By Holly Crocco
Patterson Town Councilman Peter Dandreano resigned from his seat Dec. 20, effective immediately.
According to a letter from Dandreano read by Councilman Charles Cook at the Dec. 27 meeting, the decision was made “with regret.”
“I am grateful for having the opportunity to serve on the town board for the Town of Patterson for the past 10 years and I offer my best wishes for continued success,” he wrote. “I thank the residents of the Town of Patterson for electing me and entrusting me to represent them.”
According to a post Dandreano made on Facebook, the former councilman is relocating.
“After serving the residents of Patterson for 10 years, I have decided to move permanently upstate to spend more time with my family,” he wrote. “This decision didn’t come easy, as I have made many great friends and met some amazing people. Thank you for all you’ve done for me and my family. God bless you all!”
Dandreano had two years left on his term, and the town board now has the option to appoint a replacement, or keep the seat vacant.
Also during the Dec. 27 meeting, Town Supervisor Richard Williams acknowledged outgoing Councilman Cook, who retired after a combination of almost two decades of service to the town.
“We will be losing someone who has been with us for a very long time, Mr. Cook, who is stepping down and moving on to bigger and better things, I hope,” he said.
Cook has served a total of 17 years on the planning and town boards.
“I’ve met a lot of good people and I’d like to give another shout out to the town employees, both full-time and part-time,” he said. “These people work very hard. They’re diligent, they know their jobs, they do their jobs day-in and day-out, and for me it’s just been a pleasure meeting, knowing and working with them.”
Councilman Shawn Rogan thanked Cook for his dedication and hard work.
“We’ve learned a lot from you over the years, Charlie, and I’ve always enjoyed working with you,” he said. “You’re a gentleman, you care about what you do, you approach it in the right way, and I’m honored to have spent the time working with you.”