County coroner’s wife could succeed him
Cindy-Lou Joyce emerges as the front-runner for Democrats after husband aids screening
NIAGARA FALLS — The wife of retiring Niagara County Coroner James M. Joyce has emerged as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination for the post in this fall’s election, after an interview process in which her husband took part.
Kevin Ormsby, city Democratic chairman, said the party committee will make its choice at a meeting at 6:30 p. m. today in the St. John de La- Salle Catholic Church hall on Buffalo Avenue. That will be preceded by a 6 p. m. meeting of the Executive Committee, of which James Joyce is a longtime member. It is to make a recommendation to the general membership.
Cindy-Lou Joyce, a hospice nurse who has been working alongside her husband for the last eight years, declared Wednesday that she is the most qualified candidate of the eight who interviewed.
She said she has been working as a “diener,” or autopsy assistant, on her husband’s cases for eight years, and has taken 105 credit hours of course work toward the certifications she already has from the New York State Medical Examiners and County Coroners Association.
Edward Labuda, a Niagara Falls funeral director who also interviewed for the Democratic nod, objected Wednesday to James Joyce’s participation in the interviews.
“I don’t think he should be there if his wife is trying to get the job,” Labuda said.
Ormsby said that neither Labuda nor any other candidate voiced those concerns to him. “It’s an unusual situation, but I don’t think it rises to the level of a problem,” Ormsby said.
James Joyce said, “I was part of the committee. I was there to answer any technical questions. . . . I have excluded myself from that vote [tonight].”
He also said he saw nothing wrong with his wife seeking to succeed him. “Just because I was coroner, that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t run,” he said. “Did that exclude Hillary [Rodham Clinton] from running for president, just because her husband was president?”
Cindy-Lou Joyce said her candidacy was long planned. “I’ve been preparing for this eight years. Ten years ago, I was thinking of succeeding him. . . . We’re known he was going to retire at 30 years.”
Joyce, who was just re-elected last year, reached the 30-year mark in office this year, and announced last month that he was stepping down because he was fully vested in the state pension system.
He denied that his departure had anything to do with investigations of his involvement with a couple who opened four local massage parlors and allegedly used them as fronts for a prostitution operation. The female half of he couple has already pleaded guilty, but no charges were filed against Joyce.
The County Legislature formed a board of inquiry to look into Joyce’s role, but his retirement announcement short-circuited that probe.
Cindy-Lou Joyce said, “I’ve been married to him for 12 years. I’ve gone with him on numerous crime scenes or forensic investigations. I don’t need on-the- job training.”
Before joining Niagara Hospice three years ago, she was a nurse at Niagara Geriatrics Center for 10 years.
The Nov. 4 election is for a four-year term in District 1, the City of Niagara Falls. However, candidates do not have to live in the city; the Joyces live in Wheatfield. The part-time post pays $22,473 a year.”
