Deputy clerk appointment splits Dansville board

The routine appointment to fill a vacancy turned into a split vote at Tuesday night’s board meeting. At question was an deputy clerk appointment made by Mayor Peter Vogt. That position has been vacant for four months, since the former village clerk was dismissed and Kerry Ann Wood was promoted to that position.

The matter came up at the board of trustees Aug. 1 committee meeting when Vogt presented Megan Aldrich of Springwater as his appointee and trustees questioned aspects of the selection process.

This week, Vogt clarified for the board that the mayor is authorized to appoint, but appointments are subject to approval by the board of trustees. Vogt had left the board out of the interview and selection process and had instead deferred to Karen Schleyer and Wood. He explained that Schleyer and Wood will both work with whoever was selected, so he had brought them into the interview process.

“Who I have help me in that process is my business,” he said. “I can have anyone help me in the process that I want.”

However, Trustee Jay Griffith expressed his dissatisfaction with the selection process. “I feel we could work out a solution by being part of the discussion.”

“It doesn’t matter, I make the appointment,” Vogt said, recognizing that the final decision is up to the board of trustees. “You interview the person and make a decision based on that.”

The mayor went on to explain that he can even delegate the authority, as he did earlier this year when he authorized Scott Tracy, superintendent of public works, to hire part-time seasonal employees.

Vogt also clarified that while most village employees are required to live in the village, two positions are exempted from that requirement: the deputy village clerk and the court clerk.

Trustee Jay Griffith opposed the mayor’s selection, noting that one candidate had several years experience as an accountant.

However, Vogt explained that the appointee had payroll, clerical and customer service experience, having worked as a hotel clerk.

“You want to hire a horel clerk over an accountant?” Griffith inquired of Vogt, to which the mayor responded with one word: “Yeah.”

Vogt pointed out the trustees that the process of the executive officer making a selection subject to approval by a legislative body has a precedent. In addition to being spelled out in New York law, similar processes are used in Albany and Washington, D.C., where the governor or president makes appointments which are then presented to the state legislature or Congress for a vote.

Trustee Pat Kreiley objected to the appointment because she did not have a job description for the position. “I don’t think the board should move forward without all the information,” she said.

While the question of the appointment found opposition among some trustees, others sided with the mayor.

“I think we should see how the pick works out,” Trustee Don Sylor said.

Trustee Dick Whitenack didn’t want to let the position continue vacant. “We’ve dragged this out since April. Kerry Ann isn’t getting any help,” he said.

The mayor’s motion found a second from Whitenack and was approved on a 3-2 split with Griffith and Kreiley voting nay. The vote to set the deputy clerk’s wage went through on similar lines, with Vogt, Sylor and Whitenack voting as a bloc, Griffith voting nay and Kreiley abstaining. The vote to approve the standard benefits package for non-union employees passed with the same three in favor and two abstentions.

But the vote to approve doesn’t mean the village had a deputy clerk.

“She (Aldrich) still has to accept it,” Vogt said. “She may not want to at this juncture.”

Aldrich was not present at the meeting and the Express was unable to contact her before press time.