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Thread: Fiscal responsibility

  1. #1
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Fiscal responsibility

    On Monday night's agenda, Supervisor Ruffino has a resolution to create a PT Principal
    Personnel clerk position. This position will be in lieu of the vacant FT Payroll Supervisor position.
    A good example of fiscal responsibility in my humble opinion.

    Georgia L Schlager

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by gorja View Post
    On Monday night's agenda, Supervisor Ruffino has a resolution to create a PT Principal
    Personnel clerk position. This position will be in lieu of the vacant FT Payroll Supervisor position.
    A good example of fiscal responsibility in my humble opinion.
    Hi gorja,

    Ruffino has always been a proponent of starting out fiscally conservative. That being said, this does not negate the position from part time to full time if the need arises.

    Hope you are well.

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    Fiscal responsibility implies government pursuit of appropriate level of staffing and spending. I am hoping to better understand the duties of a pay roll supervisor in Lancaster regarding and what the duties of a newly created part-time ‘Personnel Clerk will encompass. Hopefully, Supervisor Ruffino will clarify this coming Monday at the Town Board meeting his new department strategy.

    In summer 2019, then full-time Pay Roll Supervisor Morgen Fey opted to step down from her position to part-time work in order to spend more time with her toddler.

    On July 15th, 2019, the town board by a 4-1 vote approved the hiring of Kristina Voight as full-time Pay Roll Supervisor. Supervisor Ruffino, then council member Ruffino, voted ‘no’. A resolution to appoint Fey as Deputy Pay Roll Supervisor part-time was tabled.

    On August 19th, the board voted 4-1 to appoint Fey as part-time pay roll Supervisor. Ruffino voted ‘no’.

    It is stated in the current resolution that the town has been without a full-time pay roll supervisor since January 30, 2020. Voight was appointed provisionally, and it is my understanding Ruffino terminated her for cause – which can mean anything.

    Covid notwithstanding, the department was functioning without a full-time pay roll supervisor and it takes Ruffino six months to determine the department is short-staffed and falling behind in HR operations; but needs only to hire a part-time Principal Personnel Clerk Part-Time to get up to speed.

    Hopefully, Supervisor Ruffino will reveal his vision of what the expectations of the new hire will be, and his vision of how the department will / should operate and the true savings realized.

    It is easy to Google and find a Pay Roll Supervisor’s job description in meeting pay roll obligations and HR assistance. How will this new paradigm work to ensure department efficacy? Hopefully, the council members will weigh in on the requested change and any shortcomings / consequences going from a full-time Pay Roll Supervisor to full-time Pay Roll Supervisor and Deputy Pay Roll Supervisor Part-Time, to two part-time staffers - and where the new position is listed as 'Clerk'?

    I am not the only one confused. Savings at what cost?

  4. #4
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Up until last summer, the town utilized just the FT payroll supervisor. Then when Fey could not work FT anymore. Coleman created the PT position
    for her. Why not 2PT instead of the extra expense of 1 FT and 1 PT?
    Using Google and from the Erie COunty site, these are the duties of the Principal Personnel clerk from a posting of an exam in 2017-

    Examples of Duties:

    A Principal Personnel Clerk supervises and participates in a variety of personnel duties, including the preparation and maintenance of personnel records and the processing of personnel forms;

    Processes or oversees the processing of personnel transactions with the department, such as appointments, promotions, transfers, reinstatement, leaves with and without pay, resignations, salary changes, increments and longevities, probation reports;prepares and maintains departmental employee records, included those listed below:

    Supervises and trains lower level clerical staff related to personnel matters;

    Oversees the process by which all department appointments, promotions, transfers, and reinstatements are made;

    Analyzes operating problems related to personnel issues, assembles pertinent facts, develops alternative recommendations that aids in the final decision and presents these data in oral and/or written manner;

    Works with Senior Staff in establishing and revising interdepartmental policies, practices and procedures related to personnel work;

    Facilitates the planning and implementation of new initiatives and systems;

    Assigns and reviews the work of subordinates for accuracy, effectiveness and correctness;

    Works cooperatively with the County Personnel Office interpreting and applying personnel and New York State Civil Service Rules;

    Canvasses Civil Service eligible lists;

