Vacancy on Carmel TB Draws Scrutiny After Failed Resolution
A proposal to purchase two large trucks for the highway department was voted down at Wednesday night’s Carmel Town Board meeting, falling short of the supermajority needed to put the vote to permissive referendum.
Three out of four board members supported the proposal, but Councilman Bob Ravallo’s vote against it was enough to kill the motion, as a supermajority of four votes is needed for such a resolution to pass.
The decision not only drew criticism from Highway Superintendent Mike Simone, but also led some to second-guess the board’s choice to not fill the fifth town board seat, which was left open after former councilman Anthony DiCarlo was elected to the Putnam County Legislature.
Simone, Supervisor Ken Schmitt and town board members Frank Lombardi and Suzi McDonough believed the trucks were necessary to keep the roads clear in the event of a snowstorm, but Ravallo felt the town should make do without them due to the state of the economy.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.