According to the County Charter, when a legislative position is vacated during the official term, it is up to the Chair of the County Legislature - in this case, Raymond N. (Rusty) Pomeroy II - to appoint the vacated seat until the next election.

Unfortunately, this situation has come up so often lately that serious consideration should be given to rethinking the charter.

In my opinion, a special election should be called to let the people, not the legislators, decide. Currently, the process lends itself to political maneuvering and eventually distrust.

Here is an example of how complicated things have been, and still are, over the past year or so.

When Jonathan Drapkin resigned as county manager, a search was conducted to find a replacement.

After much deliberation, Dan Briggs, the elected Republican county treasurer, was chosen. When Mr. Briggs left his elected position in mid-term, the Democratic majority legislators elected to appoint a treasurer until the next general election.

Chris Cunningham, a Democrat elected to Legislative District One, was then chosen to be appointed to the vacated Republican treasurer's position. This would have left a legislative seat open for appointment by the Democratic majority once again had not Olga Parlow, Republican Deputy Treasurer, thrown her hat into the ring at the eleventh hour, thereby forcing an election.

Parlow won, and Cunningham remained where he was.

Then the Kurlander issue vacated a seat. Arguably, Mr. Kurlander was registered as an Independent when he resigned, but he was elected as a Republican and, again in my opinion, should have been replaced by a Republican in order to keep the situation consistent.

Instead, the legislative Democrats decided that the legislative Republicans should acquiesce to the majority and let the Democrats do as they will.

The Republicans then abstained in protest of the process - but for no other reason.

An appointment to District 9, wholly in the Town of Thompson, was then made based on recommendations from the Town of Thompson Democratic Committee. Sean Rieber, the only candidate for the appointment that did not submit a resume, failed to win the primary and was therefore not the choice of the people at the general election.

A Republican won the election.

Now, another seat has been vacated due to the untimely and unfortunate death of Democrat Gordon MacKinnon of District 4, Mamakating.

Democrats Jonathan Rouis and Joann MacKinnon, widow of the deceased legislator, vied for the position.

Mrs. MacKinnon was chosen over Mr. Rouis in spite of heated opposition by the Mamakating Democratic Committee, some of whom, although residents of Mamakating, are not residents of the district.

Rumor has it that the conflict of the issue was that Chairman Pomeroy, in collusion with other members of the Legislature, selected Mrs. MacKinnon because she had pre-agreed to vote to reappoint Mr. Pomeroy Chairman this January.

The reason I don't believe this rumor to be true is that collusion requires agreement by several parties, and this Legislature usually can't agree on anything, much less something as hot as this. To their credit, as a body, they're just not talented enough to conspire.

The other rumor is that the Mamakating Democratic Committee has a vendetta against Mrs. MacKinnon because she supported the unsuccessful Republican candidate for Mamakating Supervisor.

Whether this accusation is true or not, it's irrational on multiple levels.

Change the Charter!