DAVID A. RICARDI
SOUTHWICK – The Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee met last night to discuss the town budget and slashed all new proposed positions.
The Fire Department requested a full-time EMT at $48,816 while the Police Department requested a full-time officer at a salary of $48,630, as well as $13,251 to make an officer a sergeant.
The two boards previously agreed not to fund an increase for a circulation librarian and a janitor at the animal control facility.
Police Chief David Ricardi said hiring an additional officer would decrease the overtime budget. The budget is $91,000 but Ricardi has requested additional funds each year, including $25,000 this year. He said coverage is often an issue.
“If I have four people on and one is out sick and one is on vacation, the sergeant is on patrol,” Ricardi said, adding that it affects officer development. “If I want to send officers to a training, I have to cover the shift.”
Selectwoman Tracy Cesan and Selectman Joseph Deedy asked about the savings in overtime an additional officer would bring.
RICHARD ANDERSON
Ricardi said he would be able to keep overtime to the $91,000 budgeted with an additional officer.m
“So we’d be spending $45,000 plus benefits and only saving $25,000?” said Cesan, adding that the school resource officer could be utilized to cover shifts in the summer.
Deedy asked Fire Chief Richard Anderson how one EMT would help the department.
Anderson said it would give relief to volunteers.
The positions were all included in the budget, which would bring the tax rate to $17.59 per thousand dollars. Deedy said he would not approve any new salaries.
“I’m not about raising the tax rate, so I’m against all three positions,” he said.
The two boards agreed to cut all new positions and Ricardi was asked to closely monitor overtime and come back next year.
Other cuts were made, bringing the tax rate down to $17.52.
