CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Voters at Wednesday's special town meeting swiftly approved three warrant articles that will provide funding for several town positions through the end of the fiscal year.

 

About 29 voters attended the special town meeting at the Community Center to OK the transfer of $50,000 out of the stabilization account.

 

The town was hit with a wave of resignations in elected and appointed positions last year that meant the use of interims and professional services to keep it functioning. That drew down several salary lines at the same time the Select Board was trying to fill these positions.

 

The stabilization account currently contains $393,000.

 

"We have plenty of money in stabilization in order to this is gonna be a little over $50,000, which is a lot of money, but given the amount that we have in stabilization, it's just a portion," said Select Board Chair Danielle Luchi. "We have stabilization for circumstances as such, this was a crazy year ... no way you could have foreseen what was going to happen."

 

Resident Eric Booth questioned the reasoning behind the three articles, asking why the salary lines had to replenished if the people had left and how the Select Board could set wages.

 

"It's just it's a hard pill to swallow because this stuff is always happening," he said. "Social media is involved and nobody knows what's actually happening. You read the paper, you don't know if that's even true."

 

Town Administrator Carl McKinney said the town had to bring in outside consultants that cost more than a regular employees because of the staffing changes. Those consultants worked in the town accountant and town treasurer's offices. And there were some salary considerations because it is very difficult to find professional municipal employees statewide, he said. 

 

"What we were paying the former treasurer collector was $38,900, which is nothing. You go on MMA.org, they're starting at $65-$70,000 and that's for towns our size," McKinney said, adding that town employees where multiple hats in Clarksburg. "They're doing a Herculean task, and some of them are not even being paid."

 

Luchi said it cost the town $37,000 to come to a separation agreement with the former town administrator. Luchi took on the role of town administrator and now administrative assistant until those posts could be filled. McKinney was rehired in December but said he is taking a salary less than his predecessor.

 

"Do we feel the numbers and taxes and everything are in check at this point in time or any problem or finances?" Booth asked.

 

Luchi said fiscal year 2021 should be closed out within a week and everything from fiscal 2021 and part of fiscal 2022 have been processed. 

 

"There are some checks that may have not been cashed in time but we're working with those residents in order to clear up those situations," she said, adding no one will be charged interest or late fees.

 

Resident Karin Robert said no one has been able to give her an answer on a check that was cashed but didn't seem to have applied to her account. Luchi said once the new treasurer/tax collector is in place, they will be able to straighten out those issues. 

 

Booth thanked the board for the explanation and voted against all three articles but was in the minority as they all passed with more than the two-thirds vote required. 

 

Article 1 asked for a transfer of $4,500 from stabilization for the town accountant. That line had less than $4,000 left for the part-time accountant. It passed 25-2.

 

Article 2 asked for $23,500 for the tax collector/treasurer. The article passed 25-3.

 

That post had changed a few times over the past year and, after bringing in outside help, had less than $8,000. Officials anticipated hiring the current part-time treasurer to a permanent full-time post if the measure passed. A Select Board meeting is set for Friday morning to discuss and/or vote on the position.

 

Article 3 asked for $22,000 to pay the town administrator through June. The salary line was less than $9,000 after severance was granted to the former administrator who left last fall. The article passed 25-3.