HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-01-31 Board of Selectmen Minutes - Executive Session Board of Selectmen Meeting
Executive Session
January 31,2012
The meeting was called to order at 6:35 p.m. Present were Chairman Camille Anthony,
Vice Chairman Steve Goldy, Secretary Ben Tafoya, James Bonazoli, Town Manager
Peter Hechenbleikner, Police Chief James Cormier, Human Resources Administrator
Carol Roberts, and Assistant Town Manager/Finance Director Bob LeLacheur.
Police Patrol Officer's contract - Mr. Hechenbleikner reviewed the current negotiations
with the Police Patrol Officers union, and stated that we have a tentative settlement. The
union leadership has approved the deal and very recently the entire union voted to
approve the contract — by a very narrow margin. He said the major give-back from the
union was to support the department's removal from civil service. He said that pending
an approval from the Selectmen, the next step would be to.go forward with an Article at
2012 Annual Town Meeting. If Town Meeting did not approve removing the Town from
Civil Service, the contract was void and would need to be renegotiated.
Ms. Anthony asked why the vote was so narrow, and if the minority voters would likely
appear to present their side at the Town Meeting? Chief Cormier said that he had asked
around and learned that there was some misinformation about a current list for promotion
to Sergeant. A civil service test had been given and unofficial results were out. Some
members were concerned that by the time the results became official late in the spring of
2012 that a non-civil service exam would be substituted and those passing the previous
exam would need to start all over. Chief Cormier believed that a significant number of
`no' votes were from those candidates that passed the exam. Hr. Hechenbleikner
explained that a proposal had been made to allow those that pass to bypass a non-civil
service test and proceed to the next step in the promotion process.
Chief Cormier reviewed a handout on civil service. He explained the nature of the narrow
list from which to select a new hire or promotion, and the difficulty of bypassing the top
candidate who may have landed there due to military service and not strictly on merit. He
also explained the complex and expensive appeals process. Mr. Hechenbleikner added
that in the past the Town had left positions vacant rather than fill them with an employee
that would not be a good fit.
Mr. Hechenbleikner explained the financial package was a 4% cost of living raise in
FY13, and a split raise on FY14 of 2% plus 1.5% midway through the fiscal year, plus
0.5% on the last day of the contract. He added that in exchange for a reduction in
vacation hours for specialists that new super steps of 2.5% were created for those with 20
and 25 years of service in that bargaining unit.
Chief Cormier described a replacement hiring and promotion system that would replace
the civil service process. The main advantage would be more local control over the
process — especially in terms of calendar time needed to hire or promote. He said that
Board of Selectmen Executive Session Minutes—January 31, 2012—page 2
four of eight candidates had passed the recent Civil Service Sergeant's exam and they
would be allowed to skip the next non-civil service promotional test.
Mr. Goldy requested that in the future he would like to be apprised of negotiations more
often.
The Board of Selectmen will need to vote the approval of the contract in open session.
Health Insurance Negotiations - Mr. Hechenbleikner and Ms. Roberts reviewed the health
insurance bid process and the results. Four qualified bids were received. The incumbent
won with a 0% increase for FY13, while the three other bidders ranged from +15% to
+22%. The anticipated FY 2013 GIC rates are also higher than the MIIA renewal. Staff
indicated that in their opinion the winning bid had a portion that was non-economic in
order to win the business, and that in the future an adjustment would occur. If, in the
opinion of the Town, a future year's renewal was inappropriately high the Town could go
out for bid again. In the consultant's estimation that was a figure of about 34% and the
rest was based on the bidders' better knowledge of Reading as a customer and the fact
they had other risk pools that they could lay off some of our high recent claims
experience. Additionally recent experience for Reading was trending downward.
Mr. Hechenbleikner stated his intention to propose to the Public Employee Committee
(PEC) a return to a 70%/30% split from the current 71%/29% split. The 1% saved by the
Town for the first year would then be made available through a health savings account or
similar program for employees that have high out of pocket expenses. A sample policy
was described. He also mentioned that we would try an opt-out program on a two-year
trial basis. Employees in the Town's plan for a minimum of the last two years would be
paid a small amount (about 1/3 of the Town premium) to opt out to take another private
plan, likely through a spouse.
On a motion by Mr. Goldy seconded by Mr. Tafoya, the Board voted to adjourn the
Executive Session on a roll call vote with al four members voting in the affirmative.
Respectfully Submitt d,
" W.
Secretary