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And it really wouldn't make any sense because a lot of the things that we do if you're like, "Oh yeah, I was there for the last five, six meetings." And they cascade in a logical order. But if you jump in in the middle, it's like jumping into a book in chapter 6. I say that because this presentation tonight really I started thinking about it uh in late July because Art Patron, our deputy uh DPW commissioner, had let us know that he had uh found had been uh offered a phenomenal position in private industry and that his last day at the town was going to be August 14th. Now on August 7th, we were in this boardroom.

We'll say this was a previous chapter in the book and Art was given a presentation. And I I I commented that Art was the perfect guy for the job from 2017 when he was hired till now in 2025 because his skill sets are that of a construction manager. He actually came from um uh uh what do I want to say? Christa. Uh he was our construction manager for Christa on this building and and the um town hall renovation back in the 14 15 16 time frame. And because the town board at that time knew that we were venturing into phase one, the $12 million asset renewal over at the sewer plant, it was really an intelligent hire to get somebody who had construction management skills because Art was able to come in and essentially, you know, manage the sewer plant, but also manage that construction project.

And I don't think anybody would have guessed at that time that we would roll into an $85 million phase 2 in the technological advances that we're doing uh at the plant. But that project is about to tie up in the next 6 to 8 months. And it on the 7th of August I said where this guy was the perfect person for that job. Now, as we go into the next era, we have this state-of-the-art jewel of a sewer plant, sanitary sewer plant, wastewater recovery, whatever. And back when I took office, it did about 3.5 to$4 million of revenue a year from taxpayers and and all of that. We have it budgeted for 2026 at 11 million.

It's a big business. And as I said on August 7th with a little vision of what's going on over at the Xerox campus, uh it would is not out of out of the realm of imagination that in 5 years it's a $20 million business. Translation, I said it then, I'll say it again. The town board is going to need to look at a different skill set for what is the position that is going to replace art. Now, in the time since then, uh, since August 7th, uh, I'm happy to say that with Braden's help, with Paul's help, with the town board's help, we have basically taken the duties that Art had and we have been able to backfill them via Rick Canal, our chief plan operator, through campus construction management as it pertains to the $85 million project, and and to Paul also in his engagement in this.

So I feel very comfortable that we can cover those items through the end of the year and also actually up through the end of the project which is scheduled for about July of 20126. But time flies and what I was thinking during that time in the last two months is that this may be an opportunity for the board to look at a different structure for how the DPW department or what are traditional DPW departments at like kind towns to Webster uh are configured. Now the end of my prelude I don't want to go too long I already have is that this is something the workshops that we've done in the last six years since I've been supervisor have been really used to I call it grease the skids of possible actions in the future by this board.

We do presentations we basically get some Q&A from the board. the community gets to look at the slide decks and we get some feedback to see is that a worthy action to move forward on and I think that that's a good way to handle these workshops and I think if you look at 2019 and prior there was a different philosophy on how to what you workshops were used for but tonight is a milestone event because it's October 2nd and this workshop presentation is the first maybe of a few in the next three months that without a doubt the action that we're greasing the skids to to consider is not going to happen while I'm the supervisor.

So, this is something that because it's taped, I hope that whoever are the town board and supervisor in January of 2026 looks at this, looks at feedback, and the baton is handed off to that person's and this remaining town board members to see if they want to pursue what is about to be presented. Long preamble. Braden, I can't help myself. The baton is yours. >> All right. Thank you. Uh Braden Connor, director of personnel for the uh town of Webster. And uh the supervisor mentioned that he charged uh Kelsey Feny, the senior personnel clerk and I with uh could we present to the town board uh some org charts of what the town of Webster has done in the organization of its public works functions and what does some other towns do.

