Former Pleasantville trustee Jerry Lynch abruptly announced last week that he has withdrawn his candidacy from next week’s village board election.
“At this time, my family and professional commitments are my priority and may keep me from fulfilling the requirements of a Village Board member with the time and focus this important role deserves,” Lynch said in a Mar. 9 statement released to The Examiner.
Lynch, who announced plans to run for one of the two open seats in January, apologized for any inconvenience his decision may cause but said he has full confidence in the remaining candidates.
With the Mar. 21 election approaching, Lynch’s name will remain on the ballot because it is too late to have it removed. Incumbent Stephen Lord and challenger Nicole Asquith are the other candidates on the ballot for two seats.
If Lynch collects enough votes to finish first or second, he would have to either refuse the oath of office or resign immediately after being sworn in to relinquish the seat, Village Administrator Patricia Dwyer said last week. Should that happen, Mayor Peter Scherer would have the responsibility to appoint a trustee to fill the empty seat, she said.
Lynch did not attend last Thursday night’s PCTV/Examiner candidate debate at Village Hall.
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that if Lynch captured one of the two seats in the Mar. 21 election, the third-place finisher would take that seat.
