-    In Bipartisan Move Early in New Administration, Foster Appointed Hanzlik to Committee to Make Recommendations to City on Council Vacancies -

-  Hanzlik, Himself Appointed to the Council Under Controversy Fails to Take Responsibility Seriously, has Not Held a Single Meeting -

Republican candidate for Mayor Chris Hanzlik, who was appointed in a bipartisan show of unity to a charter review committee on filling council vacancies, has not held a single meeting since that appointment in February 2008.  In over 19 months, Hanzlik has not held a single meeting or made a single recommendation to the Common Council.

“Mayor Foster gave Chris Hanzlik an opportunity to serve the residents of Peekskill early in her term,” said Darren Rigger, Chairman of the Peekskill Democratic City Committee. “Unlike previous administrations, she reached across the aisle and appointed a political adversary in the hopes of forging bipartisan agreement on potential changes to the City Charter with respect to filling council vacancies. Chris Hanzlik has taken absolutely no action in fulfilling his responsibility. This disregard of responsibility on the part of Mr. Hanzlik speaks volumes.”

On January 28, 2008, Chris Hanzlik spoke at the citizens desiring to be heard portion of the Common Council meeting and joined GOP operatives who questioned the filling of a vacancy on the Common Council. Mr. Hanzlik himself was appointed to the Peekskill Common Council in 2003, without screening by the Common Council members, without notification having been sent to the public, and without an item being placed on the agenda until five-minutes before his appointment. Hanzlik, publicly stated that he was willing to help come up with an official process if Mayor Mary Foster wanted his input.

Mayor Foster, in an act of bi-partisanship, took Hanzlik up on the offer and appointed him to serve the city on an advisory committee to recommend changes to the city charter.  On March 10, 2008, the Peekskill Common Council officially appointed Hanzlik (Resolution J7) to lead a commission that would “Examine Charter Section §C34 “Vacancies”. Since that time, Mr. Hanzlik has taken no action.

“Mr. Hanzlik is all talk and no action” said Rigger, “He asked for the chance to serve and the Mayor gave it to him. It’s one thing to want to serve it’s another thing to actually do it. Now Mr. Hanzlik wants to serve as Mayor. If he couldn't fulfill his responsibility to serve the City on an advisory board, what makes us think he could fulfill his responsibilities as mayor?”