Carolan takes her seat at the town board

Town of Newburgh Councilmember Mary Lou Carolan was sworn into office Friday, Jan. 23, nearly two weeks after Town Supervisor Gil Piaquadio initially refused to administer the oath at the board’s Jan. 12 reorganizational meeting.

Carolan won her council seat in November by 10 votes over incumbent Paul Ruggiero, triggering an automatic recount. The recount narrowed her lead, but she was still declared the winner.

On Dec. 23, Ruggiero filed a lawsuit in Orange County Supreme Court seeking to invalidate some ballots counted during the recount and have himself declared the winner. A judge is scheduled to rule Feb. 2.

At the Jan. 12 meeting, Piaquadio cited Ruggiero’s order to show cause, which requested that the court prevent Carolan from taking her seat until the case was resolved. Piaquadio said seating Carolan would put him in contempt of court.

An order to show cause initiates a court case, but its demands are not binding unless a judge rules in favor of the filer.

This week, Piaquadio said he decided to swear Carolan in because “the validity of the stay order could not be proven to my satisfaction.”

“Not being able to be recognized or vote at a reorganizational meeting when I’m the certified election winner was not right,” Carolan said. “But I took my seat, which is the seat I was elected by the people to assume, and even though I was ignored I sat there proudly in support of my constituents.”

Carolan said constituent reaction to her swearing-in has been “overwhelming and positive.”

“I’ve been doing the work regardless,” she said. “I’ve been connecting with people and meeting with folks and taking down their concerns and issues even though it was not official, so I’ll just continue to do the work but now in an official capacity.”

The Town of Newburgh Democratic Committee congratulated Carolan on Instagram, saying, “We look forward to your service.”