Majority District Reports – The August meeting of the Rensselaer County Legislature began by recognizing two living veterans from Rensselaer County; Edward George Whited and Joel Abelove. Abelove, the County District Attorney, recently retired after 27 years of dedicated service.
Alana Carroll was honored as the Young Outstanding Leader of the Month. Carroll, an Averill Park High School graduate, is a scholar athlete with dozens of awards for her athleticism, scholastic achievement, and community service. She will attend Harvard in the Fall.
The Troy NY Police Cadet Post was honored for their program that trains young men and women for careers in law enforcement and other related fields. The Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County were recognized for 50 years of unwavering service to the community. The Legislature approved a resolution to “Turn the County Teal” in recognition of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.
There were two pieces of legislation that stood out on the agenda. The first was a resolution introduced by Chairman Mike Stammel, urging Governor Cuomo to reverse his directive that threatens insurance companies and banks that conduct lawful business with the National Rifle Association or other gun affiliated businesses. The Governor’s attack on the NRA has resulted in many local fish and game clubs and other businesses losing their insurance coverage.
In his comments on the floor, Majority Leader Ken Herrington said, “When the Governor singles out one type of business, and threatens to put them out of business; you have to ask yourself, “Who is next?”. The resolution passed 14-5 along party lines.
A resolution introduced by Troy Legislator Kim Ashe McPherson urged and supported the Mayor of Troy to apply for grant funding to repair the city’s pools. A last minute amendment by the minority legislators from Troy failed, and surprisingly, the minority members voted against the original resolution. It passed 14-5.
As summer winds down, don’t forget the Schaghticoke Fair during the Labor Day Weekend. It is a great way to enjoy some excitement with your family, while staying close to home. We hope to see you there. As always, we can be reached at (518) 270-2880.