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| 2.4.2010 |
Town Board Moves to Stop Unauthorized Hires, “Promotions”
Highway Superintendent told to follow procedures aimed at controlling spending
Huntington, NY – The Huntington Town Board voted unanimously today to authorize the filing of a lawsuit aimed at preventing Highway Superintendent William Naughton from ignoring longstanding Town hiring procedures implemented to ensure that spending remains within budgetary constraints.
On eight occasions in recent weeks, Superintendent Naughton attempted to add employees to the Highway Department payroll without seeking the necessary authorization from the Town Board. He also attempted to increase the salaries of 15 existing workers by saying they had been promoted, again without following required procedures for posting and for Town Board approval.
“In these difficult fiscal times, all government officials must practice prudent financial management to ensure that no taxpayer dollar is wasted,” Supervisor Frank P. Petrone said. “All other departments, including those headed by independently-elected officers, willingly follow these procedures. In refusing to do so, the Highway Superintendent is sending the message that he has little regard for the pocketbook of the average taxpayer. The Board cannot allow this reckless spending to occur.”
Recognizing the factors that have caused Town revenues to decrease, the Town Board in November approved a 2010 budget that cut spending by more than $10.5 million from 2009, froze salaries of elected and appointed officials, eliminated nine full-time positions and provided for delaying the filling of 25 additional vacancies until the middle of the year. As a result of those measures, the 2010 budget held the line on taxes, despite declining income mostly due to a drop in mortgage tax receipts.
The board also continued the hiring procedure implemented several years ago, placing funding appropriated for positions that become vacant in separate accounts called contingency accounts and releasing the money from those accounts only after Town Board approval. The Town has also been staggering its hiring to cope with the decreased revenues and to ensure that previously-enacted early retirement incentives are effective and result in savings.
Superintendent Naughton has repeatedly resisted following the procedures requiring he justify his attempts to hire. He also has resisted requirements that openings be posted before jobs are filled.
Earlier this year, Superintendent Naughton attempted to place eight employees on his payroll. He and the eight people were informed that their times slips could not be processed since their hiring was not approved. Superintendent Naughton subsequently attempted to process vouchers to pay the workers as independent contractors. That request was also denied.
Superintendent Naughton also attempted to increase the salaries of 15 workers whom he said had been promoted. However, he failed to post the jobs to which the workers had been “promoted” and he failed to request that the funding for those jobs be removed from the contingency account. The request that those 15 workers be paid at the higher rate was also denied.
In its vote yesterday, the Board approved legal action to prevent Superintendent Naughton from any future attempts to either fill vacancies or hire independent contractors without prior board approval. The Board also voted to hire independent counsel to represent Superintendent Naughton. He will be given a list of four from which to choose; all have agreed to accept an hourly rate commensurate with what other outside counsel receive.
“It is unfortunate that the Town Board must take this action, but we have no choice,” said Councilman Mark Cuthbertson, who sponsored the resolutions. “While all department heads believe all their hires are justified, the only way we will control town spending is by working together to make the triage-like decisions that will hold down taxes and best serve our residents.”
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Fresh News |
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| 6.13.2010 |
Berland Congratulates Students for Reading Achievements
East Northport, NY – Huntington Councilwoman Susan Berland recently congratulated a group of 30 Fifth Graders at the Commack School District’s Burr Intermediate School for successfully completing required reading goals under a literacy program sponsored by Cablevision in partnership with the New York Knicks.
In speaking to the students, Berland noted the importance reading plays in achieving life goals. She joined principal Charles Heppeler and teacher Sue Ohlinger in presenting certificates to the students.
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| 6.13.2010 |
Lighting the Way to Energy Efficiency
Using federal stimulus money, Huntington begins replacing streetlights with energy-efficient fixtures
Huntington Town this week began the process of replacing more than 4,000 streetlights with energy-efficient fixtures that are estimated to cut the Town energy consumption for street lighting by as much as 50 percent.
Welsbach Electric Corp., a contractor hired by the Town, this week started replacing 150-watt high-pressure sodium fixtures with 80-watt energy efficient induction fixtures. The $803,200 program to change 2,400 fixtures of varying wattages is funded with part of the Town’s $1.725 million Energy Efficiency Block Grant under the federal American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. A separate, $555,667 federal ARRA grant obtained through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, will be used to replace 1,754 250-watt sodium fixtures with 120-watt induction ones.
The Town has 1,194 miles of roads containing street lighting. The Town spent $1.8 million on electricity for street lighting in 2009.
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| 6.12.2010 |
Town Drops Consideration of Town Hall Move
Letter to school district reaffirms commitment to Huntington Station redevelopment and security at Jack Abrams Intermediate School
Huntington, NY – The Town of Huntington today announced it is stopping efforts to consider moving Town Hall to the Jack Abrams Intermediate School, in response to the Huntington Union Free School District board’s vote earlier this week not to pursue an exchange of the two properties.
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| 6.11.2010 |
Movies On the Lawn: Back for Season Seven
This year is the seventh season of the Movies on the Lawn program hosted by Councilman Mark Cuthbertson and the Town of Huntington and once again this year, the line up will have something for everyone to enjoy.
“This is great family entertainment. Pack up your picnic supper, blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy this summer’s movie line-up,” said Cuthbertson. “With every passing year, the crowd of movie-goers multiplies so it’s wise to arrive at each venue a little early. Even before the movie starts, there’s fun to be had at the playgrounds or playing with the other children in attendance.”
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