Leave accrual questioned after catastrophe
Flood takes toll on members; others respond to disaster

By DEBORAH A. MILES
The wrath of Mother Nature struck Broome County at the end of June when record-breaking rain caused the Susquehanna River to overflow.

The river rose within a couple of hours, and its mighty force severely damaged more than 2,000 homes in Apalachin, Binghamton, Conklin, Deposit and Johnson City.

The raging Susquehanna hit Johnson City hard. Houses and vehicles appeared as if they were sinking in a tidal wave. Streets became canals, and the only way to travel after the June 28 nightmare was by boat.

Dan Majeski, an Executive Board member who represents the state Department of Transportation (DOT) members in PEF Region 5, was one of the Johnson City residents whose home was ravaged by the flood.

Majeski said around 5:30 a.m., he checked the sump pump in his basement that was installed last year — a system designed to handle 50 gallons of water per minute.

The system was working, but could not keep up with the river — five miles south of his home — as it surged into town. The river’s power smashed a stockade fence, pushed the frames out of two of his three basement windows, and began flooding his basement like a broken dam.

“It happened so fast,” Majeski said. “My basement is 8 feet high, and the water filled up to the ceiling. Everything was destroyed. Our files, wedding album, photographs of our children, the furnace, water softener, water heater, sink. The sewer backed-up and forced up human waste. It was a complete mess.”

Majeski and a neighbor were able to salvage a washer and dryer, by moving them to the back porch. That’s a small savings, compared to an early damage report prepared by an assessor from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Helping hands
Like thousands of other residents in Broome County, Majeski and his family were unable to stay in their home.

“We really understood what the people of New Orleans went through with Katrina,” he said.

Flood victims received support from various community groups and DOT employees worked overtime doing damage assessment of roadways and bridges.

Mike Zwick, a civil engineer 1 in PEF Division 227, also made time to help Majeski with the initial clean up of his basement.

“Everyone has been helping. You just do your part,” Zwick said.

“There was great support from the community,” Majeski said. “Electricians waived labor costs, and people volunteered to help with cleaning, mopping, spraying and disinfecting.”

That was a disgusting task, according to Majeski, as the debris left behind included not only sewage waste, but dead rodents and “unfortunately, the neighbor’s dead cat.”

Another flood relief effort called Helping Hands was organized by the region’s EAP coordinator for the state Division of Disability Determinations (DDD), Mary Ann Sacharov.

State of confusion
The clean up and restoration of homes wasn’t the only problem people encountered. The catastrophic flooding forced many businesses and agencies to close, such as the Norwich state Department of Labor (DOL) office. It was literally surrounded by standing water several feet deep and only accessible by boat.

Gov. George Pataki declared a state of emergency on June 28 and appeared on television to tell people “do not go to work.” The DOL employees were given no alternate work location and subsequently were directed to use personal leave accruals for Wednesday, June 28 through Friday, June 30.

The employees at the Glendale DDD were told to charge their accruals for the three days, even though flooding conditions also prevented them from going to work.
These agencies and others such as the Glendale DOL call center, the Binghamton DOT office and the State Insurance Fund, have been “inconsistent and erratic” in their time and attendance rules, according to Mary Twitchell, PEF Region 5 coordinator.

“Managers couldn’t make up their minds about what to do with people,” Twitchell said. “There was a lot of miscommunication.”

To resolve this issue, PEF President Roger Benson and President-elect Ken Brynien met in early July with Region 5 leaders.

“One of our main concerns was the state’s response to this disaster,” said PEF Division 399 Council Leader Kathy D’Arminio. “PEF members were traveling to work on the roads in a state of emergency with threat to their lives. Local and state law enforcement instructed them to return home or be ticketed. Despite this, PEF-represented non-essential state employees were ordered to report to work or charge their own vacation time.”

To address this situation, Benson sent a letter to William Howard, first deputy secretary to the governor, requesting a comprehensive review of the Time and Attendance Rules.

“PEF hopes with a review, the governor’s office will petition the state Civil Service Commission to waive the attendance rules so employees will not be forced to use personal accruals for following directives from the governor and local law enforcement officers,” Benson said.

Brynien said if the union’s request is granted and the state seeks a waiver, time charged for absences on those days would be restored.

Members who feel they should file a grievance should contact their PEF field representative for assistance.

The positive side
The flooding caused by relentless rains has left an indelible imprint in many ways.

This act of nature made people pull together.

It made them realize how quickly life can be turned around by uncontrollable forces.

And while it may take months for some to get back to a normal routine, they are building new memories with friends whose kindness and concern also overflowed.

As D’Arminio reflected, “members may have lost their homes, but we are grateful no one lost their life.”