Town Meeting voters nearly opposed a six-figure appropriation meant to pay retiring town employees for their unused sick time next year.
The annual appropriation, often approved without discussion in previous years, was instead met on May 1 with spirited debate from some residents who hoped to send town officials a message that such employee benefits are unacceptable.
"This practice in the real world, in the public, was aborted long ago," Samos Lane resident Bob Marshall said.
According to several officials, that message was heard loud and clear.
"We know it's an issue," said Town Manager Buzz Stapczynski. "People, they're angry at what looks to be a very generous benefit. We know it's a benefit, and we're addressing it. It's on our plate with collective bargaining."
Residents' 145-to-135 vote means that $300,000 will be transferred into the town's accumulated employee benefit account. The accumulated employee benefit is also known as sick-leave buyback.
Available to members of all seven town employee unions, the benefit calls for retiring municipal employees to be compensated at the end of their careers for unused sick days. When employees retire, payment for unused sick days is received in full and at the higher rate employees are making the year they retire.
"That's where it really builds up, that it's at tomorrow's rate," Selectman Brian Major said. "Not the rate you earn it."
Though each town employee union works under different labor agreements, Stapczynski told Town Meeting that town employees are given 15 sick days each year. Employees are allowed to carry unused sick days from year to year.
The sick-leave buy back is not available to School Department employees.
Cherrywood Circle resident Bob Pokress called the sick-leave buyback provision a "ridiculous practice," telling Town Meeting voters that disapproval of Article 40 would send a message to selectmen that "gold-plated" employee contracts would not be acceptable any more.
If Article 40 were disapproved, the town would still have had to pay its employees due compensation.
"It's a contractual obligation, so we're going to pay it," Stapczynski said.
Selectmen Chairman Brian Major said a change of just five votes would have resulted in a tie — or enough for disapproval.
"It sends a very strong message that the selectmen, in working with the unions, need to look at reducing that long-term liability to the community," Major said. "We need to work cooperatively to reduce/eliminate that long-term liability. That's not a benefit you find in the private sector."
"I think that many people don't like the amount of benefits that the town is obligated to pay," Finance Committee Chairwoman Joanne Marden said. "It's clear that people would like to see the town reduce the obligation."
Marden told Town Meeting that progress had been made with employee unions to reduce the town's liability for buying back unused sick leave, thought it will take years to see the actual effects.
"It's going to take some time before we see the impact of that," Marden said.
During the last round of contract negotiations with town unions, Major said selectmen were able to cap the number of hours employees could receive full reimbursement for unused sick days at 120 hours.
"It hit home for me," Major said of the message residents appeared to be sending. "We need to look at different options."
Stapczynski said that among those who voted against the appropriation were two school leaders seated on the floor of Town Meeting on May 1.
Stapczynski said he was under the impression that he had already addressed their concern over the accumulated employee benefit account during tri-board budget meetings involving the School Committee, selectmen and the Finance Committee.
"I thought we had addressed all their concerns about it, and we certainly will," Stapczynski said. "Maybe I'm wrong, but with two of them standing up (to vote for disapproval) makes me feel we need a really honest, and open and public, discussion about their benefits."
Buying back unused sick leave
Payouts from Andover's Accumulated Employee Benefit Account
FY2004 $162,713
FY2005 $379,109
FY2006 $314,622
FY2007 $511,012
