Chittenden County RPC forwards Draft FY24 UPWP and budget to full board after debate over staffing and salary increases

The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission’s Executive and Finance Committee on April 5 voted to forward the Draft FY24 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) and budget to the full board for consideration in April. Jeff Carr moved to forward the draft and Mike O’Brien seconded; the motion carried unanimously.

Executive Director Charlie Baker told committee members the MPO program for FY24 shows about $2.2 million in contractual work, a figure he said reflects increased federal funding and one-time carry-forward dollars from previous years. Baker said the larger workload is stretching staff capacity and that detailed project types will affect staffing needs.

The committee discussed a proposed 12.36% increase to the salary line—an 8% cost-of-living adjustment plus roughly 4% estimated to fund a new staff position. Baker said billing rates will be used to charge funders and that the salary increase is intended to help retain staff. Finance Committee member Jeff Carr cautioned that reimbursement rates must remain reasonable and warned against committing to positions the RPC could not sustain if revenues decline.

Members debated timing for a compensation study. Jacki Murphy said staff survey responses show concern about pay ranges and urged caution; Mike O’Brien and others discussed whether to reduce the proposed COLA slightly to account for municipal budgets. Baker said the compensation study planned for late 2023 will assess whether pay adjustments kept pace with peers.

The UPWP discussion also included staff review of an application originally from UVM that VNRC proposed to pick up; committee members said the submitted revision lacked key details, accurate dates and a confirmed 20% match and recommended sponsors reapply with evidence of long-term behavioral-change outcomes.

Votes at a glance: • Approval of March 1, 2023 minutes — motion by Mike O’Brien; second by Chris Shaw; carried unanimously. • Delete Task 2.3.3.9 from Draft UPWP — motion by Chris Shaw; second by Jacki Murphy; carried 5–0–1 (one abstention: Michael Bissonette). • Forward Draft FY24 UPWP and budget to full board — motion by Jeff Carr; second by Mike O’Brien; carried unanimously. • Executive session on personnel was entered and left with no action taken.

The committee also reviewed revenue assumptions tied to Regional Planning Grant match and a House appropriations recommendation for $1.5 million statewide; Charlie Baker said that could translate into an estimated $150,000–$200,000 for the CCRPC if adopted, but that amount was not included in the current draft.