USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts for the year ending 1962 > Part 28
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By Petition: Peter F. Costello et al
The Committee recommends No Action.
Mr. Charles Sanderson moved that the Town take no action under Article 76.
Mr. Peter Costello moved to amend the motion of Mr. Sanderson by the following: That the Town instruct the Moderator to appoint a Committee to look into the feasibility
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of establishing a voting precinct in the Cedarville-Ellisville area, and report to the Districting Board of their findings on or before the next special or annual town meeting, and it was so voted.
Article 77. To see what amount the Town will vote to transfer from available funds to reduce the tax levy of the current year.
The Committee recommends $100,000.
Voted: That the Town authorize and direct the Assessors' to take $100,000 from available funds to reduce the Tax Levy of the current year.
Article 78. To see what amount the Town will vote to transfer from available funds for the Stabilization Fund as authorized by the provisions of Chapter 124 of the Acts of 1945.
The Committee recommends $75,000.
Voted: That the Town transfer from available funds the sum of $75,000 for the Stabilization Fund, as authorized by the provisions of Chapter 124 of the Acts of 1945 and recommended by the Advisory and Finance Committee.
Mr. Walter Haskell moved that it be resolved that this Town Meeting, in adjournment, express its thanks and ap- preciation to the time and efforts of the Advisory and Finance Committee; to express further its appreciation to the co-operation and understanding given by town depart- ments and petitioners; and express words of commendation to the fine manner of the Moderator in conducting this 1963 Annual Town Meeting.
At 12: 05 A.M. Mr. Edward Chase moved that the Meeting adjourn, and it was so voted.
Total Appropriations $4,611,430.03
Less:
Article 8 Dog Tax $2,306.19
17, 77 & 78 Excess & Deficiency 243,000.00
7 & 58 Street Parking Meter
Receipts 6,500.00
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7 Main St. Ext. Parking Lot Meter Receipts 3,700.00
7 Middle St. Parking Lot Meter Receipts 2,895.00
7 Memorial Bldg. Park- ing Lot Receipts 800.00
7 Sale of Cemetery Lots & Graves 2,000.00
31 & 35 Bond Issue-Water
496,000.00
42 Stabilization Fund 111,108.00
18 Chapter 782 Funds 43,588.20
911,897.39
$3,699,532.64
M. HERBERT CRAIG Town Clerk
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Report of the Personnel Board
In December of 1961 a complete survey was conducted by Charles Evans and Associates, Consultants in Public Ad- ministration and Finance, for the Town of Plymouth. This survey pertained to updating job decriptions of town employees who are within the scope of the Per- sonnel Board, and a comparison of salaries of twenty other towns comparable to the Town of Plymouth. Through this survey, the consultants reclassified all positions and estab- lished compensation grades using the average wage through- out the town and compensation grades of town employees in the comparable towns as a barometer. Another chore completed by the consultants, was to compose a Personnel By-Law pertaining to fringe benefits, etc. The revised Class- ification and Compensation Plan and Personnel By-Law was adopted by the Town of Plymouth in its entirety at the March 1962 Town Meeting.
It was understood by the Personnel Board, who explained this to the Town Meeting Representatives, that because this survey was conducted in a minimum of time, that some inequities might possibly come to light and we would endeav- or to study and correct them as they were brought to our attention. The amendments contained in the reprinted Per- sonnel By-Law herein, resulted from petitions to the Personnel Board and study by the Board.
The Personnel Board recommends to the Town that all compensation grades listed under Schedule B, C and D and Sections 9, 10 and 11 be increased by 3%. This recommenda- tion is based on the cost of living index of the State of Massachusetts which shows an increase of 21/2% from October of 1961 to October of 1962.
The Police and Fire Salary committees petitioned the Personnel Board for a 5% increase due to a study made by them of several comparable towns. Out of seventeen fire departments averaging $5033 annual salary, Plymouth ranked eleventh with $4820 annual salary. Of twenty-one police de- partments average $5032 annual salary, Plymouth rated thirteenth with $4820. The 3% which the Personnel Board recommends will bring Plymouth Police and Fire Depart- ments to $4964.
