Westfield City Council sets schedule to fill Ward 3 seat vacancy

The successful candidate must receive at least 7 council votes to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Peter Miller.

WESTFIELD – The City Council plans to fill its vacant Ward 3 seat during its regular meeting May 17.

Christopher Keefe

Council President Christopher Keefe has scheduled a special council session May 14 to consider nominations for the post that became vacant April 30 with the resignation of Peter J. Miller.

“The (city) Charter allows us 15 days from receipt of a resignation to select a successor,” Keefe said. “This is an appropriate way to fill that vacancy,” he said.

Ward 3 residents interested in filling the vacancy should contact City Council members requesting nomination, Keefe said.

Nominations will be made during the special May 14 meeting that begins at 6 p.m. The council will then vote on those nominations at the May 17 regular council meeting.

Keefe said the successful candidate must receive at least seven council votes.

Peter Miller

Miller was first elected to the council in 2003, and he was unopposed in his last three bids for re-election. He is employed as chief of staff to state Sen. Michael R. Knapik, R-Westfield, a position he has held for the past 13 years. He cited family, job and school responsibilities in his letter of resignation, officially received by the full City Council Thursday night.

Miller has enrolled at Westfield State University in pursuit of a masters degree in public administration. He holds a bachelor degree in the field from Holy Cross, graduating in 1998.

“It just became a little too much,” Miller said of his resignation. “It is best to do it quick and the timing is right. This will give the City Council time to find a replacement in time for the Fiscal 2013 municipal budget debates.”