The Troy City Council held it's Organizational meeting January 4th. The meetings are currently held by zoom and live streamed to the City Council youtube channel where they continue to be available. This makes citizen observations quite accessible. In the last election the Council went from a majority Democrat to a majority Republican and this was reflected in all decisions. The entire City Clerk's Department was changed from previous appointments to Republican ones despite all agreeing that City Clerk Mara Drogan had done an exceptional job. The entire Council did agree to provide Mara a consultancy to train the new people. The same pattern was used to change the 5 City Marshall positions to 3 new ones despite again ignoring a request to keep one particularly well regarded one. Sue Steele as the senior member of the 3 minority members objected to the wholesale nature of these changes and Carmella Mantello, County Chair, promptly reminded her that this is what the Democrats have done when in the same position. There is a long tradition in all levels of government of the election winners taking control of many jobs and redistributing them to their supporters. A citizen might ask, does this best serve the needs of the populace? Where's the "team of rivals?"
There was one final point of agreement as this was Deputy Mayor Monica Kurzejeski's last attendance at a Council meeting as she is leaving her job with the City. All agreed that Monica has been the person to contact, who is available and who will see that problems are solved and tasks get done. She is patient and has retained a sense of humor which may be part of the secret of her survival and success.
For further details see - https://www.troyrecord.com/2022/01/08/troy-city-council-holds-first-organizational-meeting-of-2022/
or the City of Troy website - troyny.gov