Gorga, where will your first stop be for Halloween candy? I bet it's going to be BULLY BOY DANNY's house. He's been reading all your love letters posted by you
Were you in favor of the stipend for ROTSTAR RONNY? You know, the one for handleing the budget with such great efficiency?
No questions about Wozniak voting for raises and jobs for HIS family and kicking aside the TOL dog owners?
Does it get tiring wearing a witch custom all year long? Lancaster women are REALLY proud of you, how shinny is that Scarlet Letter beaming on your costume now?
Frank Lee Speaking....
Readers, this Monday at the TOL board meeting is going to be worth every penny of admission. This is going to be the MOST intense meeting of the year.
The Liars of Lancaster will be playing more political games just before Nov 2. Mr Wozniak will be in the fish barrel eating the bait and being reeled in time after time.
Wear some nice cloths Mike, because I think there may be a very large audience. I love the smell of a burning pile of poltical trash.
Frank Lee Speaking....
Dog shelter construction progress - 10-31-2021
Dog shelter costruction progress 10-31-2021.jpg
Metal roof and widows added.
Hope Leary's resolutions to staff the department accordingly are approved Monday night!
Dog Control Officer Jean Karn spoke before the town board at their Special Meeting on Tuesday October 26th, and declared:
Lancaster Dog Control is expected to cover calls for service and take care of animals in our custody 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which is 168 hours per week. Right now, my employees can cover 61 hours per week. How am I expected to run an entire department that runs full time on a part time staff? At this point it is impossible to manage this department properly and efficiently.
I work 35 hours per week and am the only Department head in the entire town that is considered part time. As of now I do not have any coverage for 3 nights out of the week and must hope that no one calls off for their shift for the other nights.
Councilman Leary Monday evening sponsored two resolutions to help alleviate the understaffing issue. He sponsored resolutions appointing Jean Karn full-time at her current annual salary approved in the 2021 Budget of $51, 511.00, contingent upon approval by Erie County Department of Personnel, and that such appointment shall be subject to all applicable provisions of law and shall be governed by the same terms and conditions as apply to other non-represented, full-time supervisory Town employees,
Leary then sponsored a resolution to appoint current assistant DCO Elizabeth Bertozzi to the position of Dog Control Officer Regular Part-time in the Control of Dogs Department, effective November 2, 2021, at the current annual salary of $25,480.00 which has already been included in the department’s budget,
While Leary and Councilman Dickman voted ‘yes’ to the sponsored resolution, Dog Control Committee Chair Wozniak, Committee members Supervisor Ruffino, and Councilman Mazur voted ‘no.’ Imagine that. At the pre-file public comment session residents spoke on favoring the resolution.
Mr. Wozniak took positions on other matters during the meeting that attendees did not favor. Fortunately for Mr. Wozniak the town election is the next day.
Dog Shelter construction progress - 11-3-2021
Dog Shelter (1) 11-3-21.jpg
Dog Shelter (2) 11-3-21.jpg
Dog Shelter (3) 11-3-21.jpg
Dog Shelter (4) 11-3-21.jpg
Dog shelter construction progress 11-06-21
Front of shelter building 11-06-21.jpg
Front entrance & garage 11-6-21.jpg
West side of the building 11-06-21.jpg
Back of shelter north side 110-06-21.jpg
Comments
Building
Metal rood and sides. Hope adequate sound proofing is installed.
Windows appear low to the ground allowing individuals an opportunity to look inside and disturb the dogs. Hope the windows are tinted.
Department staffing and wages
The Dog Control Department is understaffed. Woefully short staffed in coverage hours and its DCO’s underpaid at $14/hr.
A recent Lancaster Bee poll asked: Do you think Lancaster’s Dog Control Department should receive more funding within the 2022 tentative budget.”
Eighty-two percent of respondents answered ‘yes.’
At the recent town board meeting Councilman & Dog Control Committee Chair Mike Wozniak, Supervisor Ruffino, and Councilman Dave Mazur voted ‘no’ to two resolutions sponsored by Councilman Leary and seconded by Councilman Dickman that would have helped alleviate staffing and wage issues.
Hope this doesn’t die on the vine!
During a January, 2021 Town Council meeting, Supervisor Ruffino justified his decision to replace the Chairman of with ZBA with the dismissively arrogant comment:Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec
On Election Day, the Ruffino majority was voted into history."Basically, I have three votes."
His three-vote ruling clique will be replaced on January 1, and that eighty-two percent can optimistically anticipate that the needs and interests of their town will be faithfully served.
"Basically, now the taxpayers and residents of Lancaster have three votes," eh Mr. Supervisor?
