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City term changes might get rescinded

The Dunkirk Common Council looks set to change course again on the issue of terms for the city treasurer and assessor.

There is a measure on today’s agenda to rescind a resolution, passed at the last meeting, changing the terms from two to six years. The term changes would need to get voters’ approval on Election Day to take effect.

Tuesday’s new resolution notes a point previously made by city attorney Richard Morrisroe: The New York State Real Property Law indicates an assessor’s term should be six years.

Another impetus to rescind the term changes resolution, according to Tuesday’s proposal, is that “the Common Council is now researching the question of appointed civil service versus elected city assessor and city treasurer positions.”

When the original measure got passed, Democrats Martin Bamonto and Natalie Luczkowiak voted against it. Luczkowiak didn’t like changing the term length while Bamonto advocated a look at making the positions appointed. The mayor, currently Democrat Wilfred Rosas, would do the appointing.

Republicans David Damico, Nancy Nichols and James Stoyle voted for the term changes. They expressed a desire to guarantee some continuity in a couple of positions that demand a long time for full training; for example, Nichols has said it takes about three years to complete state Comptroller’s Office training for municipal assessors.

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