Franklin County legislators started 2009 promising their constituency much action in the coming year. And for the most part, they were able to deliver.
Chief among the goals was to secure the last bit of funding for the proposed 48-mile natural-gas pipeline to be built by St. Lawrence Gas.
Ten months of negotiating, pleading and cajoling ended in October when Gov. David Paterson swept into Malone and announced $2.5 million was indeed coming north for the $20 million project.
The legislature also promised to study the wisdom of creating a planning entity to work on county and municipal ideas to expand business and investment interests here. And Legislator Daniel Crippen (D-Burke) has seen to that, inviting key players to brainstorming sessions and arranging more in the early weeks of 2010.
Keeping taxes low was a promise kept to a certain point compared to other parts of the state. In formulating the 2010 budget, members adopted a modest 4.21-percent tax increase.
Legislators also promised last year to support the proposed Adirondack Club and Resort in Tupper Lake, boost the local economy and review consolidation of village-police staff and the Sheriff's Department.
Those issues still linger and can be added to a new list of work legislators recently presented for themselves for 2010.
And none will be pleasant.
The county could decide to close or retool the mission of its Nursing Home, which now loses about $1 million a year.
Finding money to give North Country Community College to make millions of dollars in badly needed repairs and renovations will also be a challenge for legislators.
And that doesn't include retaining the level of services and programs the public demands while paying down debt on a $5 million reconstruction at the County Courthouse.
The county is also looking at a drop in revenue from a reduction in sales tax, and it could have to wrestle with redistricting issues following the 2010 U.S. Census.
At the same time, this is an election year for the Legislature, which adds to the pressure for the seven office holders each who could have a challenger this fall.
Every county has a multitude of worries as it juggles the needs of its residents with the demands of state mandates and the affordability of public services.
It is heartening to see local elected officials striving to keep their promises when so many office holders ignore what should be done and do what is easiest. Nothing will be easy this year, but the Franklin County Legislature has shown it is not intimidated by challenges.
Election year or not, we count on the legislators to do what's necessary, not what's popular.
