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Thread: Schedule of Salaries resolution draws controversy

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    Schedule of Salaries resolution draws controversy

    At Monday evening’s town board meeting, the board unanimously voted Schedule of Salaries approval after amending the proposal by suspending considering omissions and modification to the Town Clerk’s salary compensation that were included in the 2021 approved budget.

    Residents Lee Chowaniec and Former Town Clerk (36 years) addressed the board on the Supervisor’s proposed Town Clerk salary compensation eliminations.

    Chowaniec: Supervisor Ruffino, since you took office as councilmember in 2001, and for years even before that, the Town Clerk has always received compensation salary as Town Clerk, Records Management Officer, Registrar of Vital Statistics, and Clerk to the Zoning Board. Over the years as councilmember you voted approval for those same compensations.

    Those compensations were instated and approved in the 2021 budget. Here tonight, compensations have either been removed or modified from the approved budget.

    There was mention at the work session to amend the resolution to remove the changes to the Town Clerk’s compensation modifications. The intent was not only to consider the Town Clerk’s compensation structure / stipends, but others receiving like compensation. Those could also apply to White-Collar and Blue-Collar employees for compensation and perks for doing work within their assigned 40-hour work week.

    I believe tabling this compensation segment by the board for added review is advisable and prudent to consider legality and potential legal action pursuit.

    Robert Thill (former Lancaster Town Clerk – 36 years) – In those 36 years of Town Clerk service, the Town Board appointed me Registrar of Vital Statistics and Clerk to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). They added additional compensation for me for performing those duties. Note that I did not mention that I was Records Management Officer because I was not until 1989. The State of New York placed an oath on me and every other New York Town Clerk the duties and responsibilities of Record Management Officer. Those duties required me and other Town Clerks at that time to inventory all the records of every office of the town, including town, police, highway, and then to set up a records management retention and distribution program for each office.

    I understand you are going to table this tonight, but it is important for you to go into conference and you discuss these matters with Town Clerk Terranova.

    It is important for you to know that:

    1) Since 1989 every town board has voted to compensate the Town Clerk for these services.

    2) Supervisor Ruffino fifteen (15) out of his 16 years as councilman has voted to compensate the Town Clerk for these services.

    3) Just recently, last September, Supervisor Ruffino decided to publish by Legal Notice in the official town paper for the compensation of the Town Clerk as Records Management Officer- under the heading of Town Clerk.

    4) Supervisor Ruffino voted to adopt a 2021 budget which included compensation for the services of the Town Clerk.

    5) In the fall of 2019, the electorate of this community to be the elected Town Clerk full well knowing what her duties were and the compensation paid.

    6) Tonight, by resolution set by Supervisor Ruffino, he intends to strip her of compensation from all those services as Records Management Office. Gentlemen, strip her, nada, nothing!

    7) Town Clerk Terranova as public officer under the Public Officer’s Law of the State of New York is equally independent of the Town Board as she has faithfully sworn to perform her duties as Town Clerk by town law, the General (/) Law, the Real Property Law, and the Agricultural Law.

    8) Since leaving office, I have monitored both Johanna Coleman and Diane Terranova over the past years regarding their oversight and performance in office. I have found both to be exemplary as public officers. I challenge anyone…

    Supervisor Ruffino: Mr. Thill, I’m sorry but you are out of time. You made your point. We need to move on.

    Thill: Well I hope you heard it, Mr. Supervisor because this is…

    Supervisor Ruffino: Mr. Thill, you are out-of-order.

  2. #2
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Thank you for transcribing and posting that Lee, because based on the online edition made available to me, no one will read of that exchange in this week's Lancaster Bee; a disgusting lack of journalistic effort, or perhaps a superb imitation of The New York Times?


    Town Board approves schedule of salaries, tables stipends

    January 21, 2021

    by MARIA PERICOZZI Editor
    Reference: https://www.lancasterbee.com/article...bles-stipends/
    Last edited by mark blazejewski; January 21st, 2021 at 09:46 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 found Councilmember Mike Wozniak’s statement in the Lancaster Bee interesting:

    “I think there’s deep-rooted issues, not only with the clerk’s stipend, but with the supervisor and highway superintendent as well,” said Michael Wozniak, a council member. “I say we look at all these stipends, not just the town clerk.”

    Hmm, one has reason to suspect that this is more about Supervisor Ruffino getting his stipend back than anything else.

    Mr. Thill made excellent points on reasons why the Town Clerk’s stipends are justifiable. Highway Superintendent Amatura by town resolution has the same drainage stipend as others before him for decades. His contracted town oversight stipend for Parks, Recreation, and Forestry seems inviolate, so what’s left.

    And with Mr. Wozniak now in place, Supervisor Ruffino has been comfortable in openly stating: “We have the votes.”

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