NISKAYUNA -- The Schenectady County Sheriff's Office has taken over a investigation into the physical confrontation this week between the former program coordinator of Niskayuna's senior center and her successor outside the facility.
The altercation took place Tuesday morning when Susan Leonard visited the senior center inside the Niskayuna Community Center where she had worked for eight years in August. She said she was forced out of the job.
In an interview on Wednesday, Leonard gave her account of the incident. She said she was downstairs hugging seniors, when April Steenburgh, assistant senior program coordinator, who took her place, and a male employee approached and asked her leave the Aqueduct Road facility.
Leonard said she protested and Steenburgh reluctantly told her she could finish her greetings.
"I was there to see my friends, not to upset anyone," Leonard said of her return to the center Tuesday morning. "I had been there for eight years and they became my family, and I theirs."
At one point, she said, Steenburgh announced to the group of seniors that Leonard had filed a lawsuit against the town. She told them it was not true and that she is awaiting a hearing involving the town attorney to determine if she qualifies for unemployment compensation.
When Leonard was leaving the center, she said, Steenburgh told her the police had been called and physically blocked her exit.
"She pressed her body against mine and grabbed my arm,' said Leonard, who lives in Clifton Park. She said she squeezed by Steenburgh and made it outside by a side door. It was there, said Leonard, that Steenburgh slapped her on the cheek and ears with an open hand.
"I was shocked because I had never been hit by anyone in my entire life," said Leonard, and she tried to hit Steenburgh back but the woman blocked her punch. By then, police and town Supervisor Joseph Landry had arrived.
On Thursday, an employee at the center said Steenburgh was not scheduled to return to work until Tuesday and Steenburgh did not return calls to her Niskayuna home.
She and Leonard gave sworn statements Thursday to sheriff's investigators and the case was expected to be reviewed by the district attorney's office. Police Chief John Lubrant declined comment Thursday citing the ongoing investigation. The matter was transferred to the county from Niskayuna to avoid conflicts of interest because it involves past and present town staffers.
On Thursday, Landry said Leonard's "mere presence and showing up unannounced made all the employees nervous."
"She is not a senior, she's not a resident and it was disruptive for employees and made my employees nervous because no one knows what people's motivations are today," he said.
Town Board member Liz Orzel Kasper, co-chair of the senior programs committee with Jonathan McKinney, said the whole matter is "upsetting." McKinney called for a probe into what happened and expressed concerns about the town's legal exposure.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Well this is what these local democrap bullies do. They call the cops then they assault you physically (not me, they never would want to do that, but a lady, yes) and they threaten lawsuits.
This is the Fourth Reich all over again, coming to a small town near you. Democraps HAVE TO GO! VOTE THEM ALL OUT WHERE EVER YOU ARE!
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
The ROTTERDAM SR CTR has becpme hostile in the same way...started in 2010 and even tho the head honcho was terminated, seems the Pres of Sr Assoc has carried on untrue remarks because of influence( with so-called excuse) of this person being a Senior too.....seems like this person became an overachiever and caused anguish especially in the Cafe....that definitely became a hostile environment. and the main reason this happened because of the politics and connections. This person was insubordinate to the Supervisor on many occasions. job title had to be changed because she was not qualified....trashed Town property....thought it was her ownership and personal property...
In regards to Nisky, there was nothing wrong with visiting the seniors...IT IS A PUBLIC BUILDING.... they admired and respected this person. Seems like the story changes, enter the politics. I believe the visitor....sounds like THE NEW ONE ON THE BLOCK is the same kind of person that took over that the Rotterdam Center in 2010..controlling, manipulative, and abusive with power. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VISITOR BECOMES THE PERPETRATOR.
the folks running the senior center in Rotterdam and Nisky probably just run it on guilt and feelgood oooy-gooy 'look what I did' political steping stone......HOPEFULLY THE BOOMERS ARE SMARTER....but in Rotterdam the BOOMERS are the users.....shame shame shame
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Close the senior center and make it a political boxing ring.
During campaign season you can open the ring, sell tickets for your political party and have the "sign stealers" battle the "pay to players". I'd go and see that.
Really need to get the elderly out of there...the staff is WAY too dangerous!
It doesn't become a political boxing ring....it becomes a venue for a fundraiser that was the biggest scam ever....In Rotterdam, it's who you think you know...if you don't know ..you find out who to know...and then cling for dear life.
I;ll say it again.....never an accountability for funds raised, who was the chairman....and why was it just this fundraiser for this certain person....wife employeed at the Center. dire need was the reason....NOT
In Rotterdam the seniors are not the perps, but the people involved are the BIG GUNS in the political arena since 2010...and now the candidates for election Nov 8th....all overachievers, filled with greed.
In Nisky and in Rotterdam....the seniors are used for the politicians' personal agenda....it seems the only decent place for seniors is Glenville...and they don't discriminate as to residency. That's a Community effort with genuine interest in all seniors....not just a selected few.
To have put the Nisky ex-employee into this situation was utterly wrong...the seniors love company, especially to have had this person for 8 years in their lives....reminds me that the new boss is more like Nurse Hatchett. same personality ...(One Flew Over the Coocoo's Nest)...she should be removed immediately.
Politics has become brutal and dangerous to the average citizen. .
Did anyone notice that this information has been suppressed by the Daily Gazette?
More proof of their complicity in the democrapic campaigns!
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
It doesn't become a political boxing ring....it becomes a venue for a fundraiser that was the biggest scam ever....In Rotterdam, it's who you think you know...if you don't know ..you find out who to know...and then cling for dear life.
Politics has become brutal and dangerous to the average citizen.
The older generation do comprise a HUGE portion of the voters. They are the homeowners and the taxpayers involved with the well being of their neighborhoods and towns.
It's PATHETIC that the towns would use the senior centers as political forums to push political party ideals and to give lob jobs to party associates who are violent, incompetent stooges.
This speaks to the welfare of the elderly who are victims of the single-party incompetence which has bastardized every system it becomes involved in.
Imagine being so pitiable that the SENIOR CENTER is your fiefdom and you must defend it against all invaders? The SENIOR CENTER!!! Yes, I'm yelling and using exclamation points. Because our tax dollars pay for these sick people to have this be their sick life. Worse than Jersey Shore, which you couldnot pay me to watch, but the citizenry have to pay for these senior centers! I feel bad for any seniors trying to use these places. Now they probably will be interviewed by the police, and many seniors are self conscious about their faulty memories as it is.
The Centers are stepping stones for personal agenda.....the truth about the Rotterdam Center shall be told.
Don't put the seniors down.....they are lovely people...too trusting....and manipulated into believing what they see and are told on the outside....sugar is sweet.....sh-- runs.....they are vulnerable...not weak and frail.
Close all Centers and start over with unconnected people....not politicians....but then again....how does Glenville work so well??
Oh, I wouldn't put the seniors down. The sick people are those running the place. This woman should be fired for making a scene in front of the citizens. My God.
Logged
She should take a leaf off Diane Marco's tree and sue the town. Another great example of DEM morons working together! 
