The Oneonta Common Council voted Edward May Jr. into the Fifth Ward seat Tuesday, Sept. 1.
May is a Republican, according to county voter registration records. He replaces Republican council member Len Carson, who resigned the seat in early August citing a death in the family and medical issues of family members.
“Overwhelming,” May said, describing his feelings about the appointment after the meeting.
One of his priorities during his stint on the council will be to “improve the business climate in our city,” he said. May added that “we have a lot of vacant storefronts on Main Street that need to be filled.”
Nominated by Democratic Mayor Dan Buttermann, May has said he will not be seeking election to the office in November. That election will decide who fills the seat for 2027. May will serve through the end of the year.
“I met him in 2015,” Buttermann said of May during the meeting. “We would get together from time to time and we would have breakfast and have some nice conversations” after initially meeting.
“I learned very quickly that we have different points of view on things,” Buttermann said, “and I really appreciate his different point of view than mine because” that often means you learn something new.
Most present members voted in favor of the appointment; Cecilia Walsh-Russo, D-Second Ward, abstained.
Buttermann swore in May immediately following the vote. May participated in the remainder of the council meeting.
Valerie Cole has secured the Democratic nomination in the race, while Amun Zo will appear on the independent Oneonta United line; Zo unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination. Both unsuccessfully sought Buttermann’s nomination for the interim appointment.
Buttermann said his choice of May was a way to give voters of the Fifth Ward the choice of who will represent them. He has said he will not be making an endorsement in the race.
After the meeting, Buttermann said he was grateful to have “Ed (May) step in to fill that seat in the interim at an important time of the year.”
Buttermann cited May’s more than 50 years of service on city boards and commissions as another reason for his choice.