Cassian town board has a new supervisor

At its May 13 meeting the Cassian Town Board accepted the resignation of town supervisor Dick Herman.

Town chair Patty Francoeur told The Lakeland Times Herman’s resignation was “for personal reasons.”

“It’s nothing to do with anything else that’s going on,” she said. 

The biggest issue the board had on its plate in what turned out to be the final year of Herman’s tenure was a plan to build a 36-bed adolescent recovery and wellness center (ARWC) on land the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc. (GLITC)  purchased last year in the town of Cassian. 

During its September meeting the town board approved a resolution stating its opposition to the project and the reasons why. 

On April 3, the Oneida County board’s planning and development committee declined to issue a conditional use permit (CUP) for the project.

The next step in the appeal process for GLITC is a hearing before the county’s Board of Adjustment. Francoeur said that hearing will probably take place in June or July. 

In the meantime, she said Herman, even though he has resigned from the town board, is “still going to have our back if we have questions about anything or need advice.”

“He will be there for us,” Francoeur said. “He was a very valued town supervisor.”

She said six people stepped forward for consideration to take Herman’s place on the town board and finish his term, which expires next spring. 

“I thought that was very positive,” Francoeur said. “Considering nobody ran in the last election.” 

Dave Priegnitz, who serves on the town’s planning commission “and attends every town board meeting,” was appointed at the May 13 meeting as a new town supervisor. 

“All the applicants had ... there’s a lot of background that they had in either government or roads, highways, that kind of thing,” Francoeur said. “It was a very positive response to fill the position. I just felt that due to everything that’s still going on, we needed to someone in that town supervisor seat quickly.”

She said she felt because Priegnitz is on the plan commission and has attended town board meetings the past few years, “he’s in tune with what’s going on in the community.”

“That’s why I decided to forego actual interviews and go right to an appointment,” she explained.

Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].