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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 division still shows vacant electrician and plumber positions and whether the city could reclassify or fund those roles to reduce outsourcing. Director of City Operations Al Oliver said the city has tried to recruit and to convert or reclassify positions, but “to reclassify them, that's a union” matter: the collective bargaining agreement and the bargaining process constrain immediate reclassification.
On an individual stipend, councilors questioned a $13,000 “service out of rank” payment made to an administrative assistant who also performs project-management duties. Interim Director of Finance Emily Arpied said the stipend “was negotiated with the employee,” and Oliver said the work has been viewed internally as “service out of rank” rather than an established position. Councilor Dean and others expressed concern about stipends given to single employees that are not part of a union‑wide agreement, arguing it can create morale issues and inequities among union members.
Councilors also asked about how overtime and vacancy savings are being used. Arpied explained that base salaries reflect permanent positions and that overtime and other additional pays (snow stipend, hoisting stipend) are captured separately; salary savings from vacancies are often used to cover temporary or overtime needs in the department until positions are filled.
On outsourcing, staff described the current practice: the city typically awards blanket contracts—often up to $50,000—for electrician and plumbing work and purchases materials directly to avoid contractor upcharges. Arpied said the budget shows about $50,000 blankets for contractors and about $75,000 for materials in the facilities lines.
No formal policy change was adopted during the meeting. Councilors asked administration to continue negotiating with unions and to return with clearer staffing plans and timelines for filling vacancies or creating reclassified positions.
