Chief Tedesco: Investigation was quashed

TEDESCO

Appearing on Talk1300 Sunday, Troy Police Chief John Tedesco said the investigation into his release of a letter confirming that excessive force was used during a 2012 arrest has been quashed.

He did go before Internal Affairs and said he was asked to answer three questions: “Did you release the letter,” “have you released such letters before” and “have you released such letters since.” The answers to all three were a simple “yes.”

But, he said, at the direction of Police Commissioner Anthony Magnetto, that’s as far as it went and is now over.

MAGNETTO

I suppose you could look at it two ways: IA determined Tedesco acted appropriately and therefore no further action is necessary; or calling Tedesco in for questioning by those with less rank was just a way to embarrass the chief and, with that objective accomplished, there is no need to proceed. If it’s the first, there should be a written determination and it should be public. If it’s the latter, then Tedesco and his attorney Brian Premo certainly have a gripe.

Just some quick background: FrankFogarty was arrested by Officer Kyle Jones for disorderly conduct in December of 2012. Fogarty claimed Jones used excessive force, an IA investigation found it a valid complaint and told Tedesco as much. Tedesco, in turn, released a letter outlining the IA findings to Jones. Here is where it gets kind of sticky. The Police Benevolent Association filed a complaint against Tedesco for releasing the letter too soon. But, there is a question whether Jones knew about the complaint or if it was filed on his behalf by the PBA. I don’t really understand the significance of that because the PBA represents Jones but the chief – and Premo (pictured right), who is expected to file another letter this week – thinks it’s a pretty big deal.

In other news involving the chaos that is the Troy Police Department hierarchy:

-The Times Union is reporting that the chief wants to retain his own lawyer in a civil suit brought by Brian Houle against the city, the TPD and Tedesco. Houle alleges Jones used excessive while placing him under arrest in 2012. That arrest followed an argument Jones and Houle got into on Facebook about, of all things, the definition of a hero. The Council will have to determine whether or not it will pay for a separate attorney for the chief.

-The chief said he still just wants to be chief. With Police Commissioner Anthony Magnetto heading back into retirement, Mayor Lou Rosamilia (pictured left) could opt to not appoint either a police or public safety commissioner and work with Tedesco towards the common objective of safety. Given the mudslinging back and forth, however, it will take a lot of work on both their parts. Not impossible, and it means most of the crap will likely go away, but it won’t be easy for either one of them to man up and meet somewhere in the middle.

-Tedesco, also on Talk1300, said he hopes the Council votes down the PBA contract that was recently ratified by union members.

-Magnetto is looking forward to doing some fishing. I’d say he wins.

 

Troy PBA ratifies contract for 2011 and 2012

FITZGERALD

Members of the Troy Police Benevolent Association ratified a contract that includes a 2 percent retroactive raise for 2011 and a 0 percent raise in 2012, according to President Bob Fitzgerald.

Other major provisions in the contract, that now has to be approved by the city Council, include:

-An addition week of vacation time for junior members, which equals about half the police force.

-A $300, one-time bonus for any officer working in 2012.

-$300 off the premium for anyone opting to use the dental insurance after retirement

-And rank-for-rank substitution for patrolmen and sergeants when there is a vacancy on any given shift.

“He truly respects the membership and that came through in the negotiating process,” Fitzgerald said of Mayor Lou Rosamilia. “But he made clear the city didn’t have the means to offer anything more than the 2 percent, and that he was not going to put it on the taxpayers’ backs.”

Fitzgerald said the contract was ratified by some 80 percent of the membership.

As with any contract, raises are a sticking point and one way the two sides agreed upon the 0 percent in 2012 was with the $300 bonus for all officers working during that year. Fitzgerald it is not unlike the city’s deal with the Uniformed Firefighters Association and the Command Officer’s Associations of Troy, the union representing police department captains.

The added week vacation, Fitzgerald said, is a partial give back from some 15 years ago when the city was in such financial distress that it was almost forced to declare bankruptcy. At that time, the vacation time for new hires was set at five weeks but was reduced to two during negotiations. While the out of pocket cost for the city didn’t change, it did save money by not having to fill the vacancies created by vacationing officers with others on overtime.

The rank-to-rank provision requires that a sergeant be called in or assigned should there be a vacancy on any shift that requires a sergeant. Under the current agreement, a patrolman could act as a sergeant making sergeant’s wages - plus any applicable overtime based on those wages - for that particular shit. Similarly, if a there is a slot for a patrolman vacant, it can only be filled by another patrolman and not a sergeant making patrolman’s wages and any overtime.

