PERU -- The Peru zoning officer has been suspended with pay while town officials determine the future role that position will take.

Although officials are not saying much about what happened, Town Supervisor Donald Covel removed Paul Blaine from the Town Hall two weeks ago.

"He's on suspension with pay," Covel said Tuesday afternoon when asked if Blaine had been fired as the zoning officer. "It is now under review by the attorneys as to certain particular issues in regards to the job."

Covel said he would not comment on specifics but said he had a number of concerns with Blaine's work.

When contacted at home, Blaine said he had no comment on the issue but had attained legal representation.

Blaine took over duties as zoning officer in early 2006, replacing Keith Matott, who had taken a position with a private company and had also been elected to fill a vacated position on the Town Council.

"The next step in the process is to put a final review together and probably go in front of Civil Service (to address Blaine's position)," Covel said.

Town Councilor Peter Glushko said he and other councilors were not able to discuss the issue because of the sensitive nature of personnel matters, which are being discussed by the council in executive sessions.

"Right now, we are trying to sort out what the (zoning officer's) status is," he said. "A lot of what we heard went on (when Covel removed Blaine from Town Hall that day) came from word of mouth. We have to talk about this and make sure whatever is done is done correctly."

One of the issues being discussed, he said, was the authority that Covel did or did not have in removing Blaine from the Town Hall.

Meanwhile, Covel said he has temporarily taken on the responsibilities of the zoning officer's position.

"Unfortunately, it's the supervisor's responsibility to assume those duties in the absence of the zoning officer. Basically, I've been working with the (zoning officer's) secretary, putting together permits and putting together plans for the Zoning and Planning Committee meetings."

A future consideration for the town, Covel noted, was to look at the possibility of making the zoning officer a part-time position in Peru.

"Most of the surrounding towns have part-time zoning officers. Our permits (for new construction) were down about 60 percent from last year. We have a window to look at that possible opportunity until the economy picks back up."

jmeyers@pressrepublican.com