After 80 years, the brick building which houses Salina Town Hall at 201 School Road often needs some mending here, some patching there.
To make sure money will be available for unexpected repairs, at its Dec. 22 meeting the Salina Town Board established a Town Hall Repair Reserve Fund.
“We have $67,000 set aside for the fund,” Town Comptroller Greg Maxwell told the board members. “Before we’re able to actually spend any money, we’ll need to have a public hearing.”
The board’s members – councilors Jerry Ciciarelli, Michael Del Vecchio Jr., Colleen Gunnip, James Magnarelli and Supervisor Mark Nicotra – voted unanimously to establish the fund.
Maxwell made it clear that the money would pay for Town Hall repairs only. The Town Highway Department, at 601 Factory Drive, is a three-building facility about 40 years old and also in need of renovations.
“To fix the boiler at the Town Hall, we had to pay $30,000,” Maxwell said. “This new fund is for unexpected repairs.”
He anticipates future work on the building’s windows and bricks. The brick repointing would strengthen the external portions of mortar joints to guard against water seepage.
After being constructed on a Galeville hill eight decades ago, the building – then called Salt City School and later as the Mark Loveless School – became Salina Town Hall in the late 1970s.
In November 2011, town voters rejected a proposition to move the town hall and the highway facility to the old Bresee Chevy site on Old Liverpool Road.
Salary schedule
Because of the difficulty of finding well-qualified and experienced personnel to serve in certain town jobs, the Salina Town Board will consider eliminating the residency requirements for town highway superintendent, deputy highway superintendent and the town assessor.
“Rather than requiring that we hire a town resident for these positions,” explained Town Attorney Robert Ventre, “this law would allow us to hire applicants who are residents of Onondaga County or any adjoining county.”
A public hearing on the proposed new local law is set for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12.
Meanwhile, the board unanimously approved the town’s salary schedule for 2015.
According to the schedule, the town’s highest-paid employee is Receiver of Taxes Alicia MacCollum ($48,212), followed by Supervisor Mark Nicotra ($42,655), two judges – Andrew Piraino and Paul Carey – ($41,166 each), and Director of Parks & Recreation Christopher Benz ($35,623).
Councilors Gerry Ciciarelli, Michael Del Vecchio Jr., Colleen Gunnip, James Magnarelli earn $8,976 annually, and Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Hugh Canham and Planning Board Chairman John Neistemski each earn $3,280, while their board members each get $2,780.
