what do you do? Okay, I am going to call to order the town of Andover Board of Selectmen special meeting for Thursday, November 20th, 2025 at 7:02. Our first order of business is the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. Public speak. I'll start with Kaitlin.
Hi. just a couple of things. one, if any of you know anyone that might be interested in, being on the board of education, we do have an opening as of December 1st. and we will need to appoint, a Republican or non-affffiliated person. so just trying to put the word out there for anyone that may be interested in our town. and and we will give an official notice to the town clerk as well. and then secondly the results of the audit for both the town and the school did result with us needing to have a corrective action plan submitted to the internal audit within the department of education. the due date for that corrective action plan was supposed to be June 17th. It still has not been submitted. we are receiving letters from the state now and there is concern that it may start affecting our ability to get grants. so I I really urge the interim town administrator and our board of selectmen to work with us the superintendent to get that corrective action plan finalized. thank you so much. Christine Rendazo.
Hi, good evening. I am just sitting on the call this evening. I am on the board for the veterans field committee improvements and I just wanted to be present in case any topics came up. I know Jim is new. I could fill in the blanks. So,
okay. All right. Chris,
We're in public speak.
Oh,
I just Are you asking me if I have anything to say?
You're the last one.
Oh, no. I'm all set. Thank you. All right. Did I miss anyone?
We have Kimberly Persan just joined.
Kimberly Persan.
I'm all set. Thank you.
All right.
And Jerry Corme.
Thankful to be here this evening and to be with you. I want to say thank you to all the people who have served and are changing our seats for different boards coming up. And thank you to those people who gave their time and they their help. I also want to say welcome to the people who are joining these boards to serve our town. And I I so appreciate the time you spend. not just because of the time I've spent but because I realize how precious time is. And I would really like to thank you for giving up your time. The other thing I'd like to say is I remember way back a number of years ago, I was at a border selement meeting and Jeff Maguire and Adrien were there. I remember Jeff saying, "Well, Adrien, we're going to just agree to disagree because I'm not changing the way I think about that." And I thought about that for over the period of time and you know Jeff is right. We are going to we got to have to agree to disagree. But I think the most important thing is that while we're doing that we maintain a level of civility, respect and honor for each other. our town is very
important to all of us. We all love our town. That's why we're there. And we have to be respectful of one another's opinions and ideas. you also have to give people autonomy. Especially in this meeting you're having tonight. I'm thinking about people you want to hire for interim positions, for permanent positions, and that you're going to be looking at people When you choose a person to take a job, you should be confident enough in their ability to do the job to their best of their their ability and that they're going to do the what's best for the town. You have to have oversight of sure you do. Now, you have three boards here, not here, but tonight, but you have three boards. Board of Finance, Board of Selectmen, and Board of Education. The Board of Education. And I know Jeff, you and I may have to agree to disagree on this. You've often had a discussion with me, and I've talked with you about how I feel that the board of education is autonomous. Is it part of the town? Yes, it is. It
has a responsibility of the town. Yes, it does. But it's independent. and we've hired our superintendent and I think we've had a darn good one for five years. I think that Valerie has done an awesome job. People who have served that board have done an awesome job. We don't all agree. We have different viewpoints, but we do the best we can. And it is my hope that we can work together and give each other the respect they deserve. and stand by your employee that you hired. Jeff, I know you've lost Eric Anderson. I hope we don't lose Valerie. She does a great job in running our school district. And so I don't believe in micromanaging. So I I step back and let people do what they know how to do best. With that all in mind, I wish you have a good evening. and support each other. That's all I have to say. Thank you.
All right. Thank you. do we miss anybody else?
Okay. item three, discuss and possible action on the elderly and social service director. I just would like to say that I think that if Tess is willing to take that on as the director of our community and senior center, I think that's where those positions belong. if she's willing to take on that position, I would like to make the motion that she be appointed for those two positions. I had asked if there was a job description of those two positions out. And Carol, have you ever seen a description of those positions?
I have not, but the municipal agent to the elderly is defined by state statute. and it does say in the statute that it is best for someone who does work in the senior center. I I have never seen a social services job description, but again, municipal agent to the elderly is defined by state statute. And just so we're clear, we're we're are we asking her to absorb this in her current hourly structure or are we asking her to increase her hours?
I would like if she's willing to increase by a couple hours a week and then give her the salary that goes along with it. Is that what all the other members are looking at?
Jeeoff, I had a little discussion with Tess earlier and there was some discussion about making this like a temporary appointment and just see how it rolls out with them and how we're how it would be folded in in the next contract goaround. So, if we just did this as an interim basis, we just appointed with with with the stipends for both positions and just see how they fit into that position because if it's something that they feel like they're overwhelmed with with their current duties in their hours that they're working, we may have to go and look at for somebody else independently like we're doing with Linda Derek or you know, somebody else. I mean, that's my take on it. That is a really good idea just with do the temporary for the till the end of the fiscal year
and then and then if they want to take it on we could build it into the contracts going forward.
Right.
How many hours a week is that position supposed to be?
The MOA that was out prior said no more than four hours a week would be required for the position. Okay. this is one of those things that we as a board and just for town benefits need to get a more detailed job description generated for these two positions so that we understand what is entailed in those those duties. So, I I I don't have
Yeah, I wouldn't take something on Jeff if I didn't know what the responsibilities were. You know, it's just
hey need they need to know what the expectations are.
