The Hurley Town Board voted on July 22, 2025, to appoint Tracy Kellogg to the Town Justice position left vacant by the recent passing of Justice Roy Hochberg.

The vote to appoint Kellogg was 3-0, with Councilmen Joseph Letendre and Gregory Simpson absent.

Kellogg, who also serves as Chair of the Town Planning Board and formerly served as Town Clerk, will assume the judgeship immediately and serve until Dec. 31, 2025. The position will be on the ballot this coming November, and Kellogg has said she intends to run for a full term.

As an attorney, Kellogg will be able to start hearing cases in Town Court immediately. A non-attorney appointed to the position would have had to undergo New York State-required training before sitting on the bench.

With Kellogg’s appointment, the Town Board set aside a proposal to reduce the number of Town Justices in Hurley from two to one. The Town’s other judge is John Parker.

Justice Hochberg died on July 8 at the age of 83. He was elected to the Town Court bench in November 2019, and he served from January 2020 until his passing.