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Brimfield adopts new budget, wage increases

Date: 6/21/2023

BRIMFIELD — The town of Brimfield took a significant step toward shaping its fiscal future on June 12. During the Annual Town Meeting, residents approved an operational budget of $11.2 million for fiscal year 2024, which begins July 1.

More than $6.8 million of this budget is dedicated to the Tantasqua Regional School District and the elementary school.

The meeting took place under a tent at the Brimfield Winery and attracted over 125 participants.

In addition, residents approved 27 articles, which covered a broad range of issues from health insurance modifications to wage increases for town employees to equipment acquisitions and altering bylaws.

The meeting approved a 5% across-the-board wage increase for all municipal employees to attract and retain workers.

Selectboard Chair Martin Kelly described this wage increase as a strategic approach to filling vacant positions, a challenging task due to the region’s competitiveness in the municipal job market.

The former salary range, Kelly noted, was no longer effective, as seen by the fact that only two applicants had submitted resumes for the treasurer position.

Finance Committee Chair John Ballou also weighed in on this issue, emphasizing that the 5% cost of living increase would counterbalance inflationary challenges. This strategy, he suggested, is essential in an increasingly challenging economic environment.

The University of Massachusetts will assist in reviewing the town’s salaries, benefits, and job descriptions from top to bottom. The process will involve comparing the rates offered in Brimfield to those shown in nearby communities.

The comprehensive review will provide an informed perspective to guide the town’s fiscal planning.

However, Selectboard members themselves were dealt a blow as their annual stipend was reduced significantly from $12,173 to $5,000 or $1,000 apiece. The move was linked to the Selectboard requesting to raise the hours of an administrative assistant from 24 to 38 hours a week.

Town Accountant Marie Arsenault said the assistant’s hours stayed in place, and the employee will be paid $24,274.00 in the coming fiscal year.

Health insurance burdens also saw a shift. In the newly approved measures, the town agreed to bear a larger share, creating a 60/40 split in favor of the employees. The past split was 50/50, which hurt wage earners during rising costs.

In other changes, residents reevaluated an unused $50,000 allocation from the previous year for a Facilities Study Committee. With a newly approved addition of $50,000 this year, the total fund is $117,000.

Article 6, passed, limits expenditures from the Brimfield Flea Market Fund to $150,000 for FY24. This measure ensures any surplus over $50,000 is redirected to the General Fund, a strategy designed to bolster the town’s general finances.

Other key articles focused on infrastructure and development. Article 11 secured $50,000 through raising, borrowing or other means, to fund repairs and maintenance of municipal buildings and structures.

Meanwhile, Article 19, sponsored by the Building Committee, set aside $50,000 from available funds to draft preliminary plans for key town locations such as the Town Hall, Town Hall Annex, Library and Senior Center.

The Fire Department also received $65,000 for a Polaris Ranger utility task vehicle. Fire Chief Don Contois said the vehicle would aid search and rescue efforts and gain access to brush fires.

Contois added that the Ranger was professional grade and incorporated plastic body panels to reduce weight.

In a gift to themselves, residents shifted $178,000 in Free Cash to reduce the tax rate. The Excess Levy capacity was $179,101.00. The funds were applied toward a $176,000.00 debt exclusion, reducing the tax burden.

Participants had two minutes to speak or pose questions to town officials. With the new electronic voting system, residents had 10 seconds to vote “yes” or “no,” indicated by green and red buttons on the remote device.

Residents could change their vote within the allotted 10 seconds. The vote counts were shown on the screen. The system ensures that residents’ vote stayed anonymous. Fifty-six Massachusetts communities adopted similar electronic systems, but Brimfield residents must decide whether to keep or ditch the devices.

With the articles passed, Brimfield is set to navigate an evolving economic landscape while keeping an eye on the well-being of town workers and residents.