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Winchester reports OSHA fine reductions, plans documentation work and funding transfer
Summary
Town staff reported OSHA reduced its fines from $16,480 to $8,240 after a progress review; the town will complete remaining documentation with OSHA assistance and staff proposed taking $3,880 from the Selectmen's contingency fund to cover the town-hall portion of the balance.
Town staff reported at the March 17 meeting that Winchester has negotiated a 50% reduction in OSHA fines: the original total of $16,480 was reduced to $8,240 after a meeting with OSHA staff.
The meeting packet showed the town-hall portion of the remaining fines at $3,880, water-department items at $1,960 and sewer-department items at $2,400. Staff described work already completed around physical safety items (closets, desk anchoring and other immediate fixes) and said the outstanding items are principally documentation and written safety programs. The town manager said OSHA offered free assistance to help write required safety manuals and that OSHA’s team would complete roughly 80% of the documentation; town staff will complete the remaining 20%.
Manager reported moving the compliance rectification date to early July (dates cited in the meeting packet ranged up to July 7 or July 11) and said the town will meet those deadlines. The manager recommended—but did not formally move at this meeting—taking $3,880 from the Selectmen’s contingency fund to pay the town-hall portion of the remaining fines; staff said water and sewer departments will reimburse the town for their shares after payment. The manager said he would return with a formal transfer motion at a future meeting.
Ending: Selectmen discussed regional training-sharing plans with neighboring towns; no final funding transfer vote occurred at the March 17 meeting.
