Riley Appointed to Fill Vacancy on Peekskill Common Council
A familiar face was recently chosen by the Peekskill Common Council to fill a vacancy created when Andre Rainey was elected mayor in November.
On March 15, the five councilmembers in attendance at a special meeting in City Hall unanimously selected former Councilwoman Patricia Riley to make a comeback.
Riley, a longtime music teacher and union representative in the Lakeland School District, served on the Common Council for one four-year term from 2008-2011 and chose not to seek reelection.
With the addition of Riley, the seven-member Common Council is comprised of all Democrats.
“Pat Riley was an excellent choice to fill Andre’s vacant Council seat. She was selected for her strong commitment to bettering Peekskill and her previous Council experience, which eliminated a potentially steep learning curve for a novice,” said Deputy Mayor Kathy Talbot. “Pat has a strong background with unions having served for years as her teacher’s union’s rep. There were several other candidates who had strong qualifications in differing areas, but Pat stood out. We were gratified to see such interest from fellow residents and hope many of these folks will decide to get involved in our boards or other volunteer efforts. Peekskill’s definitely on the move!”
Rainey, who echoed Talbot’s sentiments, said a few months ago that the city received close to 20 inquiries from residents expressing interest in sitting on the council.
The council seat now occupied by Riley has two years remaining on its four-year term, but Riley will only serve until Election Day, November 6, when a special election will take place for the final year of the unexpired term. The seat carries a salary of $8,686.
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