Editor’s note: The author is president of the New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways, Inc.
The Town of Bethlehem is considering a change for the highway superintendent position to go from elected by the people to appointed by the Town Board. The New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways, Inc. (NYSAOTSOH) opposes this change. Currently, the highway superintendent is accountable to the people of the town and should remain that way.
According to the State Comptroller, the single largest expense in New York state’s towns is maintaining their local roads. By having an elected highway superintendent, the voters decide directly the person who will administer the largest share of their tax dollars. Highway superintendents are responsible for maintaining the town’s roads in the most cost efficient manner possible while ensuring the safest possible roads for the travelling public.
Every two to four years, the voters have the opportunity to give the highway superintendent a job review. If no longer an elected position, the only way a town resident has the ability to make a change is by voting out the board members who appointed the highway superintendent. Since board members can have a term of four years and are up for re-election on a rotating basis this means that residents only have a chance to switch the appointed town highway superintendent every six to eight years, and that would be very difficult.
These hard working professionals are responsible for maintaining safe roads for over 70 percent of New York’s drivers. They are constantly reviewing new methods for road repair. As a full-time elected official with this sole purpose in mind they are constantly in touch with their constituents’ needs. If the position is no longer elected, town residents will lose the ability to make a direct change for themselves.
The assumption often made is that taxpayer dollars will be saved. The position of highway superintendent is a full-time job with many overtime hours worked in response to highway emergencies. By law, in an elected position you are not able to receive overtime. If the position becomes appointed the Town Board will not only determine who would fill the position they would also potentially have the option of whether or not they provide payment of overtime.
During snow and weather emergencies, an elected highway superintendent works 24/7 and does not charge the taxpayers any overtime. If a resident needs their road plowed at 4 a.m. to get to work, or even worse, if there is a medical emergency, the highway superintendent is there to help. Will the appointed town highway superintendent be available at all hours in a manner that is cost effective?
It does not seem wise to take the power from the people to elect and transfer that power to the Town Board. Under current New York state law, elected town highway superintendents must be residents of the town. They are not only physically more accessible to the motoring public, but also more likely to be trusted and accessible when issues arise.
Please urge everyone to support their right to vote on this important issue. Keep your power to choose!