Batavia City School Board Member Patrick Burk was in a Catch-22 Tuesday evening.
Burk is a Genesee County elections official, and also the president of Batavia City Democrats. So naturally he was at the polling place at 9 p.m., when police walked in and attempted to confiscate the voting machines. It seems Jane Corwin’s campaign had obtained a court order to block any immediate counting of the votes.
“Corwin ‘allegedly’ had a court impound the machines, but I heard it was overturned,” says Burk.
While talking with police, Burk received a call on his cell phone from fellow board member Steve Hyde, which he ignored.
Then Hyde called again. Burk picked up – and suddenly found himself at the center of a debate over the Batavia City School District budget. Fellow board members had split 3-to-3, and Burk’s seventh vote would decide between a contingency budget, and a budget proposal improvised by Hyde.
“Give me about 35 minutes,” Burk said.
Forty minutes later, Burk walked into the board of education meeting on Washington Avenue, visibly out of breath.
Shortly after calling the meeting back into session, Board President Andy Pedro asked if there was any further discussion on the proposal to adopt a contingency plan.
“Well,” Burk deadpanned, “I’d like to see the options first,” receiving a chorus of laughs from the remaining board members.
A bit later in the meeting, Superintendent Margaret Puzio remarked tongue-in-cheek that board members “had all night,” to which Burk cheekily replied: “I’ve been awake since 4:30 a.m., Margaret – make me feel better.” More laughs.
Asked later in the evening about his frantic night, Burk simply stated: “Well, it was the right thing to do.”
(Photo courtesy Batavia City School District)
