by Kristina Gabalski
Parma Town Board members decided to hold off on the deputy highway superintendent position issue following a heated two hour public forum attended by nearly 100 people at their regular meeting Tuesday, March 5.
The position was on the March 5 agenda, but when asked during the public forum, board members would not elaborate about what action they planned to take.
Following an executive session with their attorney after the public forum, Council Member James Smith told those in attendance, “… we did listen to what you said,” and moved to table the item to allow board members, “… more time to clarify their ability to create another position.”
Council Member Smith said he was tired of lawsuits and noted if a new position needs to be created it should be done right.
Residents peppered the board members with questions and gave them plenty to think about during the public forum. Many asked why town leaders had decided to move forward with a deputy highway superintendent position as opposed to continuing with the position of road foreman, a position held by Al Leone for the past ten years.
The change puts Leone’s job in jeopardy because as deputy highway superintendent he would be required to live in the town, which he does not at present. The position of road foreman has no residency requirement.
“Why don’t you rectify it today?” asked Leone’s wife, Debi, “based on what people want, what (Highway Superintendent) Brian (Speer) needs and what is best for the town?”
Town board members would not give specifics about their decisions, citing current litigation and the fact their attorney has advised them not to comment on the situation.
Some in the audience repeatedly became visibly upset during the exchange and accused board members of corruption and holding a vendetta against Highway Superintendent Speer and Leone.
During his comments, Supervisor Speer alleged that he had been offered a substantial amount of money by a member of the town board to fire Leone.
Board members did not respond to the allegation.
“I’ve had it emotionally,” Superintendent Speer said, “I can’t take much more and I will fight you to my dying breath,” he told the board.
Many in the audience became agitated following Speer’s accusation, some calling for a referendum vote to remove the entire board; others calling for the entire board to resign.
“If you continue to harass this man (Leone), you’re going to see the whole town rise up against all five of you,” resident John Chart said.
“It’s a crying shame what you are doing,” another resident said, “(you need to) tell everybody what’s going on – switching positions to accommodate your buddies.”
Superintendent Speer said town board members should have discussed the matter with him when concerns first surfaced over the title of the position.
“We could have straightened it out … you don’t bother consulting me,” Speer said and indicated the position could legally be classified as road foreman.
“Why wouldn’t you do that?” he asked.
According to minutes of the July 17, 2012 Parma Town Board Meeting, the board received a letter dated June 4, 2012, from the Monroe County Civil Service Commission, confirming that Mr. Leone was appointed to the position of deputy town highway superintendent. He had been asked by the town board to provide proof of residency.
Leone responded to Supervisor Carmestro in a letter that he was hired in 2002 as a road foreman and had never been appointed as deputy highway superintendent. Leone wrote that if the Commission has classified him as deputy highway superintendent, “… they did so with information provided by your office.”
At the March 5 meeting, Superintendent Speer said a lack of understanding of the law caused the problem. He said a deputy superintendent would be part of negotiations and the budget making process, jobs in which Leone has never been involved. “The whole thing was all screwed up at the beginning,” he said.
Many in attendance pressed the board as to whose idea it was to pursue the deputy highway superintendent position. “It’s totally unnecessary,” one man said. “… the road foreman is filling that duty now … you want to create the position for what purpose?”
At first, Supervisor Carmestro would not respond but eventually said the topic came from a former town supervisor. “We knew something wasn’t right,” he said.
Council Member James Smith said the town board can eliminate a position by taking funding away and create a position by funding it.
“But at the end of the day, the Highway Superintendent hires who he wants … we can create funding, but we can’t force the Highway Superintendent to hire someone,” he said.
One man who said he had lived in Parma for six years, told board members the meeting had taught him much about town politics and advised them to, “… make the decision that is right for the people in this town and stop wasting taxpayers’ money on lawyers … you need to sit down with Brian and try to solve this without litigation.”
Some residents asked if the board could make a motion during the meeting for the position to be listed as road foreman – Supervisor Carmestro responded, “We are not here for that.”
Larry Speer, a Village of Hilton Trustee, told board members, “We want two things: truth and leadership. Look into your souls and your hearts and make sure you are doing what you’ve sworn an oath to do.”
Editor’s note: Parma Highway Supervisor Brian Speer and Hilton Council Member Larry Speer are brothers.
