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Citing safety concerns, Massena trustees decide to fill vacancy at water department

Posted 5/6/15

By ANDY GARDNER MASSENA -- The village board voted 3-0-1 on Tuesday night to fill a vacancy at the water department, despite the position not being included in the budget. Trustee Albert Deshaies …

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Citing safety concerns, Massena trustees decide to fill vacancy at water department

Posted

By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The village board voted 3-0-1 on Tuesday night to fill a vacancy at the water department, despite the position not being included in the budget.

Trustee Albert Deshaies abstained, and Trustee Francis Carvel voted nay. Mayor Tim Currier, who usually leaves the votes to the trustees, voted in the affirmative.

The person will be chosen from a list of qualified candidates who have passed a civil service test, Public Works Superintendent Hassan Fayad said.

Prior to the vote, Trustee Matt Lebire said he favors the decision because the water department is understaffed and the operators are required to have more than one person working in confined spaces.

“I don’t like safety risks … I don’t think we’ll truly save” by not filling the post, he said. “The comment … is specifically to reference confined spaces … a very specific regulation, it’s black and white. The regulations state you need that second person.”

Mark Patterson, who is a DPW worker and also one of the department’s CSEA representatives, said they need more people.

“We don’t do the maintenance we used to,” he said. “We don’t have the numbers but we do get the job done.”

“The other thing to keep in mind is the system is not getting any smaller,” Trustee Tim Ahlfeld said.

“We are currently in discussions with two entities about extending the water system,” Mayor Tim Currier said.