ROYALSTON — The Selectboard continued its review of proposed departmental budgets for FY21 during its meeting last week. Keith Newton, who serves as the town’s fire chief and public works director, brought budgets for both departments to the board.
Board Chair Deb D’Amico noticed immediately that the proposed DPW budget included a more-than 50 percent increase in annual pay for the department’s clerk, Marie Mello, from the current $12,300 to just over $18,400. The increase was included to reflect the amount of time Mello will be spending on sewer department issues – estimated at about seven hours per week – now that the town’s treatment plant falls under the jurisdiction of the Selectboard and the DPW.
“I would propose that that seven hours not be included in the DPW budget,” said D’Amico, “but somehow placed under sewer. I don’t know if that would come out of the operating budget — I don’t think it would come out of maintenance; I think that’s operations.”
Newton suggested the board check with Town Accountant Lori Bolasevich.
“I think you need ask her for guidance,” he said. “I think she’s the one who could give us a better explanation. I don’t think she wanted Marie on two different ledgers.”
Board member Roland Hamel didn’t see a need for a change.
“Marie works for the Department of Public Works,” he said emphatically. “We put the wastewater treatment plant in the Department of Public Works, where it belongs. So, she works for DPW; she should get paid by DPW. Whether she’s dealing with highways, snow and ice, sewer, somebody mowing the common — she’s administration for DPW and she should be under that umbrella.”
“I buy that,” said board member Chris Long. “I think that’s a very good point.”
Overall, Newton is seeking an increase in the public works budget of 4.2 percent, from the current of about $669,600 to nearly $698,000 for FY21. The proposal includes an increase of 2.5 percent in wages, including for summer help, and 2 percent for the summer overtime line. He’s also proposing a hike of just over 5 percent in the director’s salary, from just over $76,000 to $80,000 in the next fiscal year.
The only other significant increase would be in the highway maintenance account, which would jump from $36,000 to $40,000, an increase of around 11 percent.
For the Fire Department, Newton is proposing an across-the-board increase in pay for both the chief and firefighters. That would result in a total hike of just under $1,200 in wages. There are now increases proposed in any other of the department’s budget lines. The total FY21 spending package tops out at $92,026.
The board will vote on its final budget recommendations for the Annual Town Meeting at a later date.
Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com