Chief John Tedesco said he was left out of the negotiations and the city was instead represented by Police Commissioner Tony Magnetto and Deputy Mayor Pete Ryan. The chief said, without seeing the actual document, the contract sounded like a “giveaway to the PBA.” In particular, he said the rank-to-rank substitution and an additional week vacation for such a large block of officers will cause an undue increase in overtime. 

Fitzgerald said he would still be the point man in future negotiations even though he announced he would retire sometime this year.

The Council could address the contract as early as next month’s regular meeting.

Magnetto stepping down; now what?

MAGNETTO

As widely expected, Police Commissioner Anthony Magnetto is stepping down next month. And what happens next is anyone’s guess.

If I had to wager, I’d bet Mayor Lou Rosamilia just gives Police Chief John Tedesco his powers and duties back and everyone goes on their merry way. It would be the easiest way out, and according to the charter Rosamilia, or any mayor, as chief executive officer, can already tell the chief what he wants done anyway.

The Charter defines part of the mayor’s duties as: “To exercise supervision and control over all executive departments of city government, such departments comprising a Department of Finance, a Department of Law, A Department of Public Safety, a Department of Public Works, a Department of Public utilities and a Department of Parks and Recreation.”

TEDESCO

Now, I may not be an attorney, but that tells me that if the mayor wants police officers to dress in clown suits and blow whistles at bad guys, he has that right. Or, more practically speaking, he could order the chief to reinstate the SOS, the ERT or any other program he sees fit.

As I’ve mentioned, the chief is Civil Service protected so the mayor can’t unilaterally fire him but he can dismiss him for cause. For example, if the chief ignores the mayor’s abovementioned fictional directive and orders officers to dress in blue and carry guns rather than clown outfits and whistles, it’s insubordination and that’s grounds for dismissal.

Rather than exercise that basic tenet of the charter, the mayor brought in Magnetto as a $30,000 buffer between himself and the chief. (As an aside, since I’ve mentioned it before, former Mayor Mark Pattison did the same thing when he appointed Mark Whitman over Chief Bill Miller but I understand there was some pretty deep politics behind that appointment. Also, the mayor may not have any experience in running a police department, but that’s why you have a chief.)

Anyway, the legal crux of Tedesco’s threatened lawsuit against the city is the appointment of a Magnetto because the charter indicates that in order for the city to hire a police commissioner it must first hire a public safety commissioner to oversee the police and fire departments as well as the Bureau of Weights and Measures and the Bureau of Emergency Communications. Obviously there isn’t a public safety commissioner so the appointment of only a police commissioner is suspect. Also, while there is $30,000 in the budget for a police commissioner, it's unclear where the city would find much more - like in the $100,000 range - to hire a public safety commissioner and then get the Council to approve the expenditure.

While that may be the legal thrust of the lawsuit nothing is that clear cut in Troy and this is no exception. On the periphery, as outlined in a number of scathing letters by Tedesco’s attorney Brian Premo, is a brutality claim substantiated by Internal Affairs, a letter released by the chief to the victim of the excessive force, underlings investigating the chief for releasing the letter, a visit by the FBI to the TPD and the politics behind Magnetto’s appointment.

All that is at least two or three posts in and of themselves but in the end, practically speaking, the driving forces behind Magnetto’s appoint to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Police Department – namely Councilwoman Nina Nichols, Councilman Kevin McGrath and Police Benevolent Association President Bob Fitzgerald – are all gone or on their way out. Because of that, and I would assume the desire to avoid escalating the chaos, my money is on Rosamilia allowing the chief to do his job, albeit at his direction, which is how it should have been from the get go.

Troy Council minority will likely get its counsel

GORDON

It doesn’t appear hiring a lawyer for the two minority Troy Council members is dead yet.

Councilman Jim Gordon, R-District 1, said he and Councilman Dean Bodnar, R-District 3, will discuss the matter with Mayor Lou Rosamilia in an effort to find the $15,000 necessary to pay attorney Kelly Cramer.

KOPKA

There was some confusion at the first Council meeting earlier this month as to how to pay the salary. It is, after all, the first time the minority opted to take advantage of a section of the Charter that was changed to allow the hire in 2009. But, it’s also the first time members of the minority were given committees to chair so the need for an attorney to draw up legislation is there, Gordon said.

While the Times Union indicated the matter never came up for a vote, it said President Rodney Wiltshire did not have the majority five votes necessary to allocate the money. Two members – Lynn Kopka, D-At Large, and Gary Galuski, D- District 6 - asked where the money would come from. A legitimate question, it appears nobody really had the answer to.

