DEERFIELD — Select Board members have requested an increase in their salaries in the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, though the Finance Committee recommends keeping it level funded.
Select Board members have been appropriated a collective $7,000 for the current fiscal year and have requested $16,000 for the next one. This could be a bone of contention at the annual Town Meeting on Monday, when voters will be asked to approve a proposed budget of $13,475,859 that is $394,846 higher than the current figure. This would be a 3 percent increase.
Select Board member Carolyn Shores Ness said the salary increase is intended to make public service more appealing to younger people by reducing the financial burden that comes with it.
“It’s because I’m worried there isn’t enough interest in the job,” she said. “It’s a huge commitment.”
Town meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Frontier Regional School auditorium.
The Select Board’s requested budget for general government expenses is $867,414, compared to $784,660 this year. The Finance Committee recommends $880,725 for general government, with higher spending sought for town office expense, town office building maintenance, contracted services, and legal expense line items.
The figures requested by the Select Board includes a salary increase of $5,012 to $41,406 for town accountant Brenda K. Hill. Interim Town Administrator Douglas C. Finn said Hill does a tremendous service for the town and her compensation should be more competitive. The Finance Committee recommends a salary of $37,647.
There is also a requested $1,002,424 for public safety expenses, up $95,591 from last year. Much of this is related to what appears to be a $37,120 increase in inspections department salaries. However, Finn explained this will be offset by a corresponding increase in inspection fee revenues.
A requested $52,991 in police payroll results from a possible school resource officer.