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Deerfield selectmen set principles for inclement‑weather policy; administrator to finalize draft
Summary
Selectmen discussed who should decide town closures and how to compensate essential staff during major storms; they directed the town administrator to prepare a final draft incorporating decision authority (administrator, police chief, road agent) and compensation rules for board review.
The Deerfield Selectmen spent a substantial portion of their March 9 meeting refining principles for an inclement‑weather policy, focusing on who can declare a closure and how employees should be compensated when the town is closed for dangerous conditions.
Town Administrator Karen asked who should have authority to decide whether to close town offices in a major storm. Board discussion favored empowering a small operational group rather than the full board. Several members proposed a three‑way decision group — the town administrator, the police chief and the road agent — with some models giving the police chief the tie‑breaking authority if consensus cannot be reached. Board members said this model is common in other municipalities and is pragmatic for time‑sensitive safety decisions.
The board also considered pay for employees in a declared closure. The administrator proposed that if the town decides to close because conditions are dangerous, employees scheduled to work should be compensated for their regular hours; essential staff who must work during a declared closure (police, highway staff) would receive additional pay (time‑and‑a‑half was discussed). For employees who choose not to come in when no formal closure has been declared, members said those employees should use accrued leave rather than receive paid time off.
Selectmen asked Karen to finalize a draft policy that sets who can make closure calls in dangerous weather, clarifies when employees are compensated and defines pay rates for essential services. The board will review the finalized draft at a subsequent meeting and compare it to neighboring municipalities’ practices to ensure consistency.
Next steps: Town Administrator Karen will prepare a revised inclement‑weather policy incorporating the board’s direction on decision authority (administrator, police chief, road agent), tie‑breaking rules and compensation for essential staff, and present it for action at the next meeting.
