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Town Puts Three Pension Recipients Back on Payroll

Employees will receive part time salaries in addition to pensions reported to be near $100,000.

Three high-earning Town of Oyster Bay officials who took retirement buyouts and are receiving pensions in the neighborhood of $100,000 are once again on the town payroll, officials said.

A Town spokeswoman confirmed that James Byrne, who returned as Parks Commissioner, Richard Betz, who will return as Commissioner of the Department of Public Works, and Public Information Officer James Moriarity are all back on the payroll and are being paid up to $30,000 in total hourly wages.

Under state law, the three may still receive their annual pensions if they make $30,000 or less.

Byrne, Betz and Moriarty's annual pensions are $107,340, $97,387 and $99,188, Newsday [paid site] reported.

Although Jay Jacobs, the Nasau County Democratic chamber blasted the rehirings, Deputy Town Supervisor Len Genova, who also serves as Town attorney, argued it will save taxpayer money.

Prior to their retirement Byrne, Betz and Moriarty earned salaries of $150,125, $136,303 and $142,211, according to town officials. Even adding the full $30,000 to the rehired employees' pensions will cost less than if they remained on the job, Genova said.

"The rules allow this," Genova, said. "That's what people need to remember."

Genova said that between retirement incentives that were offered in 2010 and the more than 90 employees who accepted a retirement package in 2012, the Town has lost almost 20 percent of their workforce, many of whom are were longtime workers.

He said that one of the thoughts behind rehiring employees is their years on the job.

"Between them, they have about 120 combined years of experience," Genova said, adding that the employees will help "mentor" younger employees.

But Genova said there no limit has been set as to how long the employees will remain on the Town payroll. 

