TOWN OF NIAGARA – The Town Board will decide next week who will take over the supervisor’s position.
During a work session Thursday, Deputy Supervisor Danny Sklarski said the board will wait for a special meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday to vote on who will replace Steven Richards, who resigned last week as part of a plea bargain on charges of misusing public funds.
Sklarski said the issue is significant enough for the board to call for a special meeting rather than handling it as an agenda item during a regular session.
Sklarski, who is acting as interim supervisor until the board makes a decision, said he did not know who the majority of the board would select as supervisor. Whoever is selected would appoint a new deputy supervisor, Sklarski said.
Town Attorney Michael Risman noted that whoever is selected would be required to run in a special election in November to let voters decide on a new supervisor. The winner of the special election would serve out the remaining one year of Richards’ term. The seat then would come up as part of the regular election cycle in November 2015 for a complete four-year term.
As deputy, Sklarski could be the logical choice for replacement but Councilman Marc Carpenter had served a number of years as deputy. Councilman Rob Clark also has expressed interest in the post. The town Democratic committee already has announced it is seeking candidates for the special election.
During the work session, the board agreed to give Sklarski authority to sign checks for the town with First Niagara Bank and Key Bank, including payroll. Town Clerk Sylvia Virtuoso also was given the authority to sign. Previously, only the supervisor was allowed to sign checks, it was noted.
In another matter, the board is expected to vote on the creation of an assistant building inspector position to replace two part-time positions that have remained unfilled in that office.
Clark, who is sponsoring the resolution, said the board is hit with complaints from residents all the time regarding the condition of buildings in the town. He said the amount of work is too much for Building Inspector Charles Haseley to complete on his own.
Haseley said that with the expansion at the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls as well as the numerous other responsibilities given his position, the increasing workload is too much for one inspector.
During a work session Thursday, Deputy Supervisor Danny Sklarski said the board will wait for a special meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday to vote on who will replace Steven Richards, who resigned last week as part of a plea bargain on charges of misusing public funds.
Sklarski said the issue is significant enough for the board to call for a special meeting rather than handling it as an agenda item during a regular session.
Sklarski, who is acting as interim supervisor until the board makes a decision, said he did not know who the majority of the board would select as supervisor. Whoever is selected would appoint a new deputy supervisor, Sklarski said.
Town Attorney Michael Risman noted that whoever is selected would be required to run in a special election in November to let voters decide on a new supervisor. The winner of the special election would serve out the remaining one year of Richards’ term. The seat then would come up as part of the regular election cycle in November 2015 for a complete four-year term.
As deputy, Sklarski could be the logical choice for replacement but Councilman Marc Carpenter had served a number of years as deputy. Councilman Rob Clark also has expressed interest in the post. The town Democratic committee already has announced it is seeking candidates for the special election.
During the work session, the board agreed to give Sklarski authority to sign checks for the town with First Niagara Bank and Key Bank, including payroll. Town Clerk Sylvia Virtuoso also was given the authority to sign. Previously, only the supervisor was allowed to sign checks, it was noted.
In another matter, the board is expected to vote on the creation of an assistant building inspector position to replace two part-time positions that have remained unfilled in that office.
Clark, who is sponsoring the resolution, said the board is hit with complaints from residents all the time regarding the condition of buildings in the town. He said the amount of work is too much for Building Inspector Charles Haseley to complete on his own.
Haseley said that with the expansion at the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls as well as the numerous other responsibilities given his position, the increasing workload is too much for one inspector.