WELLSVILLE - It appears Village Council has had a collective memory boost in regard to the hiring of a consultant to handle several employee grievances.

Previously, council members indicated they had never approved the hiring of J.F. Lencewicz & Associates and didn't know who did, but that changed Tuesday with an announcement by Councilman John McMahon.

Mayor Joe Surace was in Florida when the previous discussion was held so could not comment at that time, although Councilman Randy Allmon had said the mayor hired Lencewicz.

Tuesday, Surace said council gave him permission to hire the consultant during an executive session, saying he thinks both he and council were "in line" with the hiring.

Surace said, "We needed someone to come in for four grievances, one from the state of Ohio that was pretty serious. That goes a step above our capabilities."

McMahon said he was serving as president pro tem when Surace was absent, when council was questioned about who hired Lencewicz.

"No one spoke up. We were stunned. We authorized him to do the work. It was a mistake that none of us spoke up at the time. We weren't trying to hide anything," McMahon insisted.

After the meeting, council members and legal adviser Andy Beech were asked if such a decision can legally be made in executive session without a vote by council in open session.

The consensus was the mayor has the authority to approve such a hiring without council's approval since the cost was under $25,000.

Council voted 4-0 later in the meeting to pay invoices from Lencewicz for $5,273.15 for preparation of contract negotiations and grievances and $1,666.30 for preparation of a police department policy manual.

Councilman Randy Allmon said Lencewicz is "sharp" and has found some areas in the contract where the village was paying more than it needs to for insurance.

An executive session was held at the end of the meeting to discuss contract negotiations, and a personnel committee meeting was called for 9:30 a.m. Friday to talk with a union representative about the situation.

Allmon said the meeting will be held in executive session.

Council is considering no longer recognizing the union that governs five village workers, and Nunzio Lombardozzi, former mayor and father of one of those workers, addressed council about the matter Tuesday.

Lombardozzi, whose son, Mike is cemetery superintendent and union president, asked why this is being considered after the union has been in place 40 years.

He said the union was formed in the late 1960s after a tied vote was broken when General Lee Martin first refused to vote then voted in favor.

"I can't believe it can't be worked out. They've always worked it out, and they didn't need a high-priced lawyer. I think that's one reason you want out of it," Lombardozzi said.

Saying he "is not going to negotiate this in the paper," Allmon added, "It will be extremely fair."

Councilman Don Brown, a former steelworkers union member, said, "If the employees want a union, they should have it. I'll never vote to get rid of a union."