Canandaigua Councilmember Renée Sutton resigns, search begins for replacement

CANANDAIGUA – Canandaigua City Council is looking for a new at-large member.

Councilmember Renée Sutton has resigned from City Council, an announcement of which was released last Friday evening by city officials.

When asked for comment, Sutton emailed a statement of her own:

“After much contemplation and reflection, I have made the difficult decision to resign from Canandaigua City Council. I have been grappling with grief and sorrow since the death of my brother last year,” Sutton stated, adding:

“Discovering some months ago that the circumstances of his death were being discussed by a senior member of city staff for the purpose of criticizing my stance on a policy issue has only added to my pain and contributed to a work environment in which I am unable to maintain my usual level of focus and engagement. City residents deserve effective representation, and I will step aside so that another may have an opportunity to provide it. I am profoundly grateful for the privilege of serving on Council, especially during my time under the guidance of Mayor Bob Palumbo, who truly embodies our core values in every aspect of his leadership. His kindness and support have meant so much to my family and myself.”

Palumbo said he would not comment beyond the statement the city released, citing a personnel issue. City Manager John Goodwin said he also had no comment.

A former chair of City Council’s ordinance committee, Sutton, a Democrat, served on it and the environmental committee.

Palumbo, on behalf of City Council and residents of the city, said in the city’s original statement that he expresses appreciation and gratitude to Sutton for her service on City Council, first representing Ward 4 and then the city as an at-large councilmember since Jan. 1, 2018.

Ryan Wilmer, chair of the Canandaigua Democratic Committee, said in a statement that councilmembers are true servants, and the demands from personal, family, and professional pursuits are a lot to navigate.

“And we understand the need to focus on the most important of those callings,” Wilmer stated. “We thank Renée for her many years of service to the Canandaigua community and the Democratic Party and wish her well in the future.”

Next step for Canandaigua City Council

The seat vacated by Sutton will be filled by a City Council appointment.

An at-large councilmember represents the city as a whole and four serve on City Council. Ward councilmembers represent four quadrants of the city. Each seat carries a four-year term.

Goodwin said the city received the first resume on Monday morning, and councilmembers have approached people who may be interested.

Whoever is appointed will serve from the date of appointment until Dec. 31, 2024. A special election for the remaining portion of the term will take place during the general election in November 2024.

“We’ll see what transpires in the next couple of weeks here,” Goodwin said.

Anyone interested in being appointed is asked to submit a cover letter and a resume to City Council, in care of Goodwin, by Friday, Aug. 18.

Interested individuals must be a city resident and have been for at least one year prior to the appointment.

Interviews are tentatively scheduled to take place on the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 29.  Send letters of interest and resumes to: City Council, c/o City Manager John D. Goodwin, 2 N. Main St., Canandaigua, NY 14424 or email jdg@canandaiguanewyork.gov.

Election nears

Although Sutton was not up for re-election this year, her resignation comes during what is shaping up to be a hotly contested local election year and in advance of the new year, when many new faces could sit on City Council.

Incumbent Councilmembers Karen White and Dan Unrath are not seeking re-election. Councilmember Ellen Polimeni, who is filling out the term of the late Councilmember Nick Cutri, also is not running.

Each of City Council’s four ward seats, including that of incumbent Ward 4 Councilmember Erich Dittmar, is up this year.

Democrats are backing Dittmar and Michael Mills, Ward 1; Guy Turchetti, Ward 2; and Donna Cator, Ward 3.

Republicans have endorsed Lindsay Loiacono, Ward 1; Sean Buck, Ward 2; John Nagle-Caraluzzo, Ward 3, and Patrick Rhodes, Ward 4.

This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Renée Sutton resigns from Canandaigua City Council