LOCKPORT – Patricia Dufour was appointed to the Lockport Town Board today, taking the seat left vacant by the Nov. 17 death of Paul H. Pettit.
Dufour’s appointment to the Town Board is valid through Dec. 31, but Dufour, a Republican, announced she would run for a full four-year term in this fall’s election.
She also said she will resign today from the board of the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency, to which she was appointed in March 2010.
Town Supervisor Marc R. Smith said Dufour was chosen from among three finalists, who in turn were drawn from a list of about 30 people he keeps on standby to be considered for opening on various boards and committees.
Dufour, who turns 60 in April, has been a town resident since 1998. She served on the board of the town’s IDA from 2007 through 2009, and has served on the town Board of Assessment Review since 2006. She must resign the latter post.
Dufour is the owner of Cornerstone Services Group, a real estate brokerage, which she founded in 2005. Before that, she had worked 32 years at Barden & Robeson Corp. in Middleport, where she was the construction administrator for that home builder. She also served on the company’s board of directors for 23 years.
“I am honored to have been chosen for this appointment,” Dufour said. “Paul Pettit was a friend who served this community for many years. I will work diligently to fill the void left by his passing. I am also looking forward to the campaign in November.”
Dufour was not required to resign from the county IDA. Two elected officials – Lockport Mayor Michael W. Tucker and North Tonawanda Clerk-Treasurer Scott P. Kiedrowski – currently sit on that board, and many other elected officials have served in the past.
“Based on my expertise and years of experience with local agencies and government, I am excited and ready to devote my time and energy to my new seat on the town council,” Dufour said.
In another matter today, the board introduced a local law to create a new town Department of Operations, which will administer the parks, the water, sewer and street lighting systems, and all town buildings except the highway garage, which will continue to be the domain of Highway Superintendent David J. Miller.
The board scheduled a public hearing on the new department for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6.
Smith said administration of the various functions of the new department has been “haphazard,” with Miller, town councilmen and others stepping in to handle problems as needed.
Smith said the new department head position would pay something similar to current department head posts. Miller earns $61,379, while Town Clerk Nancy A. Brooks is paid $49,813.
On another topic, Councilman Paul W. Siejak announced that the town’s 2012 sales tax receipts were up $191,832, or 3.81 percent, from 2011. Also, the town collected $2,958 from electronic waste recycling in 2012, Siejak said.
Almost 41,000 pounds of electronic waste were dropped off at the highway garage during the year, with the second half of the year showing a major jump over the first six months. The town is paid 8.6 cents per pound by the recycler, Regional Computer Recycling and Recovery of Rochester.
email: tprohaska@buffnews.com
Dufour’s appointment to the Town Board is valid through Dec. 31, but Dufour, a Republican, announced she would run for a full four-year term in this fall’s election.
She also said she will resign today from the board of the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency, to which she was appointed in March 2010.
Town Supervisor Marc R. Smith said Dufour was chosen from among three finalists, who in turn were drawn from a list of about 30 people he keeps on standby to be considered for opening on various boards and committees.
Dufour, who turns 60 in April, has been a town resident since 1998. She served on the board of the town’s IDA from 2007 through 2009, and has served on the town Board of Assessment Review since 2006. She must resign the latter post.
Dufour is the owner of Cornerstone Services Group, a real estate brokerage, which she founded in 2005. Before that, she had worked 32 years at Barden & Robeson Corp. in Middleport, where she was the construction administrator for that home builder. She also served on the company’s board of directors for 23 years.
“I am honored to have been chosen for this appointment,” Dufour said. “Paul Pettit was a friend who served this community for many years. I will work diligently to fill the void left by his passing. I am also looking forward to the campaign in November.”
Dufour was not required to resign from the county IDA. Two elected officials – Lockport Mayor Michael W. Tucker and North Tonawanda Clerk-Treasurer Scott P. Kiedrowski – currently sit on that board, and many other elected officials have served in the past.
“Based on my expertise and years of experience with local agencies and government, I am excited and ready to devote my time and energy to my new seat on the town council,” Dufour said.
In another matter today, the board introduced a local law to create a new town Department of Operations, which will administer the parks, the water, sewer and street lighting systems, and all town buildings except the highway garage, which will continue to be the domain of Highway Superintendent David J. Miller.
The board scheduled a public hearing on the new department for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6.
Smith said administration of the various functions of the new department has been “haphazard,” with Miller, town councilmen and others stepping in to handle problems as needed.
Smith said the new department head position would pay something similar to current department head posts. Miller earns $61,379, while Town Clerk Nancy A. Brooks is paid $49,813.
On another topic, Councilman Paul W. Siejak announced that the town’s 2012 sales tax receipts were up $191,832, or 3.81 percent, from 2011. Also, the town collected $2,958 from electronic waste recycling in 2012, Siejak said.
Almost 41,000 pounds of electronic waste were dropped off at the highway garage during the year, with the second half of the year showing a major jump over the first six months. The town is paid 8.6 cents per pound by the recycler, Regional Computer Recycling and Recovery of Rochester.
email: tprohaska@buffnews.com