Just days before they officially step down, four retiring Steuben County legislators talked Monday about their accomplishments during their long terms of office.
Legislature Chairman Philip Roche, R-Erwin, and legislators Fran Gehl, D-Corning City; Thomas Schwartz, R-Corning Town, and David Stachnik, R-Hammondsport, have seen more than a decade of financial and social challenges in Steuben.
During their tenure, they joined with other legislators to successfully protest skyrocketing state-mandated Medicaid costs, built a new Health Care Facility and 911 Center, and built a new wing at the county jail.
And waiting for their official send-off roast at the Bath Country Club Monday afternoon, the men talked about their achievements.
A practicing lawyer, Roche, 53, said as chairman he worked to get the Legislature to talk about issues and debate problems collectively. Under his watch, different political parties, special interests, personality conflicts and “cliques” were put aside, Roche said.
“I think it ended up being a pretty good mix,” he said. “It allows us to get to the heart of the issue, and allows us to serve.”
The chairman of the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee, Gehl, 77, said he first ran on the idea of setting up a county 911 Center, and sees the 6-year-old center as his greatest accomplishment.
“We also got the (full-time) election commissioners and held on to the Health Care Facility,” he said. “I also ran to keep the county landfill and we’ve done that.”
Gehl also served on the Human Services and Administration committees during his last four-year term in office.
Now a manager for Walgreens, Stachnik, 56, said he worked in the early days to develop the county’s tourism industry and maximize revenues from visitors to the Finger Lakes area.
He also was an early promoter of shared services, developing a plan for small towns to be patrolled by county deputies, Stachnik said.
Chairman of the Human Services Committee, Stachnik also served on the Health and Education and Rules Committees.
Schwartz, 64, said his greatest achievement was giving the public a chance to be heard.
The public comment period during each legislative session became a regular item on the agenda through his efforts, he said.
Other accomplishments include obtaining county funding for the Food Bank of the Southern Tier, and spearheading the county’s drive to be paid for state inmates housed at the county jail.
Once the chairman of the Public Safety and Corrections Committee, Schwartz served on the Public Works and Rules committees during his last term.
The legislators will step down Dec. 31 due to term limits imposed by a public referendum in 1995.
They will be succeeded by Gary Roush, R-Erwin; Philip Palmesano, R-Corning City; Michael Hanna, R-Hammondsport, and Carol Ferratella, R-Corning Town.
Retiring Legislator Richard Argentieri, D-Hornell, did not attend the luncheon or the regular session of the Legislature Monday. His successor is former Legislator Gary Swackhamer, R-Hornell.
Bath, N.Y. —
