The Town of Blackstone Board of Selectmen on Dec. 30 recommended two warrant articles to fund recently negotiated labor contracts, voting unanimously to place both measures on the special town meeting warrant.

Assistant Town Administrator Lauren told the board the packet shows green-highlighted line items for the DPW contract and orange items for the clerical union. She said the total to fund the DPW contract will be $56,161 and the clerical-union total is $10,860, with both amounts intended to be retroactive to July 1 and paid from free cash. "There was no COLA percentage for fiscal year 25 for both DPW and clerical," she said, adding that adjustments were made to the wage scale with increases ranging roughly between 8% and 12% depending on years of service.

Lauren said the clerical total covers roughly 10 to 11 employees and the DPW total covers about 12 staffers; she said lower-step hires and the conversion of one full-time clerical position to part time reduced the total cost. Board members asked clarifying questions about percentage increases; one member observed that a 12% increase on a lower base salary is modest in dollar terms.

A motion to recommend Article 1, the DPW funding article, was moved and seconded and approved by unanimous voice vote. A subsequent motion to recommend Article 2, the clerical-union funding article, likewise passed unanimously.

Presiding selectmen discussed scheduling: the board may hold a Selectmen's meeting before the finance committee's public hearing next week to ensure logistics are in place; staff said they are waiting for a dispatch-related document to be signed (transcript wording: "dispatch grama"), which could affect timing. The meeting closed after routine future-agenda items and New Year greetings.

The articles will proceed to the special town meeting warrant and the finance committee public hearing; the board did not change the funding source from free cash or alter the retroactive July 1 date during the meeting.