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Council appoints Dan Donahue to fill First Ward seat through 2025
Summary
The Glens Falls City Council voted to appoint Dan Donahue to the unexpired First Ward seat following the death of Councilman Ed Don. The move drew objections from some council members and a nearby candidate who asked for a more open interview process.
The Glens Falls City Council voted to appoint Dan Donahue to fill the unexpired First Ward seat through Dec. 31, 2025, following the death of Councilman Ed Don, councilors said during the June 10 meeting.
The appointment came after public comment in which Donahue introduced himself as Ed Don’s son and a lifelong First Ward resident. “I’d be honored to fill this role,” Donahue said from the public podium, identifying himself as a resident of 66 Walnut Street and saying he has informally helped neighbors with neighborhood issues for many years.
Council members debated whether to appoint a successor immediately or to take a more open process that would invite resumes and interviews. Kevin Stevenson, who identified himself as a candidate for First Ward council member, asked the council to allow discussion and to ensure “all qualified candidates receive full and fair consideration before a vote is taken.” Other councilors urged a similar interview process; one councilor said the practice in prior vacancies was to solicit resumes, hold a workshop, and interview candidates before a vote.
Opponents of an immediate appointment said the near-term nomination risked appearing to preempt a primary. One councilor said taking a seat by appointment when a candidate is actively pursuing ballot access was “not how democracy works” and urged delaying a selection until after the primary. Supporters said the vacancy required timely action and noted the deceased councilman had expressed a preference. Council discussion also referenced guidance from the board of elections and state election law about substitution and committee filings after the death of a candidate.
After debate the council moved to appoint Dan Donahue to the First Ward vacancy. The motion carried in a roll-call-style vote recorded in the meeting; the transcript does not contain a complete named vote tally. The appointment is effective immediately and runs through Dec. 31, 2025, as stated in the motion.
The council also approved a separate resolution recognizing the vacancy effective June 15, 2025, and acknowledged procedures used to notify the board of elections.
The council did not formally adopt a written interview schedule before the vote; several members said they would prefer an open interview process in future vacancies and that the practice had varied in the past.
