Weather

Flood Warning expires at 11:51 AM on 5/23, issued at 3:34 PM Argyle, NY | Averill Park, NY | Berlin, NY | Buskirk, NY

School board president arrested for aggravated harassment

Reported by: Julie Tremmel

Email: julietremmel@fox23news.com

Videographer: B. DiGiovanni

Print Story

Published: 5/31/2012 11:15 pm

Updated: 6/01/2012 3:15 pm

The President of the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk School Board has been arrested for aggravated harassment.

Both Coeymans Police, and the school district have confirmed the arrest, and the Albany County District Attorney's office says the victim is the father of the school board's vice president, Joseph Tracey.

Our investigation revealed that this story is a tangled web full of 'inside baseball' information that no one is willing to share on the record just yet.

On Thursday night the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk School was buzzing with activity.

There were several events happening on campus including a ceremony for honor students, but it was Vadney's arrest for aggravated harassment that had everyone talking.

One concerned mom said, "I think that they should have a thorough investigation into the matter, and appropriate action should be taken."

Coeymans police would only confirm that Vadney had, in fact, been arrested, instead referring all questions to the Albany County District Attorney's Office. The D.A. in turn said it was cross complaints of aggravated harassment filed between Vadney, and Tracey, who is the father of the school board's vice president.

The news did not sit well with local parents.

That RCS mom again said, "I mean, people are posting on Facebook about it, other parents in the district, and everybody says the same thing, that the school district 'deserves much better' than this."

In a statement, the district said, in part: "While this charge is disturbing if true, and the situation may be unsettling to the RCS community, it is important to remember that it is only an allegation at this time. The district will remain apprised of the situation as the investigation unfolds, but no action will be taken by the board until the appropriate legal process has played out."

But some insiders say there's much more to this situation than it appears.

One man familiar with the school district, who did not want to be identified said, "I personally, knowing the people that are involved in this, feel that it is a vendetta. I don't know the details of it, but it will come out, I'm sure, in due time."

Both men are due back in court later this month to answer the aggravated harassment charges.

The school board president John Vadney will face a judge at the Ravena Village Town Court on July 13th, while the father of that school board member, Joseph Tracey is set to be in Bethlehem Town Court on July 19th.

Print Story

5 Comment(s)

Comments: Show | Hide

Here are the most recent story comments.View All

The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of FOX23 News.

rbenham - 6/2/2012 8:17 PM

0 Votes

Report User

I think people are starting to connect the dots with this family and their tactics, whether it's the neighbors up in Elizabethtown or the good people down here in Ravena and Selkirk. You start to see a pattern when you talk to people in town, fellow school board members and neighbors. And then you start poking around the Internet and you find a lot of interesting stories involving these people. Like an arrest of a brother in Albany back in 1990 for allegedly wielding an AK-47 in downtown Albany. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-156186520.html ... Or the blogger himself more recently allegedly masquerading as a PhD and London translator to run for New Baltimore justice (actually quite funny, he got 17 votes) http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2007/08/22/2879072.htm. ... or a sister listing scores of local businesses on her self-proclaimed chamber of commerce website, but apparently they didn't even know they were on it! Rumor has it some of them were quite upset when they found out... And then there are countless anecdotal stories you hear and read about former neighbors getting harassed and/or sued. This all may sound funny to those of you who live in other communities, but it isn't really that humerous if you are living it. There's not much humor in people getting slandered or harassed because they dared to ask their elected board president a question about the school budget. And people getting threatening phone calls because they spoke up at a board meeting isn't my idea of a laugh either. RCS taxpayers deserve better. Unfortunately Vadney isn't going anywhere because he and his buddies enjoy a 5-4 voting edge, and they apparently have no conscience. He isn't going anywhere -- until the next election that is. Then voters will send him packing.

