Tuesday, January 8, 2008 

798-5800

Picente Announces Appointments to Oversee

  County Youth Bureau, Probation Department

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr., today announced two appointments in his administration:

Robert J. Roth of Utica as Director of the Oneida County Youth Bureau.

David A. Tomidy of New Hartford as Director of the Oneida County Probation Department.

“I am very pleased to announce the appointments of these two men, both of whom have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to our community through their service to the people of Oneida County ,” Picente said. “I believe that these two departments will play a major role in one of the critical issues facing Oneida County – helping to reduce youth crime. Our Youth Bureau will be developing pro-active strategies that help keep young people from joining gangs and developing criminal behaviors. It will also partner with the Probation Department to target the needs of youth who are either on probation or at risk of being arrested and ending up on probation. Together, we can develop interventions to help change lives for the better so that one mistake does not lead to a lifetime of involvement with the justice system.” 

Picente said that the two new directors will seek input from members of the community and other agencies and governmental units dealing with at-risk young people, and then the county will review its existing program mix to improve effectiveness. “The bottom line I hear from the community is that we need to do a better job helping our youth. I see one of the first major issues for the Youth Bureau under its new leadership is to work with all of our partners to take an innovative and creative look at what we have done, what needs to be done, and develop programs that take our community in the direction we need it to go.”

Tomidy has served as acting director of the Probation Department since he was appointed to that role in December 2006 by former County Executive Joseph A. Griffo.  Tomidy’s appointment is provisional pending the results of a civil service test to be given in February.  Tomidy joined the Oneida County Probation Department in 1973, and served as a Juvenile Probation Officer in the Family Court Division, an Adult Probation Officer in the Criminal Division, and Supervisor of the Family Court Unit before assuming his current responsibilities as the Supervisor of the Intensive Supervision Program for Adult Felons. Tomidy received his Master’s degree from Fordham University and is a graduate of SUNY Geneseo.

“David Tomidy has an outstanding professional background and extensive experience in working with the probation system,” Picente said. “The role of the Probation Department in the criminal justice system requires leadership that works to provide protection for the community while also trying to help individuals who have made mistakes move forward with their lives. It is a complex and demanding job, and Dave has the understanding of our community and the justice system to provide the leadership the Probation Department needs.”

 “Dave Tomidy has a strong commitment to protecting the public and providing the leadership that is needed to continue the Probation Department’s strong record of developing creative alternatives to incarceration that help keep down costs to the taxpayer and delivering outstanding results,” Picente said.

“I appreciate and am flattered by the County Executive ’s confidence,” Tomidy said.  “With his support during the past year, we have begun new initiatives that recognize the challenges before us and require sharing resources and intelligence among county departments, law enforcement agencies, schools, and the private sector.  We will continue to cultivate these interagency relationships and I look forward to working with Mr. Roth and the Youth Bureau in assessing and creating strategies to meet the needs of the most vulnerable residents of Oneida County, our youth.”

Picente said that the Youth Bureau will continue to function within the Department of Social Services. “Recreational activities are part of our strategy to lift up young people and their families,” Picente said. “The goal of our Youth Bureau is to create opportunities for young people to develop in healthy ways. Bob Roth’s background in recreation and his experience in counseling will help us make the Youth Bureau a major force helping the young people of Oneida County .”

 “Bob is a native of this area who has devoted many years to helping young people learn the lessons of achievement through athletics,” Picente said. “Bob has extensive personal commitment to youth recreation through the many years of activities he has been involved in. Coupled with his work as a senior workforce development counselor with the county’s Office of Workforce Development, Bob has a great mix of skills that can help us achieve the goals of the Youth Bureau – to use recreational and positive programming as a vehicle for helping young people achieve success and avoid to gang activity and crime.”

“I appreciate this opportunity to help the youth of our community that the County Executive has given me,” Roth said.  “I am looking to make the Oneida County Youth Bureau pro-active in working with our school districts, non-profit agencies, the private sector, and municipalities to provide safe and worthwhile programs for our youth.”

Roth is a graduate of Notre Dame High School , Mohawk Valley Community College and SUNY Brockport. Prior to joining Oneida County , where is as a senior workforce development counselor and a former director of the Summer Youth Employment Program, Roth was an assistant varsity basketball coach at Colgate University and Hamilton College . His community activities include being the Director of the Junior Raiders Basketball Clinic for the past 13 years, volunteer service with the Boilermaker, America’s Greatest Heart Run/Walk, Rescue Mission Walk to End Hunger, The Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome and the March of Dimes; and service as a coach and board member of the South Utica Little League.

The appointments will next be considered by the Oneida County Board of Legislators.