Schools

Vernon School Board Approves New Maintenance Position

The new position is designed to complement the current supervisory system.

The Board of Education on Monday approved a new position that essentially creates a second-in-command for building maintenance.

Currently both municipal and building maintenance is taken care of by the Department of Public Works with DPW Director Robert Kleinhans supervising the operations. Kleinhans is currently in sick leave and Mayor George Apel, by charter, has assumed the position.

At Monday's school board meeting, Superintendent of Schools Mary Conway said she is happy with the combined departments but added the new position - the director of maintenance facilities - will be taking the place of the assistant director of plant operation position. It is currently held by Joseph Ganges.

When asked what the new postion meant for Ganges, Director of Business and Finance Michael Purcaro said Ganges, "is still employes by the school system."

The school board approved the position, but made no persoinnel moves on Monday.

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The range of the current assistant's position tops out at about $55,000 annually, Purcaro said. 

Conway said the added responsibility of the new position fills gaps with the direct supervision of the custodial staff and coordinating building projects.

One example Conway gave was phase II of the project to fix the chimney at Vernon Center Middle School, which is set to begin soon. The chimney was damaged by the severe winter weather in the 2010-11 academic year and further weakened by a mild earthquake and Hurricane / Tropical Storm Irene last summer.

No hiring timetable was given out on Monday. Thge position is represented by the supervisor's union, school officials said.

Find out what's happening in Vernonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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