Changes, benefits OK’d for clerk post
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The Dunkirk city clerk position might see some budgetary changes due to the 2021 budget approved by Common Council last week.
Currently the position, filled by Edwin Ramos, has no benefit package and is set at 32 hours a week. However the Council agrees that he's there much more than that and the position itself needs some changes.
"Currently he works up to 32 hours, we talked about doing no more than 40 hours," First Ward Councilman Don Williams said at the final budget review meeting Wednesday. "His hourly rate wouldn't change, he'd actually be getting paid for some of the hours that he's here and not getting paid for. He's been working pretty hard since he's been in there and if we're not going to up the hours I think we should at least do the benefits."
Mayor Wilfred Rosas agreed with the council's sentiments saying that the clerk position is the only department head that doesn't receive a benefit package.
"I think that's wrong, I think for some reason somebody did that and it's just not right," Rosas added. "If you get him out of it, you will not find someone to take that position unless it's somebody who has been retired and has benefits or some new guy that is just starting off in life. Long after we're out of here we're doing the right thing for the city, the position should come with a benefits package. You have a part-time city clerk who manages the whole department."
Though all of the councilmembers were in agreement, a couple were unsure if 2021 was the right year to do it in, seeing as how finances are so tight due to the pandemic. After some discussion the council voted 3-2 settling on 35 hours, plus a benefit package.