OSWEGO, NY – At the February Oswego County Legislature meeting, Jack Brandt was sworn in to fill the seat vacated by the late Art Ospelt.
Brandt, a Republican, is an attorney with deep ties throughout legislative District 12. Most recently he served as a town justice in Schroeppel.
He described Ospelt as “a true pillar of our community and a strong advocate for our area.”
Prior to the meeting, the legislature presented Ospelt’s sons, Kurt and Art, with a plaque and certificate of recognition in honor of their father’s long service to the county.
The legislator gave more than four decades of service to the county in a various number of positions, including county administrator.
Brandt thanked many people, individually and collectively, for helping him join the ranks of county legislator.
“I want to thank the legislature for the opportunity to serve the county in this capacity,” Brandt said.
He pledged that his votes will be in favor of what he believes to be in the best interest of his constituents.
“The philosophy that I adopted years ago, was given to me by Art Ospelt,” he pointed out. “He told me to vote your conscience. And, I’ll tell you the same thing he told me, my vote is not for sale; I do not vote on the basis of fear or favor. That’s the philosophy I follow and it’s a little too late in the game for me to change now. So, my pledge to the people here is any vote that I make on any issue I will vote my best judgment to be in the interest of the community in general and my constituents particularly.”
“Legislator Brandt had the distinct pleasure of being sworn in by his daughter,” said Legislature Chairman Fred Beardsley. “I thought that was pretty unique.”
Just before his first official vote, Brandt quipped to the chairman that he had arranged for a short social event at a nearby restaurant following the competition of county business; “I mention that because I assume that it will hasten the process.”
“There is no way to replace an Art Ospelt. But, I know Jack will do his very best to represent his constituents with the same vigor that his predecessor did for so many years,” said Mike Backus, chair of the Oswego County Republican Committee.
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