Board puts referendum on June 21 ballot

By Russ Tarby

Contributing Writer

The Village of Liverpool Board of Trustees convened a special meeting on May 9 to consider calling for a mandatory referendum on the board’s April 14 decision to abolish the village court.

In a 3-1 vote, the trustees approved the mandatory referendum for June 21.

The proposal was moved by Trustee Christina Fadden Fitch and seconded by Nick Kochan. Trustee Jim Rosier was absent, but Mayor Gary White voted in favor of the mandatory referendum. Trustee Dennis Hebert dissented.

“I’m embarrassed by this whole thing,” Hebert said on May 9. “I’m embarrassed by some people in this room.”

Besides the mayor, trustees and Village Clerk Mary Ellen Sims, just a few others attended the May 9 meeting including Village Justice Anthony LaValle and Village Republican Party Chairman Bill Sanford.

Since April 14 more than 400 registered village voters had signed petitions carried by Village Justice Anthony LaValle calling for a permissive referendum.

Confusion over the number of registered voters in the village left LaValle and his supporters wondering just how many signatures they actually needed in order to force the referendum. A permissive referendum can be called for by 20 percent of the village electorate.

Village Clerk Sims had confirmed May 6 that, according to the most recent Board of Election Poll Book Report, the village had 1,525 registered voters. In order to call for a permissive referendum, the petitions must bear the signatures of at least 20 percent of the total number of voters. Twenty percent of 1,525 is 305.

On April 14, Sims had apparently misspoken when she said the total village electorate was 1,143, when, in fact, it was 1,525.

In any case, over the course of three weeks, LaValle and his supporters managed to get 426 village voters to sign the petitions as of May 9.

“The mayor and board found out that we have more than enough signatures,” LaValle said. “I’m sure that is why they passed the resolution [calling for the mandatory referendum]. They’re trying to save face.”

Although he’s pleased that voters will have a say about the future of the village court, the judge isn’t taking any chances. “I’m turning the signatures in on Thursday [May 12] to the village clerk,” he said. The deadline for petitions had been May 16.

The referendum will be placed on the ballot for the June 21 village election. The deadline for residents to register to vote is June 10. Voter registration forms are available at the Village Hall, 310 Sycamore St. The board of elections can be contacted at 435-8683.

Before the May 9 meeting adjourned, LaValle asked the trustees to consider re-wording the proposition too make it absolutely clear to the voters. White strongly agreed. Several years ago, the village of Seneca Falls presented voters with a proposition to dissolve the village, he said, but the wording left voters wondering whether a yes vote would preserve or abolish the village.

“I don’t want any confusion here,” White said.

Lavalle suggested more “simplistic” language, such as “Do you want a village court and village judge, yes or no?”

Trustee Nick Kochan suggested, “Do you want the village court dissolved or not?”

White said the trustees will consider re-wording the proposition before June 21. If the proposition remains worded as passed by the board, voters in favor of retaining a village court would have to vote “No.”