This year, unlike most since 2009, there was room for growth in the town budget, and departments had a greater chance of receiving a “wish-list” item. Finance Director Lorraine Leonard wished for an 18-hour human resources administrator, believing that this is a position from which the town would benefit most. She said such a position has been talked about for years, but there has never been the money to implement it. Town Administrator Tim Bragan had been thinking along the same line, but went further, proposing that the position be a benefited one at 30 hours and that it include town administration tasks and the duties of procurement, overseeing bids for large purchases and services.
The result is Article 10, which, if approved, will authorize Bragan to add a new part-time employee to his staff at an annual salary—with benefits—of $44, 165. Because the position, Assistant Town Administrator/Human Resources, is a new one, Town Meeting must approve the change. In subsequent years, however, the job will become a permanent line item in the annual budget.
One to do the work of six
Currently, all human resources issues are split among six different employees, with no one person responsible for coordinating the efforts. As a result, Leonard says, “There are too many moving parts.” Often it turns out that “everyone thought someone else would do a certain piece,” and something falls through the cracks. With 275 employees on the payroll, that can easily happen.
The new position would take back the personnel pieces from the town clerk, executive assistant, school secretary, town treasurer, assistant treasurer, and Leonard herself, and put them all under the jurisdiction of a professional human resources director. The issues are complex, such as retirement, insurance, benefits levels, and unemployment, and there are some differences between school and town personnel policies. A human resources administrator would make all processes run more efficiently and consistently.
Policies and procedures for all
All town and school employees should be given a book of personnel bylaws and policies, says Leonard. Such a document exists, but it is so old that some of the pages were actually done on a typewriter, and it all needs updating. This will be an important task for the Human Resources/Assistant Town Administrator; Leonard says Town Hall employees are all “spinning like tops,” and no one currently can spare the time to undertake this necessary revision.
Leonard says she hopes the town will approve this new position and that someone will be on board soon after July 1.
