Font ResizeTOWNSEND -- The Board of Health voted to send a change of status form to the Board of Selectmen stating the health administrator's job should be at a grade 4, step 2 level when the new fiscal year begins July 1.
The complete board, along with Health Administrator Carla Walter, met with selectmen as a group, Chairman Chris Genoter said at the June 25 meeting.
At that time, selectmen agreed the position should be a grade 4, step 1 and be raised to a step 2 in the new year, Genoter said.
"In the meeting, they agreed that was correct. However, it says grade 3, step 2. They gave her the step but not the grade," Genoter said.
"Every time she's in meetings she's a grade below everyone else as a department head," he said.
Board of Health member Jim LeCuyer criticized selectmen for not putting the job at the higher level.
"I don't think the selectmen gave us due respect as elected officials of Townsend. They should not have given us a go and then taken it away from us. It's a bad, bad business," he said.
Municipal employees were placed on a wage and salary matrix effective Jan. 1. Selectmen held appeal meetings prior to Town Meeting with personnel who did not agree with their classifications.
But selectmen never approved an increase to grade 4, said Town Administrator Andy Sheehan in a follow-up phone call.
They did approve a step increase from grade 3, step 1, to grade 3, step 2 in recognition of her role as a supervisor, he
Walter supervises the part-time employees at the recycling center.
New recycling attendant hired
One of the current employees would like to cut back his hours, leading to the need for another attendant. Walter interviewed two applicants.
The board gave her approval to hire Matthew McRae.
"I think he'd be perfect. He's a strong young man. Hannaford's said he was a good worker," Walter said.
McRae showed good initiative by checking in with her to find out how the hiring process was going, Walter said.
The Ashby resident will be a senior at North Middlesex Regional High School in the fall and plans to attend college locally, she said.
One of the current attendants has expressed interest in getting a hydraulic license, which will raise his pay. As long as he can do that, Walter said she will not have to hire a new person with a license.
Recycling expands to rigid plastics
The board voted to accept the new container for recycling rigid plastics. The container was paid for by a grant through the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
Large items such as barrels, children's toys, lawn furniture and pet carriers can now be recycled in Townsend. Any metal parts should be removed.
As part of the terms of the grant, the board must advertise the new service.
Walter is planning a mailing of 5,000 pieces to residents of Townsend and Ashby. The recycling center is open to everyone, even people from New Hampshire, she said.
New curbside trash limit
The new limit for curbside trash pick-up in Townsend is four 32-gallon containers per household. As people recycle more and discard less, the amount the town pays for tipping fees to dump rubbish will decrease, she said.
