By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – The management of Erie County could change under a recommendation approved Tuesday by the Erie County Charter Review Commission.
After months of debate, the commission voted twelve to six to recommend hiring an extra leader for the county.
The recommendation calls for a hybrid county executive - county manager form of government. The professional manager would tend to the day-to-day operations of the county, with the county executive responsible for setting policy.
George K. Arthur chairs the Review Commission. He was one of the six opposed to what he called an unnecessary and costly change.
"I think there is another way of doing it. That's why I recommended that we would use the deputy county executive," said Arthur. "Give him the qualifications and make him a professional and not a politician. That would be less costly and we would have the same effect that we are reaching for here."
Arthur estimates that the manager position could cost as much as $300,000 a year with benefits. But advocates of the reform say that fundamental change is needed to remove as much politics as possible from county operations.
County Executive Joel Giambra, who is not seeking re-election, first proposed the idea, and applauded the ccommission's recommendation.
Giambra said the cost of the new position would be somewhat offset by eliminating the deputy county executive position. And he said the position will pay off in the end.
"I'm very much convinced that the cause and effect relationship of doing something different will have a positive impact on the operations of county government and, therefore, we an overall savings to the taxpayers," said Giambra.
Taxpayers will have a say in the matter. A series of public hearings must still be held.
A full report by the commisssion - including all of its recommendations and any revisions after the public hearings - will be sent to the legislature sometime in June.
The legislature would have to approve putting the measure before residents in a county-wide referendum.
Legislature Chairwoman Lynn Marnelli said they will likely form a special committee to study the matter before taking a vote.
If ultimately approved by both lawmakers and residents, a county manager would be selected by the ccounty executive, with final approval by the legislature.
Giambra said he would conduct a national search, using a professional firm, to find the best candidate for the positiion.