Maria Sexton is the Town of Vestal supervisor, having taken office on January 1, 2024, after winning the November 2023 general election as a Democrat against incumbent John Schaffer and a third candidate. Residents can reach her by email at msexton@vestalny.gov through the town’s administrative offices.1Town of Vestal. Town Contacts Her 2023 campaign focused on opening up town government, including posting meetings online and running regular community surveys.
The Current Town Board
Sexton sits on a five-member Town Board alongside council members Suzanne Messina, Glenn Miller, Robert Greene, and Matthew Padbury.2Town of Vestal. Town Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes Meeting agendas, schedules, and minutes are posted on the town’s website, so anyone planning to attend a session or submit a comment can see what the board will be taking up before showing up.
What the Supervisor Does
The job is closer to a chief financial officer than a ceremonial figurehead. Under New York Town Law Section 29, the supervisor serves as the town’s treasurer and collects, holds, and disburses all town funds.3New York State Senate. New York Town Law 29 – Powers and Duties of Supervisor Money leaves town accounts only on checks the supervisor signs, and the board can require the town clerk to countersign as an added control.
The supervisor also keeps the town’s financial books in the format the State Comptroller prescribes. Within 30 days after the fiscal year ends, she files an annual financial report with the town clerk covering all receipts and disbursements, with bank certificates showing deposits on hand.3New York State Senate. New York Town Law 29 – Powers and Duties of Supervisor A certified copy runs in the official town newspaper. The board can instead direct her to file the annual report required under General Municipal Law Section 30 with the State Comptroller.
Beyond finances, the supervisor prepares the town’s annual budget and represents Vestal in dealings with other levels of government.
Role on the Town Board
The Town Board holds Vestal’s legislative power, and the supervisor chairs its meetings. When she is present, she presides, sets the agenda, and runs the discussion; if she is absent, the remaining members pick one of their own to chair that session.4New York State Senate. New York Town Law 63 – Presiding Officer and Rules of Procedure
She is also a full voting member, not a tiebreaker. Every resolution or local law needs a majority of the five board members, and her vote counts the same as any council member’s.4New York State Senate. New York Town Law 63 – Presiding Officer and Rules of Procedure Votes are recorded by name in the minutes, so residents can see how each member voted on any question. The supervisor can also appoint committees of board members to study specific issues and report back.
Term Length and Vacancies
Town Law Section 24 sets a two-year default term for town supervisors unless the town has extended it through local legislation or referendum.5New York State Senate. New York Town Law 24 – Terms of Office Council members, justices, receivers of taxes, and assessors follow their own schedules.
If a supervisor leaves office early, the town board fills the seat by majority vote. The appointee serves until the start of the calendar year after the next election at which the vacancy can be filled, not through what would have been the rest of the original term.6New York State Senate. New York Town Law 64 – General Powers of Town Boards A sitting council member can be appointed, but only after resigning the council seat, since no one may hold two town offices at once.
Salary
The supervisor’s pay is set each year through the town’s budget rather than fixed by state law, and it is funded through local tax revenue. The current figure appears in the adopted budget on the Town of Vestal’s website, which keeps final budgets going back more than a decade.