Open Space Purchase Approved, Showmobile and BOE Employees Debated

Jablonski Acreage Purchase 

On Monday the Common Council voted unanimously to sign documents to apply for a matching grant of $500,000 from the state Department of Environmental Protection to purchase the Jablonksi Farm on Higby Road, and to utilize a matching amount of $500,000 from the city's Open Space Bond Fund.

The Showmobile Must Go On

The Common Council agreed to waive fees for use of the city's Showmobile for use at the Relay for Life on June 12 and 13, but in the process debated whether the Showmobile should be mothballed.

As he did two years ago when the Council first faced the uncertainty of a wobbling economy, Council member Ron Klattenburg questioned the wisdom of waiving fees for Showmobile usage, asked to recognize the new gazebo in Union Park as the state of preference for the park, and suggested that the Showmobile be garaged until the city could afford the $15,000 in repairs needed to make the vehicle safe.

The Showmobile is a stage on wheels which can be transported to the site of events, unfolded, and used as a portable performance platform.

Klattenburg's suggestion was supported by fellow council member Vinnie Loffredo, as it was two years ago, but resisted by the remainder of the council.

Klattenburg's amendment to take the Showmobile out of action after the Relay for Life on June 12 was defeated in a vote of 9-3.


Who Will Process Payroll for Union Municipal Employees Working for the Board of Education?

A debate which began when Mayor Sebastian Giuliano asked for a legal opinion from City Attorney Tim Lynch continued on Monday when Councilman Vinnie Loffredo questioned Lynch at the end of the Council meeting.

Loffredo asked Lynch to explain his decision.  Lynch explained that his opinion suggests that the City Charter requires the municipal side of the city to administer payroll to union employees under contract to the city, but employed by the Board of Education.  Superintendent of Schools Michael Frechette challenged that opinion at last week's budget workshop.

Councilman James Streeto expressed concern that if the plan was pursued, the city might be exposed to penalties administered according to state law by the State Board of Education.  Such penalties could amount to millions of dollars if the city were found in violation of state statutes.  Lynch expressed confidence that the city could sidestep the fines because of a clause in a statute that allows a municipality to adjust funding if cost savings were justified.

Mayor Sebastian Giuliano waded into the debate and suggested that if the city continued to ignore the charter and provided payroll dollars for these employees to the Board of Education, the city might be liable to legitimate union complaints if the Board of Education failed to pay employees as required by the union contract.

Giuliano admitted that he had sought an outside legal opinion on the controversy.