Untitled - Town of Windham

ANNUAL SENATE BILL 2 SESSIONSARTICLE 8. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $ 3,780, representing the costof the increased economic benefits for members of Local Union 1801 AFSCME (Municipal Union) to whichthey are entitled for the fiscal years 2011 - 2014 under the terms of the latest collective bargaining agreemententered into by the Selectmen and AFSCME. Said contract to expire on March 31, 2014 with the additionalcost for 2013 to be $ 23,570 and $ 8,000 for the year 2014, with $0 to be paid retroactively for 2011. Thecontract also includes an increase from 20% to 25% in the employee’s share of health insurance premiums.Should this article pass, the Highway Department's and Town Clerk's line accounts in the approved operatingbudget from Article 20 will be reduced by $1,800 and $1,530 respectfully, representing costs of step increasesemployees remain eligible for if the new contract is not ratified.Selectman Hohenberger explained how the COLA raises were 0% April 1, 2011; going to be 0% April 1,2012, and 3% April 1, 2013. The steps are in accordance with Union Contract; eligible employees will stillreceive their step increases based on the current scale in place. The impact of two such step raises for 2012amounts to $3,330. Health Insurance has been made into more of a “cafeteria plan”. Employee Co-Paymentamounts will increase as of March 1, 2012 to 25% of the premiums. Currently the employees pay 20%. Inaddition employees will be given three alternative plan options. If an employee chooses one of thesealternatives they no longer would be under the town’s partially self-funded plan but rather would assumeresponsibility for co-insurance payments and deductibles as applicable. Based on the plans chosen byemployees for 2012 as well as higher co-pays the Town has realized $50,000 in health insurance savings forthe next twelve months. In the future there will be amendments to the operating budget to reduce amount,because of this transpiring. The Earned Time Contract calls for a “hard cap” of accrued earned time of 960hours. Any hours above that at each year end will be forfeited by employee. New employees will have alower earn time earning benefit and be allowed to accumulate no more than 400 hours. Cross Training ofEmployees Contract allows for use of administrative employees from one department to another as needed aswell as use of employees within the Highway, Transfer, and Maintenance departments in any of these threeareas/departments. The Duration of this contract is three years April 1, 2011 – March 31, 2014.Stephanie Wimmer from Bedros Road wanted to know why there was only one Selectman opposing theArticle. Selectman Breton answered that he was the one Selectman who opposed, he said he didn’t agree withthe COLA increase, but he accepted the contract as a whole.Patrick Robertson from Kendall Pond Road wanted to note that the average person that’s on a family plan hasto pay $200 a week to contribute to the health insurance. Town Administrator Sullivan noted that if a personwere to kept the traditional JY plan then the person would be required to pay the $207Motion made and seconded to place Article 8 on the Ballot AS STATED. Voted in the AFFIRMATIVE.ARTICLE 9. Shall the Town of Windham, if Article #8, is defeated, authorize the governing body to call onespecial meeting, at its option, to address Article(s) #8, cost items only?Selectman Breton explained that if this particular article were to fail then the Selectmen have the authorizationto hold a Special Town Meeting.Motion made and seconded to place Article 9 on the Ballot AS STATED. Voted in the AFFIRMATIVE.ARTICLE 10. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $214,000 for the purpose ofnew Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Gear for the Fire Department and necessary equipment andmaterials to place this gear into service, and further to authorize the acceptance of $203,300 of thisappropriation from the US Department of Homeland Security – FEMA, as part of a Assistance to FirefightersGrants to fund 95% of the project, with the balance of $10,700 to come from general taxation. Should thisarticle be approved but the State grant not be awarded, this article will be considered null and void. This willbe a non-lapsing account per RSA 32:7, VI and will not lapse until the purchase is complete or for a period oftwo (2) years, whichever is less. This article is part of the Capital Improvement Program.2012 ANNUAL REPORTS 10 TOWN OF WINDHAM, NH