I don’t see how Rosamilia can do anything but find the money somewhere since the position is in the Charter so the minority will likely get its counsel. But, since there was not a line item allocating the salary in this year’s budget, the mayor will have to find the money and then ask the Council to formally transfer it. The amount, according to the Charter, is the same as the majority counsel, $15,000, who is now Joe Liccardi.

I’ve gone back and forth on the need for the minority attorney since I first heard it discussed back in the 90s when Republican Carmella Mantello was the vocal opposition. On the one hand, the minority should have legal expertise in the spirit of a true two-party system. On the other, the corporation counsel is supposed to work for the entire Council so, in a perfect world, the minority has access to that office. It’s hardly ever a perfect world, however, and the corporation counsel is hired by the mayor and knows who to thank for a paycheck.

While it was nothing more than a discussion for years, by a local law that largely flew under the radar then President Clement “Chappy” Campana, a Democrat, successfully steered through an amendment to the charter allowing the appointment in 2009. It was vetoed by then Republican Mayor Harry Tutunjian, and the Council eventually overrode. Tutunjian and Campana, in an odd spirit of bipartisanship since they’ve never had that great of a relationship, both spoke against the hire and/or procedure at the meeting earlier this month.

The fact the salary was questioned, however legitimate, is another indication of the divide between the majority caucus. Whiltshire (pictured above) should have known about the transfer of funds but there is a learning curve with any new president. I also suppose the Council could have just OKed the salary and put the onus on Rosamilia to find the money and then formally transfer it later but that didn’t happen. While it wasn’t all out animosity, it was a sign that people of both parties are going to be watching every move Wiltshire makes.

 

 

The correct agenda, email fun and the minority gets an attorney (UPDATED)

It has come to my attention the wrong agenda was actually sent to City Clerk Karla Guererri by Council President Rodney Wiltshire so she went ahead and sent it to the entire Council, as is part of her job. (I initially blamed Guererri for sending out the wrong agenda and then was told it should have been sent to Wiltshire for approval before the entire Council. Then I was told Wiltshire sent it to her with the expectation of sending it to the Council. I'm not sure where the wires got crossed but the fact remains the Council got the wrong agenda.)

WILTSHIRE

This morning, while trying to correct the post I wrote last night on the wrong agenda, I inadvertently deleted it in Blogger and did not have time to go back and modify the original in Word before going on the radio. Anyway, more on that later since the committee chairs really did not change at all. 

 A couple things stand out in the correct agenda: One is the Council is poised to hire an attorney for the two-member minority at a cost of $15,000; the second is the appointment of Lucille Taylor as deputy city clerk, which has at least one member projecting possible ulterior motives.

I’m not sure who Taylor is, but Councilwoman Lynn Kopka, D-At Large, who used to be president, sent an email to former Councilman Mark McGrath, R-District 2, stating that she is a friend of Councilwoman Anastasia Robertson, D-District 2, and the appointment was a way for Council President Rodney Wiltshire to buy her off.

“I think a friend of Anastasia – bought off with the appointment??,” Kopka (pictured right) wrote in an email that can be seen below. She then wrote to someone, likely Guererri, that Taylor’s voting records should be checked and gave her address. Kopka and McGrath - or at least McGrath - also had a laugh over Taylor’s resume, which can also be seen below. Others on the Council who got the wrong agenda reached out to Wiltshire too with a sense of bewilderment.

Also, the deputy city clerk position and its $40,000 salary were initially supposed to go to Lou Schneider, the assistant city clerk who makes $27,835. Schneider, who was recruited by county Democrats to run for Legislature, will remain in his current position at his current pay.

One last thing on Guererri, she had a rough start but things have been going pretty smooth of late and her not getting re-appointed has nothing to do with job performance and everything to do with politics since she is Kopka’s girl, and Kopka is Rensselaer County Chairman Tom Wade’s girl. Council President Rodney Wiltshire, however, isn’t anyone’s house … .

Politics also brings us to hiring an attorney, Kelly Cramer, for the two-member minority caucus at the same $15,000 rate as that of the attorney for the seven-member caucus, Joe Laccardi. The idea has been talked about every two years since Republican Carmella Mantello was the vocal opposition representing District 3 some dozen years ago but the majority of either party never granted the request.

