Nassau Presiding Officer Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) has made some staffing changes since becoming the Legislature’s leader in January.
She brought back David Gugerty, an ally of County Executive Thomas Suozzi, as her policy adviser for $150,000 a year, the highest salary of any legislative staffer. Gugerty had been majority counsel under Yatauro’s predecessor, Legis. Judy Jacobs, for $125,215, before he was named Nassau’s Public Administrator in Jan. 2007 for $134,000 annually. Jacobs’ policy adviser Fran Evans earned $111,300 before she left late last year.
“In order to attract talented people, one often needs to offer a salary increase,” Yatauro spokeswoman Zefy Christopoulos said.
Yatauro also hired Gerry Twombly, a family friend who helped in her re-election campaign, to be her $95,000 communications director. Twombly had been an $80,000 staff analyst at the Board of Elections.
Yatauro also is eliminating the $30,000 part-time position of child care commissioner, held by Jacobs’ appointee Ginger Lieberman. Yatauro “is still evaluating how the legislature should best relate to a childcare commission. What she has decided so far is that the responsibility doesn’t merit the attention of a paid staff member,” Christopoulos said.
-- Celeste Hadrick