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Dated: September 22, 2026
Lackawanna, New York
Moved by Marrano second by Surdyke to adopt ordinance as written:
Yeas: Muflahi, Anderson, Meegan, Surdyke, Marrano Carried 5‐0
City Clerk submits to the City Council a letter certifying that the petition filed on August 18, 2026 does
not comply with all requirements of applicable law. The New York State Election Law §6‐154(1) states
that the petition, when filed, “shall be presumptively valid if it is in proper form and appears to bear
the requisite number of signatures, authenticated in a manner prescribed by this chapter.” As these
sections are not in their “proper form” or “authenticated in a manner prescribed by this Chapter”
(Election Law Chapter 17), the petition cannot be accepted.
7. Honorable Council President
Honorable City Council
Petitioner Lynette Sikorski, VIA EMAIL and US Mail
Honorable City Council President and Honorable City Council,
I have examined the petition filed August 18, 2026 and hereby certify that the petition does not
comply with all requirements of applicable law.
Pursuant to Section 24 of the Municipal Home Rule Law, I am forwarding this certificate to the
Honorable Council and Ms. Lynette Sikoriski, petitioner.
Municipal Home Rule Law §24, New York State Town Law Article 7 and New York State Village
Law Article 9 all direct that a petition for permissive referendum be in the format prescribed by, and in
compliance with, the requirements of the Election Law for a nominating petition. (See Heath v. Town of
Islip, 169 Misc. 2d 382 [Suffolk Co. Sup. St. 1996]; In Re Town of Mount Pleasant, 82 Misc. 2d 869
[Westchester Co. Sup. St. 1975]; Application of Cohalan, 71 Misc. 2d 196 {Suffolk Co. Sup. Ct. 1972]).
This petition lacks the appropriate preamble language and attestation language required by Election Law
Secs. 1‐102 and 6‐140(1)(a) (See Kurtz v. Town of Amherst, 244 AD2d 895 [4th Dept 1997]; Rust v. Town
of Hamburg, 87 Misc. 3d 1236[A] {Erie Co. Sup. Ct. 2025[) therefore, the attestation and authentication
of the petition are Insufficient and the petition is invalid.
The New York State Election Law §6‐154(1) states that the petition, when filed, “shall be
presimptively valid if it is in proper form and appears to bear the requisite number of signatures,
authenticated in a manner prescribed by this chapter.” As these sections are not in their “proper form”
or “authenticated in a manner prescribed by this chapter” (Election Law Chapter 17), the petition cannot
be accepted.
GRACE MARRANO, CITY CLERK
Moved by Marrano and second by Anderson to receive and file.
Yeas: Anderson, Meegan, Surdyke, Marrano
No: Muflahi Carried 4‐1
Communication from Citizens:
Van Taylor, Public Relations, Veterans Day Parade requests the City Council approve waiving of any
fees for the parade which begins at the Lackawanna City line on Dorrance and McKinley Parkway.