BY ANDREAS YILMA
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
PROSPECT — In a shuffle of town officials, the Prospect Town Council has approved a motion to appoint a new council member after one of its current members steps down to fill a soon-to-be-vacant tax collector position.
The Town Council accepted a letter of resignation at its regular Jan. 17 meeting from Prospect Tax Collector Anne Marie Burr as of Feb. 4.
Burr has accepted a position as tax collector of revenue for the town of Cheshire.
“It’s been my pleasure to serve the town of Prospect for the past 15 years,” Burr said in her resignation letter.
Council member Patricia S. Geary the Town Council is very sorry that Burr is leaving.
“You’ve done a wonderful job since you started,” Geary said.
The council also accepted a letter of resignation from Town Council Vice Chairman Megan Patchkofsky upon her appointment to Tax Collector at the Prospect Republican Town Committee’s endorsement. Her last day on the council is Feb 4.
Geary said Patchkofsky has honestly been a big asset to the council.
“The attitude that you approached with fair and with bipartisan attitude, very much appreciated and the town has benefited from you being here,” Geary said.
Patchkofsky said it was a pleasure working with all the town officials.
“I’m excited to serve the residents differently. It’s big shoes to fill but Ann Marie is very graciously going to help, work night and day to make sure that I’m caught up,” Patchkofsky said.
Patchkofsky will also step down from her role as chair of two subcommittees: town buildings and salary review.
“It’s going to be very difficult to fill her shoes,” Town Council Chairman Jeffrey Slapikas said. “This is hard for me to lose her as a chair. She’s a big asset.”
The Republican Town Committee at its recent meeting voted in favor of recommending Zoning Board of Appeals member Scott Martin to fill the unexpired town council member term and Martin’s resignation from that board.
Patchkofsky and Martin are both Republicans.
Martin, 61 of Prospect, said he’s looking forward to his new role on the council.
“I’ve been involved in the town for seven years on the zoning board of appeals so this is a different capacity for me to contribute back to the town, kind of shape what we’re doing in the future so I’m excited about it,” Martin said. “I’m excited about the opportunity.”
The terms of Burr and Patchkofsky were set to expire in November. Slapikas said the council will vote to select the new vice chair at its next meeting Feb. 7.
