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Richmond select board debates townwide pay‑grid increase, defers final decision; approves police call‑screening stipend and many committee appointments
Summary
The Select Board discussed increasing the town pay grid (staff had budgeted 3% while CPI data supports 4%), but delayed a final vote pending further fiscal analysis; the board approved a stipend plan for officers to screen calls when Richmond officers are off duty, accepted a police resignation, and ran a large slate of committee appointments and liquor license approvals.
At the May 18 Select Board meeting, Richmond officials spent substantial time on town finances and personnel policy, notably discussing whether to increase the town pay grid above the budgeted 3% to match recent CPI movement.
Town staff summarized the FY26 third-quarter financials and said projected year‑end unrestricted balances and departmental variances leave the town in a position to consider a modest upward adjustment to pay grades. Board members debated whether to adopt a 4% pay‑grid increase (citing the New England CPI and moves by neighboring towns) versus holding to the 3% assumption in the budget to avoid overspending core services. Board members expressed concern about neighborhood impacts such as rising fuel and highway costs and noted social‑security recipients and other fixed‑income residents as a population to be mindful of. The discussion touched on the police contract, which is capped around 2% in the existing language; after extended discussion the board decided to defer a final, town‑wide decision and asked staff for additional analysis and data for a follow‑up meeting.
On police matters, Town staff announced the resignation of Officer Blake Allen, who returned to a previous department; the Richmond force is now one officer and the chief. The board voted to approve a new on‑call pay plan so Richmond officers can be paid a stipend to screen mutual‑aid or dispatch calls when Richmond officers are not on duty. The plan defines a 12‑hour screening shift and pays a modest stipend intended to cover a nominal hour and a half of expected screening time per shift, with additional compensation for subsequent calls; the board approved the plan by motion and recorded votes.
The board also ran a long set of appointments across town committees and boards, reappointing and naming representatives to conservation, recreation, parking, trail, and other town committees; it approved several liquor licenses for local businesses and awarded a pavement striping contract. The board accepted a small payment from the special projects reserve to finish Browns Court parking‑lot incidental purchases and approved the purchase order for a Digway Road emergency watershed protection project that is grant funded.
What comes next: The board requested additional budget detail and fuel/cost sensitivity analysis before finalizing a town pay‑grid decision. Staff will return with more detailed figures for a future meeting and the board plans a staged process on personnel policy after receiving those figures.
