting record.

What legislators and residents said

Several residents used the public comment period to raise issues including farmland protection, contract transparency and homelessness.

A member of the public asked for greater transparency on several agenda items, saying, "Where's the tax map number? Who's the property owner?" and requested that signed contracts be included in packets when the county is committing public funds.

Public commenters urged the Legislature to consider moving full legislative meetings to evening hours so working residents can attend. One caller said the county should schedule meetings at times when people who "are paying taxes" can participate.

Legislators debated the Liberty homeless shelter proposal over multiple remarks in the meeting. One legislator who spoke at length criticized opponents who he said were "rewriting history" about how a prior facility transition had been handled and said the county had previously supported related investments. That same legislator criticized media coverage and urged colleagues to "watch the actions" of those advocating different proposals.

Lou Setrin, speaking during public comment on the county care center at Sunset Lake, praised recent staffing and management changes and encouraged follow‑up on elevator refurbishment through the RFP process.

Other items and procedural notes

- The Legislature discussed NYSAC (New York State Association of Counties) resolutions and noted two items of local concern: urging the state to fully fund the SUNY Reconnect program (students age 25–55) and language referencing casino revenue impacts that specifically name Sullivan County in the statewide packet.

- The Legislature named members it has received applications from for a charter review commission; the record lists nine applicants mentioned during the meeting.

Ending: The Legislature adjourned at approximately 11:20 a.m., following a motion and second to adjourn.

Note on the record: this article lists formal votes and outcomes cited in the meeting transcript. Motion text, mover and second are reported where the meeting record identified them; when the record did not give full mover/second names or an itemized roll-call, the article lists the vote outcome as recorded in the meeting.