Asleep at the Empty-Prize?

Are folks at the Empty-Prize asleep?

While their editorial is intended to fault one person, Middleboro's Annual Town Meeting protested a number of SICK LEAVE BUY BACKS in lump sums.

Middleboro's former Town Manager received SICK LEAVE BUYBACK at retirement claiming he had never been sick. A review of BOS meeting minutes might indicate otherwise, but what private sector 'salaried' employee gets such a perk?

Middleboro's Animal Control Officer 'retired' in March of 2006,moved to Florida, but remained on the Town's payroll until September 2007 because of accumulated vacation and sick pay. How much previous 'sick leave' was used for previous surgeries? No one keeps track. Did anyone request documentation for that period of sick leave?

Middleboro's 11/5 STM (Special Town Meeting) approved $85,000 for sick leave buy back for retiring employees.

Middleboro's Board of Selectmen signed a contract with a newly hired Town Accountant who will work 4 days a week with no specified hours, and be allowed to accumulate sick pay at the same rate as those employees working 35 hours per week up to 275 days. So, in other words, if he leaves the Town's employ, he can 'run out' his accumulated sick leave. If he 'retires' from the Town, he can 'run out' his accumulated sick leave for ONE YEAR.

EACH AND EVERY MIDDLEBORO UNION CONTRACT ALLOWS FOR SICK LEAVE & VACATION ACCUMULATION & BUY BACK THAT WAS NOT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE OR ACCRUED AS A FUTURE TOWN LIABILITY.

Instead of targeting one particular individual to fault, perhaps the Empty-Prize editors should do their homework. Yeah, it's egregious, but it's widespread. Could this have contributed to the fiscal train-wreck in Middleboro?

County official reveals waste in government
We are hard pressed to think of any business outside of government where workers can carry unused sick days from one year to the next and then, as they near retirement, stop working at full pay for weeks, even months, before actually leaving the job while another person has to be paid to pick up the extra work.
http://enterprise.southofboston.com/articles/2007/11/21/news/opinion/opinion01.txt