Trumbull treasurer Michelakis gave raises before leaving office

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The new treasurer plans to leave his old position vacant, for now.

WARREN — In a move similar to one made by a fellow county officeholder nearly two years ago, former Treasurer Christ Michelakis gave pay increases to all 15 of his full-time employees just before he left office Sept. 1.

Michelakis authorized the county auditor on Aug. 12 to raise the pay classifications for the employees by either one or two steps, effective Aug. 12. That raised hourly wages between 84 cents and $2.94 per hour.

It is similar to a move made by David Hines, the former county auditor, who granted higher salaries to 11 nonunion employees in his department by increasing their pay classifications in the final week before he retired in December 2005. It raised his employees' pay between 99 cents and $3.52 per hour.

In total, the treasurer's office has raised annual salaries $46,803.

Sam C. Lamancusa, who was selected by the Democratic Central Committee last week to fill Michelakis' unexpired term, said the increases were warranted because workers there have been doing additional work because of having fewer employees.

Staff reductions

Lamancusa said the office was staffed by 21 full-time workers when he became office manager in 2001 and is down to 15 now. Some people have not been replaced through attrition, meaning after retirements or other reductions, he said.

"Employees have been asked to do more," he said. "When we don't replace employees, we save money in a lot of ways," he said, including hospitalization, retirements and other benefits.

Two employees received a two-step increase, he said, because they took on additional responsibilities beyond what the others have assumed, he said.

As treasurer, Lamancusa's pay was not affected by Michelakis' actions because a treasurer's pay is set by state law. Additionally, Lamancusa plans to wait to fill his old office manager position and may not fill it at all, he said.

The pay increases are:

Steven Cannata, from classification 7 to 8, from $19.70 to $21.37 per hour.

Albert Cardarelli, from classification 8 to 9, from $19.44 to $20.86 per hour.

Beth Cline, from classification 5 to 6, from $14.83 to $15.81 per hour.

Joanna Colucci, from classification 5 to 6, from $14.49 to $15.44 per hour.

Mauro DiVieste, from classification 5 to 6, from $14.79 to $15.44 per hour.

Donald Fasanelli, from classification 5 to 7, from $14.84 to $17.10 per hour.

James Groth, from classification 3 to 4, from $12.51 to $13.64 per hour.

Deputy Director Barbara Katzenberger, from classification 12 to 13, from $26.68 to $28.63 per hour.

Philomena Lucariello, from classification 5 to 6, from $16.30 to $17.37 per hour.

Phyllis Migliozzi, from classification 6 to 7, from $15.46 to $16.70 per hour.

Diane Namish, from classification 9 to 10, from $22.94 to $25.88 per hour.

Stacey Richards, from classification 6 to 7, from $15.81 to $17.10 per hour.

Michael Robinson, from classification 7 to 8, from $17.93 to $19.44 per hour.

Kelly Symbolik, from classification 5 to 7, from $14.83 to $17.10.

Esther Thomas, from classification 4 to 5, from $13.65 to $14.49.

runyan@vindy.com

Saturday, September 15, 2007