BY JASON SUBIK
The Leader-Herald
On Monday, Fulton County Planning Director Scott Henze presented the Fulton County Board of Supervisors Public Works Committee with a resolution to appoint Perth resident and Gloversville Fire Department secretary Tracy Gutowski to fill one of two vacancies on the Fulton County Planning Board.
The vacancy was created when County Planning Board Chairwoman Karen Smith tendered her resignation on July 18, creating the vacancy, Henze said. Smith is also the long-tenured chairwoman of the Gloversville City Republican Committee.
“I received an application for [the vacant county planning board seat] from Tracy Gutowski in the Town of Perth,” Henze said. “She’s also a Town of Perth Planning Board member. She’s expressing interest in serving on the County Planning Board, and this month the County Planning Board — at their meeting— they, unanimously recommended Mrs. Gutowski to serve on [County] Planning Board.”
In the resolution, Henze noted that Perth currently has no residents serving on the eight-member County Planning Board.
Public Works Committee Chairman Greg Fagan, who is Town Supervisor for Perth, vouched for Gutowski.
“You were all provided with her letter and her resume,” Fagan said to the committee. “She also has experience in the city of Gloversville … she’s been an asset on our planning board, and I think she’ll do fine at the county [level].”
Gutowski also serves as the secretary for the city of Gloversville’s Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals.
The Public Works Committee voted unanimously to send the resolution to the full Fulton County Board of Supervisors to appoint Gutowski to serve the remainder of Smith’s term, which ends Dec. 31, 2023. If appointed, Gutowski will join the other current County Planning Board members: Walt Fitzgerald (term ends Dec. 31, 2021), James Anderson (term ends Dec. 31, 2022), Peter Goderie (term ends Dec. 31, 2022), Jerry Moore (term ends Dec. 31, 2022), Frederick Bochenek (term ends Dec. 31, 2023), David C. Rackmyre Jr. (term ends Dec. 31, 2023) and alternate member Frank Lauria (term ends Dec. 31, 2021).
Former County Planning Board member John Kessler’s seat remains vacant. Kessler’s term would have ended Dec. 31, 2021.
Fagan asked Henze if any of the current county planning board members have expressed interest in chairing the board now that Smith has exited that role.
“Not at the moment, no volunteers yet, I expect somebody will,” Henze said.
