Budget committee removes administration merit line, approves administration budget and assistant town manager pay

The Rangeley Budget Committee voted to remove the merit increases line (account 0110) from the general government administration budget and approved the revised administration budget at $300,853.

During discussion committee members said recent midyear raises and internal reassignments made the placement of a merit line in the administration budget inappropriate. A motion to set the merit line to zero passed unanimously. Committee members discussed whether retention bonuses established in prior budgets should be rescinded; several members opposed removing previously approved retention bonuses on fairness grounds and proposed a graduated retention schedule (for example, a smaller payment at five-year intervals) if the committee pursues a policy change.

The committee also debated the assistant town manager salary. Committee members noted the position received an increase in August 2024 after a restructuring of front-office duties. After hearing salary-survey comparisons and members' calculations, the committee approved a motion setting the assistant town manager salary at the amount proposed by a committee member and seconded by others; the motion carried unanimously. Committee members emphasized they would monitor midyear adjustments and asked staff to place contract items (including the town manager contract) in the appropriate line items once finalized.

Votes taken at this meeting on administration items included: a unanimous vote to reduce the merit line (0110) to zero, and a unanimous approval of the administration budget at $300,853. Committee members directed staff to move qualifying amounts to reserves or other accounts when appropriate and to provide follow-up documentation on midyear changes.