NIAGARA FALLS — A number of recently retired employees in the Lewiston-Porter and Niagara Falls School districts have been rehired on an interim basis allowing the employees to collect two separate paychecks, both courtesy of the taxpayer.

The employees, some of whom accepted early retirement incentives, have been hired back to work in the same capacity as they previously did will now be eligible to receive their state pensions and because of per diem arrangements, a weekly paycheck from the local districts.

In Lewiston-Porter, former Intermediate Education Principal Margaret Beach retired earlier this month, only to accept a $500-a-day contract last week to work as principal at the primary education center until Principal Tamara Larson returns from maternity leave.

Nancy J. Orsi, who retired earlier this year from Starpoint Central Schools was given a $450-a-day per diem agreement to work as principal at the Lew-Port Intermediate Education Center. This position was vacated when Beach retired and Orsi will work in this capacity until a full-time principal is found.

The measure was approved by a 4-1 vote at a recent school board meeting, with board member Edward Waller casting the lone opposing vote.

“I don't know how anyone on this board could vote to accept a resignation one week, then vote to hire that person back at full salary a week later. It is almost 100 percent pay increase in one week,” Waller told the Gazette on Monday. “I voted no because there are other alternatives. This new board has shown they are more interested handing out money to their friends than looking out for taxpayers and students.”

Lew-Port Superintendent R. Christopher Roser said the short-term rehiring of the former employees made sense for the school district at the start of a new school year.

“For us the start of school has to be smooth. You want parents and kids to have a great beginning to the school year,” Roser said. “To have a seasoned veteran who knows what things will probably go wrong, what to look out for and to make sure all the right things are in place, is great.”

Roser did admit some public employees are looking for ways to cheat the system but in this case, he said the employees will be working on a short-term basis and will not earn more than $30,000.

John Cardillo, spokesperson for the New York State Teacher’s Retirement System, said employees have three options allowable by state education law, when returning to public employment following their retirement.

First, he said, a retired employee can continue receiving their public pension and a  weekly paycheck from the district, as long as those per diem earnings to not exceed $30,000 over the course of 12 months.

“If you do earn more than ($30,000) you have to pay back the retirement system for the difference,” Cardillo said. “Most people make sure they stay under that amount.”

Secondly, Cardillo said an employee can apply to the New York State Education department for a waiver, which will allow them to make as much money as they’d like for 12 to 24 months all while receiving their pension and would not have to pay anything back to the retirement system.

“If they earn more they can apply to NYSED for a waiver,” he said. “Those cases are getting more and more rare, because the state is trying to limit the number of waivers that are granted.”

The third option is an employee can suspend their pension in order to go back to work and then collect a second pension or recalculate their original pension once they decide to retire for good.

In Niagara Falls, three employees in the human resource department retired at the end of last month, but were immediately hired back on per diem agreements, allowing them to begin collecting their pensions, as well as collect a paycheck from the district.

Human Resource Administrator Phil Mohr retired as of Aug. 31 from his $120,000-a-year position with an added retirement incentive and has since hired back on a per diem agreement which will pay him $463-a-day between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31 in an amount not to exceed $30,000.

Personnel Manager Barbara Joyce retired from her $71,000 position as of Aug. 31 and will be paid $272-a-day from Aug. 31 to Oct. 31.

Human Resource department Secretary Linda Cafarella, retired as of Aug. 30 and will be paid $200-a-day for the period of Aug. 31 to Oct. 31.

All employees will also be entitled to their pension during this time.

Teacher’s Union President Joe Catalano retired from his elementary teaching position and will continue performing his union related duties for the district. He will begin collecting his pension and paid a stipend from the union.

School Board Member Johnny Destino said it’s hard to be outraged over the rehiring of the former employees saying the lateness of state retirement incentives did make it difficult for districts to find replacements in time for the new school year. However, he did say questions can be asked.

“Was it planned that way between the administration and the individuals?” Destino questioned. “You hope it wasn’t. Part of the problem is the way the state incentive was written. It really put district’s in a difficult spot, making them have to scramble to fill positions at the last minute.”