TOWN ELECTION: Incumbents re-electedA special report

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March 23, 2010

Andover Elections: Tuesday, March 23

All nine precincts will vote at the Andover High School Field House between the hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Incumbents re-elected

Incumbents Alex Vispoli and Jerry Stabile were re-elected to the Andover Board of Selectmen today.

They were challenged by Chandler Road resident Larry Bruce for a three-year term.

During his campaign, Bruce said the town has a spending problem and thinks the current selectmen are not doing their job and have raised taxes or fees at least 18 times last year.

Vispoli said he came onto the Board of Selectmen six years ago with the motivation to open up the communication between the residents and town officials and to inject fiscal discipline and he said the current board has made a lot of progress in the past three years.

Stabile said the town currently faces many challenges and the selectmen are doing a good job at running the town.

Selectmen's Candidates

LARRY BRUCE, 51

Address: 254 Chandler Road

Family: Wife Pamela Bruce, daughter Ally Bruce (Andover High School, 2009)

Profession: Engineer

Elected office held: Student government president, Worcester State College, 1982

JERRY STABILE, 50

Address: 8 Blueberry Hill Road

Family: Wife, Amy; daughters Alexa, Joslyn, Carly and Julia

Profession: COO SW Development Company

Elected office held: Andover Board of Selectmen 2007

ALEX VISPOLI, 52

Address: 7 Alison Way

Family: Wife, Ann (Maguire) Vispoli; children: Colleen, 25, married to Ian Callahan; Alexander 23; Christine 21; Kevin, 12

Profession: Director of Sales, for Waltham's Venyu Inc., data protection and availability solutions company

Elected office held: Three terms on Norfolk Planning Board prior to moving to Andover in 1996; Andover Board of Selectmen March 2004, re-elected March 2007, twice served as chairman

CONTRACTS

Most of the town's budget pays for salary and benefits. Pick one of these three: Overall, Andover packages are: 1. too generous, 2. too cheap or 3. about right. What problems do you see with current contracts? What must change in those contracts, if anything? What have you personally done in the past and what would you have Andover do differently in future negotiations? (Up to 250 words. Longer answers will be edited down.)

Bruce: Too generous. Our search for a school superintendent began with the assumption that we'd pay between $180,000 and $200,000, plus benefits. Why announce upfront what the town can afford? Would anyone walk into a car dealership and say, "I have $50,000 — sell me a car." Our town government has a very bad habit of writing blank checks.

We must operate town government more like a private enterprise; which will always fail if expenses chronically exceed revenues.

It may seem unusual to those of us who work in the private sector, but Andover's "department heads" have a collective bargaining agreement. This agreement covers the chiefs of fire and police, director of plant & facilities, director of public works, finance director, library director, town accountant and town clerk. Under the terms of the agreement, they get four weeks of vacation after one year of service, five weeks after three years. I prefer to negotiate contracts for public-safety managers separately from other administrative employees, but in Andover that's not possible.

What's not included in most of the contracts is the pay rate. Why not? The guaranteed annual increase is there, but what do you multiply it by? What is the cost of the pensions?

Pay scales for town employees are high, but there's another problem as well — a bloated payroll. Our library has an "acquisitions director" making $61,130 a year. We spend $2 million in salaries at the library every year. They may be nice people, but how many of these employees are "essential?"

Stabile: 4. None of the above The terms in the current contracts reflect an evolutionary process. Unfortunately what made sense 20-30 years ago simply does not work anymore from a fiscal perspective. They were designed to reward longevity not performance. They are designed to increase compensation regardless of the town's ability to pay. Massachusetts General Laws make it almost impossible for the town to radically adjust these contracts. Notwithstanding taking a very aggressive stance in the upcoming negotiations, we have to get our state representatives to step up and change the laws. A good start would be passing legislation that allows cities and towns to take health care design out of the collective bargaining process. I am all for paying our employees above average wages because they deliver above average services, but we can compensate our best and brightest by rewarding them on their performance under terms that make sense in today's economy.

One project that I have personally championed is a health care opt out program that would allow our employees to voluntarily pursue other insurances plans outside the town's, representing the potential savings of over $1 million a year.

Vispoli: In some areas they are too generous, some about right. We are working with the employees to bring total compensation packages more in-line with best practices benefit standards.

Post employment benefits — long term obligations such as health care, sick leave buy back and pensions — exceed what was originally forecasted. Actuarial studies show us that health insurance costs are increasing exponentially. Over time these benefits have created a disproportionate obligation that needs to be addressed. Sick leave benefits exceed standard benefit practice, and pension formulas are being examined at the state level.

We are actively examining health insurance plan design, cost-saving options, terminal leave, overtime, flexibility and working assignments.

I have been consistent in my commitment to use resources within the contracts to find savings, using existing resources to keep level services and reducing the costs of service delivery without creating new burdens for taxpayers.

In the last set of contract negotiations we worked with the unions to redesign the health-insurance plan around co-pays and ER fees. This resulted in short term savings and significantly reduced the rate premium increases to the employees and the town.

With the last contracts we also were able to begin to reduce the value of the buy back program and also reducing the number of sick days for new employees. This resulted in long term town liability reduction.

Getting health insurance plan design out of collective bargaining is critical. We continue to ask our legislators to support this request.

TOWN YARD PLAN

If the town yard is moved, Andover would redevelop several acres in the downtown. Describe what you would like to see happen to the town yard and that downtown land. (Up to 75 words)

Bruce: I can never answer this "nightmare" scenario as if it is a "done deal" This plan might be smart for the private developers who stand to profit at our expense, but it's not smart for the taxpayers. This move will require our town to expend more in fuel and maintenance for our vehicles every day. Today the town yard is centrally located in the center of town. Let's keep it there at no additional cost.

