HAMPDEN – On March 22, Mary Aicardi of the Collins Institute, a consulting firm, presented the Select Board with a report on the classification and compensation study it recently completed for town employees. The study was paid for by a state community compact grant.

In the report, Aicardi explained that the Collins Institute had reviewed job position descriptions, the established compensation for those employees and what the wider municipal market paid for the same positions. When codifying job descriptions, Aicardi said, they used interviews and questionnaires to gain feedback from employees. The goal of the study was to create equity in pay for employees, regardless of gender, disabilities, race, etc., and in line with the region.

Aicardi presented a pay schedule based on job descriptions and responsibilities. The schedule had seven “grades” or levels, with 12 steps within each level. Entry level positions are at a grade one, while department heads are at a seven. The steps within each level are based on experience and include incremental pay raises.

To determine what rate of pay should be attached to each job description, the Collins Institute surveyed similar surrounding towns, such as Wilbraham, Palmer, Brimfield, Holland, Ludlow and Southwick. Most of the established rates of pay were roughly in line with the range of pay gathered from other towns.

“Implementing this is not going to cost the town a lot of money,” Aicardi told the Select Board.

The board spent time examining key projects in town, including the budget. Select Board Chair Donald Davenport drew attention to a couple of line items which far exceeded the historical spending of those items. For example, Davenport said, the line item for postage is funded at $17,000, but he noted that only $2,000 was spent in each of the two previous fiscal years. Similarly, the transfer station was spending roughly $6,000 a year, but budgeted for nearly double that. Excess in the budget will eventually be contributed to the town’ free cash account at the end of the year, but does require the town to vote to raise the money through taxes in the meantime.

When discussing a line item to fund a full-time town administrator for $130,000, Glover voiced her hesitation. Instead, she said the town should conduct an evaluation of the current town administrator and whether the town needs a full time position. Markel currently works roughly 25 hours per week.

Flynn pushed back against the idea, stating that the town voted for a full-time administrator at the 2019 annual town meeting and it is their job to obey the will of the people. “An hour ago we didn’t have enough time to get us ready for the week, now we’re cutting,” Flynn remarked, referring to an earlier discussion on spreading the Select Board meetings out to a bi-weekly schedule. Glover contended that she wanted to evaluate the situation, not necessarily cut hours.

A $300,000 competitive state grant is available for towns who are interested in a regional health agent and public health nurse. The grant, administered by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC), would allow for the exploration of a health official that would be responsible for Hampden, Wilbraham, Monson, and Longmeadow.

“We’re not making any commitment,” to a regional arrangement, Markel assured the board. Select Board Member Mary Ellen Glover insisted that the town shouldn’t apply for a grant to study a partnership into which it doesn't plan to enter. “Give it to someone who needs it,” she remarked. She also said that regional partnerships are complicated with one partner, much less multiple towns.

Flynn conceded that there is “a moral thing,” in applying for the grant without fully committing to pursuing the partnership, but said there would be no negative effect on the town in moving forward. Davenport did not comment, but has previously lobbied state Sen. Eric Lesser to encourage grants for regionalized services.

Select Board Member John Flynn suggested that the town pre-purchase the steel for the Highway Garage expansion as steel prices continue to rise steeply.

The town is waiting on estimates to repaint Academy Hall. Interim Town Administrator Bob Markel said that the latest estimates are roughly $26,000. The historical society, which is housed in the old building, has agreed to pay $10,000 for the project, Markel said. Flynn proposed a structural assessment of the building be conducted at the same time as the painting.