Jerry Madsen, a member of the Otsego County Board of Representatives, has died at age 73
Madsen died Friday, Nov. 1, according to his obituary. He represented District 2 — Butternuts, Morris and Pittsfield. He was in the middle of his second two-year term and had served the board for about three years.
“Jerry was very dedicated, very pragmatic and diligent,” Board Chairperson Edwin Frazier, R-District 1, said Monday, Nov. 4. “He asked great questions. He will be deeply missed.”
Vice Chairperson Meg Kennedy, R-District 5, said that she served with Madsen on the Solid Waste and Environmental Concerns Committee.
“He was very mindful of his constituents in District 2,” Kennedy said. “He’d ask, ‘how do we help get a permit for a bridge that needed repair in Gilbertsville?’”
Kennedy said she appreciated Madsen’s advocacy.
“He brought a lot of practical knowledge to his committee work,” she said.
According to his obituary, Madsen had worked for the town of Butternuts prior to his retirement and was an active member of the Gilbertsville Grange. He owned J&J Quality Logging Company, “which underscored his love for the outdoors,” the obituary stated, and enjoyed hunting and fishing.
The county board plans to address filling the vacancy left by Madsen’s death.
According to the county board’s Rules of Order, board members vote to appoint a replacement to fill a vacancy within 30 days. Each county political committee can recommend a candidate to the board chairperson. The board’s Administration Committee sponsors the resolution, and the board decides by a majority weighted vote.
Once the board choose a new member for District 2, that person will serve until Dec. 31, 2025. In November 2025, an election will determine who represents District 2 for the following term.
The county board is slated to meet Wednesday, but no action is expected on filling the District 2 vacancy. The next Administration Committee meeting is scheduled for Nov. 19, when the committee could start reviewing options. Frazier said there probably will be second board meeting scheduled this month, but it’s too early to tell.
“The last time we had a vacancy was when Peter Oberacker won the Senate seat,” Frazier said. “It is a little premature to talk about filling this vacancy.”
“We will follow all the policies and procedures we have in place,” Kennedy said.