Every year thousands of people graduate with Degrees in Library Science. Why not sack everyone at the library all at once, right now, and replace them-every single person on the Library payroll, from the members of the Board right down to the interns-with young motivated recent library Science graduates at a starting salary level. I picture a day when everyone cleans out their desks and vacates the buildings. The next day it?s 100% new staff. After a month of absolute chaos, a functional modern library system would emerge, one that costs less than the antiquated dysfunctional and patronage bloated mess we suffer with today.
How bad would that be? As a person that hates the corruption in this city, loves books, loves libraries but hates the J.C. Library, I would have no problem with seeing a complete changing of the guard.

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I'm still scratching my head here...the library can't afford Mr. Greco, what particular services will he perform? Shouldn't this job go to someone who needs it and is qualified? Who wants him in the library? I mean, he DID retire right? I'm sure his poop is the same shape color and smell as anyone elses.

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According to the hudson reporter:

?Those five-year agreements call for those entities to ?utilize each other?s employees to perform certain services? as determined by the city?s business administrator, the directors of the public library, and the MUA.?

?O?Reilly said the Public Library and MUA wanted to retain the services of Dealy and Grego, even though it would only be until the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30.?

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Uh oh, Lucyyyyyyyyy you gotta lot a splainin to dooooo...
Don't blame her, she's only doing the bidding of those most likely barking orders from their computers...The question here is, WHO in the library, made the decision to hire Mr. Greco as a consultant, when the library obviously can't afford his services? Or maybe, the decision was not decided IN the library but somewhere else...They just laid off all part-timers, critical in the daily operation of the library, and more layoffs are possibly looming...just saying...

Why even have a set number? Many places don't.

But even if you do - say it's five, in the worst cast having people take five days off a year is better than the current system which "rewards" people with sixteen days. Change has to happen - the current system is unsustainable and if some good people retire early (some - not everyone with 25+ years experience is "good"), so be it. The transition to a rational system may be painful. This massive, festering boil has been left untreated for so long and allowed to grow so huge to the point where it has taken over the whole body. Lancing it is likely to cause discomfort.

And there are people other than "idiots" who let unused sick days expire. They are called honest, mature adults.

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Two Jersey City employees get payouts for retiring, then are rehired as "consultants"

Monday, February 22, 2010
By MELISSA HAYES
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Legislation backed by the governor that would cap retirement payouts didn't come in time to stop two long-time Jersey City employees from retiring with large checks.

Assistant Business Administrator Roger Grego and Chief of Administrative Services Kathy Dealy retired Feb. 1.

Grego walked away with $238,138.11 for 127 unused vacation days, 356 sick days and six personal days. Dealy was paid $133,447.26 for 60 unused vacation days, 269 sick days and six personal days.

But even through they are retiring from their current jobs with hefty pensions, they will continue to bring home city paychecks.

The Jersey City Council approved resolutions Wednesday to create shared services agreements with the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority and Jersey City Library, which have hired Dealy and Grego as consultants.

Councilman Steven Fulop and Councilwoman Viola Richardson abstained from voting on the resolutions, which passed 7-0-2.

"I like both employees and they are great assets, however if you retire and take the payout, then you retire," Fulop said. "I don't believe one can have it both ways regardless of how good of an employee one is, especially when they are laying other employees off."

Business Administrator Brian O'Reilly's memo to the council said that Grego, who worked on labor contract negotiations, the budget and capital project development for the city, will be paid by the library as a consultant, but through the agreement will continue to work for the city. City officials didn't immediately say how much Grego was to be paid as consultant.

Daniel Becht, executive director of the MUA, said Dealy, who worked on the budget, capital accounts and fiscal matters related to the MUA, would work on financial issues and on the city's budget through the shared services agreement.

He said she would be paid hourly, for no more than 20 hours per week for a total of 90 to 120 days. Becht said the rate of pay has not been set.

Grego, who worked for the city for just over 38 years, was earning $127,104 when he retired and will be paid a $83,024.55 pension annually, city officials said.

Dealy, who worked for the city for 27 years, was earning $103,969 and will be paid a $62,972.16 pension annually.

Neither Grego or Dealy could be reached for comment.

In a memo to the council, O'Reilly noted that pending state legislation pushed by Gov. Chris Christie would cap retirement payouts at $15,000.

"As a result...the city is experiencing a sudden loss of knowledgeable senior employees," O'Reilly said, adding that the city hasn't had time to train replacements. "The shared services agreements will address the immediate needs," he said.

The city budgeted for the payouts after the legislation was introduced last year. The current fiscal year's budget, which will be voted on Wednesday.

================================

Jersey City honchos receive huge retirement payouts, and stay on payroll

By Melissa Hayes/The Jersey Journal
February 21, 2010, 4:25PM

Worried about pending state legislation, two municipal honchos in the administration of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy have received huge retirement payouts -- and will remain on the city payroll.

Legislation backed by the governor that would cap retirement payouts didn't come soon enough to stop two longtime Jersey City employees from leaving with large checks.

