Newly elected Treasurer Doris Rousseau asked the Board of Selectmen on Wednesday night to raise the salary by about $57 a week for newly appointed clerk Susan LePage.
“She’s much more valuable to me than $571,” Rousseau said, recommending the Grade 4, Step 1 salary increase to $618, the third step.
Rousseau, elected a month ago and expecting to be replaced this summer after selectmen appoint a combined treasurer-collector, said there are several issues making the new payroll clerk’s salary unfair.
She said when selectmen voted unanimously to hire LePage from a field of 77 applicants, she was not told the starting salary and not given a chance to negotiate it by the prior treasurer in April.
She noted LePage’s experience and ability to hit the ground running. LePage of Somerset has worked in payroll functions for about 20 years and graduated from B.M.C. Durfee High School.
Rousseau noted the payroll clerk was the sole position in municipal government at a Grade 4. Other clerks are a Grade 5 or higher.
“Sounds like there should be a grade change,” Selectmen Chairman Donald Setters said.
“That was something requested by the previous treasurer. I don’t want to go there,” said Rousseau, who retired from the town accounting office before running successfully for treasurer.
She advocated increasing the step but not the grade.
Selectmen were frustrated by the April appointment process. A change in state law required the full board to publicly interview the three finalists selected by a screening committee. One of the three finalists withdrew suddenly from the public interview.
To Rousseau’s request of increasing the pay now, Selectman Scott Lebeau — and, to some degree, Setters and Selectman David Berube — disputed that approach.
“We can make this argument with countless town employees,” Lebeau said. “I don’t like playing with salaries.” He noted the large number of applicants and that the grade and first step pay were on the application.
Lebeau said the town is not in the same position as years past when there were “endless amounts of money from the power plants.”
“I’m not so sure that it’s fair,” Setters said. He said new town employees should be expected to “work their way up” and “prove themselves” before receiving extra raises.
Berube said he was surprised the person offered the job did not specifically ask what she’d be paid.
Luttrell said he thought there was a prior case for the payroll clerk’s job when the department head sought a higher pay that was granted by him and selectmen.
Rousseau noted in-house candidates have not applied for the payroll clerk’s job because it carries a lower grade and salary.
During the meeting Rousseau also announced she wishes to appoint Patricia Rodrick of Middleboro as assistant treasurer. That bylaw job is set by state statute as the treasurer’s appointment with final approval of the appointing authority, the Board of Selectmen.
That final action will take place at Wednesday’s meeting. The issue of whether the new assistant treasurer starts at the $806 first step of the Grade 8 pay scale will likely be discussed, officials said.
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