We can't hold them accountable for things if
you know we don't have an accurate job description. Did anyone look at the MOA to see because I'm sure with the union that position would have been outlined in the MOA exactly what was expected.
and I know Eric did send us all the MOA before he left for that position. I don't think the MOA outlined it exactly as I would think you would want to do it. You you want to sit there and understand that and listen these job these if I understand my conversations with Roberta this is more of a an advisory role and and funneling the individuals to the appropriate resources that are available from a state perspective and
that's correct
I have no problem asking Tess she would want to take that position over and I do think it should go there. I have had discussions with her. I think it would be appropriate for us to increase the hours on either her or well, we'll I understand we'll make it we'll have it Tess and we'll have it be a temporary position and I I don't have a problem with those concepts as long as Tess is willing to do it.
So Tess, I'm going to ask you if you're willing to do it. Yeah, I think my biggest concern is job description. for me municipal agent and social services that would be com combined. Am I am I correct on that?
Correct.
And that would be temporary until June. And I'm hearing that Jeff Murray would have grace and that that hold it would it would I would be willing if you had a job description.
Okay. we will have that. And I would like to do this tonight to sit there and just get this appointed because statutoily we have to get one of the roles appointed. and Tess in speaking with Roberta we can go through the issues that she has faced recently because prior to this Kathy Plazy held those two roles and and and tell me if I'm wrong Carol I just want to make sure I'm saying that correctly. And prior to Kathy, I helped not the municipal agent but social services. So
quite a bit of it went through my office because we didn't have we went through quite a few people there.
Okay. So we'll want to sit there test and get you an understanding of of a better understanding of what the jobs will entail. I don't believe they're extremely time consuming, but I do believe that if you have there could be some times where we're going to have to help you when you have a resident, I believe, that needs to be moved or I'm I'm not going to say it correctly, but it's almost like a hoarding, you know, If we have to move an elderly resident, we'll have to give you some help, right? Jeff, is it possible to get Robera Tess and the board members together and
Oh, absolutely. we let's just get this ironed out like over an hour meeting and then and know as the position goes along if Tess in and I I could see this actually this stipend you know I would like to see Haley or Tess be able to charge it because if Tess is out on vacation or something and Haley needs to do something can can either one of them charge the stip end towards the stip end. Well, Tess is the director of the community center, so if she is on vacation, then she would be the one in charge obviously and ask Kaye to assume those duties.
Yeah. But there's a just a a case where somebody needs to, you know, she's out and somebody needs to do those functions that they can we just need to make a mechanism so they're actually able to be paid,
right? So if it's if Haley is an hourly employee and she has to go over an hour or two obviously whatever her hourly wage because that's another thing we have to work on is a job description for the assistant to the director of the community and senior center
ight so
and the hourly wage will have to set too
I had requested information from from Roberta related to the position and we will get together and organize that and and improve the job description and the the information related to the tasks that are associated with these roles. I do believe from my conversations with her, a lot of it is really searching out state and federal resources and providing that information to the seniors when they have an issue. so but we have
to get you the information test. So
Tess is doing that right now anyway. A lot of it with helping the seniors with getting the supplemental for Medicare and that. So, she's taking on a lot of those roles anyway. And like you said, the social services part is you just direct them to Access or other agencies that are able to help because we have a very small fuel fund. We don't fund social services.
Okay. and to deal with Jeff's point, that would be something that, you know, the the additional hours that would be required if Tessa was on vacation. I'll tell you, I'm being really honest. I mean, no one got the additional stipen if Roberto was on vacation. So,
but there really probably wasn't a lot of call during those times when she was on vacation. And I, you know, it's holiday time, so we do the giving tree and things like that for families and when they sign up. So,
okay. Well, if someone would like to make a motion, we can sit there and move this on. Task
has a question.
so I will just ask Jeff, what I heard you say was that we could get together and work on that. Do you have a date in mind? Can we can we put this in motion and and have a date that we can
how about next week
complete all this?
I'm off all next week.
I'm available if you guys want to get it together with the board. It's a couple board members as well. I mean Monday or Tuesday test so we don't interfere with the holiday
and
we'll get the information organized from Roberta to understand what she believes the role entailed for her and we'll we'll try to iron out what what you're going to be looking at and what you're going to have to do.
Okay. So, Monday, and we don't have a time yet, but we're agreeing on Monday.
why don't we say 11 o'clock?
Okay. Thank you.
All right. Okay. So, if somebody wants to make that motion, we can and move to the next item. I move that Tess be appointed municipal agent to the elderly and social services director pending her approval of the job description and the hours that it would entail
until temporarily until June 30th. until June 30th or is is that what you'd like Tess just to have it till June 30th? A temporary
unless we agree sooner.
Okay.
Yeah. If we put together a contract, we would word that we would build that into our contract, those rules.
Okay. All right. Perfect.
Okay.
I'll second it, but I got to ask a question. Did you did you deal with compensation?
I just said that she should get the stipen that we were giving to Roberta. That same stipend.
Okay, then I'm all good. So, I second it. Any further discussion all those? Well, I'm going to take a roll call. Any. Carol Lee,
I
Jeff Murray,
I
Scott Person,
I
Jeff Magcguire. Hi. So, it's 5 nothing. All right. Thank you, Tess. We will meet on Monday at 11 o'clock.
Thank you, sir.
