CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Cheektowaga Democratic Committee announced that Council member Stephen Nowicki has resigned after questions surrounding his residency.
Nowicki's resignation is effective immediately, and the committee said it is now accepting resumes from individuals interested in appearing on the general election ballot as a Town Council candidate in November.
Lynn Dearmyer, chair of the committee, released the following statement:
"Immediately after learning of the questions surrounding Councilmember Stephen Nowicki’s residency, I contacted members of the Cheektowaga Democratic Committee to discuss options for resolving this issue in a manner that best serves our community.
We agreed that unless Mr. Nowicki could commit to making his Cheektowaga home his primary residence, he should submit his resignation.
I conveyed this consensus to Mr. Nowicki and urged him to make a decision prior to August 3rd, the deadline for filling the vacancy in the November general election.
This morning he informed me that he will resign from the council, effective immediately.
This is the right course of action as a matter of ethics, and it is the one that allows the voters of Cheektowaga to choose Mr. Nowicki’s replacement.
As we turn to the task of naming a candidate for the fall election, I thank Mr. Nowicki for his service and wish him well in his future endeavors."
Cheektowaga Republican Chair Dawn Filipski released the following statement:
"As if it wasn’t bad enough that Councilman Stephen Nowicki was helping advance a socialist agenda in Cheektowaga, it now appears he was collecting a taxpayer-funded salary while his primary residence was in the City of Buffalo.
This resignation is a major embarrassment for Supervisor Brian Nowak and the Cheektowaga Democratic majority. They failed to ensure that one of their own Town Board members met the basic legal qualifications to serve, and the issue was only addressed after it became public.
Cheektowaga taxpayers deserve accountability, transparency, and elected officials who follow the law. They also deserve leaders who are focused on lowering taxes, supporting law enforcement, and protecting the quality of life in our community instead of pushing the far-left policies that have failed elsewhere.
This November, voters will have the opportunity to end the far-left control of Town Hall and elect a common-sense leader who will help restore accountability and put Cheektowaga taxpayers back in charge."
