East Aurora Advertiser

Wales Board Makes Budget Change to Post Held by Supervisor’s Wife



The 2020 budget was recently approved as it was presented a few weeks ago with one minor change: board members unanimously decided to turn the role of deputy historian into a salary position, rather than a position that will be paid by the hour.

This change is estimated to save $3,000 next year, however, the proposal was not discussed with Bookkeeper Rae Hoxsie prior to the meeting. She feels like the position was budgeted for adequately because of all of the assistance the deputy historian provides to Town Historian Dee Zeigel.

The deputy historian is Camille Venditti, who is married to Supervisor Rickey Venditti. 

Wales Officials Discuss 2020 Budget; Confusion in Place Over Current Town Code for Assessors

“This position has been very useful to the historian. It has helped her increase the records, the data, the viability,” Hoxsie said. “I am wondering what the basis is for this since it was not discussed with the budget director or the historian.” 

Board Member Donald Butcher, who proposed the change, said that the duties of the role can stay the same. This will just alter how the position is paid.

“Now it is a salaried position working for her,” Butcher said.

The town historian is also a salaried position, and it is budgeted to earn $2,520 next year. Prior to the change, the deputy historian was projected to earn $5,023 in 2020. Now that it is salaried, the deputy historian will just earn $2,000.

Camille Venditti is still on the budget line as Bookkeeper Clerk next year, earning over $4,200.

The rest of the budget is a general 2.5 percent increase in expenditures and salaries. Venditti suggested that the board consider reducing his salary and the town clerk’s salary before the next election, or eliminating a raise next year.

“We are high for town’s our size,” Venditti said. 

Wales will stay under the tax cap, fire protection taxes will increase and residents will pay less highway taxes.

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