Lewis County IT chief asked to leave position

LOWVILLE — Lewis County's information technology director has been asked to resign and locked out of the county computer system, but he's not exactly sure why.

"I'm flabbergasted," Thomas P. Gunn said Friday from his Brantingham home.

County Manager David H. Pendergast declined comment on the matter.

"It's the county's policy not to discuss personnel issues," he said.

Mr. Gunn, 67, who in August 2001 was appointed the county's first director of information technology, said he was called Wednesday to meet with Mr. Pendergast and Legislator Patrick F. Wallace, R-Lowville, chairman of the legislative Information Management Committee.

Mr. Gunn said he was told that things were "just not working" between him and legislators, and he was asked to submit his resignation or be subject to termination. He also was told there were no poor reviews or letters criticizing him.

After taking the remainder of Wednesday off using personal time, Mr. Gunn found Thursday that his system passwords had been changed, apparently at the suggestion of County Attorney Richard J. Graham.

"There was absolutely no debriefing as to what I've been doing," he said.

The director said he has discussed options with Mr. Graham and his own attorney and plans to make a decision Monday on what his next step will be.

Mr. Gunn, who is a member of the Greig Town Council, acknowledged that he had "burned bridges" with several other department heads over recommendations he'd made and other dealings. He had been hopeful that Mr. Pendergast's idea of an information technology directions committee, composed of some other department heads, would improve those relations, but that never came to fruition, he said.

Mr. Gunn said his relationship with Mr. Wallace has not been particularly strong, either, possibly because of Mr. Gunn's ties with former County Manager Joseph L. Baruth Sr. Legislators in January chose not to reappoint Mr. Baruth after three years as county manager, privately citing concerns with his dominant personality, use of intimidation and tendency to take actions without legislative approval or consultation.

However, Mr. Gunn said he and Mr. Pendergast also seemed to "blend really well," and he thought things were going all right.

Mr. Wallace could not be reached for comment Friday.

The information technology director, whose annual salary has risen from $35,000 to $67,000 since his 2001 hiring, also noted that the county, in the midst of seeking ways to offset rising fuel costs, could save about $60,000 in salary and benefits by not refilling his position immediately.

Information technology is now a four-person department, including the director.

Mr. Gunn for several years also had held the unpaid title of county 911 director, but county officials earlier this year placed dispatch under the auspices of Sheriff L. Michael Tabolt.

Regardless of what transpires, Mr. Gunn said, he's had a good time working for Lewis County. "It's just been a wonderful set of opportunities," he said.

He had been systems administrator for the city of Oswego for four years until that position was dropped because of budget cuts. In the four years before that, he worked out of his home as a senior software engineer for Munis, an accounting software company. In that job, he traveled around the state installing software for school districts and municipalities.

Mr. Gunn, a Syracuse native, was introduced to Lewis County by the family of his wife, Peg, who had a summer cottage in Brantingham. He eventually moved into the area in 1984.