Selectmen Differ on Details of Compensation Study

The Board of Selectmen Monday discussed moving forward with a plan to hire an outside firm to study the town's municipal benefits and compensation offerings, but some disagreement remains on the details.

Selectman Kevin Conley said he wants the study to include a comparison to the private sector as well as other towns, to help put the benefits Holliston underwrites for both active employees and retirees into broader perspective.

"Coming from the private sector into the public sector as selectman, it's like two different worlds," Conley said. "I am in favor of including a comparison to the private sector. Until that's done, residents are not going to be happy" with the study. 

But Selectman Jay Leary pointed out that municipalities are inherently different than private sector employees because of legislative requirements, many of which Holiston would not have the power to change on its own. "If you want to make a change in your benefits tomorrow, you can just do it," he said to Conley. 

Chairman Jay Marsden agreed, saying that a larger fight over changing what's required is best waged by groups such as the Massachusetts Municipal Association. "I don't think we should be funding that fight," he said.

Comparing what municipal workers earn in benefits and salary to private sector jobs is inherently difficult, Marsden added, because of the variety of employers and jobs that would need to be considered. "Do you study small businesses? Health care? It's very difficult to have an apples to apples comparison."

Town Administrator Paul LeBeau said his understanding is that the study would focus on "addressing options and possibilities " on benefits, pay scale and future liability to the town. Town Meeting voters after the Finance Committee warned about a large unfunded future liability in the town's healthcare and retirement costs. 

The board will wait for feedback from the Finance Committee before taking final action on advertising for firms to perform the study and agreed on one other point: That the study will almost certainly not be ready in time for action to be taken at the Fall Town Meeting.  

"That was a laudable goal," said Finance Committee Chairman Ken Szada. 

In other business, the board voted to sign a letter to U.S. Jim McGovern, D-3rd, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that disputes the calculations FEMA used to add more than 150 properties into the flood plain zone around Lake Winthrop. 

That action could require homeowners to purchase costly flood insurance. The letter, drafted by engineers from Beals & Thomas, questions the calculations FEMA used to redraw the flood zone map and officials are hoping FEMA will agree to revisit the issue.