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Citizen petition to limit health insurance for stipend-paying part‑time elected officials fails
Summary
A petition that would have excluded part‑time elected officials who receive a stipend from town health and life insurance unless they pay the full monthly cost failed. Debate focused on equity, personnel practices, opt‑out incentives and the town’s current cost for elected-official coverage.
Town Meeting considered a citizen petition to request special legislation disallowing participation in the town’s contributory health and life insurance benefit plan for part‑time elected officials who receive a stipend unless the official pays the full monthly cost plus any administrative charges. The motion was amended to make any change effective at the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2019) if adopted. The Finance Committee recommended not approving; after debate the article failed.
Petitioners argued the change would prevent unequal treatment among elected boards and control costs. Opponents and selectmen said elected board service is time-consuming and that providing benefits (or an opt‑out stipend) helps recruit and retain qualified volunteer officials. A Board of Selectmen member described the town’s negotiated employee health plan and an opt‑out incentive the town offers: a family-plan opt‑out payment of $5,000 and $2,500 for single plans, and a move by the town to a fifty/fifty contribution model for some employees. The presenter said most part‑time elected officials have opted out and that the current town cost for the group of elected officials was about $72,000 at the time of the meeting; the Finance Committee did not support the petition and the article failed on the final vote.
The moderator declared Article 12 failed on a voice vote after discussion.
