Tim Sini aide Sheila Kelly gets big raise

Sheila Kelly, who started in District Attorney Tim Sini's office last January as a $78,312 a year intergovernmental  liason, last month got a nearly a 19 percent raise, to $93,132 annually in a newly created job title of public information officer.

The new job title took effect in the Aug. 13 payroll. She is performing the same duties as before as Sini’s day-to-day spokesperson.

When the new job title was put before the county legislature for approval last May, Justin Meyers, Sini’s chief of staff, would not disclose Kelly’s new salary, saying only it would not be “a six figure salary.” He said the new title was needed to match the pay of spokespeople of other district attorneys in the metropolitan area.

County lawmakers approved creation of the job title in a 12-6 vote. Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory (D-Copiague) opposed the move, calling the pay hike unjustified.