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.