Supervisor Leary: A Community That Pulls Together

[mark blazejewski]

A community that pulls together

February 15, 2024

Robert Leary
TOWN OF LANCASTER SUPERVISOR



I don’t need to tell you that in January, Lancaster endured an unending six-day snowstorm which tested the mettle of our police and fire departments, LVAC, the Highway Department, the Parks and Recreation Department, and each and every resident of Lancaster.

I am happy to say that Lancaster came through the storm in very good shape, and that I am grateful to, and proud of, each and every department participant, town board member, police officer, firefighter, LVAC attendant, and each and every one of our great residents.

Throughout, our town government functioned as a seamless team. The communication between Ronald Rozler, our Emergency Management coordinator; Highway Superintendent John Pilato; Bruce Stutz, our Parks and Recreation crew chief; Police Chief Gummo; the fire chiefs; LVAC; and the members of the town board was smooth, highly efficient and uninterrupted.

Readers need to know that our highway department is our first line of defense when the snow starts falling. It is our highway department that ensures emergency police, fire and medical services respond effectively. It is our highway department that keeps roads passable so that the essential workers are able to staff our health care facilities, utility companies, pharmacies, gasoline stations and grocery stores. During those days, Erie County Legislator Frank Todaro and I personally viewed what was a non-stop effort by the highway department, when the roads were constantly attended, broken machinery repaired and returned to service and the plowing kept going without the need to hire outside contractors.

Along with myself, our town board members, Mark Burkard, Adam Dickman and Mellisa Studley, were fully engaged, 24 hours each day of the emergency, and appreciative kudos to Councilmember Schroeder for her efforts in correcting some significant missteps in the area of Waste Management’s garbage collection procedures.

In closing, I would be entirely remiss if I did not single out for special distinction our great Lancaster residents.

Countless are the stories of neighbor helping neighbor; the young providing for the elderly; the fit clearing fire hydrants, and generally, all lending a helping hand and giving comfort to the more dependent. As one resident noted, such civic engagements “are blessings which come from the human heart, not from a government budget line and work order.”

The storm experience did indeed test the mettle of Lancaster’s great people, but it also illustrated what we all know: Lancaster is not just a town, not just a community, but a family which pulls together in times of stress and need.

Reference: https://www.lancasterbee.com/articles/a-community-that-pulls-together/

[mark blazejewski]

During those days, Erie County Legislator Frank Todaro and I personally viewed what was a non-stop effort by the highway department, when the roads were constantly attended, broken machinery repaired and returned to service and the plowing kept going without the need to hire outside contractors.

Kudos to Lancaster's highway department team, because I understand from what I consider to be a very credible source(s) that one nearby community spent over $1,000,000 in private contractor costs.

From what I hear, these highway department guys and gals worked non-stop from Saturday morning, January 13, at 11:00 am until 3:00 p.m. on Monday, the 15th. They were then back at it at 10:30 p.m. on Monday evening until 9pm Friday night. They returned to their tasks all weekend long.

A tremendous effort and prideful accomplishment by all of the elected officials, department heads, the highway crews, the first responders, essential workers, and of course, the residents of Lancaster.

[Lee Chowaniec]

After reading the Lancaster Bee I would like to comment on how pleasing it was to read Town of Lancaster Supervisor Robert Leary’s editorial on the town coming together during the recent snowstorm and his acknowledging and appreciation of the same community engagement regarding the Robert Drive apartment fire at the recent town board meeting. Acknowledging the team effort of town employees and the residents is unique.

Where Town Supervisor Leary opted to speak on community teamwork and successful outcome, Depew Mayor Kevin Peterson opted to reflect in his Bee editorial with typical political self-serving, self-aggrandizing services he provides the Village on multiple fronts.

Peterson claimed that along with the day-to-day activities that he deals with at Village Hall, he continues to work his regular job in IT sales. He serves on several committees and boards, as a representative of the Village of Depew and serves on numerous other organizational committees.

He speaks on serving one year on the Lancaster Industrial Development Agency (LIDA), attending every meeting, and voting as he felt would benefit the Depew and Lancaster residents best. He claims to ‘check my personal politics at the door.’ and as such: “It is still a mystery as to why I was not reappointed for 2024.”

While Mayor Peterson appears slighted by not being reappointed, some of us recall his not submitting a ‘letter of intent’ to serve another LIDA term on time, nor his contributing much else during his term on the LIDA board. Although he had been advised by other LIDA members to get his application in for sone time prior to deadline, his reluctance to do so is puzzling. Perhaps the Mayor was too overwhelmed with involvements.

