It’s business as usual for the West Seneca Town Board – another appointment of a town officer, decided behind closed doors and behind the scenes.
For years, West Seneca voters have demanded transparency from their elected officials, but it isn’t happening.
That was the message voters sent last November, rejecting Chelsea MacDonald, after the town council appointed two Judges in politically-motivated backroom deals.
And several months ago, former Councilman Piekarec’s disgraceful conduct forced his resignation.
Now, the Republican-held Town Board has appointed an individual to fill Piekarec’s council seat, with no public interviews, no public comment, and no information on any other candidates considered. However, the process was just transparent enough for Marc Priore to announce his appointment on Facebook four days before the Town Board even voted.
Even more concerning is the Town Board’s appointment of an individual fundamentally unfit to oversee a budget of almost $40,000,000 of taxpayer money.
“During an affordability crisis where working families and seniors are struggling to make ends meet, West Seneca residents cannot afford more reckless leadership from Town Hall,” said West Seneca Democratic Committee Chair Amy Kobler.
“Marc Priore piled up more than $250,000 in unpaid debts to companies in two separate filings. Those are the facts, and they show he cannot be trusted with our hard-earned tax dollars,” Kobler said.
In 2011, Priore filed bankruptcy to avoid paying debts exceeding a quarter of a million dollars to 10 different creditors. (Case # 1-11-13548-CLB, US Bankruptcy Court, Western District of New York).
Even after completing courses in credit counseling and personal financial management as part of his bankruptcy proceedings, Priore still has shown that he is unable to manage his own finances. In March 2026, another creditor sued Priore for failure to re-pay a June 2025 loan for $8,839.09. (Index No. 803999/2026, Erie County Supreme Court).
“If Marc Priore can’t manage his own money, he shouldn’t manage West Seneca taxpayers’,” Kobler said.
As Gary Dickson told the public last year after his appointment of Chelsea MacDonald, “There is going to be an election in November. If people don’t like that she’s the judge, they can vote for somebody else.” (The Buffalo News, April 20, 2025).
“There will be an election in November, and the West Seneca Democratic Committee is excited to be nominating a candidate in the coming weeks to let voters make their voices heard once again and hold this Town Board accountable,” said Kobler.
