By PAUL KIRBY
Freeman staff
pkirby@freemanonline.com; twitter.com/PaulatFreeman

KINGSTON, N.Y. — Michael Madsen, a former Kingston alderman and Ulster County legislator, has been appointed city zoning code enforcement officer by Mayor Shayne Gallo.

Madsen said he also is  working in the city’s Office for Community Development as a housing rehabilitation specialist, a vacant position.

He said his city salary is  $29,000.

Madsen said he has taken no courses in zoning matters but thinks he is qualified for the job given his background in construction and his and time as an elected lawmaker — four two-year terms on the city’s  Common Council and one two-year term as a county legislator.

Madsen said his responsibilities as the city zoning officer will be to review plans submitted by developers to ensure they fit zoning regulations and to enforce zoning regulations when they are violated.

Madsen worked last year on the election campaign of Gallo, a fellow Democrat, an undertaking that he called a team effort by like-minded individuals.

“He (Gallo) surrounded himself with people who had the same vision ... and if some of us happen to have the expertise of doing the job and we are all on the same mission with his vision, it seems to fit like a glove,” Madsen said.

Gallo spoke similarly.

“The individuals who have been appointed to positions in the city share a similar vision and passion to make the city the model city that I have been talking about,” the mayor said on Thursday.

Gallo said Madsen will carry out the zoning enforcement duties once performed by a deputy chief in the fire department who received overtime pay for the work. Continued...

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During his time as Kingston’s Ward 9 alderman,  Madsen was a strong advocate of putting parking meters back in the city’s business districts.

Madsen also drew some negative attention when it  was reported in 2004 that he had done work on a pro shop being built at the Twaalfskill Golf Club on West O’Reilly Street even though the project had not received proper permits from the city.

At the time, Madsen said Twaalfskill officials “told me it (the permit) was up at the bar. I didn’t know if they were kidding or not.”

Also hired recently by Gallo was Jeremy Blaber, who is active in city Democratic politics and, like Madsen, worked on the mayor’s campaign.

Blaber is now a part-time parking enforcement officer for the city and is being paid an annual salary of $14,600.

Blaber said he enjoys the job because of the “interaction” with the public that it provides him.

Blaber said he’s been issuing about 50 parking tickets per day.

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