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Residents and board press for clarity on HR administrator role and recreation computer funding
Summary
Residents asked whether the new HR administrator would be a consultant or town employee and where funding would come from; board members also raised questions about the recreation department's computer budget and high telephone/Internet spending.
Residents and board members sought clarification about a newly amended HR administrator role and funding for recreation department technology during public comment at the June 2 Kingston Select Board meeting.
HR administrator role: Resident Stacy Dion asked whether the HR administrator position listed in the job description was a 40-hour-per-week role or a 40-hour-per-month consulting position. A board member clarified the role is not being added as a separate full-time town position but is being amended: the finance/HR duties are being split so HR tasks will be assigned to a separate person or a consultant; the board has not decided whether to hire a town employee or contract a consultant. The board said the salary delta from removing HR duties from the finance position would cover the new HR position’s cost if the town hires internally. "It's not being added. It's being amended because right now, we have a finance slash HR person, and we're taking HR away from that person," a board member said.
Recreation technology and budget questions: Several board members and residents questioned the recreation department’s line-item budgeting: the packet shows only $1 listed for computers while telephone and Internet spending is already at 61.3% of the budget year-to-date. Board members asked staff to check which computers were purchased previously (some with ARPA funds) and whether unused terminals exist before deciding to allocate additional funds. One board member said the department’s existing computers were nearing end-of-life and may force a budget adjustment if replacements are required.
Why it matters: Staffing changes affect payroll and service delivery; clarity matters when converting responsibilities from one position to another or when contracting out HR work. The recreation department’s limited computer appropriation and high telecom spending may require budget amendments or reallocation if equipment fails.
Next steps: Board members agreed to follow up with Marissa and other staff to determine the status of computer replacements, the location of existing equipment bought under ARPA, and whether unused terminals can be redeployed. The board also said it will confirm funding details for the HR position and whether the role will be filled internally or by a consultant.
