After lengthy discussion, voters approve elected posts' salaries
Published on May 5th, 2004
STONEHAM, MA - There was an inkling of the Town Meeting tempest to follow when the town's voters spent almost 30 minutes discussing Article Four (setting the town's elected officials' salaries) prior to the budget discussion.
The townspeople eventually assented to the previously held salaries/stipends for the Town Clerk ($55,254), the Board of Selectmen ($3000 each for a total of $15,000), the Board of Assessors ($1200 each for a total of $3600) and the Town Moderator ($200), but many questioned the prudence of the Selectmen and Assessors' stipends.
"I recommend that the voters vote unfavorably on this article," said Brenda Boyle. "I don't think this a standard salary for the Selectmen."
"This is something that I had discussed as a former member of the Finance and Advisory Board, and I think it's appropriate given the town's financial troubles," said the former Finance Board member. "There are many, many towns like Arlington and Lexington, there isn't any stipend or salary given to the Selectmen...it's considered public service (rather than for pay). I'm very disappointed that given the financial issues facing the town, that the Selectmen wouldn't lead by example and give up the stipend."
Boyle then referenced the large amount of money expected to be paid by the townspeople in taxes, and asked for an explanation concerning the stipend's existence.
Considering the total amount of the article considered rounded out to $74, 054 -- the bulk of which is the clerk's salary of approximately $55,000 -- citizens argued whether the Selectmen was a voluntary position, or that the stipend was simply a sum of money to reimburse expenses incurred by these same town officials.
"In many of these towns that don't pay their Selectmen, their traveling expenses are paid for to attend workshops or seminars," said Anna Mae Arsenault. "Stoneham doesn't pay for any of the Selectmen's expenses...it only covers a minimum of the elected officials out-of-pocket expenses."
Selectmen Cosmo Ciccarello also spoke in favor of the nominal stipend given to the town board. Ciccarello referenced a time in 1989 when Selectmen cut their "salary" from $3000 to $1000 during a painful recession, and stated that the $3000 had been restored for the last five years.
"It's more about making ends meet for running campaigns and donating to other official's campaigns...that's the only reason," said Ciccarello. "I work very hard as a Selectmen."
Stoneham resident Terri Ghannam opined that the Article should be split into sections, and that each board or official should be voted on separately.
"I'd like to make a motion that people vote their conscience on each of these positions separately," said Stoneham resident Carol Feke.
A candid Ciccarello answered that, in the end, the Selectmen work hard for their money.
"Compare us to Wakefield, Reading and other towns who get paid for their service," said Ciccarello. "Some towns get $7000, $8000, even as much as $15,000...depending on how you do your survey. We obviously don't spend as much time (serving the town) as the Town Clerk, but we spend a lot of time on the phone and attending events. This helps defray some of the costs."
"I think we deserve the $3000...I'll be very honest with you," added Ciccarello.
Charlie Smith added that his $3000 goes to local charities, and that he "wanted to hear the people speak on the issue."
Finance and Advisory board Chairman John Warren said that it has been the consistent practice of the town to approve the elected officials' salaries, and they "were respecting the opinion of recent town meetings."
Resident John DeGeorge requested that the article be postponed in the wake of Article Ten, an article that would augment the Board of Selectmen from five members to seven members.
DeGeorge also wondered aloud where the money was coming from to fund the elected officials' salaries, and intimated that Article Four could be an illegal article because it didn't divulge the origins of the funds.
"Where it this money coming from?" asked DeGeorge, who made an amendment to lock in the elected salaries at the $75,000 figure and ensure that the town officials would be paid in case of a failure to pass the budget.
The town meeting voters shot down amendments to postpone and separate the article before approving Article Four.
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