Swiatek and Zydel Bid Farewell

[SabreTooth]

From the cheektowag bee:

Board members Jeffrey Swiatek and Richard Zydel ended their respective tenures with the board. Swiatek served for 16 years but chose not to seek re-election this year. Zydel served for five and lost his re-election bid last month.

“It’s a hard loss for me,” Supervisor Mary Holtz said of Swiatek and Zydel’s departures.

Holtz said Swiatek’s decision is a great loss to the town, since he was the lead negotiator with the town labor unions.

“Jeff has been an enormous asset to the town,” she said. “People don’t know how much money we’ve saved by him doing the negotiations. His expertise in that field is going to be missed.”

Zydel finished fourth out of seven candidates for three board seats in last month’s election.
Holtz commended Zydel for his community activism, particularly his work with the fire companies and veterans groups.

“We’re really going to miss him, because he put his heart and soul into it,” Holtz said.


did swiatek really save the town money negotiating all those contracts over the years, or did he actually cost the town more money?

[WNYresident]

Cost us more.. far more... Ask a board member what our community is on the hook for regarding retirement cost for starters. Then ask them for the future cost of the contracts which the group fights tooth and nail to keep grandfathered in and going...

[Smiley]

Res, I don't know the specifics on the contract issues, but as far as the retirement goes, that is not a negotiable item. It is the NYS retirement sys. benefits depend on what tier they are in. the Town has no control over that.

[Smiley]

as far as savings, He negotiates contracts for a living and does charge his clients. With him being a Town Board member, I doubt he charged the Town for those services, but did it as part of his responsibilities on the Board, which saved the Town thousands.

[WNYresident]

Res, I don't know the specifics on the contract issues, but as far as the retirement goes, that is not a negotiable item. It is the NYS retirement sys. benefits depend on what tier they are in. the Town has no control over that.

Everything is negotiable when you are the one paying the bill. Does the lifetime health care without any cost caps paid for by property taxes or the NYS retirement fund?

[mesue]

as far as savings, He negotiates contracts for a living and does charge his clients. With him being a Town Board member, I doubt he charged the Town for those services, but did it as part of his responsibilities on the Board, which saved the Town thousands.

I think he did. I heard it costs $60,000 but I could be wrong.

[ERIEMAN]

I think he did. I heard it costs $60,000 but I could be wrong.

So that covers two overpaid cops. What about the rest of them?

[mesue]

So that covers two overpaid cops. What about the rest of them?

What do we have for our $60,000 (perhaps a year) negotiating skill?

[WNYresident]

Was that number confirmed or just hearsay?

[WNYresident]

And in general the lawyer who "negotiated" for the non-government labors/non-governments business owners behalf get paid if the deal is crappy or not, correct?

[mesue]

Was that number confirmed or just hearsay?

Let's keep it at rumor level.
It's Cheektowaga, the answer would probably have to be FOIA'd
Hearsay's cheaper

[WNYresident]

Do not spread rumors.

Smiley? Do you know?