Lewis County official let go

LOWVILLE — Lewis County officials have ushered out their economic development director after a little more than a year on the job, continuing the revolving door at that position.

The legislature's Economic Development Committee on Friday chose not to permanently appoint Warren S. Rosenthal to the position he had held provisionally since February 2008. County Manager David H. Pendergast will oversee the Economic Development Department until a new director is appointed.

"The overall decision of the committee is that we want to go in a different direction," said Legislator Richard C. Lucas, R-Barnes Corners, the committee's chairman.

"I got caught up with the politics of Lewis County," Mr. Rosenthal said when contacted late Friday afternoon by cell phone.

The former director said that while he may not have made all the proper social and political connections here, he's convinced that industrial and civic leaders viewed him as trying to move the county in a favorable direction.

"I did the best I could," he said. "I worked very hard on behalf of this county."

Mr. Lucas said committee members had no serious problems with Mr. Rosenthal, but some were unhappy that he was still renting here and hadn't yet relocated his family, as had been expected. He declined to specify other issues that led to the decision.

Mr. Rosenthal said part of his residency decision stemmed from having only a provisional appointment.

"They could have terminated me any time," he said.

The former director said he had an inkling that he might be let go after being told last week that he needed to be reinterviewed.

Mr. Rosenthal, who was a real estate broker and business consultant at Lake George before coming to work here, was hired provisionally until a Civil Service test for the position could be taken, Mr. Pendergast said. The test was offered earlier this year, and the results came back recently with Mr. Rosenthal passing, he said.

The Economic Development Committee then reviewed scores of those who passed and held an interview with Mr. Rosenthal, he said.

The county manager declined to specify how many others took and passed the test.

Mr. Lucas said his committee does have "names to look at." However, no decisions have been made, and the committee is not limited to candidates who passed the Civil Service test, he said.

The committee likely will meet a few more times in the coming weeks to have a recommendation in time for the Legislature's next regular meeting June 2.

Before working in real estate, Mr. Rosenthal had worked in economic development positions in Warren and Washington counties, as well as in Worcester County in Maryland. He also served for four years in the late 1980s as an economic development adviser for counties at the National Association of Counties in Washington, D.C.

Lewis County's previous economic development director, John A. Sorbello, stepped down after nine months to take a private-sector job near his home in Rome, Oneida County.

County leaders last July removed two department heads by forcing Information Technology Director Thomas P. Gunn to resign and declining to reappoint then-Department of Social Services Commissioner Penny A. LaBarge when her five-year term expired.

Earlier this year, Public Health Director JoAnn M. Seiler retired, while Mental Health Director Toby K. Davis resigned from his post.

Thomas M. Sweet also has announced plans to retire as superintendent of highways and solid waste on July 1 after nearly 12 years at the job.