Wyandanch library write-in candidate sworn in months later

A Wyandanch library board write-in candidate who won a five-year term nine months ago finally was sworn in on Saturday, but the board president said the term will last only until April.

Katrina Crawford launched a write-in campaign for a trustee seat in the April 2 election, after the board disqualified her name from the ballot over what they said were residency concerns. Crawford got more than 100 votes, beating opponent Khristian Jones.

The board then voted to throw out half of Crawford’s votes for not containing her middle initial, which is listed on her voter registration. Crawford appealed to the state Department of Education, which oversees the library’s elections. The state on Nov. 7 upheld Crawford’s appeal, with then-Interim Commissioner Beth Berlin ordering the board to “appoint [Crawford] to fill the seat on the board of trustees for which she was the successful candidate in the April 2, 2019 election.”

At a special meeting on Dec. 30, the board passed a resolution appointing Crawford to the board but only until April, at which time, “an election will be conducted for the remainder of the term.”

Board president Ghenya Grant told Crawford she had to have her oath of office notarized before she could be sworn in, a move Crawford’s attorney, Shawn Cullinane, who was the Lindenhurst Village clerk-treasurer for nearly 30 years, said was unusual for a governing body. Crawford was then sworn in at a special Jan. 4 meeting.  

Grant said after the meeting that the library board is following state law, which allows appointments to board vacancies only until the next election.

“We complied with the order to the extent that we could,” Grant said.

Cullinane said he will reach out to the state to see if she is correct.

“The ballot is for a five-year term, the appeal is based on a five-year term, the order refers to a five-year term, so I don’t see where she’s getting that authority or that directive to appoint only for one year,” he said.

Crawford is joining a board whose meetings are regularly contentious, with trustee Judith Graham-Guerrier often butting heads with Grant over the board’s practices. Twice in the past two months Grant has called Suffolk County police on Graham-Guerrier during meetings in which she claimed Graham-Guerrier was being disruptive, accusations the trustee denies.

The board on Jan. 4 voted to temporarily change the meeting schedule to the fourth Monday of the month at 6 p.m.

By Denise M. Bonilla

denise.bonilla@newsday.comdenisebonilla

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.