Residents Vote to Help Yorktown Town Board Fill Vacancies
Yorktown residents weighed in Tuesday night on giving the depleted Yorktown Town Board more options to fill seats when they become empty.
According to unofficial results with the Westchester Board of Elections, 75% of voters approved a proposition on the ballot stipulating when a vacancy occurs in the offices of town supervisor, town council, town clerk or highway superintendent the Town Board “may fill the office by appointment within 30 days; and if an appointment is not made within 30 days, the vacancy may be filled by either a special election called by the Town Board, or in the next general election, whichever will allow the vacancy to be filled in the shortest space of time reasonably possible.”
The Town Board operated with only four members for most of the year after former Councilman Dave Paganelli was elected highway superintendent last November and at least three board members were unable to choose a successor.
On October 1, longtime Councilman Nick Bianco resigned, reducing the board to just Supervisor Michael Grace and councilmen Terrence Murphy and Vishnu Patel.
Currently, the Town Board has the authority to make appointments with three votes, but has no power to call a special election.
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