[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6176993,"mediaKeyId","5342387-ff2d1bef481464bf67dae160aa2fefea","parentId",5342387,"title","Personnel board backs pay adjustments for long‑tenured Southborough employees; special town meeting next step","audioSeconds",229,"startMs",1387000,"endMs",1616000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5342387-ff2d1bef481464bf67dae160aa2fefea&start=1387&end=1616","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5342387-ff2d1bef481464bf67dae160aa2fefea/thumbnail_1387000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6176993/Town-of-Southborough/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Personnel-board-backs-pay-adjustments-for-longtenured-Southborough-employees-special-town-meeting-next-step","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6176993-943fa6272ef154accaf985a73dfc1c3d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773661536&Signature=VmXSedfvBnK1rQcYvh0i4tiTtD1lwkzf-rKF5N9GFe4CpmVK3MZmplxHjfbDSziolXp2YTDH3NmS3RrIS3sia965CVZRqVL~q0idBAVqD6~IS6BI0E2cE2qsnkKueBrK8lwWqPRHWb5pIJF56MCcJjH59XC9HyMuvmWYWyiDwXgrbicc1PW5-kh3LWQ-an2FIB7pHlNnTpVBdMdpxKBEOugiBa263zzMJVSjTyE0IsqYgtArLNgb7w-KcmK4SNKAKJtumtRwUdqFzRjfTlmAmJ183F8pUrWgKHqrnmxJZ~Hpz7z1temeJyGO4rQNYmJ3kwZpFjpelhtiFStsTvWguQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Southborough, MA","date","2025-07-10T00:52:11.707Z","article","The personnel board voted on June 17 to support Town Administrator Mark Purple’s recommendation to adjust pay for long‑tenured employees and to consolidate two business‑administrator grades, Southborough Youth Commission Director Sarah Mikas told the commission on July 8.

Mikas described the personnel board’s action as an endorsement of a recommendation rather than a final implementation. \"At this stage, this is just a recommendation,\" Mikas said. She said the recommendation would next be briefed to the select board and is expected to be brought forward at a special town meeting this fall; Mikas added that the personnel board discussed making the changes effective at the start of the calendar year 2026.

The specific recommendation described in the personnel‑board discussion would move employees with eight or more years of service to a minimum of step 8 on the town’s salary grid. Mikas also said the recommendation called for combining the existing Business Administrator 1 and Business Administrator 2 classifications into a single Business Administrator position at grade 5; under that change the commission’s business administrator, Janet Bartolane, would move from grade 4 to grade 5 if the change is finalized.

Mikas noted the recommendation affects two staff in her department — herself and Megan (last name not stated), the program coordinator — who would be among those moved under the step‑8 provision if the plan is approved. She said the personnel board and town administration flagged that some longer‑tenured employees had fallen behind market rates and that this adjustment is intended to correct inequities ahead of the next full salary study, which is scheduled for 2027.

Commission discussion included concerns about how regrading could affect internal pay relationships. Mikas said the change \"may create some need to reevaluate everybody's grades\" and described the possibility of a domino effect on other positions, such as the program coordinator role, which the director said carries different responsibilities and educational qualifications.

