Board of Selectmen ratifies one- and three-year AFSCME agreements after executive session

The Board of Selectmen met June 29 at the school library and, after convening an executive session under Mass. General Law chapter 38, section 21A(3) to discuss collective bargaining and litigation strategy, returned to public session and ratified one-year and three-year memoranda of agreement with AFSCME local unions.

The chair opened the meeting at 6:25 p.m. and said the only order of business was to meet in executive session under the cited statute because an open meeting could harm the public body's negotiating or litigating position. "Mass. General Law chapter 38 section 21A purpose three to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public body," the chair stated.

After the board recessed for executive session, members returned to public session. Selectman Mr. Hinkley moved "to confirm the ratification of the one-year and the three-year MOAs with the AFSCME local union," and a fellow committee member seconded. The board approved the motion by voice vote; the chair announced that the motion passed.

Mr. Hinkley made the motion in full: "I would make a motion to confirm the ratification of the one-year and the three-year MOAs with the AFSCME local union." The transcript records the board responding with "Aye" and the chair saying the motion "passes." Mr. Resendes is recorded earlier in the roll call as voting in the affirmative when the board first entered executive session.

The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn, a second and an affirmative voice vote. Music played as the session ended.

What the board did not specify in the public record were the financial terms of the agreements, implementation dates or whether any wage, benefit or staffing changes accompany the MOAs; those details were not specified in the transcript.