Spencerport village has new administrator

The Spencerport Village Board has hired Alan R. Scheg, of Ogden, to the post of village administrator, ending a three-month search begun when former Village Administrator Gina Tojek announced her resignation August 2.

Trustees voted unanimously at the November 2 board meeting appointing Scheg to fulfill Tojek’s term, which expires March 31, 2001, at a salary of $49,500. "We had a long list of qualified candidates," said Trustee Steve Russell. "Based on his prior experience working with the village, he will do a great job," he said.

Scheg lives at 25 Sheldon Terrace with his wife, Pat. He has worked with officials in Spencerport and other area municipalities on various community programs as a project manager at MRB Group Engineering, Architecture and Surveying PC.

Through his work on projects like the Lester C. Merz Memorial Park, the village gazebo, and the Lyell Avenue water project, Scheg said he has become very familiar with the village and its players. He said he appreciates the hardworking village officials and employees. "I look forward to the opportunity," to work for the Village of Spencerport, he said.

The decision to apply for the administrator position was an easy one, he said. "Spencerport has been our community of choice for all these years. It was an obvious choice," Scheg said.

Scheg said he considers his role as a liaison between the community and the village board one of his most important duties as village administrator. He said he plans to be very pro-active, working to secure grants and other funding for community projects and programming, and reviewing village infrastructure.

Reorganization of the village's infrastructure brought about the creation of the administrator position back in March. Many residents questioned the need for an administrator and complained the $60,000 proposed salary for Tojek was too high.

The village administrator’s position is meant to be a lateral one to the positions of superintendent of public works, the electric supervisor, and the fire chief. Those four department heads have autonomy over their own department’s operations. Each must still report to the board of trustees, and most actions like purchases, hiring, and planning must still be approved by the trustees.

Some residents also complained that Tojek, who had worked for the village for 18 years, 16 of those years as the village clerk, was appointed to the administrator position without a candidate search.

Trustee Glenn Granger said he was pleased with the way Scheg was chosen for the position. "Having been very vocal about not approving of the process the first time," he said, "I think we’ve got a very good administrator here and I want to thank the committee."

Russell said the search committee started with a field of 16 qualified candidates. They were narrowed down to 12 and then again to four candidates. At that point, each board member was able to question the candidates. "Involving employees, residents and board members was great," said Trustee Ted Rauber.

Scheg said being questioned by so many different people with different concerns and viewpoints gave the candidates a great perspective on the village of Spencerport. "It was a really encompassing interview process," he said. "(The committee) really put us on our toes. … It was very fair and above-board."

In other Spencerport village board news, trustees announced plans for two new businesses in Spencerport’s business district, and the closing of the village grocery store, Jubilee, November 18. A women’s apparel shop, and a craft and antique store are planned to fill two empty storefronts. At this time, Mayor Theodore Walker said there is no buyer for the grocery store