Assistant Business Administrator Roger Grego and Chief of Administrative Services Kathy Dealy retired Feb. 1.

Grego walked away with $238,138.11 for 127 unused vacation days, 356 sick days and six personal days. Dealy was paid $133,447.26 for 60 unused vacation days, 269 sick days and six personal days.

But even through they are retiring from their current jobs with hefty pensions, they will continue to bring home city paychecks.

The Jersey City Council approved resolutions Wednesday to create shared services agreements with the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority and Jersey City Library, which have hired Dealy and Grego as consultants.

Councilman Steven Fulop and Councilwoman Viola Richardson abstained from voting on the resolutions, which passed 7-0-2.

"I like both as employees and they are great assets, however if you retire and take the payout, then you retire," Fulop said. "I don't believe one can have it both ways regardless of how good of an employee one is, especially when they are laying other employees off."

Business Administrator Brian O'Reilly's memo to the council said that Grego, who worked on labor contract negotiations, the budget and capital project development for the city, will be paid by the library as a consultant, but through the agreement will continue to work for the city. City officials didn't immediately say how much Grego was to be paid as consultant.

Daniel Becht, executive director of the MUA, said Dealy, who worked on the budget, capital accounts and fiscal matters related to the MUA, would work on financial issues and on the city's budget through the shared services agreement.

He said she would be paid hourly, for no more than 20 hours per week for a total of 90 to 120 days. Becht said the rate of pay has not been set.

Grego, who worked for the city for just over 38 years, was earning $127,104 when he retired and will be paid a $83,024.55 pension annually, city officials said.

Dealy, who worked for the city for 27 years, was earning $103,969 and will be paid a $62,972.16 pension annually.

In a memo to the council, O'Reilly noted that pending state legislation pushed by Gov. Chris Christie would cap retirement payouts at $15,000.

"As a result...the city is experiencing a sudden loss of knowledgeable senior employees," O'Reilly said, adding that the city hasn't had time to train replacements. "The shared services agreements will address the immediate needs," he said.

The city budgeted for the payouts after the legislation was introduced last year. The current fiscal year's budget, which will be voted on Wednesday, contains $7 million for accumulated absence payouts.

This is sickening how that is allowed to happen. In the private industry, out of 3 companies that I worked for, there is no such thing as a set amount of 'sick' days. In fact, I have to use my vacation if I'm sick at my current job. The fact that he is taking on a job with the city again should boil everyone's blood with the property tax set to increase.

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Do you really think that if sick days fell under a "use it or lose it policy," there wouldn't be more sick days taken by employees? Really? Are you that naive? Only an idiot would leave unused sick days expire.

At least under the old system, public employees were encourage to show up for work.

Private sector tanks and everyone complains about this. Plenty of private sector union jobs let employees do this too.

I also know plenty of guys who played with the top military bands for 20 years get discharged with a pension and then go teach in a school. Its a sweet gig, they earned it though.

Plus forcing limits on how much they can cash out for is just forcing a lot of good people to retire.

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+1

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Sick days should not be paid out if you do not take them. It's f*cking bullshit.

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Hogwash. Three quarters of his "earned and accrued time" was sick days. In the real world, you know - where results matter and people are assumed to be adults who come to work unless they are actually sick - there is no such animal as "carryover sick days". Your whole argument about loss of effectiveness and higher costs due to replacement overtime are irrelevant - you don't have to replace what was never missing to begin with.

Correct - the system provided for the accruals and he merely played by the rules he was given. In fact, I don't think this would be a story except for the fact that he "retired" and then the council created a whole new set of rules so he could stay on a bit longer in a completely unrelated position - presumably to pad his pension.

Its not so hard to see why this happened. The guy was playing by one set of rules and the state tried to change those rules. Why should he have given up earned and accrued time just because of a new law? Isn't it reasonable to assume he would have used the time had "use it or lose it" policy been in place over the years that he accrued the benefits? Presumably, a rational human being would have used it.

As to the virtue of a "use it or lose it" policy, it simply doesn't make sense to punish people who show up for work. Use it or lose it encourages people to use their accrued benefits, meaning they are absent from the jobs they are expected to do. In some cases this can end up costing everyone more if another worker accrues overtime to cover the extra work when another employee is using his time off.

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Yes, Grego has done a great job. Look how the City's union contracts have driven it into bankruptcy during his 30 year tenure.

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The JC Mafioso.

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Seriously, you can't make this stuff up! This is like watching the Sopranos but the only difference is it's Jersey City politicos. And yet they continue to get away with it!

BINGO!

You can read the whole story below or go to www.hudsonreporter.com

Retired with benefit$ ? then rehired

Also: Appointments to boards upset Fulop

by Ricardo Kaulessar
Reporter Staff Writer

How do retired municipal employees come back on the job after getting compensated well for retiring?

The City Council answered that question at a special meeting on Wednesday when they approved two resolutions by a 7-0 vote (with two abstentions) that called for ?shared services? agreements between City Hall, and the Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) and the Jersey City Free Public Library.

