Rensselaer County Legislature - Minority Office

05/18/2026

Legislators Mary Frances Sabo and Ken Zalewski represented the Democratic caucus at HVCC's 72nd Commencement Ceremony. Legislator Zalewski attended the School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics ceremony, and Legislator Sabo attended the School of Business and Liberal Arts ceremony.

05/16/2026

Monthly Report – May 2026

Rensselaer County residents deserve a government that is transparent, accessible, and responsive to the people it serves. For years, community members and the Minority legislators have urged the Republican Majority to record and promptly post the monthly Public Forum on the county website and YouTube channel. Despite the fact that our new Legislative Chambers at 99 Troy Road are equipped with modern audiovisual technology, the public has continued to face delayed postings and poor quality video recordings.

The demand for livestreaming has been clear and consistent. Municipalities across our county — including East Greenbush, North Greenbush, Schodack, and Sand Lake — have been
livestreaming their meetings for years. Rensselaer County should not be lagging behind when the tools for transparency are already in place.

In May, the Minority caucus introduced Resolution G/24 to hire a livestreaming service for approximately $300 per month, covering unlimited county meetings. This is a simple, affordable, and commonsense step toward modernizing public access. Unfortunately, the resolution was tabled, with the Majority citing the need to explore how other counties handle livestreaming or
whether additional vendors exist.

At the May 12 Regular Meeting, Legislator Sabo expressed disappointment at the continued delays. Residents should not have to wait for basic transparency, especially when the cost is minimal and the technology is ready to use. The public deserves better than excuses.

However, we are encouraged that Legislators Ken Herrington and Tom Grant have now expressed support for moving forward, saying, “Let’s do it.” Their willingness to act is a positive sign, and we are cautiously optimistic that the county will finally take meaningful steps to implement livestreaming.

The Minority caucus remains committed to ensuring that every resident has real-time access to their government. We look forward to seeing when — and how — this long overdue modernization will be put into practice.

NEXT MEETING – Tuesday, June 9, 2026 in the Rensselaer County Chambers located at 99 Troy Road, East Greenbush, NY.

PUBLIC FORUM – Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.

Residents are welcome to contact our office at 518 270-2890.

05/15/2026

05/12/2026

05/09/2026

Legislator Ken Zalewski attended the grand opening of Body and Soul Boutique on 4th Street in downtown Troy. He and Assemblyman John McDonald received a tour of the space and learned about various wellness offerings. Congratulations to Taqiyyah and Agnes!

05/08/2026

May 7, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GOP Majority says NO to Livestreaming of Public Meetings

“Rensselaer County residents deserve open, transparent, and accessible government. In 2026, livestreaming legislative meetings should be viewed as a basic public service that allows taxpayers,
seniors, working families, people with disabilities, and residents who cannot travel to East Greenbush the opportunity to observe their government in action in real time,” stated District 2 Legislator Mary Frances Sabo.

Currently, the Rensselaer County Republican majority relies on recorded video of meetings that is often poor in quality, difficult to hear, and not easily accessible for meaningful public viewing or reviewing.

Many of our Towns throughout the county and surrounding region have already modernized their technology and successfully live stream meetings as a standard practice. East Greenbush, North
Greenbush, Schodack, and Sand Lake all utilize livestreaming services, demonstrating that this technology is both practical and affordable.

On Wednesday, May 6, the Republican majority on the Finance Committee voted to table a resolution (G/24) introduced and sponsored by District 2 Legislator Sabo that would have authorized livestreaming services for approximately $300 per month. The reasons provided for delaying the resolution — exploring how Albany County handles livestreaming or whether other vendors exist — fail to justify postponing a long-overdue improvement in government transparency. “The proposed contract falls well below
competitive bidding thresholds, and if the county had the ability or willingness to effectively provide this service in-house, it likely would have done so years ago. Most of our Towns have provided this service for more than a decade,” stated Sabo.

Residents have complained about the poor quality of the taped video and many have repeatedly asked for live-streaming access for years. Public comments during Wednesday’s Public Forum made it clear that community support exists. The public can easily observe proceedings, hear debates clearly, and remain informed without barriers. “Live-streaming meetings would increase civic engagement, improve accountability, and demonstrate that county government values openness and public participation,” stated Sabo.

“Rensselaer County should stop delaying modernization efforts and move forward with live-streaming legislative meetings immediately - anything less is just an excuse to continue doing business out of the
public’s eye.”

04/26/2026

Legislators Ken Zalewski and Carole Weaver were on hand to celebrate the opening of Bevy Vintage Collective in downtown Troy. They presented owner Sarah Minguela with a certificate from the County Legislature. We wish Sarah all the best and thank her for investing in Troy!

04/21/2026

Deputy Minority Leader Nina Nichols presented a resolution to commemorate the life and legacy of Joe Fama, former executive director of the Troy Architectural Program (TAP Inc.). Joe's wife Barbara and current TAP Executive Director Barb Nelson provided their own perspectives on his contributions and lasting impact to the City of Troy and the entire region.

04/16/2026

Summary of Legislative Actions – Regular Meeting of April 14, 2026

At the April 14 Regular Meeting, the legislature unanimously voted in Special Rules to table three resolutions that had previously passed in committee:

* G/136/26 and G/137/26 – Siemens renovation and change orders totaling $614,701
* G/148/26 – Culvert repair at CR 144 (Vanderheyden Reservoir) totaling $ 349,322

During committee discussions, department heads confirmed that the work associated with these resolutions had already been completed prior to legislative authorization, which is a direct
violation of county procedures. Under county rules, no work may begin until it has been formally approved by the legislature, prompting the unanimous decision to table the items.

Local Laws Tabled for Further Review

Two proposed Local Laws were also tabled to allow for additional discussion:

* LL-T2 – Opt-out of Section 447, NYS Real Property Law, which would otherwise require the county to create a registration and regulatory system for short term rentals (less than 30 consecutive days) and collect occupancy tax.
* LL-T3 – Opt-out of Section 487, NYS Real Property Tax Law, which provides tax exemptions for certain renewable energy systems, including solar, wind, and farm waste energy projects.

Legislators engaged in extensive dialogue, but several questions remain unresolved. Both proposals will return for deeper examination of their potential benefits and drawbacks.

Resolution Approved

P/191/26, sponsored by District 6 Legislator Lark Rutecki, was unanimously approved. This resolution supports the Student Safety, Parent Notification, and Transparency Act (NYS Assembly Bill A.9592). Legislator Rutecki brought this forward after a Times Union report described children being placed in wooden “time out” boxes in response to disruptive behavior. According to the
reporting, these boxes were used as a form of isolation, raising concerns about student safety, oversight, and the treatment of children with disabilities. Rutecki also referenced personal experience as part of the motivation for the resolution.

Recognitions and Honors

The Minority Legislators also issued several recognitions:

* Honored the life and legacy of Joe Fama, preservationist of historic architecture and founder of TAP in Troy, NY, who passed away on January 27, 2026.
* Celebrated the retirement of Leroy Crosier, North Greenbush 911 dispatcher, after many years of dedicated service.
* Recognized two new Eagle Scouts, Matthias Bullough and Nathaniel Kole, for earning Scouting’s highest rank.

NEXT MEETING – Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in the Rensselaer County Chambers located at 99 Troy Road, East Greenbush, NY.

PUBLIC FORUM – Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.

Residents are welcome to contact our office at 518 270-2890.