After volunteering to take a 1 percent pay cut in fiscal year 2010, Andover's nine town department heads met with union leaders Tuesday morning, March 10, encouraging town employees to do the same.
"By and large, the unions understand what's going on out there in the economy, and in people's lives. They understand they need to be part of the solution," said Assistant Town Manager Steven Bucuzzo. "No one wants to lose money, no one wants to do these types of things. But the point is that we're doing it to try and save positions in the town, avoiding layoffs of the people we work with."
The town's operating budget currently has a $874,000 deficit projected for next year, FY2010; the 1 percent cut from the nine department heads totals $11,372. The pay cut is a verbal agreement, but will be formalized in writing soon, said Bucuzzo.
"They stepped right up, on voluntary basis. They're leaders every day, but they're leaders when push comes to shove and we have to solve this budget personnel problem," said Town Manager Buzz Stapczynski. "It's a multifaceted problem, and requires a multifaceted solution ... As I'm designing our recovery program, we need to have less employees going into the future than we have now, on both the school and town side."
On the school side, Superintendent Claudia Bach said pay decreases are one of many options school personnel are looking at to save money.
"We thought it would be a good gesture for the leaders of departments to take a leadership role, and try to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem," said fire Chief Michael Mansfield. "We all felt, collectively, that it was the best thing we could do to show that we care about the community ... hoping that other positive things might follow with some of the unions as well."
The March 9 meeting with unions was "an informal type of meeting, to put the idea out to the unions. To test the waters," said Mansfield.
If all non-school employees followed suit and took a 1 percent decrease, that figure would equal $241,449, said Bucuzzo.
Andover Patrolman Patrick Robb, president of the police union, was not at the meeting due to a military duty, but said he will be discussing the idea with colleagues.
"As of yet, I haven't discussed it with any of the other union officials, and definitely haven't proposed anything to (union) membership yet. We're all, obviously, trying look at ways to reduce the budget without cutting anyone," said Robb.
The police union signed a contract in March 2008. Although taking a decrease is not preferred, said Robb, all options are on the table. "We fought for what we got then, and we'd like to keep what we got," he said.
Firefighter Thomas Agnew, president of the firefighters union, said it was "too premature" for him to comment.
Stapczynski isn't on the list of department heads taking a pay cut, because his salary isn't negotiated until after his performance evaluation, he said. He stopped short of committing to a pay cut, saying "I will show the same exemplary leadership that department heads have shown, and participate in a program that demonstrates leadership to the community and employees to get us through these tough times."
Besides pay concessions, the town has been looking at leaving positions unfilled after a retirement, consolidating services and jobs, even saving about $27,000 by shutting off street lights on cul-de-sacs.
"There's no one magic solution to all of this, but the main solution is to reduce the work force, for now and in the future," said Stapczynski.
Bill Fahey, director of Andover Youth Services, said his division is ready to do whatever it takes to keep programs going. He suggested every town employee take five unpaid days next year.
"We have to, as town employees, look at ourselves and ask what we can do," said Fahey. "You have to give to get. To keep programs going strong, it's going to take (Andover) employees and citizens going hand in hand, doing it together."
"Speaking for our department, we would be willing to do whatever it takes to keep our program going forward. We as a staff donate a lot of time back to town," said Fahey.
Taking a 1 percent pay cut:
Police Chief Brian Pattullo, Fire Chief Michael Mansfield, DPW Director Jack Petkus, Plant and Facilities Director Joseph Piantedosi, Finance Director Anthony Torrisi, Library Director James Sutton, Town Clerk Randy Hanson, Town Accountant Rodney Smith and Steven Bucuzzo, assistant town manager
