Allegany County’s Personnel Committee on Jan. 2 approved two reappointments: Michael Hennessy as director of the County Veterans Service Agency and Heather Beto as executive secretary for workers’ compensation for 2025. Both actions were carried by voice vote at the committee meeting.

The reappointments were presented to the committee by Brenda Rigby Railey, clerk of the board. “At the organization meeting this morning, Chairman Harris reappointed Michael Hennessy of Wellsville to the position of director of County Veterans Service Agency, and that is subject to confirmation by the board and needs a resolution,” Rigby Railey said during the meeting.

The clerk’s statement followed a question from a nonmember, who asked why the veterans service appointment is handled as an annual reappointment. Rigby Railey said, “So in the law that allows this to happen, it is a chairman’s appointment. The chairman is appointed every year. So his appointees are appointed every year.” The committee carried the motion to forward the reappointment action.

The committee also approved the reappointment of Heather Beto as executive secretary for workers’ compensation for 2025. Committee member Hanchett moved the reappointment; the committee approved it by voice vote.

Chairman Harris also spoke in support of the veterans service director after the vote, saying, “I’d like to take a moment to thank Mister Hennessy for his job, his work with the veterans, especially.”

Both committee approvals were recorded as carried. The Hennessy reappointment was explicitly described at the meeting as subject to ratification by the full board through a formal resolution; the committee record did not indicate separate next-step timing for the Beto reappointment.

The actions took place during a short personnel committee meeting in which members approved routine minutes and other staffing items before adjourning.