Concerned Long Islander February 4, 2013 at 11:18 pm
DISGRACEFUL....with all the crap going around our town, they do THIS??? WIth all the unemployment around and these characters already receiving $100,000 in retirement benefits, those positions could have been filled with capable employees. Who are they kidding..."Between them, they have about 120 combined years of experience," he said, adding that the employees will help "mentor" younger emplyees"? What a crock o... . If they're so interested in "mentoring," they could have done that voluntarily.
Here's another example WHY WE DON'T TRUST GOV'T.....we CITIZENS are always getting screwed!
Steve February 5, 2013 at 12:01 am
they will be mentored on how to milk the system
Irene February 5, 2013 at 12:42 am
We have the most dishonest government and school system around. It's a buddy buddy scratch my back and I'll scratch your back system. It's a scam and yet they make it legal. Long Island is going down the tubes.
ed February 5, 2013 at 01:51 am
Nassau County REPUBLICAN Corruption! Keep Voting for Venditto and Mangano without even thinking people! This is what you get!
TheGreek February 5, 2013 at 05:10 am
When you're a Jet,
You're a Jet all the way From your first cigarette To your last dyin' day. When you're a Jet, If the spit hits the fan, You got brothers around, You're a family man! You're never alone, You're never disconnected! You're home with your own: When company's expected, You're well protected! Then you are set With a capital J, Which you'll never forget Till they cart you away. When you're a Jet, You stay a Jet!
robert cohan February 5, 2013 at 06:06 am
I wish I had known how important a pension was when I was young. No one had explained to me that most people will either retire in poverty living off their SS or will work till they die because saving enough money to retire is almost impossible. A pension is crucial and priceless. I would have made sure I had one if I had understood how important it was. If I couldn’t find a job that had a pension then I would have moved to Canada where everyone gets an employee and state pension and all get to retire comfortably. Socialism does have that benefit which capitalism does not provide, unless your a gov emplyee (ironically).Dam.
Dick Blair February 5, 2013 at 10:47 am
So much whining.
. Lynch mobs and hecklers...so sad. Light a candle and stop cursing the darkness.
Robert G. Schaffrath February 5, 2013 at 12:01 pm
120 years of combined experience? If I take three seven year olds to a bar, can they drink? The whole idea of combined experience is a farce.
Vin NY February 5, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Stop complaining. A pension is a benefit for working in the public sector.
Concerned Long Islander February 5, 2013 at 01:44 pm
No one is really complaining about the pension. What people are angry about is these three cronies being put BACK onto payroll. There are enough unemployed ... and, may I add, enough forced layoff personnel who could use the job. It's despicable. And, the worse part is, it really doesn't matter anymore which party is in power -- they're both corrupt. It's a party system, not a system designed for the betterment of the public. I was a civil servant dozens of years ago. Times were difficult in the 60s, too. But I never remember reading or being aware of the kind of corruption that exists now. Perhaps it's the public's fault for being too trusting. Actually, I believe the general public is just too busy trying to make enough income to support their families, raising their kids, and trying their best to wake up every morning to continue...most people just don't have the time or the energy to get so involved with the workings of our gov't -- there's just not enough time in the day and, basically, we want to trust those we put in power TO SERVE AND PROTECT THE AMERICAN CITIZEN. I guess the joke's on us!
Joe February 5, 2013 at 02:05 pm
This is just wonderful! Obviously someone dropped a dime. If they can identify 3, how many more are there? How do I sign up for a Town of Oyster Bay job? Please let me know. I remember the town leader saying months ago in a Newsday article that his unions are like family. I guess that explains it all.
jean g February 5, 2013 at 02:34 pm
It seems to me the layoffs the town had could have been a posed with the money these guys are being paid on the payroll again. They left that should be it. A lot of other people left that didn't really want to leave but took the package. And the workers that are there now had to along with a contract with no raises and other sacrifices just to stay employed. Doesn't make sense to me .
sam February 5, 2013 at 03:16 pm
THIS IS WHY TOWNS ARE BROKE!! DISGUSTING!
DID YOU THINK ABOUT HELPING A VETERAN??A VET WHO LOST THERE JOB OR WHO'S LOOKING FOR A JOB,WHO WENT TO WAR FOR YOU SELFISH PEOPLE!! TERRIABLE SAD AND A DISGRACE......................
Vin NY February 5, 2013 at 04:10 pm
It actually saves money. Putting new employees in the position will require higher salary, more benefits and another pension. Those are not 30,000 year pisitions.
tommy February 5, 2013 at 04:32 pm
Do these 3 have any PHD's or even a Bachelors degree? I've lived in TOBAY 55 yrs. These workers pick up garbage, clean and rake tthe parks, take care of roads, plow and shovel.Ohohoh let's not forget the beaches??? 2 months-hah! Firstly these jobs are not FAIRLY available to all, it is a closed circuit of family friends and asskissers. Secondly, for the most part it is base manual labor. To continue the pay, the abuse, the EXPANSION of Tobay infastructure is not woorth it and repulsive to the taxpayers. The Town is overly crowded, roads are packed the schools are mediocre and the base employees are capitalizing on the taxpayer. Someone asked"how do I get that TOBAY job? Well in reality do you want to be a garbage man? Well then ok. I for one would like to see more productivity,small business- so others can work and pay taxes to benefit the pubkic. Not pay taxes to benefit the municipal worker at a higher level than the free nmarket worker. Ohohoh that is what the rest of the world is like and it SUCKS over there. Lastly, do you think these guys no anymore than a 50,ooo $ a year worker or do they do more than him??? No they just drive that yellow truck around the park. ASHAMED.
Joe February 5, 2013 at 04:38 pm
That's the TOBAY family mentality. With all the savings Vin, we will be able to buy more abandoned commercial property for TOBAY parkland since businesses cant afford staying in the town much longer. Wait until we get next years tax bill. Then we will see if this decision is saving us any money or not. Time will tell.
Nancy February 5, 2013 at 04:39 pm
It appears to me that hiring new employees is usually a way to pay lower salaries. A lot of companies do just that in order to save money. Who do you work for Vin NY? I'm sure these guys are not going to be overworked for their $30,000 a year. A nice little addition to their high pensions.
Joe February 5, 2013 at 05:09 pm
No Tommy I' not looking for myself. But I do know a veteran looking for work and would love to work in sanitation 4 days a week at 4 hours a day with health and related benefits. I know of one recent retiree who made over $106,000.00 for his 20 hr a week job with some OT in sanitation. All of which was verified on the Newsday website. Also lets not forget the town bay constable who was caught using John Burnes Park garage to house his 3 personnel watercraft until a fellow employee turned him in. Or the now defunct Tree Dept. where they charged you a fee to have a tree removed from your own property.Where are those employees now. The town absorbed them. Remember 5yrs with the town = free health ins for life. We can do better! ITS TIME TO GO TO PRIVATE SANITATION !
Joe February 5, 2013 at 09:43 pm
I haven't seen anyone writing about someone receiving a pension after they retire. Employees deserve the benefits for working under their contract. Its the connected few who took the incentives to leave and never left. The sweetheart incentive deal was so good, that they couldn't resist it. TOBAY employees were given an extra month seniority for every year they were on the job. This enhanced their pensions by crediting them with additional years of service and increased the percentages of their last years salary. They were also given $1000.00 extra for every year they worked for the town. No one is complaining about that even though we have to bond the monies. It is the ones that took all of that and never left. Its also the ones who were rehired in different departments within the town, like code enforcement officers and any other departments. Lets give some of the young people in our town jobs. Do you actually believe the rhetoric that the town could not survive without these chosen few? TOBAY's elitists are PIGS! That's what we're talking about Vin.
John E. Capobianco February 5, 2013 at 09:58 pm
Join a Republican Club, start selling tickets to their fundraisers, become a committee member and gather signatures for their nominating petitions, and in a few years you'll get rewarded with a part time job in the town, and then a full time job.
Elizabeth February 6, 2013 at 12:59 am
"Retired" School Superintendents have been doing this sort of thing for many years now (for a lot more money)...this is old news!
Dylan February 6, 2013 at 04:55 am
concerned L.I. - well said!!
ed February 6, 2013 at 10:49 am
Everyone knows if you donate a few bucks to your local GOP club you can get any family member a job with the town. Why is there no federal investigation into this corruption? Its called accepting UNLAWFUL GRATUTIES!
Joe February 6, 2013 at 12:35 pm
So this makes it right? Check out the Newsday site and see how many members of the same families are working for the town. Its not about choice's in life it NEPOTISM. And if what other have written here is true, is really seems the path to TOBAY employment is a corrupt one. No quite the same as your example. In your example a unpaid elected school board has the final say. Not the KING!
LS February 6, 2013 at 05:59 pm
If you can't get on the Newsday site because you're not a subscriber, you can go to www.seethroughNY.net. It's got pensions, salaries, expenditures, even school district information. It is a real eye-opener. Wake up, citizens!
Fed up resident February 7, 2013 at 02:49 am
Reject
Fed up resident 9:46 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 Way to go Jon Venditto and Lenny Genova....keep up with your lies...it's a sad day when Jon Venditto has lost all credibility! Len Genova stated in the papers that only the 3 commissioner will be brought back. Once again, Jon Venditto's deputy supervisor makes a false statement. It has come to my attention that 2 more people who retired during the towns incentive retirement program last year have been appointed to the town of oyster bay zoning board of appeals.......part time job making over 26,000 per year with full benifits. The only question I have is how do 2 secretaries qualify for the zoning board?
OnSecondThought March 24, 2013 at 12:49 pm
$30,000 a year for 20 hours plus $100,000 pension. Are we to assume that these were parttime jobs all along??

