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County Executive Vetoes Legislative Resolution Requiring Outside Contractor Run Putnam National Golf Club
Cites Civil Rights issues
by Margaret Sternberg
On October 6, 2006 County Executive Bob Bondi put to an end a more than four-year period hiatus of vetoes when he invoked this power to indicate his anger over a resolution directing that any contract for the management of the Putnam National Golf Club be presented to the Putnam County Legislature for authorization.
In an extensive decrying of the Legislature's action, Bondi accused the group of originally having formulated a resolution that would have prohibited all county employees, including elected officials, from having a tie to the County through a contractual agreement. Bondi said that the resolution had, at the last moment, been changed to single out Harold Gary [Putnam County's Commissioner of Highways] and Putnam Golf, Inc. [the corporation that runs Putnam National Golf Club, of which Mr. Gary is President].
Bondi said there were numerous other people who either worked for the County or were elected officials and also head or work for organizations in contract with the County. Bondi said that "not one of those organizations was listed on the final resolution adopted by the County Legislature, therefore, that raises the issue...of a civil rights violation," without specifying further what issue or issues would constitute a violation of Mr. Gary's civil rights.
Bondi also cited the Legislators' behavior as being "harmful to the taxpayers, disingenuous" and separately called the Legislature's resolution and the "removing Commissioner Gary from all the service he's provided to this Club, on an interim basis...the wrong thing at the wrong time," later saying the Legislature's action would result in raised fees at the course.
Bondi said the resolution was passed to restructure the Club but failed to include funds in the budget to pay for the restructuring, citing a management fee and other fees that would be paid to an outside contractor.
Bondi continued that the timing of the resolution represented a "shrewd, diversionary tactic to end abuses that the Legislature itself created for political purposes." He also said the golf course's clients are very happy, reading several e-mails from a one inch thick sheaf of them.
Accusing the Legislature of violating principles embodied in the County's Mission statement, which "promote[s] honest, respectful and responsible behavior toward the public and its employees," Bondi urged the Legislature to re-think its action, listen to the public and work toward a "constructive" solution in any changes that are contemplated.
Mr. Bondi, asked to respond to a possible override of the veto, said, "It doesn't bother me at all because I know I have the support of the public and the golf community behind my decision. I have the courage to take on the legislature if I feel I'm doing the right thing."
Legislature Chairman Dan Birmingham later said of the reason for the resolution, "The taxpayers of the County deserve a Request for Proposal process so that they can get the best economical use of the facility. That's the reason behind the resolution we passed, and he [Bondi] hasn't done that. Nobody has an idea if they're getting full value of the facility."
The Legislature must "recognize" Mr. Bondi's veto at its next full meeting, after which it has 30 days in which to act to override the veto. The resolution was passed with eight legislators voting for it and one against; six votes would be needed to override the veto.
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