For those of you who didn’t see it, I reproduce below an item from Hugh Reynolds’ article Stuck in neutral (Kingston Times – February 21, 2014):
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Musical chairs
The usual practice when offices change hands is for the outs to oust the ins. To the victors go the spoils has been the rule since Brutus stabbed Caesar.
Not so, it would seem, in John Parete’s “bipartisan” county legislature. Democrat Parete, recall, won election last month as chairman of the legislature by forming a coalition of Republicans and three Democrats, much to the dismay and irritation of majority Democrats.
The coalition mode continues with Parete’s recent appointments of legislative staff.
Democrat Jay Mahler, a former deputy elections commissioner, joins the staff as Parete’s confidential secretary, replacing Republican Fawn Tantillo, who remains as a legislative clerk. Nattie Tomshaw, a Republican, returns as a secretary. Tomshaw was let go by former chair Terry Bernardo in one of those office intrigues few outside the office understand.
Krista Barringer, a jack of all trades and master of many, remains as a deputy clerk.
Gone but fondly remembered (at least in these quarters) are legislative employees Lisa Mance and Frank Reggero. Parete said he asked the county executive if he could find work for them in his downsized government.
It galls some who follow the plots of patronage that the Democratic chairman of a Democratic majority favored Republicans with these appointments, the inference being that central to the deal with Republicans who brought him to power was retaining most of their people.
Funny, nobody mentions the dirty fingerprints lifted from these musical chairs.
– Jon Dogar-Marinesco
Get out of the political realm. Take care of your wife. You have a long and difficult road ahead!
It’s not clear to whom your comment is addressed. Do you mind being more precise? Thank you!
I agree Len should get out of the political realm and preferrably Ulster County.
“Republican Fawn Tantillo”?!
Is Hugh Reynolds reporting from Mars or is he trying to protect the little man Bernardo, the Chairman of the Ulster Indy Party? For a number of years Fawn Tantillo was, and still is, Len’s right hand, the Independence Party Vice Chair (appointed by Len Bernardo himself).
We remember Terry claiming that she was never “interviewed” by her husband before being given the Independence line because he “recused” himself. Well, you guessed it, Fawn Tantillo was the one who “interviewed” Terry, probably in Terry’s infamous kitchen… Why is Hugh Reynolds pretending that Fawn is a Republican? What gives?
My analysis
Vicki – keeps her job as Legislature Clerk because she does her job well and the job is more important than the party
Mahler – Parete’s trusted assistant in the old days at BOE so that appointment was his
Tantillo – gets to keep a job because of Bernardo influence, but Parete couldn’t stand to have to work with her one on one so she gets pushed to a deputy clerk’s role – what it doesn’t say here but look at Legislature website – she has the plum role of working with Ways and Means Committee and no doubt keeping Len invlolved as Fawn can never not interject her “own opinion” on anything.
Barringer – I’m not sure yet what everybody sees in her but think she still is getting a pass because the big mean Mike Hein took her old job away
Tomshaw – back as a way to prove the Dems have returned to power (yeah right). Plus the only reason she was fired in the first place was Terry didn’t like her. Nobody else seemed to have issues that I ever heard.
I hear Reggero got some big new job so I think he removed himself
And finally Lisa Mance was a Terry and not really a Len person. So Len could care less what happens to her and Parete was allowed to give her the old heave ho out the door.
But definitely Len’s fingerprints on Tantillo being kept and Mance being let go for sure.
At least that’s this person’s opinion.
Bernardo’s used Mance for her social phone book, her connection with the people that Bernardo’s have no connection with.