Babylon Town approves new hires, positions and $380,000 in raises

The Town of Babylon has shuffled some of its top commissioners into newly created positions, made new hires and given out more than $380,000 in raises to administrators so far this year.

Most of the 41 raises were for $5,000 or less, but 11 administrators were given increases of between $10,000 and $39,000 over their 2021 salaries. Although the hikes came after Babylon completed its budget last fall, the money has been found through retirements and eliminated positions, Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer said. The new positions were budgeted, he said. 

Since January, the town has created four new positions, moved three commissioners, promoted two deputy commissioners and made three outside hires.

“It’s always good to freshen things up,” Schaffer said.

The town hired Daniel McKeon to be commissioner of the parks department at a salary of $130,393. McKeon resigned as superintendent of the East Moriches school district in June. The town also hired Eva Rodriguez-Greguski for a new parks deputy commissioner position at a salary of $110,199. Rodriguez-Greguski was chief of staff for former Suffolk County Legis. Rob Calarco (D-Patchogue), who lost reelection in November.

Celeste Kusmerski, who had been commissioner of the department and has worked for the town for 23 years, was moved down to chief deputy commissioner, and was given a $15,000 raise boosting her salary to $125,478. Schaffer said this was done to compensate her for extra work done during the pandemic and for her role as a “bridge” between the new outside hires.

The town created a new position, director of diversity, equity and inclusion, and moved Human Services Commissioner Madeline Quintyne-McConney, who had been earning $113,407, to the spot at a salary of $150,465. Schaffer said the position was created to make sure staff is “treating people fairly and not discriminating” and that Quintyne-McConney will be tasked with creating recruitment programs to “make sure that people of all backgrounds feel welcome to apply to jobs.”

Traci Fonville, who had been deputy commissioner for 12 years and was earning $80,640, is now commissioner at a salary of $120,145.

Department of Public Works Commissioner Tom Stay has moved over to the supervisor’s office into the newly created position of deputy chief of staff at a salary of $156,397.

Schaffer said this is part of preparing for the eventual retirement of Chief of Staff Ron Kluesener, who has been with the town for 30 years.

“We have people who retire from the town or leave town service after a number of years, they have a wealth of knowledge and a lot of experience,” he said. “So I’ve said, 'let’s bring someone in ahead of time to train under the person that they’re going to be replacing.' ”

Vincent Piccoli, who had been DPW deputy commissioner, is now commissioner, making $152,310. The town hired former Huntington highway superintendent Kevin Orelli for a newly created DPW deputy commissioner position at a salary of $120,145.

Deputy Comptroller Catherine Wuertz, DEC Commissioner Tom Vetri and Deputy DEC Commissioner David Bligh each saw their salaries increase by more than $20,000 to $130,393, $135,087 and $125,478, respectively. DEC workers Taylor Russell and Diane Hanley received salary increases of $24,000 and $22,000, respectively, with Russell now earning $80,679 and Hanley earning $82,134.

Schaffer said the work Russell and Hanley do on quality of life issues, such as property inspections and boarding up homes, bring in fine revenue “at least 10 times more than what we pay them.”

By Denise M. Bonilla

denise.bonilla@newsday.comdenisebonilla

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.