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NILES -- City Council by a 6-1 vote Monday gave final approval to reinstate the part-time safety director positions, with retired police officer George Kaniclides appointed to the post by Mayor Thomas Scarnecchia.
Because the safety director positions was previously dissolved, council officially had to act to bring it back.
On Friday, Scarnecchia named former city councilman Edward Stredney as the new full-time service director. Council met in special session, voting 6-0 to place into first reading legislation to re-establish the separate positions of safety director and service director.
The former service director, Jim DePasquale, served as both service and safety director before being removed from his position by Scarnecchia Feb. 21, along with a meter reader accused of stealing gas from the city by allowing his brother to fill up at a city pump.
Meter reader Matthew Marrara was put on leave without pay after he was charged Feb. 6 with petty theft in Niles Municipal Court. He is accused of letting his brother, Mike Marrara -- who was convicted in 2015 of stealing nearly $100,000 from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church -- use about $20 of his city gas allowance, according to police.
Mike Marrara pleaded not guilty to a charge of receiving stolen property, and both are scheduled to appear April 7 for a pretrial hearing.
The two firings are not related, Scarnecchia said.
Legal advice helped him reach the decisions, Scarnecchia said, but did not release further details, except to say the decision to release DePasquale was in the best interest of the city.
"All I want to do is what is right for the city. I am going to have an awful lot on my shoulders, but I just want to do what is right for the city," Scarnecchia said.
DePasquale was let go because of numerous "backdoor" deals with union members, including one that has Niles on the hook for at least some of $9,000 promised to one employee.
"(James DePasquale)" was generous to a fault with the union. There have been many little episodes where he made payroll promises without the knowledge of council or myself," Scarnecchia said.
The mayor said DePasquale promised Kevin Robertson, the city's grant coordinator and public construction draftsmen, $9,000 in supplemental pay without authorization. Scarnecchia Thursday was unable to provide details of the other deals he claims were by DePasquale.
In a letter Feb. 21, Scarnecchia wrote despite being told money to pay Robertson was not approved, DePasquale authorized the payment and obscured it by "instructing the employee to track certain hours and just submit them for payment at the end of the year."
The deal came to light when Robertson filed grievance seeking payment, Scarnecchia said. The settle the grievance, Scarnecchia said, the city will have to pay for a portion of the $9,000, but the amount is being negotiated.
Scarnecchia's letter goes on to state DePasquale made the issue worse after the grievance as filed because he kept pushing for the payment, "despite a complete lack of contract language to support such action."
The move was especially damaging because the city is in state-appointed fiscal emergency and DePasquale's actions will cost the city money unnecessarily, Scarnecchia wrote.
DePasquale was being paid $51,000 a year to serve as safety service director. Scarnecchia combined the positions of safety director and service director after safety director Paul Hogan retired in May, but is now considering separating the jobs again.
Scarnecchia said it was decided to bring back the safety director position to work specifically with police and fire personnel.
''That job is very important to work with our safety forces. It is in the best interest of the city to separate the positions,'' he said.
Scarnecchia said both Stredney and Kaniclides haven ''proven records.''
''They bring dedication and intelligence to these positions and have both served the city before. They come highly recommended. I know they will do a good job,'' he said.
Stredney will be paid $4,254 per month as service director. Kaniclides will be paid $1,000 per month as safety director, Scarnecchia said.
Stredney, who served 10 years as a 3rd Ward councilman, has left his position with the U.S. Postal Service.
''I look forward to serving the city again,'' Stredney said.
Kaniclides, who served 35 years as a police officer in Niles before retiring in 2001 as a patrolman, also worked five years as a major with the Trumbull County Sheriff's Department.
"I look forward to working with the police and fire departments," Kaniclides said, noting he has taken recent lawn enforcement classes to be updated on newest guidelines.
Scarnecchia said Kaniclides is not ''a true retire-rehire'' because he will not receive benefits and is part time.
Third Ward Councilwoman Linda Marchese, who initially cast the "no" vote Friday, questioned Scarnecchia about how the funds for splitting the position into two would affect the city's limited finances.
''I just don't want at the end of the year to hear we did not have the money to do this,'' she said.
She said while she supports Scarnecchia's appointments of Kaniclides and Stredney, saying "they will both do a good job," she said she is concerned money is available to do this but not open the swimming pool at Waddell Park.
Marchese said residents voted and supported a park levy and the swimming pool will not be open again this year.
Scarnecchia said there are funds available for separating the position or he would not have recommended it. Council approved appropriating $11,847 from the general fund for the safety director position as part of the ordinance.