CANTON — Months of political bickering and infighting came to a head Monday, when St. Lawrence County legislators had a gut-check about how fractured they've become.
A 30-minute sound-off about their own dysfunction came at the end of the Finance Committee meeting when Legislator Thomas A. Nichols bolted out of the room in anger because Legislature Chairman J. Patrick Turbett told the county administrator in January to withhold a proposal to increase the salary of Board of Elections commissioners.
"We elected a chairman, not an emperor," said Mr. Nichols, R-Oswegatchie.
It was the second time in as many meetings that Mr. Nichols has attended that he accused Mr. Turbett, D-Potsdam, of making unilateral decisions for the Board of Legislators.
"I can't believe what is happening," Mr. Nichols said.
He's hitting the nerve that prompted five Democrats to elicit help in March from Republicans to oust Mr. Turbett. The chairman's supporters slammed the attempted coup, which died without public resolution.
Meetings have occasionally been tense and the chairman has clashed with fellow Democrats.
"I think we all know this board is split in about as many ways as we can be," said Legislator Peter W. FitzRandolph, D-Canton. "We need some serious group counseling."
It was the first time someone addressed the infighting during a public session.
Mr. FitzRandolph opened the floodgates, but not everyone agreed with his assessment. Finance Committee Chairman Gregory M. Paquin, who is believed to have been the dissenting faction's choice to replace Mr. Turbett, said that things have gotten better and that he's speaking more to the chairman and Legislator Tedra L. Cobb, D-Canton. Ms. Cobb was vice chairwoman in 2007 and stood by Mr. Turbett during the Democratic fight.
"It's no secret we had a rough patch months ago," said Mr. Paquin, D-Massena. "I think we're starting to come together."
Republican Legislator Alex A. MacKinnon, Fowler, said he enjoys the fractured ties compared with 2007, the first year of a 10-5 Democratic majority.
"This is kind of a change for the better," he said. "There are no factions. You can't count on anyone to walk in lock-step."
Mr. Turbett did not address the infighting, but explained after Mr. Nichols left that he told Administrator Karen M. St. Hilaire to hold the elections change until she reviewed what other counties had done.
"I thought more information was useful and it wasn't pressing," he said.
It was not on Monday's agenda but came up Monday at the request of Vernon D. "Sam" Burns, D-Ogdensburg.
Despite calls for respect, Ms. Cobb then faulted Ms. St. Hilaire for not sharing the information from other counties with everyone. Saying she needed better information to make decisions, Ms. Cobb then pointed out that the administrator did not know earlier in the meeting how many vehicles the county owned.
Ms. St. Hilaire, who had a list of vehicles at her desk, responded that she didn't have time during the earlier discussion to tally them.
They continued to argue until Mr. Paquin jumped in to close the meeting. Legislators broke into groups and talked quietly for a few minutes before filing out the door. Legislator Thomas R. Grow, R-Brasher Falls, was absent and Laura J. Perry, D-Hopkinton, left before the elections discussion.
