Former building inspector David Kopjanski is asking to be paid for 102 unused sick days, city officials said July 25.
The Derby Board of Aldermen met in executive session to discuss Kopjanski’s request, then tabled the matter.
Executive sessions are meetings closed to the public and are allowed if approved by two-thirds of the board.
According to state law, discussions about the following matters may be closed — specific employees, strategy and negotiations regarding pending claims and litigation, security matters, and real estate deals.
The Aldermen emerged from executive session and took no action on the former building official’s request, nor did they discuss it any length.
The only comment on the matter came from resident Dan Waleski, who was in the audience during the meeting.
“102 days? Whoa,” Waleski said.
Background
Mayor Anthony Staffieri did not renew Kopjanski’s employment contract with the city July 1. The mayor appointed Carlo Sarmiento July 2.
Sarmiento’s annual salary is $75,823, which is the same amount Kopjanski was paid.
Charter Debate
Staffieri introduced Sarmiento to Derby lawmakers at the July 25 Board of Aldermen meeting by reading his qualifications into the record.
Staffieri, a Republican, didn’t read Sarmiento’s salary, a bone of contention with Barbara DeGennaro, the board’s president.
DeGennaro, an attorney and a Democrat, said the Derby Charter requires the Board of Aldermen to approve the building inspector’s salary.
Joseph Coppola, the city’s corporation counsel, said Sarmiento’s salary hasn’t changed from what’s budgeted, so there was no need for an Aldermen vote.
Coppola said if the Aldermen wanted to give him more money, then they would have to vote on it.
Democratic Alderman Ron Sill said the salaries have always been brought to the Board of Aldermen for a vote.
Democratic Aldermen Stephen Iacuonne suggested the mayor or Coppola simply state the salary so the Aldermen could approve it, per the charter.
Coppola said he did not agree with the Democrats’ reading of the charter.
Democratic Alderman Art Gerckens questioned whether Sarmiento’s experience warranted the same salary as Kopjanski, since Kopjanski had 18 years experience.
Coppola said the salary is a line item in the approved city budget. Historically, raises to the building official mirror raises given to city union workers. The raises were not merit-based, Coppola said.
Deja Vu
Kopjanski is the second ex-department manger in recent months to request back pay.
Henry Domurad, Jr., the town’s former finance director who stopped working for the city in April 2012, has also requested to be paid for unused vacation, personal or sick days.
The Aldermen voted 5 – 2 in June to direct Coppola to research and determine whether anything was owed to Coppola.
However, Staffieri killed that vote with a veto, citing pending litigation.
Gerckens complained that Staffieri’s vetoes make it impossible for members of the Board of Aldermen to seek legal advice from their attorney.
Staffieri said Gerckens was wasting time and money. Coppola said the Aldermen need six notes to overturn a veto.
Regarding Domurad, Coppola told the Aldermen that a lawsuit filed by Domurad in May 2012 in Superior Court is technically still pending.
A judge dealt that lawsuit a heavy blow last year when he ruled that Domurad lacked credibility when he testified that a signature on a letter of resignation wasn’t his signature.
There hasn’t been any activity connected to Domurad’s lawsuit in 12 months.
Coppola said he is “taking some steps to move it (the lawsuit) along.”
