Woman tapped for seat on Ballston Spa board

PHOTOGRAPHER: Stephen Williams

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Courtney Mancini has been named to a vacant Village Board seat that’s been open for nearly a year.

Mancini will replace former Trustee Donna Thomas, who resigned in late March 2011 after moving out of the village.

Courtney Mancini, who is the wife of Milton Town Board member John Mancini, was appointed by Mayor John P. Romano . The appointment was confirmed by the rest of the Village Board. A Republican, she will run for election to a one-year term — the remainder of Thomas’ term — in the March 20 village election. There will then be another election for a four-year term in March 2013.

Romano said he didn’t fill the opening quickly last spring because the village was in the middle of complex union contract negotiations. Applications were solicited, but then during the fall and over the holidays Romano said he didn’t have time to interview candidates.

Romano said he and Deputy Mayor Stuart Hodsoll finally interviewed five candidates about two weeks ago, and they recommended Mancini.

Mancini holds an undergraduate degree from Hartwick College and a master’s degree from Sage Graduate School. She is a stay-at-home mom and sometimes works as a consultant. She and her husband have two young sons.

“I think Courtney will bring a fresh, new, energetic perspective to the board,” Romano said.

Mancini, 35, has served on the Ballston Spa Public Library and Ballston Area Community Center boards, though she is leaving those positions to become a village trustee. Trustees earn $4,277 per year.

In other business, Romano said planning is still going on for the annual Winter Fun Festival on Feb. 18, though he acknowledged that the lack of snow this year threatens the event.

“Unless something drastic happens, there’s the potential for it to be cancelled,” Romano said. “It is weather-dependent.”

The centerpiece of the all-day festival is covering upper Bath Street with snow, turning the stretch from West High Street to Washington Avenue into a sledding hill. The event was also cancelled due to weather conditions in 2006 and 2010.