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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1959-02-07-BOS-min 12 CV SELECTMEN'S MEETING I February 7, 1959 A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on Saturday morning, February 7, 1959, at 9:30 A. M. Chairman Maloney, Messrs . James , Tucker, Adams and Mrs . Morey were present . The Executive Clerk was also present . Mr. James J Carroll, Town Clerk and Treasurer, met with the Board to discuss budgets for 1959. The Chairman explained that the Board of Selectmen has attempted to hold the line on salaries in most of the departments . If there is some merit to an increase, that is the type of increase the Board wouldconsider rather than just a blanket increase . Mr. Carroll said th t his biggest concern was Miss McDonough She has been with him for eighteen years. He had two new girls from Bedford and one of them left to work at Lincoln Lab for $70 a week Miss McDonough was ready to leave, but he asked her to wait until after Town Meeting He said if anyone deserved a merit increase , she does He said if his salary was increased, all right. It is just a question of how long he will be here . Mr. Carroll said he has one girl from Bedford who is not too fast but in time she will improve because she is definitely in need of work. She is trying and doing a good job He explained that a friend of Miss McDonough has been working for him. Mr. James asked what salary the new girls were re- ceiving and Mr. Carroll replied that the youngest one receives 1111 .54, and the other one $48 He said the girl from Watertown is experienced. Mr. Adams said there is provision in the budget for a fourth girl. Mrs. Morey asked if Mr Carroll had anyone else lined up for that position and he replied in the af- firmative . He said Miss McDonough works nights on registrars work. His office prepares the voting lists, sends out dog notices and makes up the poll tax list, which used to be done by the Assessors, but it has been changed by law and must be done in his office He said he is asking $80 per week for Miss McDonough effective April 1st She is now receiving $68 Mr Adams said that eventually the Town Clerk and Treasurer will be separate jobs . 12 Mr . Carroll said he thought when the time comes for him to leave , the jobs would be divided. The Chairman asked if he would be better off to have better qualified girls rather than more in numbers He said numbers would not help if the girls were not qualified Mr. Adams asked if it would be agreeable to Mr. Carroll to eliminate the extra girl and increase the rates to the other girls . Mr. Carroll said he would be satisfied. Mr Carroll retired at 10:15 A. M. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve budget as follows Department Requested Approved Town Clerk & Treasurer Personal Services $18,170.18 $15,935.00 Expenses (revised by Mr Carroll) 551.70 551.70 Mr. Palmer, Town Accountant, met with the Boa-d . The Chairman explained that the Board has decided to hold the line on all salary increases unless on merit, and it is not going along on an overall increase Mr. Palmer said he thought his two girls should receive a pay raise on merit. He said they are very capable and have improved steadily on the job, particularly Mrs Jack . He said if one girl is busy, the other can carry on her work; the jobs are interchangeable . Mr. Tucker asked how long the girls have been in the department, and Mr . Palmer replied that Mrs . Boleyn came back in 1955. She was in the department when Mr. Walker was Town Accountant and left before he did. Mrs . Jack has been in the department a little over a year. Mr. James atked if the request for an increase was based on the fact the work is done more efficiently or on the fact there is more work. Mr. Palmer replied on both He said both girls have the work under control. There is more work, but they never have to work overtime They get the work done . The bill warrant is down to Mr. Carroll on Friday and the salar warrant is down Monday morning . The Chairman asked if the girls would have anything to do with withholding and Mr. Palmer replied that it would mean just adding an extra column He said it would not have too much effect on the work load. 14 614 C 1.4 The Chairman asked if there was ever more than two girls in the department and Mr . Palmer replied not to his knowledge . Mr. James asked what would happen if Mr. Palmer was out sick for a month and he replied that there would be no problem as far as getting bills and salaries paid. He said the routine work would be carried on without any trouble . The Chairman askdd if the girls could learn how to check contracts and Mr Palmer replied in the affirmative . The Chairman asked if he wanted to say anything about himself, and Mr. Palmer said as his department work load has increased, his work has increased. Mrs . Morey asked what he received as Secretary to the Appropriation Committee , and Mr. Palmer replied that is part of the Accountant ' s job Mr. James explained that when Mr. Palmer took the position that was one of the conditions. Mrs . Morey asked if there were any other jobs for which he received compendation and Mr Palmer replied in the negative Mr. Palmer said, comparing his salary to other towns, he thinks it is low . He said the Retirement Board could vote him money but he would rather have it a vote of the Selectmen. He said he would like to have it on the Retirement Board which is not personal services, but