Appointment for fifth board seat deadlocked; special meeting and interviews planned

The Ancram Town Board failed to appoint a deputy supervisor on Jan. 15 after the roll-call vote ended in a tie. Supervisor Colleen Lutz nominated Bonnie Hunt for deputy supervisor and asked for a vote; the board recorded a tied result and the motion did not carry. The supervisor said she would schedule a special meeting to allow more time for interviews and public viewing before a final appointment, noting the statutory 45‑day window to fill the vacancy ends Feb. 14.

The meeting also produced an on‑the‑spot candidate: Louis (Slater), who told the board he "would be willing to step up" if they chose to appoint him. Board members said they knew him by reputation — noting his local family ties, children in the school district and volunteer service — but several said they wanted to meet or interview him before voting. "If I don't know Lewis, I'm sure there are other people who don't know Lewis," said Amy, a board member participating on Zoom, urging a one‑on‑one conversation before any appointment. The board agreed to set a special meeting and to publicize the date so residents could observe candidate interviews.

Public commenters urged the board to follow what they described as the most straightforward approach: appoint the next highest vote‑getter from the prior election. "Over 300 people voted for Bonnie. She was the next highest vote-getter," one resident said, urging the board to respect voters' preferences. Board members noted that town law does not require appointing the next-highest vote getter and debated legal procedure and local practice during the meeting. With the tie vote and the desire for additional vetting, the board left the seat unfilled and set follow-up actions to convene a special meeting before the Feb. 14 deadline.