LEWISTON—When Ronald R. Winkley first dove into politics after 26 years as a police chief, he looked for a role on the Town Board — as supervisor.

But after losing a race for that position in 2007, the Village Board quickly snapped him up as a trustee, succeeding Kenneth J. Kenney, who resigned.

Monday night, the Town Board has decided to do the same, unanimously appointing Winkley to a one-year term.

He will fill the time remaining in the term of Michael A. Johnson, who resigned two weeks ago to become the town’s part-time budget officer.

Winkley told The Buffalo News he had resigned from the Village Board earlier Monday, in anticipation of the appointment to the Town Board.

“I’ve learned that you have to listen to everybody,” he said of his recent political experience. “People have their needs. I learned that as a police officer [too]. There’s two sides to every story. You have to listen and decide what is best for the town.”

He admitted feeling “kind of sad to leave my career in the village, but now I’ll be working for the whole town.”

Since the State Power Authority is making deals with Erie County and the state, Winkley said he believes this also might be the time for Lewiston to get a better deal on the relicensing of the Niagara Power Project.

The Village Board, meanwhile, will have to fill an open seat for the third time since Richard F. Soluri resigned as mayor late last October. It has appointed Victor Eydt to succeed William E. Geiben, who took over as mayor, and Bruce Sutherland to succeed Michael Marra, who left in January to take the Town Board seat he won in the November election.

Winkley had been the only Village Board member who would not have had to run for re-election in June.

Now all seats will be on the ballot, including some partial terms.