ALBANY COUNTY — Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy was recognized on Tuesday as 2017 County Leader of the Year by American City & County magazine, a nationwide trade publication for government leaders. McCoy credited Albany County employees for their efforts on behalf of county residents and thanked them officially by naming Tuesday as Albany County Employee Appreciation Day.

McCoy said this honor reflects the quality of county government and how departments collaborate to address issues effectively. McCoy was cited for the county’s Opioid Task Force and for its Equity Agenda, an initiative created to enable county departments to better serve low-income and disenfranchised county residents.

“As always, we were inundated with highly qualified candidates this year; however, McCoy’s nomination stood head and shoulders above the others in his category,” said Derek Prall, editor of American City & County magazine, in a release from the county executive’s office.

The county opioid task force, a collaboration among the county executive and departments of Health and Mental Health, works to advance realistic solutions to the opioid crisis in Albany County. American City and County also recognized McCoy for Project Orange, a partnership involving the county, the Albany College of Pharmacy, and locally-owned drugstores that provides a way for people to dispose of unused opioid prescriptions.

The McCoy administration also issued an order in the county for a standing order for naloxone, an anti-overdose drug, allowing anyone to walk into a participating pharmacy and receive a kit. In addition, McCoy serves as co-chair of an opioid task force formed by County Executives of America, a national organization representing over 700 counties and city/counties across the nation.

McCoy’s office is working to share programs implemented by the county and provide legal advice for localities to sue opiate manufacturers and distributors for aggressive marketing or violations of state drug laws.