Town of Columbia

Herkimer  County, New York

Town Officials

Aaron was elected in 1999 and is in his 6th term.  He has been a resident of the town of Columbia for 45 years.  Aaron is married to wife Mary Jane and has two children.     

Highway Superintendent– Aaron Smithson

The Town Clerk's office is located at 156 Hoffman Rd.  Stop by chance or call ahead for an appointment .

Town Clerk-Patricia Woytowich

Town Justice– John M. Skinner

Shelly was elected Tax Collector in 2004 and is on her first term.  She has lived in Cedarville for 25 years.  She is married to husband Tom and has two children.

Tax Collector– Shelly Burke

John M. Skinner was elected Town of Columbia justice in November 2008 following several decades where his dad (John F.) and sister (Janet Elliott) were Columbia Town Justices.
 
He grow up on Cozy Haven Farm on Hayner Road in the Town of Columbia in 1950s and 1960s.  He received a 2 year agriculture degree from Cornell University and BS degree from Utica College.  Following college he worked for Rochester Telephone in various engineering capacities for 25 years.  He then joined Mid-South Telecommunications in Houston, Texas as Vice President of Operations. 
 
In 2005 he established Buck-Skinner Lightwave LLC and completed several fiber optic engineering projects in the Pacific Northwest before he and his wife (Memory) returned to the Town of Columbia to spend time with his elderly dad and family.
 
Since this is "home" John and Memory now live on Mckoons Road and grow sweet corn, pumpkins and vegetables for sale at local farm markets.
 
John indicates, "The position of Town Justice establishes an excellent opportunity to provide a positive influence in the Town of Columbia where I grew up."