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Webster board reviews public-works reorganization after deputy DPW commissioner departure
Summary
At an Oct. 2 workshop, Webster staff presented three models for organizing public works after Deputy DPW Commissioner Art Patron’s departure, noting the town’s unique wastewater treatment responsibilities, a rough cost benchmark for adding a DPW commissioner, and that any action would await a future board.
Webster Town Supervisor Tom Flareity told the town board on Oct. 2 that the impending departure of Deputy DPW Commissioner Art Patron has prompted staff to review how public-works functions are organized and whether the town needs a different skill set to manage an expanding wastewater operation.
"The town board is going to need to look at a different skill set for what is the position that is going to replace Art," Flareity said, noting the sewer plant’s revenues have grown from about $3.5–4 million when he took office to a budgeted $11 million for 2026 and that an $85 million phase-two project is nearing completion.
Braden Connor, Webster’s director of personnel, and senior personnel clerk Kelsey Feny presented three organizational models pulled from a rapid survey of eight Monroe County towns: a "strong commissioner" model (a DPW commissioner with division heads beneath), a "weak commissioner" model (major units such as highway and sewer do not report to the DPW commissioner), and a "mixed commissioner" model (a DPW commissioner with traditional public-works functions, while community development remains separate). Connor said the review was fact-finding and did not include a recommendation. "The focus of the presentation is fact finding," Connor said. "It will not judge the relative upsides and downsides of each organizational model and it won't include a specific recommendation."
Staff emphasized that Webster’s situation is not directly comparable to most peers because Webster is the only Monroe County town that operates a wastewater treatment plant, which makes the sewer department larger in scope. Presenters also noted historical differences between practice and the town code, pointing to the 1969 code’s provisions that established the DPW commissioner as head of highway, sewer, water and refuge functions; staff said earlier code adjustments in 2021–22 created a director of community development and town engineer roles to reflect current practice.
Board members used the Q&A to press on costs and recruitment. A councilwoman identified later in the discussion as Jenny asked about total compensation for a DPW commissioner — salary, health insurance, pension, FICA, and usual fringe such as vehicle or cellphone — and Connor said the cost depends on the model chosen. He offered a provisional benchmark: "We talking 150,000 200,000 including benefits," Connor said, adding that the rapid survey did not collect detailed salary comparables.
Members also asked whether the open head-of-sewer position could be combined with a DPW commissioner role and whether that would create an excessively broad job specification. Presenters said the vacancy is one reason to examine both candidate qualifications and organizational fit, and stressed that any substantive change would require further research and would likely fall to the board seated after the next regular transition (January 2026).
No formal motions or votes occurred at the workshop. Flareity and staff said they could return with more detailed comparables and interviews with other towns if the board requests further work. Flareity also announced that Connor plans to retire at the end of January after 34 years in public service and that the town intends to nominate Kelsey Feny as the next director of personnel in the coming weeks.
The workshop ended at about 7:26 p.m.; staff will record the minutes and any future board may decide whether to pursue a code change or organizational restructuring.
