Tom Rue, Monticello taxpayer, offered the following remarks during the Public Comment period at the April 7, 2008 meeting of the Monticello Village Board of Trustees:
John is a good man. I have no beef with him. Nor do I have one with anyone here.
Gordon, you’ve been public for some time about the fact you hope to see John become Manager. It became an assumption.
As time has passed, however, it’s become clear to me that a coronation is not yet in order.
Gordon, I have told you that you can also always count on me to honestly tell you when I think you're about to make a mistake.
Choosing a Village Manager is the single most important decision that any of you will make as members of the Board of Trustees.
Even if John was the best Deputy Village Manager this village has had in its history does not automatically mean that he should immediately move up to become Manager.
At a public meeting held at the High School shortly after Election Day, it startled me when – in my presence – John introduced himself to one of the principals from the developer looking at Sleepy Hollow Apartments as, “Hi. I’m John Barbarite. I’m going to be the Village Manager.”
The boldness of John’s introduction startled me, in part, because as of that day former Village Manager Ray Nargizian still occupied the office.
Then I started reading in the newspapers – including The New York Times – you telling reporters, “John Barbarite is my manager.”
I thought to myself: 'That’s interesting. Gordon has a manager.'
Something else that struck me – and this is a larger issue – was my knowledge that the Village Manager is selected by the Board of Trustees as a whole body, not by the Mayor. Not only was the Manager position still occupied by someone else, but the composition of the Board of Trustees – and on what criteria a selection would be made – were not known by anyone at that time.
Another thing that led me to re-examine my assumptions came from a discussion that I had with you, Gordon.
On March 21st – three days after the election – I spent a couple of hours in your store talking with you and others there. At one point, I asked you who you were going to appoint to fill the Trustee seat that you were vacating upon becoming Mayor.
Truthfully, you told me, you didn't yet know. Then you remarked, "I need someone who I can count on to vote my way every time. What I need is a bodyguard who will watch my back and always vote with me."
“’You mean you need a 'yes man'?" I asked.
"Exactly!" you replied. "Of course I can't say that in public," you added.
Truthfully, I was amazed and somewhat frightened by these comments.
We all see the choice that you made. Theodore Hutchins, from everything that I know about him and his family (which includes you), is a decent and good man.
Hopefully, he will be his own man – with no pre-conditions set prior to his appointment.
That wouldn’t be right.
Like the other four of you, he swore a solemn Oath to do what’s best for all the people of the Village – putting political, personal, family connections aside.
John Barbarite may be the best man for this job. I do not know, and neither do any of you.
How could you know? You haven’t advertised or requested applications from anyone.
If you do not know in your heart of hearts that John Barbarite is the one and only candidate who should be considered to be the Village Manager – if there is the slightest possibility in your mind that there might be someone in the world who might apply who could be a better choice for Monticello – I urge you to vote against this resolution.
If each of you have not reviewed multiple resumes and interviewed several candidates for the position of Village Manager, the very least you can do to exercise due diligence as Trustees is to abstain until you have more knowledge, and a search for candidates has been made, as has always been done prior to hiring Village Managers in the past.
Let John apply like anyone else. Consider his resume, his fine public record, and his work history with the Village. If you choose him over all other applicants, clearly set out all the terms and expectations. Let him know that the Board of Trustees – not he – is in charge, and that political manipulations, including attempts to isolate individual Board members or play one against another, will not be tolerated.
I said that I would tell you when you're about to make a mistake. I’m doing that now.
Make no mistake.
Friendships are important to me, but my internal compass is more important.
I am asking you to please do the right thing for Monticello, and to do it the right way.
Thank you.
Tom Rue