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A petition was received from the Pumping Station Engineer, through the Water Commissioners, requesting the Personnel Board to study his job description for the purpose of changing his Compensation Grade. This was done and the Board unanimously recommends that this position be changed from S-14 to S-15.
A petition was received from the Board of Selectmen requesting the Personnel Board to review the job description of the Harbormaster. After much discussion, study and inves- tigation, the Board recommends that the Harbormaster's Compensation Grade be changed from S-13 to S-14.
Another petition was received from the Board of Select- ment requesting a classification for Information Aid Super- visor. The Personnel Board studied this request and we are recommending that this title be included in Schedule A under Clerical Group and also included in Schedule D at $1.44 per hour.
The third request from the Board of Selectmen was to classify a position that would serve as a trainee for the position of Secretary to the Board of Selectmen. The Per- sonnel Board studied this request and we are recommending that this position be classified as a Junior Clerk - Compensa- tion Grade S-1.
The Commission of Public Safety petitioned the Personnel Board to change the classification of the Sanitarian from S-17 to S-21. The Personnel Board studied this request and asked for a revised job description. We are not recommending any change in classification for the Sanitarian.
The Water Commissioners petitioned the Personnel Board to change the Compensation Grade and Class Title of Administrative Assistant (Water) S-13. The Commissioners stated that the present individual holding this position has attained the knowledge and experience necessary to promote him to Assistant Water Superintendent but this couldn't be done unless a Class Title and Compensation Grade for this position is established. After studying this petition the Per- sonnel Board unanimously recommends that Administrative Assistant (Water), S-13, be changed to Assistant Water Superintendent, S-15.
The Personnel Board further recommends that Section 6 sub-chapter c, Section 15 sub-section (f) and Section 17 sub-
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sections (aa), j, and k, be accepted as printed elsewhere in the report of the Advisory and Finance Committee of which this report is part of.
A petition was received from the Police Department re- questing that Section 19, Bereavement Leave, be amended to include mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law and broth- er-in-law. The Personnel Board unanimously voted to amend Section 19, Bereavement Leave to read as follows:
Emergency leave up to three days may be allowed for death in an employee's immediate family (wife, husband, mother, father, child, brother or sister), mother-in-law and father-in-law.
A petition was received from the Board of Assessors requesting a change in classification pertaining to the Senior Clerk and Senior Account Clerk in their office. After study- ing this request the Personnel Board voted to propose a change in their classifications to Senior Billing Clerk S-6 and Senior Account Billing Clerk S-7.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN J. PACHECO, Chairman ELMER M. HASKINS GEORGE W. BUTTERS
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Classification and Compensation Plans and Personnel By-Law RECOMMENDED BY THE PERSONNEL BOARD
Section 1. Authorization
Pursuant to the authority contained in Section 108A of Chapter 41 of the General Laws there shall be established plans, which may be amended from time to time by vote of the Town at a Town meeting; (a) classifying positions in the service of the Town, other than those filled by popular elec- tion, those under the direction and control of the School Committee, those under the jurisdiction of the Board of Pub- lic Welfare or under the jurisdiction of the Board of Retire- ment, the position of Town Counsel, certain positions for which the compensation is on a fee basis or the incumbents of which render intermittent or casual service and which do not appear in Schedule A of Section 8 following, into groups and classes doing substantially similar work or having sub- stantially equal responsibilities; (b) authorizing a compensa- tion plan for positions in the classification plan and (c) providing for the administration of said classification and com- pensation plans.