[mark blazejewski]

I was told today that the DPW crew averaged 90 hours of non-stop work, and were paid straight overtime.

I also understand that the DPW was down by three workers who were on prior sick leave.

From sources that must know, it was said that Deputy Highway Superintendent Michelle Barbaro "winged" in a plow truck the entire storm; an admirable undertaking for one in high supervision.

I was also made aware that Crew Chief Gary Gallagher did an amazing job also weathering the storm.

The town sprung for meals and hydration, so as to keep crews in fighting shape.

[gorja]

I was told today that the DPW crew averaged 90 hours of non-stop work, and were paid straight overtime.

I also understand that the DPW was down by three workers who were on prior sick leave.

From sources that must know, it was said that Deputy Highway Superintendent Michelle Barbaro "winged" in a plow truck the entire storm; an admirable undertaking for one in high supervision.

I was also made aware that Crew Chief Gary Gallagher did an amazing job also weathering the storm.

The town sprung for meals and hydration, so as to keep crews in fighting shape.

They did do a GREAT job. Maybe, being a wing man was added to the deputy's job duties since giving up the park crew chief responsibilities.
Even with that storm, this has to be one of the leanest winters for the highway employees pay checks. Is straight overtime how their contract reads?
I know one of my grandsons works for a tree contractor with some connection to National Grid and sometimes when he is on storm duty, it's double overtime.

i'd be concerned about someone driving a plow truck 90 hours straight.

[gorja]

From the Cornell Local Roads Program -
"There is no written requirement for municipal snow plow operators, but if a driver crashes, the amount of time they have been driving may be an important point if there is any liability or legal issues involved. Although a maximum time of 10 hours of operation is the limitation set in the Federal CDL Law, municipal snowplow and related equipment operators are not engaged in “Interstate Commerce,” so this portion of the law does not apply to snow and ice control operations.
However, as a matter of common sense, overly fatigued workers should not be operating equipment. Some agencies do, as a matter of policy, limit operational hours. For example, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) requires drivers to take 8 hours off after 16 continuous hours of operational duty."

[mark blazejewski]

i'd be concerned about someone driving a plow truck 90 hours straight.

I don't know anyone who can go 90 hours without sleep generally, and certainly not 90 hours in a physically working mode. I remember once I worked from 8:00 a.m. Thursday until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, pretty much non-stop, swinging a sledge hammer, and I slept all weekend and dragged my ass on Monday. So, let's approach this with reasonable common sense.

Gorja, 90 hours would be something slightly under four days. The highway department task(s) was accomplished over a seven day period. Unless my limited math skills are really under challenge, I think seven days is comprised of 168 hours, so I am assuming there was ample to for sleep and nutrition, perhaps at the town facility?

I know that the sub-par performance of the VOL DPW necessitated a significant adjustment to my sleep pattern. That adjustment happily made so I could keep my approach and some street on either side of the approach reasonably clear, in order to ensure that I did not have to clean-up a five or seven foot snow pile after the plow came by. The plow also tends to impact my sidewalk and my neighbor's, and I wanted to make sure that those too, were manageable.

As Leary said, it was a team effort.

[gorja]

I don't know anyone who can go 90 hours without sleep generally, and certainly not 90 hours in a physically working mode. I remember once I worked from 8:00 a.m. Thursday until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, pretty much non-stop, swinging a sledge hammer, and I slept all weekend and dragged my ass on Monday. So, let's approach this with reasonable common sense.

Gorja, 90 hours would be something slightly under four days. The highway department task(s) was accomplished over a seven day period. Unless my limited math skills are really under challenge, I think seven days is comprised of 168 hours, so I am assuming there was ample to for sleep and nutrition, perhaps at the town facility?

I know that the sub-par performance of the VOL DPW necessitated a significant adjustment to my sleep pattern. That adjustment happily made so I could keep my approach and some street on either side of the approach reasonably clear, in order to ensure that I did not have to clean-up a five or seven foot snow pile after the plow came by. The plow also tends to impact my sidewalk and my neighbor's, and I wanted to make sure that those too, were manageable.

As Leary said, it was a team effort.

Oops!! I had misunderstood your "crew averaged 90 hours of non-stop work" comment. I interpreted as working, eating and no sleep. My interpretation of 'non-stop' was not stopping.

[mark blazejewski]

Oops!! I had misunderstood your "crew averaged 90 hours of non-stop work" comment. I interpreted as working, eating and no sleep. My interpretation of 'non-stop' was not stopping.

Thank you for sharing your interpretation and insight, Gorja.