And we said um yeah, we can we can present some of that information. Um, and so that's what we're doing tonight. Uh, basically I want to cover the scope of the presentation and Tom touched on the scope. Um, and then we will review, uh, Webster's organizational charts. Kelsey will handle that. Then it'll come back to me for review of alternative town organizational charts. Basically, what are other towns in Monro County doing? And then we will have time for any Q&A uh, as the board sees fit. So when it comes to the uh scope of the presentation, the purpose that we were charged with is to share with the town board and the community various examples of how uh town public works functions are organized.

The focus of the presentation is uh factf finding. Um it will not judge the relative upsides and downsides of each organizational model and it won't include a specific recommendation. And um for one reason, as Tom mentioned, uh you know, this is something that would probably be dealt with in the future under a different town board, a different town supervisor. The other is uh with the time frame that we had. Uh we were asked last week to prepare something for this week. Um we have surveyed towns, but we have not investigated and met with them and discussed with them exactly what they like about their models and what they don't like about their models.

Uh so without that information um uh I wouldn't feel comfortable making a recommendation because it would just be an opinion uh not one supported by research. So uh right so first we're going to review uh how public works functions at the town of Webster has been done and is currently organized and how that compares to our town code. And then for comparing to what other towns are doing, they generally fall into three models and we'll have the Q&A. All right. All right. So, tonight we're going to review three different organizational models. The first one is going to be the current state. The second is going to be the prior state.

And then the last one is going to be what is actually referenced in the town code. So the first organizational chart we have up on the screen here is what we are currently doing at the town of Webster. As you can see, there are four direct reports to the town supervisor. We have the highway superintendent, the community development director, the town engineer, and the deputy DPW commissioner who is in charge of the sewer department. And as you are aware that position is currently vacant. The second chart we are looking at is what was done prior to 2020 at the town of Webster. In this model, we see that there are three direct reports to the town supervisor.

We have the highway superintendent, the DPW commissioner, and then the chief wastewater treatment plant operator. In this model, the DPW commissioner is responsible for all functions of the community development and engineering department. Below the DPW commissioner, you'll also notice that there is a deputy DPW commissioner. Um, and they are responsible solely for the planning and zoning functions of the town. The last organizational model that we'll look at is what is actually referenced in the town code. Um, neither the current organizational chart or prior organ organizational chart matches the town code.

It appears that the DPW commissioner was established as the head of the highway, sewer, water, and refuge in the original 1969 town code. It is unknown when or if the town practice has ever matched the town code. Oh jeez. Sorry. >> Um and then under this model you can see that there is only one direct report to the town supervisor that being the DPW commissioner who is responsible for all public work functions including highway community development, engineering and sewer. All right. So, uh having seen uh those uh models at the town of Webster, um you know, there are three models. We conducted a survey of all towns in Monroe County and we received um eight responses from comparable towns and they fell into three common models.

Uh what I'm describing as the strong commissioner model, the weak commissioner model, and the mixed commissioner model. Uh the data does not include uh small rural towns that have elected highway superintendent. Uh those towns usually have an elected highway superintendent and a part-time town supervisor. So they're not really comparable. Uh and then one thing to keep in mind is that uh Webster is the only town whose sewer department operates a wastewater treatment plant. No other town in Monro County operates a wastewater treatment plant. So when we think about what is the size and scope of a sewer department in Webster, that's a different thing than every other town.

All right. So here's the strong commissioner model. In the strong commissioner model, there is a commissioner of public works and um all uh public works uh like functions report to the commissioner of public works. Um, and examples of this are the town of Pington, um, the town of Pittsford and the town of Gates. Now, in um, the town of Pington, they have depart division heads or department heads for each one of these four groups here in Pittsford, the DPW commissioner um, also serves as the highway superintendent. So, uh, he is the DPW commissioner, but he has the powers and duties of the highway superintendent.

Um, also they have a deputy commissioner in the, uh, town of Pittsford who, uh, or who is responsible for some of these other functions you see here. In the town of uh, Gates, the DP DPW commissioner is also simultaneously the highway superintendent and the town engineer. their DPW commissioner is a PE and so is able to uh serve all three of those um heads. So even though this is a model, every town does it slightly different. All right, the weak commissioner model um is um I call it the week commissioner model because the largest public works units do not report to the DPW commissioner. So you have a DPW commissioner who is not in charge of highway, who is not in charge of sewer, and instead they're in charge of engineering, building, fire marshall, planning, um those type of functions.

