Special to the Pioneer Times
HOULTON – A variety of issues were covered at Monday night’s town council meeting, but the most hotly discussed were town employee benefit packages and the impact of Governor Baldacci’s school administration unit consolidation plan.
At the start of the meeting, Glenn Miller, the union steward of the Houlton Fire Department, presented several points for the council to “ponder” in response to last week’s meeting and specifically addressed proposed cuts to the town of Houlton budget in employee benefits.
“Over the past several years, the town employees have given up very much to maintain a decent health care package. When I say ‘very much,’ I mean increased wages and this sort of thing,” Miller explained.
Miller pointed out that councilors were comparing town employees to general industry.
“We don’t mind being compared to general industry,” Miller said, “But we don’t make the wages that general industry makes.”
Miller explained that general industry employees with similar professional and technical training would earn around 18 to 20 dollars per hour, whereas public sector employees in Houlton are paid closer to 11 dollars per hour.
“Traditionally, public sector employees don’t make great big wages, and we know that, but also traditionally, public sector employees do have a very generous benefit package,” Miller said.
Miller explained that the council’s proposed 20 percent higher rate of pay by employees for health care packages, which was voted on last week, would translate to $2,160 less pay per year, even when accounting for the traditional 3 percent annual wage increase for town employees. Miller urged councilors to consider these facts as they make final decisions on the budget, and the council thanked Miller for his comments.
State Representative Richard Cleary then presented information about discussions currently under way in Augusta regarding the school administration unit consolidation plan and the many possible variables and outcomes. Cleary described the plan as a “rural versus urban” issue.
Although legislators and the Maine Department of Education are discussing the many possible alterations to the plan, no concrete decisions were available at presstime.
Several councilors expressed their frustrations with the lack of clarity in the plan, and suggested that although consolidation was initially proposed as a money saving venture, the savings would be at the state level, but be more costly to local municipalities.
Under old business, the council unanimously accepted the updated comprehensive plan for the town of Houlton as submitted by the Houlton Planning Board.
The council then moved to new business and confirmed the following appointments for the town of Houlton as made by Doug Hazlett, the town manager: Bernard Reece as the Parks and Recreation Director, Wade Hanson as the Community Development Director, Kevin Tingley as the Code Enforcement Officer, Doug Hazlett as the Airport Director and Emergency Management Director, Milton Cone as the Ambulance Director, Fire Chief, and Cemetery Superintendent, Leigh Stilwell as the Public Works Director, and Butch Asselin as the Police Chief. All motions passed unanimously.
The council also appointed councilor Walter Goodrich to the Roads 2000 committee.
During closing remarks, council chair Paul Cleary revisited the issue of employee benefits and clarified the reasons behind the generous benefit package for town employees.
“We had employees that, with paying for their health insurance, were also on welfare, because they were below the poverty line,” Cleary said, “We also had employees that left our employment after years of employment for the town, to go work at a convenience store and made more money.”
Cleary also underlined the high cost of rehiring and retraining employees.
The town of Houlton budget for fiscal year 2008 will be open for public hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers.
