Finance Committee Meeting

Executive Session Minutes – July 11, 2011

Town Hall, Lower Level Hearing Room, 8:00 P.M.

Members Present:  William Brack, Brian Fitzgerald, Gordon Gladstone, Charles

                               Goodman, Joel Lessard, Ira Miller, Jacqueline Modiste, Laura Nelson

                               (Hamilton)

                Absent:   Arnold Cohen, Josh Kiernan, Alexander Korin

1. Joel Lessard discussed employee contracts from the SMEA group that were made available for reviewing by the Finance Committee and to make recommendations to the Selectmen in Executive Session.  There were 31 positions.  The MP group had 30 positions.  He asked for a comparison of wages and groups, but they didn’t have a consolidated group.  Identical in terms of steps and almost identical for other benefits.  It would be good to have a comparative table.

2. There was a suggestion to do a total cost for collective bargaining.  What is fully loaded cost of employee with benefits?

3. There was discussion on what the committee was going to present, what the procedures would be.

4. At one bargaining session for the Library, the negotiators were Ben Puritz as the representative of the Selectmen, Town Counsel, Library Director, and a lawyer for the union or a representative.

5. There were suggestions to have a professional negotiator and labor counsel.

6. There was a suggestion to set up a spread sheet with base salary, overtime, and every type of benefit.

7. There was a suggestion to do a wage study and look at market and comparable towns.

8. There was discussion on private vs. public employees and what wages were for the same position.  Also discussion on steps as an incentive to keep employees.  There was information that there is a merit program, goals, and a review at the end of the year.

9. There was discussion regarding sustainability of the town and the budget; projected revenue estimates out.  Question of expense estimates.

10. There was a suggestion that Finance Committee goal is to slow increase in cost; hold costs steady.

11. There was a suggestion to have a point list of items from the Selectmen needed to process contracts.

12. A question was raised:  What is collective bargaining and what is good faith?

13. The Massachusetts Association of Municipal Finance Committees, in October, is having the annual meeting of Town Finance Committees.  There will be a workshop with a session with an attorney on collective bargaining.

14. There was a suggestion to get data and that information used during the collective bargaining process.  A question was raised:  What is risk if town said not going to increase salaries.  Is there 25% or 50% chance that employees would leave?  What is the risk?

15. There was a suggestion to hire a consultant to do the job right, but it would be very costly.

16. Laura Nelson left the meeting at 9:25 p.m.

17. Bill Brack and Brian Fitzgerald will draft an e-mail to the Selectmen.  We need the census data for analysis of the contracts and any extreme market data either municipal or private that they’ve looked at.

18. Joel Lessard will send note to Personnel Board regarding reviewing evaluations, what kind of data, and how do they make determination.

19. There was a suggestion for a few Finance Committee members to meet with the Selectmen to get their thoughts before doing an analysis; to be on the agenda of a meeting.

20. There was a suggestion to draft a memo from the Finance Committee to the Selectmen in preparation of budgeting process.  Analysis of town salary expense.

21. It was MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.

22. VOTED:  7-0-0.

23. The Executive Session adjourned at 9:45 p.m.