Yep. item four, discuss and possible action on advertising for the following positions. Town administrator, town administrator search committee, town treasurer, and assistant to the assessor. So, in our package, Jim put together job descriptions that we had available and just one thing, Jim, was that the information we have is what the assessor put together. Correct.
We'll take a look. I I had mentioned I apologize. I was down all day. So, let me look at the assessor. I think administrator though was first on that list.
No, I know it was. I just wanted to know that was his.
Yes, Jeff.
That's John's
job description. Okay. All right. Well, let's go back up to the town administrator. so, this was the job description that we have available. we, you know, we really need to review this and make sure that we're comfortable with everything that's in here. And but honestly, the biggest part part of this is we need to advertise this. So, what are we doing financially related to this? Are we keeping
If I If I can just interject, I'm sorry.
So, we could not find Eric's or what was used for Eric's job description. That's something I put together off the web. So, it's likely to be extra comprehensive, you know, and and one's a narrative, one's bullets. They they probably mirror each other, but not completely. So, who is ever going to be looking at this is probably going to want to pare it down quite a bit. But, it's not it's not an endover description. that's correct. Okay. So, now I got to go back to Eric and I will go back to Eric and ask him if he has copy of his job description.
Oh, he did. Oh, no, that was a contract. Never mind. Sorry.
I was I was texting him before this. and these are all PDFs. I can send it to the board in now that my I I think my office suite is back in Word. So you folks can mark it up, red line it, whatever you want to do with it.
You're saying you can send this one that you sent us in word?
Yes.
Okay.
Thought we got them in Word.
Oh, you we did. It will allow us to open it in Word. Yeah. you yeah you had sent it to us Jim in word it actually came over in word all of the job descriptions so the town administrator let's talk the biggest issue for us we have to advertise this we have to advertise this in in you know the job search engines and we have to sit there and think about LinkedIn and different places. Connecticut website I think is what we had done previously related to this. but we have to determine what we're char what we're going to pay someone are we paying the current rate or are we increasing the rate? What what's the plan? I would advertise it with a salary range.
Okay. What's the range?
Because because the thing is we could get a super experienced person and they're they're going to get a they're going to demand a higher amount. We could get a entry level person that has the background skills like when we got Eric that would probably come in at a little bit lower rate. So, I would probably start at Eric's current rate and probably 20% more based on experience. 20 to 30%.
That's $20,000, right?
Yes, it is. Not saying we have to pay that amount of money, but if we get a rock star that comes in and it would probably be suitable to pay that amount of money.
All right. So, the range is what? 90,000 to 120.
He's making over 90, right? I thought it was 94.96.
He was 104.
Okay. That was that was 9496 was last budget season. If it might be $100,500. Thank you. Sorry, I'm having some problems with my paper. I mean, most of the jobs I see advertised lately, they just they have a general range. And Jeff, you had said you looked for jobs within Connecticut. Did you see any?
No, there's one down southwestern Connecticut, town manager. I think it was Wilton, which was a very expensive town.
And that was a little bit higher range. But I sent you the average salaries from Indeed for town managers in Connecticut.
They didn't find they didn't align with what Eric put out. So I was I was surprised. than you know the numbers that he had put out there.
okay. So, a
match the data that I had. So,
so we'll say a salary range of 95 to 120.
Does that work for everyone?
Yeah.
Is there other stipends in there? Was there a car allowance in this contract or anything like that? Mileage
$100.
Yeah. a month.
But that should be in the job description when we advertise for it. We should say there's a car allowance. There's certain perks with the position.
Okay. I think with the with the the rate we should be okay and we'll have to work with Jim to get this documented and posted. So, I don't necessarily know there's anything unless we want to sit there and make a motion on the branch. Anybody? Okay. You have the numbers in front of you. Why don't you make the motion, Jeff? And I'll second.
Yeah, we probably should.
All right. I'll make a motion that we post the town administrator salary range at 95,000 to $120,000 per year to be included in all advertising for the position.
Seconded. Okay. further discussion on it. Jeff,
go ahead.
Before we leave here, you mentioned a couple. You and I will discuss and we'll kind of have free range to post it where we deem appropriate. I'm thinking of, you know, CCM. There might be a a Western Rhode Island equivalent of a of a of a job board. So, we'll brainstorm on that. And
wherever we find appropriate, we'll put it.
I know there LinkedIn. We're going to get hammered with resumes, but we'll just filter them out.
Yeah. I know that there's I know there's a Massachusetts board. I know there's other boards like that you're talking about, Jim. So, we'll just have to do some research and and get that that information out there. what we'll want to do though just from the board perspective is we'll want to sit there and get any feedback on the job description before it's included in that information. All right. So you you know we're going to have to I texted Eric to sit there and see if he's got a copy of what he has and we'll work with Jim if he doesn't to put one together. So all right we need to vote on this. So, any other discussion on it? All right. Ann Crme,
Carol Lee,
hi.
Jeff Murray,
hi.
Scott Person,
hi.
Jeff Magcguire. I So, five nothing. town administrator search commission. we need to find two non last night, well, I'll just tell you last night at the board of finance meeting, Bill D. Roers was appointed. So, the board now is is an creme, Bill D. Rogers, Jeff Magcuire, and we need two other individuals for that search committee that are not elected officials. So, we need to advertise for that. I believe the advertisement that we're similar to what we've done in it's on page eight. and I would recommend for the board members if they have someone that fits and would be an appropriate candidate that they should sit there and recommend that they do submit an application or a letter stating their intent to serve on that that board. So, it's on page eight. Anybody have any comments about it? All right. If no one has any comments, I I I make a motion that we request the town the temporary town administrator to post this advertisement in the River East soliciting to nonelected official residents to serve on the town administrator search committee.
