3 Percent Raise Is Below Union Rate––

First Selectman And Town Clerk Salaries Set By Council

By Dottie Evans

The Legislative Council held a special meeting Thursday, May 29, to set the salaries for the first selectman and the town clerk.

Both are elected offices and both the selectman and the town clerk salaries will be effective at the beginning of the next administrative year, December 1, 2003.

The town clerk’s salary is set for each administrative year and the first selectman’s salary is set for two years, at the end of an elected term of office. The selectman’s salary cannot be changed during term so any salary increases would take effect December 1, 2003 or December 1, 2005.

The first selectman currently earns a salary of $82,750 and the town clerk’s salary is $53,715.

Both positions were given a 3.0 percent increase by the Legislative Council May 29, despite the fact that current union rates for other town employees are 3.25 to 3.50 percent. The raise brings the salary of the first selectman to $85,232 and the town clerk to $55,326.

The dilemma facing the council was the desire to reward officials who have performed well in their positions, while still holding the line on pay increases to set an example for upcoming union negotiations.

Town Financial Director Ben Spragg told council members there was already enough money in the town’s salary adjustment account to cover the raises, so funding was not an issue.

But there was some discussion as to whether –– during a year when it took three tries to pass a budget –– raises of any kind were in order.

Rewarding Excellence Or Setting An Example

Council member Joe Borst opened the discussion by moving to defer salary increases to the next cycle due to “current economic times.”

Member Will Rodgers countered by speaking in favor of a raise for the first selectman position, granting the fact that First Selectman Herb Rosenthal might or might not be returning to office in December to see the benefit of it.

“He has shown admirable leadership in terms of getting the town departments to hold their budgets down,” Mr Rodgers said, alluding to the fact that even before cuts were made by the Board of Finance and the Legislative Council, the 2003–2004 General Government budget proposal was down $837,707 or 2.7 percent from the previous year.

Council member Francis Pennarola agreed and commented also that Town Clerk Cindy Simon had performed well this year, especially during a difficult budget cycle when there were three referenda.

“That office is a moneymaker anyway,” noted Mr Pennarola.

With the increase in real estate conveyance taxes and the increase in general activity at the town clerk’s office regarding filing of land records, issuance of dog, hunting, fishing, and marriage licenses, revenues have been on the increase.

Other council members advocated a more frugal approach of not giving raises at this time, or at least not giving the standard union rate of 3.25 to 3.50 percent, primarily to set the example when townwide union negotiations were about to begin.

“The union negotiations are going to be tough. We’re asking the Board of Education to be tough. If we set the example, maybe they’ll take it as a clue,” suggested council member Mike Iassogna.

Council member Peggy Baiad did not agree.

“It’s not fair to single out these two people when the unions are getting 3.50 percent,” she said.

Joe DiCandido observed that although “raises should equal productivity gains, this sets the precedent for further union negotiations.”

Member Bill Meyer questioned the first selectmen about whether there were any perks or “fringe benefits” that came with the office, such as a car or an expense account.

Mr Rosenthal replied that like all town employees, he had the use of a town car for town business, and yes, he did have an expense account but that the amount was limited to $2,300.

Then Mr Meyer said he thought a selectman of “high caliber” should get a raise.

Attempting to bring the matter to a vote, council member Joe Borst moved that the first selectman’s salary should stay as it is with no raise for the next two years, but there was no second.

Then Mr Iassogna suggested it be frozen at the current rate $82,750 through the first year of the two-year election period, December 2003 to December 2004, and then raised by three percent from December 2004 to December 2005.

“That’s a good compromise,” commented council member Amy Dent, adding, “it recognizes that conditions are difficult right now and negotiations are coming up. If there is arbitration, it has to have some effect. They’ll think about it.”

Mr Iassogna mentioned that “a lot of companies have frozen salaries for one year.”

When the compromise motion went to a vote, however, it was defeated 7-3.

Then council member Brian White suggested that both the town clerk and selectman’s salaries be raised 3.0 percent with the selectman’s raise occurring over the two-year term, from December 2003 to December 2005.

 This amount would reflect parity at both positions, yet it would be slightly below the standard union rate.

“Hopefully, the message will be interpreted by the other bodies in this town and they will follow suit,” Mr White said.

That motion passed 8-2 with Mr Iassogna and Mr Borst voting against the motion.

Council members Baiad, Dent, DiCandido, Tim Holian, Meyer, Pennarola, Rodgers and White voted in favor. Council chairman Don Studley and member Joe Hemingway were absent.