Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes - February 4, 1998
Selectmen Present: Chairman Charles Flynn, Judy Murdoch, Cathy Kuchinski, Daniel Webster, Peter Jones and Executive Secretary, Joseph Nugent.
I. Chairman Flynn called the meeting to order at 7:30p.m.. The first item of business is to vote a one day liquor license - Lisa P. Rose for a surprise birthday party at Camp Kiwanee on March 7, 1998 at 7:00p.m.-12:30a.m. Motion to grant the one day liquor license by Kuchinski, second by Murdoch. 5-0 Vote.
II. Chief King to discuss Police Budget:
A. Communications Center- $4,000 increase which represents contractual obligations. Expenses stayed level. All in all there is a decrease of $14,483.
B. Police Department - $95,593 increase over last year with the services level funded. He plugged in .031 for contractual increase. One grant expires in July $27,350 for two officers hired in July (Towns Share). Holiday pay has increased for contract as well as the training stipend and the overtime line. There was some discussion over an increase in court time, sick time.
King also brought to the Boards attention the fact that Hanson has received another COPS Grant for $150,000. He suggests that the Town accept the grant so as not to be taken off of the federal grant list. What he also suggested is that the Town wait to draw on the grant in order to save some money. Motion by Jones to accept the COPS Grant for $150,000 but hold off on hiring new Officers until it is recommended and voted on by the Board of Selectmen, Second by Webster. 5-0 Vote.
III. Staffing Increases
A. Planning Board - Chairman Phil Lindquist and Planner Noreen O’Toole represented the planning board to discuss a request for 3 extra hours for the Clerical Position in order to keep up with the office work. They discussed growth going on in the entire region. Jones requested the Planning Board follow up on their last increase in Clerical Staffing when at the Special Town Meeting the Board of Selectmen supported an extra 18 hours for the Administrative Assistant until July with the stipulation that they report to the Selectmen with the new progress they have made. O’Toole agreed to supply the Board with this information in 2 weeks. There was some discussion regarding the growth of the Town and the Local Initiative Policy the Town has.
B. Building Inspector, Samuel Germaine - Germaine is requesting full time status for the Clerical position in the Building Department. It is very busy in the department and she is working 27.5 hours a week which he believes is simply not enough. He is requesting that she work 35 hours per week. At present there isn’t even vacation coverage for that position. The Board thanked Mr. Germaine for coming.
C. Library Director, Jackie Rafferty and Library Trustee Arlene Finn. - Rafferty discussed a few aspects of the library: (1) The new homework center is a tremendous success but requires a lot of supervision to keep it open. (2) The Hanson Public Library is the first library to implement the Local Area Network.
The Library is in need of a Reference Librarian. The Reference Librarian could help with the Homework Center and the increasing need for help on the computers in the library. Many other surrounding Towns already have a Reference Librarian in place. The Hanson Public Library had wanted to apply for a grant recently but were unable because in order to qualify for this grant the Library must have a Reference Librarian. Rafferty also explained that she is looking to add an extra 20 hours for the existing staffing. Kuchinski asked if Media One has wired the library with the Fiber Optic Cable. Rafferty- yes it has and it should be up and running soon. Jones asked if the library is aware of the Senior Rebate program where seniors will work in exchange for a tax rebate.
Arlene Finn wanted to explain that the Reference Librarian has always been in the plan, this is not a frivolous request it is really needed. Flynn asked what the estimated cost of the reference librarian would be. Rafferty- $29,232 ( this is a full time professional position requiring a masters degree). Flynn also commented that the Board does not look at any of the requests as frivolous they just need to gather all of the information and look at what resources are available. The Board thanked Arlene Finn and Jackie Rafferty for coming this evening.
