Candidate calls for representation in vacant District 2 seat
TROY, following mer Troy N.Y. City >> the More resignation Councilman than a month of Mark forMcGrath, mains vacated the District 2 seat reand without represent aMcGrath’ s resignation came after his voice was heard making racial slurs on a three-yearold voicemail recording.
Since t hat time Troy City Council President Carmella Mantello had proposed a bipartisan committee to find a replacement, which was ultimately tabled, while Councilman
David Bissember noted the council would be accepting resumes from applicants through the city clerk’s office.
Council members were hoping to have a replacement by March.
Kim Ashe- McPherson, a Republican, who is running against Democrat Mary Sweeney in November’s general election for the District 2 seat, questioned the delay of an appointment and lack of representation for the district.
“District 2 has been without representation for several weeks since the resignation of Mark McGrath. The Majority Democratic Council members requested those who are interested in representing D2 send their letter of intent to the Majority Democratic Council,” McPherson said in a statement on Sunday.
Ashe- McPherson, who lives in District 2 and has previously served on the council, says she sent a letter of intent, but has yet to be contacted for an interview by the council.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Cummings and the Majority Council [ have] turned their backs on the residents of District 2. It appears the majority has no intention of being open and transparent as they promised. This is not about politics, but rather a need to fill the vacant seat immediately for the people in District 2,” Ashe-McPherson stated.
“I’ve been approached by several District 2 residents extremely upset about the closed process and no representation on the Council for our district”, AsheMcPherson concluded.
Cummings responded to the statements made by Ashe-McPherson later in the day on Monday.
“Following former Councilman McGrath’s resignation last month, the City Council sought resumes from all interested candidates as part of an inclusive and open process to identify the best representative of the residents of District 2,” said Cummings in a statement. “We have interviewed seven candidates during this process so far. I personally reached out to former Legislator McPherson last week and again this past weekend. We are scheduled to interview her this week.
“In contrast, last year, when Democratic Rensselaer County Legislator Ed Manny died during his term in office, Republicans rushed the appointment of McPherson, a Con- servative party member, to fill his seat on the County Legislature without any public involvement whatsoever. We did not want to treat the residents of District 2 that way. My fellow City Council Members and I are ensuring that we fill McGrath’s vacant seat on the council in a manner that is thoughtful, deliberate and nonpartisan. That means interviewing each applicant and discussing their records with community members.”
Mantello also released a statement late Monday afternoon about the process for the vacant seat.
“Despite Mr. Cummings, Mr. Bissember, and the majority council’s pledge and statement of nonpartisan regarding the filling of the vacancy of District 2, it’s not true whatsoever,” said Mantello in the statement. “Council Member Gulli and I, as late as last Thursday’s Council Meeting, have repeatedly requested numerous times to not only be included in the interviews but at the very least to forward us the names and resumes of candidates applying for the vacancy. Per the charter, ALL Council Members vote on the vacancy. To date, the Minority (Gulli and me) have been completely left out of the process. This is politics as usual!”