Former Rochester councilman dies unexpectedly

New York – According to the school district, on Thursday, a former Rochester City Council, Tim Mains, a member who was the first openly gay man to win the election and serve in public office in New York in the 1980s, died unexpectedly.

A 72-year-old, Mains worked served as superintendent of the Pine Bush Central School District in Orange County.

“While we are all grieving this news, please know that we are working together to develop a critical incident plan that will provide grief counseling for our school community, including our students, families, and staff,” Gretchen Meier, president of the Pine Bush Board of Education, said in a statement.

According to Meier, Mike Pacella will serve as the acting superintendent.

The board will hold a special meeting at 10:30 a.m. Friday for “discussion of the employment history of particular persons,” according to the agenda.

The meeting will be held virtually.

“We extend our deepest sympathies to Tim’s family as we mourn his loss and reflect on the positive impact he had on public education,” Meier said. “He will be greatly missed.”