Wilber Re-Appointed,
Board Vacancy Filled
By PARKER FISH • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
COOPERSTOWN – County Rep. Dan Wilber, R-Burlington, was unanimously reappointed today by his colleagues to fill the vacancy created when he forgot to sign his oath of office statement in January.
When Wilber discovered earlier this month that his paperwork was incomplete, his seat on the board was immediately vacated.
“First and foremost, I need to apologize to my constituents in Burlington, Edmeston, Exeter and Plainfield,” said Wilber as he reclaimed his desk after being reappointed. “I stood up here on Jan. 3, raised my right hand and took the oath, but I forgot to sign that paper. I’d like to thank my colleagues here, particularly on the other side of the aisle. I appreciate your grace, and I won’t forget that, and I apologize for this distraction.”
At this point, Wilber will have to run again for his District 10 seat in the Nov. 6 elections in order to serve out his term through 2019.
However, the county board also approved a resolution petitioning the state Legislature and Governor Cuomo to allow for a 30-day grace period for Wilber and anyone else to sign the oath and serve their full terms.
While the resolution passed, it was not a unanimous decision. Three Democrats, Michele Farwell, Morris, and Andrew Stammel and Liz Shannon, both of Oneonta, voted nay.
State Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, will not be asked to introduce the resolution in the Senate.
