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Date: 4/14/2021
HAMPDEN – The Hampden Select Board voted to adopt the pay scale and two-year timeline of cost increases recommended by the recent Collins Institute study. The payscale consists of ‘grades’ and 12 steps within each grade. There would be a 2 percent increase in pay for each step.
At the meeting on April 12, Treasurer Richard Patullo explained that there was a choice between a two-year schedule of pay increases or a three-year schedule. While the three-year schedule cost $59,000 as opposed to the $85,800 for two-year incremental increases, the board noted that the three-year schedule provided less incentive to employees who would be unlikely to reach the top of their pay grade during their career. Additionally, the occasional cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) would increase pay by 1 percent.
“In theory, they’re more experienced and more valuable,” Patullo told the board. He also said it was a matter of balancing cost with employee morale.
“Can we afford it,” Chair Donald Davenport asked of the two-year intervals. Patullo confirmed that Hampden was capable of paying for it.
Select Board member Mary Ellen Glover praised the payscale as “well-defined, objective,” and “data-driven.” Interim Town Administrator Bob Markel said that the new scale will make Hampden competitive with other towns in the area.
The board discussed how to reward employees outside of the scheduled pay bumps. A pay raise in response to certification in the job is a possibility for some employees, but it is not an option in all positions.
The board discussed the extension of plumbing from the Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary to a handful of homes on Main Street with tainted well water. Glover asked whether to create the ability to expand the water to more homes should it become necessary in the future or should the town wish to sell the water. Flynn said that serving additional homes would require a new district to be created, as the purpose would be the sale of water, rather than remediation.
The cost of the pipe from Laughing Brook is just over $600,000, but Markel told the board that it should be completely covered by the latest coronavirus relief package, the American Rescue Plan, recently signed into law by the Biden Administration.
Hampden Wilbraham Regional School District (HWRSD) Superintendent Albert Ganem, Director of Finance and Operations Aaron Osborne and Student Services Director Gina Roy informed the board that they planned to use Thornton W. Burgess Middle School (TWB) as a location for the district’s summer school program. Ganem said the location was halfway between both towns in the district and therefore, would be convenient to all students.
Roy explained that the special education programs that run throughout the year at TWB would continue to be offered four days per week during the summer. The summer school program for the general education students will be three days per week and is paid for by an Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant. The summer school is designed to help students close the learning gap in the wake of the 2020 school closure and the hybrid-learning model used since the closure. Students demonstrating an academic need will be invited to enroll in the program. There is no word yet on how many students will be educated over the summer. Transportation will be supplied for both the special and general education programs.
At Green Meadows School, Osbourne told the board, flooring projects will be taking place over the summer, including the use of jackhammers and heavy equipment.
Bids have come in for the painting of Academy Hall. They range from $12,000 to $23,000. Select Board member John Flynn expressed open skepticism regarding the low bid, despite receiving favorable references for the company. Markel was instructed to look into the matter further.
Temporary outdoor dining will be extended for restaurants that submit plans to the Select Board. The extension is in response to the 6-foot distancing requirement between restaurant tables. Health Agent Lorri McCool explained that if a restaurant normally has a capacity of 100 people and can only fit 80 with the 6-foot rule in place, the other 20 patrons can be seated outdoors. The restaurants cannot use the outdoor seating to expand their customer capacity beyond the limits approved by the Planning Board.