Transcript
SOURCE TRANSCRIPT
This transcript is downloaded from the source you provided but we haven't reviewed it for accuracy. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record. You can also request an AI-transcription of the audio file with the button to the left.
Transcript source note: This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.
[0:04]
EXPLAINED. YOU GUYS. LIKE A MEAT LOCKER, RIGHT? I NOW CALL THE REORGANIZATIONAL MEETING FOR THE ONEIDA COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS TO ORDER. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY. DIGNITARIES, DEPARTMENT HEADS, FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR COMING. THIS WILL BE A MUCH DIFFERENT REORGANIZATIONAL MEETING FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS. SO YOU ARE SEEING HISTORY. NOT ONLY IS IT THE MEETING FOLLOWING THE LONGEST SERVING CHAIRMAN OF THE NEW YORK STATE. IT'S ALSO WHERE WE WILL SELECT THE FIRST FEMALE CHAIR IN ONEIDA COUNTY'S HISTORY. SO. SO I ASK YOU, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. MR. SCHAUBLE, THE PRAYER. ALMIGHTY GOD, GUIDE US IN OUR JUDGMENTS AND DELIBERATIONS TODAY. AMEN. AMEN. I PULLED IN FRONT. OKAY. THE DEPUTY CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL SHEBA. LEACH. ROGERS. WITT. WATERMAN. BOUCHER. RUUD. CELIA. BUCK, JOSEPH. KOENIG. WHITE. NEWTON. DAVIS. MCNEIL. PRATT. DIMAGGIO. FERGAL. JULIAN. ERVIN. WASHBURN. MERCURIO. BIANCO. NOPE. LEONE. SHARON. WE HAVE A QUORUM. I NOW CALL UPON THE HONORABLE JUDGE RANDALL CALDWELL, WHO ADMINISTERED THE OATH OF OFFICE. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. IF I COULD HAVE THE LEGISLATORS STAND, IF YOU'RE ABLE. SO GREAT HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF MOST OF YOU KNOW. SO THIS IS THE NINTH TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE. SO SOME NEW FACES, SOME OLD FACES AND SOME FACES THAT CAME BACK. SO THIS IS NUMBER NINE. AND I ALWAYS HAVE TO REMIND YOU WHEN I SAY STATE YOUR NAME. THIS IS AN ANIMAL HOUSE. I WANT YOUR NAME. SO AND IT'S A GREAT HONOR AND PRIVILEGE, EVEN MORE SO BECAUSE THE NEW CHAIRPERSON AND I ARE VERY GOOD FRIENDS. THAT OATH OF OFFICE IS GOING TO BE ADMINISTERED BY SOMEBODY THAT I ADMIRE TREMENDOUSLY. HE WAS MY BOSS AND MY MENTOR. THAT'S THE HONORABLE BARRY DONALD. SO THIS IS REALLY AN AMAZING DAY FOR ME. SO IF YOU COULD REPEAT AFTER ME, I STATE YOUR NAME. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR TO SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND THE ONEIDA COUNTY CHARTER COUNTY CHARTER. AND TO FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE MY DUTIES. DISCHARGE MY DUTIES FOR THE OFFICE OF ONEIDA COUNTY LEGISLATOR. COUNTY TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. CONGRATULATIONS. GREAT JOB, BY THE WAY. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER ONE APPOINTMENT OF MARY AUSTIN PRATT AS CHAIRWOMAN OF THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS. DO I HAVE A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, I CALL THE VOTE. PLEASE VOTE. OH. HOLD ON. HOLD ON. I'M GETTING THERE, GEORGE. THERE YOU GO. THOSE HISTORICAL THINGS AND PUT IN PLACE AIR FIRST. FEMALE CHAIRPERSON. I DON'T KNOW. THE FIRST WOMAN. SHE READ. THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW YOUR BEARINGS. BEEN INVOLVED IN ALL. SHE'S PROBABLY ONE OF THOSE VERY QUICKLY. SHE SEEMS TO LEADERSHIP AND POSITIONS IN THE PAST. BOTH PASSIONATE
[5:08]
CHAIRPERSON. AND MOST OF ALL, SHE'S HERE FOR THE. SAME REASON. ALL OF US. AND THEN TO BECOME STRONGER. AND SO. THAT WE. DON'T. MY GOD, CAN I GET AN YES? OKAY. OKAY, WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE SYSTEM, SO WE WILL VOICE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. CONGRATULATIONS, MARY. AND NOW I CALL UPON THE HONORABLE JUDGE BARRY DONALD TO COME ADMINISTER THE OATH. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT. AS WE SAW WITH JUDGE CALDWELL, GIVE THE MICROPHONE TO A LAWYER WITH A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE. IT'S GOING TO BE A WHILE. I AM DEEPLY HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY, AS I HAVE MANY FOND MEMORIES OF THIS BOARD. DURING THE TIME I SERVED AS THE ONEIDA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. AS IT WAS THEN, I AM IMPRESSED BY THE BOARD FOR YOUR WORK. EVERY DAY YOU TAKE YOU TAKE YOUR WORK EVERY DAY TO MAKE ONEIDA COUNTY A BIGGER AND BETTER PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE, WORK, AND RAISE YOUR FAMILY. AS A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD. AND WITH OTHER WITH THE OTHER EXECUTIVE OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, INCLUDING OUR GREAT COUNTY EXECUTIVE, TONY PICENTE, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS AND DEPARTMENT HEADS, YOU HAVE MADE ONEIDA COUNTY A BIGGER, BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND RAISE YOUR FAMILY. AND FOR THAT, YOU ARE TO BE COMMENDED. TODAY IS SPECIAL FOR ANOTHER REASON. OBVIOUSLY, AS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT EARLIER, YOU HAVE ELECTED THE FIRST FEMALE TO BE THE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THIS BOARD, AND IT'S MY HONOR. AND TO PRESENT TO YOU AND SWEAR IN MY SISTER MARY PRATT INTO THAT OFFICE. I KNOW THAT SHE HAS NOTHING BUT THE BEST INTERESTS OF ONEIDA COUNTY IN HER, IN HER HEART AND HER SOUL AS SHE TAKES UPON THIS IMPORTANT JOB OF CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. IT'S MY PLEASURE AGAIN NOW TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY, ALL OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN TO SEEN FIT TO TO ELECT MARY AS THE CHAIRMAN. IT'S A SPECIAL DAY FOR ME, A SPECIAL DAY FOR HER, AND A SPECIAL DAY FOR ONEIDA COUNTY. SO I'M SAYING THAT RIGHT LEFT HAND ON THE BIBLE. