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Select Board holds executive session on police wages after discussion of pay grid changes
Summary
To preserve bargaining position while changes are contemplated, the Select Board entered executive session under 1 V.S.A. §313(a)(1)(B) to discuss wages for employees in the New England Police Benevolent Association; one member recused before the session.
Town staff presented revisions to the police department pay grid intended to improve recruitment and retention. Interim Chief Matt Cohen and Town Manager Josh Arnison described the department’s staffing challenges and the board discussed options including raising pay and negotiating contract changes.
Because there were no active bargaining‑unit members present, and after legal advice that premature public discussion could disadvantage negotiations, a board member moved that public disclosure would be premature and the board voted to enter executive session under the cited Vermont statute to discuss wages for Richmond employees represented by the New England Police Benevolent Association; the motion invited town staff and the interim chief into the executive session. One Select Board member announced a potential conflict of interest and recused himself from the executive‑session discussion.
Why it matters: The town is pursuing changes to stabilize the police force, including possible pay increases; the board followed counsel by taking wage negotiations into executive session to protect bargaining positions. The board did not disclose executive session deliberations on the record.
