Letter to town on relevancy of department resignations, vacancies, etc.

[Lee Chowaniec]

January 2, 2023

Lancaster Town Board

RE: Department Resignations and Replacements

Honorable Town Board

Unable to attend the January 3rd Town Board meeting and understanding submitted written comments are held in like regard, I would hope my questions for clarification at the Organizational Meeting regarding the Schedule of Salaries department positions receive board attention.

Soon the 2023 campaign primaries will begin, followed by a November election. It is important voters understand how their community is being managed.

There have been several department resignations this past year (five that I know of). Several positions and salaries in the Schedule of Salaries are identified but individuals filling those positions are not identified. Job postings for three department positions appear on the Town’s website – Accountant, Payroll Supervisor, and Part Time Clerk in the Town Attorney’s Office.

Rumors exist that the town is weighing privatizing some department operations. Therefore clarification is requested on the following.

Supervisor

Supervisor – Ronald Ruffino - $72, 164

Secretary to Supervisor – Cyndi Maciejewski - $48,172

Accountant - $51,889 – Unnamed – There is a job posting on the Town’s website. An opening occurred because of the resignation of the previous Accountant. How long has this position been vacant?

Assistant to the Supervisor - $57,654 – Unnamed - Is this position currently filled?

Director of Administration and Finance - $86,285 – Unnamed – Is this position currently filled? Pam Cuviello resigned. The position was filled, but I understand the individual also resigned within two weeks.

Payroll Supervisor: Not on Schedule of Salaries. Job opening posted on Town Website. There was a department Payroll Supervisor who also resigned this past year. Do we currently have anyone in Pay Roll?

Payroll Supervisor P.T. - $31.68 per hour – Unnamed – Isn’t this position open because the individual holding the position also resigned?

Secretary to LIDA (Crage) $7,500.00 LIDA PILOT billing (Martin) $2,500.00. What happened to Leza Braun? No longer on LIDA?

Town Attorney

Principal Clerk Typist (Confidential) - $50,709 – Unnamed - Job posting on Town website for a Part Time Clerk Typist. What happened to Leza Braun?


Is privatizing some department positions / operations seriously being considered? Permanent or part time until positions can be filled?

Resolution #11

Recently resigned Lisa Zajac who recently resigned to transfer to a different town department is being hired part-time to the position she recently resigned from (Assistant to the Supervisor). In what capacity, and how does that enable her to hold two town positions? Isn’t that a conflict of interest?

Resolution #14

Carmen Ciccarelli is hereby appointed to the title of Park Crew Chief, in the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, effective January 3, 2023, at a salary of $68,054, with no oversight from the Highway Department, subject to the further terms of the Town’s policies relating to non-union supervisory personnel.

What precipitated this change and added cost? Will it also result in an increase in department size and added cost?

Hopefully, these concerns will be addressed so the public will have some insight as to why all the resignations occurred, whether the positions have been filled or in the process of being filled (and whether by privatization), and what direction the town is taking.

Respectfully,
Lee Chowaniec
Lancaster, NY

CC
Town Board Members
Town Attorney: Thomas Fowler

[gorja]

January 2, 2023

Lancaster Town Board

RE: Department Resignations and Replacements

Honorable Town Board

Unable to attend the January 3rd Town Board meeting and understanding submitted written comments are held in like regard, I would hope my questions for clarification at the Organizational Meeting regarding the Schedule of Salaries department positions receive board attention.

Soon the 2023 campaign primaries will begin, followed by a November election. It is important voters understand how their community is being managed.

There have been several department resignations this past year (five that I know of). Several positions and salaries in the Schedule of Salaries are identified but individuals filling those positions are not identified. Job postings for three department positions appear on the Town’s website – Accountant, Payroll Supervisor, and Part Time Clerk in the Town Attorney’s Office.

Rumors exist that the town is weighing privatizing some department operations. Therefore clarification is requested on the following.

Supervisor

Supervisor – Ronald Ruffino - $72, 164

Secretary to Supervisor – Cyndi Maciejewski - $48,172

Accountant - $51,889 – Unnamed – There is a job posting on the Town’s website. An opening occurred because of the resignation of the previous Accountant. How long has this position been vacant?

Assistant to the Supervisor - $57,654 – Unnamed - Is this position currently filled?

Director of Administration and Finance - $86,285 – Unnamed – Is this position currently filled? Pam Cuviello resigned. The position was filled, but I understand the individual also resigned within two weeks.

Payroll Supervisor: Not on Schedule of Salaries. Job opening posted on Town Website. There was a department Payroll Supervisor who also resigned this past year. Do we currently have anyone in Pay Roll?

Payroll Supervisor P.T. - $31.68 per hour – Unnamed – Isn’t this position open because the individual holding the position also resigned?

Secretary to LIDA (Crage) $7,500.00 LIDA PILOT billing (Martin) $2,500.00. What happened to Leza Braun? No longer on LIDA?

Town Attorney

Principal Clerk Typist (Confidential) - $50,709 – Unnamed - Job posting on Town website for a Part Time Clerk Typist. What happened to Leza Braun?


Is privatizing some department positions / operations seriously being considered? Permanent or part time until positions can be filled?

Resolution #11

Recently resigned Lisa Zajac who recently resigned to transfer to a different town department is being hired part-time to the position she recently resigned from (Assistant to the Supervisor). In what capacity, and how does that enable her to hold two town positions? Isn’t that a conflict of interest?

Resolution #14

Carmen Ciccarelli is hereby appointed to the title of Park Crew Chief, in the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, effective January 3, 2023, at a salary of $68,054, with no oversight from the Highway Department, subject to the further terms of the Town’s policies relating to non-union supervisory personnel.

What precipitated this change and added cost? Will it also result in an increase in department size and added cost?

Hopefully, these concerns will be addressed so the public will have some insight as to why all the resignations occurred, whether the positions have been filled or in the process of being filled (and whether by privatization), and what direction the town is taking.

Respectfully,
Lee Chowaniec
Lancaster, NY

CC
Town Board Members
Town Attorney: Thomas Fowler

Just a thought - Maybe these individuals are being bullied by a certain council member. They may fear if that same council member were to be elected supervisor, they would be under his supervision. They're getting out and transferring while they can, IMHO.

[gorja]

Originally posted by Lee Chowaniec:
Resolution #14

Carmen Ciccarelli is hereby appointed to the title of Park Crew Chief, in the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, effective January 3, 2023, at a salary of $68,054, with no oversight from the Highway Department, subject to the further terms of the Town’s policies relating to non-union supervisory personnel.

I had thought the appointment of Michelle Barbaro last year as Deputy Highway Superintendent that part of her duties were to be the crew chief of the parks department. This in turn was to save money in not having an additional parks crew chief position. Did I misunderstand how that was played out last year?