Section 2. Definitions
As used in this by-law, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings unless a different con- struction is clearly required by the context or by the laws of the Commonwealth:
"Town," the Town of Plymouth;
"Civil Service Law," Chapter 31 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth, as amended and all rules and regulations made thereunder; and any special law enacted by the General Court regulating the classification, compensation and condi- tions of employment of officers and employees of the Town under Chapter 31;
"Classification Plan," class titles of Schedule A of Section 8 of this by-law plus class specifications which are on file with the Personnel Board and which are hereby incorporated by reference;
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"Class," a group of positions in the Town service suffi- ciently similar in respect to duties and responsibilities so that the same descriptive title may be used to designate each posi- tion allocated to the class, that the same qualifications shall be required of the incumbents, that the same tests of fitness may be used to choose qualified employees and that the same scale of compensation can be made to apply with equity;
"Position Class," same as class (a class may include only one position in which event it is defined as a "single position class") ;
"Group," an occupational group of classes appearing in Schedule A of Section 8;
"Department Head," the officer, board, or other body hav- ing immediate supervision and control of a department;
"Employee," an employee of the Town occupying a posi- tion in the classification plan;
"Department," any department, board, committee, com- mission or other agency of the Town subject to this by-law;
"Administrative Authority," the elected official or board, or the appointed official having jurisdiction over a function or activity;
"Full-time employment," employment for not less than seven and one-half hours per diem for five days a week for fifty-two weeks per annum, minus legal holidays and author- ized vacation leave, sick leave, bereavement leave, and other leave of absence;
"Part-time employment," employment for less than full- time employment, as defined above;
"Continuous employment," employment uninterrupted except for required military service and for authorized vaca- tion leave, sick leave, bereavement leave, or other leave of absence;
"Full-time employee," an employee retained in full-time employment;
"Part-time employee," an employee retained in part-time employment;
"Position," an office or post of employment in the Town service with duties and responsibilities calling for the full-
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time or part-time employment of one person in the perform- ance and exercise thereof;
"Permanent position," any position in the Town service which has required or which is likely to require the services of an incumbent without interruption for a period of more than six calendar months, either on a full-time or part-time employment basis;
"Permanent employee," (1) any employee retained on a continuing basis in a permanent position, as defined above; (2) any employee holding a permanent appointment under Civil Service Law to a position deemed permanent within the meaning of said law;
"Temporary position" or "seasonal position," any position in the Town service which requires or is likely to require the services of one incumbent for a period not exceeding six cal- endar months; a seasonal position requiring less than the work week of its occupation group shall be considered as part- time;
"Temporary employee," (1) an employee retained in a temporary or seasonal position as defined above; (2) any em- ployee holding a temporary appointment under Civil Service Law who does not also have permanent status thereunder;
"Intermittent service," personal service rendered by an employee in a position calling for part-time employment, which service although constituting continuous employment is not rendered during prescribed working hours, daily, weekly or annually, but is rendered as required, according to the demands for such service;
"Casual service," personal service rendered by an em- ployee in a position calling for part-time employment, which service does not constitute continuous employment; this service is rendered occasionally and without regularity ac- cording to the demands therefor;
"Compensation Plan," Schedules B through D in Section 8;
"Compensation Grade," a range of salary or wage rates appearing on Schedule B or Schedule C of Section 8;
"Rate," a sum of money designated as compensation for hourly, weekly, semi-monthly, monthly or annual personal services;
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"Minimum Rate," the rate in a range which is normally the hiring rate of a new employee;
Maximum Rate," the highest rate in a range which an employee normally is entitled to attain;
"Range," the dollar difference between minimum and maximum rates;
"Personal Rate," a rate above the maximum rate appli- cable only to a designated employee;
"Step Rate," a rate in a range of a compensation grade; "Increment," the dollar difference between step rates;
"Promotion," a change from a position of lower class and compensation grade to a position with greater responsibilities in a higher class and compensation grade;
"Board," the Personnel Board as defined in Section 3.
