A change in administrations usually means changes in personnel - both for full and part-time employees. While expected changes were made as Dunkirk Mayor Anthony J. Dolce took office and named his appointees, many of the part-timers have returned for the summer.
The city provided the OBSERVER with a list of hires, with starting dates, since Jan. 1.
According to the list, the city has filled three full-time positions.
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OBSERVER Photo by Gib Snyder
Lifeguards Lillian Rollins and Jonathan Fountain were on duty Saturday at Wright Park beach.
Included are police officers Jeffrey Ortolano of Fredonia (May 8) and Matthew Martinez of Dunkirk (May 9). Ortolano is the son of Police Chief David Ortolano and was first on the Civil Service list. Martinez is a military veteran and a graduate of Dunkirk High School. Both officers were hired at a rate of $25.36 per hour.
While Dolce said neither he nor the police chief had input in the process as it goes through a Police Department board headed by Capt. Kenneth Kaus, he was happy a city resident was hired. The two hires were the only local persons on the eligibility list, according to city officials.
The only other full-time hire for a union position was city resident Douglas Owen, who is classified as a municipal worker (Laborer II). Owen began at a rate of $20.82 per hour on March 5. Dolce acknowledged that Owen did not start at the beginning rate.
"He was given a slight bump due to the fact he had over 20 years experience with the state Department of Transportation," the mayor explained. "He was hired by the department head and I signed off on that."
According to Dolce, Department of Public Works Director Tony Gugino did the hiring.
The boat launch is supervised again by William Heenan. Heenan was originally appointed in April 2010 and receives $11.55 per hour. Alex Kachermayer (May 2010) and Nathan Schiller (May 2011) are back as boat launch supervisors at a rate of $7.50 per hour. All three are city residents.
City residents Michael Privitera (June 2007) and Joseph Siracuse (May 2006) were brought back as field maintenance workers at $8 per hour.
Thirteen temporary laborers were hired, including four first timers. New hires for the $8 per hour jobs were city residents Robert Ohl, Joshua Szukala and Brandon Torrance; with town of Dunkirk resident Max Schrantz the other newcomer. Back working in this category are city residents Matthew Dorler (May 2011), Michael Dunbar (May 2011), Kyle Goss (July 2008), Jacob Jankoski (July 2008), Adam Woelfle (December 2008), Ryan Hall (June 2009), Michael Cole (May 2006), Antwain Gentry (June 2005) and town of Dunkirk resident Eric Tarnowski (December 2007).
The 12 rec attendants are all city residents and include newcomers Stephanie Adamowicz, Kristine Beatty, Selena Diaz, Timothy Pauszek and Brett Westling. Returnees include Bradley Westling (June 2009), Kenneth Dill (June 2009), Adreanna Dolce (June 2009), Dylan Leone (July 2010), Shane Boyle (May 2011), Alicia Palmatier (July 2007) and Amanda Westling (June 2005).
The city has three head lifeguards at $10 per hour and 12 lifeguards at $9 per hour. The head lifeguards all have city experience and include Jean Mahaney (July 1997), Matthew Murphy (June 2005) and Kristen Zolnoske (July 2006). Four lifeguards have worked for the city before, including Jacob Westling (July 2007), Ann Marie Griffiths (July 2010), Michael Rozumalski (July 2011) and Jonathan Fountain (July 2011).
The newcomers to the city's lifeguard stands include city residents Lillian Rollins, Alicia Bradley and William Bradley. Silver Creek residents Lawrence Kaminski and Melissa Keem; Forestville residents Mora-Lyn Vanzile and Bryan Vanzile; along with Fredonia resident Matthew Mincin round out the 2012 lifesavers.
"We're satisfied with the number we were able to get," Dolce said of the lifeguards. "We'll look to have Point Gratiot open as much as possible but when there are shortages the Point will be closed and Wright Park will be staffed."
Dolce noted the pay has been cut for most summer workers.
"I'm looking at this as we're watching every dollar we can. The previous year I believe most were $8.50, some were higher," he said. "We cut the majority to $8 and expect to see some savings over the course of the summer. We reduced the amount of weeks that most temporary laborers will be working, most will be working a 14-week block of time."
Dolce acknowledged Common Council has been critical of the hiring process, which did not include any public announcements or advertising.
"We have already put measures in place for next year, we have drafted some guidelines," he explained. "What you will see is a start date when we will accept applications; and an end date for accepting applications. Before any employee starts our personnel department will be signing off on that hire.
"We noticed this wasn't much of a process. We figure by having an actual policy in place it will make life easier and a more open process going forward."
The mayor's appointments that were approved by Common Council Jan. 1 include five department heads.
Incumbent Tony Gugino was brought back to head the Department of Public Works at $58,000 per year. Ronald Szot is the city attorney and was appointed at a rate of $70,000 per year for the position, which is considered to be 95 percent time, according to the hiring resolution. Harry Briggs was appointed as an independent contractor to head the Fiscal Affairs Department at a rate of $20 per hour for a 20-hour week.
Brand new to City Hall were appointees Steven Neratko and Lacy Lawrence. Neratko was hired at $50,000 per year to head the Development Department while Lawrence was hired as a part-time City Clerk for 20 hours per week at $16 per hour.
Lawrence has since been moved to full-time status under a council resolution passed July 3, still at the rate of $16 per hour but with the option of taking health care benefits or a buyout - the same as other full-time employees.
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