The City of Batavia Republican Committee is seeking interested candidates for City Council Wards 2 and 3 for this year's election.

Candidates must be resgistered Republicans and residents of the wards in which they intend to represent -- either Ward 2 or Ward 3. 

All qualified individuals seeking to serve in this honorable role are to submit a letter of interest to Committee Chairman Richard Richmond by Feb. 1. Send letters to: City of Batavia Republican Committee, P.O. Box 260, Batavia, NY, 14021. 

 

“I am looking forward to this because I love the city,” Rich Richmond said this morning when asked about his selection by the City Republican Committee to replace Council member-at-large Jeremy Karas, who resigned at the end of January. “We’ve got good people living here.”

Richmond, 66, (photo at right), reported that he is expected to be appointed prior to Monday’s City Council Conference Meeting at 7 p.m. at the City Hall Council Board Room.

If that does happen, he would serve until an election in November and, if he wins in November, would serve out the remaining time in that term.

The City GOP chair, Richmond said a Republican committee of 24 people met earlier this week at the Old County Courthouse to interview three candidates and vote on Karas’ replacement.

“I recused myself from running that meeting,” he said. “The three of us were there to answer as many questions as the committee had.”

With his selection, Richmond said he would give up his position on the Genesee County Planning Board (he’s been a member of that committee for four years), but would continue on as City Republican chair.

“My experience on the planning board will be a plus, having dealt with zoning issues and related items, but I’ve got a lot of catching up to do regarding city codes,” he said “I am also familiar with budgets as a member of the Godfrey’s Pond board of directors.”

About eight years ago, Richmond ran for a Ward seat on City Council but lost by 11 votes.

Regarding the upcoming vacant position of Council at large representative on City Council, City of Batavia Republican Committee Chairman Richard Richmond invites qualified individuals seeking to serve in this role to submit a letter of interest to him by February 17, 2022 

Mail Letters of interest to:

City of Batavia Republican Committee
PO Box 260
Batavia, NY 14021

To be qualified for the position, the prospective representative must be a resident of the City of Batavia and a member of the same political party as the representative who most recently served in the seat—in this case, a Republican.  These are requirements of Section 3-3 of the City Charter. ( Officially resigning, and his last day February 12, 2022, Jeremy Karas was a registered Republican; therefore, his replacement must also be a registered Republican).

The City Republican Committee expects to recommend an individual to the City Council, which has the appointment power to fill the vacancy temporarily.  The Council appointment will run through the calendar year 2022.  At the general election in 2022, there will be a special election to fill the remaining  3-years of the regular four-year term of office for the mentioned position.

 

Tammy Schmidt received an enthusiastic endorsement from her predecessor tonight as she was sworn in as the Batavia City Council's Sixth Ward representative.

"I'm here on behalf of Tammy Schmidt, who will do an outstanding job for the Sixth Ward," said Rose Mary Christian, who stepped down last month after nearly 30 years as a city lawmaker. "She's articulate ... and certainly knows lthe budget process (as Schmidt works in the financial management field). I want to thank her for taking my position."

The appointment of Schmidt through the end of next year was reported first on The Batavian.

Photo: City Clerk/Treasurer Heidi Parker, right, swears in Tammy Schmidt as Rose Mary Christian and City Republican Committee Chair Rich Richmond look on. Schmidt was unanimously approved by City Council prior to the board's Conference and Business Meetings. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Previously: Batavia City Council set to vote on appointment of Republican Tammy Schmidt as Sixth Ward representative