Stabile: The expansion of our downtown would bring numerous benefits to business owners, residents, employees and taxpayers. Ideally a mixed use retail, commercial office and residential development would bring new shops, restaurants, businesses and unique residential property to downtown. Combined with the transit station it would become a destination for both Andover residents and commuters from other communities. Not to mention that it would bring state funding as a SMART zone project.

Vispoli: We have an opportunity established towns don't typically have. With good planning we can direct the kind of the development Andover desires. With the location of the train station transit-oriented development is ideal. Mixed uses would include retail and some residential.

Anchor business attract people to Andover as a destination. There are many different types of uses being considered that would be a draw into town. One: restaurants, especially a good Italian restaurant!

RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS

How do you plan to balance the needs of Andover's residential and business communities during the next three years? (up to 75 words)

Bruce: I asked our town manager the question, "How do you balance the needs of the residents versus the business community?He replied, "Larry, I think you will find we're all residents."I knew then we could NEVER expect a balance, the residents are not recognized as people who live here.We are different than people who simply commute here and work here.Residents LIVE in Andover and VOTE here, please remember this on March 23.

Stabile: Both parties add so much value to the community. Business drives an incredible amount of revenue and bring tens of thousands of people into town daily. The revenue they generate helps deliver services and the quality of life that makes Andover desirable. Residents also generate revenue to support these services but more importantly they define the community.It is the responsibility of the Board of Selectman to define equitable policy in support of both parties.

Vispoli:

Providing a financial stable environment, quality public safety, and a great school system will keep Andover a desirable place to live and host business.
Continued collaboration with finance and school committees, and fiscal discipline, ensuring we work within available funds.
Create the environment for business to thrive developing town yard will provide options for business to locate.
AAA bond rating demonstrates Andover is well run and a financially strong town, protecting residents' home investment.

PERSONAL SPENDING PRIORITIES:

How would you complete this sentence: Andover spends too much on __________ and not enough on ______________. Then please explain why you feel that way. (Up to 50 words)

Bruce: Andover spends too much on town governmentand not enough on residents needs.

Our town government has put government first and residents last. They are guaranteed raises every year. We are guaranteed tax increases every year. They drive our town vehicles home for free, we pay the bill. They gift vehicles to foreign countries, then lower the schools' heat. It's time for a change.

Stabile: If it were that simple. I believe that we can improve the quality of life for all our residents if we do two basic things.Significantly improve cost effectiveness in the delivery of services and become more innovative in the use of our assets.

Vispoli: Andover spends too much on health insurance and not enough on student language instruction, music, health, intramural sports programs.

Tough choices are made to balance needs of all the residents. Health insurance cost has become a major issue within the town's budget. As a result all departments have seen and had to share these reductions.

AREAS FOR TRIMMING

Outside of contracts, what Andover expenses have you and would you target for trimming, if any? How? (Up to 75 words)

Bruce: The town manager has admitted that he does not know how many vehicles are registered for on-road use. He also does not know how many are used by town employees to commute to and from work, free of charge. How can this be possible? I will put an end to these free commutes. They're not free for the taxpayers. Where else would I look? Everywhere.

Stabile: We have worked diligently to cut expenses in all areas while trying to maintain service levels. Utilities, personnel, service delivery, fuel, vehicles, and many other expenses have been reduced. It is now time to think outside the box and look to drive new revenues utilizing the assets we have in innovative ways. One example would be launching a medical transport service that could generate $500,000 to $1 million in new revenue annually.

Vispoli:

Reduce townwide IT costs, by consolidation and implementation of a unified IT plan;
Continue the reduction of take home vehicles;
Outsource townwide payroll processing; and
Outsource or work with neighboring towns to regionalize services including — building inspections, plumbing inspections, health inspections. We were able to demonstrate this approach recently by working with North Andover, sharing a sewer maintenance vehicle, saving $250,000.

PERSONAL ACTION

What have you personally done during the last three years to make Andover a better place? (Up to 75 words)

Bruce: I've worked to expose the failures of town government to prevent the contamination of Fish Brook. The town refuses to admit past mistakes. The study of the contamination, which cost over $20,000, did not once mention that for years the road salt pile was not covered. Whenever it rained, salt leeched into our water supply. I warned the town manager while this was preventable; he was recently given a standing ovation by the incumbent selectmen.

Stabile: In addition to the hundreds of hours a year that I put in as a selectman, I volunteer to work with our kids on several fronts. I coach girls basketball, I participate in the annual reading program at Bancroft and Shawsheen school. I volunteer for fund raising events and I am extremely proud of the sensory garden we built at Shawsheen school as a class gift from my daughter Julia's second-grade class.

Vispoli: I want to thank all residents who volunteer their time on committees. So much of the work that makes Andover a better place is done by volunteers.

Supported the Blanchard Street land acquisition for fields.
Actively work to control expenditures and ensuring a balanced budget.
Putting a limit on using the town's reserves directly led to Andover's AAA bond rating.
Worked with JoAnn Deso and Emily Kearns to open Old Town Hall on Saturday mornings.

QUESTIONS OF THE CANDIDATES
Question	Larry Bruce	Jerry Stabile	Alex Vispoli
1) The schools need more money than is in the town manager's recommended budget.	UNDECIDED	DISAGREE	AGREE
2) I would support a new fee for trash pickup.	DISAGREE	DISAGREE	DISAGREE
3) Overall, town government does a good job in making information accessible.	DISAGREE	AGREE	AGREE
4) The town must approve money to build a new fire station.	DISAGREE	AGREE	DISAGREE
5) The town must approve money to build a new fire station.	DISAGREE	AGREE	AGREE

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