It was never granted for two reasons: one, politics 101 dictates the object of the majority is to keep the minority in the minority; and two because the charter had said the Council’s attorney represents the entire body and not just members of one party. Of course, the attorney was invariably a friend of the majority so it never worked out all that well and I can see the rationale.

The differences now in Troy are twofold: The minority and majority don’t fight with each other but members of the majority are waging war amongst themselves; and the charter was changed in 2009 calling for the hire. Though, this is the first year it followed through.

In other words, it’s $15,000 of your tax money to hire an attorney for two members of the panel Councilmen Jim Gordon, R-District 1, and Dean Bodnar, R-District 3, who seem to be getting along just fine with the other seven and even got committee chairmanships. In the end, Robertson is the only one who opted not to take a chairmanship. 

Also, according to the correct agenda, Matthew Waite will replace Lucy Larner as legislative assistant at a salary of $10,000.

Back to the top, according to the wrong agenda, Councilwoman Erin Sullivan-Teta, D-At Large, (pictured right) did not head up the Human Resources Committee. Rather, it went to Councilman Ken Zalewski, D-District 5 (pictured above.) In fact, Sullivan-Teta did not chair any committee.

That, of course, in my conspiracy theory driven brain, led me to believe that Wiltshire was “punishing” her for siding with Kopka. While it may have been wrong, it would have been a whole lot more fun if it were the right one.

The Council meets Thursday for its organizational meeting and then its first regular meeting with Wiltshire as president.  

Below is the email between Kopka and McGrath as well as Taylor’s resume

On Friday, January 3, 2014 10:53 PM, lynn kopka <lkopka@earthlink.net> wrote:

you got that right

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark McGrath
Sent: Jan 3, 2014 9:25 PM
To: lynn kopka
Subject: Re: question

Haaaa, she evidently has a hard time keeping a job!  Look at the dates. Haaa

 

Troy, NY

-

To embark on a career that will combine my educational knowledge and work experience in a way
that will provide me with the opportunity to commence working in the public or legal administration
field.

 

Legal Assistant

Persing & O'Leary, LLP

-

Latham, NY

-

September 2013 to December 2013

Responsibilities
Maintained all client case files using tickler.
Managed and maintain attorney’s calendar
Scheduled, set up and notify clients and opposing counsel of upcoming EBT’s
Notarized in house staff Affidavit of Services when necessary
Finalized documents for mailing to opposing counsel for service and court for filing
Communicated with clients and court personnel with regard to upcoming court appearances

Skills Used
Notary Public
Machine Transcription
Calendaring, scheduling,
File and case management

Administrative Assistant

NYS Dept. of Health

-

Albany, NY

-

July 2011 to August 2013

Kelly/AccuStaff
• Managed the daily operations of grant contract processing from input to approval process
• Corresponded and speak to different program representatives regarding contract information
• Maintained all incoming grant contracts and renewals for different state and municipal entities
• Managed and train incoming staff either state workers or temps with regard to Contract Management and Audit
• Audited all grant contracts to process in SFS system after full review and documentation is received
• Requested Charities Registration for all non-profit organizations, except exempt organizations
• Input multi-million dollar grant contract information into Access database, creating purchase orders,
headers & denoting encumbrance amounts for AG and OSC processing
• Followed up with program department to gather missing information to complete contract package using Lotus Notes

Legal Secretary Assistant

Friedman & Molinsek, P.C

-

June 2011 to June 2011

Transcribed legal documents using electronic Dictaphone using two monitors
• Transcribed testimony and information for use in child custody cases
• Prepared all legal documents and case files for upcoming trials
• Maintained correspondence, scanned and emailed copied documents to clients

Cashier/Sales Associate

Sears Corporation

-

September 2010 to February 2011

Greeted customers and offered credit offers, SYWR, Kid Advantage program and Sears Purchase Protection plans
• Handled cash and credit cards for purchases, payments and layaway transactions,
• Performed MMR transactions for stolen property, reporting to Loss Prevention manager

Legal Secretary/Keyboard Specialist

NYS Division of Parole

-

September 2007 to July 2010

Maintained Inmate Appeals in the legal office of the NYS Division of Parole by comparing the • information received to the information in the system using FPMS and PARMIS, Access and Excel;
• Requested and maintained inmate records for upcoming inmate appeals, or forwarded to
DCJS/AG's office or representing attorney's office as requested
• Checked parole hearing dates and input the new data to start the appeal process;
• Sent correspondence to inmates/attorneys regarding upcoming appeal deadlines;
• Opened and input briefs received as approved by either attorneys or inmates (pro se);
• Pulled files to complete appeal process, placed appropriately to be reviewed by the
Board Members for decision making; answered incoming calls accordingly and/or relayed to proper attorney

