Memo to President Adair

If David Gantt and his entourage show up to disrupt tomorrow night's meeting of the County Legislature, please show us that you're the opposite of your predecessor as President of the County Legislature, Wayne Zyra.

Return calls to the press if they ask about the appointment of the Public Defender.   Don't concede the entire public discussion to the disrupters, as your predecessor did, and to the people trying to hijack an appointment that is the legitimate, legal responsibility of the County Legislature and of no one else.   Zyra made a fool of himself hiding from the press for two months, letting the opposition define the issue without challenge, and letting down his side completely.

Don't pull a Zyra if the disrupters make trouble, scurrying from the room like a trapped rat.   Don't you have a public comment section of your meeting where anyone who wants to speak may?   That's the forum for anyone with criticism or comment.   But if anyone tries to disrupt the meeting, calmly have them removed and continue your meeting.   New York's Open Meetings Law creates the right to attend a public meeting.   It does not create a right to disrupt a public meeting.

And if Gantt and self-appointed "leaders" (of God-knows-what) who claim a role in the appointment of a Public Defender seek a meeting, before or after tomorrow's legislative session, for heaven's sake, meet with them.   Take their phone calls, or return them.   You have no reason to concede anything, but extend the courtesy of a meeting or a return phone call.   We're still not sure how much Zyra's cowardly stonewalling 2 years ago contributed to the disruption you had back then over the PD appointment.

We weren't happy about being driven to do a posting like this one about President Zyra.   We really don't want to have to do one about President Adair.