Labor Dept. director resigns

Angelo R. Buonopane, director of the state Department of Labor, resigned his $108,000-a-year post yesterday, two days after the Globe published a story that showed he worked extremely short days and had no apparent job responsibilities.

For Governor Mitt Romney, who appointed Buonopane, the resignation marked a reversal from Monday, when a top Romney aide ordered Buonopane to repay the state $20,000 for excessive time off, but spared his job. That decision became a subject for talk radio indignation yesterday.

Yesterday, Eric Fehrnstrom, a spokesman for Romney, declined to say whether the governor asked Buonopane to step down. But Fehrnstrom said Romney concluded that Buonopane was no longer able to continue in the position.

''In continued conversations, it became clear he was unable to carry out the requirements and responsibilities of the job," said Fehrnstrom. ''For that reason, it was decided it was best for him to resign."

Fehrnstrom said Romney accepted Buonopane's resignation at 5:30 last night. Buonopane, 57, of the North End, is still expected to repay the state $20,000, Fehrnstrom said.

Ranch C. Kimball -- secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development, which oversees the Department of Labor -- said Monday that he found ''compelling" the evidence presented in the Globe story Sunday, which showed Buonopane arriving late, taking long lunches, and leaving early on eight days in February and March.

During the eight days documented by the Globe, Buonopane worked days ranging from 1 hour 46 minutes to 3 hours 29 minutes. His lunches lasted as long as 3 hours and 15 minutes. Buonopane spent most of the time away from his office at his home or walking around Boston, talking on his cellphone, and running errands.

The Globe also found, after examining payroll records, that Buonopane took at least 7½ weeks of vacation last year, even though state employees are allowed a maximum of five weeks. So far this year, Buonopane put in for 18 vacation days, six sick days and three personal days.

Buonopane yesterday declined to be interviewed. However late last night, he released a brief statement, quoting an English translation of a verse by 11th century Persian poet Omar Khayyám. The verse appears to reflect Buonopane's unhappiness with recent media coverage about his job performance.

''The Moving Finger writes; and having writ,/ Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit/ Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line/ Nor all your tears wash out a Word of it."

In the statement, Buonopane also thanked Romney ''for all your support."

The circumstances surrounding Buonopane's appointment were unusual.

He had served in state government since the early 1990s, when he was named director of labor for the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel project.

Governor William F. Weld made him director of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development in 1996, and he continued in that position until 2003, when Romney made him commissioner of the Department of Industrial Accidents.

Then Romney replaced him at that job, but kept him on the state payroll by moving him to a newly created position, director of the Department of Labor.

Yesterday, Fehrnstrom said that the Legislature, not Romney, created the labor director's position, over Romney's initial opposition. Once it was created, Romney filled it by appointing Buonopane.

Buonopane worked on behalf of Romney's campaign in 2002, donating to his campaign fund and helping to arrange an election-eve rally for him in the North End.

Buonopane remains a member of the Boston Zoning Board of Appeals which pays him $300 for every meeting he attends and every site inspection he makes, $18,300 last year and $3,600 this year. A spokesman for Mayor Thomas M. Menino said Monday that Buonopane ''does his duties" on the board and declined to comment on Buonopane's state activities.

Sean Murphy's e-mail address is smurphy@globe.com.