Finance Board favors Article 1
Published on July 16th, 2003
STONEHAM, MA - A movement to repeal an oft-discussed $5 transfer within the Town Meeting moderator budget cleared another hurdle toward ultimate adoption this past week as the Finance and Advisory Board voted to approve Article One.
The Finance and Advisory Board, by a slim 4-3 margin, voted favorably to support deleting the transfer at the Special Town Meeting on July 28.
"As it was explained to me, the reasons for the vote had to do with having issue with the process and having nothing to do with me personally," said Rotondi in a phone interview after the Finance Board vote. "It seemed to be more about having trouble with the motion-making process...which I think is the real issue here."
"I think the good thing to come out of this is to have an intelligent conversation about the motion-making process," added Rotondi. "The motion request I made for transfer came in a week before Town Meeting, but I've seen motions come in just as Town Meeting is starting...and I've had issues and problems with that."
"I don't think the revote adds value on a process level...it's more of a personal thing," said Rotondi. who had planned to attend the Finance Board meeting but 'got caught up in something'. "I just disagree with that approach."
Board members Jim Grayson, Paul D'Angelo, John Bowen, and Eric Rubin voted affirmatively to rescind the transfer while Richard Gregorio, Sal Tecce and Ben Caggiano each voted against Article One.
"Due to the lack of explanation and disclosure, there are those that believe the system has been damaged," said Grayson. "Supporting Article 1 would allow us to reset the zero, and put the numbers back the way they were before things were penciled in."
Gregorio had originally motioned for an unfavorable recommendation of Article 1, but the former Chairman didn't have the votes for final approval.
According to Gregorio, the move to remove the money from Mike Rotondi's personnel fund wasn't much more than a symbolic gesture.
The argument stems from the May 5 Town Meeting when Rotondi, who had been seeking entrance into the town's pension system and had been told by the Retirement Board that he needed to make greater than $200 a year to qualify, transferred $5 from the Moderator's operating budget to personnel. The move raised his salary level to $205, and presumably made him eligible to enroll in the retirement system.
Stoneham resident Terri Ghannam questioned the transfer, and, depending on whom you talk to, either Gregorio or Rotondi answered that it was a simple transfer. Since that moment, voters have questioned the motives behind the transfer and the ensuing confusion.
Vocal critics claim that Rotondi has "duped" the people of Town Meeting, while Rotondi himself claims to be a victim of "personalized politics" and maintains that his pension is a "personal issue."
Once PERAC ruled that Rotondi, as an elected official, was eligible for a pension, regardless of the $5 transfer, Gregorio didn't see the point in rescinding the transfer.
"I think there's a lot of people reading a lot more into this than is really there," said Gregorio. "We've spent a total of five hours of the Town's time discussing this issue. We've spent about 45 minutes during Selectmen meetings actually discussing the flawed process, and spent the rest of the time talking about how the moderator 'lied'... I don't think that's right."
Bill Previdi, husband of one of the citizens (Edie Previdi) behind Article 1, thought that any gesture toward removing the $5 transfer was important.
"The Town needs to send a message to all of those people who felt like they were duped at Town Meeting," said Previdi. "It's about restoring a sense of trust in the system."
"Who duped you? Who duped you?" asked Gregorio of Previdi, his voice rising in frustration. "I was there...the question was asked to me, not Mike Rotondi, and I said it was a simple transfer. The Moderator didn't want to address the question. If anything, the Finance Board duped you."
Gregorio also continued his vocal criticism of the Finance Board, the Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator, and their failings that led to the ugly aftermath of destructive name-calling and hand wringing.
"There wasn't enough information for the voters to have the complete picture before they voted on Article 3," said Gregorio of the fateful May 5 Town Meeting session. "I didn't know enough about it, you (the rest of the Finance Board) didn't know enough about it, the Selectmen didn't know enough about it, and the Town Administrator (Dave Berry) had known for a week but didn't feel obligated to tell anybody."
Berry has maintained that he informed Selectmen Charlie Smith, Tony Kennedy and Mary Pecoraro of the transfer just prior to opening of Town Meeting on May 5.
Several board members, in addition to their opinions concerning the actual article, voiced their doubts about any elected officials deserving a full benefit and pension package.
"I couldn't agree more that part-time workers, and that's what they are, don't deserve acceptance into the pension system," said D'Angelo. "Elected officials like the Selectmen, Assessors and the Moderator can buy into the system, and I don't think it's right."
"I find it very ironic that Mr. Ciccarello, one of the most vocal critics of Rotondi, asked for immediate reconsideration of Article 3 after it was approved," said Gregorio. "He moved the reconsideration vote to protect his Selectmen stipend...which he doesn't deserve anyway."
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