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Town hires Melville Park steward on seasonal contract; council questions process, insurance and conflict-of-interest safeguards
Summary
The town administrator announced a seasonal, limited‑term hire — park steward Steve Luce — funded from the Melville Park line. Councilors raised procedural and liability questions; the town solicitor said the charter does not require council approval for a temporary seasonal hire and that the hire is like past DPW seasonal positions.
Town Administrator Raynor announced a pilot seasonal hire for Melville Park using existing Melville Park funds and said the town will evaluate the arrangement after the season.
Raynor said the town is offering the Melville Park Committee chair, Steve Luce, a temporary seasonal position as park steward. The role is 20 hours per week for 20 weeks with a total compensation cap of $8,000; Raynor said the position is a pilot and would be evaluated at season’s end to determine whether to recommend a permanent part‑time position in the next budget. He said the Melville Park committee has a modest annual line of $18,000 that remains largely unspent this fiscal year and that the pilot does not require additional funding and falls within administrative responsibilities under the town charter.
Several councilors and residents asked procedural and liability questions. Resident Tom Grebe and others asked whether the steward would provide proof of liability insurance and whether the town would withhold taxes. Raynor and staff said the steward would be engaged as a contractor paid via 1099 (not a town employee), and the town’s insurance trust covers routine committee volunteer activity; staff said they would confirm insurance details with the hire and provide a written response.
Councilor Larry Fitzmaurice asked whether the council must approve seasonal hires under the charter. The town solicitor said the charter provision Fitzmaurice cited — recommending establishment or combining of offices — did not apply to a temporary seasonal hire and said past practice is that seasonal positions (lifeguards, recreation and DPW summer workers) have not come before the council. The solicitor advised that if the pilot became a permanent position it should be described and approved in the budget process.
Councilors discussed whether a committee chair could hold both a volunteer role and the paid steward job. The solicitor said he had not reviewed that specific question but suggested, as an abundance of caution, the council could seek an advisory opinion from the Ethics Commission and provide a job description for review.
Why this matters: The pilot formalizes support for maintenance at Melville Park using an existing town funding line but raised procedural questions about council oversight for seasonal hires and practical concerns about contractor insurance and potential conflicts if a committee member fills a paid role. Town staff pledged to supply a written liability/insurance clarification to the council.
