CLEVELAND, September 2 — Brother John G. Brodnick, BLET Division 382 (Buffalo, N.Y.), was elected Chairman of the New York State Legislative Board at its quadrennial meeting in Boston, Mass., on July 26, 2015.
Brother Brodnick was elected to the office of 1st Vice Chairman at the Board””s quadrennial meeting in August of 2011. A CSX locomotive engineer, Brother Brodnick serves Division 382 as Legislative Representative and he first joined the BLET in July of 1998. He hired out in 1995 and earned promotion to engineer in 1996.
William J. Fleischmann, Division 752 (Rensselaer, N.Y.), was elected by acclamation to serve as 1st Vice Chairman. Jay J. Carhart, Division 169 (Syracuse, N.Y.), was elected 2nd Vice Chairman. Reelected by acclamation were: Secretary-Treasurer James M. Libruk, Division 867 (Greenbush, N.Y.); and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Rick Jordan, Division 269 (Jamaica/ Long Island, N.Y.).
Chairman Brodnick said that delegates wanted the composition of the Board to reflect the interests of members who work in freight as well as passenger service. First Vice Chairman Fleischmann is an Amtrak engineer and Alternate S-T Jordan is a Long Island Rail Road engineer, while Chairman Brodnick and 2nd Vice Chairman Carhart are both CSX engineers.
Elected to the Executive Board were: Rick Jordan, Division 269; Brian R. Burns, Division 87 (Green Island, N.Y.); Theodore J. Podosek Sr., Division 895 (Buffalo, N.Y.); John M. Ostrander, Division 169 (Syracuse, N.Y.); and Dustin J. Deubell, Division 659 (Buffalo, N.Y.).
Elected by acclamation to the Audit Committee were: Michael J. Wickham, Division 46 (Albany, N.Y.); Brian R. Burns, Division 87 (Green Island, N.Y.); and David Kearsing, Division 46 (Albany, N.Y.).
Speakers at the meeting included: BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce; Vice President and National Legislative Representative John P. Tolman; and Amtrak General Chairman Mark Kenny. Also in attendance was BLET National Vice President Jim Louis, former Chairman of the New York State Legislative Board.
“I offer my congratulations to Brother Brodnick and all members of the New York State Legislative Board,” President Pierce said. “I know they will do a fine job representing the best interests of our members in the Empire State. I also wish to recognize and thank Brother Dave Kearsing for his service as Chairman and his continuing involvement with the Brotherhood.”
Chairman Brodnick said: “Our delegates and officers would like to offer Brother Dave Kearsing, our outgoing Chairman, a debt of gratitude for his honorable service to the New York State Legislative Board. His time and commitment over the past five years to our membership has been an immense contribution to the success of the Board.”
Brother Kearsing was elected 1st Vice Chairman at the Board’s 2007 quadrennial, and then began serving as Chairman in July of 2010, filling the office vacated by outgoing Chairman James P. Louis. He was then elected Chairman at the Board’s quadrennial meeting in 2011.
The New York State Legislative Board represents 15 Local Divisions and approximately 2,500 active and retired members throughout New York, including both freight and passenger lines.