Selectmen say Police Chief salary account needs another transfer.
according to records provided by selectmen, fiscal year 2014 the actual police chief salary was $92,470.00 and fiscal year 2015 actual was $95,300.00. Fiscal year 2016 began with $83,420.00 and revised fiscal year 2016 was still $83,420.00, then in May 2016 at the annual town meeting, $3600.00 was transferred into police chief salary for an increase to $87,020.00 and now selectmen say another $1,575.00 is needed which would equal total appropriations for fiscal year 2016 of $88,595.00. This begs the question, was the police chief given a 5 thousand dollar raise in fiscal year 2016? Fiscal year 207 has the police chief salary at $92,961.00. That is a sweet contract that selectmen voted for and sold you. Now this self proclaimed superior board/department who said "we are elected, you are just appointed" (referring to the Advisory Committee) while telling Town department heads to not meet with the Advisory Committee during the so called budget process. Now they come calling telling the Advisory Committee they need their help to fix the selectmen's so called budget. Two special Town meetings, one annual town meeting and now this request. Four times with 69 transfers from various accounts, with some out of and into the same account multiple times. Do not forget the original requests at annual town meeting. Do we have a budget or a shell game here?

posted by Jeff Bennett