ROCKINGHAM — In a move that shocked many residents of town and village, the Rockingham Selectboard made good their promise earlier in the year “not to be dictated to” regarding the budget, and ratified on June 1 their earlier vote to eliminate three positions - one of which was all ready vacant - and the positions of two public works employees, Administrative Assistant Joanne Perry and Public Works Director Everett Hammond.
The vote was ratified this week following a previously contended after-meeting vote by the Selectboard at which the public was neither present nor notified. Townspeople made clear their wish to retain the two positions by allocating a $117,483 increase to the budget for that purpose of keeping the positions, at the annual town meeting in March.
Mary Barber arrived at the recent Selectboard meeting with a copy of Norman Rockwell's painting from his famous Four Freedoms series, Freedom of Speech, which immortalizes an event sacred to Vermonters, the annual town meeting. People of every town, village and farm, gather annually, by tradition, and let their boards know what they wish to see happen in the coming year. The print originally hung in the old meeting room on the third floor.
Barber asked that the Selectboard to hang the painting in the Women's Club Meeting Room, the current place of meeting for municipal boards. Interim Manager Francis “Dutch” Walsh was directed to do so by board Chair Thom MacPhee, who quipped, “You trying to tell us something, Mary?”
Barber replied that they could draw their own conclusions, but she thought it should hang where they could all see it.
At the March town meeting, people reminded the board that “a lot of history will be lost” between Hammond and Perry, urging the board to reconsider the job cuts.
At the recent Selectboard meeting, people from both sides of the issue stood in support of the Selectboard and those who felt that the Town Meeting vote was the “voice of the people” and needed to be adhered to.
Cathy Bergman stated that she “didn't recall a board ever before going against the wishes of the people” voiced at Town Meeting, “a sacred event,” as it appeared to be doing now.
Jim MacAuliffe urged consideration of budget discussions at Town Meetings be limited to the night before, and that vote of the budge go from the floor to Australian ballot. “People are micromanaging things they don't understand,” he said.
Barber reminded the board and residents that to change the vote on the budget from the floor to Australian ballot would require a change in statutes at the state level.
Several residents were offended that their votes were deemed “special interests” at Town Meetings because they were interested enough to show up and vote.
MacPhee stated that the Austrailian ballot “is a two-edged sword, as we would have to go back to the people to change an item if we took it to the ballot, where now we can change an item at the Town Meeting before we vote on it, if it's the will of the people.”
Both Hammond and Perry were present at the meeting, and asked that they be reiminbursed their investments in an insurance plan that was part of their retirement plans, having both changed their plans last year. The board voted to reimburse the town's portion unanimously. The Village Trustees has it as an agenda item to do the same at its next meeting.
“I don't think they know what they're losing,” said Perry last week. She has been there nearly nine years, Everett for 16.
In a memo Hammond brought to the meeting outlining his requests for reimbursement, he also included estimates of cost outlays for engineering in immediate and long term upcoming projects. He stated he “wasn't trying to sway the board one way or the other,” but thought they should know when making taking their final vote.
Town Clerk Doreen Aldrich said that offers of reorganization of hours among the office staff to stretch the budget had been discussed, but were denied by the Selectboard when the cuts first came up.
“We considered everything,” MacPhee said at the recent meeting. “This is what we decided on.”
Several residents asked that the board take a look at the success or failure of their decision to eliminate the positions in six months and report back to the public. MacPhee said he thought that was a good idea.
Perry admitted that losing her job was “devastating” to every aspect of her home life, her job life and her social life. “I don't think a change like this could be anything but,” she said, her voice quavering a little.
“They were dragging their feet and weren't telling us,” she said. “I started sending out resumes back when this started. I do have a job."
Perry's last day in the office was June 4. Hammond's last day will be June 30.
“The time will go by quick,” he said. “I've got a lot of things to button up.”
He's a little more philosophical than Perry, however.
“Life goes on,” he said. “Sure it's added some stress over the last six months, but you can't let it get to you. You just have to move on.”
The only thing Hammond said he has a problem with is that “there's no rhyme or reason” behind the board's decision.
He said he hasn't sent out any resumes yet, but he would consider working for the town again on a case by case basis.
“Gotta keep all options open,” he said.
In the meantime, the town has $117,483 extra in its coffers to decide what to do with.