#1 2009-06-23 19:02:13
I was at the library today registering my daughter for the summer reading program and had a chance to talk to some of the staff. I was shocked to learn that we are not just losing an acting library director. Susan Pizzolato was doing three jobs at the library. She was the Acting Director, the Assistant Director and the Reference Librarian. Imagine she has been doing the work of three people for more than a year. And she did that with a 61/2% salary cut.
But the town is only advertising for a director. So who is going to be the reference librarian now? It takes a lot of training to become a librarian with the required master's degree and she was the only one working in the library with those qualifications. One of the staff told me that when Mrs. Pizzolato told them she was resigning, she informed them that she had asked the ITA more than once to let her give up the acting director position and go back to being reference librarian, but he refused. And with Jane announcing at the fin com meeting that the assistant director position was eliminated, that pretty much left her hanging in the wind. Nice way to treat someone who was doing three jobs for less money and not complaining about it. Because of the BoS's personal vendetta against the library, we are losing an incredible employee.
By the way, the town is advertising for a director with a pay range of $60,000 to $76,000. Weren't they screaming that the dept. heads were getting too much money and that Hartman raised salaries illegaly? This is a high range for a director. Is this another example of what they think is fiscal responsibility? Or maybe they just realize that only a person desperate for money would come to work in this library so they jacked up the salary. News travels fast in the library community. I'm also surprised that they advertised this job so fast. It has been more than a year and we still don't have a town administrator or a planner and no help wanted ads for those positions. It took forever to get a new CEDA director.And do we have an accountant yet? I guess they realize it's not so easy to run a library.
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#2 2009-06-23 20:29:02
Froggy:
Are you serious? Susan has been performing all of those jobs at a reduced salary and these assholes were just going to yank the rug out from underneath her?
No wonder no one wants to work here. I am not sure I even want to live here.
The saddest part is that we have lost such a wonderful person whose whole heart has been dedicated to the library. Shame on Butt Monkey for taking advantage of such an amazing person like this.
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#3 2009-06-23 21:28:24
iliveinazoo wrote:
Are you serious? Susan has been performing all of those jobs at a reduced salary and these assholes were just going to yank the rug out from underneath her?
Don't grieve for Susan. She's in a better place, a more affluent and literate population who'll appreciate her talents. Same goes for Tom Joyce, galling as it is he defected to Marion, of all places. We're the losers here.
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#4 2009-06-23 21:32:11
I agree completely Bill, but I had no idea of this and I am appalled. This is what everyone needs to know. A pulic servant such as Susan or Tom are hard to come by in this day and age. The treatment some of our best employees have been forced to endure sends chills up my spine.
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#5 2009-06-23 21:34:48
I clearly remember when McAuliffe told the bos he intended to recommend Susan P for the director position, the board quickly passed a new policy that said there would be no special consideration for promotions in house--I don't remember the exact wording--but it was clear that she was the target. Brenda and Jane went on and on about looking outside for really good people blah blah.
And then over a year passes with her in the acting director position and they don't advertise. Work her to death, give her no support, lie outright about her (Jane and Brenda claimed she cut the hours of the library for political reasons to make the library suffer even though they know Sanguinet cut the hours, then they and Cronan kept saying library staff were getting paid 40 hours and working 25 which they also knew wasn't true) and what--expect her to slave away forever? The Bos got what they want, once again at the town's expense.
Maybe someone should ask her how many hours a week she had to put in doing those three jobs. Something tells me it was more than 40. What morons we have running this town. They are so self-absorbed that they can't put aside their personal vendettas for the good of the town.
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#6 2009-06-23 22:24:31
FrogsRule wrote:
By the way, the town is advertising for a director with a pay range of $60,000 to $76,000. Weren't they screaming that the dept. heads were getting too much money and that Hartman raised salaries illegaly? .
The BOS, unfortunately, is only interested in twisting facts into their own warped way of thinking. All of the people that they have hired have been givne large salaried. They are all talk and destruction. No commonsense action.
