Laessig to receive sick, vacation pay

By CHARITY SMITH

[email protected]

Wakefield — Joel Laessig, who recently resigned as director of the Wakefield Public Library, will receive his sick and vacation pay.

The library board held a special meeting on Thursday to determine if it should pay Laessig, who resigned Jan. 3 citing issues with the city regarding budget restraints, for the sick time and vacation time he had accumulated.

In total, Laessig had 157 hours of vacation time, which will be paid at a rate of $16 an hour, which equates to $2,512 before taxes and five hours of sick time at $16 per hour for a total of $80 before taxes. In an email to the board, city manager Robert Brown pointed out that the net payout will be approximately half of those amounts and will be subjected to standard payroll and fringe deductions.

Library board chair Loraine Mussatti pointed out that the library would have had this expense anyway had he taken his vacation and sick time.

“It’s not like this is over and above what we’ve been budgeted for his payroll. ... I don’t think it is going to be devastating to us, but we are going to have to figure out how we move forward after this,” said Mussatti.

The board voted 3-1 to pay Laessig for his accrued sick and vacation time. Alyssa Ahonen voted against it. She said she voted no because, with every position she has ever worked, an employee must finish out their time to receive their sick and vacation benefits.

The board also heard that they would still be getting five new computers that were expected to arrive this month.

However, because of Laessig’s departure, the computers’ use will be delayed as Mussatti has to coordinate a time when someone can be at the library for the computers to be installed.