Second,
okay, we'll say Scott Person seconded that. further discussion. All right. we'll vote. Ann,
hi.
Carol Lee,
hi.
Jeff Murray,
I.
Scott Person,
hi.
Jeff Magcguire. I 5 nothing. Okay. Town treasurer.
Jeff, before you go, because next week's Thanksgiving, Kate thought we'd best to wait a week on posting that in River East. We can do it on Monday, but we thought she thought maybe with Thanksgiving
that's fine.
Let's just get
it up on the website.
Okay.
Like you can hold off on the River East because I'm assuming that that's going to be a very lightly read paper
and we want to put a deadline on it.
That's true. let's let's put two weeks. So that would get us to our next meeting. When is our next meeting?
I got it up, Jeff.
Yep. December 8th.
let's put December 7th as the deadline. yeah. No,
only gives a week. Put
December. Put December 5th. That'll be two weeks.
Oh, see.
Well, it'll get in the paper, though.
It'll get in on the 5th.
December 5th.
So, we can't do that. well, Jeeoff, isn't there applications going to go to the search committee anyways? They don't go to the board of selectmen. So, they're going to have to sort all the all the whatever we get in, right?
I would think the board of selectmen are the responsible party for putting people on that board.
I was say, are you saying the search committee? Okay.
Yeah,
that's right.
so, let's put it for the 19th, two weeks.
And then we'll, you know, we'll get that posted even if we have to have a very quick special meeting. I don't like having special meetings, but in this case, we might need to just get a special meeting to appoint the two people. all right. So, Jim will also talk about that. We'll get that posted. I have Kate put that on the website. tomorrow if possible. Well, it's Friday, some Monday. town treasurer, Well, Carol, I'll ask you because I spoke to Cheryl and what I'd like Cheryl to do is stay till the end of this audit that's coming up so that she goes through this and she's willing to do that. I don't necessarily know that I got a really clear answer if she's willing to stay on, which I don't think she is.
How long is that to the audit? What are you referring to? the audit is for the period of June 30th, 2025. the auditor just got underway and I'm not sure, Jim, I think he might have put it off, but he was supposed to get started this Wednesday. she's put together her binder for the audit and what she's going to do is answer the auditor's questions. An so the auditor
few months the auditor pulled or requested documents so to do his testing or their testing. So they pulled
vendor bills, they pulled payroll information. So she is going to stay engaged and answer the auditor's questions and make sure that we get through this audit sequence and then we as a group have to sit there and advertise for a treasurer. Cheryl also needs to give us a little bit of information as to what of her role can be not all of her role could be sh shifted to Chris in the finance department, but there are some of the role that should be able to move. So, this one's a little bit tricky because I do think that we should reward
Chris in the depart in that office to make sure that she stays there and we have continuity there. but we do have to get from Cheryl what of the job description could be shifted because there's some parts of that job that'll be you know, you'll have a you're not you're not supposed to have the person that cuts the check reconcile the bank accounts. So, you don't want to have that, internal control issue related to reconciling and what what's going on. And like Chris could probably handle a lot of the interaction with the auditor. that's depending upon where she is at currently with her skill set and if she's comfortable doing that. so our treasurer might position might be slightly altered in my mind. but I know Carol, you've been talking to them. So, what's what's your take on it?
I haven't been talking to them. I haven't.
So, I just the town charter says that we have a town treasurer.
I think that we should put the ad out there. you know if Chris wants to apply for that position but I I do think that we should put that out there and see what's going to be best for the town. I know that Cheryl gave a proposal with you know the c hourly fees for certain things and you know if we want to keep her on you know till the end of the year to get through that audit. But I do believe that we should get a treasurer get that ad out there too. And I did find the original one. I know the one that Jim sent us. I know he was having problem with the computer, but was for the finance director back years ago when we were trying to combine with the school. But I did send one over at about 4:00 today because when I was searching our website, I found the original one for the town treasurer
that we put out and I I think we should advertise for it. Well, I I I have no no I I believe I know we need to advertise it for it. My hope is that we find someone that and maybe we have someone in town that, you know, is a CPA, has been a CPA, can sit there and assist in in in in functioning as the treasurer, reconciling the bank accounts and moving forward with what we need to do. I either that or a a current person working in working for a certified public accounting firm that's doing municipal audits. you know, it would be a a good part-time job for someone like that that might be looking for a role because really what they're doing what what we should be asking for is someone to manage the the audit primarily. So,
and Eric had a really good idea when he asked the union town clerk to come in and help the acting town clerk to, make sure that everything was running correctly in that office. Smaller towns like that where they're only three days a week, they might be interested in a position like ours.
We might need to ask Ashford.
Well, that's the thing. It was union. We can ask Asheford. We can, you know, Union is just three days a week, I think. But sure, we can ask Union. We can ask Asheford. We can ask other towns.
That's actually a really good idea, Carol. I like that.
Start calling.
Yeah. I mean, I I really do. I think that is something because it's not it is not a full-time position and so
let's do that. But I do think we should advertise for a town treasurer anyway and just put it out there.
