Council Member Paloma Wake Requests Public Review Of Applicants For Ward 4 Vacancy
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“I am interested in having a discussion in public, if allowable, about the Mayor’s change in process and procedure of holding in-person interviews of prospective new hires into our police force.”
City of Beacon Council Member Paloma Wake has been asking for more public transparency in the appointments and hires of public servants for the City of Beacon. In the 11/18/2024 City Council Meeting, she requested for a second look at the process and procedure of holding in-person interviews of prospective new hires into Beacon’s police force. She also requested public review of the 3rd vacancy on the City Council in a year.
Of the police hires, Council Member Paloma said: “I do not have any objection to the 3 detective appointments on the agenda for tonight. They are internal transfers with positive records within our police force. However, I am interested in having a discussion in public, if allowable, about the Mayor's change in process and procedure of holding in-person interviews of prospective new hires into our police force."
It is not clear what the “change in process and procedure” is “of holding in-person interviews of prospective new hires into the police force.” Discussion about new hires or fires happens off-camera of the public City Council Meeting, in something called Executive Session. If the discussion of procedure about these happened in Executive Session, it is possible the public did not learn about it.
“[I want to] announce that we have a potential impending vacancy for the Ward 4 position. I reiterate what I asked for a year ago when we came up with similar vacancy through the resignation of Wren Longo.”
Regarding the vacancy of Council Member for Ward 4 after Dan Aymar-Blair ran for Dutchess County Comptroller and looked to be winning by a slim lead after he filed a lawsuit to delay the declaration of winning until absentee ballots were counted, Council Member Paloma said:
“[I want to] announce that we have a potential impending vacancy for the Ward 4 position. I reiterate what I asked for a year ago when we came up with similar vacancy through the resignation of Wren Longo.”
At that time, word spread on the street of Wren’s resignation, but it never made it to a public announcement. Until after Wren resigned and Mayor Lee Kyriacou announced that he would be shifting the person who ran for the At Large position to Pam Weatherbee, to replace Wren in Ward 3, as Pam coincidentally also lived within Ward 3. Mayor Lee stated that he then begged former Council Member Amber Grant to come out of Council retirement to fill Pam’s newly elected but vacated seat of At Large. This, all done within a Council and Mayoral race where all contestants ran un-opposed. Basically, making a Beacon Democrats Free For All, and freedom for Mayor Lee to appoint whoever he wanted, unchecked.
“At that time, while Dan’s lawsuit was filed, Mayor Lee responded to Council Member Paloma with: “Dan’s body isn’t even cold yet. Come on. We will get there when we get there.””
Meanwhile, two other candidates had been running at the time, and could have been considered: La Star Gorton for Ward 1 (but she could have been considered for At Large after Wren’s resignation), and Reuben Simmons (who entered the Mayoral race one week before voting, and won an unheard of 16% of the vote as a write-in).
Council Member Paloma stated: “I recognize that the city charter gives the Mayor power of appointment with consent of Council. I would ask for my consent to personally be given that there be a process that is public that is inspired by how the school board handles vacancies. Though I'm aware that the school board have their own charter. And official public notice be given. For a period of time - I would propose 30 days - that application notice be given and applications for anyone interested be sent to the Mayor's office and also encourage that process to provide an opportunity to speak directly to the public about why they want to serve. Submit those ideas to Council's consideration most importantly the Mayor's discretion.”
At that time, while Dan’s lawsuit was filed, Mayor Lee responded to Council Member Paloma with: “Dan's body isn't even cold yet. Come on. We will get there when we get there.”