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. I'M MARY PRATT. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR I, MARY PRATT, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS CHAIRMAN OF THE ONEIDA COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS. CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS. TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. SO HELP ME GOD. SO HELP ME GOD. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'LL MAKE MY REMARKS AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING MY FAMILY FOR THEIR UNWAVERING LOVE AND SUPPORT. I AM ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL TO MY BROTHER BARRY, WHO I WAS HONORED TO HAVE SWEAR ME IN TODAY, AND MY SISTER IN LAW JEANNE, WHO HELD THE BIBLE. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS MEANINGFUL MOMENT WITH ME. I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE WITH US TODAY, AND TO MY LEGISLATIVE COLLEAGUES, MANY OF WHOM SUPPORTED ME AND ENCOURAGED ME THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. YOUR
[10:02]
CONFIDENCE, PARTNERSHIP, AND TRUST MEAN MORE THAN I CAN ADEQUATELY EXPRESS. CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF YOU. I AM TRULY HONORED TO SERVE ALONGSIDE YOU. TO THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF MY COLLEAGUES AND TO OUR MANY FRIENDS. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. YOUR PRESENCE MAKES THIS OCCASION ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL, AS I ASSUME THE ROLE OF CHAIRMAN, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE TO MY PREDECESSOR, JERRY FIORINI. THESE ARE CERTAINLY BIG SHOES TO FILL. JERRY'S MENTORSHIP AND STEADY LEADERSHIP HAVE HAD A LASTING IMPACT ON BOTH ME AND THIS BOARD. HE SET A STANDARD ONE THAT I'M THE ONE THAT I AM GRATEFUL TO HAVE LEARNED FROM AND FULLY COMMITTED TO UPHOLDING HIS POPULARITY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HIS WELL-EARNED RESPECT WAS EVIDENT AS THE CHAMBER OVERFLOWED IN THE HALLWAY DURING THE DURING HIS FINAL MEETING IN DECEMBER. IT WAS A WELL DESERVED SENDOFF. I AM PROUD TO CALL HIM MY FRIEND. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH CLOSELY WITH OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE, ANTHONY PICENTE, WHO FIRST APPOINTED ME TO THIS POSITION IN 2017. ALONG WITH HIS ADMINISTRATION, MAJORITY LEADER GEORGE JOSEPH, MINORITY LEADER TIM JULIAN, AND WITH EACH MEMBER OF THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY IN THE YEAR AHEAD. WHILE WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE AND MAY APPROACH ISSUES FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, I AM CONFIDENT, THROUGH THOUGHTFUL DELIBERATION, MUTUAL RESPECT, OPEN DIALOG, AND A SHARED COMMITMENT TO THE RESIDENTS OF ONEIDA COUNTY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OUR COUNTRY FORWARD. THERE IS IMPORTANT WORK AHEAD OF US, AND I AM PROUD TO TAKE IT ON ALONGSIDE OF ALL OF YOU. IN CLOSING, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR OF SERVING AS YOUR CHAIRMAN. I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARD SUSTAINED SUCCESS IN THE NEW YEAR. THANK YOU ALL. OKAY, WHAT DO I DO NOW? SO WE'LL DO IT BY VOICE VOTE. BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON, SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH THIS. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER TWO IS THE APPROVAL OF THE RULES OF THE BOARD FOR 2026. DO I HAVE A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, WE'LL TAKE A VOICE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. RESOLUTION CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER THREE IS THE APPOINTMENT OF MICHAEL BALLARD TO THE POSITION OF CLERK OF THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS. DO I HAVE A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, WE'LL TAKE THE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CONGRATULATIONS, MIKE. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT. I THINK I'M GOING INTO NOW MY 16TH YEAR AS CLERK. SO LOOK FORWARD TO IT. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER FOUR IS THE REAPPOINTMENT OF JUDY SMITH AS DEPUTY CLERK OF THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS. DO I HAVE A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. OPPOSED. RESOLUTION CARRIED. CONGRATULATIONS, JUDY. SO IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING IN ROOM 1045, WE DO HAVE SOME SOME FOOD AND SOME CAKE AND SOME DRINKS. SO PLEASE STICK AROUND AND ENJOY. CHIEF. SO BECAUSE OF THE TECHNOLOGY GLITCH TODAY, THIS WAS RECORDED WITH A VOICE VOTE. I WOULD ASK THE CLERK TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL FOUR VOTES ARE RECORDED UNANIMOUSLY. CHAIR AND THE CLERK ASKED FOR OPPOSITION. THERE WAS NONE. ALL FOUR ELECTED. ALL FOUR VOTES TODAY WERE UNANIMOUS AND SHOULD BE RECORDED THAT WAY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. OKAY, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? CAN I HAVE A SECOND MEETING ADJOURNED. THANK