Public hearing on expanding residency requirements for village offices in Holley.

ORLEANS COUNTY

NOTICE OF HEARING ON PROPOSED LOCAL LAW



Notice of Public Hearing

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held on March 10th at 6PM at the village office at 1 Wright Street, Holley, NY 14470 to consider changes to the village appointed terms via Local Law 1-2026 whereas:

A LOCAL LAW ELECTING TO EXPAND RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTED AND APPOINTED VILLAGE OFFICES

Village of Holley, Orleans County, New York

BE IT ENACTED by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Holley as follows:

 * 1. Authority and Purpose

This Local Law is adopted pursuant to the authority granted to villages under New York State Village Law §§ 3-300, 3-301, 4-400, and 4-412, and the Municipal Home Rule Law, which permit villages to establish and modify qualifications for elected and appointed officers where not inconsistent with state law.

The Village of Holley hereby elects to expand residency eligibility for certain elected and appointed Village positions to include residents of the Town of Murray, within which the Village of Holley is geographically located.

 * 2. Legislative Findings

The Board of Trustees finds and determines that:

 1. The Village of Holley is wholly located within the Town of Murray, and residents of the Town have a direct and substantial connection to Village governance, services, and community wellbeing.
 2. Strict residency requirements limited solely to Village boundaries have created documented challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified candidates for both elected and appointed positions.
 3. Many Village positions require specialized skills, certifications, licensure, or professional experience that may not be readily available within the Village’s population size.
 4. Expanding residency eligibility to the Town of Murray remains consistent with the intent of New York State Village Law and does not undermine accountability, transparency, or local representation.
 5. This expansion serves the best interests of the Village by ensuring continuity of operations, improved administrative capacity, and the ability to fill critical roles in a timely and effective manner.

 * 3. Expanded Residency Eligibility

 1. Elected Offices
    Notwithstanding any prior local law or policy, eligibility for election to Village offices shall include individuals who are:

 * Residents of the Village of Holley or
 * Residents of the Town of Murray, provided the Village of Holley is located within the Town of Murray at the time of election.

 1. Appointed Offices and Positions
    Eligibility for appointment to Village offices, boards, commissions, and employment positions shall include individuals who are:

 * Residents of the Village of Holley or
 * Residents of the Town of Murray.

Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the Board of Trustees’ authority to establish additional qualifications related to training, experience, certification, or performance standards.

 * 4. Accountability and Oversight

All elected and appointed officials subject to this Local Law shall remain fully bound by:

 * All applicable Village policies and procedures
 * Ethical standards and codes of conduct
 * Performance evaluations, reappointment requirements, and removal provisions as provided by law

Expanded residency eligibility shall not diminish oversight, accountability, or fiduciary responsibility to the residents of the Village of Holley.

 * 5. Severability

If any clause, sentence, paragraph, or section of this Local Law is adjudged invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such judgment shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Local Law.

 * 6. Effective Date

This Local Law shall take effect immediately upon filing with the New York State Secretary of State in accordance with applicable law.