SCHENECTADY – A high-ranking city employee resigned Thursday, a day after being arrested and charged with possessing cocaine while on the job in a city-owned truck, according to Mayor Gary McCarthy and court documents.
Until Thursday, Floyd Slater had served as the superintendent of city trash collection, earning about $83,000 a year.
The 51-year-old pleaded not guilty Thursday in City Court to a charge of felony criminal possession of a controlled substance and official misconduct, a misdemeanor. He is scheduled to return to court on April 6, according to the court.
Though he was represented by the public defender’s office, he is expected to hire a private attorney for future court proceedings, according to Schenectady County Public Defender Stephen Signore.
The criminal complaint alleges that at 11:51 a.m. Wednesday, Slater was in possession of a “clear corner tie baggy containing an off-white chunk substance” weighing more than 500 milligrams that tested positive for cocaine.
The filing also indicts that he “did acquire cocaine during work hours” while driving a city-owned Ford F-250 pickup.
McCarthy confirmed to the Times Union that Slater tendered his resignation Wednesday, and that it took effect Thursday.
He said Floyd’s arrest was part of a “bigger operation,” but declined to elaborate.
“At this point, I’ve received a resignation from him, and I have not received a full briefing about what the other aspects of the situation or operation are,” he about.
“We periodically look at things on an ongoing basis so, certainly not happy with some of the things that we’re dealing with now, and I would expect some immediate remedial action with the Office of General Services,” he said.
This is not the first time Slater has faced accusations…
Read the full article here