Special meeting held for redistricting re-vote

    SCHUYLER COUNTY—The Schuyler County Legislature held a special meeting on Friday, July 13 for further discussion and action on the law that will create new voting districts in Schuyler County, Local Law Intro. No. 5 of the Year 2012. The legislature initially attempted to approve the law and move it to public hearing during the regular meeting held on Monday, July 9. The vote at that time was four votes in favor to three against with one legislator absent. At the special meeting, legislator Michael Yuhasz explained that because he was absent, his vote was not counted in favor of the resolution and therefore the original vote did not pass. He then requested that the matter be brought back to the floor and reconsidered in his presence.
    The redistricting law was brought back to the floor and during the ensuing discussion, legislator Doris Karius expressed the reasons for her vote against the law. She explained that she had received many phone calls from constituents concerned about the redistricting and the manner in which it is being implemented. One of the concerns, said Karius, was that certain polling places might be moved or eliminated to conform to the new district lines. She said she that some constituents were upset that they may not be able to vote in the same location where they had voted for the last 30 or 40 years. Legislator Glenn Larison said he was concerned about the costs associated with redistricting. He proposed that the vote be tabled until after the legislature had heard from the Schuyler County Board of Elections.
     Legislator Yuhasz explained that the cost to redistrict is not going to go away whether the process starts now or next month. Chairman Dennis Fagan pointed out that the specific polling sites would not be determined by the legislature, but by the Board of Elections whom they are scheduled to hear from at the Legislative Resolution Review Committee meeting in August. The vote ultimately passed with legislators Fagan, Yuhasz, Stewart Field, Phil Barnes, and Tom Gifford voting in favor and Larison and Karius voting against the resolution. Legislator Barbara Halpin was absent from the meeting. The next regular meeting of the legislature is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the legislative chambers. The public hearing and final vote on the redistricting law are scheduled to occur during the August meeting.