Last edited by mark blazejewski; November 7th, 2021 at 08:02 AM.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
This is precisely why a good local politician always governs in good faith with the opposing party. You never know how the winds of change in an election cycle will dictate legislation. Current dem leadership and elected officials lack considerable foresight, self awareness and savviness. For the sake of our community, I hope our newly elected republican candidates see the value of this.During a January, 2021 Town Council meeting, Supervisor Ruffino justified his decision to replace the Chairman of with ZBA with the dismissively arrogant comment:
On Election Day, the Ruffino majority was voted into history.
His three-vote ruling clique will be replaced on January 1, and that eighty-two percent can optimistically anticipate that the needs and interests of their town will be faithfully served.
"Basically, now the taxpayers and residents of Lancaster have three votes," eh Mr. Supervisor?
A really insightful observation.
Way back when, the Democrat majority in Lancaster may have been machine-led, but they always attempted to serve the interests of the grassroots citizen and the broad community.
They also kept their non-binding agreements with the opposition.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
A step in the right direction
At Monday evening’s town board meeting Councilmember Leary is sponsoring a resolution to increase the rate of pay for all part-time permanent Dog Control Officers from $14.00 $16.00 per hour.
Much deserved for the perilous services they provide, today’s wage scale, and the department’s short staffing.
Considering the resolution is being sponsored by a board member not serving on the town Dog Control Committee, it’s approval hinges on the approval vote of one of the three Dog Control Committee members who recently voiced opposition to such consideration.
Considering the significant increase in dog bites and aggressive dog retrievals, dog control officers require a skill set and training to safely handle all dogs under their control.
Dog Shelter 11-12-21.jpg
Lee, it will be interesting to see if this lame duck Ruffino majority will vote against the wishes and will of the Lancaster voters who spoke so loudly on Election Day.
That will say a great deal about that now-discredited majority, eh?
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
That is what I detest about politics. The election is over. All candidates promised when elected to act in the best interests of the community - especially here in reference to public safety. This resolution serves that purpose. It is important to compensate employees accordingly for job performance and associated job hazardous risks.
In October's dog control report, seven (7) dog bites were filed. The rate of dog bites is increasing over time. Dog Control Officers have been bit and required hospital treatment and time off for healing. Tim Hortons employees get $16 per hour pouring coffee. A decade ago DCO' s were earning $15.87 and nowhere as trained / certified as today. And working short-staffed as well.
It would be a travesty if this resolution was not approved. It would be politics at its worse!
I'll answer your post with my comments on a different thread:
Last edited by mark blazejewski; November 14th, 2021 at 10:32 AM.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
I do believe that the dog control officers should receive that boost in wages. Their occupation is far more inherently dangerous than a burger flipper.
I'm not putting down burger flippers but Mrs Karn did use that occupation in comparing wages.
That said, I don't see anything political about whether someone believes that the dog control officers do or do not deserve a wage increase.
Georgia L Schlager
Dog Control Officers to get wage increase
Councilmember Leary sponsored a resolution to increase the rate of pay for all part-time permanent Dog Control Officers (DCO) from $14.00 to $16.00 per hour, effective November 20, 2021.
Prior to Vote Supervisor Ruffino interjected that the increase had been included in the 2022 budget and motioned to delay the increase until January 1, 2022.
Leary declared that the DCO increase was budget discussed but never approved, that the increase approved was for Senior Center employees.
The resolution was put to a vote. Councilmembers Leary, Dickman, Mazur and Wozniak voted approval. Supervisor Ruffino voted ‘no’ declaring he was not against the wage increase but felt it could be delayed another six weeks until the 2022 budget commenced.
Leary responded that the delay was futile as the increase was not included in the budget and a resolution would have to be put before the board again.
Comment
Well-deserved wage increases for a dangerous job. Supervisor Ruffino’s ‘no’ vote was enigmatic. Favoring the resolution but requesting a six-week delay?
Now is the time to move forward and focus on resolving the department’s short staffing. The department is not adequately staffed to provide shift coverage meeting Ag & Markets and other agencies standards for the operation of the department and proper care of the dogs.
It is time to get committee reports on the progress of the new shelter construction – including changes to the building construction materials and interior materials and equipment included in the grant application to meet standards protecting animal, staff and visitor safety – adequate fencing to separate dogs and design to prevent dogs from getting their heads stuck in the fence openings as happens now; adequate sound proofing; floor surfaces; inability for visitors to enter restricted areas unaccompanied.
Doing it right from the beginning eliminates costly corrective work orders.
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