Diana's secret government

September 13, 2005

Diana's secret government
The Orange County executive is displaying a disturbing disregard for public trust.

Orange County Executive Edward Diana campaigned for that office in 2001 as a man of the people. A small businessman and teacher who understood the pressures on taxpayers and local governments and the need for trust between them and county government. A county legislator who recognized the importance of a respectful working relationship between the legislative and executive branches of county government.
Where has that Ed Diana gone? The past couple of weeks have offered three examples of an elected official behaving like a government unto himself. Accountable to no one. More emperor than executive.
- The Camp La Guardia secrets: Diana met in late August with top officials from New York City to discuss continuing problems at the city's homeless shelter for men. Supervisors from the towns of Chester and Blooming Grove and the mayor of the Village of Chester had asked to be included in the meeting since they represent county residents most affected by the shelter and the way it is run. Their request was denied.
But Diana added injury to insult by refusing to reveal anything that was discussed at the meeting. Now, this was a meeting of public officials from Orange County and New York City (including Mayor Michael Bloomberg's chief of staff and the city's commissioner of homeless services). They discussed, we presume, the way millions of public tax dollars are being spent and persistent Orange County taxpayer complaints that the shelter's managers were not living up to an agreement Orange County had won by suing the city.
All Diana said after the meeting, in a prepared press release, is, "We had a productive meeting … I am optimistic this meeting will result in a positive outcome for the communities located near Camp La Guardia. This is the beginning of a meaningful and open dialogue between Orange County and New York City."
That might generously be described as a crock. Blooming Grove Supervisor Charles Bohan was less generous, saying, "It's garbage, that's all."
Bohan noted that he and the other local officials helped formulate the agreement on who is admitted to the camp and how it should be run and had been talking with city officials about it for years. What neighbors of the camp have been pressing for is an independent monitor to assess the way Goodwill is running it. Will they get it? Diana's not talking.
- The police academy end run. County legislators – Diana's fellow Republicans as well as Democrats – were livid with Diana for ramming through a county police academy without bothering to ask them about it. Seeing as they're supposed to approve funding for county programs, they had a good point.
Legislature Chairman Alan Seidman, R-Salisbury Mills, also noted that the police academy represented a policy shift and legislators were upset about "being left in the dark."
The training academy had been discussed with legislators and support slowly grew after initial skepticism. But, although Diana never got a vote of approval from the legislature, the Law Enforcement Training Institute opened with an official ceremony at the county's Fire Training Center.
The money came from funds allocated to the Sheriff's Office, and Diana said that's why he didn't think legislators needed to approve the project. As a former majority leader of that body, he knows better. He did apologize for ignoring his legislative colleagues, but others noted he had done the same thing when he moved to put a sheriff's boat on patrol in the Hudson River and create an equestian center at the county park. Keeping legisaltors in the dark on county spending is not the way to maintain a harmonious working arrangment.
- The blackout on Homeland Security funds. When this newspaper asked emergency management officials in Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties to detail what they had done with federal Homeland Security grants, only Orange officials balked. Only after the Record appealed under the Freedom of Information act, did Orange comply with the request, by providing 158 pages, with more blacked out than readable.
This is county government being accountable to the people? On fighting terrrorism no less? County officials said their concern was "the safety of the public and first responders." What, Sullivan and Ulster officials don't have the same concerns?
People have a right to know how their money is being spent and that can be done without revealing the most sensitive items.
All we know is Orange County got $650,000 from the federal government to improve defenses against terrorism. If you want to know how that money was spent, call the emperor.