It takes two men to fill Clarence Bradley’s shoes

Bradley: Two men now do his work.

Owens makes almost double what the former City Administrator made.

In these tough economic times, on occasion, there comes a chance at cost cutting that seems obvious and simple.
Clarence Bradley worked for the Niagara Falls Department of Public Works starting in 2003. Before he was fired in September, 2011, he was both an Associate Deputy Director and handled the role of events coordinator.

As deputy director, Bradley led the Zone Outreach Objective Mission, or ZOOM team.

He was fired after he made what he calls an "honest mistake," a mistake made not only by him, but his supervisor, DPW Director David Kinney, as well as by the Human Resources Department and the Payroll Department, who all had a hand in approving his unemployment benefits after Bradley was out for a time through illness. Through a technicality Bradley was not entitled to get three weeks of unemployment checks, a fact he did not know at the time since he was approved by both New York State and his employers.

In any event, they made a case out of it and in one of the most savage acts of the Dyster administration, Bradley was actually arrested on “cue” on camera, at a surprise press event, staged by Mayor Paul Dyster who then took credit for cleaning up city hall.

He also removed a political opponent and whistle blower. Bradley was an outspoken critic of the Mayor.

After Bradley was fired from his $52,396 a year job, his former supervisor Kinney hired two people to take his place. They are Michael Lynch (at $55,593 base pay) who took over Bradley’s duties as associate Deputy Director and Michael Miles (at a base pay of $52,396) who took over Bradley’s duties as special events coordinator. The two men who now do Bradley’s work, combined, with benefits, cost taxpayers $165,869.

The cost of Bradley with benefits was $87,537. The city is now paying $78,332 more for the exact same work.

“I did the job of both of them for two years,” Bradley said.

According to records obtained through a FOIL request, Bradley did indeed do both jobs. According to sources at the DPW one man can do both jobs.

“Is it two full time jobs?,” one source said, “No. One guy could do both. Since they are looking to cut heads here (because of budget constraints), if I were to cut, I would probably be looking in those avenues.”

Speaking of possible cost savings, let it be noted that the two men who, together, are able to do what Bradley, did before, make about as much as city administrator, Donna Owens, who makes a $110,000 base pay and, with benefits, costs taxpayers $149,276.

Prior to the extravagant Dyster administration and its legendary six figure salaries, the city administrator made $60,000. A cut of $50,000 in Owen’s salary would save taxpayers $64,177 (with benefits) and bring her salary in line with cities of similar population.

It would also show that this is not a city that will heartlessly pay extravagant six figure salaries to bloated government workers and, at the same time, raise taxes on the people of this impoverished city.

Last year, the majority on the city council tried to cut her pay. The Mayor vetoed it and Kristen Grandinetti and Charles Walker, two council members who live to spend taxpayers money as if it were water upheld the veto.

Will Walker, seeing the pain of layoffs and ruthless high taxes that are destroying his city, have had a change of heart.

Stay tuned.

(DPW director David Kinney did not return a call from the Reporter seeking comment.)