RENSSELAERVILLE — Following accusations that a former supervisor embezzled thousands of dollars from three institutions in the town, Republican trustees are contemplating giving up their salaries for the rest of the year.

David R. Bryan, a former Rensselaerville supervisor, and a Democrat, is charged by the Albany County Sheriff’s Department with stealing from the Rensselaerville Trinity Church, the historical society, and the library. Bryan had held leadership positions in all three institutions. Police now say he has stolen approximately $180,000.

Investigators recently found a $36,000 check Bryan had written from the church to himself, Chief Deputy Craig Apple of the Albany County Sheriff’s Department told The Enterprise yesterday. The sheriff’s department has no intention to go as far back as town records during Bryan’s terms in office as supervisor, he said. He was supervisor from 1987 to 1994. The department will only investigate if instructed by the Albany County District Attorney’s Office, Apple said. State Police are investigating possible theft from the Abrookin Vo-Tech school in Albany, said Apple. Bryan was the house principal at the school.
"Where did the money go"" a Rensselaerville resident asked at last week’s town board meeting.
"Good question," replied Republican Councilwoman Myra Dorman. Dorman is now president of the Rensselaerville Library; Bryan, who had served as the library’s president, attempted suicide after being charged in April, she said.
Apple said he doesn’t consider it a suicide attempt. "It was a relatively traumatic day for him," he said, adding that Bryan was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital.
The library, except for a small amount budgeted by the town, is funded by private donations. Throughout last Thursday’s town board meeting, residents speculated about Bryan’s assets and motivation. Dorman implored residents to make donations to the small library. "Have some kindness in your heart," she said.

All records have been confiscated by police, she said. The library, located on Main Street in the Rensselaerville hamlet, is the oldest private library in New York, Dorman said. The library was originally organized in 1798 and the present library was founded in 1896.
All records have been confiscated by police, and the library is "in limbo now," Dorman said.

In response to the embezzlement, Dorman, Supervisor Jost Nickelsberg, and Robert Lansing — all Republicans — have discussed eliminating their salaries for the remainder of the year, Nickelsberg told The Enterprise. Last week, the board tabled the issue, with Nickelsberg saying the investigation is leading to allegations of more funds being stolen.

Nickelsberg told The Enterprise he doesn’t know whether the remainder of their salaries would be donated to the library, the historical society, or the church. Nickelsberg said he will earn about $6,000 for the remainder of the year, and Lansing and Dorman will make $2,000. "The number keeps growing," he said of missing funds. "We figured we would wait."
Bryan, Dorman said, "took every bloody cent we had." Bryan, as the library’s president, had been authorized to hire an accountant to administer the privately-funded library’s records, but Bryan hired him to only do payroll, Dorman said.

Hall of famers

The Rensselaerville Volunteer Hall of Fame has its first members.

Barry Cooke and planning board Chairman Allyn Wright, both who have served with the fire department and emergency medical services, were given thunderous applause last week when receiving the honors. Both began volunteering with the fire department as teenagers. Wright has been the planning board chairman for 21 years. Cooke also volunteers at his church, said Nickelsberg.
"We are very much indebted to you, and we respect you, and we thank you very, very much," said Supervisor Nickelsberg.
Nickelsberg, before presenting Cooke and Wright with awards, cited the town’s May newsletter, which includes an excerpt from George Washington’s Newburgh Address that says: "Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for I have grown not only gray, but almost blind in the service of my country."
Nickelsberg said of including the excerpt in the May newsletter, compiled by clerk Nancy Class, "We did it because it was a way of honoring all of our veterans, and other people serving the country, and also to highlight service generally. You can serve your country, I think, in a bunch of different ways: in war, as a policeman, in your town, serving your neighbors."
"Folks like Barry and Allyn have carried the country on their backs"," he said.

Other business

In other business, the town board:

— Heard from Nickelsberg that Senator Neil Breslin has secured $5,000 for a recently-ordered bus to transport children and seniors. The 14-passenger bus is being funded by private donations. To date, $13,478 has been raised for the bus, said resident Robert Bolte. who frequently volunteers for town projects; Bolte contacted Breslin’s office.

Since introducing the idea for the bus, Councilman Chase has been concerned about licensing drivers and insurance coverage. To be a certified driver, he said, you have to have a special license to strap a person with a handicap into their seat.
"I think we’re doing real good for the short time we’ve had this," said Bolte. On May 19, at noon, during Greenville Day, a bicycle ride sponsored by the Rotary will be held to raise money for the new bus;

— Heard from Marie Dermody that the line for the Board of Assessment Review should be reinstated in the budget. Prior to this year, the grievance board, with three members and a secretary, was budgeted $1,600. Last week, in a 3-2 vote split down party lines, the town board did not reinstate the budget line. Nickelsberg said earlier that planning board and zoning board of appeals members work more hours than the board of assessment review and do not receive a salary.

Democrats Sherri Pine and Gary Chase voted against the 2007 budget last fall. One of their complaints with the budget was cutting the funding from the board of assessment review.
"You may have won the battle, but you certainly haven’t won the war," Dermody said last week. Dermody, a Democrat, told The Enterprise after the meeting that she will be running for town board. "The balance of power has to change," she said. Nickelsberg "is too dictatorial," she said, and added, "Government can’t run like that."
"I’m trying very hard to run this like a business," Nickelsberg told The Enterprise this week.