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Town, villages may examine merging building inspectors
By John J. Hopkins Times
Every year residents in Depew ask for a greater tax refund from the Town of Cheektowaga because they pay for a portion of the town's police department even though the village has its own police force. Now, it appears that the village government is interested in sharing some services with the town.
However, it's not the police departments that may merge, especially since Depew's police union is under contract through May 2009.
Instead, a request from Depew Mayor Barbara Alberti has the town board considering taking over the village's building inspections department, and Cheektowaga may ask the Village of Sloan to come along for the ride.
However, there are many hurdles that must be cleared before a plan could be approved.
Because Depew straddles the Cheektowaga-Lancaster border, both towns would have to agree to take over building inspections in their respective portions of the village.
Managing Building and Plumbing Inspector Tom Adamczak said that it could take more than one year just to work out the details.
Adamczak noted in an e-mail to town officials that the two towns would also have to rescind their zoning codes, adopt new zoning codes, amend their administration sections, determine who collects and keeps fees, determine if other local codes would need to be rescinded or amended, and if the village would be "totally divorced" from the building inspection business.
The e-mail was among a series of e-mails released by Supervisor James J. Jankowiak. The e-mails concern a possible New York State grant that could assist with a merger.
A Shared Municipal Services Incentive grant program could help cover costs associated with legal and consultant services, feasibility studies, and capital improvements.
Sue Barnes, the town's grant consultant, said in an e-mail that the grant may also be used to transfer employee buyouts, vacations and benefits.
If Cheektowaga, Depew and Lancaster were involved, "you could apply for up to $600,000, requiring a 10% cash match," Barnes wrote.
Jankowiak noted there could be other problems associated with consolidation.
"We're focusing on how to keep the Town of Cheektowaga strong and our housing stock strong," Jankowiak observed. “If we send them on this mission, are we going to take away from our mission statement on housing?”
Town Attorney Kevin Schenk said that consolidation could lead to more work and territory for the town’s inspectors.
Councilmember Tom Johnson, who resides in Depew, said that the town board has an obligation to consider its village constituents.
Jankowiak suggested that Cheektowaga “open it up” and approach Sloan to gauge the interest from that village. Councilmember Alice Magierski agreed.
“Sloan is kind of a guardian to Cheektowaga,” Magierski said, noting its proximity to Buffalo.
Sloan Mayor Leonard Szymanski said he has not heard from Cheektowaga, and added he would discuss the matter with the village board if the town approaches him.
“The man we have is doing a pretty good job,” Szymanski said of Vincent Ferrarraccio, who works in a similar capacity for Buffalo.
Some town officials expressed concern that expenses in the department would rise because additional inspectors would likely need to be hired to handle the extra work.
For example, Jankowiak said a new full-time inspector would cost up to $50,000, plus benefits.
“There’s more to this than just shared services,” Jankowiak said.
Sloan has $6,150 in its 2007-08 budget for expenses related to building inspections.
Depew has four part-time employees in its Building Inspection and Code Enforcement Department: Michael Wozniak, Commercial Building Inspector; Matthew Filipowicz, Residential Building Inspector; Richard Kropp, Fire Inspector and Fred Grzyb, Sewer & Plumbing Inspector. Their salaries were not available at press time.
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