Civil Service Committee approves DPW appointments after debate over hiring, salaries and budget transparency

The Buffalo City Civil Service Committee voted to approve appointments for positions in the Department of Public Works (DPW) after a lengthy discussion about staffing levels, overtime and the city’s broader budget shortfall.

The committee approved items 2 through 11 — appointments covering truck drivers, sanitation workers, station engineers and other DPW roles — after members pressed administration officials to explain why so many positions were seeking approval now amid a reported multimillion-dollar deficit.

Committee members said they wanted clearer information on how long vacancies have persisted, which roles are mission-critical and whether hiring would reduce costly overtime. "The salary is $57,821," Ray Nosworthy, acting commissioner of administration and finance, said when correcting a typographical error on a certificate of appointment for a confidential secretary. Nosworthy also said personnel requisitions are routed through his office, where staff checks that positions are budgeted and reviews departmental need before requests reach the committee.

Nut graf: The exchange highlighted two competing priorities: DPW officials argued that several openings are essential to maintain core services such as snow removal, sanitation collection and water-system operations; council members pressed for greater transparency about salaries and whether nonessential positions could be held given a reported $17 million budget shortfall.

Committee members repeatedly asked whether the positions were new hires, backfills, promotions or temporary seasonals. Nate Martin, deputy commissioner, City of Buffalo, said some openings stem from retirements, terminations or internal reassignments and that several of the listed roles — including chief pumping plant operator and water service workers — are critical to maintaining water supply and responding to breaks. "Some of these are openings, some of these are movement of folks from one role to another role," Martin said.

Council members questioned the timing of approvals while the city grapples with lower-than-expected revenues. Multiple speakers referred to a $17 million reported deficit and to projections that will show about $10 million in savings from current vacancy control measures. Nosworthy previewed that second-quarter projections will reflect about $10 million in savings tied to salary vacancy controls.

Officials and members also discussed operational details: DPW leaders said they typically need 36 to 38 sanitation trucks in operation each day but recently had only about 26 to 30, which requires overtime to maintain regular pickup schedules. The department reported a modest reduction in overtime hours this year (about 3.8 percent) but said mechanics and other essential staff remain short-staffed.

Council members asked the clerk’s office to make salary and status information more accessible on appointment items. Tianna New York, city clerk, said certificate-of-appointment attachments already include salary information and residency data. She said the council will issue an RFP for legislative software (RFP issuance dated in the meeting as 2025-02-10) and that staff will explore adding summary fields — including whether a position is essential or nonessential — to future agendas or attachments.

The committee also agreed to receive and file items 12 through 38, which the clerk characterized as notices of appointment with attachments. Several council members requested that future agendas include a short, visible summary showing whether an item is exempt/nonexempt, essential/nonessential and a salary figure so the body and public can review key financial details without opening attachments.

Ending: Committee members said they will continue oversight of hiring as the council moves into formal budget discussions. Several council members asked for an itemized review of the DPW appointments in two weeks, and staff said they would prepare additional detail and consider agenda changes so salary and essential-status information is easier to find.