As Chairwoman of the Cheektowaga Democratic Committee, I believe our community deserves elected officials who are accountable to the people they serve and who meet the legal requirements of public office. Recent events involving former town Councilmember Steven Nowicki have reinforced the importance of that principle.
Nowicki resigned from the Cheektowaga Town Board after questions arose regarding whether he met the residency requirements to continue serving. Those requirements exist for a reason: elected officials should live in the communities they represent. When legitimate concerns arise about an official’s eligibility, they must be addressed openly and responsibly.
In late April, Nowicki informed me that he had purchased a home outside Cheektowaga. He said he intended to maintain his Cheektowaga residence, complete his term and not seek reelection before eventually relocating.
After a resident raised questions about his residency during the July 14 Town Board meeting, I immediately sought additional information. The following evening, I received documentation that raised a legitimate concern regarding the residency requirements associated with the newly purchased property. After consulting with legal professionals, I believed it was necessary to speak directly with Councilmember Nowicki.
I shared the information with him, explained the concerns that had been raised, and asked him to consider the matter carefully and determine the appropriate course of action. The following morning, shortly before 8 a.m., he formally submitted his resignation.
Once the resignation was submitted, our responsibility was to act promptly and ensure that the necessary deadline was met so that the residents of Cheektowaga would have an opportunity to participate in a special election.
That deadline was met.
When concerns arise involving Democratic elected officials, we believe they should be addressed directly and transparently. Accountability should never depend on political party. Unfortunately, we did not see that same standard from local Republicans last year when a Republican Town Councilmember stopped attending Town Board meetings after losing reelection, yet continued collecting a taxpayer-funded salary through the end of his term, without meaningful action from Republican leadership.
Nowicki’s resignation was the appropriate decision under the circumstances. I appreciate his public service, but the people of Cheektowaga deserve confidence that their elected representatives meet all legal requirements and remain accountable to the residents they serve.
We then moved ahead with interviewing prospective candidates to run in the special election and endorsed Rachel Martinez. Our endorsement reflects our confidence in Rachel’s commitment to public service and her understanding that holding office is a responsibility, not a privilege. She is dedicated to serving with integrity, transparency, accountability, as well as working to ensure the same from others.
This special election gives voters the opportunity to choose a representative who will put the interests of Cheektowaga first. The Democratic Committee is committed to supporting Rachel and ensuring voters understand the importance of this election.
Cheektowaga is a strong community that deserves strong, trustworthy leadership. We are proud to endorse Rachel Martinez for town council.
Reach out to CheektowagaDems@gmail.com to get involved.
Lynn Dearmyer
Democratic Committee Chair
Cheektowaga
