The Saratoga Springs City Council has had an empty seat for nearly one month with no signs of agreement on how to get it filled. Following Tuesday’s meeting, however, a path forward is beginning to materialize.
“We’re having an election people,” said Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran. “Thank you, gentlemen I appreciate that. And that concludes my agenda.”
“No, we have to have the appointment,” said Mayor John Safford.
The council had been divided for weeks after Public Works Commissioner Jason Golub left his role in mid-August. Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran and Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi, both Democrats, have been calling to establish a special election to fill the currently empty Public Works seat, as per the city charter.
Republican Mayor John Safford and Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll, who won his seat with GOP backing, questioned the legality of holding an election on a shortened timeline, and whether state election laws trump the city charter.
Coll and Safford want to select a new DPW head on an interim basis as soon as possible. Moran and Sanghvi have refused to move forward on the appointment process without assurances that a special election will be held.
Moran, Sanghvi, and Coll crafted a friendly amendment to a resolution that would get a timeline and cost estimate for an election from the County Board of Elections.
“At the end of number one where the period is after 2024 it turns into a comma, ‘or as soon as practicable,’” said Moran.
“And then, ‘subject to advice from our city attorney by October 1st 2024 indicating that the special election is lawful and in accordance with New York State law,’ I’m just making sure we’ve got it right,” said Sanghvi.
“‘That’s correct. And then: this advice will be provided to the city council by October 1st, 2024,’” said Coll.
The amended resolution passed unanimously.
Sangvhi says despite the disagreements over the past month, the issue isn't political.
"To go through budget season without a DPW commissioner is a disservice to the DPW department. But to appoint somebody for a position for a year-and-a-half when that is an elected position, that is also a disservice to the city. So, right now, what we were trying to do was just ensure that special election was going to be held and that we could move forward with an appointment for a DPW commissioner. And that's really what all of us want,” said Sanghvi.
A resolution to create an interview committee for an interim appointment was pushed to the next city council meeting October 1st.
Safford says he hopes the council can move past weeks of deadlock.
“I just want to make sure we can get through it and whoever is elected because of some crazy reason. However, the most important thing right now for us is to get somebody appointed. And that’s what I’ve been working on from day one, and that’s what we should have done. But because of this election question it kept — but hopefully now we can move ahead and get somebody appointed and somebody in that seat,” said Safford.
City Republican Committee Chair Mike Brandi has a number of lawsuits pending against the city. He did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday, but has previously said he doubts whether a special election is the correct move forward for the city.
Golub stepped down with more than a year left in the term.