taken out of the expenses account Mr. James said if Mr. Palmer had a choice , he would rather have the increase from the Board of Retirement and Mr. Palmer replied in the affirmative . He said there are enough funds in the account to cover it this year. Mr. James asked if the Retirement Board could ap- prove payment to Mr Palmer without any appropriation and Mr. Palmer replied in the affirmative The Chairman said he would like the Board to ap- prove it . Mr. James said he would much prefer it on the salary of Town Accountant . Mr. Palmer said the Accountant does not have to be Secretary to the Retirement Board. Mr. James said that was his point. If his additional income came from that position, there may be a possibility that it would be lost. On the other hand, if the increase were on the Accountant' s salary, it would not make any dif- ference who became Secretary to the Board. Mrs . Morey asked if the work on the Retirement Board was done during regular hours and Mr. Palmer replied not entirely. Mr. James asked how much Mr. Palmer intended to ask from the Retirement Board and he replied that he was going to legal limit of $500. 15 Mr. James asked if he would rather the $500 from the Retirement than as Town accountant . Mr. Palmer said he would like $500 . but he did not want to be criticized for receiving something from the Town that no one else was going to receive The Chairman explained that the increases were on merit and the concern of the Board. Mr . Palmer said that he would just as soon receive an increase as Accountant. Mrs . Morey asked if Mr. Palmer could do the work Mrs. Beers does on the Trustees of Public Trusts and he replied in the affirmative He said he understands that Mrs . Beers has no intention of giving it up. Mr. Tucker asked if there was more work in the office now and Mr. Palmer replied that the School De- partment has more bills and more contracts . Mr. James said that there are no more accounts but each account has more items and Mr. Palmer agreed. Mr. Tucker asked about the quality of the work and Mr. Palmer said he felt the quality of the work is much better, speaking for himself. The Chairman asked if he felt he was a better qualified Town Accountant than he was last year and Mr . Palmer replied in the affirmative . Mr. Palmer retired at 11 00 A M. I II Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve budget as follows Department Requested Approved Accounting Department Expenses $ 550.00 $ 550.00 Out-of-State Travel 100 .00 100.00 Mrs . Rich, Collector of Taxes, met with the Board The Chairman explained that the Board of Selectmen is holding the line on salaries this year unless there is some merit to the increase . Mrs. Rich said she figured a 5% increase and that is all right except for the extra girl. Last year, Mr Carroll had the extra girl from January to April. She said the committnenttthis year on excise was large and she kept Mrs. Ryder on. She worked the full month of January and has been on half a day since She is on the same basis as Mrs . Reed of the Board of Appeals She said she did not receive the real estate bills until the 9th of July and she had Mrs . Ryder full time . She also had a girl in to insert the bills in the envelopes . 16 C3 The Chairman explained that the Board had asked the Assessors not to grant any vacations until the tax bills were ready and the Board hopes the departments will cooperate so that it will not be necessary to put on extra help. Mr . Tucker asked if the amount for the extra girl was for more time and not for a higher rate Mrs. Rich replied in the affirmative . She said she would try not to use the funds for an extra Clerk but would like it available . She said it would be all right to go along with the others if the Board was not giving any overall increases . Mr. James explained that the only increases are to be merit increases. Mrs. Rich said she would go along on that basis . Mrs . Rich retired at 11:25 A. M. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve budget as follows Department Requested Approved Tax Collector Personal Services $14,496.12 $14,320.00 Expenses 2,895.00 2,895.00 Mr. Hynes, Chairman of the Cemetery Commissioners, met with the Board. The Chairman explained that the Departments have been advised that the Selectmen are not recommending a general increase this year, but if there is merit to an increase, it will be considered. Mr. Hynes said he has requested an increase of $5.00 per week for Mr. Healy who now receives $52.54. He said Mr. Healy has never received a merit increase and did not ask for the increase included in the budget . He said he is asking for an increase of $3.50 for the Clerk who now receives $29.70 for twenty hours . He ex- plained that Mr. Healy is available Saturdays, Sundays and holidays He said he is receiving a part-time salary but is available twenty-four hours a day Mr. James asked if a merit increase is considered, whether or not it would make any difference to Mr. Hynes if it was on the Superintendent' s salary or the Veterans' Agent salary and Mr . Hynes replied that he would like to see part of it at least on the Superintendent ' s salary. Mr . Hynes retired at 11:45 A M. 17 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve budget as follows : Department Requested Approved Cemetery Department Personal Services $ 4,627.83 $ 4,365.00 Wages & Expenses 30,138.20 30,138.20 The meeting adjourned at 12:00 nonn A true record, Attest xec ivevCler Select n 1 1