Those five-year agreements call for those entities to ?utilize each other?s employees to perform certain services? as determined by the city?s business administrator, the directors of the public library, and the MUA.

In the agreements, no names are mentioned. But city spokesperson Jennifer Morrill confirmed before the meeting that the agreements apply to Roger Grego, who worked for the city for over 30 years, and Kathleen Dealy, who had over 25 years experience, until both retired on Feb. 1. Under the agreements, Grego will now work for the Public Library and Dealy will work for the MUA, and both will be paid a salary by those respective agencies.

_____________

?Every single dollar you pay in that tax bill that we voted for goes to those two people.? ? Steven Fulop
________


Grego, an assistant business administrator, was earning $127,104 per year when he left the city?s employ. Dealy was the city?s budget director, earning $103,969, according to various city sources.

They both retired before pending state legislation would have capped payouts for unused sick leave at $15,000 for retiring public employees. Instead, Grego was to be paid $238,138 by the city for 127 vacation days, 356 sick days, and six personal days. Dealy was scheduled to receive $133,447 for 60 vacation days, 269 sick days, and six personal days.

They can still earn those amounts and now come back to new jobs.

City Business Administrator Brian O?Reilly gave the reasons for both being hired back in a Feb. 9 memo to the council asking them to approve the agreements.

O?Reilly said the Public Library and MUA wanted to retain the services of Dealy and Grego, even though it would only be until the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30.

He also noted the pending state legislation capping payouts is a factor in public employees like Grego and Dealy retiring, and taking with them ?skill sets which are difficult to replace in the short run.?

O?Reilly also mentioned the pair?s expertise in the city?s business matters, with Grego?s specialty being labor negotiations and Dealy with the city?s budget.

City Hall sources who preferred to remain anonymous said the real reason both were brought back was because of the city?s current problems with the budget. These sources questioned rehiring the pair when the city is in a fiscal crisis with furloughs and layoffs happening to city employees. (See cover story.)

While seven of the nine council members voted in favor of the resolutions, council members Steven Fulop and Viola Richardson abstained. They said later that while they respect Grego and Dealy, other city employees could have stepped in and fill the void.

Not everyone?s on board

The City Council also voted 8-1 to appoint two people to the Jersey City Incinerator Authority board.

Councilman Steven Fulop was the lone vote against the appointment of both Roger Hejazi and Frank Cecchia due to the issue of health benefits. He has sponsored several ordinances that would strip health benefits of board members for the Incinerator Authority (JCIA) and the MUA as well as the City Council, in order to save the city money.

Those ordinances will be on the agenda at this Wednesday?s council meeting.

Board members for the JCIA and the MUA are not paid, but receive health benefits that Fulop estimates to be $400,000 for the two boards combined. Each board has seven members.

Fulop?s initiative to cut health benefits is based on the fact that both boards have part-time members that meet at a minimum for 12 hours per year, or one hour per monthly meeting.

At Wednesday?s meeting Fulop wanted to know if Hejazi was willing to serve on the JCIA board even if Fulop?s health benefits ordinance was passed.

When Fulop was informed by Richardson that Hejazi told her he would serve without benefits, Fulop then wanted the resolution for Hejazi?s appointment to be revised to indicate that Hejazi would serve without benefits.

Fulop?s request provoked opposition from several council members.

Michael Sottolano wanted the appointment of Hejazi to go through, saying the council could revisit Hejazi?s appointment in the future to remove his health benefits when Fulop?s ordinance has been passed.

Councilman Bill Gaughan took exception to Fulop?s comments about JCIA and MUA board members serving for a few hours, saying, ?You make this stuff up.? Gaughan?s daughter, Eileen, is the chairperson of the MUA board.

When it came time to vote, Fulop took one last stand against the appointments by reminding the small audience at the meeting about the city?s recent 25 percent tax hike, the result of the city?s $195 million tax levy in the $507 million municipal budget introduced by the council last month.

?Every single dollar you pay in that tax bill that we voted for goes to those two people,? Fulop said.

Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.

Follow the money trail...

So they supposedly save a few hundred thousand dollars with the negotiations and then Grego costs us a couple hundred thousand dollars that goes directly into his pocket. Classic.

Unbelievable! I wonder what qualified him for service at the Library? If he is fulltime would that count as retirement?

I should of went into public service.

this is another reason why our taxes are going up!

+1. It makes me SICK that this is happening.

I just don't get why all of these state "employees" get paid out for unused sick days. Why not "use it or lose it" like every other company out there???

hey, where is the Library P.R. lady I used to see on this list? I wonder if she can explain this recent foolishness.

When.
Does.
It.
End?

Roger Grego, former Jersey City Assistant Business Administrator, recently retired and received $170K+ for unused sick and vaction time. He retired to beat the new State law capping these payouts at $15,000.

Now the City has rehired him through the City's library payroll and he's picking up another paycheck. WTF !!??