A local businessman with long experience in community volunteerism and political service was appointed last week as the newest member of the Cazenovia Town Board.
Thomas M. Driscoll, 60, of Old Farms Lane, was unanimously approved by the town board at its Jan. 13 meeting to fill the seat made vacant by Bill Zupan after he resigned to assume his new position as town supervisor.
Driscoll, a past village trustee, village planning board member and town zoning board of appeals member, was sworn-in immediately after his appointment and participated in the rest of the board’s meeting.
“I’m very honored to have been appointed,” Driscoll said during the meeting. “I can truly say I missed [serving on municipal boards] and I’m glad my time now allows me to be part of continuing to help shape and maintain the community.”
Driscoll, who has a bachelor’s degree from Manhattan College and a master’s degree in administration from Russell Sage College, currently works as senior marketing manager for RockTenn, a leading North American producer of corrugated and consumer packaging and recycling solutions, which is headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. He previously worked as graphics support leader for the Packaging Corporation of America, in Liverpool; as vice president and general manager for Timbar Packaging and Display, Oneida Division in Vernon; and vice president of sales for Oneida Container Company, in Oneida.
Driscoll also has community and board experience on the Madison County Community Action Board of Directors, as the St. James Parish Finance and Administrative Committee chairman, as a Berkshire Bank Central New York Advisory Board member and on the Old Farms Homeowners Association Board of Directors. He also has coached for Cazenovia Youth Basketball and Cazenovia Little League.
To fill the vacant seat, the town board members decided to look in the community for individuals who were qualified, willing and able to serve, Zupan said. Zupan also had previously served with Driscoll on the town ZBA when Driscoll was a member and Zupan was the chair, so he already knew Driscoll was a capable public servant.
Zupan said the board had a few potential candidates in mid to fill the vacant seat, but, “even if we had a dozen candidates, [Driscoll] would have come to the top.”
While Driscoll is a registered Republican, Zupan said politics had nothing to do with his selection. “We just wanted the best person who was willing to serve,” he said. “Here politics is not an issue; it just must be what’s best for Cazenovia.”
Driscoll will serve on the town board until this November, when a special election will be held in during the regular November elections to permanently fill the seat.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
