Poscharsky Is Named To Snowflake Council

By Naomi Hatch
   Thomas L. Poscharsky was selected last week to fill a vacancy on the Snowflake Town Council created by the resignation of Dean Porter.
   The council agreed to accept letters of interest for the vacant council seat, and such letters were received from Treavor Allen, Cristina Chugg, Tammy Mills, Poscharsky and Keith B. Webb.
   “Thank you for the willingness of so many in the community to serve in this position,” said Mayor Kelly Willis at the Jan. 26 council meeting.
   “We want all of you to know how appreciative we are of all of you standing up and serving in the community,” the mayor continued, noting that he was sorry that only one could be elected. “If you’re not voted on tonight, it’s not a vote against you, it’s just a vote of how we feel the best job that we can have done at this time.” He then invited those present, Poscharsky, Allen and Chugg, to address the council.
   Tom Poscharsky related that he served on the General Plan Committee for a year and a half, and is in his second term on the Snowflake Planning and Zoning Commission. “I don’t necessarily enjoy the poli-tics, but do have a unique background,” he said, noting that with the jobs he had he went through the New York City financial crisis in 1974, the Dallas/Fort Worth airport problems and the 1991 recession. “I’m familiar with municipal finances,” Poscharsky continued, noting he didn’t practice that any more, but was familiar with financial sheets. “I would realize a vote for someone else and not a vote for me is not a vote against me, and I will be very happy to serve or not serve, whatever you would like to do.”
   Treavor Allen, who has lived in Snowflake for a year and a half, expressed his love for the community, noting he came from the Valley, but married into the Gary Bigler family and visited Snowflake on a regular basis prior to moving here. “I enjoy serving, I enjoy being able to attend. Whether asked to serve on the council or not I will still show up for the meetings.” Allen attends meetings in Snowflake and Taylor, and serves on the Snowflake/Taylor Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and as secretary of the Snow-flake/Taylor Tourism Committee.
   Cristina Chugg thanked Porter, noting, “I really do feel like I have some big shoes to fill. As he spoke to the council in December, I found myself nodding my head with some of the things he had to say. I was surprised to hear some of his goals were my goals for Snowflake. I feel it is vital to bring jobs to the com-munity. Additionally, I feel we should support the heritage…I find I have a talent for looking at a situation objectively. I will base my decisions on what is best for the community as a whole.”
   Mayor Willis said, “With that comes the hard part, choosing someone…
   “I believe him to be a good and honorable man; I also know he is highly vested in the town of Snow-flake. I know that his great hope, too, is to bring jobs. With the experience that he has and the knowledge that he has, I feel he would be a good candidate to help the town of Snowflake move forward, so I nominate Tom Poscharsky to serve on the Snowflake Town Council in the seat of Dean Porter,” said the mayor.
   The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Sharon Tate and with no opposition, Poscharsky was se-lected to fill the vacant council seat.
   Poscharsky will be sworn in at the next meeting; however he did take his council seat.