Village of Hamburg DPW chief transition starts with more responsibility for mayor, administrator
By MICHAEL J. PETRO
Sun reporter
While Harley Moses was enjoying his first day of retirement after serving as the head of the Village of Hamburg’s Department of Public Works, Mayor Thomas Moses Sr. and Village Administrator Donald Witkowski were up earlier than usual Monday (Feb. 1) morning to make sure the day-to-day DPW operations were running smoothly.
In the absence of a crew chief, the position held by Harley Moses before he retired last month, the mayor and Witkowski have taken on additional responsibilities.
The process to replace Harley Moses has just gotten underway, so the village’s mayor and administrator approved measures that will allow them to better supervise and oversee the department, along with solicit the help of an “old friend” when needed.
The board approved at its meeting Monday night measures designating Witkowski as the temporary acting supervisor of the DPW and Tom Moses to an increased “overseer” role to the department.
A measure to hire back Harley Moses as a consultant to assist with issues pertaining to the department at the rate of $32 per hour was also approved.
After a long day and then having to attend the evening meeting, it was apparent the tired mayor and administrator haven’t called on Harley Moses for help just yet.
“I’m not sure how Harley’s first day of retirement went, but it was definitely tough on us,” Tom Moses quipped. “It’s a little different for me to be up and at the shop at six in the morning. Don and I went down there to get the crews out.”
“Getting up that early is for the birds,” Witkowski later joked.
The mayor advised residents not to be worried about the transition as daily work and snow plowing will continue.
“This is nothing to be alarmed about,” Tom Moses noted. “We have good crews and we’ll make sure they’re out when needed.”
Tom Moses told The Sun after Monday night’s meeting that the position still needs to be advertised, leading to the belief that it may not be filled in the very near future.
He said submitted applications will then be reviewed before interviews get underway.
“I hope to have this done sooner than later,” said the mayor, who again publicly thanked Harley Moses, who happens to be his brother, for his more than 40 years of service to the village, including work as a DPW employee since 1974.
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