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Date: 12/28/2022
LUDLOW – The Board of Selectmen met with multiple department heads at their Dec. 20 meeting to discuss their requests for positions and reclassifications.
Vice Chair James Genette said the board would listen to each request, add them to list and reevaluate each position during their budget discussion to see which positions to approve and fund.
The Board of Selectmen met with Ludlow’s Human Resources Director Carrie Ribeiro on Dec. 6 to update the non-union classification plan to help compensate the necessary employees.
Board of Public Works director Steve Santos kicked off the meeting and said that right now public works has five level three vacancies.
Santos said, “We are looking to take three of those, not fund two of those positions and move one of them to a level four and another to a level one. This will be added in our budget.”
“This can improve pay for certain vacant positions.” Santos added.
Fire Chief Ryan Pease requested four new positions in the Fire Department for next year.
“Last year I came in with a plan to add four positions in the department in the next five years and another four after that which would bring every crew up to 10. Right now, I have three crews of eight and one crew of nine, so I am looking to upgrade.”
Pease added that there has been a 156 percent to medical responses and a 115 percent increase to the overall call volume over the last 21 years.
Police Chief Daniel Valadas requested two positions for two separate budgets. The positions are a sworn officer and a new dispatch supervisor.
“This specific position allows us to have a detective sergeant. Valadas added. “It allows me to put it in control and move a veteran sergeant to a second shift detective bureau position. This will allow us to have an operating unit on the second shift with a supervisor for accountability. We are shorthanded right now.”
According to Valadas, the dispatch supervisor position “will alleviate our staff from doing the management duty like rescheduling certifications and the trainings.”
“All 911 calls currently go to one main control center. We have nine full-time dispatchers which is the bare minimum.” Valadas added.
Hubbard Memorial Library Director Pat McGowan discussed with the board a new position for the Youth Services Department at the library.
McGowan said, “We currently have a part-time position in there, but this is to improve the capacity of our organization. This can increase our hours of operation for the library which increases the services available for the public.”
Executive Director for the Council on Aging and Ludlow Senior Center Jodi Zepke wants to see the board reclassify a few of her positions to improve their pay.
Zepke said, “I have 10 employees, eight of which are union. Of those eight positions, four of them are level one. I am the only department in town with level one employees.”
“For example, our cook position is level one and makes $17 an hour. We did 27,000 meals during [COVID-19]. Right now, we are on track to make 30,000 meals. That is one person pumping out all those meals for under $20 an hour.” Zepke added.
The Board of Health presented the board with one new position.
Public Health program coordinator Paula Matusik said, “The Board of Health is requesting a public health director position. This is the only department in town that currently does not have a management position.”