GUILDERLAND — In the town’s budget for next year, Jean Johnson’s job has been eliminated. Johnson founded the town’s art program for senior citizens and ran it since 1993.

This has enraged some residents, who called Town Hall and the Enterprise office recently. They said that Johnson, who is 75, was forced out of her job. Johnson declined comment to The Enterprise.

Johnson was replaced, the callers said, by the 19-year-old daughter of a department head.

Town Supervisor Kenneth Runion said Monday that this isn’t true. Johnson’s $7,453 a year job was not replaced, but eliminated, he said. She left her job in July and was paid $3,661.27 this year.

Of the 19-year-old, Runion, a Democrat, said that Alicia Gifford, daughter of the Republican highway superintendent, Todd Gifford, is an intern who works for the town during the summer and in between classes in the fall.

Cindy Wadach, who runs the town’s senior-services department, told Runion that she and her staff can handle Johnson’s job, he said. Johnson had only worked a few hours a week, Runion said, and was only in charge of scheduling.

The Enterprise interviewed Johnson in 2000. Then, Johnson spoke about bringing various photographers and painters to lecture to Guilderland seniors and about taking the elderly residents on trips to local museums and galleries.
Johnson, an artist herself, described how she was visiting an art exhibit when she saw an elderly woman looking frustrated. "I wish I knew more about it so I could enjoy it," the woman told Johnson.
Johnson then thought, "Wow! Wouldn’t it be nice if I could help people enjoy it"" she recalled of creating the art program with Peggy Glenn, then Guilderland’s director of senior services.
In an unsigned letter to the Enterprise editor, it says that Johnson was "summarily dismissed without any warning or notice."
The writer, who said he feared retribution as a "whistle blower," wrote that the move was due to "political favoritism and age discrimination."
Gifford did not replace Johnson, Wadach said. Gifford’s job "has nothing to do with who she’s related to" and Johnson’s leaving "had nothing to do with her age," said Wadach.

Gifford could not be reached for comment.

Gifford does more than run the art program; she helps with everything, Wadach told The Enterprise.
She helps coordinate programs and classes, handles paperwork, and "helps with every facet of the operation," Wadach said.

Gifford has worked for the town, full-time, for three summers, Wadach said. The Union College student continues to work for the town two days a week, Wadach said.
"After the first summer, we could tell she was an outstanding employee," Wadach said. "I asked if they could budget her extra during the year."
She went on of Gifford, "She’s outstanding. In all my years of management, she’s the most outstanding, intelligent employee."

Wadach would not comment on why Johnson left the department.

Some residents called Town Hall, upset that Johnson had left, Wadach said.
"Anytime you have change, people are worried," she said. The art program will continue, she said.
"Alicia [Gifford] is helping with the program, but she didn’t take Jean’s [Johnson’s] place at all," Wadach said.
"There’s a lot of misinformation when people are moved around," Runion said. "People just don’t like change."