Committee Votes to Maintain Public Works Staff Levels

Darien’s will maintain its staffing levels after the Administrative/Finance Committee of the Whole voted Tuesday to keep salaries for 14.5 employees in the 2013 budget.

At the city’s first meeting about the 2013 budget on Feb. 22, Ward 3 Alderman Poteraske proposed eliminating a Public Works position. The department has been functioning with one fewer employee since a city mechanic retired in June. 

While the department plans to fill the mechanic position, Poteraske wondered if a general Public Works position could be done away with instead. Such a position runs the city about $75,000-$80,000, including benefits, Assistant City Administrator Scott Coren said.

Municipal Services Director Dan Gombac presented a report at a Monday detailing how his staff completes projects and responds to events such as snowstorms.

Emergency storm cleanup, brush pickup and issues with busted concrete are just a few problems that consume significant amounts of staff time, he said. Many of the matters pose a public safety hazard if they aren’t dealt with promptly, he said.

Ward 5 Alderman Joe Marchese said at Tuesday’s meeting that Gombac’s presentation convinced the committee to recommend keeping the department fully staffed. 

“We can have six or seven people working on an activity and have a microburst (they need to clean up after),” he said. “If we’re going to be operating from a standpoint where we may need additional people, I’d rather be operating from a position where we already have 14.5 workers.”

Treasurer Michael Coren said that he wasn’t convinced the department needed to fill the position after hearing Gombac’s report.

“I feel like General Custer at the last stand,” he said.

If there were a true emergency, it wouldn’t matter how many people worked on staff, he said.

In the long run, investing in employee salaries rather than contracting work out could save the city money, Marchese said. During some recent years, the city has saved nearly $300,000 by relying on its own staff for projects, he said.

The measure to keep the department fully staffed passed by a 5-2 vote. Poteraske and Ward 6 Alderman Sylvia McIvor were the two council members to oppose it. 

The next meeting to discuss the draft fiscal year 2013 budget is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at .