Senate Resolution No. 1480

BY: Senator GRIFFO

CONGRATULATING William Rabbia upon the occasion of
his retirement after more than 32 years of dedicated
service to the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
honor those distinguished citizens of this great Empire State who have
devoted themselves to faithfully serving the best interests of their
community and the needs of its residents; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
congratulate William Rabbia upon the occasion of his retirement after
more than 32 years of dedicated service to the Oneida-Herkimer Solid
Waste Authority; and

WHEREAS, William Rabbia has played a critical role in the
development and success of the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority
since beginning his career in May of 1991; he went on to serve as Deputy
Executive Director from 2002 until March of 2009 when he was appointed
Executive Director, the esteemed position from which he will officially
retire on January 1, 2024; and

WHEREAS, In this capacity, William Rabbia is responsible for all
Authority functions, including operations at its Recycling Center, Green
Waste Composting Facility, Transfer Stations, and Household Hazardous
Waste Collection Facility; and

WHEREAS, As Executive Director, William Rabbia spearheaded active
landfill gas recovery, landfill to gas electricity, single-streaming
recycling conversion, Food2energy processing, and numerous other
system-wide capital improvement projects; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, he leaves the Authority in very strong
financial condition and has been responsible for overseeing its $22.4
million operating budget; and

WHEREAS, With a steadfast and unremitting commitment to his
community, William Rabbia also served as President of the New York State
Association for Solid Waste Management for two terms, during which time
he took the lead with the association's work regarding the latest
revisions to the state's solid waste management regulations; and

WHEREAS, William Rabbia holds a Bachelor of Science degree in
Environmental Science and Planning from SUNY College of Environmental
Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York; and

WHEREAS, For more than three decades, William Rabbia rendered
faithful, conscientious and valuable service to the Oneida-Herkimer
Solid Waste Authority; in his leadership positions, he served with
loyalty, honor and distinction; and

WHEREAS, In his official acts, William Rabbia was governed by a keen
sense of duty and always showed a unique grasp of human problems; and


WHEREAS, During his tenure with the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste
Authority, William Rabbia truly earned the admiration, esteem and
affection of his colleagues; and

WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the occurrence of such a compassionate
blending of strength, leadership, intellect, and commitment as that
demonstrated by William Rabbia over a lifetime of sacrifice and
dedication to others; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate William Rabbia upon the occasion of his retirement after
more than 32 years of dedicated service to the Oneida-Herkimer Solid
Waste Authority, and to wish him well in all his future endeavors; and
be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to William Rabbia.