Jefferson County Board reelects William Johnson as chairman, installs Patrick Jareo as vice chair; adopts standing rules and confirms appointments
January 01, 2026 | Jefferson County, New York
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The Jefferson County Board of Legislators met in Watertown on Jan. 6, 2026, and unanimously elected Legislator William Johnson as chairman for the 2026 term and Legislator Patrick Jareo as vice chairman. Board Clerk Ryan Piche called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., and County Clerk Gizelle Meeks administered the oaths of office.
The Board rescinded prior rules and adopted a new set of standing rules governing meeting procedure, committee powers, quorum and voting, presented in Resolution No. 1 and approved unanimously. The standing rules cite County Law Section 153 and outline meeting logistics, committee referral procedures, and requirements for roll-call votes and the filing of resolutions.
By separate resolutions the Board confirmed a series of 2026 appointments. Among them, Ryan Piche was appointed Clerk of the Board and Budget Officer; John Sabik was appointed County Attorney; Stefanie LaPier was appointed County Auditor for a term to Dec. 31, 2026; and Laurel McCarthy was appointed Interim Public Defender at an annual salary of $149,394. The Board also reappointed or appointed department directors including Grant W. Sussey as Director of Aviation, Stephen A. Jennings as Director of Public Health, Bethany Munn as Director of the Office for the Aging, Hartley Bonisteel-Schweitzer as Director of Planning & Community Development, and Stephen T. Grybowski, MD, as Medical Director for the Article 28 Diagnostic and Treatment Center. Each appointment was presented by a sponsoring legislator and approved unanimously.
The organizational actions included administrative designations required for county operations: Resolution No. 21 designated the county's official depositories for 2026 and set maximum deposit amounts for each named institution; Resolution No. 20 designated the Watertown Daily Times, the Thousand Islands Sun and other appropriate newspapers as the county's official newspapers for publication of required notices.
Chairman Johnson indicated that Resolutions No. 22–37, which fund and authorize agreements with county partners and nonprofit providers for programs already budgeted in the 2026 county budget, would be handled as a block; the Board approved the block without objection. Several legislators publicly thanked county staff for their response during a recent Watertown boil-water advisory.
The Board adjourned at 6:21 p.m.
The Board rescinded prior rules and adopted a new set of standing rules governing meeting procedure, committee powers, quorum and voting, presented in Resolution No. 1 and approved unanimously. The standing rules cite County Law Section 153 and outline meeting logistics, committee referral procedures, and requirements for roll-call votes and the filing of resolutions.
By separate resolutions the Board confirmed a series of 2026 appointments. Among them, Ryan Piche was appointed Clerk of the Board and Budget Officer; John Sabik was appointed County Attorney; Stefanie LaPier was appointed County Auditor for a term to Dec. 31, 2026; and Laurel McCarthy was appointed Interim Public Defender at an annual salary of $149,394. The Board also reappointed or appointed department directors including Grant W. Sussey as Director of Aviation, Stephen A. Jennings as Director of Public Health, Bethany Munn as Director of the Office for the Aging, Hartley Bonisteel-Schweitzer as Director of Planning & Community Development, and Stephen T. Grybowski, MD, as Medical Director for the Article 28 Diagnostic and Treatment Center. Each appointment was presented by a sponsoring legislator and approved unanimously.
The organizational actions included administrative designations required for county operations: Resolution No. 21 designated the county's official depositories for 2026 and set maximum deposit amounts for each named institution; Resolution No. 20 designated the Watertown Daily Times, the Thousand Islands Sun and other appropriate newspapers as the county's official newspapers for publication of required notices.
Chairman Johnson indicated that Resolutions No. 22–37, which fund and authorize agreements with county partners and nonprofit providers for programs already budgeted in the 2026 county budget, would be handled as a block; the Board approved the block without objection. Several legislators publicly thanked county staff for their response during a recent Watertown boil-water advisory.
The Board adjourned at 6:21 p.m.
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