A Glenville town justice has turned in his resignation, effective next month, so that he can focus on his private practice and spend more time with his family.
Judge Brian Mercy said Friday that the demands of the part-time justice post with its middle-of-the-night calls interfered too much with his young family.
His four-year term would have expired at the end of this year. He had previously informed officials he would not seek re-election, he said.
Glenville has two town justice posts. Holding the other position is Paul Davenport.
With the resignation, town officials announced they are seeking applications to fill the post through the end of the year. The position will be filled by the Town Board.
Letters of interest and résumés should be submitted to Town Supervisor Chris Koetzle at Town Hall, 18 Glenridge Road, Glenville, NY, 12302 or by email at [email protected].
To help make the choice, Koetzle formed a search committee chaired by Councilwoman Gina Wierzbowski and Councilman John Pytlovany. The town attorney, police chief and deputy supervisor are also on the committee.
Applicants will be notified if the committee wishes to interview them, officials said.
Applications are due by the close of business Friday.
The part-time town justice post pays about $25,000 a year.
Mercy works in the county conflict defender’s office and has a private practice focusing on criminal defense and general practice. He said he chose to turn in his resignation now because it became too much of a commitment for him.
He and his wife have a 18-month-old son and the justice post often pulled him away in the middle of the night or in the middle of other commitments.
“He sleeps through the night,” Mercy said of his son, “but police don’t.”
Mercy’s wife is an attorney, also.
“It was difficult before we had our son and it’s just been that much more difficult with a youngster,” he said.
Unlike police in Schenectady, he said, towns don’t have holding areas for prisoners to wait to be arraigned until the morning.
Mercy said he turned in his letter of resignation Thursday. He will remain on duty until at least June 5, time enough to get a replacement onto the bench.
He was previously also village justice in Scotia, but did not continue in that post after last year for the same reasons.
Categories: -News-, Schenectady County
