Board of Selectmen Meeting, Sept 29, 2005
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TOWN OF MOUNT DESERT, MAINE
Thursday September 29, 2005
A meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held this date in the Meeting Room at the Town Office, Northeast Harbor, Maine.
Those present included: Chairman Rick Savage, Selectmen Kathy Branch, Ernest Coombs; Town Manager Michael MacDonald; Police Chief James Willis, Code Enforcement Officer Kimberly Keene, Recording Secretary Ellen Kappes and some staff members.
Call to order.
Chairman Savage called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.
VI. New Business
A.~~~~~~Annual Meeting with Town employees.
Town Manager MacDonald said the purpose of the meeting was to talk about benefits and conditions of employment. He said the Town has enlisted Ellen Brawley to help with the personnel section of the budget, developing the average rate increase of 4% for non union employees. There are no changes in the health insurance benefits. A new personnel policy is being developed. Some changes include the way overtime hours are computed, the definition of what counts as hours of work, and a request for an additional holiday on Patriots Day.
Police Chief Willis said nearly every section that deals with compensation and overtime has “except for the police department” added to it because of the difference in the law enforcement work week.
Responding to Chairman Savage, Town Manager MacDonald said he expects to have a clean copy of the policy ready for department heads by Wednesday of next week and to have the policy completed by the first of the year. Also, Finance Director Hamor holds monthly meetings with the office staff in an effort to improve communication and review plans. The answer as to whether or not communication is better would have to come from those who were dissatisfied last year. No one responded to that comment.
Police Chief Willis said pay issues that were raised last year are being addressed.
Noting that last year more people attended the meeting, Town Manager MacDonald said this was an opportunity for employees to bring up problems.
Police Chief Willis asked if there were going to be any changes in health insurance benefits this year. Selectman Coombs said the Town has a contract until 2008.
Town Manager MacDonald asked each person if he or she had any problems. No one did.
Chairman Savage asked if the new personnel policy would be a good working document. Town Manager MacDonald said 9 departments and he had been discussing it and had sent the old policy to the Town’s attorneys who gave suggestions for improvement. One section under consideration involved determination of medical leave. He said the new policy would be more adaptable and more comprehensive.
Considerable discussion followed Town Manager MacDonald’s question about whether or not Selectmen wished to continue the annual dialogue with employees and Chairman Savage’s answer that the Board would be happy to meet at the request of the employees. Town Manager MacDonald wanted to know if meetings would occur if conditions warranted. Officer John Wardwell thought one annual meeting would be easier than multiple meetings during the year. Town Manager MacDonald said he knew of no other town that holds such annual meetings. He will raise the question at the department heads’ next meeting and bring their recommendation to Selectmen.
At 4:57, Selectman Coombs moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Selectman Branch.
The vote was unanimous in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeffrey Smith
Secretary
Adjournment. ~The next regularly scheduled meeting is Monday, October 3, 2005 at 6:30 P.M. in the Meeting Room, Town Office, Northeast Harbor.
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