There will be no benefit dinners necessary for musketeers Hewitt, Beckman and Smith. All had six-figure salaries (for pension purposes) and 30-plus years in a generous retirement system. For those who struggle with math, retirement works out to at least $60,000 a year for life with full family medical benefits.
The replacements
As per a well-oiled machine, successors for the most part are in place. Hewitt’s deputy, Burt Gulnick, has been on the job almost 17 years and should succeed nicely.
Smith was a particular favorite of mine and other media people. Not only did he know everything about county finance, but he could also explain it to knuckle-headed journalists. I for one will always be grateful for his patience and understanding.
Smith will be succeeded — he really can’t be replaced — by Hein PR man and assistant budget officer JJ Hanson. A former combat Marine Corps officer, Hanson at 30 is a quick learner with a bright future. And the executive has his back, for as long as that lasts.
In an unexpected switch, Hein appointed Lisa Cutten, a CPA and senior auditor in the County Comptroller’s Office, as deputy budget officer, filling Hanson’s slot. Who does public relations, practically a full-time job in the self-aggrandizing Hein administration, remains to be seen.
The mercurial Cutten, who ran for Kingston mayor in 2007 and then didn’t run and then ran as a write-in, is an interesting choice. Forced out of county office by Democrats four years ago after raising some embarrassing questions about the scandal-plagued Lower Esopus River Watch operation, Cutten served her time in the wilderness before being brought back to county government by County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach last year. Auerbach has been high on Cutten, who despite some quirks, is a bean counter extraordinaire. He would not have given her up without the promise from Hein of at least another warm body.
Beckman appears to be something of a wild card. If anybody worked 70 hours a week in that administration, it was Beckman. A youngish-looking 60, nobody expects Beckman to be spending all his time tending tulips. Unconfirmed speculation posits that Beckman could pop up as executive director of the soon-to-be-formed local development corporation (LDC) charged with selling the county nursing home. For sure, nobody in the Hein administration knew better the operation of the infirmary than the recently retired Beckman.
Stay tuned.
Just plain Bill
A spry 84 (next month), 10-term Republican state senator, Bill Larkin may face a stiffer slog this time. It’s only January, and already Larkin is getting gas from would-be challenger Chris Eachus, an Orange County legislator from New Windsor, over double-dipping.
THEY JUST REBUILT THAT BRIDGE, AND IT ALREADY NEEDS REPAIRS???? More corruption!