FOR THE RECORD

The mystery of the High Pressure Plant Tenders and their prevailing wage survey remains unsolved. In 2002, a survey performed by the City Comptroller's Office set the workers' wages around $23, resulting in a final settlement with the city of $24.88, with added work responsibilities. In that case, the Plant Tenders were compared with employees doing similar work who were members of Local 30 of the International Union of Operating Engineers.

Last week, another prevailing wage survey came back with a rate of $23.11 with benefits - and $17.97 without. The dramatic drop in wages is being attributed to a new comparison made with Firemen who work in private hospitals. The Comptroller's Office refused to explain the comparison switch and issued the following statement: "We stand by our survey, which was conducted appropriately and in accordance with all applicable laws."

Meanwhile workers are angry and believe that something went wrong. Local 983's lawyer Arthur Schwartz says District Council 37 negotiators kept him out of the process, while DC 37's Dennis Sullivan says the survey was done the same way as two previous ones with which Mr. Schwartz was involved - Local 376 and 1157 - both of which resulted in hefty increases.

"Guys are frustrated," said Tommy Leamey, an HPPT at Queens College. "They want to know why our union had no input in the survey."

He said allowing the survey to be carried out by the Comptroller's Office on its own was bound to produce a poor result. "It's like going to a car dealer and saying to him, you negotiate the price yourself, without me," he said. "It just doesn't make any sense."

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Those wondering where the Daily News's weekly civil service column had been recently will be pleased to know that its author, Lisa Colangelo, had neglected those particular labor matters in order to give birth Sept. 1 to Gemma Lily Knowd, who was a slightly premature but nonetheless healthy 7 pounds, 3 ounces when she entered the world.

Mom, daughter and dad Ken Knowd are all said to be doing well, with word out of the News's City Hall bureau that the kid will be given a notebook as soon as she can wrap her fingers around it.

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The city Department of Correction's annual blood drive has gotten off to an encouraging start with 143 employees recently donating blood at the George Motchan Detention Center on Rikers Island.

Organizers of the blood drive had set 130 participants as this year's goal, the department said. The drive will move to the North Infirmary Command on Sept. 17 and will continue to expand to all of the city's jail employees.

"Our Correction Officers and other staff are community-oriented citizens and I appreciate their willingness to help their neighbors every year in the city blood drive," said Correction Commissioner Martin F. Horn

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The Correction Department has promoted veteran supervisor Peter Curcio to Bureau Chief.

Chief Curcio began his career with the department in 1984, where he served as a Correction Officer at the Anna M. Kross Center on Rikers Island. He moved his way up, serving as Captain, Assistant Deputy Warden, Commanding Officer of the Gang Intelligence Unit, and Deputy Warden.

More recently, he was appointed Executive Assistant to the Chief of Department, Deputy Warden-in-Command and Warden. A year ago he was promoted to Assistant Chief.

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Danny Burstein, a former Paramedic and officer of Emergency Medical Service Local 2507 of District Council 37, has taken the first step toward taking himself off the list of eligible bachelors by announcing his engagement.

Mr. Burstein's bride-to-be is Dr. Barbara Heller of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, with the wedding expected for sometime next spring in that fair state.

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Former Detective and current Fox 5 News reporter Mike Sheehan will be honored as "Man of the Year" by the Detectives Endowment Association at its 33rd annual dinner-dance Oct. 4 at Russo's on the Bay in Queens. Tickets are $90 per person; for further information call Paul DiGiacomo at (212) 587-1000.