Rotterdam Supervisor Frank Del Gallo is sticking to his dismissal of the town’s senior center Project Coordinator Diane Marco after she was recently reappointed to the position at the beginning of the year.
Residents shared their support for Marco during the Rotterdam Town Board meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 23, before the board failed to pass a resolution appointing John DeGeorgio, former director of the town’s parks and recreation program and retired in 2009. The position is currently vacant and possible candidates for the part-time position holding an annual salary of $15,000 will be considered in the future. The appointment of DeGeorgio failed by the common 3-2 split, with Del Gallo and Deputy Supervisor Robert Godlewski voting in support.
Please defeat your motion this evening, said Jack Shiely, president of the Rotterdam Senior Association. `Why after 14 months … she didn’t pass her probationary period? That is kind of a long time ` most probationary periods are a year, and we are well over a year now.`
DeGeorgio also spoke at the meeting about being tapped for the position and said he was concerned what would happen at the senior center if nobody was in the position. He also denied concerns he vied for the position and got Marco removed.
`There was no deals made,` said DeGeorgio. `I never asked any board member to put me back here in order to get rid of Diane Marco.`
When DeGeorgio was asked to return, he questioned why and was told Marco would no longer be in the position. He also mentioned he called every board member on the board about the position.
`My fear is that this situation that you have here will not be resolved, and it will be in limbo like other situations that are here,` said DeGeorgio. `You all need to come up with a plan to resolve your differences and understand each other’s roles. What goes on at these meetings and in this town is a reflection of all of the residents, and, quite honestly, we don’t look too good to other communities.`
Councilman Matthew Martin, who on the senior committee, said he didn’t support the dismissal of Marco, but if it goes forward, he wants a more complete selection process for the position.
`If we are going to go down this path, there has to be some of vetting process for whoever is going to get this position. I am just not comfortable with how fast this is going,` said Martin.
Councilwoman Nicola DiLeva said she was upset because she has no ability to change the dismissal.
`People are being dragged through the mud because a decision was made by people on this board, and I can tell you, three of them did not make that decision,` said DiLeva. `I don’t understand why we are doing this. In the last month or so we are spending money on grievances that are senseless; we’re destroying people’s lives nobody knows what is coming down the pipe.`
When Martin voted down the resolution, he said, he was not disagreeing with the supervisor’s authority to make the decision, but he disagreed with Del Gallo’s choice.
`There is more to this story than everybody knows in this room,` said Del Gallo before his vote. `I have no hard feelings with Diane or anybody else in this room, and I do what my job calls for.`
After the resolution was voted down, DiLeva alleged Del Gallo had threatened to close the senior center if board members voted down the resolution so she asked him to promise not to follow through.
`I need a promise from you that you are not going to lock the doors of the senior center,` said DiLeva.
After the meeting, Marco said she had yet to have a hearing on the dismissal, which she asked Del Gallo for the day she received a letter in the mail asking her to step down.
`Mr. Del Gallo is a dictator, and he dictates and he just seems to do what he wants to do and when he wants to do it,` said Marco.
While she no longer will be a paid employee of the senior center, she said she will continue to visit and meet up with friends she has made.
`I have very good memories and good friendships with everyone that goes there,` she said. `I can tell you I made a difference at the senior center and I will continue to make a difference.`
