Councilman plans to retire
Schenectady’s Kosiur to complete 30 years in government service
City Councilman Ed Kosiur, who faces claims he abused children decades ago, is retiring from his elected position and his Schenectady County job.
Kosiur would be the second council member to step down in the past week or so. Leesa Perazzo is leaving to live with her fiance in Saratoga Springs.
Some names being mentioned as possible successors to Perazzo and Kosiur include Damonni Farley, William Rivas, both active members of the community; Carl Williams, a member of the city Civilian Police Review Board; Thearse Mccalmon, who nearly upset the mayor in primary election; Haileab Samuel who serves on the Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority, and Omar Mcgill, acting chair of the county Human Rights Commission.
In a statement Tuesday, Kosiur, 65, confirmed he is leaving, saying after 30 years of government service, he considers it an honor to have served on the City Council, the county Legislature and Schenectady Board of Education, but is looking forward to spending more time with family.
Kosiur said he was proud of the reopening of the senior center and a new summer camp that provided opportunities for youths in
cluding employment.
He talked a lot about the “diverse Democratic team,” singling out current and former legislators Gary Hughes and Susan Savage for coalescing on everything from naming Ray Gillen head of the Metroplex Development Authority to the savings resulting from the county’s adoption of the Canadian prescription drug program, to his vote on the council for the casino on the former ALCO site.
The Democrat has earned a reputation as an advocate for youngsters and seniors during stints on the school board and legislature where he held leadership posts. He has also ran unsuccessfully for Assembly.
He is currently assistant to the commissioner of Social Services for Youth Development in the county Youth Bureau, according
to his Linkedin page. The job carries a $95,747 salary. Kosiur earns $14,000 for council work.
A spokeswoman for the state comptroller, where he filed paperwork, said Kosiur’s retirement application is effective Jan. 23.
Kosuir’s impending retirement comes just more than two months after a lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court in Buffalo accused Kosuir of sexually abusing two children under his care in the early 1970s. Through his attorneys, Kosuir has denied the allegations. One of the lawyers called the claims a “money grab.”
Kosiur, who was once a minor league umpire, is accused of abusing the children in suits filed in August under the state Child Victims Act. The law passed in 2019 allows suits that were once time-barred to be filed by 2021.