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| SANZONE |
The 2015 budget has two huge
one-shots – one is the deferral of a $1.9 million pension payment to next year
and one is the $650,000 sale of the old City Hall site – the state Comptroller
said the city spent $5.9 million more than it took in from 2011 to 2013, sewer
rates increased by 35 percent, all six unions are without a contract, the water
and sewer funds have been raided and re-raided, there are hardly any reserves
to speak of and Moody’s Investor Services just gave Troy a negative outlook.
So how does the city Council
address any or all of the city’s fiscal problems? It convenes a special meeting
for Jan. 22 at 7:15 p.m. with the purpose of hiring Adam Sanzone as its “confidential
secretary.” Sanzone was an intern with the Council and has videotaped Council meetings free of charge so they could be broadcast on public access television.
The legal notice says the Council
will set the salary at the meeting but there is no “confidential secretary”
listed in the budget. There is $10,000 allocated for a “confidential assistant,”
which I assume is the position the Council wants to give Sanzone, but there is
no “confidential secretary.”
I don’t know the nuances of what
is a proper legal notice and what isn’t but in the least the Council will have
to amend either the budget or the resolution so they match up.
This hire, should it pass, comes
on the heels of the Council appointing an assistant city clerk for $27,835.
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| COUNCIL PRESIDENT RODNEY WILTSHIRE |
This also comes on the heels of
Mayor Lou Rosamilia answering the Council’s request to make a list of cutting
each department by 3 percent. It really came as no surprise when the list
included laying off firefighters and police officers, and it came as less of a
surprise to watch the Council punt on layoffs or doing anything else to address
the financial crisis.
Actually the Council is going the
other way – they are spending money. True, the two positions mentioned above are
or were vacant, but you would think not filling positions would cause less pain
than “unfilling” them through layoffs.
The assistant city clerk, maybe I can see but I'm not sure what a confidential assistant/secretary for the Council actually does. And if there is a job description, why does it include being confidential? Is the Council hiding something? I'm being facetious, but still. I know $10,000 isn't a lot of money, relatively speaking, but you have to start somewhere and if you add up enough $10,000 savings you close the deficit.
CORRECTION: The job of legislative liaison is currently being performed by Emily Rossier but will now be performed by Sanzone. If Sanzone's appointment isn't confirmed, Rossier will continue in the post. Also, the assistant city clerk position was open when the mayor hired Lou Schnieder to replace Kathleen Cassidy Ryan, who was working in a secretary-type position. So, as members of the Council pointed out, the mayor is just as guilty of filling vacant positions.
The assistant city clerk, maybe I can see but I'm not sure what a confidential assistant/secretary for the Council actually does. And if there is a job description, why does it include being confidential? Is the Council hiding something? I'm being facetious, but still. I know $10,000 isn't a lot of money, relatively speaking, but you have to start somewhere and if you add up enough $10,000 savings you close the deficit.
CORRECTION: The job of legislative liaison is currently being performed by Emily Rossier but will now be performed by Sanzone. If Sanzone's appointment isn't confirmed, Rossier will continue in the post. Also, the assistant city clerk position was open when the mayor hired Lou Schnieder to replace Kathleen Cassidy Ryan, who was working in a secretary-type position. So, as members of the Council pointed out, the mayor is just as guilty of filling vacant positions.
Also, notice the time of the special
meeting … 7:15 p.m. According to the city code: “All meetings of the City Council, regular or
special, shall be held in the Council Chambers of the City hall at 7:00 in the
evening unless some other place or time has been voted by a majority of the
members of the Council or unless a written call for such meeting, signed by
five members of the Council, is filed with the City Clerk 72 hours prior to the
time of the meeting and due public notice has been given of such change or
changes.”
I’d be willing to bet five members
of the Council did not sign a “written call” to change the meeting time. I’d be
willing to bet too that the Council will be hard pressed to get five votes to hire
Sanzone – who is not really political but is tight with some Democrats.
If you remember, Councilwoman Lynn
Kopka, D-At Large, made a stink about the time of a special meeting once and
the majority – an odd mix of four Democrats and two Republicans - were forced
to reschedule. Let’s see what she does
this time.
CORRECTION: The Council did get the five required signatures: Rodney Wiltshire, Ken Zalewski, Dean Bodnar, Gary Galuski and Bob Doherty.
CORRECTION: The Council did get the five required signatures: Rodney Wiltshire, Ken Zalewski, Dean Bodnar, Gary Galuski and Bob Doherty.
