Two controversial public referendums altering Republican Mayor Norman Rosenblum’s powers of appointment passed overwhelmingly amid a wave of Democratic voter turnout across the village of Mamaroneck on Tuesday night.
The referendums—one altering the mayor’s appointment to zoning and planning boards, and the other his sole power to appoint a village attorney—passed by 59 percent and 60 percent, respectively.
According to unofficial numbers from the Westchester County Board of Elections, as of press time, Proposition No. 1—changing the appointment of volunteers to land use boards from the mayor to a majority of the village board—garnered 3,428 votes of support to 2,306 opposed, while Proposition No. 2—altering the mayor’s powers to appoint a village attorney—saw 3,374 votes in favor compared to 2,298 against.
Incumbent Trustee Leon Potok, a Democrat, who won re-election this week in a sweeping victory for village Democrats, views the decision as a return to a more equitable form of government.
“Resoundingly across the village, voters in Democratic and Republican districts preferred to have five people making decisions,” he said. “…Voters were in favor of more representation and democracy in choosing the village attorney and the land use and planning board members.”
The passage of both referendums comes after a heated battle between Rosenblum and village board Democrats over what they have called a blatant overreach by the mayor.
Democrats have criticized the mayor of taking advantage of a loophole known as the “hold over” rule that allows him appoint land use board members sans board approval.
The rule, Democrats say, is exploited when a vacancy—through resignation or removal—is created on a land use board and an interim is appointed.
Once the remainder of the term is filled by the interim, the board must vote on whether or not keep the appointee for another term. If the vote is not unanimous, then the appointment stays, meaning the mayor is able to keep the interim official in by simply voting no.
Additionally, Democrats have criticized the mayor’s appointment power of the village attorney position as inequitable, citing that the attorney would then be beholden to the mayor.
Rosenblum has written off the Democrats’ initiatives as “petty politics.”
Despite the mayor’s best efforts to fight off both propositions by filing an unsuccessful lawsuit against the village board Democratic majority claiming violations to state Open Meetings Law during the board’s approval of the ballot initiatives, both changes are now set in stone.
“That’s what the people want and that’s what you go with,” said Rosenblum, adding that the amount of votes for the propositions came as a surprise. “I’m still the mayor, just with different parameters, obviously.”
With an electoral sweep this week, Democrats will maintain their village board majority, making the passage of the propositions ironclad going forward and new guidelines a coup for a party looking for greater control of village government.
