SCHENECTADY Ely plans to stay with city district until 2012 BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Michael Goot at 395-3105 or mgoot@dailygazette.net.
School Superintendent Eric Ely is putting his house on the market, but says he isn’t leaving his position anytime soon. Ely listed his four-bedroom 1836 Oakland Ave. house with Veronica W. Lynch Inc. for $219,500. “Right now, I have a contract that runs through the end of June 2012. I plan on being the superintendent of Schenectady,” he said on Monday. The 1,360-square-foot residence has four bedrooms, two bathrooms and one partial bath. It also has a finished basement with rec room and wet bar. It was assessed at $142,700 in 2006. Ely pays more than $9,000 taxes on the property according to the listing. Ely said he is looking for smaller house than his current four-bedroom residence so it is easier for him to take care of it. “I don’t need something that big. I’m getting older,” he said. “I hit the big 5-0. I don’t want to do yard work, blow snow and those things.” He would not comment on any rumors that he has interviewed for other positions, only saying “nobody has offered me a position anywhere.” Ely has applied for positions in the past. In April 2007, Ely was a fi - nalist for a job as superintendent of the Fairfield City Schools in Ohio. Ely is originally from Ohio and said at the time he applied for the job to be closer to his parents, children and grandchildren. ...............>>>>................>>>>...........http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00901&AppName=1
By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer First published in print: Tuesday, January 12, 2010
SCHENECTADY -- The embattled city schools superintendent has placed his house on the market -- he says to find a residence that's more manageable.
Eric Ely's Oakland Avenue home is for sale. He said he wants to find a smaller house. Ely recently said he has received no job offers, but he would not confirm or deny if he's actively looking for another position. He would only say that he wouldn't turn down an opportunity if it would benefit his family.
The superintendent and district administrators have been under intense scrutiny since the February arrest of now retired facilities supervisor Steven Raucci, who is awaiting trial on charges of placing explosive devices at the homes and on the cars of people who angered him.
Raucci, who was also a CSEA unit president, has been accused of harassing co-workers and making employees campaign for school board candidates -- all under the watch of Ely and other school officials.
Ely has denied knowledge of many of Raucci's alleged actions.
Ely purchased his four-bedroom house in Sept. 2004 for $180,000 and is now asking $219,500.
Ely was a finalist for a superintendent job in his native Ohio in 2007.
SCHENECTADY Raucci statements hearing today Spring trial seen for arson suspect, jailed almost year BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter
Statements allegedly made by alleged arsonist Steven Raucci after his February 2009 arrest are to be the subject of a hearing today in court. Raucci, 61, spoke with police for two hours after he was taken into custody Feb. 20, but never gave what could be characterized as admissions, his attorney Ronald DeAngelus said Tuesday. In question is whether the statements were voluntary. Raucci, the former city schools facilities director, asked several times during the interview for help or for an attorney, DeAngelus said. The interview was recorded on video. Also at issue is another statement Raucci allegedly made related to charges in Schodack. Raucci allegedly told an officer that he didn’t need the charges read, that he already knew what they were about. Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney declined to characterize the statements Tuesday or their value to the case as a whole. Raucci was first arrested on Feb. 20 on an arson count related to a 2001 bombing at a Rotterdam residence. Charges against him have since multiplied to more than two dozen, including another serious arson count and a charge of terrorism. He has been in jail since his arrest. ...............>>>>............>>>>...............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00103&AppName=1
SCHENECTADY Raucci was calm in interrogation Justice to decide tape admissibility from day of arrest BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter
It was a calm and sometimes cordial Steven Raucci. Raucci had just been led away from Mont Pleasant Middle School in handcuffs, Feb. 20, 2009, accused of a more than seven-year-old Rotterdam bombing. The then-city schools facilities director found himself being questioned by a detective from the Rotterdam Police Department and one from the state police. The conversation lasted less than 90 minutes and Raucci said little, almost apologetic he couldn’t say more. “There’s no doubt in my mind that outside of all this, another time, another place, another planet, you and I could sit and talk,” Raucci told Rotterdam Police Detective Christopher Foster. “This isn’t the time, Chris.” The entire conversation, minus brief portions dealing with an informant, were played in Schenectady County Court for the first time Wednesday, at a hearing to determine the statements’ admissibility at trial. Raucci’s defense attorney, Ronald DeAngelus, is arguing that Raucci never consented to be questioned without a lawyer and asked for help 28 times. Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney is ar- guing that by talking to investigators after being read his Miranda rights, Raucci gave his consent. DeAngelus also provided a transcript of the interview for the court. Former Schenectady County Court Judge Michael Eidens, serving as a judicial hearing officer, is to make a recommendation on the recording’s admissibility later. Raucci never appears to make any admissions in the interview. He does touch on animosity between him and some of the central figures in the case, Hal and Deborah Gray and Ronald Kriss. “So do the Grays hate me? I don’t have a problem saying this right out loud. Do the Grays hate me? Of course they do,” Raucci told the investigators. “You know, they hate me because the husband was jealous of me, even though I took care of the husband so he could retire when he was gonna be fi red from the school district.” Among the list of charges against Raucci is repeated vandalism of the Grays’ home and property. Raucci, 61, of Niskayuna, is accused of placing explosive devices at four houses around the Capital Region, including Rotterdam and Schodack. Two of the devices exploded, but no one was injured. He is also accused of damaging the cars and homes of people who disagreed with him, slashing tires, damaging paint or windshields. The Grays reported their car being vandalized five times. Many of the individuals had ties to the Schenectady City School District or the CSEA union. Raucci was head of Local 847 of the union. Raucci has remained in custody for nearly 11 months. The trial is expected to begin in March or April. Carney has suggested that Raucci’s alleged behavior went on so long because higher ups at the school district were beholden to him. At one point in the interview, Raucci refers to a letter to the editor to be published soon where he defended city schools Superintendent Eric Ely. Ely “speaks what he has to say, a lot of people don’t like that,” Raucci told the investigators, “because he — he reminds me a little bit of me, though, with a lot more education.” ..................>>>>...............>>>>.................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00101&AppName=1
School board seat may stay open Leaders of Schenectady panel favor leaving selection up to voters
By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer First published in print: Tuesday, January 19, 2010
SCHENECTADY -- The city school board's two leaders think the vacant seat created by James Casino's resignation last week should be not be filled until May's election.
