JOHNSTOWN - The Fulton County Board of Supervisors on Monday opposed the state considering closure of the Tryon Residential Center, and called for the resignation of the head of the state agency overseeing the juvenile detention center in Perth.
In separate resolutions, and after lengthy discussion at the County Office Building, the board nearly unanimously took that action. Abstaining was Gloversville 2nd Ward Supervisor Frank Lauria Jr., who works at Tryon.
The board first took action to oppose any consideration by the state to close the Tryon Residential Center. Later in the meeting, supervisors called for the resignation of state Office of Children & Family Services Commissioner Gladys Carrion.
Gloversville 3rd Ward Supervisor Michael Gendron noted Carrion was an appointee of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who resigned in a prostitute scandal.
"Fulton County should not pay a penalty for that incompetence," Gendron said.
Johnstown 3rd Ward Supervisor Jack Callery added, "I don't think she knows what goes on there [at Tryon] on a daily basis." He called her a "bleeding heart" that caters only to the average Tryon resident.
"They [Tryon residents] need to be put somewhere for the safety of everybody in the state," Callery said. "They've committed violent crimes. Most of their records are sealed."
Gloversville 5th Ward Supervisor Michael Rooney called Carrion a "slave to total subjectivity" who treats the Tryon youth division aides as "nothing but bad guys."
OCFS spokesman Ed Borges said this morning there are only 759 youths in the state's entire juvenile detention system and none are from Fulton County. He said the county complained last year about this "failed" system, but didn't send a child to it.
"Fulton County has no children in the system," he said. OCFS is not in the economic development business, he said.
Borges also defended Carrion as someone "fully aware of the problems in the system, starting with Tryon."
State Sen. Hugh T. Farley, R-Niskayuna, said in January that Gov. David Paterson's proposed executive state budget for 2010-11 could spell the closure of the boys side of Tryon, along with the elimination of about 170 jobs.
In a Jan. 19 letter from Carrion to Tryon employees, she wrote, "As of Jan. 12, OCFS has experienced a decrease in admissions: 37 percent of the non-secure beds and 21 percent of the limited secure beds are empty. Due to the underutilization of beds, OCFS will reduce the boys populations from 130 beds to zero at Tryon Boys' Residential Center. The effective date of this action will be Jan. 19, 2011. The action will impact your employment at this site."
Carrion and OCFS have called in recent years for a scaling back of correctional services for troubled youth, requesting more home-based treatment and counseling.
In its initial resolution addressing possible closure, the board stated: "Tryon Residential Center has a long tradition of service to troubled youth and to the community at large. Closure would remove an important option from the Office of Children & Family Services system and have a detrimental impact on the local economy, including the loss of approximately 150 jobs."
Gendron said Tryon was created in 1966 with a "promise for state jobs," and asked "now, what will we do with it?"
"Fulton County is the epicenter of this economic earthquake," he said. "It's a 10.0 earthquake for Fulton County."
Gendron, chairman of the Finance Committee, said he has communicated with Farley and state Assemblyman Marc W. Butler, R-Newport, and awaits further response from the lawmakers.
Callery added, "This is a huge economic devastation here. People should be screaming."
He said a $26 million Tryon payroll will be lost with closure of the facility.
"If New York state lays off all these people, we're in trouble," Rooney said.
County Administrative Officer Jon Stead said possible closure of operations at Tryon is just one proposal in a package of bills being considered by the state Legislature.
"It will come up for a vote as part of a budget package," Stead said.
Northampton Supervisor Linda Kemper said closing Tryon not only has an effect on Fulton County, but the surrounding area.
"We need to send a message to [state lawmakers] that they need to start doing their jobs to save the economy in this county," she said.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.