Adirondack Park Agency enters second month without leader
In the mailing that went out to APA board members for this month’s meeting, the name next to the “chairman” slot on the agenda is filled by an asterisk.
APA chair Curt Stiles announced in July that he was stepping down and it was widely expected that Governor Andrew Cuomo would at the very least tap an interim chair to fill the seat until a permanent leader is found.
So far, there has been silence from Albany. The governor has obviously faced other, more pressing challenges, including a series of storms that swamped much of his state.
But it’s fair to keep asking what implications there are for people in the North Country when this agency remains leaderless.
Board member Cecil Wray is expected to once again run the meeting in his capacity as a “senior” member of the board. But he has emphasized that he is not the interim chair and is assuming no additional responsibilities.
This comes at a time when the APA faces significant challenges, ranging from the regulatory response to tropical storm Irene to pressing preparations for the Adirondack Club and Resort decision.
The agency also makes a myriad of smaller, less publicized decisions every day, affecting lives, businesses, and communities, as well as serving a key custodial role for the Park’s ecosystems.
In the past, Park chairmen have played crucial roles in shaping those processes. In the thirteen years that I’ve covered the APA, I’ve never seen a period this long without a chair or interim chair in place with a hand on the helm.
The Park Agency meets Thursday and Friday in Ray Brook.
Tags: adirondacks, land management, land use, politics
I know another organization that is crippled because the Governor has not appointed members to its board; it cannot even meet, because it does not have a quorum. I am starting to wonder if appointments to boards in general may not be a high priority for Governor Cuomo.
Brian, this is basic governing 101. The vacancy was given to the Governor in advance and happened before TS Irene. Have you called the Governor’s office? What have they said? Did you ask the Governor about his failure to make this appointment in Keene yesterday? The Governor is empowered to appoint a permanent or temporary chair unilaterally. Is there really nobody on the APA Board worthy of temporary chair status? We’ve had both in-park and out-park temporary chairs in the past. That the APA is left leaderless is stunning.
“I know another organization that is crippled because the Governor has not appointed members to its board”
Is this organization “crippled” without a chairman? They seem to be doing quite fine and managing without a chairman. They have a perfectly capable Executive Director. The board should just provide oversight like in every other organization and let the business do its business. The board could just meet once or twice a year like every other board in the world.
“That the APA is left leaderless is stunning.” They are not left leaderless, the Executive Director is the real leader of that organization, or at least she should be.
“But it’s fair to keep asking what implications there are for people in the North Country when this agency remains leaderless.”
Brian what do you think the implications are?
One that I could envision is a less top heavy organization that is nimble and better able to adapt to the changes that it will encounter in the future.