Thursday, August 2, 2012

Wellsville Considers Adding New Job Positions


Wednesday – August 1:  The Wellsville Village Council Personnel Committee held a two in one meeting yesterday at Village Hall.  Personnel Committee Chairman Tony Cataldo presided.  The majority of the meeting was held in Executive Sessions. 

The first part of the meeting was held with Wellsville Fire Chief Bill Smith attending.  The meeting was in regard to replacing just recently retired fireman Doug Elliott.  Elliott was the only other full time fireman on staff.  The other one is the Chief.  Elliott retired after a combined 33 years’ service to the Village. 

Chief Smith advised that there were five applications received for the full-time position.  Interviews with the five candidates will be held by Mayor Susan Haugh and him.  Any candidate selected will have to be approved by the full Council.

Committee member John Morrow reported also that he will make a motion to order in legislation at the next Council meeting to create two permanent part-time fire fighters.  The part-time positions will be scheduled for less than 40 hours per week and will not offer any benefits.  Chief Smith noted, if approved that two new positions will allow him flexibility in scheduling to have all shifts covered 24/7.  The ordinance will have to be drafted up by Village Legal Advisor Andy Beech.  Other details will be finalized once Council approval is made.  No mention was made on how the new positions will be financed.  However there was talk after the meeting of applying for available grants.  Mayor Haugh also hinted that with Wellsville’s economic outlook improving there will soon be enough revenue to cover the costs of two part-time positions in the foreseeable future.  Although she did not elaborate it is known that developments at the Intermodal Park and the planned Marathon expansion in town will soon be adding revenue to the Village coffers. 

The second part of the meeting was in regards to replacing Street Department employee Jim Bauer.  Bauer recently resigned to take a position with the Wellsville School District.  Bauer was one of four permanent full-timers in that department.  Village Administrator Thom Edgell took part in that portion of yesterday’s meeting.  He supervises that department.

Councilman Cataldo advised that instead of filling one full-time position he will recommend Council instead approve two part-time Street Department positions.  If given the go ahead the part-time positions will be scheduled for no more than 32 hours a week.  No personal insurance benefits will be offered which in the long run will be a cost savings to the Village. 

The new positions will be paid $9.08 per hour which is 80% of the first year salary scale.  After a period of one year employment that will increase to 85%.  Morrow added there will be the possibility of making the jobs full-time in the future.  That possibility and the pay scale will be addressed in three to six months once the jobs begin.  Edgell noted there were 18 applications filed for Bauer’s position.  That position in now in limbo pending what action Council takes. 

Council’s next regularly scheduled meeting is set for Tuesday, August 7 at 6 PM.  The meeting will take place at Village Hall at 1200 Main St.


ole nib

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe Mr. Morrow should talk to the Fiscal Officer and finance committee to ask if funds are available to create new positions before ordering in legislation to do so. Are they hiring a new full timer and two part timers?

************* said...

Probably not a bad idea to check first on the financial ability.

From our understanding they are looking at one full-time plus two part-timers for the Fire Dept.

In the Street Dept. they are looking to eliminate the full-time position left vacant by Bauer's resignation and replace it with two part-timers.

nib