Village board majority sacks Springville administrator

The 3-2 vote came last week during the first meeting of the board, two weeks after two new trustees were elected.

Mayor Timothy Michaels and new trustee Russel Belscher favored reappointing Melock during the April 1 reorganization meeting.

Three trustees endorsed by the Revitalize Springville Party, Mary Padasak, Lindsay Buncy and newly elected trustee Jessica Schuster, voted against retaining Melock, who has been administrator for eight years.

“When boards turn over, new individuals brought on oftentimes have new ideas,” Schuster told The Buffalo News.

The mayor said there was no discussion before the vote on Melock’s reappointment. She had been told several days before the meeting she would not be reappointed.

Michaels maintains that the administrator is the mayor’s appointment to make, although it must be approved by the board.

“The administrator works for the board and answers to the board, she’s in charge of all department heads,” he said.

The administrator has a number of duties running the village on a day-to-day basis. The village has water, sewer, code enforcement and public works departments, a dispatch center for fire and EMS calls in Springville and Concord. It also owns and operates Springville Electric, one of 47 municipally owned power companies in the state.

“People forgot that the administrator worked at the pleasure of the board of trustees,” Schuster said. “It is not an anointed position, it is appointed.”

She said she would like board members to have more input into the selection of a new administrator.

“What I was looking for is to see what kind of candidates we could get, and find an individual who aligns with the vision we have for the village,” Schuster said. “It doesn’t mean it wasn’t Liz.”

She said trustees told Melock she would not be excluded from reapplying for the position or from serving in the position as a holdover, but she is no longer working for the village.

The mayor said the village will advertise for the position. The village has had two administrators. When Melock and her predecessor were hired, the mayor, deputy mayor and department heads interviewed candidates, Michaels said, but he added that he is open to suggestions.

The deputy clerk and deputy treasurer will handle the administrator’s duties in the interim, and Michaels said he has picked up additional duties.