Section 3. Personnel Board
(a) There shall be a Personnel Board consisting of three members responsible for the administration of the classifica- tion and compensation plans. The membership of the Board shall be as follows: - One member to be appointed by the Finance Committee; one employee, who does not serve the Town in an elective capacity, to be appointed by the Board of Selectmen; one citizen of the Town, who does not serve the Town in either an appointive or elective capacity, to be appointed by the Moderator. The term of office shall be for three years; members of the Board at the time this by-law is adopted will continue in office until the terms to which they were appointed have expired. Vacancies, other than by ex- piration of terms, shall be filled in the same manner and by the same authority for the balance of the unexpired term.
(b) The Board shall be invested with all the powers and duties specified in Section 108C of Chapter 41 of the General Laws.
(c) The Board shall administer the plans and shall es- tablish such procedures as it deems necessary for the proper administration thereof.
(d). Forthwith after its appointment and annually, the Board shall meet and organize by electing a chairman and appointing a secretary. A majority of the Board shall con- stitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A majority
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4
vote of the Board shall determine the action the Board must take in all matters upon which it is authorized or required to pass under this by-law.
(e) The Board may employ assistance and incur ex- penses as it deems necessary subject to the appropriation of funds thereof.
(f) The Board shall maintain adequate personnel rec- ords of all employees occupying positions subject to the classi- fication and compensation plans, said records to be kept in its custody. Department Heads shall provide such information as the Board may request.
(g) The Board shall maintain written job decriptions or specifications of the classes in the classification plan, each consisting of a statement describing the essential nature of the work and the characteristics that distinguish the class from other classes. The decription for any class shall be construed solely as a means of identification and not as pre- scribing what the duties or responsibilities of any position shall be, or as modifying, or in any way affecting, the power of any administrative authority, as otherwise existing, to appoint, to assign duties to, or to direct and control the work of any employee under the jurisdiction of such authority.
(h) The Board shall make an annual report in writing to the Board of Selectmen on or before January 20 of each year.
Section 4. Classification Plan
(a) All positions in the service of the Town except those excluded in Section 1 are hereby classified by titles appearing in Schedule A of Section 8 which is made a part hereof. These classes of positions shall constitute the Classification Plan for the paid Town service, within the meaning of Section 108A of Chapter 41 of the General Laws, as amended.
(b) Whenever a new position is established, or the duties of an existing position are so changed that in effect a new position is created, upon presentation of substantiating data satisfactory to the Personnel Board, the Board shall al- locate such new or changed position to its appropriate class, as hereinafter provided.
(c) The title of each class, as established by the Classi- fication Plan shall be the official title of every position allo-
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cated to the class and the official title of each incumbent of a position so allocated, and shall be used to the exclusion of all others on payrolls, budget estimates and other official records and reports pertaining to the position.
(d) No position may be reclassified or no class may be assigned to a different compensation grade, until the Per- sonnel Board shall have determined such reclassification or such reassignment to be consistent with the classification and compensation plans.
Section 5. Compensation Plan
(a) The Compensation Plan shall consist of Schedules B through D in Section 8 which provide minimum and maxi- mum salaries or wages for certain of the classes in the Classi- fication Plan. The salary range of a position class shall be the salary range of all positions allocated to the class.
(b) All employees shall continue to be paid on an hourly, weekly, semi-monthly, annual, or other basis, as at present, except as provided in the compensation plan, unless otherwise authorized by the Personnel Board.
(c) No department head shall fix the salary of any em- ployee in a position so classified except in accordance with the compensation plan.
(d) No person shall be appointed, employed or paid as an employee in any position subject to the provisions of the classification plan under any title other than those appearing on Schedule A of Section 8.
(e) An employee in continuous full-time or part-time employment shall receive the increment between his present rate and the next higher step rate as follows:
(1) On January first provided he has completed thirty weeks service at the minimum or other rate if a rate other than the minimum is author- ized as the entrance rate.
(2) Thereafter one year from the date of his previ- ous increase until he attains the maximum rate of the range of the compensation grade to which his position class is assigned.
