We’ve been questioning for years why the school district’s “24/7” security director, Bruce Daniele, would also be employed by the district as a basketball coach, volleyball coach or golf coach. How can he be 24/7 when he is often coaching his teams or traveling with them to competitions?
We’ve also questioned why Daniele has, for years, been able to obtain a 211 waiver allowing him to get his full pension while earning over $100,000 a year working for the school district. The police pension system restricts the amount of money a retired cop can earn working for another government agency in New York to $30,000 a year. The waiver allows a retired cop to earn more — on a TEMPORARY basis for an UNEXPECTED job opening — but Daniele has been in his current position for 8 years.
Apparently someone is starting to notice. Word is that the district is no longer applying for 211 waivers for Daniele so he will have to give up his pension while working for the district. Now comes words that the district recently posted for a new golf coach at New Rochelle high school.
So that is some progress.
The New Rochelle Civil Service Commission will be holding an exam for the position of Director of Security. It was scheduled for today. We have inquired as to whether it was postponed due the weather and are awaiting an answer.
Director of Security Exam 2013
Our sources tell us a few things about this exam. At the last civil service meeting, Director Jeanett Medina stated that only 2 people had signed up for the exam. We are also told that Daniele is being exempted from taking the exam. Since by civil service rules, the appointing officer, Schools Superintendent Richard Organisciak, can select 1 from among the top 3, if there are only 2 people taking the exam, Daniele can be selected as long as his score is about 70. We are also told that those requesting the forms to take the exam were actively discouraged by persons in the civil service office from taking the exam. One was told “Don’t bother, that’s a done deal”.
A look at the job description clearly indicates that Bruce Daniele is NOT ELIGIBLE for this position.
One of the requirements is that the applicant must have 2-4 years experience as a supervisor with a law enforcement agency. Daniele was a police office for 5 years, made Detective and worked in the youth bureau for 16 years. According to New Rochelle Police Detective Captain Joseph Schaller, Daniele never had any supervisory role in the department. Daniele never worked for any other law enforcement agency.
The high end of the salary range for the position is $92,000. Through various stipends and over time, Daniele has been able to earn around $150 a year and take his full pension brining that figure to over $200,000, making him one of the highest paid public sector employee in New Rochelle. That is more than ANYONE working for the City government. In the school district, he takes home more than all positions other than superintendent level positions.
Despite working in what is supposed to be a 24/7, 12 month a year position, Daniele gets overtime. How is that?