By JORDAN CARLEO-EVANGELIST, Staff writer Click byline for more stories by writer. Last updated: 4:44 p.m., Friday, December 28, 2007
SCHENECTADY - Michael C. Eidens has resigned his post as a Schenectady County legislator representing Scotia, Glenville and Niskayuna to avoid a conflict with his new job as a state judicial hearing officer, according to a statement from the legislature.
New York State Public Commission Eidens, a former county court judge, submitted his resignation today, legislature spokeswoman Theresa Cassiack said. It will be effective Jan 1.
Eidens, 57, was elected to a four-year term in 2005 after opting not to seek a second 10-year term as a judge.
In becoming a hearing officer for the state Unified Court System, Eidens will continue to be able to hear cases but is prevented participating in politics which would include his work on the legislature.
The legislative seat carries an annual salary of just over $14,000. It is not clear who will succeed Eidens, but in March, the legislature changed the way vacancies are filled. They are now voted on by the entire 15-member legislature, not just legislators from the same district as their departing colleague.
Including Eidens, the Democrats currently hold an 11-4 majority in the body, giving them a dominant say in who gets appointed to fill any vacancy. Republicans panned it, saying it gave Democrats sway in districts that might choose a Republican.
At the time, Eidens, supported the change.
"What's good for the county is good for all of us," he said then.
In a statement today, the legislature's chairwoman, fellow Democrat Susan Savage, said Eidens' legal expertise helped an effort to codify county laws.
Last year, Eidens unsuccessfully challenged James Tedisco, leader of the Assembly's Republican Minority, in the 110th Assembly District.
Of course Kosiur won't take this position for a tax paid salary of $14,000 when he can get the newly created position for over $50 grand!
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
Of course Kosiur won't take this position for a tax paid salary of $14,000 when he can get the newly created position for over $50 grand!
Who says he wouldn't take both, you know, like the person who heads Proctors and the person who heads Metroplex both sitting on the board.
The way things look, it may be an 11-4 Democratic majority, but I would expect that half the Democrats couldn't vote on most things going on in the county, considering their other jobs, that it would be a conflict of interests.
CONFLICT OF INTREREST???? Are you kidding? They all have a conflict of interest now. They are either on the metroplex board, the SCCC board, the SCTV board and so on.....
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
SCHENECTADY COUNTY Niskayuna legislator resigns Eidens takes job as judicial hearing officer BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
One of the two Democrats on the Schenectady County Legislature who opposed the controversial legislation restricting where sex offenders may reside resigned from the Legislature on Friday. Former Schenectady County Court Judge Michael C. Eidens of Niskayuna resigned to take a job as a judicial hearing officer. The part-time job comes with a oneyear term and pays $300 for each day worked. Each county court has a panel of judicial hearing officers who are activated as needed. The officers can also run pre-argument screening programs for the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court and are often used in divorce cases. Eidens asked the state’s Unifi ed Court System for a legal opinion on whether he could keep his position on the Legislature while serving as a judicial hearing officer. The answer was a firm no. “I will be prohibited from engaging in any form of political activity, including serving as a county legislator,” he said in a press release. “As the new session of the Legislature begins, I thought this would be the appropriate time to resign from my current position.” He did not return a call for comment on Friday. Eidens was a quiet member of the Legislature for much of his two years in office, but became well-known throughout the county this summer when he broke ranks with the Democrats to oppose residency restrictions for sex offenders. He was one of three legislators to oppose the first version of the law, which drew fire from suburban residents because the county’s sex offenders would be forced to move to rural neighborhoods. Newly released sex offenders would have to move to Duanesburg and other locations to find a home that was far enough away from schools, parks, day care centers and other areas. A second law required sex offenders who are already living in the county to move. Eidens fought the laws, saying they “were short-sighted and bad policy” that “would do nothing in my judgment to protect our children and will create an even greater risk.” He said the laws would force sex offenders to go “underground,” staying in banned areas because they couldn’t fi nd affordable housing elsewhere. He was joined in his opposition by Democrat Karen Johnson and Republican Carolina Lazzari. When the Legislature withdrew the laws and passed another version that applies only to newly released offenders, Eidens was the only legislator to still vote against the law. He said he wouldn’t support any law that would make it so difficult for sex offenders to find housing. “I believe it’s fundamentally flawed,” he said. Legislature Chairwoman Susan Savage, D-Niskayuna, did not mention his defection on that issue in her statement about his resignation. “Mike Eidens has been a valued member of the County Legislature. He did a fine job representing the people of Scotia, Glenville and Niskayuna and I will miss having him as a colleague,” she said in a press release. “His expertise in legal issues was very valuable to the County Legislature and will be missed.” Without him, the Democrats still hold a 10-4 majority. The Legislature must appoint his replacement within 45 days. When the vote is held, the entire Legislature will choose the appointee, under a recent rule-change sponsored by Eidens. Previously, the remaining legislators in the district decided who would fill the vacancy, rather than letting everyone in the Legislature have a vote. When Eidens proposed the change in March, he said it would make the appointee process “more democratic and more open,” adding, “Each one of us should have a say.” Minority Leader Robert Farley, R-Niskayuna, said then the change would allow legislators to make a crucial decision about a district they don’t represent. “This is not a Republican or Democrat issue; it’s a representation issue,” he said. The measure passed and was used less than three months later when Majority Leader Kent Gray resigned to take a job with the state. His district, consisting of Rotterdam, Duanesburg and Princetown, was the only district where Republicans had the votes to fill a vacancy. Since the entire Legislature could vote, and the Democrats hold the majority, Democrat Anthony Jasenski was easily voted in to succeed Gray. In Eidens’ case, the district could have been deadlocked if the legislators decided his successor among themselves. He leaves two Democrats and two Republicans to represent Scotia, Glenville and Niskayuna. Eidens served as Schenectady County Court judge from 1995 to 2004. During his term, he introduced Drug Court, Youth Court and Alternative Treatment Court for offenders with mental illness. He was elected to the Legislature in 2005 and was the top vote-getter in that year’s District 3 election.
Oh you can bet that they will dig into the democratic war chest and find someone. Although it would show true bi-partisanship if they appointed a rep.
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
Quoted from bumblethru: ... Although it would show true bi-partisanship if they appointed a rep.
Bumble,
Your post of ~9:30 AM must have been submitted while you were sleeping as your comment suggests that you were dreaming.
I can't understand why someone who, as has been conjectured, may be soon awarded a permanent position in county government at a salary of (up to) $85K/year plus benefits would opt instead for a part time position with a salary of $14K. I don't believe that an individual can be both a county employee and a member of the county legislature -- seems like an obvious conflict of interest. However, there are Legislators one of whom presently holds a position on the Board of Directors at the community college (SCCC) and another who is employed by Proctor's Theater, two organizations that receive funding from Schenectady County.
IF the county legislatures continue on their arrogant, dictatorship path, Kosiur will have both positions!
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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