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Denmark board previews budget, questions cleaning-contract classification and proposes 3% raises
Summary
At a budget preview the select board discussed a proposed 3% salary increase, rising electricity costs, a not-yet-budgeted salt-shed, and debate over whether a cleaning contract should be treated as a third-party contract or as a $50/hour town employee.
Town officials presented a preliminary budget breakdown and the select board flagged several items for follow-up, including staff pay, utilities and how the town is accounting for building‑cleaning costs.
The Town Manager brought a draft budget preview and recommended a starting salary increase around 3% (board members discussed 3% to 3.5% as options). The board asked for a fuller packet on Jan. 27 and scheduled weekly budget sessions beginning Feb. 10 with the budget committee for a deeper review.
A central point of debate was whether the contract for building cleaning should be recorded as a third‑party contract or as an employee line item. One board member said the town’s bookkeeping currently lists the cleaner on payroll at about $50 an hour, and others noted payroll taxes and workers‑comp implications would increase the town’s cost. The manager said outside bids for the cleaning work ranged from $75 to $125 per hour; treating the cleaner as an employee would add payroll taxes estimated at about $8.70 per week to the town’s obligations.
Board members asked the manager to re-run numbers and, if helpful, re‑advertise the cleaning contract to compare employee‑vs‑contractor costs. Members also discussed anticipated electricity-cost increases at town facilities and noted the new salt‑shed expense was not yet included in the draft.
The manager will provide an expanded budget package at the Jan. 27 meeting and the board plans to continue budget deliberations through February as they balance pay, utilities, and one‑time capital items.
