New leader for City Council Margaret "Peggy" King to become president in Schenectady on Jan. 1
By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer First published: Monday, December 24, 2007
SCHENECTADY -- One of the quietest voices on the City Council is about to take over its most high-profile position.
Margaret "Peggy" King, a longtime City Council member and college administrator, will become council president Jan. 1. "I thought it's time for me to give it a try," said King, who has no competition for the post. King has served two four-year terms on the council over the last decade. She's known for having a nonconfrontational style and once drew the ire of fellow council Democrats for backing some of the decisions of former Republican Mayor Albert P. Jurczynski. King's selection ends President Mark Blanchfield's three-year tenure. Blanchfield bucked a decade-long trend in which presidents served for only two years. Last year, Blanchfield won support for an extra year amid talk that Mayor Brian U. Stratton would leave office to join Gov. Eliot Spitzer's administration. An exit by Stratton would have created a vacancy that Blanchfield, as president, could have filled. Council member Gary McCarthy, who said he started the idea of rotating the president position every two years, said getting back to the policy will "level the playing field" and make no one council person more important than another. The 64-year-old King said she approached the other six council members and asked if they would support her in the role. King, an associate dean for student development at Schenectady County Community College, said other senior members of the Council have served as president and that it was time for her to do so. She will be officially voted in as president at an organizational meeting Jan. 1. King's demeanor is a marked contrast from Blanchfield's. Political observers say Blanchfield and Stratton had cool relations throughout Blanchfield's tenure as council chief. Blanchfield also drew the ire of the public by implementing rules requiring speakers disclose topics for discussion during public comment periods at council meetings. A lawyer, Blanchfield was at times criticized for sparring with members of the public who used the public speaking sessions to question lawmakers' intentions. King said she feels implementation of Schenectady's comprehensive plan will be a big task on the council's plate for 2008. The plan not only includes a new zoning code, but goals for the city's neighborhoods. King said sprucing up neighborhoods and making them safe will require working with police and city code enforcement, as well as seeking grants for redevelopment. She also said that despite Democrats holding all the seats, there are sometimes disagreements between council members. "I'm a believer in consensus-building. There will be issues where there won't be consensus. I'm going to try to do whatever I can to get everyone on the same page," she said.
Silent Peggy King is still Council "leader". More arrogant, more anti-taxpayer than Mark. A reliable yes vote for tax increases and over spending. She also still has a seat on the horrible DSIC Bored. What business does she run?
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Silent Peggy King is still Council "leader". More arrogant, more anti-taxpayer than Mark. A reliable yes vote for tax increases and over spending. She also still has a seat on the horrible DSIC Bored. What business does she run? 
