Boxborough Finance Committee recommends Human Services Director post in 5-3 vote

BOXBOROUGH — March 5, 2024 — Boxborough Finance Committee recommends 17 town meeting warrant articles but splits 5-3 on a new Human Services Director post. At the March 5 hybrid meeting, the committee voted to recommend an internal promotion that would raise one existing employee — either Community Services Coordinator Wendy or Council on Aging Coordinator Kim — up one pay grade and add hours, for a permanent salary increase not to exceed $10,000 annually, to manage veteran services, recreation, community services, and the Council on Aging under a single supervisory structure. Three members voted no, citing the committee's stated level-service budget goal and objections raised earlier this season to administrative growth in the Acton-Boxborough school assessment. The committee unanimously approved revised departmental budgets including a $416,000 library budget, a $206,000 snow and ice budget, and a $77,131 Board of Health budget with mosquito control rising to $36,436. The committee also unanimously approved the annual personnel administration plan amendments, a $76,000 police cruiser, a $30,000 MS4 stormwater permitting article, and a $30,000 assessor cyclical reevaluation, among others. A $500,000 fire station professional services article covering an owner's project manager and architectural design work at 72 Stowe Road was held without a vote after members asked for a bulleted list of deliverables.