    Acts as information clerk where a general knowledge of personnel and benefit questions are needed;

    Publicizes all Civil Service announcements and postings;

    Processes Health Benefits transactions including COBRA;

    Processes Worker's Compensation claims;

    Processes unemployment benefits claims;

    Works cooperatively with other department personnel and other County Departments (including, but not limited to Labor Relations, Department of Law and Personnel Department) interpreting and applying rules and polices relating to the Health Benefits Worker’s Compensation Benefits, Unemployment Benefits, Safety and other Human Resources Programs;

    Prepares Federal and State mandated reports related to personnel matters at schedules periods throughout the year;

    Operates an alpha-numeric keyboard and microcomputer to transcribe data directly to the computer and retrieve relevant data as required;

    Prepares relevant data for collective bargaining negotiations;

    Attends collective bargaining negotiations as required;

    Attends meetings on personnel and payroll topics as required;

    Interprets Union contract provisions related to personnel matters and prepares reports as required;

    Interviews applicants for various positions;

    Prepares and submits various departmental reports including vacancy reports on a regular basis in a timely matter;

    Carries out special assignments.
    https://www2.erie.gov/employment/ind...rk-promotional

    That seems that it pretty much covers everything Coleman stated of the duties of the Payroll supervisor position when filling it last year.

    Don't worry. I'm sure Sojka and Lemaster's puppet, Leary will be his anti-Ruffino self


    Georgia L Schlager

  5. #5
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gorja View Post

    Don't worry. I'm sure Sojka and Lemaster's puppet, Leary will be his anti-Ruffino self

    WHOA, HOW'S THIS FOR A PUPPET:

    "Ronnie, get to work and get the agenda going."---"The Handler"

    Nah, Leary is not a puppet. He said he was going to scrutinize wasteful spending on the Town Council, and to this point, IMHO, he has well kept faith with that commitment.

    However, your suggestion of puppet is an interesting one.


    Howdy Duddie was a great puppet show, which was the creation of WNY's own Buffalo Bob Smith. That television show ran from 1947-1960.

    Seemingly, in another long-running local string pulling production, did not Ron Ruffino nearly tie Howdy's 13-year run, when he joined Lancaster Bob Giza for a ten-year patronage, spending, and over-development spree?

    When first elected way back when, did not Lancaster's then-young marionette make these comments to the Buffalo News which were published on November 20, 2001?:

    "Ruffino said he's looking forward to the next four years on the Town Board. High on his list of goals is controlling growth, which he says will benefit the community as a whole."
    Reference: https://buffalonews.com/2001/11/20/t...for-his-debut/


    Then, did not Ruffino seemingly get twisted in those wordy strings, only to have those threads untangled and permanently controlled by his puppet master Giza, when Ruffino faithfully voted for these developments?...


    *Summerfield Farms subdivision, phase 3, approved 12/03, 65 lots

    *Whispering Pines subdivision approved 12/2004

    *The Woodland at Pleasant Meadows subdivision, approved 2/06, 79 lots

    *Summerfield Farms subdivision, part 4, approved 1/07, 45 lots

    *Roseland subdivision, phase 2, approved 6/08, 59 lots

    *Brookside Townhouses, approved 7/08, 39 units

    *Pleasant Heights, approved 9/09, 8 homes

    *Prairie Landing subdivision, approved 5/11, 21 units


    *The Greens at Pleasant Meadows, approved 5/08, 63 units

    *Cross Creek subdivision, approved 1/08, 264 lots
    Also, did not the so-called "Fiscal Conservative," when not dodging budget votes for one of his many needed vacations, seem to have faithfully served his puppet master Giza very well with, from 2004-2011, eight consecutive "YES" budget votes


    Nah, IMHO, when you refer to a puppet, is it not more appropriate to trace the political career of Ron Ruffino, who has now morphed into a stipend seeking, punishing Clarbell the Clown, eh?
    Last edited by mark blazejewski; August 2nd, 2020 at 07:16 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?"

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    I also saw the article regarding the current attempt to do additional hiring and was thoroughly confused? I see that virtually anyone who is a political affiliate of the democratic party can get a job on the Lancaster Town Payroll. Starting with a new Dog catcher assistant PT but how many do we need? That is just one example.

