FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, February 11, 2013

McCoy Appointees Confirmed

Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy is pleased to announce the confirmation of two nominees selected to fill vacant positions in his administration. Ainsley A. Thomas will serve as the county Director of Affirmative Action and Margaret Messer will serve as the countys Director of Employee Relations. The two were confirmed by the County Legislature at its monthly meeting on February 11. County Executive McCoy said that ensuring that the county has a robust Affirmative Action program in place has been a priority of the administration. I am pleased that Mr. Thomas has been confirmed by the legislature. His qualifications and experience make him uniquely qualified for this important position in my administration said McCoy. We have made significant progress in remaking county government and that will continue. I will work closely with Mr. Thomas to strengthen our recruiting efforts as we continue to ensure that the countys workforce reflects the diversity of the people of Albany County. The Director of the Affirmative Action Division serves as the countys point of contact in the following areas: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Contracting and Compliance, the Employment Referral Program and Sexual Harassment. Margaret Messer comes to the county with a wealth of experience in the area of labor relations. From 2002-2102 she served as a Director at the NYS Public Employees Federation and before that she served as Director of Family Services at Conifer Park. Ms. Messer is also a member of the United Way Board of Directors and she also served as the

coordinator of the Schoharie Rebuild Labor Coalition, which helped ensure safe housing for flood victims there. Ms. Messer has a record that demonstrates success in the area of labor relations, said McCoy. She will serve an important role in the administration as we continue our partnership with the unions who serve the taxpayers. This is an important position in the county and I am looking forward to working with her in the future. Ms. Messer will be responsible for negotiating on behalf of the county with 14 collective bargaining units representing 2,100 employees. That includes negotiations, implementation and interpretation of each of the labor agreements in the county. Thomas and Messer will start their new positions on Friday. ###

Mary Rozak Director of Communications Office of the Albany County Executive 112 State Street, Room 200 Albany, NY 12207 tel 518.447.7040 ext. 7218 fax 518.447.5589 mary.rozak@albanycounty.com www.albanycounty.com