Week in review - 7/25

Former New York State Senator Joe Bruno took over as chief executive officer of CMA Consulting on Tuesday.

CMA Consulting, located in Latham, is a 410-employee computer programming and services company. The firm’s former CEO, Kay Stafford, recently promoted herself to president and chairman - allowing the company to stay under control of former Sen. Ronald Stafford.

Bruno’s executive assistant, Amy Leitch, is the only member of his staff that will join him at the firm.

Bruno’s announcement comes just four days after his decision to leave the state Senate after 32 years of service.

Former Saratoga Springs school bus driver pleads guilty to charges of sexual abuse

A former Saratoga Springs city school bus driver pleaded guilty to charges of sexually abusing three different area youths on Thursday, July 17.

Douglas Conrad, 35, was charged with six counts of abuse in Saratoga Springs and similar charges in Mechanicville. He pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree sexual abuse, all class-A misdemeanors, in February and March. He is scheduled to be sentenced in City Court at 9 a.m. on Sept. 18 and will face similar charges in Mechanicville on July 23.

Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III has stated that he expects Conrad to receive a 60-day sentence in Saratoga County Jail and six years of post-release probation. Conrad will also be listed under Megan’s Law, which will permanently list his name as a registered sex offender. The victims and families will also be granted a permanent order of protection against Conrad.

Conrad previously was employed by the Saratoga Springs School District as a bus driver between 2004 and February 2008 - he resigned after his arrest. Conrad admitted to sexual abusing his victims between April and December of 2007. Each incident of sexual abuse occurred at Conrad’s home or the victims home. Conrad's uncle and roommate, James E. Wiley, 60, currently faces felony sexual abuse charges. His case is still pending.

Bank robber receives 10-year sentence

A man who robbed a Saratoga Springs bank in June of 2007 was sentenced on Thursday, July 17 to 10 years in a state prison.

Michael G. Suprenant, of 130 ½ Broadway, Lot 10, robbed the Saratoga National Bank, located across the street from his home, when he entered the bank and handed the teller a note indicating that he had a gun. Suprenant then fled the bank on foot with a plastic bag containing $12,850.

He was arrested shortly after the robbery when he was spotted in a cab outside the Saratoga Diner. Police found $3,000 of bank wrapped cash in his possession. No gun was ever recovered and police discovered the remaining amount of money in his Broadway home.

Suprenant pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery in May. He will serve a minimum sentence of 8 ½ years of the 10-year sentence in a state prison and will face 5 years of parole after he is released.

Supreme Court rules in favor of easement on lands in water line route

The Saratoga County Water Authority received permanent easements on a dozen disputed properties, where they intend to run a water line from Moreau to Malta, by a state Supreme Court judge, on Monday, July 21.

Judge Thomas D. Nolan Jr. had previously ordered temporary easements on the properties in April, so contractors could enter the properties. About 140 homes will need to be accessed by construction crews to complete the 28-mile pipeline. The authority reached agreements with most of the 140 homeowners out of court, but a dozen other homeowners decided to fight in court for more money. The court order will allow contractors to take the easements, but it does not resolve the issue of how much they will have to pay landowners under eminent domain law.

The $67 million project intends to bring water from the Hudson River to the Luther Forest Technology Campus, in order to support the future Advanced Micro Devices computer chip factory. The pipeline is already under construction and is scheduled for completion in late 2009.

Former public safety employee serves city notice after alleged improper jailing

A former Saratoga Springs firefighter who has had numerous run-ins with the law in recent years might sue the city due to the poor conditions present in the city's police department.

Wayne Lis, 53, also a former city police officer, served the city with a notice of claim last week, citing that he was improperly detained in the police station.

The notice of claim has not yet been filed in city or county courts, but it does give Lis the right to sue at a later date.

The 122-year-old Saratoga Springs Police Department located in City Hall has recently been a point of debate among city officials. For years, Commissioner of Public Safety Ron Kim has been fighting to get a new public safety facility built in the city. His most recent proposals have included two different options with $9.7 million and $11.7 million price tags on them. The city has yet to bond the money for the approval of the building of the new police station.

Schumer: AMD still intends to build after posting more than a billion in losses

After posting $1.19 billion in second quarter losses Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) still intends to build a $3.2 billion micro-chip factor in Malta, Sen. Chuck Schumer announced on Friday.

Schumer said AMD’s new CEO Dirk Meyer and Executive Chairman Hector Ruiz have assured him that the company still intends to build.

“They both told me that they’d be working together at the hip, and that's good news to ensure there is a smooth transition and an ongoing commitment to Luther Forest,” Schumer said in a written statement.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos also received assurance from Ruiz on Friday.

“Even though Dr. Ruiz is stepping down as CEO, he told me he is staying on as chairman of the board and will be completely focused on manufacturing projects, including the planned chip fab facility in Saratoga County,” Skelos said in a statement.

New York State has offered AMD $1.2 billion in incentives to build a computer chip factory at Luther Forest Technology Park in Malta.

The plant is expected to employ 1,200 people and could potentially create thousands of more jobs through the building of the plant and population growth.