Matters involving money are often tense. Add in pressure from an impending municipal budget season and consternation over a couple town employee raises well above the average 2.5 percent that municipal workers usually anticipate, and it might even start resembling the early rumblings of a bar brawl. Now you have an idea of how the January 15 Marion Finance Committee unfolded.
It was Town House versus FinCom over two Reserve Fund transfer requests and the subject of whether the items to be funded – a 5.4 percent raise for the town administrator and an 8.8 percent raise for the fire chief – needed to be funded that evening.
Selectman Jon Waterman asked the committee, since the employment contracts have been signed with both gentlemen, why not approve the Reserve Fund transfers now?
“There’s a good reason why not, actually,” said Finance Committee member Alan Minard. “It ties the money up, Jon. In the case of [Town Administrator Paul Dawson], it’s not going to be necessary.”
Finance Director Judy Mooney disagreed, saying that unless the salary increases are funded soon, “I think the selectmen are gonna be in a tough situation come March.”
Dawson is set to retire as town administrator in March of this year.
“Then do it in March,” said Minard.
“You’re gonna have to do it at some point; a Reserve Fund transfer has to be made,” said Mooney. “These are salary things – keep that in mind.”
“The Town’s legally bound to pay it,” added Waterman.
“And we are gonna pay it,” said Minard. “Are we gonna run out of money before he retires?”
This brought the discussion towards talk of reactivating the Town’s Personnel Committee, a dialog led by Finance Committee Chairman Peter Winters.
Waterman said what the Town really needs is someone part time to handle human resources matters, which he added Rochester might be interested in sharing.
Minard mentioned it should be someone who could “scream bloody murder” at the size of Dawson’s pay raise.
Waterman said the raises were negotiated “under another Board of Selectmen,” later adding, “because they were stepping down and they did that.”
Finance Committee member Margie Baldwin said the FinCom is trying to “make a statement” by delaying the Reserve Fund transfers, “and I think we’ve made the statement and we’ve been heard.”
Perhaps, Minard added, the committee should appear before the selectmen so that statement could be broadcasted on television.
“The Selectboard can give anyone they want a raise, but with a personnel committee, we don’t end up with raises that are off the chart.” “Giveaways,” he called them.
“Both Paul and Judy are both uncomfortable that those transfers haven’t been made,” Waterman told the FinCom.
“And I say tough,” said Minard. “In the case of the town administrator, it is not necessary at this point. The fire chief, it is.”
Although Fire Chief Brian Jackvony has been getting paid his newly negotiated rate, no one could verify during the meeting if Dawson had been collecting his pay raise.
When asked what the argument was for not issuing the transfer for Dawson’s salary increase, Minard simply stated, “It’s not necessary. It just ties up $8,000 or whatever it is.”
The Reserve Fund is there for precisely what is stated in its name – for a reserve should unexpected costs arise whether in or outside the budget.
“We almost ran out of money last year,” Winters said. “We were shuffling at the end.”
The committee took a vote on whether it would take a vote that evening to make the transfers. Still following? FinCom member Karen Kevelson wasn’t.
“I’m just confused,” said Kevelson after a vote that appeared to support taking a vote.
“That’s because we don’t have a proper process for this,” said Baldwin.
“If you work for a town, you shouldn’t expect more than a two-and-a-half-percent raise unless there’s a change in your duties or responsibilities,” Winters asserted.
As one of those who “work for a town,” Mooney didn’t like where Winters went in the conversation.
“You know what, Peter? I do work really hard. And when you make those comments, you’re making it about me, too.”
Mooney kept going.
“I bust my ass off for this town, and to hear you talk like that, you stereotype us all. I bust my butt … and you’ve done pretty well by me.”
Mooney said for two unspecified years she didn’t get that 2.5 percent raise, “And I never said anything.
“You know what? I’m taking it personal (sic) because I’ve been here for 15 years and your bond rating has gone from a double A to a triple A.”
Baldwin tried to convince Mooney that the committee did in fact appreciate Mooney and that she should not take any of Winters’ comments personally, but Mooney had more to say.
“I know how you guys feel about my raise. I get that you could’ve negotiated better, but trust me when I tell you, you know what? The market out there is pretty good,” Mooney suggested, “so go ahead and make your comments, but you might lose some good people, too.”
Mooney said the Town’s undertaking to establish a wage classification and updated job descriptions could put some perspective on things, and then defended Dawson and his role in sitting in on contract negotiations.
Things settled and the FinCom voted in support of the Reserve Fund transfer for the fire chief’s pay raise, but voted to delay the one for Dawson’s.
After the meeting was adjourned, Winters apologized to Mooney and asked her to understand his frustration and not to take his comments personally.
“You’re one of the good guys,” Winters told her, and the group shared a few laughs as the contention subsided, concluding with FinCom member Jay Pateakos’ affable assessment, “Judy, he’s just a (bleep).”
The next meeting of the Marion Finance Committee is scheduled for January 29 at 6:00 pm at the Atlantis Drive building. Starting in February, the committee will begin meeting weekly through budget season.
Marion Finance Committee
By Jean Perry