Still advertise,
right? I think we should get that ad out. And if you would like, I will call other towns and just ask the treasurer if they'd be interested in applying.
Yeah. Okay. so you sent the job description over.
I did.
And so, we'll sit there and have to get started in on that and we'll get that advertisement out there also. we'll try to get it done the week of Thanksgiving and sit there and and have it ready to go and then we do need to work back to the the job description so that we have that available for the individual.
so maybe
and I'm also going to sit there and say we have to determine and we need Cheryl's assistance as to what we could split off of her role and and give to Chris. Well, there's a lot going on. but we need a treasure. It's kind of like the municipal the elderly and the social service director. We need to have someone in those roles.
So, right now, Cheryl is still the treasurer.
Right. I till December 1st. Yeah.
I believe, right?
Yeah. Yeah.
Okay. And then after that we would revert to the hourly rate if it takes till the end of December, middle of January to complete the audit.
that's if the auditor everything works out properly with the auditor. So they decide when they want to finish it and but hopefully hopefully Cheryl moves them moves them along. She's got it fairly organized.
Is what Caitlyn was asking for something that Cheryl could would do or is that whose job is that?
I'd say which one? Kaitlyn was asking about corrective measures and is it just the letter?
No, the corrective the corrective action. there are two issues that have been addressed by the auditor. there was a corrective action plan submitted by Eric and the superintendent didn't disagreed with some of the language. So, it became an issue that the auditor contacted me. I met with Valerie. I have to sit there and circle back with the auditor to sit there and get it finalized. It's a it's a it's a it's an issue related to reconciling bank accounts at the school. And
but
you're saying that that's a town administrator job or that's a first lect and not
No, no, it was it was a I I know Caitlyn has her hand up and I'll get to you, Caitlyn. the the issue ended up being that it's supposed to be the auditor called me and he's like, you know, he just wants an answer from the town because you have to remember it's a town audit. It's not a school specific audit. It's a town audit. And we just need to sit there and find a way to make the language work. And what what I was dealing with is is all of us on this board understand. There was Eric was making the corrective action plan and he worked with the auditor on it and the auditor approved his wording, his language. it's just that Valerie didn't approve of his language. So, Caitlyn,
yeah, sorry. just for clarification in terms of the timeline on that, I believe because I was copied on the email from Eric, he submitted that written corrective action plan maybe like three or four days before he ended his time working in Andover and it was supposed to be done in June. So, she's been asking for to be working together on this for many, many months. It's not like this is like a new thing and it was done back in June and then never be addressed. and in terms of the language specifically regarding the reconciliation, it's not an issue on the school side or the town side. It was an issue on I I believe the auditor's language was not having it done on a monthly basis between the town and school, but having it done at the year end. and that's where the language issue was that she is not happy with specifically.
Okay. So, we still need to deal with that and we will and we will make sure that we don't cause any issues for the school getting grants which I know is not really going to happen. Okay. So, the town treasure ad will also go in and let's now talk to the assistant to the assessor. So, I know that John and I and and I don't believe Jim there was actually an advertisement that John put in here. He had had he had provided it to you because I had seen it. It's not in our package, but that advertisement needs to go up. So everything from the assistant
assessor has been this has been created by John Chaponus. So
correct there is there is an ad page taken that up front there.
Okay. So
and that's done.
That one's actually done. so that one would also get posted.
so you're saying the assessor put that ad out already?
No, no,
no. He he provided us a job description and the ad.
So, okay,
we just need to put it out there. so it would go in the River East on the same cycle. The question on all these, just for everybody, is is it just two weeks? I I think we have to get that out there pretty quick, especially the assistant to the assessor. because I thought I heard Jim say last night at the board of finance meeting that the newly elected town clerk was still helping in that office. That's a union position. So, I don't believe that I don't know that that's allowed. You know, I I I can I I I I understand why you're saying it,
but reality is we don't have anybody in that office. Somebody's going to have to answer questions and
that's why we have to move quickly on these positions and get them filled
and that's fine. So again, I asked the same question. Is it two weeks that we're giving for applications to come in or do you want to go a week?
And who are we going to get in a week? Oh, it's holiday time. I think we should go two minimum of two weeks, maybe even 20 days.
Well, that's what we were doing. We were put putting it in the in in the River East on the Monday. We'll put it on the other job boards immediately. We'll put it on the website immediately, but it was it was going to go in the River East on the 5th and we were going to get responses back on I think on the 20th. And was that the right date sequence? So it would go in the 5th and we were asking for information back on the 19th. So that was two weeks. So
and then we could have a special meeting.
I mean, that one we're going to have to go through the the job descriptions ourselves, and John Chaponis will end up having to meet within. And I mean, I guess what I would sit there and do is I would have really I would have Jim and John meet with candidates and then sit there and make a recommendation to the board and say, "This is what we want to do." Anybody have any problems with that?
That's a good idea.
All right.
So,
I just wanted to take a look at the charter and see what the charter says as far as filling those positions. Well, anyway, we can look at that. I believe there's supposed to be a board of We're supposed to ask assessors of other towns to come in too to
for an assistant
interview in the selection
for an assistant to the assessor.
