10/28/1985 PERSONNEL BOARD Minutes

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Personnel Board Meeting Minutes of October 28, 1985 Page 8 Pam Davis asked if it was standard practice for the M.M.A. to be told what communities they are going to compare? Mike Smith replied "no, that is why they had a disclaimer. " • Pam asked how they would choose communities if Mashpee didn't say they wanted a specific fig communities compared? Mike Smith said that equalized valuation, geographic location, the size of the town and the method of government is looked at. He said that they would normally pick their own towns and the five towns chosen by Mashpee are quite a bit bigger. Selectman Hanson asked what towns they were? Anita Tekle said they were Barnstable, Bourne, Falmouth,. Sandwich and Yarmouth. She said that Bar.nstable's population is 30,878 versus Mashpee's population of about 4800. Doug Boyd corrected her by saying Mashpee's population is 5,135. Anita said that they are talking about a town which is six times the size of Mashpee. Deputy Chief Cooper said thatwhen you have three major highways running through the town which is surrounded by three larger communities population and area-wise, it will have a significant impact. He said that you experience the same type of problems and are required to react-i& have the same expertise as a neighboring town has and which has facilities and manpower and other resources. Chief Hartin said that they may make an equitable:;.-comparable and valid point as far as the size of the town relative to all the services with the exception of fact that Barnstable has five fire departments and three full-time fire chiefs. He said that if you figure the fire chief services at the salaries of all five of the fire chiefs, you would be up around $120,000 -- each one of them supervising a department of comparable activity:=in size with the district of Hyannis. Selectman Hanson made reference to the Police Chief averages from .-17-.8% to -24% in com- parables to averages of other Police Chief's in the survey. He questionned why only a $2.39 increase a week. Anita Tekle said that she thought this is one area which the Personnel Board may want to be flexible about his step. She said that they are recommend- ing that the range be increased by $5,000 which is one of the highest changes in the range. By using their initial formula of putting someone at the closest step to their current salary, in this case he loses because he happened to be close to where one of the steps were. Selectman Hanson said that he felt the town would have a problem of hiring some- one the way they want the town serviced at 17% lower than what any other Police Chief on Cape Cod is making. Anita replied that the minimum on the current salary is 17% lower and that their proposal is bringing it up higher. Anita said that they think with a mini- mum salary of $32,000is in the ball park as the minimum salary in the current plan is at $28,000. Chief Frye. asked if they considered the!:section of the statute under which other chiefs were appointed when the survey was conducted? Chief Frye said that 97 is the weak chief and 97A is the strong chief. He said that he was appointed under 97A. . Falmouth has the weak chief who has less responsibility than he does even though his department is bigger. Chief Frye said that he makes the rules and regulations even though they are approved by the Board of Selectmen, he makes all the assignments, does all the scheduling and has complete control of his police department. He said that a chief under 97 does not have that responsibility. Selectwoman Thomas said that now that she has listened to the M.M.A. and the managing positions have expressed their thoughts on how they were interviewed and on the job de- scriptions, that the M.M.A. proposal can be salvaged somehow. As you say, we could move them one step or two steps would be the most equitable solution of putting them in • somewhere. She said that the town as a whole could not afford to-,.exceed^what you could do which is not comparable. You could not give $4,000 - $5,000 increases to everybody because it effects step 1 to 13, it will effect every negotiating contract and it becomes non-affordable.