Term changes going to voters in Dunkirk | News, Sports, Jobs – Evening Observer

Apr 21, 2022
Dunkirk’s voters will consider increasing the city assessor and treasurer terms on Election Day after a 3-2, party-line vote of the Common Council.
Republicans David Damico, Nancy Nichols and James Stoyle voted to lengthen the terms from two to six years. Democrats Martin Bamonto and Natalie Luczkowiak voted “no.” City voters must ratify the change for it to take effect, because it involves an alteration of elected officials’ term lengths.
Bamonto wanted to table the matter, but only Luczkowiak supported him, his motion failing by a 3-2 vote.
“I think (the positions) should be appointed, some people aren’t in agreement with that… we were talking about that years ago and it never materialized,” Bamonto said.
“I think it should go to the people. The people should have the right to vote on something. We can’t have all appointments,” Stoyle said. “I want the people to vote on this thing. Put it up to a referendum and let’s do what the people say.”
“People forget, back in the day, we had a mayor that was a two-year term. It went up to referendum and it went to a four-year term,” Nichols said. “We’re talking about qualifications for treasurer, qualifications for assessor — what qualifications were there for somebody running for a mayor that we have for four years? I’m just bringing that up to light.”
She concluded, “Let the people vote. That’s the choice they have. It’s their right to vote. They are the important part of the city of Dunkirk. It’s not us four sitting here.
We want them to say what they want. Give them that chance.”
According to City Attorney Richard Morrisroe, changing the assessor’s term would get the city into compliance with New York state standards.
“The elected assessor, per New York State Real Property Tax Law section 310, should have a six-year term,” he said. “When Dunkirk went from a three-person panel of elected assessors to one solo elected assessor in 2011, it should have changed the charter per that law as well. For whatever reason, that did not occur.”
Records show only about 1% of municipalities in the state have elected assessors, Morrisroe said, adding that the city of Dunkirk is the only municipality in Chautauqua County with one.
Dunkirk is also the only Chautauqua County municipality with an elected treasurer, he added.
A required public hearing on the term changes was held before the vote. Six people walked to the speaker’s podium, including Morrisroe. They are all regulars at Common Council meetings.
Former City Assessor Tom Mleczko said, “It’s time to go to a six-year appointed assessor, and you get together with other municipalities in this area and you merge them into one.”
Ned Divine, who chairs the city Democratic Party, and Jeannette Delgado generally agreed with Mleczko’s idea about appointing and sharing an assessor. Divine said it might be worth looking into for the treasurer’s position, as well.
Gary Frederickson and Paul Sommerfelt spoke against lengthening the terms. Frederickson wondered if it was the beginning of plans to alter other officials’ terms.
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