Lewis County treasurer to step down in early 2011

LOWVILLE — Lewis County's treasurer on Tuesday announced plans to retire early next year.

"It is my intention to retire within the first part of 2011," County Treasurer Vicki A. Roy told legislators at their monthly meeting. "It will be early enough so that anyone interested in running for the position of Lewis County treasurer can prepare and return their petitions for the 2011 election."

Following the resignation of former County Treasurer Dickinson G. Fowler, legislators in January 2005 appointed Mrs. Roy, a Republican from Watson, as the county's first female treasurer. In November 2005 she easily defeated Democrat Dale A. Rybicky from West Leyden to earn a four-year term, then was re-elected last fall.

Mrs. Roy, 57, said she had planned to finish her term but earlier this year started mulling retirement after losing some passion for the job.

"I apologize to the voters of Lewis County for retiring prior to the end of my elected term," she said. "I have worked for the county for 36 years and, to be perfectly honest, I am tired."

She has 41 years vested in the state retirement system, having worked for the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services before being hired by the late Urban N. Karcher, former county treasurer, and past Deputy Treasurer Muriel Dekin.

Mrs. Roy asked legislators for permission to hire a second deputy treasurer with strong accounting skills to work with her before her retirement.

"Long story short, at this time there is no one other than myself in the office able to complete the required financial reports," she said. "As my staff is already maxed out, I cannot, in good conscience, expect them to take on the additional work."

Legislature Chairman Jack T. Bush, R-Brantingham, said the request will be considered by the legislative Ways and Means Committee.

Under a 1980 county law, legislators may appoint an acting treasurer to replace Mrs. Roy, although the deputy treasurer is to automatically assume the treasurer's duties in her absence.

An appointee would serve through next year, and an election for a new four-year term would be held in the November 2011 general election. That would put the treasurer term back in line with the other four-year elected county positions: sheriff, district attorney and clerk.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, Sheriff L. Michael Tabolt told lawmakers that they should begin planning soon for a major upgrade to the county's emergency radio system.

"It's going to be a million-dollar or multimillion-dollar project," he said. "And it can't keep waiting."

The microwave radio system should be able to be adjusted easily to comply with a federal mandate requiring a switch to narrow broadcast bands by 2013, Sheriff Tabolt said. However, the system, installed in 1980, eventually should be replaced instead of continuing piecemeal upgrades, he said.

"We just put patchwork on top of patchwork on top of patchwork," he said.

The sheriff said he brought up the issue in hopes of initiating methodical, well-thought-out discussions by county and local emergency services officials.