Clarkstown plan would force 2 council members to vie for 1 seat. They say it's retaliation
NEW CITY - A move to redistrict the town's election wards has potentially again divided the Clarkstown Town Board and increased animosity between two councilmen and the supervisor.
Supervisor George Hoehmann has proposed a redistricting plan that would pit Patrick Carroll and Frank Borelli against one another for a single board seat. Hoehmann contends the consultant's plan he chose — one of four offered — best meets the needs of voters by consolidating neighborhoods and hamlet business districts.
But Carroll and Borelli say Hoehmann wants to oust one of them from the five-member board as retaliation for their opposition to voiding the town term limits law, which Hoehmann supports. Under term limits, now before a state judge, Hoehmann could not seek another term as supervisor this year. Borelli also is term-limited, but he supports the law and concept.
Clarkstown 2017: Town Board passes ward system, term lengths
Clarkstown wards: Proposed boundary changes in 2023
Public hearing Feb. 7 on ward redistricing
Hoehmann has put redistricting map pitting Borelli and Carroll up for a public hearing on Feb. 7 in Clarkstown Town Hall. Three other plans offered by the consultant remain sidelined. Borelli said he would ask the board to consider alternatives at the hearing.
Hoehmann said the map he put up for discussion and a public hearing would correct some of the deficiencies with the wards. The Town Board unanimously adopted the ward system and term lengths in March 2017, starting with that year's November elections.
"We're in the process of rezoning all hamlet centers to keep them as whole as possible and respect natural boundaries," Hoehmann said. "The consultant drew the maps incumbent-blind."
Carroll, Borelli say Hoehmann's ward plan is retaliatory
Caroll and Borelli don't believe Hoehmann randomly chose the plan that would eliminate one of them as best for the town. They see Hoehmann's choice as payback for their opposition to eliminating term limits.
Neither elected official believes a redistricting is needed. Clarkstown's population increase from the 2020 census count falls below the 5 percent deviation rate demanding the town balance the district to maintain the constitutional mandate of one person, one vote.
"The map that the supervisor sent to the board last week for consideration at the February 7th public hearing is clearly designed to remove either Councilman Carroll or myself, as we would be residing in the same ward," Borelli said.
"The supervisor could not be more obvious in his intent," Borelli said. "Two weeks after we disagreed with him on term limits, there is suddenly a new map, on an issue not discussed since last May."
Borelli and Hoehmann are both Republicans and one-time allies. Carroll is the five-member governing board's lone Democrat.
Carroll said he spoke with the consultant, David Schaefer of Skyline Consulting in Schenectady, New York.
"After speaking with the mapping consultant it is clear that keeping the current Ward lines is an acceptable option as are any of the five map versions that have been presented since May 2022," Carroll said.
Hoehmann said the deviation for some wards is around 4 percent, just under the minimum for an automatic redistricting. He said the law had been changed to reduce the minimum from 10 percent.
Carroll said he hopes the two other board members will see the supervisor's proposal drastically changes his Ward 4 and inserts Borelli and that "is a direct retaliatory attack on us, our constituents, democracy, and the entire Clarkstown community."
Councilman Michael Graziano said he could not comment until he heard from the consultant on the proposed maps. Councilman Donald Franchino didn't respond to a request for comment.
Both Graziano and Franchino supported Hoehmann on lifting the term-limits law and opposed the request by Borelli and Carroll to hire outside counsel to represent the town in the legal action brought by Hoehmann, Franchino, and a citizen to void the law.
The town is being represented before Puerto by Deputy Town Attorney Kevin Conway — a designation that Borelli and Carroll call a conflict since the Town Attorney Craig Johns worked on eliminating the term limits law.
The case involving counsel and the term limits law is being heard before New York State Supreme Court Justice Amy Puerto in the County Courthouse in New City. Her decisions are pending. Both sides hope for decisions before the Feb .28 start of the petition-collecting process to gain ballot spots in the election.
Hoehmann dismisses criticism of ward proposal
Hoehmann dismissed the complaints of retaliation and argued he offered the map he sees as best for the residents. He said Borelli and Carroll are playing politics. Hoehmann argued the town hired a consultant and should trust his judgment.
"They can bring up whatever they want," Hoehmann said. "No one was targeted, and saying so is ridiculous. If the other board members want to discuss other maps, we can."
Borelli said Hoehmann's actions are self-serving, noting he voted for term limits in 2014 and now want to eliminate the law and those who opposed him.
"Mr. Hoehmann has clearly lost his way," Borelli said. "His actions now are all about what benefits him and not the citizens of Clarkstown. I am truly disappointed in the changes exhibited by the supervisor."
Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com. Twitter: @lohudlegal.
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This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Clarkstown redistricting plan cuts seats for existing council members
