Town hires Secretary to Highway Superintendent
Honestly I don't have a clue if the position is needed or not but the reasoning behind this doesn't seem valid.
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The $40,000 a year fulltime position will be filed by Lee Ann Stachura who is currently a part-time clerk in the highway department. The job does not come with benefits.
So what does a part time clerk do compared to a full time secretary?
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“I need a confidential secretary. There’s too much [stuff] leaking out,” Mr. Wegner told Cheektowaga Chronicle.
What stuff? So is what pot holes are due to be filled confidential? Or, which trucks are due for new tires? So how does making a part timer into a full timer stop "stuff" from leaking out? Did Diane or anyone else on the board ask?
Ever think if "stuff" is leaking that it's leaking from someone in that department? How does making a part timer a full timer correct this issue?
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The job drew an objection from resident and former councilmember Alice Magierski during a public comment period during the meeting.
Alice needs to go and enjoy her retirement.
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“This is [Mark Wegner’s] 11th year in office. There hasn’t been a need or a request for a secretary prior to this time,” said Ms. Magierski. “If we could find money for this why weren’t we able to find money for some of our youth programs?”
Completely irrelevant. If a secretary is truly needed fine. IF the reason is "stuff leaking out" doesn't justify the need. Currently I think more than enough is spent on youth programs and in all honestly it's the parents responsibility to raise their kids not the town's.
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State law prescribes that the town board sets the superintendent’s budget every year, but it’s up to him how he spends the majority of it.
True.
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Mr. Wegner told councilmembers that he eliminated a $90,000 fulltime foreman position from his budget to allow for this hiring.
Who was laid off? or did someone retire?
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Councilmember Gerald Kaminski – who was absent from Tuesday’s meeting – had the resolution tabled earlier in the month because he felt Mr. Wegner did not have the authority to make the hire. Supervisor Diane Benczkowski disagreed with him at the time but later corrected herself last night after Town Attorney John Dudziak researched the matter.
Mr. Dudziak tells Cheektowaga Chronicle that Mr. Wegner is free to hire positions related to actual highway labor but the town board did need to approve this type of hire.
How long as the town been in existence? How long have we had a highway department? So after all these years the town board didn't know how this worked?
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Mr. Kaminski also criticized the job as being political patronage. “My assumption, it’s going to be a political appointment from what I heard already,” Mr. Kaminski said on February 13th.
“What job isn’t in the town,” Mr. Wegner asked of Cheektowaga Chronicle. “Who am I supposed to put into that position, one of his people? I already have that, and I don’t trust the person.”
Mark nailed that one. Here is what would have been in the best interest of the property owners. How about calling an employment agency and hiring a person that isn't park of either political click.
https://cheektowagachronicle.com/tow...uperintendent/