Information Tech Assistant

NYS Dept. of Corrections/Attentive

-

January 2007 to August 2007

Handled individual user access forms (IUA's) for all correctional facilities via mainframe
• and deleted and changed user access for facility users
• Answered emails to grant access needed for users who changed positions and/or facilities
• Installed Lotus Notes enabling user access, utilized Bluezone and Console to add
fileshare access; utilized a ghost program such as Citrix Applications along with Microsoft Word and Excel

Legal Secretary

Assaf & Mackenzie, LLP

-

August 2006 to December 2006

Legal Ease
• Assisted with editing all documents relative to matrimonial law, i.e., actions for divorce, agreements
• for separation/custody; asset division;
• Opened files in TIPS and maintained calendar schedules for attorneys
• Prepared welcome packets and retainer agreements as well as prepared SNW
• Prepared affidavits of service, and filed papers at several area courts
• Greeted visitors and directed them to conference room for EBT's and other client conferences
• Prepared and organized file folders for trial preparation; opened mail and directed to paralegals handling case, and handled the checks and bank deposits when necessary

Administrative Assistant

Value Options/Linium Staffing

-

April 2006 to August 2006

Filed, copied and scanned customer and client related documents into CSR folders on database
• Gathered EOB's as needed and forwarded them to correct representatives
• Assisted with the call line with overflow calls and merged client information as needed
• Ordered supplies and assisted the medical records department with overflow maintaining the files in Excel

Legal Secretary

Thuillez, Ford, Gold

-

September 2005 to February 2006

Johnson & Butler
• Transcribed, edited and finalized motions and pleadings relative to civil litigation and medical malpractice issues;
• Composed and mailed correspondence; scheduled depositions with plaintiff's attorneys, doctors, hospital personnel, correctional facilities
• Maintained contact with plaintiff's attorneys to verify requested records via subpoena duces tecum, filed motions with court via mail and calendared upcoming conferences and set up reservations for hotel stays
• Opened new files using TABS III, finalized and filed stipulation of discontinuances with court
• Maintained and pulled files for incoming mail and backup reception area when needed

 

Masters of Public Administration in Government & Policy

Grand Canyon University

August 2012

Bachelors of Science in Business Organizational Management

The Kings College

May 2005

Associates in Administrative Occupational Studies

Olean Business Institute

 

On Friday, January 3, 2014 9:19 PM, lynn kopka <lkopka@earthlink.net> wrote:

as discussed. check to see if she is a registered voter. 78 6th ave

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark McGrath
Sent: Jan 3, 2014 9:10 PM
To: lynn kopka
Subject: Re: question

What? Who is she?

 

On Friday, January 3, 2014 8:57 PM, lynn kopka <lkopka@earthlink.net> wrote:

yes. i think a friend of anatashia - bought her off with the appointment???

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark McGrath
Sent: Jan 3, 2014 8:24 PM
To: Lynn Kopka
Subject: question

Who's Lucy Taylor? Deputy clerk?

I hit delete by accident

I apologize for the last post. I was making some changes and I accidentally deleted it. I will post it again later this afternoon.

Jim

It's time to make New Year's resolutions

Happy New Year!!

As I’ve done for at least a dozen years, I will relay some New Year’s resolutions that were conveyed to me either through test messages, confidential sources, Morse Code or smoke signals. If you’ve made any resolutions or know of someone who did, feel free to add them in the comment section.

Without further ado:

-I, Mayor Lou Rosamilia, hereby resolve to hold a press conference now and again and actually answer questions. In all my years, I have never seen a mayor release a budget and not hold a press conference to explain nuances and answer the inevitable questions reporters will have.

- I, Councilwoman Lynn Kopka – I was Council president until that damn Rodney Wiltshire outmaneuvered me with the Independence Party line, – hereby resolve to not be too upset about not getting to chair the Planning Committee like I wanted and instead will focus all my time and energy on sewer and water lines in my new role as chair of the Public Utilities Committees. Damn that Wiltshire. Oh, and I hereby resolve to spay and neuter more cats … but I’ll tell you one guy I’d like to neuter.

-I, Council President Rodney Wiltshire, hereby resolve not to thumb my nose at Kopka or Rensselaer County Chair Tom Wade more than three times a week. I also resolve to stop putting foolish selfies on the internet so political opponents can use them against me.