D. Board of Health - Ed Gronlund, Board Member and Health Agent Vincent Flaherty- They are requesting that the Health Agent be made a Full time position with an increase in salary. Gronlund explained that the Agent is unable to do the job in the 25 hours he is currently working. With the Title V regulations it takes a lot longer to do many inspections. Kuchinski asked if they were asking for secretarial increases as well. No they are not at this time. Webster asked when the Board of Health realized that they needed more time ? Gronlund- about 2 years ago. Flynn asked if they could submit some data on this. Vin explained that inspections take varying amounts of time some percs take 2 days some just a few minutes. It is a costly
and timely process. Murdoch asked what the average amount of time is for an inspection. Flaherty believes it is about a day.
The Board thanked Gronlund and Flaherty for their presentation.
E. Senior Center- Kathy Dyer, Director of Elder Affairs discussed the request for a new position. She would like to see the Senior Center open on Saturdays and also would like to implement a triad program along with the Police Department which would call the housebound seniors in Town and check on them everyday. The new position would input data into this system also.
Dyer requested that the Selectmen stress at their meetings that people fill out their Census forms for the year 2000, the Grants are based on these figures.
Dyer explained her request for a new van to be used by the Library and the Senior Center. This van would be a 12-13 passenger van to be used for the outreach program in the library and would be driven by volunteer drivers.
F. Fire Department - Peter Huska, Fire Chief. Increase of 1 1/2 positions a year for 3 years. One would be full time in July the other would begin January 1st. The Budget was submitted with level funded SERVICES. There are some increases in expenses. There are presently 8 Firefighters and 4 Lieutenants. This additional staffing should decrease the amount of overtime tremendously.
Huska handed the Board a booklet with the following pages:
1. Staffing History
2. Hiring Profile
3. Proposed Employee Profile
4. Personnel Deployment proposed 7/1/98
5. Personnel Deployment proposed 1/1/99
6. Personnel Deployment proposed 7/1/99
7. Personnel Deployment proposed 1/1/00
8. Personnel Deployment proposed 7/1/00
9. Personnel Deployment proposed 1/1/01
10. Personnel Deployment proposed 7/1/01
Discussion regarding overtime- The days are the times when it is hard to get people in on call back. We are still in a position where a routine call generates overtime for lack of people. We save money by hiring people. Recall hours and dollars have gone down with the hiring of new people. Jim Tuffo, Finance Committee asked if there has been a savings, Huska said not yet we are somewhere in the middle. Tuffo asked if Huska could graph the overtime Huska agreed to prepare a graph.
Nugent explained to the Board that they will need to look at our priorities where we can spend the money and explain to all the departments the importance of this. We do not want to add people on one year and then be forced to lay off the next year.
Kuchinski is concerned with the fact that Huska is due to retire and will need a competent replacement. Huska explained that is factored into this plan to begin to groom someone for the next couple of years for this position. Jones had 2 questions (1) Is there a breakdown of incident responses: Huska explained they breakdown to many different areas such as: ambulance, fire, hazardous materials, weather calls, trees, searches etc.
(2) Can you give us a breakdown on call firefighters with man-hours by day of the week?
Webster inquired about the Recall Dollars graph and why is the overtime all over the place? This lead to much discussion over the man-hours and different types of calls that come in. Webster suggested that maybe we hire 2 firefighters now and closely monitor the overtime instead of committing to 3 years and six men. Jones explained that there is a level of risk that you take by keeping less firefighters on. You cannot staff at the highest level. Nugent reiterated that it is difficult to determine. The Board thanked Chief Huska for coming and explaining this budget proposal.
IV. Selectmen Jones requested an Executive Session under Item 3 for contract negotiations. Motion by Murdoch, second by Webster. Roll call vote: Murdoch,aye; Kuchinski, aye; Webster, aye; Jones, aye; Flynn, aye. 5-0 Vote.
V. The Board entered into Open Session at 11:00 p.m. to announce that no votes were taken under executive session. Motion to adjourn by Kuchinski, second by Murdoch. 5-0 Vote. Meeting adjourned at 11:04 p.m.
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