And this uh the this model would be like the town of Brighton is organized this way. And then there's the mixed commissioner model where you have um a DPW commissioner who is um often also the highway superintendent and has what I would call the traditional public works functions reporting to them. So sewer, highway um in some towns we see parks also. We see parks separated from parks and wreck um in some towns but not not most towns. and then facilities uh also reporting up to them. And then the remaining functions of the building department, the fire marshall, code enforcement, planning, there's an auto advance on these slides that keeps uh triggering.

Uh so that's why that's jumping around. Uh and they report up to community development division. In some of these towns, engineering reports to community development. In others of these towns, engineering reports to the commissioner of public works. And that's why I've got that uh kind of back and forth arrow there. So examples of this um are quite town of Arandcoite excluding the parks function that it doesn't fall on their org chart. Uh town of Chili although again their engineering they don't have uh an employee as a town engineer they outsource it to an engineering firm completely uh and town of Greece is this model as well.

Um but uh their in their department of public works would look just like this, but their community development division would actually be broken down uh into those subunits. So they have a building department and a planning department. Um and it doesn't include the the parks department. So um again, just some closing notes uh that I've mentioned some of these that Webster is the only Monro County town with a wastewater treatment plant. So that affects the uh size and uh scope of our sewer department. Uh the comparison doesn't include rural towns with elected highway superintendent and um DPW commissioner and deputy DPW commissioner are at will positions without uh civil service dictated qualifications or testing protection.

All other uh public works job titles that we see as the head of these divisions or departments are competitive class civil service. So um you know director of community development, building inspector, fire marshal, uh town engineer, highway superintendent, those are all competitive uh class uh uh civil service positions. So, um, with that, um, Kelsey and I are able to entertain, uh, any questions, uh, that the board may or may not have. >> I have one question. I just wasn't able to capture it as quickly as you were talking. You said the Gates department, the DPW commissioner in Gates is um, has PE >> and he's all What were his other duties?

Engineering. >> Yeah. So the town of Gates, the that individual is a PE, professional engineer, >> uh holds that PE license, and so he wears three hats. He's DPW commissioner and he wears the hat of highway superintendent and the how of hat of town engineer. >> Thank you. Thank you. um Brighton also to um I would like to thank for all the years that you have um support with your public service and your dedication your and your professionalism as a director director of personnel. Um my question would be is first of all how much would this P DP um W be costing the town and do we come up with like their salary their health insurance cost their pension cost and the FICA six system and um also right now it is like almost 8% of the total pay and you know um for the social security and the Medicare that employers the town have to pay.

So, what about other benefits that include into this position, you know, such as free cars and cell phone and stuff like that? >> Um, yeah. So, uh I'll I'll take that uh question councilwoman when um that's an excellent question because uh costs are critical in the prov uh providing uh government services and um but that is a question beyond the scope of the assignment because it the cost depends on what model the town eventually thinks is the right model. Right? In some of these models, uh the commissioner we were just talking about Gates, they're wearing three hats. So, you know, theoretically, you could do it for uh less overall cost.

Uh but if you added a DPW commissioner on top of the existing structure, well then you're going to have to take into account salary, fringe benefits, um you know, and all the rest uh which will not be insignificant uh because it is a position of uh high responsibility and span and scope of authority. So it would be a significant amount of money. So you don't have uh any type of benchmark that you could use. We talking 150,000 200,000 including benefits. >> I mean it's it's it's premature perhaps to ask the question but I do think you know it's a valid question that Jenny asks. You know >> it's absolutely a valid question and I would say that uh any you know town should not move forward unless they have the answer to that question.

