Haddad Seeks More Funds To Balance Budget Passed At Spring Town Meeting[with video]

The joint Finance Committee and Selectmen public hearing on the Fall Town Meeting warrant met with its first controversy as discussion focused on Article 2. The article seeks to amend the FY2014 budget, passed in spring, by asking for more funds. Although money articles are usually reserved for voter action at the annual spring town meeting, Town Manager Mark Haddad is seeking monies to make 'necessary changes' to balance the 2014 budget.

Article 2 covers several requests, among them $80K for the Police Department, down from the original request of $125K. Every year for the past several years, the Police Dept. has run short as a result of overtime expenses. This goes back to budget cuts in past police budgets, and every year there is a request to reinstate the funds.

Haddad told the joint meeting that the department plans to do an in-depth analysis showing overtime hours used. He said that any additional changes would be handled at Town Meeting in spring.

He reminded officials that the department was reduced by one, 16-hour per week position several years ago and that this administrative support was needed. He said he could "fill in" with someone that is retiring from the treasurer's office.

This prompted Selectman Jack Petropoulos to ask if the job would be posted, and Haddad replied that it had to go to the union.

Also included in Article 2 is a proposal to increase one of two, part-time Assistant Town Clerk positions by one hour - from 19 hours per week to 20 hours in order to give the employee parity with the other part-time, 20-hour employee that includes benefits of vacation pay, sick days, and medical coverage.

Prager addressed the request by advising that the FinCom had not yet taken a position, but he stressed that the employee accepted the position with the understanding that it did not have benefits.

With two, part-time positions eligible for benefits, Prager suggested to Town Clerk Michael Bouchard that he combine the two positions into one 40-hour position, noting that the cost to the town for two benefits packages was high. "It doesn't make sense to taxpayers to pay for two benefit packages. If people need them, they can apply for other jobs in town...A 39 or 40-hour per week position is split between two people, then we pass the burden to the town for two benefit packages."

Selectman Peter Cunningham commented, "You can look at this with your head, or you can look at it with your heart."

Town Clerk Mike Bouchard said, "Jay is right, but there is an advantage to having two people there at election time. The issue is flexibility for the office and its fairness to the two individuals."

Selectman Jack Petropoulos agreed with Prager. "This is a substantial increase in cost to the taxpayer and there is no incremental benefit." He added, "I would love to give benefits to everybody but this is about saving taxpayers' money."

Petropoulos also objected to putting all financial requests into one article, preferring that they be voted on separately.

According to Haddad, the cost for the town is $16K for a family health plan and $5K for an individual health plan. He added, "I am not making a recommendation with my heart, but it is not right in that office."

Prager noted, "This has been simmering for several years. The employee could have been offered jobs with benefits. The Town Clerk's office has been running well." He said that the Town Clerk could eliminate the 20-hour job and make both jobs 19 hours. "This is equity and it will not cost the town anything...The only person ultimately hurt is the taxpayer." Haddad replied, "Let the taxpayer decide."

On the heels of this discussion, Groton Public Library trustee Mark Gerath made a plea for increasing the hours of the Young Adult Librarian from 19 hours a week to 20 hours and also to re-grade the position from a Grade 7 to a Grade 8 based on peers with similar credentials. He said that the program was increasing and he expected the hours to go up, noting that they were reconfiguring the space at the Library to expand the Young Library area. "We want to invest in this," Gerath said.

Petropoulos replied, "I am concerned that because this person has done a wonderful job doesn't justify an increase. Don't make reward an argument for this."

Gerath responded, "It is really about retention of good employees. The value to the taxpayer is the feedback from the schools and the police." He cited a staff member who recently left the GPL because of lack of benefits for the part-time job.

Selectman Anna Eliot noted, "I take it that we are not going to hire anyone for 19 hours again...Making an issue of one hour on Town Meeting floor is disgraceful."