Last Tuesday came and went without the casting of a single ballot. The special referendum that was meant to decide whether or not the Town of Wawarsing would change the office of Highway Superintendent from an elected to an appointed position was never held and that has some people asking why.

In this publication's May 31, 2007 issue it was first reported that arrangements for the special referendum had somehow slipped through the town's administrative cracks and could not legally be held. In the aftermath, town officials Supervisor James Dolaway, Councilman John Gavaris and Town Clerk Jane Eck offered their reasons as to why they were not responsible for the vote not taking place and why someone else was.

In a letter appearing elsewhere in this publication, Gavaris, who questioned the motivations of Eck regarding the election, apologizes and argues that the blame for the referendum not being held falls to Dolaway. At the most recent meeting of the Wawarsing Town Board, the matter of the botched vote was not introduced by any of the local officials in attendance; it was neither brought up as an agenda item nor during the “Councilperson's Concerns” part of the meeting. As the meeting approached its conclusion, this reporter raised the issue and was informed that since Councilwoman Ruth Ann Gunter and Councilman Tom Geelan were not present the board did not have the appropriate numbers to properly rescind and amend the local law that had created the special referendum.

The board will meet again on Thursday, June 21 and presumably decide the matter's future. However, election procedure suggests that in order to send the amended law through the proper channels, more than a month will elapse and the election will not be able to take place for 45 days after the amended law is adopted. Such a rescheduling of the date would place a possible vote for the referendum as late as the first week of August - a mere three months prior to the town's general election that will include the positions of Town Supervisor, Highway Superintendant, Town Clerk and two council seats (Ruth Ann Gunter and Terry Houck).

The vote's delay will push the special referendum beyond the time when the area's Democratic and Republican caucuses will take place. Thus, should the election take place, a number of town residents would be vying for a position that may not exist in November. The reason Gavaris wished to have the referendum held in early June was to prevent such a situation.

Nevertheless, Councilman John Gavaris says he will seek to reschedule the referendum. “I am very adamant about changing the position. Not having control over a $2.4 million budget [the budget for the Highway Department] is mind-boggling.”

Asked if he thinks the presence of an actual candidate would affect the referendum's outcome, Gavaris admitted that it could. “I think it might. It's a very good possibility. But people need to look away from individuals and look at the position and what that position allows you, as a highway superintendent, to do.” Though no candidates have been declared, Gavaris hoped that whoever decided to run would refrain from investing too much money in his or her campaign until the status of the position was resolved.

The original resolution, Local Law #2, was passed on Thursday, March 1 at a town board meeting by a 3-2 vote with Gunter, Gavaris and Dolaway voting in favor while Houck and Geelan voted against.

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