Shelby town supervisor sees benefits for appointing town clerk, highway superintendent

Editor:

I ran for the office of the Town of Shelby Supervisor, not for power, not for ego, certainly not for money. I ran because it appeared that our municipal government was a mess and just maybe I could use my years of experience in the private sector to help.

Upon taking, office I found that things are much worse than I imagined. Failed accounting practices, wasteful spending that had depleted our reserve funds, outdated or no policies and procedures, contracts with vendors and other municipalities that hadn’t been renegotiated for years (one dating back 15 years).

Like every other municipality in New York State, we are struggling. The costs of providing the level of service you deserve keeps increasing, while our sources of revenue stay flat.  For example, the day after we received a contract to increase the Town’s reimbursement for plowing and mowing the county roads by 30%, we received notification of a 25% increase in the cost of salt and we all know what’s happening to the price of fuel.

Then there are the increasing costs for energy, gas and electricity, equipment and labor. Unlike a business, we cannot increase our sales to make up the difference. Instead all these increases fall squarely on the backs of us taxpayers.

The world and the workplace has gotten ever more complex. The office of Town Clerk and Highway Superintendent are not immune to the increased complexity of everyday operations.  Beyond the usual job functions, they must have the ability to operate in the age of computers, internet, online reporting requirements to the county and state, email, databases, spreadsheets, document control, and more.

However, for these elected positions, any one – regardless of qualifications, other than being a Shelby resident – can run for office. No experience or resume or interview required.  Once elected, they are set for 4 years. No boss, no limit on vacation or time off. In fact I was informed by the Orleans County Office Personnel that by municipal law they only need to work an hour to collect full time pay.

So your representatives on the Shelby Town Board are proposing an idea that the positions of Town Clerk and Highway Superintendent be changed from elected to hired.  We are not looking to take away your right to vote. In fact this idea is on the ballot come next Tuesday.  If you have already voted or not interested in understanding our reasoning, then ignore the rest of this letter.  But if you truly want to cast an educated vote then click here to read the analysis done by another town in New York State.

I don’t expect that reading this will convince everyone, but rather than listening to the uniformed opinions on social media or letters from outside interest groups, you will have employed your best efforts to make that educated vote.

At the end of the day our right to vote is the bedrock of our democracy.  Next Tuesday make sure you get to the polls, make your voice heard.

Jim Heminway

Town of Shelby Supervisor