Town of Princeton, Mass.
BOARD OF SELECTMEN --- December 17, 2012
The meeting was called to order at 5: PM in the Town Hall Annex. Present were Chairman Edith Morgan, Stan Moss, and Town Administrator John Lebeaux. Neil Sulmasy arrived at 5:20 PM
FY13 Warrant #12 -- The Board reviewed and signed the FY’13 #12 payroll and vendor warrants from the Treasurer and Accountant.
Minutes -- Selectmen (2) voted all in favor to approve regular meeting minutes from Nov. 19.
5:18 PM -- Consultant Don Jacobs – The Personnel Board worked with Don Jacobs of DIJ Management Consultant Services of Holden to craft a Classification & Compensation Study and Mr. Jacobs presented a summary to the selectmen. He praised the Personnel Board and town administrator for being committed and effective. John Lebeaux explained that a plan completed in 2008 was never implemented, and that it’s necessary because an employer should be able to explain the rationale behind the pay rate for any particular employee.
Mr. Jacobs stressed several points. He said the issue of handling compensation consistently is more about communication than about dollars, and that implementing a plan that is a win/win may mean changing the culture. In the past, a plan was adopted but not actually implemented because the culture didn’t change. Also important, he noted, was deciding how you pay a position and then deciding how you pay an individual—these are two different things, and he described criteria and circumstances for each. He reported that Princeton is paying its staff, overall, at competitive rates—inadvertently, as it were. To maintain competitive salaries, he outlined a chart based on the midpoint in each salary grade that stays at market rate. Then, the lowest salary in that grade is
calculated at 80 percent of the midpoint and the highest one at 60 percent more than the lowest.
Stan M. said that he liked the presentation and plan being proposed, and had not liked the 2008 plan because it included automatic pay raises. Mr. Jacobs showed how the current plan was different from the 2008 plan and raises based on merit and other factors. It was noted that a vote by selectmen to adopt this plan needed to be done early in January. The board may act on it at their next meeting on Jan. 2.
6:25 PM -- Conservation restriction signed -- Jeff Richards and John Mirick came in for Princeton Land Trust to explain a conservation restriction to go on land owned by Frank Patrone as part of the Four Corners preservation project. The CR protects a 7.4 acre portion of a larger lot and fronts on Old Colony Road just west of Gates Road. The board voted all in favor to accept the deed rider and they signed it.
Enrollment Study Committee -- Board discussed re-convening the Enrollment Study Committee which can work with the new acting superintendent of WRSD. John will contact committee members and ask that they connect with Supt. Anthony Gasbarro.
6:35 PM -- Fire Department Update The search committee for a new fire chief may need new members and they may be charged with considering alternatives. It was noted that the Public Safety Committee had done such an analysis on alternatives and concluded that the town really needed a paramedic in town on weekdays, and ideally that person would be a FT fire chief. John L. stated that he would find out if anyone who had served on the Public Safety Committee or Search Committee would be interested in tackling the task again.
6:40 PM License Renewals – the board voted all in favor to sign a number of annual license renewals, including four business licenses and eight liquor licenses.
6:45 PM -- Bicycle Race March 31 – As road commissioners, the BOS must approve use of town roads for a bicycle race, and an event slated for march 31, 2013 submitted a proposal. The collegiate race is called MIT X-Pot 2013, and sponsors have already agreed to paying police detail. The selectmen reviewed a description and map of the course, and voted all in favor to approve the event, subject to approval by the police chief.
Cemetery Lot Sale The board voted all in favor to approve the sale of two cemetery lots in North Cemetery to Ann Desmarais, and signed the deed.
Rural 11 Prioritization Project -- The Central Mass. Regional Planning Commission is asking for support for the Rural 11 phase of a DLTA (District Location Technical Assistance) 2013 request for Resources. The board voted all in favor to authorize the chair to sign a support letter.
WRSD joint meeting – The BOS received a message that a joint meeting with selectmen and the School Committee’s ad hoc Subcommittee for the Regional Agreementwas slated for Feb. 5 at Thomas Prince School. Stan voiced unease with the process, as he wanted the BOS to host the meeting. The board agreed to hold off on a commitment to a Feb. 5 date and invite the town’s representatives on the school committee to come into the BOS meeting on Jan. 14, in an initial effort to discuss the regional agreement. It was noted that Wachusett Regional is the only regional system in the state that limits decisions and changes to the agreement to the school committee—without including town officials.
Change BOS meeting start time -- After a request from Neil S., board voted all in favor to change the next meeting date to 6 PM and possibly go forward with that meeting time, as Neil’s work schedule makes a 5 PM time difficult.
7:12 PM Executive Session -- Personnel matters Stan made motion to enter into Executive Session pursuant to MGL Chapter 30, Section 21(2), to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-union personnel and to not reconvene into open session. Neil seconded the motion. Stan voted yes, Neil voted yes and Edith voted yes in a roll call vote.
Respectfully submitted, Marie Auger, administrative assistant
Referenced Documents:
MIT Bike Race form/map
Classification & Compensation Study, Charts & Summary
CMRPC DLTA 2013 prioritization
Conservation Restriction on Patrone land
Marie Auger
Administrative Assistant
Planning Department
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