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Council presses city on vacancies, stipends and ‘service out of rank’ in facilities and maintenance
Summary
Councilors pressed city leaders about multiple unfilled electrician and plumber positions, a $13,000 service‑out‑of‑rank stipend for an administrative assistant supporting project work, and the constraints of collective bargaining on reclassifying trades positions.
Councilors pressed Fall River’s finance and operations staff about staffing shortages in facilities and community maintenance during the Committee of Finance review of the FY26 proposed budget, particularly the absence of in-house electricians and plumbers and the use of stipends for employees performing higher-level duties.
Why it matters: vacancies in skilled trades affect the city’s ability to perform in‑house maintenance and can increase outsourcing costs. Councilors also raised equity concerns about stipends and the bargaining-unit process used to authorize pay differentials.
Councilors repeatedly asked why the facilities…
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