Tug
Hill Commission
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The Commission is overseen by a board of nine unpaid volunteers, all residents of the region. They are appointed three each by the governor, speaker of the state assembly, and majority leader of the state senate. The nine commissioners are chosen by appointing authorities so that two come from each of the four counties that overlap the region, with a ninth member serving "at large." The Commission is authorized by New York State legislation
first passed in 1972 (Chapter 972, Laws of 1972), and most recently
amended in 1998 as Article 37, Section 847 of the New York State Executive
Law (Chapter 440, Laws of 1998). Article
37 provides for an every five year report to the governor and state
legislature on the quality of and need for (or not) continuation of
the Tug Hill Commission and its programs, based on a survey of some
400 local officials and community leaders from the Tug Hill region.
Terms of Commission members are five years, coinciding
with the every five year evaluation of its programs. Suggestions
for Commission member appointments can be made to appointing authorities.
Commission members are: Kenneth W. Vigus, Boonville, Oneida County Leona M. Chereshnoski, Lorraine, Jefferson County
Timothy LeVan, Constableville, Lewis County
Roger W. Maciejko, Turin, Lewis County John K. Bartow, Jr., Executive Director Staffing: Eleven Commission staff specialists and three support staff work out of the central office in Watertown. Seven part-time and full-time "circuit riders" work out of their homes throughout the region, under the direction of local councils of governments. Approach: Tug Hill Commissioners feel strongly that the agency must be responsive to its "clients" - the people and local governments of the region. Part of this responsiveness is the every five year evaluation of the Commission and its programs by Tug Hill local officials and community leaders. Commission members set agency policy, budget, and program priorities, and oversee staff through an executive director. The most recent survey -- completed in 2002 by nearly 200 town and village officials, business representatives, chambers of commerce, outdoor clubs, and other local leaders -- showed 87% supporting continuation of the commission. The Commission has always enjoyed a good measure of local support (75%, 80%, 92% and 91% called for continuation in 1985, 1990, 1994 and 1997 surveys respectively). The 2002 survey reinforced and continued the opinions local leaders had expressed in 1994. Commission support is probably so strong because the Commission's programs are closely tied to the environmental and economic needs of the region, as defined by local communities. This is supported by survey results which show four-to-one or better of local leaders rating the commission "good" or "excellent" in its program delivery.
Please send questions or suggestions to the NYS Tug Hill Commission.
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