Warner Board of Selectmen

Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Chairman Hartman opened the public session at 2:10 p.m.

In Attendance:   Selectman David E. Hartman – Chairman, Selectman David Karrick, Jr., Selectman Clyde Carson &

Town Administrator – Laura Buono  

1. Personnel Policy

The Town Administrator had previously sent the Board a copy of a Personnel Policy that is being revised.  The Town Administrator would like the Board to first focus on the earned time section.  The Town Administrator had received from the Town of Auburn their earned time policy which is a pooled policy.  A pooled earned time policy consists of one type of earned time that includes vacation, sick, personal, holiday, and bereavement.   

The sections that have been completed and adopted so far are Sexual Harassment and the Safety Program.  

The Board agreed to create an earned time policy and then look at those employees that fall out of the policy guidelines.   

The Town Administrator explained the earned time system.  The earned time system gives one kind of leave called earned time leave.  For example an employee would be given 5 weeks at the beginning of the year.  From those weeks the employee would draw holiday, sick time, vacation and bereavement leave.  The difference to what is on the books today is that everything is separate.  With the earned time system limits are needed.   In the Town of Auburn an employee must take a 2 week vacation every year.  

The Selectmen began reviewing the Personnel Policy for annual leave and made some changes.  There will be a distinction provided for full-time annual leave and part-time annual leave accruing hours on a monthly basis based on hours that are worked.  The intention also is to not carry more than 2 weeks of vacation time over and above what is allocated per year.  Anything in excess of 2 weeks carried over to the next year would be lost.  

2. Voluntary Separation

Upon voluntary separation of employment by the employee, an employee shall receive payment of any unused vacation leave not exceeding the equivalent of two (2) weeks pay.  Selectman Carson asked if there is a legal obligation because the Town will have a policy stating an employee has earned vacation time at a particular rate, what if the employee is fired or laid-off.  The Town Administrator explained if there is a policy in place then the policy is the guideline.  Selectman Carson recommended sending the Personnel Policy when completed to Local Government Center to make sure the Town is up to date on laws.  The Town Administrator is not sure that LGC would review the entire policy at no cost.  The Town Administrator said the extra policies that the Town added came from LGC.  Selectman Carson is concerned that the policy does not cover an employee when laid-off.  The Town Administrator suggested including “Upon voluntary separation or lay-off from employment, such separation not being under threat of disciplinary action, an employee shall receive…..  

The Town Administrator will verify with the Bookkeeper about capping the vacation time.  

3. Personal Time

There are 3 personal days per year.   Use of personal time will be allowed once vacation time is exhausted.  Selectman Carson recommends pooling the personal time with the vacation time and calling it vacation/personal time.   

The Town Administrator will insert all the changes discussed and present a revised version for the Board to review.   

4. Adjournment

A motion was made at 4:00 p.m. to adjourn.  

Board of Selectmen

David E. Hartman – Chairman
David Karrick, Jr.
Clyde Carson