Schenectady

And the winner of the first annual Lyndon Baines Johnson gallbladder award ... drum roll please ... is Schenectady City Councilman Ed Kosiur.

In a few hours, the Woodlawn Democrat will receive a framed photo of the late president lifting his shirt with Kosiur's face superimposed on LBJ's, according to county attorney Chris Gardner.

He recalled how LBJ in the mid-60s liked to lift his shirt up and show reporters where he had gallbladder surgery.

And while it's a good bet Kosiur won't be doing the shirt thing, back on Monday June 9, 2014, despite being in pain, he put off having his own gallbladder surgery so that he could vote 'yes' to support Schenectady getting a casino.

A color poster for the Schenectady County Democrat Committee's inaugural 'Rolling on the River Casino Victory Party' fundraiser lauds the "great leadership" of Schenectady County Chairman Anthony Jasenski and Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy.

Below their pictures, it also gives props and mentions a special award of merit to Kosiur "for delaying emergency gallbladder surgery to vote in favor of the casino resolution. "

"It's not an annual award that we're going to give out," said McCarthy Wednesday via phone as he drove to Westchester County for a meeting.

"It was put there for humor."

McCarthy said his recollection is that Kosiur had put off the surgery for between 24 and 36 hours. Kosiur did not return a call seeking Wednesday seeking comment.

The approximately two-hour fundraiser in the banquet area of the casino is set to get under way at 5:30 p.m.

Back in 2014, the Kosiur and his colleagues on the governing body voted 5-2 in favor of the resolution backing the $330 million casino on the 60-acre former ALCO site.

The gambling hall, which opened to the public in February, is being operated by Rush Street Gaming of Chicago, which partnered with Rotterdam-based Galesi Group on Rivers Casino & Resort, a $480 million residential retail project that includes a harbor and 50-boat slip, a hotel plus apartments, and retail and commercial space.

pnelson@timesunion.com • 518-454-5347 • @apaulnelson