Sick Leave Buy Backs & Comments

Those who have commented on Sick Leave Buy Back have missed a number of significant issues.

1. The Empty-Prize printed an editorial that criticized Plymouth County because of the editor's concealed agenda. Very little local reporting is accomplished by the consortium that owns the Empty-Prize and in essence, it's a wasteland.

On Wednesday, one single article appeared about the Monday BOS meeting and failed to report significant issues. Rather, the Empty-Prize chose to focus on the Regional Task Force and SRPEDD, its targets. Instead of news and factual reporting, the Empty-Prize has presented its favorite targets.

2. The Empty-Prize reported about a single Plymouth Country employee who 'ran out' her sick days. That editorial comment wouldn't be problematic if it represented fair and accurate reporting of the same issue in other towns or specifically Middleboro.

The 11/5 STM in Middleboro approved + $85,000 in sick leave buyback, and additional was voted on at the ATM.

One of those employees approved for sick leave buyback at the 11/5 STM was deceased.

Did anyone question or notice, least of all the Empty-Prize?

While it's sad that the Town lost an employee, what private sector employer offers that perc?

And for that matter, what private sector employer offers sick pay packages to salaried employees?

What private sector employer doesn't require medical documentation?

What private sector employer fails to record sick days, as Middleboro has not?

3. To clarify for all who believe or have been circulating mis-information: Town Meeting has a right to 'fund' or approve CONTRACTS.

If Town Meeting refuses to FUND a union contract at its inception, it's back to the Bargaining Table.

It can't be challenged in court. Some may recall that there was a Town that refused to fund a new Police contract last year and the Union accepted Town Meeting vote without a court challenge.

And at one of the BOS Meetings, I specifically asked the question to compel the Chairwoman to make the comment, on the record, that ALL union contracts will contain the provision 'SUBJECT TO TOWN MEETING APPROVAL.'

Since the Chairwoman seems to have periodic memory lapses and frequently misstates information as it's convenient, one needs to watch carefully, but it should also be noted that the Town Accountant's contract failed to include that wording.

As a footnote: the reason the 36% pay raise for the Selectmen's Secretary could not be voided is because it occurred in the 2nd year of a 3 year contract, increasing her pay to $68,000 per year or equivalent to a department head who supervises employees, manages a department, and has specialized training.

$85,658.61

The following sick leave buy back was approved at the
11/5 Middleboro STM:

Articles 11 & 12:

$14,581.11 Wastewater Dept. (John Sylvia)
22,260.00 Conservation Commission (Rosemarie Correia)
36,247,50 Fire Dept. (M. Thomas Matthews)
12,570.00 Treasurer's Department (Dorise Horton)

$85,658.61


The above amounts were in addition to
the amounts approved at the ATM.

It should be noted that Ms. Correia is
deceased.


Is there a private sector employer that pays
the heirs for accumulated sick pay?

Sick Pay: Buy Back vs Accumulation

Much ado was made at the Annual Town Meeting (ATM)

regarding

SICK LEAVE BUYBACK

Because those amounts were clearly disclosed, voters FINALLY

began to notice one of many giveaways, courtesy of taxpayers.

At ATM, Chairwoman Brunelle indicated that the town policy

had been discontinued after 2005.

11/5 STM was again asked to fund

SICK LEAVE BUYBACK

TO THE TUNE OF HOW MUCH?

Were you watching? Have you totalled

those amounts?

I'll offer the hint that it's not a pittance.

What the Bait & Switch experts didn't tell you is

they instead ALLOW employees to

ACCUMULATE SICK LEAVE

UP TO 275 DAYS.

Regardless of whether the policy is a conspicuous

lump sum that requires Town Meeting approval

or a carefully concealed additional 'EMPLOYEE'

on the payroll exhausting their sick pay prior to

retirement, it is a concealed liability the

TAXPAYER - TRANSLATION - YOU,

has incurred that will reduce town services.

That the policy IS extended to SALARIED

EMPLOYEES has yet to be questioned.

The retired Town Manager received his

'lump sum' for his accumulated

sick pay, declaring that he had never taken

a sick day.

A cursory review of the BOS

meeting minutes might prove otherwise.

The BOS signed a contract with a recently

hired SALARIED Town Accountant who will work

4 DAYS EACH WEEK

yet he will accrue sick time at the same

rate as a full time town employee.

The BOS also allowed the contract to

include VACATION PAY that he WOULD

HAVE been entitled to in his previous

position.

Little noticed is that NO ONE was

keeping track of sick pay or vacations.

While some might disagree, a list of

private sector employers offering

those benefits would be appreciated.