Forty business and community leaders met at Spain Cornerstone Park in Carmel March 27 at an event sponsored by the Putnam County Chambers of Commerce. The meeting allowed members of the business community to engage in a conversation with elected officials to enhance cooperation and open communication. State Sen. Greg Ball and Assemblyman Steve Katz were among the group.
Elected officials were asked to sign a pledge fostering accountability and open communication and concerns were raised as to the practicality of some of its provisions. During the meeting, the chamber members asked several questions, including whether or not a countywide official could agree not to borrow money when some borrowing is necessary to fulfill state or federal mandates out of their control.
“This is the spirit of cooperation we”™ve been waiting for,” said Jennifer Maher, chairwoman of the Putnam County Chambers. “The willingness of these leaders to stand up and be counted on the side of making Putnam”™s government accountable to its citizens is truly a shining moment in county history,” added former Mahopac-Carmel Chamber President Pete Bardunias. Participants plan to reconvene at a later time to address some action items discussed at the meeting.
