ALBANY – Former Orange County Legislator Jim O’Donnell has been re-appointed by the State Senate to serve on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board as the county’s representative.
O’Donnell’s term will run through 2028, he said.
O’Donnell, a Goshen resident, has a connection to the MTA. In 1997, then-Governor George Pataki appointed him as the MTA’s Chief of Police. O’Donnell oversaw the MTA’s evacuation of New York City during the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 and the police response during the months after the attacks.
“I am happy to be reappointed by the County Executive (Steve Neuhaus),” O’Donnell said. “It means he has confidence in me. I have a lot of experience with the MTA, and I’m proud to represent the 400,000 residents of Orange County.”
MTA Board appointees are typically recommended by the county executive and must be nominated by the governor and approved by the State Senate.
“Jimmy O’Donnell and I have some political differences, but he is well-suited to represent Orange County on the MTA Board,” Senator James Skoufis (D, Orange County) said. “We are both keyed in on accountability and public safety, two focuses that remain needed at the agency. I was pleased to support his reappointment.”
The four northern counties in the MTA region, Orange, Dutchess, Putnam, and Rockland, each have only one-quarter vote on the MTA board, dubbing them the “quarter-pounders.” Westchester County, the only other county north of the City of New York, has a full vote on the board. MTA Board members set general policies and interests of the organization, including voting on major issues such as fare increases, service changes, and capital improvement projects.
O’Donnell was first appointed to the MTA Board last June. Before that, the county had not had a representative for over two years since Deputy County Executive Harry Porr resigned from the post, with more than two years left on his term.
O’Donnell, known for his tenacity, was certainly not a wallflower on the board. He made headlines in New York City tabloids last fall when he questioned Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney and other officials over their decision not to criminally charge dozens of Long Island Railroad (LIRR) employees accused of a time theft scheme.
“I will concentrate on service west of the Hudson River,” said O’Donnell, who also worked in the State Police for more than 20 years (1974-1997) with assignments that included Troop F commander and lieutenant colonel in charge of all Uniform Trooper patrol operations. “We are treated like second-class citizens, and the quarter of a vote is a joke.”
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