Public works, parks and rec departments merged under Devlin’s leadership

By SANDY McGEE

BLACKSTONE — The town made an unexpected move to reduce operating costs last week by eliminating two top positions: director of public works and director of parks and recreation.

The two departments will now be merged under the title of Department of Public Works (DPW), the town administrator said Thursday. Taking over management of DPW will be Thomas F. Devlin, who will continue to hold his current title as highway superintendent.
At the close of business on Tuesday, both the director of public works, Paul Bokoski, and director of parks and recreation, Alphonse Corrente, received a letter informing them that their positions had been eliminated.
The nearly identical letters to both men read as follows: “Due to the unanticipated reduction of local aid payments by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and other town revenues for the current fiscal year, the town of Blackstone has been forced to implement stringent measures to reduce its operational expenses, which include the reduction of staffing levels in many town departments. Regrettably, after consideration of all available options and much deliberation, the town has decided to eliminate your position … effective Feb. 17, 2009.”
“These were difficult decisions to make,” said Town Administrator Kenneth Bianchi. “These decisions were not made hastily. They were not easy decisions, but they had to be done. We have a town charter that requires that we operate with a balanced budget.”
In January, Gov. Deval Patrick announced that he would cut $128 million in aid to cities and towns for this fiscal year in an attempt to close a $1.1 billion budget gap. Municipalities are also expecting another $220 million cut in local aid for fiscal year 2010.
“The DOR (state Department of Revenue) has recommended that all towns reduce their department budgets,” Bianchi said. “These eliminations had nothing to do with job performance.”
Bokoski had served as director of public works since July 2006. He was appointed at that time to a three-year term by the Board of Selectmen.
He also held the dual title of water and sewer superintendent, which was also eliminated.
“I was shocked,” Bokoski said about the notice. “I gave him (Bianchi) back more than $30,000 out of my budget two weeks ago. I thought we might be all set.”
On Jan. 31, the town administrator asked town departments, town boards and commissions to dramatically cut their budgets. As of Feb. 13, town departments had trimmed their budgets by a total of nearly $125,000. According to Bokoski, the elimination of his position will not save the town money.
“I was paid out of the Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund,” he said. “My salary is not from taxation.”
According to Bianchi, the elimination will cut costs since Devlin’s salary, which is about $2,000 less than Bokoski’s, will now come from the Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund instead of the general fund.
“It’s a matter of making the budget work, especially when the state takes out $145,129,” Bianchi said. “It’s happening all over the Commonwealth. We have to make up that money.”
Elected officials of the Parks and Recreation Commission, who say they hired Corrente nearly seven years ago, are investigating the dismissal of the town’s parks and recreation director.
“Al Corrente has been one of the best employees that I’ve ever seen,” said Celeste Langlois, chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission. “It’s absolutely disappointing. I’m very disappointed in the way the Board of Selectmen and town administrator handled the situation.”
According to Langlois, the commission is seeking advice from the town’s legal counsel on this matter.
“I am looking into whether or not this was a legal action by the Board of Selectmen,” Langlois said. “He (Corrente) was hired by the Parks and Recreation Commission about seven years ago. The Board of Selectmen never discussed this option with the Parks and Recreation Commission.
“We don’t believe this was a legal decision. We have been in contact with our town counsel.”
The Board of Selectmen is not commenting at this time about the issue.
Also, as a way to cut operation costs, the town has temporarily laid off a library clerk and assistant collector in the Collector and Treasurer’s Office. Those positions are not being eliminated, according to Bianchi.
The town administrator also said that hours for part-time employees are being reduced.
Bianchi said that he is also looking at other ways to cut costs, including reducing the assistant inspectors for building, plumbing and electric.
“Those services will be picked up by Devlin,” Bianchi said. “There will be no reduction in services to the public.”
Devlin, who has been employed by the town for 33 years, began management of the Department of Public Works on Feb. 18. He holds 15 years of prior management experience.