The Guilderland Police Department welcomed the promotion of Roger Ginder to the rank of sergeant at a Wednesday, Dec. 17, ceremony held at the Guilderland Town Hall.
Ginder is leaving his position as a youth services officer in the Guilderland Police Department.
We’re sad to see him go. He’s very talented with the puppets, joked Police Chief Carol Lawlor, who continued in a more serious vein. `He’s well qualified for this position, and I look forward to working with him.`
Ginder sat on the standard operating procedures committee for fire dispatchers, was a past president of the CSEA dispatchers union and became a police officer in 1994.
Ginder joked that some people thought his promotion was a long time coming, while others could not understand how the department would let him achieve sergeant.
`I promise I’m going to do the best to please both sides,` Ginder said. `I am excited to be here. I am glad to be a part of the new administrative team.`
Ginder recited his oath with his two daughters at his side and family and friends turning out to support him. All those on hand watched as he playfully hesitated during the recitation of the promise to obey superior officers.
Town Supervisor Ken Runion praised Ginder for his work as an officer and said he expects more of the same from Ginder.
`I know you’re going to do a great job,` he added.
Councilman Patricia Slavick said four candidates interviewed for the job and each was qualified.
`They have a lot of dedication for our town,` she said.
Lawlor thanked the members of the review board for their effort in making the decision. The board is made up of Capt. Curtis Cox, Lt. Dan McNally, who was out of town for the ceremony, Sgt. Eric Batchelder, union representative Russel Tallman, and Democratic board members Slavick and Paul Pastore.
`They had a hard job, and they did a wonderful job,` Lawlor said.
Ginder’s promotion sparked some debate at the Tuesday, Dec. 16, Town Board meeting, when Republican Councilman Mark Grimm requested to sit on the review board overseeing promotions in the town.
He said the two Town Board liaisons for the review board should include a majority and minority member.
`There’s no minority representative on that board,` Grimm said. `How am I supposed to judge how fair the process is if I can’t sit in on it?`
Grimm called it an example of `closed government,` but noted he has nothing against Ginder, whose promotion he voted in favor of at the Town Board meeting.
`[Runion] has no right to shut off the minority,` Grimm said.
Grimm said he would be willing to sit in on the review board meetings in addition to Pastore and Slavick if he does not take their place.
Runion said the board liaisons are dictated by seniority, and Grimm will not qualify for the position until he is the senior or second-most senior board member.
`It’s always been the process,` Runion said. `I have no intention of changing the process.`
Runion also said that more than two members cannot sit on the board, otherwise it would constitute a public meeting, requiring notice to be made to the public and the media every time they met. He said a full board meeting is done when a department head is appointed, but civil service employees generally do not require the entire board.
`If you did it for every hire, it would be a cumbersome process. You would never get anything done,` Runion said.
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