🎥: Putnam County Legislature Stifles Public Input: A Blow to Transparency

In a disappointing yet revealing move, the Putnam County Legislature voted 5-4 to remove a crucial resolution from the full legislative agenda—one that would have ensured the public had the right to speak before legislators voted on key issues.

This resolution had passed out of committee unanimously, yet Legislator Paul Jonke (District 6, Southeast) successfully moved to strike it, which was seconded by Legislator Greg Ellner (District 5, Carmel Hamlet/Kent) before the full Legislature could consider it.

The Motion That Silenced Public Participation

As seen in this video, when agenda item 6kk was announced by Legislator Birmingham who chairs the rules committee, Legislator Jonke immediately made the motion to remove the resolution entirely from the agenda stifling any discussion, with Legislator Ellner providing the crucial second, allowing Jonke’s motion to be voted on.

The subsequent roll call vote saw five legislators in favor and four against, effectively killing the opportunity for the public to engage with their representatives before decisions were made.

Legislators Addonizio, Birmingham, Ellner, Jonke, and Sayegh were the five to vote in favor of removing it from the agenda.

Legislators Crowley, Gouldman, Montgomery, and Russo were the four who voted to keep it on the agenda and allow discussion and a vote.

After the roll call vote, Legislator Crowley, who originally introduced the resolution to allow the public to speak before votes get taken in committee on 2/19/2025, took exception with the process noting it passed unanimously out of committee back in February.

Here is the video of that meeting, which I also attended and spoke at on this very issue, endorsing Legislator Crowley’s resolution, and I can confirm it did in fact pass that night to be moved out of committee to the full legislative agenda, including by Jonke himself.

Legislator Sayegh then confirmed the motion’s origin, ensuring that it was clear who was responsible for the move, by asking Jonke if he intended for it to be removed completely, which he affirmed, and then with Ellner if he intended to second that motion knowing its reasoning, and he confirmed he did.

This was followed by an impassioned response from Legislators Montgomery and Crowley, who condemned the decision and called out the lack of transparency in the process. Their frustration was evident, as they highlighted how removing this resolution directly undermined public trust and accountability in local governance.

A Public Outcry Against Suppression

As a member of the public, well after the vote on this was taken, and at the very end of nearly three hour meeting (which can be seen in full here), I took the opportunity to address this blatant disregard for democratic principles.

I was supposed to address only issues on the agenda, and because this was taken off of the agenda by this action, I was technically not supposed to address it.

However, the lack of transparency with this legislative body is a major issue and I spoke on it regardless. Removing the resolution not only stifles transparency but potentially violates our fundamental right to freedom of speech.

The ability to speak to our representatives BEFORE they cast their votes is not a privilege—it is a fundamental aspect of a functioning democracy.

This is not a party-based issue. Most issues at the local level have nothing to do with party. We all want transparency. Eight of these nine legislators are Republicans and they themselves are deeply divided on this very crucial issue.

This decision by the five member majority sets a dangerous precedent. If legislators can remove public input from the process whenever it suits them, what does that say about their commitment to representing the voices of the people they were elected to serve?

What Happens Next?

The fight for transparency in Putnam County is far from over. The public must remain vigilant and demand accountability from those who seek to shut them out. This resolution may have been struck down for now, but the push for open governance must continue. At the end of my comments, I encouraged the legislators to reintroduce this resolution and to keep doing so until it passes.

The people deserve a say in the decisions that impact their lives, and those in power must be reminded that they serve at the will of the public—not the other way around.