President Maxine Brisport said there isn't enough time to conduct a fair public process to find a replacement for Casino, the 10-year board veteran who quit Friday. His departure came months after widely circulated Facebook pictures showed Casino and his wife drinking with high school students last summer.............>>>>.........>>>>...........Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=890324&category=SCHENECTADY#ixzz0d45XFv2X
SCHENECTADY Carney: Withhold Raucci e-mails DA contends release could harm case BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney has joined the Schenectady City School District in its effort to block public disclosure of the contents of emails between former school district facilities chief Steven Raucci and other district employees and administrators. The Daily Gazette and the Times Union sued the district to compel it to release a report from an investigation it commissioned into Raucci’s workplace activities. The lawsuit also seeks disclosure of e-mails between Raucci and others over a period of years; many of the e-mails were compiled at Carney’s request. The suit is in state Supreme Court, Schenectady County; arguments may take place as early as this month. Raucci faces a 26-count criminal indictment charging him with planting explosive devices at the homes and on the vehicles of coworkers and others. He has also been accused of causing two explosions which were fueled by devices with roughly the power of a quarter stick of dynamite. Carney has, in court papers, said that Raucci’s actions were intended to intimidate district employees. He has also said that district supervisors supported Raucci’s authority, partly because he could ensure labor peace through his role as union president. In an affidavit filed Wednesday with the school district’s response to the newspapers’ lawsuit, Carney said e-mails between Raucci and others that prove those allegations could hurt the case..............>>>>...................>>>>.................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00103&AppName=1
SCHENECTADY Raucci trial scheduled to begin on March 1 BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter
Steven Raucci could face trial on terrorism and arson charges as early as March 1, attorneys involved in the case said Tuesday. Raucci’s attorney, Ronald DeAngelus, was notified Monday that the long-awaited trial is scheduled to begin on that day in Schenectady County Court. However, jury or other issues could still prevent the case from starting that day, court officials said. Still to be seen is how extensive pre-trial publicity will affect the case. DeAngelus said Tuesday that he is still undecided on whether he will seek to move the trial outside of Schenectady County. A decision in favor of seeking a change of venue could push back the trial. Another issue that could change the trial date is the jury pool itself. Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney said Tuesday that it is expected that 600 potential jurors could be put on notice to appear. The number is more than normal, Carney said, but he couldn’t say by how much. Those notices must be out by Feb. 10 to meet a March 1 trial date. Carney on Tuesday declined to speculate how pre-trial publicity might factor into finding a jury. Raucci, 61, of Niskayuna, is accused of placing explosive devices at four houses around the Capital Region, including in Rotterdam and Schodack. Two of the devices exploded, but no one was injured. .................>>>>...............>>>>...............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....e=1&FontSize=l1#
Judge rejects newspapers' bid to see Raucci report
By TIM O'BRIEN, Staff writer Last updated: 1:22 p.m., Friday, January 29, 2010 SCHENECTADY -- A state Supreme Court justice ruled today that the city school district does not have to disclose a report an investigator compiled after examining the workplace conduct of a former employee now charged with terrorism.
Judge Barry Kramer ruled that the report was an internal document not subject to the Freedom of Information Law, rejecting the Times Union and Daily Gazette's bid to read the document. Kramer also contended that disclosing the names and statements of witnesses interviewed about ex-buildings and grounds Supervisor Steven Raucci would warrant an invasion of their privacy. He also expressed concern the disclosure would harm Raucci's upcoming criminal trial.
The judge's decision came after oral arguments by attorneys for the district, the Times Union and the Gazette. The newspapers sued for access to the document.
"I believe the prejudice that could result from the release of this information at this time outweighs the public's right to know," Kramer said from the bench.
Andrew Rose, an attorney representing the Gazette, said the parties would need to discuss whether to appeal the judge's decision.
The Times Union and Gazette filed the suit in state Supreme Court last year.
In addition to the June investigative report done for the district, their reporters also sought e-mails between Raucci and other district employees and school board members.
The district at first denied the request and rejected appeals. It then provided a report so heavily redacted as to be unreadable, the lawsuit alleges.
Did you hear about the resignation yet? It was in all the papers-only 2 weeks later.
Wachala's appeal to State Ed has nothing to do with Kramer's ruling. Apparently he sees nothing wrong with keeping information that the taxpayers paid for away from those same taxpayers. A temporary victory for the stonewall squad. It hits the fan March 1st.
You bet they don't want the newspapers talking to raucci. The guy probably has so much incriminating evidence that people we never would think, would be an accessory!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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Did you hear about the resignation yet? It was in all the papers-only 2 weeks later.
