Tyrone names Jean Kosty the supervisor

TYRONE—The Tyrone town board voted to appoint Deputy Clerk Jean Kosty as Supervisor Gary Jackson’s replacement, Thursday, Nov. 14.
Jackson announced his intention to step from his position by the end of the year during the regular Tuesday, Nov. 12, town board meeting.  Jackson’s four-year term has two years left.  He won the seat in the 2011 election as a write-in candidate and took office Jan. 1, 2012.
When contacted, Monday, Nov. 18, Board member Thomas Allen said the board hadn’t made a decision on Jackson’s replacement.  However he later confirmed Kosty was appointed Nov. 14.  When asked again about the decision being made Nov. 14, Allen said “I assumed it had to be made official at a board meeting.”
Kosty said in addition to serving as the Tyrone deputy clerk, she was also a Watkins Glen village clerk for 10 years.  She said she has “lived in the community all (her) life,” adding she “wanted to give back to the town.”  Kosty explained the appointment as supervisor happened Nov. 14 in executive session following a budget meeting.
Allen previously stated Jackson said he was stepping down to take an out-of-state job.  Allen said Jackson didn’t give an exact date for when he would resign except to say at the end of the current budget process.
According to Edison Alban, representative for the New York State Department of State, “The town board may, by majority vote, appoint an elector (voter) in the town to fill the vacancy in the supervisor’s position.”
Alban added, “If the town board selects another elected public officer to serve as supervisor, that person must first resign their other post.”  Kosty said she would step down as deputy clerk if needed to be supervisor.