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The Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library announced that trustee Joseph Simmons has resigned from the board “for personal reasons” and that it is seeking applicants to fill the position.
Reached by GreaterMoriches Tuesday morning, Simmons, who had been a library board member since 1995, said he had to resign after his home in Mastic, which his mother built in 1976, went into foreclosure. He and his mother are temporarily living with a friend in East Patchogue.
“You have to be a member of the district [to be on the board], Simmons said. “Otherwise, I would not have resigned.”
“Ironically,” he said, he works at Pax Christi Hospitality Center in Port Jefferson Station, which is a shelter for homeless men under Hope House Ministries.
Simmons said he must focus on caring for his mother and supporting his two sons, one of which is a senior at SUNY Binghampton. The other completed the BOCES plumbing program in high school.
“I don’t care if people know that I’m homeless,” Simmons said. “Part of my job is to keep paying child support and caring for my mother. For my kids, I would do anything — even live in my car. My situation is temporary. My kids know that their father is there for them first.”
According to a notice to the community, board president Joseph Maiorana said the board had the three options by law: to leave the seat open until an election is held in the spring; hold a special election now for Simmons’ term, which ends on June 30; or appoint someone to fill the seat.
Maiorana said the board opted with appointing someone to fill the seat “so we can maintain a governance body of five members,” and so “we don’t have to spend taxpayer money on a special election.”
The appointee will have to run for re-election in the spring for a new five-year term ending June 30, 2025.
The board will be accepting resumes from community members who would like to be considered for appointment by the close of business on Jan. 28.
The requirements to be a member of the Library Board Trustee are:
1. Must be a US citizen at least 18 years old, and not employed by the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library.
2. Must be a qualified voter/resident of the William Floyd School District.
The Board of Trustees requests that interested parties email their resume and cover letter explaining why you would be an asset to the board to library director Kerri Rosalia at krosalia@communitylibrary.org; or by sending it to:
Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library
c/o J. Maiorana, Board President
407 William Floyd Pkwy.
Shirley, NY 11967
Maiorana said the board anticipates that the candidate will be appointed and sworn in at a special meeting in early February.