No formal vote on implementation occurred at the July 8 commission meeting. Mikas told commissioners that the action will require further approvals: briefing to the select board, inclusion on the special town meeting warrant, and a town‑meeting vote for final authorization. She urged commissioners to help inform residents about the proposed changes ahead of the special town meeting in the fall so that voters are aware when the item appears on the warrant.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Southborough Youth Commission 7/8/25","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioners were briefed that the personnel board voted to support Town Administrator Mark Purple’s recommendation to move employees with eight or more years to a minimum of step 8 and to consolidate Business Administrator grades; the proposal must still clear the select board and a special town meeting.","taxTitle","Town of Southborough, Worcester County, Massachusetts","taxId",56453,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6176998,"Southborough Youth Commission reports 271 survey responses, expands summer outreach and pilot programs",740,436000,1176000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5342387-ff2d1bef481464bf67dae160aa2fefea&start=436&end=1176","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5342387-ff2d1bef481464bf67dae160aa2fefea/thumbnail_436000.jpg","/articles/6176998/Town-of-Southborough/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Southborough-Youth-Commission-reports-271-survey-responses-expands-summer-outreach-and-pilot-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6176998-8deceab4503f4fdeac27f246570dd385/orig.mp4?Expires=1773661536&Signature=PVG2VQv0djVfX06nvdYoPdoakaPaWkB16KPyi51pJZeGXPl4PAU~26usEjHTEM1nyTbNFnzgHS78aBC7XhSf3i0Bf2FI1M~i62AQSoLH1XhJqelHBNTAKp5e4xhbR8xnJmrh6oVi8fLekaTrduHlyjhRXbb~xpTDFkeUgqDHeiW7q~-Hx9YZwyHkQT8hX1ltnRmAyV6lenGYpsbqjR9cwIR6dBUGkYEWDfnLn7z-HJ7~t9rtJZUUG8RwofrFEkd4KU-P8iqP~CV9X2Dq2npKdZT53I7p8Gb~86w4lVd58DUG3dRFmHnt9ukrs9Rcvf1iCc0AImw24M6F0RYMwZ3Y3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Southborough Youth Commission on July 8 heard a director’s report outlining summer outreach efforts, pilot programming and progress on a community needs assessment that has collected 271 responses so far toward a goal of 366, Director Sarah Mikas said.

The survey will inform youth programming and services across the Town of Southborough. Mikas told commissioners that staff have pursued multiple outreach channels this summer — including on-site visits at the town transfer station, a presence at community events, and planned tabling at select summer concerts — to boost response rates.

Commission members were told the outreach at the transfer station produced about \"30 to 35 responses just from doing that,\" Mikas said, and that Recreation invited staff to a block party at the Finn School to further promote the survey. \"As of today, I think the last time I checked, we had 271 responses,\" Mikas said. The commission’s target of 366 responses corresponds to the threshold staff identified as statistically significant for Southborough’s population; Mikas said the team expects to continue collecting replies through early fall and open houses at the start of the school year.

Mikas described several program and partnership developments. Staff met with the director of a new Family Promise program operating out of space provided by St. Mark’s Church, which offers temporary shelter and vocational supports for families; the commission discussed ways to connect families in Southborough with that resource. The commission also discussed a partnership with the Southborough Housing Authority (Colonial Gardens) to pilot weekly on-site consultation hours. \"I'm going to be there — I believe it's 9 to 10 to start,\" Mikas said of the Thursday consultation hours. She said the plan is to start with one hour and, pending demand and facilities work, expand staff- or intern-led programming on site.

Staff described a leadership training collaboration with Southborough Extended Day for counselors-in-training, and three newly developed info sessions for the summer and coming school year: a formalized \"navigating the mental health system\" session, \"embracing adversity,\" and a recently completed one-hour session titled \"why mindfulness.\" Mikas also said staff are pursuing QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) gatekeeper instructor training to offer suicide-prevention instruction in the fall.

Commissioners were asked to share the survey broadly; staff said they have printed copies available to place in residents’ mailboxes and to provide at outreach locations for residents without online access. Mikas said Friends of the Southborough Youth Commission will join her at St. Mark’s Church for the congregation’s Open Plate fundraiser and that staff will attend a Southborough blood drive with materials to solicit survey responses.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about logistics and next steps: Melissa Shields asked what time the Colonial Gardens consultation hours would begin, and Mikas confirmed the 9 a.m. start. Commissioners discussed staffing and the need for multiple volunteers to cover fall school open houses, where tabling is busy and requires two people at many schools to be effective.

The commission plans to continue outreach through summer and early fall events with the explicit objective of meeting the 366-response goal and using the survey results to shape programming for the coming school year.","At its July 8 meeting the Southborough Youth Commission reviewed summer outreach, a community needs assessment with 271 responses toward a 366-response goal, new on-site consultation hours at Colonial Gardens, and pilot leadership and info-session programming, Director Sarah Mikas said.","actionData","errors"]

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Personnel board backs pay adjustments for long‑tenured Southborough employees; special town meeting next step

Southborough Youth Commission reports 271 survey responses, expands summer outreach and pilot programs