NANTICOKE — Mark O’Connor was appointed to council during Tuesday’s combined reorganization, work and regular meeting to fill the council seat vacated by his wife, Lesley Butczynski, who was declared ineligible to serve a fourth term due to provisions set in the Nanticoke City Home Rule Charter.
Despite being elected to another term in November’s general election, Butczynski was found to be ineligible to serve due to Section 2.10 of the charter, which states members of City Council may not serve more than three elected, consecutive terms.
As stated in Resolution No. 1 of 2024, her council seat was declared vacant through forfeiture, which occurs when a member of council lacks the qualification of the offices as defined by the charter.
Butczynski was first appointed to Council in 2012, when she filled the seat vacated by Councilwoman Margaret Hydock, following her resignation.
Butczynski then won a one-time, two-year term in 2013. She subsequently won a four-year term in 2015 and a second four-year term in 2019.
Butczynski’s ability to retain her seat was called into question last summer as it was unclear under the current charter provisions whether or not the one-time two-year term counted toward her total number of terms served.
Before the council meeting on Tuesday, Council Solicitor William Finnegan told The Times Leader that because the drafters of Nanticoke’s Home Rule Charter did not make a distinction between that one-time, two-year term and a regular four-term and only spoke of terms “generally,” it was ultimately concluded that Butczynski had already served the maximum amount of consecutive terms allowed by the charter.
Residents voted to keep term limits in place for both council members and the mayor back in November’s general election.
During the…