-I, Deputy Mayor Pete Ryan, hereby resolve to get to the bottom of what the demolition on King Street was all about. Or, what I really hope is the whole thing goes away because that will make everyone’s life a whole lot easier. I also resolve to pray every day that we don’t get any more snow … that last storm was a bitch without a Department of Public Works commissioner to guide the troops.

-I, Deputy Mayor Pete Ryan, want to change my resolution and hereby resolve to talk Rosamilia into using the $30,000 we’re paying the police commissioner towards hiring a DPW commissioner because I know nothing about plowing snow.

-I, Director of Planning Bill Dunne, hereby resolve to not get into any more fights in the office, especially with city Engineer Russ Reeves who can probably clean my clock if he really wanted to. I too resolve to get to the bottom of the King Street demolition, but not until I’m no longer director of planning.

-I, Fire Chief Tom Garrett, hereby resolve to not tear down anymore buildings in the city while Reeves is out of town … and I don’t care who tells me to. I also resolve to agree to take myself out of the union so I don’t earn anymore obscene overtime.

-I Police Chief John Tedesco, hereby resolve to kiss and make up with Police Commissioner Anthony Magnetto and Mayor Rosamilia and let them control the day-to-day activity of the Police Department. OK, I’m kidding. If they don’t give me control of the TPD, I’m following through with my lawsuit.

-I, Police Commissioner Anthony Magnetto, hereby resolve to kiss and make up with Tedesco. Actually, this one has a chance of lasting because I’m going to step down sometime soon and we’re both decent guys who go way back.

-I, Police Benevolent Association President Bob Fitzgerald, will stay out of City Hall and let Tedesco do the chief’s job as he sees fit. I see this one lasting about as long as Tedesco backing off and deciding to go down without a fight.

I, Councilmen Jim Gordon and Dean Bodnar, hereby resolve to soak Wiltshire for all he’s worth since he needs our Republican votes even though he’s a Democrat.

-I, District Attorney Rich McNally, hereby resolve to do a better job as a Supreme Court judge than I did as DA.

-I, County Executive Kathy Jimino, hereby resolve to put out a press release the next time I give myself and top aides a raise rather than have it come out after the election.

-I, the local media collectively, hereby resolve to pick up on any aforementioned raises before Election Day since it was in the originally proposed budget.

-I Green Island Mayor Ellen McNulty, hereby resolve to shake things up a bit, outside of scaring some geese out of the village with an air horn, to give the media something to write about.

-I, Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver, hereby resolve to only hire interns and lower level employees who accept the fact a pat on the butt is not only a compliment, but part of their job description.

-I, former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, hereby resolve to continue to fight the federal government with all I have.

-I, former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, hereby resolve to stay out of the tabloids for a whole year. But that would mean no sex for a year. Ahhh … screw it (pun intended) … there is worse things than having my photo on the cover of The Post.

-I, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, herby resolve to get off the fence and either act like a Democrat or a Republican. It's kind of humorous I can try to be a good old boy and ride snow mobiles in upstate while passing the SAFE Act and not make a move on hyrdofracking.

-I, former DPW Commissioner Bob Mirch, hereby resolve to wear shorts for 365 days in 2014, breaking the old record of 357 days in 2013.

-I, former mayoral and Council candidate Carmella Mantello, hereby resolve to run for office again at the first opportunity.

-I, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, hereby resolve to not compare myself to outgoing Mayor Jerry Jennings. I also hereby resolve to try and figure out how I can get the rest of the world to follow suit.

-I, Rensselaer County Democratic Party Chairman Tom Wade, hereby resolve to bring the Democratic Party together under one big happy umbrella.

-We, the delusional bunch, (Clemente Campana, Michael LoPorto, Robert Martiniano among others,) collectively hereby resolve to continue to drive Wade nuts. Wiltshire and the likely Troy Council President Pro Temp Ken Zalewski also have a similar resolution.

-I, Troy Democratic Party Chairman Jack McMann, hereby resolve to pull my head out of Wade’s … never mind, this is a family blog.

-I, Jim Franco, the author of this blog, hereby resolve to get a job where I can have as much fun as I did at covering news at The Record.

-We, The Record, hereby resolve to have later deadlines to get such things as election results and sports scores in the printed version, find someone with institutional knowledge to write editorials, and update out website more than once a day.

-We, readers of The Record, collectively, hereby resolve to not cancel out subscription and even pay for the online version even though the news is a day late.

-And if the above said resolution is not possible, then continue to read my blog and check me out every Sunday morning from 10 to noon on Talk1300.