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Putnam legislators move most COLA items out of subcontingency after dispute over county executive actions
Summary
After a heated debate about the county executive placing selected cost-of-living adjustments and outside-agency funding in subcontingency, the legislature voted to move COLAs for the county clerk, sheriff, coroner, county executive and the legislative office into the active budget lines; at least one legislator voted no on some items.
A substantive procedural dispute emerged during the Putnam County Audit & Administration Committee meeting when legislators challenged the county executive’s decision to place certain cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) and outside-agency funding into subcontingency rather than leaving them in the legislative budget.
Legislator Yanke said he had earlier submitted a spreadsheet asking the county executive to apply the management COLA across affected lines and called the placement in subcontingency "not honored." Legislator Nestarino described the practice as "unprecedented" and inconsistent with past procedure; several other legislators urged moving the items out of subcontingency for immediate approval.
Chairman Castellano called motions to remove specific COLA entries from subcontingency. The legislature approved motions to move the county clerk’s COLA, the sheriff’s COLA, and the coroner’s COLA out of subcontingency (motions seconded and passed with voice votes). A motion to move the county executive’s COLA out of subcontingency passed but drew at least one documented "no" vote from Legislator Goldman. Another motion to move the legislative office COLA out of subcontingency passed; one legislator recorded a no vote on that motion as well (recorded as "Googan" in the transcript).
Committee members debated whether the county executive overstepped the charter by altering line presentation; staff said a legal opinion had been obtained and that the county executive directed the subcontingency placement. Legislators pressed for consistent presentation and argued that placing elected-official COLAs in subcontingency limited the legislature’s visibility and decision-making.
Why it matters: The votes resolved immediate budget presentation questions for the listed offices and restored those COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENTS to active budget lines, but the dispute highlights a procedural tension between the executive and legislative branches over budget presentation and authority under the county charter.
Next steps: The committee recorded the actions to move the specified COLAs out of subcontingency and asked staff for clarity on the legal rationale; further procedural discussion may follow.
