Webster Town Board
October 2, 2025
A workshop meeting of the Webster Town Board was called to order by Supervisor Flaherty at
7:00 p.m. at the Webster Town Board Meeting Room, 1002 Ridge Road, Webster, New York,
with the following officials present:
Supervisor ................................................................................ Thomas J. Flaherty
Councilwoman ........................................................................... Patricia T. Cataldi
Councilman....................................................................................... John J. Cahill
Councilwoman ............................................................................ Ginny L. Nguyen
Councilwoman ...........................................................................Jennifer S. Wright
Attorney for the Town .........................................................................Kyle Taylor
Town Clerk .................................................................................. Danene M. Marr
Department Heads Present:
Finance Director ..................................................................................Paul Adams
Personnel Director ...................................................................... Brayton Connard
Also in attendance was Kelsey Feeney, Senior Personnel Clerk.
***
Supervisor Flaherty prefaced the following presentation by explaining the importance of context
when joining a meeting midway, likening it to reading a book starting from chapter six. The
presentation was initially inspired by the departure of Art Patrone, the Deputy Department of
Public Works (DPW) commissioner. Art was praised for his skills in construction management,
particularly in overseeing the Town's major sewer plant projects, which had started with a $12
million renewal and expanded to an $85 million phase II. As the project nears completion,
Supervisor Flaherty highlights the growing significance of the sewer plant, which is projected to
generate $11 million in 2026 revenue, potentially reaching $20 million in the next five years.
Due to these changes, the Town board will need to reassess the skills required for Art's
replacement. Over the past two months, the Town has worked to cover Art's responsibilities
through other existing personnel. Supervisor Flaherty also suggests that this may be an
opportunity to reevaluate the structure of the DPW department. Finally, Supervisor Flaherty
emphasizes that the presentation marks the beginning of a potential future change, which will be
decided by a future Town Board and supervisor, as Supervisor Flaherty nears the end of his term.
Brayton Connard, Personnel Director, came before the Town Board to present organizational
models for Town Public Works Departments. The purpose of the presentation was to share
examples of how Public Works functions are organized in various towns, focusing purely on
fact-finding. The presentation did not include judgments, evaluations, or specific
recommendations. One reason for this was that any decisions would likely be made by a future
Town Board and Supervisor. Another reason is the short time frame—the team was asked to
prepare the presentation within a week. While they did survey other towns, they haven’t had the
chance to conduct in-depth discussions to understand the pros and cons of each model. Without
that deeper research, offering recommendations would be speculative.
Kelsey Feeney, Senior Personnel Clerk, reviewed three organizational models for the Town of
Webster’s Public Works structure. The first model reflects the current setup, where four
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positions—Highway Superintendent, Community Development Director, Town Engineer, and
Deputy DPW Commissioner (currently vacant)—report directly to the Town Supervisor. The
second model, used prior to 2020, had three direct reports: Highway Superintendent, DPW
Commissioner, and Chief Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator. In that model, the DPW
Commissioner oversaw both Community Development and Engineering, while a Deputy DPW
Commissioner handled Planning and Zoning. The third model is based on the Town Code, which
differs from both current and past practices. According to the code, the DPW Commissioner
should oversee all Public Works functions, including Highway, Sewer, Water, and Refuse. This
model also specifies only one direct report to the Supervisor—the DPW Commissioner. It's
unclear whether the Town’s operations ever fully aligned with this original 1969 code. The
presentation highlights the inconsistencies between actual practice and what is outlined in the
Town’s legal framework.
Brayton Connard, outlined three organizational models for structuring Public Works, based on a
survey of comparable Towns in Monroe County. The "strong commissioner" model places all
Public Works functions under a single DPW Commissioner, often with that person also serving
as Highway Superintendent or Town Engineer, as seen in Pittsford, Gates, and Penfield. The
"weak commissioner" model limits the DPW Commissioner’s authority, excluding major
functions like Highway and Sewer, and is used in towns like Brighton. The "mixed
commissioner" model gives the DPW Commissioner authority over core functions like Sewer
and Highway, while other areas like Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement fall under a
separate Community Development division; towns like Irondequoit, Chili, and Greece use this
model. Webster is unique in Monroe County for operating its own wastewater treatment plant,
significantly expanding the scope of its Sewer Department. The analysis excluded rural towns
with elected Highway Superintendents, as their structures differ too much. It was also noted that
DPW Commissioner roles in Webster are "at-will" and not protected by civil service, unlike
most other Department Heads, which are competitive civil service positions.
The presentation concludes with an invitation for the Board to ask questions or offer feedback.
Questions were raised about the costs associated with the DPW commissioner position, including
salary and benefits, but the detailed financial analysis was noted as outside the current scope
since costs depend on the organizational model chosen. There was also discussion about whether
combining the Sewer Department Leadership with the DPW Commissioner role is feasible given
the skill sets required. The conversation emphasized the importance of aligning the Town’s
organizational structure with the Town Code, noting previous efforts to update the structure
accordingly. Appreciation was expressed for the foresight of the current supervisor in initiating
this review and preparing for future Board decisions regarding the Sewer Department’s
leadership.
***
There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at
7:26 p.m.
____________________________________
Danene M. Marr, Town Clerk
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