Well,
I'm just asking I mean I could easily see for the assessor,
right?
so from a common sense perspective it would make sense because that individual will be working for John and for Jim in current position. So and specifically for John. So, you would want him to sit there and you know, do his analysis of the applicants and then sit there and make a recommendation to the board as to the best applicant to fill that spot. That would just be me. That would make sense. And and listen, and I'll tell everybody, we haven't filled a lot of these positions in a long time. So, the treasure is probably the one we filled most recently than any of the others. So, anyway, anybody got any other anything else on that? Okay. Do we want to make any motions on any of that? We know we're gonna we know that Jim is and we're gonna work to put in the ads on
the River East for the fifth. Everything as soon as we can get it available, we'll go up on the website and we'll go from there, right? And then Indeed and all of the other job boards that anybody sits there and can recommend, we'll sit there and do that as well. Okay. and any of the state boards that might be beneficial for these postings and applications to go out to. Okay. anybody else have anything on four that we need to deal with? Okay, we'll move on to item five. discuss and possible action on prior assistant town clerk. I know she sent us a letter. Anybody have anything that they'd like to do regarding that letter?
Did we have we had the assistant town clerk on the agenda?
Yeah,
somebody put it there.
Yeah.
Number five.
I didn't put it there.
You didn't put Okay.
Assistant town clerk. No, she had sent us that was
Britney Britney. She sent us all a letter.
I'm sorry. Okay, we're talking about the two position.
Yeah,
I'm okay.
That she did not get the same pay as the the Lauren came in after her.
So, what do we do? I
Well, I thought I thought I remember, excuse me, Jeepa. I thought I remembered that
a couple weeks before she left, she was appointed the town clerk,
acting. So, she should have been the acting town clerk starting February 1st when there was no one in there because she actually was doing all of the duties of an acting town clerk.
Well, okay. I'm just saying it
I mean and I'm just going to go for my end from my end and I and I appreciate that but Britney was appointed in Carol by you to the
assistant town clerk. That was her job. That was her pay rate. And when there was a transition in that office, we still had you in that office and she was still the assistant town clerk even though we probably should have made her the acting town clerk, but we chose not to. We didn't want I didn't want to. You were there. And then there's a I just don't feel there's any we have any issue related to the request because you also because what we're doing is we're relating it to Laura's Laurens's appointment in the temporary position and again this board doesn't have the ability to appoint an assistant town clerk. We only had the ability to appoint the acting town clerk. So, I don't really think the the rate issue is
But then we hired a second person for backup and training office.
Yep. We trained her, we worked to train her, make sure that we didn't make any mistakes. So, correct, we did.
But again, this board doesn't have the right doesn't have the authority to appoint an assistant town clerk unless you tell me I'm wrong, Carol.
When it's an elected town clerk, you don't. But at that point in time, there was no elected town clerk as of January 3125.
Okay. But we didn't have elected town,
but but we didn't do that with Lauren's situation. But with Britney's situation, she was appointed previously and that was her reign. I am not a vote for giving her any additional compensation.
I don't understand why the compensation was higher for Lauren. Why? And if Lauren deserved the higher pay then I thought Britney should deserved it too. I agree
because when we were discussing the salary there well we did everything in executive session. So anyway I I just think only to be fair that we should do that. I I think that she's due that amount. she worked by herself for two months in there too. You had me train. You put the deadline on June 30th. So, she had 5 months of training.
Okay. What do you guys want to do?
Does anybody know what the delta is? What are we even talking about for amounts here? What's the delta
Why did it take so long to come to our attention? Well, we have we have another issue there too that with the email too with another employee to four times And is that money already in the line item for the town clerk salary?
It should be in there under assistant or something because there was two months again that she was in there by herself only collecting
and we weren't paying assistant town clerk salary. We were we weren't paying a town clerk salary at the time. We're just paying the assistant.
Correct. Correct. So even if we did pay her the delta, there's still going to be we're still not exceeding that line item amount for this year because we didn't have an assistant or we didn't have or the other,
right?
This is a tough one for me because are we are we legally obligated? I don't know. But are we morally obligated? I'm kind of tending to say yes.
I think we are too. It's only fair.
So I would like to make the motion that we do reimbur the exact amount.
That is the exact amount. Yes. penny. 5,000.
How much time are we talking about here, Carol?
5,700.
Oh, time. Time.
What do you mean?
From when to when?
It would be from February 1st until August 22nd, I believe, was the last day.
You You were in there
till June 30th. Right. Till June 30th. And we paid you when we paid you $60 an hour,
right? You're right.
But after but after she left,
but that was the right
hat period that All right. So that period. So if Carol's there till June and we're talking August, right? I would say
Carol is when you were there, I don't think we're obligated to pay her. When you left and she was there on her own, I would say yes. But again, if you're thinking about it, the same situation. And what did you pay the Union Town clerk? What did Eric pay the Union town clerk to come in?
$50 an hour.
This is because $50 an hour for several months from August right through until
But she wasn't there. And she was there, you know, she wasn't there all the time,
9 hours a week.
What was she there? And you know, the acting town clerk at
just listen just make your motion. It's
what is what is the amount of money? All right. So the last day the last day that you were there and left the town hall to the time that she left that position, what's the amount of money that we're talking there?
So what are you saying? The last day that I trained.
