Picente sworn in as Oneida County Executive
By
Pat Bailey
Story Created:
Dec 28, 2007 at 5:06 PM EST
Story Updated:
Dec 28, 2007 at 9:19 PM EST
UTICA - Anthony Picente Jr. took over as interim Oneida County Executive late last year, after Joseph Griffo was elected to the state senate.
Today Picente, officially became the 10th Oneida County Executive. For the second time in less than a year, Picente took the oath of office to become the Oneida County Executive.
This time however it was different, this time it was as an elected official.
"It is a good feeling to have the full confidence of the people of this county in the majority to be elected now to do the job for four years," Picente said.
During Picente's first year as interim County Executive, he faced several challenges including a sewer system that by state standards is in need of repair, and could bring a bill for the county as high as $66 million to fix.
But that's just one challenge Picente says will carry over into his first full term.
"We have to continue to right our financial ship," he said. "I have said that since the day I walked back in here. The Oneida Nation is really one that I just see the need to really have us at the table with them to nail this down. Because otherwise it will end up in court as I said years after I'm gone."
In the near future, Picente says he will look at ways to fix the county's bond rating for future development projects. Picente says now that he has the trust of the people, he can now be a bit bolder with his decisions moving forward.
