Two contracts for town employees will be moved to the warrant for a special meeting after there were no speakers at a public hearing.
The public hearing July 21 drew three Councilors, one by speaker phone; Town Manager Kevin Smith; Chief Financial Officer Doug Smith, who is no relation to the Town Manager; and no speakers.
The articles will be discussed in a deliberative session Aug. 15 and the warrant articles will be voted on in conjunction with the Sept. 13 New Hampshire primary election.
The articles read as follows:
• Article One. To see if the Town will vote to approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Town of Londonderry and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Council 93 (LAEA – Unit B – Town Administrative Personnel), which calls for the following appropriations for salaries and benefits over what was raised under the current agreement and policies for the employees of the Union: First year, FY 17, $42,905, .01 on tax rate, average 1.5 percent increase.
The contract includes 12 “middle manager” administrative employees at the Town Hall, according to Smith. It has been approved by both the Town Council and Budget Committee.
• Article Two. To see if the Town will vote to approve the cost items in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Town of Londonderry and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 1801, which calls for the following appropriations for salaries and benefits over what was raised under the current agreement and policies for the employees of the Union: First year, FY 17, $51,114, $.01 on tax rate, $51,114, 1.5 percent average increase.
This collective bargaining unit includes members of the Town Clerk’s staff and Public Works employees, and was approved by both the Council and Budget Committee.
Councilor Tom Freda conducted the public hearing in the physical absence of Chair John Farrell, who participated by speaker phone. Councilor Tom Dolan was the third member present.
The three Councilors unanimously approved moving each item to the warrant after no speakers came forth.
Both unions’ contracts expired in July 2015.
The Town said the proposed contracts would benefit the town because a new health plan would be part of the agreement, and that plan would save the town an estimated $71,000 and save the union members $96,000.
However, he said, the enrollment period for the health plan ends Jan. 1, 2017, and the Town Meeting vote is not until March, so the town petitioned the state to have a special meeting to vote on the contracts, and was approved under the “emergency” clause.
The Deliberative Session will be Monday, Aug. 15, at 7 p.m. in the Moose Hill Conference Room at Town Hall. Voting will be from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, in the Londonderry High School gym.