Legislature will organize with 10 new members

By Donna Snyder, Buffalo News
www.buffalonews.com 


There will be 10 new faces Wednesday when Cattaraugus County legislators meet to elect leaders and make appointments as they organize for 2012.
The 10 new legislators were elected in November along with 11 returning lawmakers, all of whom will serve four-year terms.
Last month, legislators met in separate caucuses to choose leadership roles for the new year.
Norman L. Marsh, R-Little Valley, will serve as chairman, moving up from majority leader. Marsh also is mayor of the Village of Little Valley.
He will assign legislators to committees. He has been taking requests and expects to release those assignments later this month.
Previously, a Republican has headed each of the nine committees, and a Democrat has held the second chair. This year, there are only six Democrats.
Legislators and leaders are expected to be sworn into office by County Judge Larry M. Himelein. He’s been on medical leave for several weeks and is returning to full-time duties.
Those in leadership roles will give acceptance speeches and perhaps make predictions about the year to come.
There are 40 resolutions awaiting votes by the legislators.
Marsh said there are several department heads up for appointments, including County Attorney Thomas C. Brady, Public Defender Mark S. Williams and a veterans service director.
Others slated to take leadership posts, chosen in caucuses, are: James J. Snyder, R-Olean, vice chairman; William J. Aiello, R-Olean, majority leader; Patrick J. Murphy, R-Cattaraugus, assistant majority leader; and Donna M. Vickman, R-Farmersville Station, majority whip.
Democrats chose William E. Sprague, of Yorkshire, minority leader; John J. Padlo, of Olean, assistant minority leader; and James J. Boser of Allegany, minority whip.
Brady and County Administrator Jack Searles last month held an orientation session with the newly elected legislators to explain the committee system, agendas, rules of order and procedures of meetings.
Newly elected legislators are: Carl W. Edwards, R-Limestone; Gary M. Felton, R-Machias, a former legislator returning; Dan Hale, R-Portville; Richard L. Klancer, R-Gowanda, where he is mayor; David M. Koch, D-Salamanca; Susan Labuhn, D-Salamanca; Richard J. Lamberson, D-Allegany, where he is mayor; James Joseph Snyder Jr., R-Cuba; Howard V. VanRensselaer, R-Randolph; and William H. Weller Sr., R-Franklinville.
Legislators will face some new rules of order for their meetings, having approved the changes in November.
All roll call votes, which are called by a legislators’ last name beginning with “A,” will now be rotated to “B” and so forth throughout the alphabet.
A legislator who does not want to vote on an issue, due to personal conflict or otherwise, previously just walked from the meeting room. Now, they will have to state the reason for not being in the Legislative Chambers or why they are leaving the room.
The meeting will be held at 3 p. m. Wednesday in the Legislative Chambers of the County Center.