Yeah. The last day that you were there training because you were you had a physical presence there. Like how many weeks was she there basically manning the fort? She would have been there from July 1 until August 22nd. But then, I mean, if you're counting it that way, I did have a vacation in the middle of there, too. I mean, the time that they she was there by herself. I think morally we should probably compensate her for the acting town clerk's position for those six weeks. I don't I don't really know if it's appropriate, Daryl, if you were in there
at the same time. But if she was there alone, I would I would tend to think morally we should probably bear. That's my take. And I don't know what that dollar amount works out to be. What's the delta per week? If she's there six weeks, what's the delta per week?
Why don't why don't we actually have the treasurer calculate it or the the the finance office calculate it and come back to us at our next meeting?
Then you got to subtract what she was paid.
As I say, the delta, the difference between,
right? I just did the difference is what I did.
Yeah. So, if we sit there and bring it back to our next meeting, we can at least get the we can get both numbers. We can get the number that Carol's talking about and we can get the number for the the six week time frame and we should also get the number for the two weeks that we actually appointed her as the acting town clerk,
right? Because she got paid for that part.
No, she didn't.
Not the full salary. Yeah, I don't think there was ever a change because acting town clerk is still in the role of the assistant town clerk. You just need somebody that can sign a document and send it to the state
because I did try to do that at one of our meetings to have her named acting town clerk, but that wasn't what everyone decided.
Okay. so I mean obviously Britney has waited all of of this time to sit there and and raise this. So I I don't think doing this in December will be that negative.
The question that I had why why did it take so long to come up? Well, because Scott in her defense, it probably she realized that Lauren was probably getting paid the town clerk salary and she was probably questioning it.
So, September, October, it's only two, it's only a couple months since Lauren took over.
It's okay. Does anyone have any problems if we sit there and move this to December? and and Jim, we would ask you to get the breakdown from the finance department as to what would be the difference for Britney's compensation. Right.
Anybody have any problems with moving it to December?
No.
Okay. All right. six, discuss and possible action on board and commission clerk. So, go ahead. And commission clerk, you're currently 1099. I I'm wondering why we can't just pay through payroll for that position. I'm just the I mean, we could, but this is another one of those things that we have to address next month because we got to look at what her contract is because I think the way that this has been structured for the board clerk is the board clerk gets a certain amount of money to do the initial writing of the minutes,
right?
It's not a standard hourly rate. It's not as if we pay the board clerk, you know, $25 an hour and they do their It's not like that,
right? Flat fee like 75 or $80 for the meeting and if the meeting
What does Marina want?
X amount of time. She likes to go through payroll.
Yeah.
And because she's not working over the 19 hours a week, it wouldn't affect us with MS or anything else. So putting her through payroll wouldn't, you know, cost us any additional for benefits or
she doesn't she doesn't want to do the tax return issue currently that she's dealing with. She just wants a W.
I understand what she's asking for. I just think I just think the way that it's structured
is it puts us at a how I'm thinking of it. How does our how does our treasur's office come calculate out the pay? That's the issue. So
she's just a flat salary for x amount of hours per week. Is isn't that what you did with the road crew foreman through payroll? just a flat number of hours just so that it didn't interfere with the MS benefits and 70 an hour $70 an hour.
I I I have no problem but again in my head and I don't know the contract language that is addressed it's it's just an odd thing. I know there's a a flat number for each meeting to have to go through the hours on the meeting and then there's an amount of money over and above you know when she submits her hours and submits an invoice and gets paid by the treasur's office. So
I don't I don't technically I mean
the only thing that it would do to the town is the town would have to incur in incur some additional social security and Medicare costs and state unemployment taxes and federal unemployment taxes. So there's there's those extra costs there that currently Marina has those when she does her tax return. So, it it's something that we need to look at in a little more detail,
but I'm sure those would be minimal. And also, I don't know that she has a contract to take care of our minutes. I believe it was just a job description for people to and just gave the outline. if I remember, unless something
Eric changed something and put her under contract, but to the best of my knowledge, it was just a job description saying you get this flat amount for the attending the meetings, taking the minutes, and if it goes over x amount of hours, you get an additional whatever I think it was $20 an hour. Well, how about we sit there and get that document to everybody before the next meeting in December and then we evaluate this and make a decision in the December meeting.
Okay.
I just think it's hard to get board clerks and you know, she's not asking for much. No, I I don't necessarily I'm I would tell you, Carol, I'm not adverse to sitting there and and putting her on payroll if we can do the calculation correctly. And you know what you recommended is possible that we could sit there and just have a flat number, but we need to sit there and consider the extra costs because we have been sitting there doing some things that are going to add up on costs and you know with all these changes there's going to be costs associated with them. So we
want to minimize them as much as we can. So, let's look at it in December and we can get Marina an answer before, you know, she's already been paid as a 1099 vendor for this year. So, it's not really this year that's impacting her. It's next year. So,
Okay.
All right. Okay. Anything else?
Jeff, could we talk about something a timesensitive issue? we're not supposed to, but I am I I'm Scott called me earlier. I'll sit there and I'll just tell you there's there's movement on the grants related to the field and we're going to work, Jim and I, to make sure that we get those signed correctly. It will probably end up being me as the first selectman signing them. unless Jim has made a change to that or you know you know Eric
you'll need two resolutions at your next meeting pass two certified resolutions.
Okay.
What one changing the signature one for the new grant that really nothing's been done on. That's the one we met on today.
Okay. We'll sit there and deal with those in our December meeting. Scott. Okay. Unless that causes you a problem, Jim, from a timing perspective.
