Highway Department Tops Town Board Agenda

The contentious question of consolidating the into the Public Works Department tops  the agenda at Tuesday's Town Board meeting.

If approved by voters Nov. 6, the plan would give the Town Board authority to appoint in 2014 the job of superintendent of highways, which is now an elected position held by William Naughton.

But Town Board member Mark Mayoka and Eugene Cook oppose the plan, as do others, who say the conversion of the superintendent's job into an appointed one would take away voters' rights to be heard.

When the idea was introduced in July, Supervisor Frank Petrone said, "Perhaps there will not be a vast savings in the number of personnel but there certainly will be an opportunity then to deploy personnel throughout the town in other functions."

Petrone said the proposal would have to be done in a timely manner to satisfy the requirement of the New York State Board of Elections so it gets on the November presidential ballot — when turnout is expected to be highest. The public hearing is one of several scheduled for Tuesday's session, at 7 p.m. at .