Cheektowaga supervisors debate options to cover deputy highway superintendent duties after position was cut
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Summary
Town leaders and Highway Superintendent Rick Gruzniak debated reinstating the deputy highway superintendent role, using a stipend for a foreman, or reallocating budget lines after the title was removed; concerns included past misuse of the role, current staffing strains and potential costs.
Town Supervisor (unnamed in transcript) opened the Dec. 10 work session by asking the board to consider how to cover the duties of a deputy highway superintendent after the position was removed from the budget earlier this year. Highway Superintendent Rick Gruzniak told the board he has run the department without a deputy since Jan. 1 and described staffing strains during snow events, equipment repairs and daily payroll oversight.
The discussion centered on three options: re-establishing a full-time deputy position, offering a stipend for a foreman to carry out deputy duties, or contracting or designating an outside part-time person. Gruzniak said pulling a foreman off crews to cover administrative work would reduce field productivity and that a part-time hire outside the foremen ranks would be preferable. “If I had that extra help, I can be doing things that are going to make things smoother down the road,” Gruzniak said.
Board members noted the town previously eliminated the deputy role after an earlier investigation found a deputy had logged roughly 742 hours over three years without clear duties and was paid about $90,000, a factor in removing the position earlier. One council member said that history helps explain why the role was deleted, while others said the need now may justify reconsidering the decision.
Gruzniak recounted operational examples to illustrate the workload: correcting what he described as an erroneous Caterpillar invoice reduced a billed repair from about $48,100 to roughly $1,800 after review; responding to damaged mailboxes and directing crews during storms; and handling equipment damage allegedly caused by a county contractor — a matter he said could cost $20,000–$30,000 to repair. He also said the highway team can handle roughly 6 inches of snow with current staffing but would need to bring in outside help for heavier storms.
Supervisor and council members asked for concrete options and data. One council member asked Gruzniak to provide a written hierarchy or organizational chart showing each employee’s role so the board could evaluate whether duties can be reassigned to create a deputy role without creating a $90,000 full-time position. The supervisor also said a recently negotiated MOU with the TCSU had included language (Article 17) assigning deputy duties to union workers for the life of the contract, but he said a letter received before the meeting suggests that arrangement may not be executable now.
Board members discussed budget trade-offs—citing prior eliminations (secretary stipends, reduced salt budget by $100,000) and the practical constraints Gruzniak faces—and agreed to follow up. The supervisor asked staff to provide a clear staffing hierarchy and to explore whether the town can reallocate funds or negotiate a stipend or part‑time arrangement.
Next steps: the board asked Gruzniak to deliver a written organizational chart and options for covering deputy duties so members can determine whether to pursue a stipend, reinstate the title in the 2025 budget, or find another solution.
