— Nicole Fay Barr

GUILDERLAND — Donald Cropsey Jr., the town’s chief building inspector and zoning administrator, was arrested by Guilderland Police on May 7 for driving while intoxicated.

Kenneth Runion, the town’s supervisor, has spoken to Cropsey about his arrest, but is not reprimanding him. Runion told The Enterprise that Cropsey used bad judgment and is remorseful.

Cropsey did not return phone calls to The Enterprise for comment.

Guilderland Police arrested Cropsey on May 7, just after midnight, at Highwood Circle and Western Avenue.

Cropsey was observed on Route 20, on the right shoulder of the road, the arrest report says. He pulled into traffic and then weaved over the solid white fog lane, the report says. He then pulled onto the right shoulder again, in the out-going, one-way lane of Highwood Circle and was stopped by police.

Cropsey failed a field sobriety test and was charged with two misdemeanors — driving while intoxicated, first offense, and driving with a blood-alcohol content of .08 percent or greater.

He is scheduled to appear in Guilderland Town Court tonight (Thursday).

When asked if Cropsey’s arrest will hurt his job, Runion said that it would not.
"This was done as part of his private life," Runion said. "It wasn’t like he was driving a town vehicle or working for the town at the time."

Two years ago, Donald Albright, the town’s chief fire inspector, was arrested for giving alcohol to three teenagers at his home. He was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and first-degree unlawfully dealing with a child.

Albright was also charged with the same two misdemeanors in April of 1993 when he allegedly bought beer for two boys, ages 15 and 16. At that time, Albright was the health and safety coordinator for Guilderland schools and he resigned soon after the arrest.

After Albright’s 2003 arrest, Runion decided that Albright should undergo an evaluation through the town’s employee-assistance program. After this, Albright returned to work; he later served 30 days in jail.
Asked why action was taken after Albright’s arrest, but not Cropsey’s, Runion said, "That’s different because his [Albright’s] arrest had concerns raised about giving alcohol to minors. We wanted to make sure he didn’t have a problem."

In Cropsey’s case, Runion said, he was driving home after having dinner somewhere.
"It was dissimilar from Albright because he wasn’t serving other people alcohol," Runion said. "It was a victimless type of offense."

Runion was surprised when he heard Cropsey was arrested, he said.
"As I told Mr. Cropsey, it was an exercise of poor judgment," he said. "He was very remorseful when he talked to me about it."

If Cropsey is convicted, it could affect his job, Runion said, because part of his duties include driving to homes and businesses to conduct building inspections.
"If he does have a conviction for DWI or driving while impaired, it could jeopardize his ability to drive a town vehicle," Runion said. "We’ll have to discuss those things."

Perhaps, he said, Cropsey will have to use his own vehicle for work-related activity.
"A lot of insurance companies have zero tolerance for alcohol-related drug convictions," and raise rates accordingly, Runion said.

The town does periodic license checks of town employees who drive town vehicles, Runion said, at the request of its insurance carrier. After Cropsey was arrested, Runion said, he ran a license check on him.
"He’s perfectly clean," Runion said.