"I dont care what the Union says ! ":Dick Sherwood.

[4248]

Lancaster Town Attorney Dick Sherwood proclaims :

“I don’t care what the union says!”

When asked about the fact the arbitrator ruled against the Lancaster Town Board Members ,lead by Attorney Sherwood for appointing Mr.Latello as a $60,000.00 a year Highway Crew Chief -without following the Unions contract,

Sherwood replied that the town did not err. “It is a question of interpretation. The arbitrator decided to interpret the contract only in white-collar contract terms. It was not a matter of choosing the wrong person, it was a matter of contract interpretation by the arbitrator.”

Chowaniec: “Why can’t the individual who was first given the crew chief position be returned to his blue-collar position?”

Sherwood: “Because you can’t. There is a civil service law requirement under Section 75 that says that he has property rights, a vested interest in that position. You just can’t dismiss somebody after you have given him a position.”
Vested interest=campaign funds

I guess Mr.Sherwood has a "Interpretation" problem with the law (section 75) as well as with the arbitrator's ruling !
This Civil Service law - does not apply as used by Sherwood.


Chowaniec: Wasn’t there a union representative at last year’s meeting that said…

Lancaster Town Attorney Dick Sherwood: “I don’t care what the union says!”


Now isn't this the "Party of the Working class" weren't almost every member of our current Town Board endorsed by Local Unions and the "Working Families Committee."


Don't they carry the "Union Label" on almost all their campaign signs and hand outs .

Aren't they receiving Union Workers Campaign Funds/donations !

Maybe they figure with all the Developers money behind them - they no longer need the Unions support .

Or maybe Sherwood figures - no one else is smart enough to read/understand Civil Service Law.

Or it could just be a matter of his "Mis-Interpretation"
-

[Smiley]

Maybe the Town should hire an attorney that knows Public Sector Labor law, (i.e.Civil Service Law) Anyone who works within the scope of Civil Service Law knows what Section 75 is there for and that is for discipline.

So the Town won't fix their screw up, so the taxpayers will pay for it! Maybe next year there can be one more Highway Crew Chief.

Sounds to me like there is grounds for another arbitration in order to rule on the job that Lotello still holds. I bet that would have had to be posted, interviews conducted and "again" filled "according to the contract language."
Here goes more taxpayers money!

[Foot Fungus]

No matter what happens with the crew chief flap, I'm sure that the unions will line up as usual to endorse the same old, same old in Lancaster.

Although, since no one has the stones to primary Giza, and we haven't heard a peep about this election cycles Republican sacrificial lambs, perhaps the union phone banks and support won't be needed this time.

CSEA should publish Sherwood's comment in their newsletter.

[4248]

To quote the Lancaster Town Attorney -
maybe he made a "Honest mistake."
( like hiring an extra ,unneeded , unqualified - Political Patronage Crew Chief at $60,000.00 tax dollars a year)

Then the Lancaster Town Attorney says we cant remove him because,
"He (Latelo) has a vested interest in his $60,000.00 a year job"
Vested Interest = Campaign funds for Terry McCracken's committee to spend .

The Lancaster Town Attorney sites, "Section 75" of civil service "Law" prohibits removing him."
Maybe he "Mis-interpreted" the "Law."
Or maybe he got it confused with a "Law" or loop-hole he uses when he defends drunk drivers!

I can see where and how he could get confused , running back and forth from his private practice at 25 Central to Town Hall - it cant be easy to keep all that straight.


-

Maybe the Town should hire an attorney that knows Public Sector Labor law, (i.e.Civil Service Law) Anyone who works within the scope of Civil Service Law knows what Section 75 is there for and that is for discipline.

So the Town won't fix their screw up, so the taxpayers will pay for it! Maybe next year there can be one more Highway Crew Chief.

Sounds to me like there is grounds for another arbitration in order to rule on the job that Latelo still holds. I bet that would have had to be posted, interviews conducted and "again" filled "according to the contract language."
Here goes more taxpayers money!

[WNYresident]

To quote the Lancaster Town Attorney -
maybe he made a "Honest mistake."
( like hiring an extra ,unneeded , unqualified - Political Patronage Crew Chief at $60,000.00 tax dollars a year)

Then the Lancaster Town Attorney says we cant remove him because,
"He (Latelo) has a vested interest in his $60,000.00 a year job"
Vested Interest = Campaign funds for Terry McCracken's committee to spend .

The Lancaster Town Attorney sites, "Section 75" of civil service "Law" prohibits removing him."
Maybe he "Mis-interpreted" the "Law."
Or maybe he got it confused with a "Law" or loop-hole he uses when he defends drunk drivers!

I can see where and how he could get confused , running back and forth from his private practice at 25 Central to Town Hall - it cant be easy to keep all that straight.


-

Why can't they just fire him? Or demote him back to what his position was originally?

What they hell is the reason to have titles like superivisor if you can't be the boss and rid the towns work force from un-needed positions?

If they can easily hire or upgrade a position they should be able to demote or fire as easily.

[Smiley]

Res,

Being that the "Arbitrator" has basically ruled that the Town screwed up in putting him in the position, they can and should put him back to the position he held previously. Plain and simple, but that would mean that some one would be admitting that they did, in fact, make a mistake. Now... do you really think that is going to happen?

[4248]

Besides Mr.Smith getting a new $60,000.00 a year job . The Town of Lancaster Tax Payers will have to give him "Tax Money" in the form of "Back Pay" for all the time Latelo worked in that position !

