Brockport village officials approve hiring of part time clerk

After much discussion at the March 20 Brockport Village Board meeting, members decided by a three to two vote to allow the Brockport Police Department to hire a part time clerk.

Police Chief Dan Varrenti brought forward the name of Connie Troupe as the one who had been chosen, from a wide field of applicants, as the most qualified for the position which would encompass a 15-hour work week at $9.50 per hour.

"I understand the village's financial situation but feel this part time position is important to the effective running of the department," Varrenti said at the board meeting. "If, God forbid, something happens to our full time clerk and we don't have a back up, our doors will be closed during the day. This does an injustice to the community."

The department presently has a full time clerk who has been with them for about 15 years. There was a part time clerk who recently vacated the position.

Village Trustees Mary Jo Nayman and Connie Castaneda voted against the filling of the position.

"Our budget is in dire straits and I don't feel that hiring someone is feasible," Nayman said. "It's not necessary and we can't afford it."

Castaneda echoed Nayman's position adding that she didn't vote for the posting of the part time position when it was raised several months ago. "Other departments don't have clerks and I know they could use one," she said.

Nayman pointed out there was a hiring freeze in other departments. "The Department of Public Works sorely needs a new (employee) but there is a freeze."

Varrenti said the department can't operate without a clerical position and be within state and federal laws. He agreed that the coverage the department has with its present clerk is good. "She's rarely out of work but when she goes on vacation, the office is effectively shut down. We need that part time person to fill in," he said.

Trustees David Wagenhauser and Carrie Maziarz voted for the hiring, Nayman and Castaneda against. Mayor Mort Wexler broke the tie and approved the filling of the vacant part time position.

Varrenti also reported that the two part time officers that were hired several months ago were on board and that Officer Mark Cyr was retiring. "Both part timers scored extremely well in the Civil Service list and I don't know if the board is going to decide to replace Officer Cyr but if it does, I urge you to appoint one of the part timers to that position," he said. "We've already spent $18,000 to train and outfit them."

Village officials accepted Cyr's resignation with regret.

In other matters the board:

  • Approved a village-wide junk pick up from April 24 to April 28.
  • Heard from Fire Chief Laurence Vaughan that the fire departments were continuing to move forward with consolidation efforts of the five departments into one. "It will streamline the department and make us more efficient," he said.
  • Vaughn reported that the department had responded to 177 fire calls and 358 ambulance calls to date. "We're averaging about 6.8 calls per day," he said.
  • Wagenhauser made a motion calling for an end to the sewer fees. "There's something about the sewer fees that doesn't smell right," he said. "For people on fixed incomes or young families, it's a hardship." The fee averages $650 per year. Wagenhauser said the fee had raised about $125,000 and only $14,000 of it was spent on sewer projects and upgrades. "I think we should call for an indefinite suspension," he said. The motion was tabled until the public hearing on the budget.

March 26, 2006