LEGISLATURE STUFF - Jobs Well Done and Then Some

Above photo: Greene County “Team of the Year” was recently announced by the county legislature. On hand for the award presentation were (left to right) county treasurer Keith Valentine, team members Jennifer Neibling and Stacy Macklin with county legislature chairman Patrick Linger, Majority Leader Matthew Luvera and Minority Leader Harry Lennon. Missing from the photo is Maria LaRosa (attending via Zoom).

Teamwork and Pure Grit are the shared attributes of the 2026 Greene County “Chairman’s Award” recipients. On hand for the recent presentation were (left to right) team members Sandra Frances, Miasia Williams, Jessica Swart, Laura Becker and Stacy Smith with Social Services Commissioner Kira Pospesel and legislature chairman Patrick Linger.

CATSKILL - It was all about getting down to the nitty gritty and doing it well when distinct recognition was given to Greene County employees by the Greene County Legislature.

Lawmakers, at a recent meeting, presented the 2026 “Chairman’s Award” and announced the “Team of the Year” as part of the 40th Annual “Employee Recognition” ceremony.

Legislature chairman Patrick Linger, regarding the Chairman’s Award said, “the Greene County Department of Social Services Temporary Assistance Unit is responsible for the operation of the Welfare to Work program.

“Clients receive comprehensive support including information on job services, job search assistance, employment leads and referrals to local organizations that provide supportive services, job development, training, educational programs and work experience programs.

“In August of 2024, we had 3.8 percent of our clients participating in countable work activities,” Linger said, sharing a report from Social Services Commissioner Kira Pospesel.

“We built a team of dynamic, focused examiners and support staff who were creative and determined to get clients back to work,” Linger said.

“When we ran out of local businesses that were willing to accept our clients for work placements, we decided to create our own opportunities, right here [at the county offices facility].

“Our clients now take pride in keeping the building clean by vacuuming, mopping, sweeping, pulling weeds, picking up cigarette butts and shoveling snow,” Linger said.

“Thanks to this team and their resourcefulness, we can now enjoy some of the cleanest windows and stairwells around.”

The team members are community service worker, contracted (Sandra Frances), examiners (Miasia Williams and Jessica Swart), principal examiner (Stacy Smith) and director of eligibility (Laura Becker). 

While reaching less than 4 percent in 2024, the number of participating clients rose to 11.1 percent by March, 2025, ranked 31st among all counties statewide.

Five months later, that figure climbed to 22.2 percent and by September, 2025, Greene County was at 35.5 percent, “which ranked us as Number One,” Linger said.

Not resting on their laurels, the team got that digit up to 42.4 percent by December, 2025 and, according to Pospesel, is now at 51.3 percent, maintaining Greene County the best in the State.

“This dedicated and results-driven team empowers clients to achieve self-sufficiency,” Linger said. “When that path is not pursued, they work tirelessly to address every challenge, leaving no detail overlooked.

“Their track record proves that success is possible through perseverance, creativity and unwavering determination”…so…”don’t say you can’t do it, as it has been done by pure grit and determination.”

Linger, honoring the “Team of the Year,” singled out county Treasurer’s office staffers Maria LaRosa (director of taxes), Stacey Macklin (deputy director of taxes) and Jennifer Neibling (principal clerk typist).

“These three dedicated county employees are solely responsible for the monumental task of collection of all delinquent or re-levied real property tax due and owing to the county.

“It is important to keep in mind that when taxes are unpaid by property owners, the county reaches into its pockets and makes every village, town, school and special district whole.

“It is the job of the tax department to retrieve those delinquent taxes from the property owners. The In Rem Tax Proceeding requires careful, methodical work carried out with surgical precision.”

Linger, sharing a report from county treasurer Keith Valentine, said, ‘in 2024, this team accepted and processed delinquent taxes from property owners in the amount of $4,755,404.22, plus an additional $807,809.28 in interest and penalties,”

That total represents, “revenue to the county of Greene and its taxpayers in the amount of $5,563,213.50 just for the tax year 2023.

“As 2025 came around, these three county employees administered a “period of redemption” whereby delinquent taxpayers “had the opportunity to make all wrongs right,” Linger said, paying all past-due taxes and penalties from 2022 and 2023 and redeem their homes or other parcels.

During that 6-month period, the treasurer’s office “received and processed 400 payments from taxpayers in the total amount of $2,891,736 of which $736,627.01 was interest and penalties.”

Beyond harvesting overdue taxes, the team “assisted five qualified property owners in entering into installment plans to save their homes,” Linger said.

“This team is responsible for collecting a staggering $9,722,132.448 with an additional $1,936,003.17 in penalties and interest.

“This team worked quietly and tirelessly, demonstrating accuracy and independence while also engaging exceptionally well with the public during unimaginably difficult times,” helping residents remain in their homes.