No, I mean I mean we can move forward. I mean there's a budget we have to submit and we'll have to get some more information on submitting for dispersements because we have
meeting next week again, Jeff. Okay.
Another board of selected meeting you're asking for, Scott?
Yeah. A special meeting this next week. We have to move this along, Jeff. It's gonna It's going to cost the It's going to cost the town some money if we this doesn't move.
Just so you know, the resolutions aren't that pressing. Christina and I are going to work on the budget and get that to them. The DCD is not going to it's not going to change any different from a special meeting. They still have to get us the enabling legislation for one of the resolutions. So, the form of that resolution they they have to give us and that's not done yet. So,
okay. So, you're telling us that I understand Scott's desire to move it along, but it's not really in a position we have to get it done before our December meeting.
Well, there's two resolutions. If you want to have a special meeting to pass the signatory resolution and then wait till December for the other one, that's that's up to you folks. Well, what what is either one of us signing before the next December meeting?
the budget. We submit the budget.
When are you going to have the budget done?
Yeah, but it's a very it's a very small budget. That's the $250,000 grant. And it's
We need a And we need a PO, Jeff. Here's the thing. We need a PO be so that the millennial builders can buy the stuff.
The playground. the playground so that we can get it before the price increase they if we get a PO to them they will go and buy the playground equipment
okay
if we don't get that to them
Jim on Monday
10% more
okay
10%
on Monday can you get us a you and I will talk about a timeline and make sure that we understand and if we have to schedule a special meeting we will
Okay All right,
that's how you see it, right?
You're on mute.
You're mute.
Mute, Christine.
Sorry about that. Yeah, it is a deadline issue. our our budget is tight and the extra grant money affords us to do the things all the things that we hoping to do having the contractor run manage the project for us and the price changes happen early early December like the 3rd or the 4th. So, once that price goes up, we lose out.
okay. PO is sufficient for them, they said.
So, so I spoke with Craig from Millennial Builders today, and he said that this happens all the time with with grant monies and with small towns, and he they have no problem purchasing it as long as the PO is in place and the project is bonded.
So, I apologize. I don't know how to unmute this. Jim, this is something we can talk about. we are going into budget season and with losing the treasur coming up soon in the middle of an audit. Things are going to be a little tight in in the finance office, but Jim, we'll go over all this next week early. It's a short week, but we'll do the best we can.
Thank you. So, if I could just mention one more thing with regards to the signature, changing that over will also allow us to process the first two quarters of the the second grant, the $250,000. the two quarters have already passed by to which we could have we can re we can seek reimbursement, which is $125,000. It's done administratively. the transaction will happen they said in less than a month once the page is submitted and it's a very small page because it's there's the the quarters have already passed so they
money is not spent by June
and by June it's gone
and they said push this ahead
yeah and really it's early June that it needs to be spent because
we need to be able to show before the end of the month that it was
okay.
And that the paper trail is complete.
Okay, Chris, we can sit with Jeff and clarify. Is it the steep money is the four-year and the the money that's reimburseable is the 500,000.
Yeah. So, that that steep grant is a is a four-year reimburseable. That's not an issue. It's the $250,000 grant is in within one fiscal year needs to be spent. That's the one we haven't given the budget on yet.
Yes. And that's the one that she she said she would be have. It's so small that it's a one page and she would even walk us through it on the over the phone.
Okay. That's not the reimburseable.
That's not the the one we missed the two quarters on.
yes, that's the one we've already two quarters have already passed that we can seek reimbursement. Well, we'll have to clarify because we haven't even submitted the budget on that yet. How could we have missed it?
Well, because it was awarded.
Yeah, it is. It was an awarded.
Okay. So, so I I'm just letting everybody know we're going to end up having a special meeting because the issue really ends up coming down to the playground equipment and having the purchase order in place for the playground equipment and knowing what we need to do related to the finance office. We have to have that that meeting, have the motion made, and then go back and work with Chris to make sure that the purchase orders are caught for the playground equip.
He's going to front us the money, buy the stuff, and but he needs that PO.
Well, the biggest issue is that he gets the 10% deduction.
Got to be done quick.
Yeah. All right.
May I speak? without a treasurer. So, I cannot, you know, really do anything. That might be something that Cheryl would want to chime in with. She's familiar with the whole process of this and she's familiar with everything that's going on with the steep grants. it's something our treasurer handles. I can do the best I can, but she might be able to just really clarify everything for you guys.
Thank you. and and and that's understood. The issue that we really need to get, Chris, is a purchase order. You know, we're not asking for anything. I don't believe they're asking for anything related to paperwork or any submission. This is this is a resolution that we're moving forward. And here's a purchase order to
the Millennium Builders that's going to purchase the playground.
Understood. Completely understood. Thanks, Jeeoff. Yeah. Okay. So, do we have any other issues? does anyone have a problem if I have public speak?
No.
Okay. So, we're going to go around test grow.
Nothing for me, sir. Chris,
thank you. No, I'm good.
All right. Kimberly Person,
all set. Thank you.
Liz Latch,
thank you. all set.
All right. And Miranda.
Okay. Miranda gone once. twice. Okay. And Christine Rendazzo. All good.
Okay. All right, everybody. I'm going to make a motion to adjurnn.
Seconded.
all those in favor? I. Five. Nothing.
All right. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. we'll get back with you next week on another meeting. Right.
All right. Thanks.