FONDA — After a decade at the helm, Montgomery County Executive Matthew Ossenfort will resign from office at the end of the month to take a private sector job.
“It’s been the professional joy of my life to be able to serve Montgomery County for the last 10 years,” Ossenfort said Thursday. “I'm extremely conflicted. It's one of those situations where I don't want to go, but I know I have to.”
Ossenfort, a Republican, took office in 2014 as the county’s first executive following the shift to a charter form of government. He was elected to three consecutive terms, which is the limit set in the county charter. His final four-year term was to expire at the end of 2025.
The 42-year-old Amsterdam native and father of an eight-year-old daughter recently began exploring options for the next phase in his career knowing that his time in office was drawing to a close.
“It was important to see what opportunities were out there,” Ossenfort said. “When you've put 10 years of blood, sweat and tears into something and built it up from the ground level and built a team of people you love and care about greatly, it's incredibly difficult to take this step. But I also know it's what I have to do and it’s what is best for me and my family.”
Ossenfort is leaving office for a position with global insurance company Arthur J. Gallagher. He will be the Albany-area vice president working on public entity and nonprofit insurance.
“It really feels like a good fit for me,” Ossenfort said. “One of the things I really was excited about is I still can work with local governments and still have those connections to people I've gotten to know over the years, and ultimately assist local governments in their mission of providing good service to their constituents.”
Although he hadn’t set the date until now, Ossenfort said his exit on April 30 will not be a “big surprise” to those around him. He previously let key officials know that he was searching for his next opportunity. He expects to submit his formal resignation sometime before the next Montgomery County Legislature meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
“We’ve really built a team of all stars and the department heads are really the driving force at the county as far as day-to-day operations so we’re in really good hands,” Ossenfort said.
Department of Social Services Commissioner Mathew Beck was previously designated by Ossenfort to act as county executive in the event of his absence. Beck will initially perform those duties until the Legislature appoints a qualified candidate to fill the post for this year, in accordance with the charter.
A special election will be held in November to fill Ossenfort’s remaining unexpired one-year term. Since the petitioning period will conclude by the time Ossenfort leaves office, political party committees will nominate candidates to appear on the ballot.
Unless his advice is specifically requested, Ossenfort doesn’t plan to make any recommendations on who should succeed him. With less than two weeks remaining in office, he will focus on preparing for a smooth transition, tying up loose ends and spending time with colleagues.
“For however long Matt is there, I think he’ll do a good job continuing the ongoing work and the county will have a chance to reinvent itself again with new leadership,” Ossenfort said. “For the first 10 years, we’ve built a solid foundation and gotten some good team members in place and they are prepared to continue on a positive path.”
In what will turn out to be his final State of the County address last week, Ossenfort touched on the inevitable transition in leadership and his confidence in staff to continue moving the county forward upon his eventual departure.
As the first executive, Ossenfort led the county as the government transitioned from a board of supervisors to the present two-branch system. He said the shift created a level of stability with staff looking to a single executive while still providing a separation of powers.
During his tenure, Ossenfort prioritized creating a culture of teamwork while helping to build and develop a skilled county staff. It’s one of the things he’s most proud of and he gladly shares the credit for the county’s achievements with his staff.
“I wouldn't say they're my accomplishments, I would say they’re the team’s accomplishments,” Ossenfort said.
Over the last decade, county finances were stabilized and a healthy fund balance built up with adopted budgets staying below the tax cap even as spending has grown. Revenues have likewise increased and the county has aggressively sought state and federal funding to support projects and initiatives. It’s a stark change from the yo-yoing budgets and property taxes of years past.
Public safety was another priority for Ossenfort working with Montgomery County Sheriff Jeffery Smith and other officials. Earlier this year, the county launched an in-house ambulance service to ensure a timely response to emergencies as area providers struggle with rising call volumes, far reaching staffing shortage and unstable funding.
Fostering economic development across the county was another goal that contributed to investments in the Route 5S commercial corridor in the town of Florida, backing for the launch of Capital District Transportation Authority bus services in the Amsterdam area, and ongoing efforts to redevelop the site of the former Beech-Nut plant in Canajoharie.
Other accomplishments under the executive include the modernization and construction of new facilities, relocation of emergency services and public works out of flood zones, and efforts to address overcrowded workspaces with further plans in development.
Although he’s leaving office, Ossenfort plans to stay active in the community and will remain in the area. He believes the county is well positioned for future success.
“I have no intention of leaving the area or anything like that. I still hope to maintain a lot of relationships and be involved in community organizations and still have those connections to the community,” Ossenfort said.
“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the greater Montgomery County community and the Montgomery County team itself and I will certainly cherish that forever. The relationships are the things that will stick with me the most,” he added.