Pay-plan debate stalls as selectmen disagree over procedure and line-item transfers

The Middlebury Board of Selectmen debated a revised non-union pay plan at its Jan. 5 meeting and did not adopt it after disagreement over procedure and budget authority.

First Selectwoman Jennifer A. Mahr presented the revised pay plan, saying it reconciled staffing changes and reallocated existing salary savings to cover new or adjusted positions. She cited several specifics, including consolidating split funding lines so affected employees receive the correct pay. “This is actually correcting something that we shouldn’t have been doing to what we should be doing,” she said, arguing the plan results in a net savings against what had been previously authorized.

Selectman J. Paul Vance pressed that the Board of Finance should review and sign off on any line-item transfers before the Selectmen finalize pay changes, emphasizing that the town’s voters had approved the overall budget. Board of Finance Chair Vincent Cipriano echoed concerns, saying a review is appropriate and that the town historically avoids midyear alterations to voter-approved budgets.

CFO Seth Bernstein told the board the revisions reflect reallocations from eliminated or unfilled positions and that the proposed transfers fall within the Board of Finance’s authority to move funds between lines. Attorney Robert Smith read the relevant charter language (Section 604) confirming how the pay plan and subsequent line-item transfers are intended to be processed.

First Selectwoman Mahr moved to approve the amended pay plan; Selectman Vance declined to vote in favor and instead asked to refer it to the Board of Finance. The motion failed, and no pay-plan changes were adopted at the meeting.

The Board of Finance is scheduled to review budgets and may consider line-item transfers in the coming weeks; CFO Bernstein said he will present further analysis there.