No candidates for library board leaves Voorheesville public with a write-in election

VOORHEESVILLE — No one has filed a petition to be on the ballot for the Voorheesville Public Library Board of Trustees this year.

Library Director Gail Sacco said none of the incumbents were seeking another term and no petitions were filed by the deadline April 22.

“A couple petitions were picked up but none returned,” said Sacco.

So on May 21, from 2 to 9 p.m. at the Voorheesville Middle School, voters casting ballots over the library’s proposed $1,123,620 budget, which would bring a 2.3 percent increase in the tax levy, will also be able to write in any candidate they think might do a good job on the board.

Trustee Rebecca Pahl is stepping down after her current term ends on the seven member board and former trustee Rita Stein resigned from her post in March, with two years left on her term.

Sacco said whoever receives the most write-ins will be elected to fill Pahl’s seat and a full five-year term and the candidate to get the second most votes would take Stein’s seat to complete the remaining two years, — if those candidates choose to accept the posts.

Calls earlier this week to Pahl and Stein were not returned.

“We will have to see what happens. What happens, happens,” said Sacco.

She did not offer an explanation for the lack of candidates.

“You’d have to ask them,” she said. The board of trustees had proposed a $7.6 million plan to build a new library but the proposal was soundly defeated in November. Public hearings leading up to the vote drew many critical remarks from citizens.

Of the 1,778 votes cast, 1,446 voted against the project and 332 voted in favor. The number of ballots cast was a district record for such a vote.

The project would have nearly doubled the library taxes in New Scotland for the next two decades.

Sacco said there are no new proposals for any future building projects but said discussing the issue is a top priority the for board after getting the current budget passed.

If no eligible candidates are elected in a write-in campaign then the sitting library board will interview and appoint temporary trustees to fill the seats until next year’s elections.

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