Tax dollars to equalize him with what he would have earned + money to compensate benefits , including New York State retirement plan "Catch up Money" -

All because of a "Honest Mistake" by Our Lancaster Town Board and The Controlling Political Party deal that was made .

Good Deal or Bad Deal?

I guess its all in who "Interprets" the results !

Res,

Being that the "Arbitrator" has basically ruled that the Town screwed up in putting him in the position, they can and should put him back to the position he held previously. Plain and simple, but that would mean that some one would be admitting that they did, in fact, make a mistake. Now... do you really think that is going to happen?

[pudge]

Lottello should be pushed back to the blue collar rank. He got his position without following the requirements - the job was not posted and there were others with more experience and better qualifications.

In trying to cover his ass, Sherwood misspoke using Civil Service Law, Section 75 as a way of saying Lotello could not be set down.

Even Jeff Swiatek shaded the truth when he said the town did nothing wrong in hiring Lotello. Then again, they all play in the same sand box when push comes to shove in covering their collective asses.

The town will not confer with Impartial Arbitror Lewandowski for an interpretation. Is there such an animal as an "impartial arbitror"?

Once again, the town got caught with its hands in the cookie jar - friends and family paybacks.

Have they no shame? Forgive me, that was a stupid rhetorical question!

[Smiley]

The Town screwed up, at least thats what the Arbitrator basically said. So.... As I understand it, Mr. Smith is the person that should have been awarded the position in the first place. He is entitled to all back pay and benefits that he would have recieved if they filled the position correctly in the first go around. Maybe the next time, the Town will do things as they agreed to in the collective bargaining agreement and the taxpayers won't have to pay for their foolishness! (foolishness!! I'm sure glad this isn't Amherst. that word is not allowed!)

[WNYresident]

Res,

Being that the "Arbitrator" has basically ruled that the Town screwed up in putting him in the position, they can and should put him back to the position he held previously. Plain and simple, but that would mean that some one would be admitting that they did, in fact, make a mistake. Now... do you really think that is going to happen?

Yep. Because it's now on record here the incompetence there is within lancaster government.

It just takes a while for things to sink in. Wait until people start corning some of the board members while shopping and start asking what is up with this stuff.

[WNYresident]

Why not SUE them?

There are enough smart people here to represent themselves in this matter. Sue the superivisor and the town attorney for wasting your hard earned money. I can't believe there is not a state department that oversees this type of thing.

[concernedwnyer]

Why not SUE them?

There are enough smart people here to represent themselves in this matter.

Sue the superivisor and the town attorney for wasting your hard earned money. I can't believe there is not a state department that oversees this type of thing.

They, the defendents, would probably run and hide inside a building like the budget crisis.

[concernedwnyer]

Yep. Because it's now on record here the incompetence there is within lancaster government.

It just takes a while for things to sink in. Wait until people start corning some of the board members while shopping and start asking what is up with this stuff.

It will not happen. People talk the talk but do not one damn thing about it then they get on SpeakuWNY and bitch.........

Fee time you wanna use te public pool cough over a dollar and wipe your feet before you go in the water. Oh make sure your annual pass card is current that you have to buy too...

That is a ggod name Fee Time just like tea time. rie Couty fee time and the budget is still screwed up. Borrowing 100 million dollars to pay off the bills
Is that good........... Would a business do that............ The county should shut down permanently. We will leave the lighht on for you at motel eight.

[hawkeye]

Concernedwnyer, just a history lesson going against this Board has been a problem, due to the possible illegal actions of this Town Attorney and his buddlies in the legal system. Taxpayers have for years have been harressed and bullied at board meetings, possible lawsuits, and the News Papers have a big steak in following along, Mr. Sherwood makes in the area of $100,000.00 as the Town Attorney in salary and fees for services and he gives them the Town the best bang for their dollar. This is a Part-Time position, and he has lied his way through the system for years. Just Ask the Board Members if anyone will stop in the stores in Town and answer any question a TAXPAYERS ask on what is going on regarding the business as usual. The first question is why is Jeff. Sweitek answering the questions about the crew cheif positions and not the Town Attorney and how much we paying him $240.00 a hour or is this a favor to Bobby Giza and the fellow Dems. Richard screwup and the Twon Board is covering it UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[4248]

Why not SUE them?

There are enough smart people here to represent themselves in this matter. Sue the superivisor and the town attorney for wasting your hard earned money. I can't believe there is not a state department that oversees this type of thing.

Residents brought about court actions involving:

Topps Warehouse
Walmart
Cole Craft

and other issues -

the Lancaster Town Attorney & Town Board Members use

"Lancaster Tax Dollars to fight their own Tax Paying Residents"

Guess who has more money ?

Don't forget , the Controlling Members also have the full use of area Law Enforcement and Courts . Then throw in channel four - Where Mrs.T.McCracken is on staff. And the Lancaster Bee - on the Town and Village Payroll . Now look at how many different Buffalo News reporters that have visited in this area only to be re-assigned else where.

Oh ! Lets not forget that the Local DA is of the same group.

But don't worry they will all be re-elected mostly by Town Workers / their families & friends / families of the "Summer work farce Program" and last but not least - our new Town Residents sitting in their new subdivisions - wouldn't want to cause a scandal -

not good for the "Newer Home Resale or New Build Market"