Um there are comparables available but we didn't survey for that comparable. If the town said you know what we would like to uh see what the expenses are on some of these models well then we would go and do a different set of homework and we would bring you uh you know those comparables >> and I'm sure when the time comes if it does that you know that will be looked at very closely. >> I would expect so. >> Yeah. Thanks for your question. So, it seems like in some of these models, the position wears multiple hats. And I know that depends on like the the one the model you choose and two the skill set of the candidates because you might have candidates that have a unique skill set.

Would it because the head of our sewer division wastewater treatment plant is open, would there be an opportunity to combine the public works commissioner with a sewer with a sewer lead or is that too broad of a scope or too difficult in in your opinion of a skill set to find? Um well I I think that your question goes to really why Tom uh why the supervisor flarity gave us the task of bringing forth some models is that since there is a vacancy there one of the questions is what is the organizational model that is going to be successful for the sewer department for the next 3 5 10 15 20 years right and if you're looking at that it begs the question, how does that sewer department fit into essentially what I call the public works function of the town, right?

Is it a thing of we'll keep the exact same work chart we have today and just seek the right person whose set of qualifications and experience meet the needs of the sewer department? Or is it um you know what this is a good time to look at realigning um how the whole function is is uh handled, right? Because um the town code says one thing, what we do is something different and what we were doing 5 years ago is also something different. How is it that you have two structures now and in the past that aren't aligned with the C town code? And what are the implications for not having a structure that's aligned with the town code?

Does it >> I I the not having a structure line with the town code? I Yeah, I'm not going to pass on that one. It is aligned with the town code now because when Barbot and Scott did the project a couple years ago and we knew that we were operating outside of the town code, we made those changes back in 202122 to identify that there's a director of community development and there's a town engineer. At that time there was a proposal to eliminate the DPW commissioner from the code and I said please do not take that out. I've been very vocal about this. The best model organizational structure-wise is the DPW in my opinion is the DPW commissioner reporting to the supervisor and none of those other departments that are touching DPW reporting to the town supervisor in my opinion.

So, I I don't have any further questions, but I do want to commend uh Supervisor Flareity for um having the foresight not only to bring this up, but also to recognize and to push the um the discussion forward to the next incoming board. So, thank you for that, sir. Not a problem. Any other questions or comments on this? um cuz this will get memorialized with minutes and it may never see the next chapter of this book. Uh or in January, February, uh the new supervisor, new board may say, "Let's dust off that October 2nd meeting because there will come a time where there is going to have to be a discussion amongst the town board.

It will be after my time on what is the replacement of Art Patron's position." And I already said earlier, it's a totally different skill set than was needed when ARP was hired. And that's like we said why we brought this to the board tonight because sooner or later, unless that position just goes away, um the town board is going to be tasked with figuring out what is the position they want to hire at the sewer department or do they want to reconfigure the DPW department to some something. So, um, with that, it is 7:25. I do want to say, uh, thank you to Kelsey Feny and to Braden Connor. Uh, I think it's, uh, um, safe to say at this point that, um, we just had potentially the, uh, um, coming out party for Kelsey because, well, Braden, one door closes, another one opens.

Braden has announced that he is retiring after 30 how many years in public service? >> 34. >> 34. And he is retiring at the end of January. So he's about four months out. But Brighton, who is the consmate professional, I've never seen an HR executive like him in my 35 plus years in uh business. Um got ahead of this, was proactive, let us know this. But two years ago, he had said, "There's a young lady over doing accounting, but also helping in HR by the name of Kelsey Feny. This person's got the chops. I want to mentor her because I think she could be the next HR director." and what she has done over the last two years.

And I have been in meetings with her to see. The plan is in the next month or two, we will be coming to the town board to have Kelsey be appointed as the next uh director of uh personnel, HR, whatever. And um we're in good hands. We'll miss you, Braden, but I feel very confident that the next town board, next supervisor, as of February 1st, has an excellent HR director in the form of Kelsey Fina. >> Thank you. >> So, with that, um, we are going to, that's the end of tonight's town board workshop. It's 7:26. We will shut down the cameras. Uh we will be back