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Molino given raise by council after discussion on whether raise was discussed enough

By Howard B. Owens

On a 5-3 vote, the City Council agreed Monday to give City Manager Jason Molino a 2.5 percent raise, retroactive to April 1.

It was a merit raise, said Councilman John Canale.

Councilman Eugene Jankowski expressed concern that the public hasn't been given adequate opportunity to hear from council members on why Molino deserves a raise and to voice their own opinions.

"At this point, we're limiting ourselves to only one discussion," Jankowski said. "It sends a message of some kind of exception being made and I don't think that's the case. It's just an oversight."

Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian also objected to the seeming lack of public discussion prior to the vote.

"This was all handled in executive session and never brought to the floor for any kind of discussion," Christian said. "You can't vote for spending public monies without a discussion, so we should have the discussion and take it from there."

City Attorney George Van Ness explained to council members that Molino's raise this time around is being handled no different than it's been handled in the past and no different from any other employees or any labor agreement.

The particulars are discussed in open session, a consensus is reached among council members, and then a vote is held at a business meeting, where more discussion can take place -- as was taking place Monday night -- before the vote.

"Matters related to the employment issues of a particular individual are appropriately discussed in an executive session," Van Ness said. "If it comes to a situation where there's a decision about the award of or wage adjustment, that's a matter that's presented for public discussion and a public vote. That's what's teed up here this evening."

Councilman John Deleo missed Monday's meeting because of another obligation, but provided Jankowski with a written statement on his behalf objecting to the raise and stating that the hiring of an assistant city manager was supposedly intended to lesson Molino's workload.

Councilman Kris Doeringer said he believed that was a misstatement of why an assistant city manager was hired.

"She was hired to do more work, not lesson Jason's workload," Doeringer said. "We were concerned about Jason's workload and everything he needs to get done and everything the city needs to get done to move forward."

Councilwoman Patti Pacino said the merit of the raise was discussed extensively over two executive sessions.

"We did talk at length," Pacino said. "We discussed whether we should give him a raise or not give him a raise, what did he do to deserve a raise. We really discussed it all. I understand we should bring it out in the open and people can say negative things as well, but we really did discuss this a lot."

Members Kathy Briggs, Jankowski and Christian all voted no on giving Molino a raise.

david spaulding

hmmm 2.5 % means nothing to me... how about a figure with a dollar sign in front of it? with the pay period. you know, something like "we gave him an annual raise of $2,500." now I can understand that.

Jul 15, 2014, 4:53pm Permalink
Dave Meyer

According to SeeThroughNY, Molino's salary for 2014 is $93,985. By my math, he just got a raise of $2350.

It's not the amount of the raise so much, although I'm pretty sure Mr. Molino could survive quite nicely on his current salary (given that the median income in the city is $37,197).

It's the disingenuousness (if that's a word) of this whole "I'm so busy that I need an assistant to reduce my workload" so the council agrees and that adds $75K plus benefits.

This whole thing smells to high heaven and I sincerely hope that the voters remember who voted in favor of this raise and in favor of adding the assistant city manager position come election time.

I said it before and I'll say it again. We don't need to spend $250K on 3 positions in the management of a city of less than 16,000 residents.

Jul 15, 2014, 8:58pm Permalink
Mary E DelPlato

public has no say in city govt....there goes the savings from gettin rid of arc....see molino lied...period...im paying more with trash pick up...my taxes remain the same...until next year because when my escrowed mortgage goes up that means taxes go up...i remember not too long ago my paymnet was 75 dollars less.....

Jul 16, 2014, 7:36pm Permalink
Mary E DelPlato

we should get a mayor...roch buff and other places have one...and i wonder if there is any more word on a city town merger...i bet if we merged with the town our taxes would decrease...the town has it goin on...although im not a fan of jay gsell...is he still in office....not after he sold us out to monroe water authority....matt betters fought the good fight....see how money sways those in power????

Jul 16, 2014, 7:39pm Permalink

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