  7. #7
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AlphaMAle View Post
    I also saw the article regarding the current attempt to do additional hiring and was thoroughly confused? I see that virtually anyone who is a political affiliate of the democratic party can get a job on the Lancaster Town Payroll. Starting with a new Dog catcher assistant PT but how many do we need? That is just one example.
    I don't know how many they have but the word from others is that there aren't enough to cover 24 hours/ 7 days per week.

    As I said, I don't know. I've never seen the schedule but one councilman stated that some hours are doubled up with employees while leaving others vacant.

    Georgia L Schlager

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    Quote Originally Posted by gorja View Post
    I don't know how many they have but the word from others is that there aren't enough to cover 24 hours/ 7 days per week.

    As I said, I don't know. I've never seen the schedule but one councilman stated that some hours are doubled up with employees while leaving others vacant.
    Yes, let’s go after those plumb part-time patronage jobs in the Dog Control Department that pay $13 per hour, where individuals are limited to 19-1/2 hours pay per week and where these part-time workers receive no benefits – NOT!

    There are now 4 part-time assistants and a full-time DCO. Four, if they choose to show up when called or feel like attending.

    There is a huge turnover especially considering they are likely to not want to report during another’s sick call in and not receive a minimum of four hour’s pay should the call-ins task last less than four hours. That holds for call-ins for aggressive dog seizure, kennel visits for dog feeding, or court appearance.

    Would you bother to answer a call-in to feed kenneled dogs for $13 – and not even get paid mileage expense? Which happens rarely, but does happen? According to councilmen Leary and Dickman the cost to approve such resolution would amount to approximately $200 per year; the instances are do rare. Supervisor Ruffino and Mazur voted 'no'. Ruffino declaring it was not the money, but the principle. where abuse could take place. I cannot understand why a condition was not instated that would cap the available fund at a fixed amount to eliminate abuse and waste.

    This is nickel and dime expenditure compared to other department contracts and call-in procedure.

    If there is doubling up of shift personnel, that should be corrected. Unlike you, I have never heard in all the town board work sessions and regular meetings on the recent resolution a council member referring to anything like that.

    And, there are 168 hours in a week. Current staffing covers only 128 hours per week. I would love to see a schedule.

    If Supervisor Ruffino is going to micromanage and cut the fat out of the budget, hopefully, he investigates other departments where the big bucks flow. There have been a lot of recent hires in some other departments.

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    Its a good thing the Supervisor has our past Town employee turned Town Board member help him route out no shows and wasted positions - he has first hand knowledge of such party patronage appointments.
    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

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    [QUOTE=mark blazejewski;1931826]WHOA, HOW'S THIS FOR A PUPPET:




    Nah, Leary is not a puppet. He said he was going to scrutinize wasteful spending on the Town Council, and to this point, IMHO, he has well kept faith with that commitment.

    However, your suggestion of puppet is an interesting one.


    Howdy Duddie was a great puppet show, which was the creation of WNY's own Buffalo Bob Smith. That television show ran from 1947-1960.

    Seemingly, in another long-running local string pulling production, did not Ron Ruffino nearly tie Howdy's 13-year run, when he joined Lancaster Bob Giza for a ten-year patronage, spending, and over-development spree?

    When first elected way back when, did not Lancaster's then-young marionette make these comments to the Buffalo News which were published on November 20, 2001?:



    Reference: https://buffalonews.com/2001/11/20/t...for-his-debut/


    Then, did not Ruffino seemingly get twisted in those wordy strings, only to have those threads untangled and permanently controlled by his puppet master Giza, when Ruffino faithfully voted for these developments?...




    Also, did not the so-called "Fiscal Conservative," when not dodging budget votes for one of his many needed vacations, seem to have faithfully served his puppet master Giza very well with, from 2004-2011, eight consecutive "YES" budget votes


    Nah, IMHO, when you refer to a puppet, is it not more appropriate to trace the political career of Ron Ruffino, who has now morphed into a stipend seeking, punishing Clarbell the Clown, eh? /QUOTE
    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

  11. #11
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Isn't it Leary that wants this PT position to be a FT position?
    Or am I mistaken?

    Georgia L Schlager

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