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#7 2009-06-24 07:07:20
i readin the rag that the trustees of the library caved and want to go to mediation with the town , i hope this isnt true they were fighting for a principal, i guess its tough fighting the town when thay use our tax dollars to fight us , when you take on someone you have to fight to the finish for your pricipals , shame on the trustees if this is true.
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#8 2009-06-24 07:20:19
Mediation does not mean caving. A judge will look at the evidence and make a decision. This is the best way to resolve this type of case. A court case would cost the town huge money. The trustees have asked several times for mediation as did Marilyn Donahue who is now a Fin Com member. She asked the bos at a televised meeting. By refusing to mediate, the bos just kept adding on legal fees. Shame on you for not getting the story from one of the trustees before criticizing them. I expect that from ragboy.
To get back on track for this thread--it takes a while to hire a new director--who will be running the library once Susan P is gone? Another debacle that we can lay at the feet of the bos.
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#9 2009-06-24 07:24:37
I heard a rumor that the new CEDA director was hired in at 80k a year. Wish somebody could confirm that.
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#10 2009-06-24 08:35:40
Molly,
I recall when the selectbozos were taking all the funding from the library during the budget time. They were saying you could do the job with volunteers. Since the budget was passed in April and Susan's position (all of them) was eliminated, they have had plenty of time to develop their plan. We should expect to see Lee Carmody and her volunteer troops manning the library in the future, all summer and beyond. This should help you breath easier. NOT!
As for Susan, I am sorry to see her go. As someone else said, "she will be in a better place". It is another example of something that is good for the dedicated employee and bad for the town.
I would to say that the selectbozos and their butt monkey have done it again. They are truly vindictive assholes. They are on their path of total destruction of this town, all in the name of making a mayor - John Donahue. Another Asshole!
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#11 2009-06-24 09:28:51
Let's take a look at all the dead wood populating the Town. I need help with this.
Check out the Building and Zoning department. With little building going on and no planner, why do we need all those people? Same with a full-time Conservation Agent?
Who else wouldn't we miss?
I am suspicious that the remaining soldiers march to Brucie's drum!
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#12 2009-06-24 09:36:43
You are right about them saying the library could run on volunteers. I work for my church, and let me tell you about volunteers.
They are great, altruistic people, but when you do not get paid to do a job, you do not feel obligated to show up when you are scheduled. We have been left short handed on more than one occasion when we counted on someone to do some work or take a shift at our white elephant sale/thrift shop fund raiser. Sometimes volunteers don't even call to let you know they aren't going to show up. So then what happens? The work doesn't get done, or sometimes, you have to shut down your sale because no one is there. I'm not bad-mouthing volunteers, but when their grand-children come to visit, or when you have something better to do than volunteer that day, you don't feel you have to show up since you are only volunteering and not getting paid.
It works the same way in business. My sister works in a hospital and they even hired a full time person to manage the volunteer schedules etc. The same thing happened. They finally did away with the volunteer coordinator.
And I've also had the problem that people only want to do certain types of jobs when they volunteer. Well, in a library or any other business, there are certain jobs that only trained personnel can do. And the jobs where the help is needed are often boring and tedious, but need to get done no matter what. So, in theory, volunteers are a good idea. In reality, no business can run effectively with volunteers as a majority of staff.
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#13 2009-06-24 09:48:18
waterview wrote:
I am suspicious that the remaining soldiers march to Brucie's drum!
Most of the town's offices are within my daily orbit and my ancedotal canvas over the last week indicates they are all, without exception, idling in neutral while reading the help wanted postings.
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#14 2009-06-24 12:56:26
molley , sorry i dont care if the town spends a lot of money only then will these crimnal selectmen will be kicked out but if the trustees have a plan ,fine i am with the trustees on this they have gone to far now , to throw in the towel but thank you for explaining this to me and i am sorry ,i am glad that they have a plan.
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