shook1477 - 6/1/2012 9:45 PM

0 Votes

Report User

Unfortunately, it's hard for some to ignore when their names have been peppered all over online. And, it's been obvious to most that a major contributor to said blog is John Vadney's brother, Harold Vadney. True or false, the contents of his blog will never go away (even if the site gets pulled one can never erase all). It's not right that these people will always have to deal with the possibility of explaining all this - even years down the road - to employers, old friends, even family who happen upon these pages while doing a Google search. More and more employers research perspective employees online. A lot of old acquaintances try to reconnect with people by using search engines. I think it's a bit flippant to expect those who have been victimized to just "ignore the rant." They can't - and never will be able to! And all this because they chose to express their views at a board meeting. These people were elected to those seats. The constituents have a right to question them…and the blogger has the nerve to refer to these people as Nazi’s? Can you see the hypocrisy here? This is not a “vendetta.” At what point do the scales tip and people realize it’s not the cops who are corrupt, it’s not the teachers who are bullies, it’s not the newspaper and all the broadcasters in the Albany area who are lying. The entire world is not out to get this family. They bring it on themselves over and over and over again. They ARE the problem! Do a little online research. This family have been the subject of numerous lawsuits, harassment complaints, all sorts of trouble. There is no shortage of controversy and they are always at the center playing the victim. The rhetoric is always the same - It’s the other party who’s attacking them, slandering them, libeling them, harassing them, wronging them. With all the info out there (online), how can any person believe they are always the poor victims being demonized by their accusers (and there are a lot of instances – too many to count)?

letsbehonest - 6/1/2012 6:37 PM

0 Votes

Report User

While I am not a fan of John Vadney, the man is innocent until a court proves him guilty. It is so unfortunate that the BOE and the community have become so hostile. Much of which spurred on by the clearly manic-depressive author of the notarious "smalbany" blog. How a man (or woman) that openly paranoid and outwardly vile was able to stir up so much discord in our community based on his "facts" which are no more than his delusional opinions is beyond me. That he/she professes to be a person of faith and fails to understand the beauty of God's grace to us and His expectation of our grace extended to other is so terribly sad. I hope that the fine people of the community can ignor his rants and work to return RCS to an honorable standing.

shook1477 - 6/1/2012 4:32 PM

0 Votes

Report User

You totally hit the nail on the head! His brother has been scripting a blog now for two months bullying, defaming and harassing area residents. The father and sister holding "business meetings" that inflame even further. It is alleged he has spewed homophobic insults at his latest target...and it's obvious he has a problem with any women who isn't barefoot and stuck in some kitchen somewhere. It is ridiculous! Even more alarming is the fact that the district has done NOTHING about any of it! I know residents who have had to explain to their bosses why their names are being littered all over the place - online - by this family. Even more alarming - several in this area don't consider this an issue?! Maybe when big brother makes them a subject on his blog, they'll wake up and get angry.

mamaduck92 - 6/1/2012 2:52 PM

0 Votes

Report User

I know nothing about Mr. Tracey's character or past antics but I can comment on the hell that Mr. Vadney has been inflicting on his neighbors in Elizabethtown, NY! Mr. Vadney seems to have a tendency to harass and aggravate others until his actions instigates a conflict. At which time he likes to make it appear to be all the other persons fault when IN FACT it is the other way around. He has been terrorizing the Neighborhood on Lincoln Pond Rd. in Elizabethtown, NY for many years. They have had to call the police on numerous occasions because of his incessant, EXTREMELY LOUD MUSIC ( you can't even sit outside or next door and hold a conversation). Verbal insults, including the fat swine and pig references to neighbors and others (sound familiar), smoldering unattended fires deliberately set to annoy others sitting outside or forcing others to shut their windows to avoid their camps filling with smoke, Trespassing on private property, etc. The list goes on! The neighbors have had to hire lawyers, draw up petitions, ask for a noise ordinance, go to court - all to try to stay sane with his continual harassment. Again, we do not know Mr. Tracey but unfortunately we do know Mr. Vadney and his tactics. I would suggest more investigation into his history where ever he has resided as he seems to use the same methods of harassment every where he goes!

Click Here to Add Your Comments View All