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Schenectady County’s Governing Bodies

When the first recorded meeting of the Schenectady County Board of Supervisors was called to order on Tuesday, October 3, 1809 the presiding officer was General William North, a leader of the opposition to the formation of the county. The supervisors for the wards and towns were chosen and North represented Duanesburg. Elected moderator, he presided until he left to take his seat in the State Assembly where he was made Speaker. He was the only Speaker of the Assembly from Schenectady County until the late Speaker, Oswald D. Heck, first wielded the gavel in 1937.
 

As Schenectady County’s population grew, the Board of Supervisors expanded to include fourteen wards. 

In 1964, The Schenectady County Charter Commission was established, to propose major modifications to the existing County charter. In 1965, Schenectady County residents voted to abolish the former of wards, supervisors, and chairmen, and to create a home rule charter providing: an appointed County Manager; a Board of Representatives elected from districts; elected district attorney, county clerk and sheriff ; appointed medical examiner and other departments; and a clearly defined budgeting program.

On January 1, 1966, the Schenectady County Board of Representatives appointed a county manger at its organizational meeting; the next day Theodore Birbilis took the oath of office as the first Schenectady County Manager. Birbilis was the former county auditor and former finance director for the City of Schenectady. 

Over the years since first enacted, Schenectady County’s Charter has undergone many amendments and modifications, as does any governing document. In 1987, The Board of Representatives became the County Legislature. The Legislature was originally comprised of fifteen members, and was reduced to thirteen members in 1991 due to shrinking population. In 2001, the Legislature was restored to its present number of fifteen members.