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LT June 16, 2013 at 09:52 am
when you say elite do you mean the hard working people who have money? it's a matter of labels. youRead More call them elite..they call themselves hard workers. yes, some inherit money. but most of us work for it.
Michael Taustine June 16, 2013 at 09:01 pm
No, it has nothing to do with how hard you work. It's just that the elite one percenters are treatedRead More differently when they run afoul of the laws in this country. No one has been jailed for the corporate malfeasance that resulted in the financial crash of '08, in spite of the rules that were ignored or broken. Too big to fail is the order of the day. Meanwhile, petty frauds committed by poor and middle class are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Two Americas. The rule of law, unevenly applied, whether by race, or class, or economic station will result in the unraveling of society. We may well be seeing the beginnings of that now, as we've entered a new gilded age, where new robber barons are allowed to run roughshod over the lower classes. The very ideals of America are at stake, and we are letting them slide away.
Jack coyote June 12, 2013 at 03:24 pm
Will the new Massapequa station platform be covered end-to-end as it is now? If it will only beRead More partially covered, like Seaford station, there are going to be a lot of cold, wet, unhappy commuters.
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Mr. Coyote, The design plans only call for a canopy over certain parts of the station platform, likeRead More almost all of the other stations along the branch. The canopies will be primarily over the staircases, elevator, waiting room, and one other small section on the middle section of the platform between the elevator and east escalator.
mj June 12, 2013 at 01:43 pm
Also blocks along Alhambra Road including Granada and Sutton. It rained the other day and was up toRead More the front lawn on one house that is still being renovated from Sandy!!!! Horrible if those owners saw this.