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Whitesboro residents to vote on the future of its controversial village seal

Whitesboro Village
The village seal of Whitesboro.

Residents of Whitesboro will vote on changing the village’s seal on Monday, after years of controversy surrounding the image. The seal depicts Hugh White, the founder of Whitesboro, in a wrestling match with an Oneida native. Patrick O’Connor, the mayor of Whitesboro, said there is no ill intent from the image and the historical event was a friendly challenge.
 

“I can understand where people are coming from by looking at it without knowing the background around it," O'Connor said. "This has been an ongoing issue for decades. Hopefully this will put it to rest once and for all.”

O’Connor said residents of the Oneida County village will have the option to vote on various new images for the seal. He said the vote itself is informal but the results will be discussed at the next village board meeting to determine if a change is needed.

Tom Magnarelli is a reporter covering the central New York and Syracuse area. He joined WRVO as a freelance reporter in 2012 while a student at Syracuse University and was hired full time in 2015. He has reported extensively on politics, education, arts and culture and other issues around central New York.