Poffenberger resignation creates open seat in Katonah-Lewisboro school board race

CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - Katonah-Lewisboro School District trustee John Poffenberger has resigned, putting a vacant school board seat in play alongside two contested ones when voters go to the polls in May.

The three seats on the ballot will include those of Lorraine Gallagher, the board president, and Bill Swertfager, both of whom have said they will seek re-election. But when Poffenberger steps down, effective April 25, it will create an open seat with an unexpired term of just over two years.

Any community member looking to fill a school board seat must file a nominating petition with the district clerk, signed by at least 25 residents of the Katonah-Lewisboro School District, by April 20. The top two vote-getters on May 19 will serve three-year terms starting July 1. The candidate with the third highest vote total will be sworn in immediately and serve the balance of Poffenberger’s term, which ends on June 30, 2028.

Poffenberger announced his resignation at the school board’s March 26 meeting. An educator, he told his colleagues, “I was given the opportunity [last fall] for a career advancement that had been a dream for about 30 years.”

While he did not specify his new job at the meeting, Poffenberger is now director of Camp Cobbossee for Boys in Monmouth, Maine. The Katonah resident said the position requires a time commitment that makes it impossible to meet the responsibilities of both the job and the KLSD board.

“This board and this district and the constituents and the students deserve this seat to be filled by someone who can be at every meeting, which is not something that I can currently commit to,” he said.

Poffenberger joined the board in 2024, filling the final year of Trustee Liz Gereghty’s term, then was elected last year to his own three-year tenure. Gallagher, thanking Poffenberger for his service at the March 26 meeting, called him “an invaluable member of the board.”

Gallagher and Swertfager announced plans in February to defend their seats. Both had been swept into office in a higher-than-usual turnout in 2023, with Gallagher drawing 2,147 votes and Swertfager 2,127.

Residents planning to throw their hat in the ring for this year’s election can obtain a candidate packet from Kimberly Monzon, the district clerk. To schedule an appointment, reach out by email to kmonzon@klschools.org or call 914-763-7020.