Residents vote at Special Town Meeting in Blandford Tuesday. (Photo by Amy Porter)
BLANDFORD – A Special Town Meeting in Blandford on Tuesday yielded raises for the Highway Department supervisor and laborers.
Following a unanimous agreement on end of year transfers, several articles requesting budget adjustments for FY18 were introduced. Article 7 requested a transfer of $4,840 from Free Cash for Ambulance Services for FY18. An explanation was given that an error in the Town Meeting warrant on May 1 shortchanged the amount for Ambulance Services, and the town voted at the end of that meeting to take $5,000 from the Capital account to cover the shortfall.
Resident Tony van Werkhooven questioned transferring the money from Free Cash which has not been certified. Moderator David B. Hopson responded that the transfer would be from FY17 certified Free Cash, available for the town to use until July 15. The motion carried unanimously.
Article 8 called for the transfer of $8,400 for Highway salaries, as required by the collective bargaining agreement. During discussion, a resident asked whether they had not voted on the Highway salaries at the Town Meeting.
Selectman Bill Levakis said the town was still in union negotiations at the time, and when the contract had finished, some employees had moved into different categories.
Former selectman Andy Montanaro said the contract had been initially negotiated in April, and asked which employees had changed categories.
Town administrator Angeline Ellison said since it was the third year of the contract, it was open for re-negotiation, and two employees had shifted to higher categories due to more years of experience.
“Two individuals went up $2 an hour,” added Eric McVey of the Finance Committee.
When asked how employees hired a year and a half ago could have gained more than seven years of experience, Levakis said they were asked to bring in documentation of prior experience.
Town clerk Laurie Boucher pointed out that due to the varied experience of personnel in the Highway Department, the department will be saving money in outsourcing.
Montanaro questioned whether experience not specific to the highway and maintenance job was relevant. The question was then moved and carried.
Article 9 requested a transfer of $8,400 from available funds for an increase in the salary of the Highway superintendent. This article was the only one of the meeting not recommended by the Finance Committee, although it was recommended by the Board of Selectmen.
“Since we have a union, we have to abide by our contract. But we cannot forget about our superintendent,” said Levakis in introducing the article. He said he had a sheet of comparative salaries of highway superintendents in the area, and Blandford’s hadn’t been compensated correctly.
“We can’t let union employees catch up with him. It’s not fair – he runs the whole show,” Levakis added, referring to current superintendent Brad Curry.
McVey said he could be swayed on the topic, but the Finance Committee hadn’t recommended the increase because the union had accepted its contract and the superintendent had accepted his contract.
Christian Cammisa of Russell was hired as full-time Highway laborer in Blandford. (Photo by Amy Porter)
“The Board of Selectmen has buyer’s remorse. I’ve been in a situation where employees made twice as much as I did,” McVey said. He also said he would like to see a raise structure for the superintendent based on accomplishments.
Board of Selectmen chair Adam Dolby said the intent of putting the salary increase in the warrant was to be able to have the option of an increase for the superintendent during negotiations.
Another resident noted that the superintendent had a lot of experience, and asked whether the town would want to seek a new one.
Montanaro said the town does not have a history of pay for performance increases, but rather across the board increases. He said the raise proposed was an 18-20% increase, which would mean every employee should get the same increase. Resident Bryan Young asked whether the increase amounted to a $4.20/hour raise, which he was told was accurate.
“We’re going to reduce the amount of Reserve in FY18 by this amount. We’re trying to make a correction,” Dolby said. The question was called, and the vote for the increase carried 20-14.
Sue Streeter was appointed treasurer of Blandford at Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Article 10 asked for a transfer of $4,000 for supplementing the treasurer’s salary. Montanaro asked if there was still a vacancy in the position of treasurer, which had been filled this year by an acting treasurer. Dolby said a new person has accepted the job.
McVey said the position was supposed to be funded at $20,000 part time, but it had been underfunded in the annual budget at the Town Meeting.
Hopson said mistakes were made. He said the position of treasurer is to be funded at $17-20/hour for 20 hours per week.
“We need to be able to negotiate up to $20 per hour,” Dolby said. The question was called and passed unanimously.
During a meeting of the Board of Selectmen directly following the Special Town Meeting, two appointments were voted and filled. Christian Cammisa of Russell was hired for a full-time highway laborer position.
When asked to tell the Selectmen about himself, Cammisa said he had previously been hauling trash for 17 years in Hartford. He said he had gotten used to raccoons and rats, but when he hooked up a dumpster in the North End and a guy got out and started screaming at him, he became a little gun shy. He also said he was happy to bring down his commute from an hour to five minutes.
Sue Streeter, who has been serving as selectmen’s secretary and assistant treasurer was also appointed at the meeting as treasurer for the town of Blandford for a three-year term. The position of secretary to the Board of Selectmen will now be posted.
