Troy

How crazy is the Troy City Council?

This crazy: Councilman Ken Zalewski says he was threatened by Councilman Gary Galuski at a meeting last week. On Saturday, Zalewski filed a complaint with the police.

"I don't want a media circus over it, and I'm not trying to make anyone look bad," Zalewski told me. "I'm documenting it for my own peace of mind. I need to protect myself."

How crazy is the Troy City Council?

This crazy: This latest incident comes as two other council members are threatening to sue Councilwoman Lynn Kopka because she seemingly accused them of taking a bribe.

So, if you're keeping score, that means that five of council's nine members are involved in remarkable internal disputes that involve either police or the courts.

Crazy, right?

The alleged threat was made Wednesday, after Galuski and Zalewski clashed in a politically charged debate over whom to appoint for an assistant city clerk's job.

Shortly after, during a break, Galuski walked over to Zalewski and spoke into his ear. Galuski then returned to his seat.

That much happened in view of the council and the audience. But most on the council apparently didn't hear what Galuski said.

According to Zalewski, Galuski said this: "If you ever embarrass me again, I'll take you out."

Zalewski says he was initially stunned as he tried to process what he'd heard. Then he responded angrily.

"Did you just threaten me?" Zalewski asked loudly, before adding, "You embarrass yourself."

Galuski didn't respond, observers said, and he didn't attend a subsequent City Council meeting. I couldn't reach him for comment Monday.

That means I didn't get a chance to ask Galuski what he might have meant. Maybe he was only suggesting that he'd take Zalewski out to lunch? OK, that's probably unlikely.

Zalewski says he left the meeting fearing for his safety. He filed a complaint with the city's ethics commission the next morning, then waited several days before reporting the incident to police.

"I really hesitated," Zalewski said. "I've never filed a police report for anything. I've never had to do anything like this."

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Zalewski says City Council President Rodney Wiltshire also heard the threat. Wiltshire could not be reached for comment.

The backdrop for the dispute, of course, is a budget crisis so severe that the state comptroller's office is warning it may strip Troy of control over its finances — and that's just one of the city's many problems.

Zalewski, though, said the incident with Galuski is not keeping him from focusing on the budget crisis and other city issues.

Councilmen Jim Gordon and Dean Bodnar — the pair threatening to sue Kopka — say much the same. They filed a notice of claim accusing Kopka of slanderous libel after she suggested, in an email, that "unions bought them off."

Gordon and Bodnar said they felt compelled to do so because of the seriousness of the allegation.

"When somebody for no reason accuses you of taking a bribe," Bodnar said, "that's just so outrageous and that's where you draw the line."

Zalewski echoed that sentiment when talking about his decision to report the incident to the police and the ethics commission.

"He cannot threaten another council member," Zalewski said. "That's where you draw the line."

Both Bodnar and Gordon attended the meeting during which the alleged threat was made.

Gordon, a Republican, described the dispute as really about a divide between the council's establishment Democrats, represented by Galuski, and those, like Zalewski, who frequently buck party demands.

"This is a purely political battle," Gordon said. "It's unfortunate that it's playing out in public."

Bodnar, meanwhile, said Galuski may have been particularly furious because Zalewski had mentioned the 2009 ballot fraud scandal. (Galuski was charged with four counts of first-degree falsifying business records, but the charges were later dropped.)

"Emotions were really high," Bodnar said. "I was kind of hoping Gary would try to smooth things out with Ken the next day, but obviously that didn't happen."

Bodnar, like Zalewski, was concerned the dispute will be another embarrassment for the council — and more evidence that internal bickering distracts members from problem solving. Still, he supported Zalewski's decision to go to the police.

"It's the kind of thing that shouldn't happen," Bodnar said of the apparent threat. "A lot of crazy things happen in this world."

Yes, and too many of them involve the Troy City Council.

cchurchill@timesunion.com • 518-454-5442 • @chris_churchill