Farmington delays handbook change after water, highway staff raise pay and holiday‑pay concerns

Several town employees and residents pressed the board on July 14 about pay disparities and a proposed handbook change that would affect holiday pay and sick‑time language.

Aaron Bissell, the town’s water and sewer superintendent, said his department’s average wage (excluding management) is $29 per hour and that comparable towns start at about $31.35 per hour. He said turnover in water and sewer is high and that a resolution stating the board had researched and acted on salaries was frustrating because his department had presented similar data previously without department‑wide action.

Another speaker identifying himself as James Lance, a highway employee, asked why highway workers scheduled for 10‑hour shifts would be paid only eight hours on observed holidays, saying employees could be forced to use vacation time to keep a full paycheck.

Board members acknowledged the concerns and said they would not act on the handbook item at this meeting. One board member said, “we're not gonna move out now. We'll pull it and hold,” and that broader, department‑wide pay adjustments are typically addressed during the annual budget process. The board suggested employees and the HR committee have time to review the proposed language and that the item will be revisited with clearer documentation.

The board’s decision pauses immediate changes to the handbook and directs staff to provide more detailed comparisons and to consider potential step‑grade changes or starting‑wage adjustments during the next budget cycle.