(3) Employees in continuous part-time employment eligible for increments under the provisions of this sub-section shall be those occupying posi-
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tions in classes for which compensation is pro- vided in Schedule B or Schedule C of Section 8.
(f) An employee occupying a seasonal position in a class for which compensation is provided in Schedule B or Sched- ule C or Section 8 shall receive increments as provided in the preceding sub-section on the basis of thirty weeks employ- ment constituting one year. This employment need not be continuous but to retain any rate above the entrance rate, the employee must work some part of each subsequent year.
(g) An employee receiving a promotion to a vacant position or to a new position as defined in Section 4 (b) shall, upon assignment resulting from such promotion, receive the rate in the compensation grade of the vacant or new position next above his existing rate. If the resulting adjustment does not equal $100.00 for a position class assigned to Sched- ule B or $.05 for a position class assigned to Schedule C, the adjustment shall be to the second rate above the existing rate but within the compensation grade of the vacant or new position.
(h) The employee receiving a promotion and adjust- ment in rate pursuant to the provisions of the preceding sub- section shall receive the next increment of his compensation grade effective the next January first following completion of thirty weeks at the rate resulting from the promotion.
(i) Each department head of a department to which is assigned an employee occupying a position in the classification plan shall include in his estimates required by the provisions of Section 59 of Chapter 41 of the General Laws a pay adjust- ment section setting forth in detail the amounts which will be required for anticipated pay adjustments during the en- suing year and shall furnish a copy thereof to the Board.
(j) The adjustments provided for in this section shall be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
Section 6. Amendment of the Plans
(a) The classification plan and/or the compensation plan and/or other provisions of this by-law may be amended by vote of the Town at either a regular or a special Town Meeting. Requests for such amendments shall be made to the Board by signed petition. Whenever such a petition is received, the Board shall promptly hold a hearing to consider such proposed amendment, and the petitioners and the heads
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of the departments affected shall be given at least three days written notice. Prior to the next Town Meeting, the Board shall file with the Selectmen for insertion in the warrant for the next Town Meeting an article sufficiently stated to permit the Town to act upon the subject matter of any such petition. At the same time the Board shall file with the Finance Com- mittee a final report, with recommendations, pertaining to any such petition, provided, that no recommendation in favor of a proposed amendment shall be made except by an affirma- tive vote of two of its members.
(b) The Board may, from time to time of its own motion, hold a hearing to consider any proposed amendment. In the event said proposed amendment is supported by an affirma- tive vote of two of its members, the Board shall proceed ac- cording to the preceding sub-section to insert an article in the warrant and to report its recommendation to the Finance Committee.
(c) In the case of urgent necessity, the Personnel Board, with the approval of the Finance Committee, may anticipate the formal action of the town meeting by adding a new classification and the salary or wage thereof to the classi- fication and pay plan and such addition will be effective sub- ject to early ratification by the town at a town meeting.
Section 7. Continuing Review
(a) The Board from time to time of its own motion, shall investigate the work and standard rates of salaries or wages of any or all positions subject to the provisions of this by-law. Such reviews shall be made at such intervals as the Board deems necessary and, to the extent which the Board considers practicable, shall include all occupational groups in the classification plan.
(b) The Board shall consider changes in departmental organization structure, operating procedures or work load which may result in service rendered by an employee occupy- ing a position changing from intermittent or casual to con- tinuous employment. Such a change may be the basis of a recommendation by the Board to amend the compensation plan so that a position class found to require continuous em- ployment would be moved from Schedule D to Schedule B or Schedule C of Section 8.
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Section 8. Position Classes; Salary, Wage and Miscellaneous Compensation Schedules
The following schedules, together with class specifications previously incorporated by reference, constitute the classifi- cation and compensation plans of the Town as defined in Section 2:
SCHEDULE A - Classification of Positions by Occupa- tional Groups and Assignment to Compensation Grades or to the Miscellaneous Schedule
SCHEDULE B- Annual Salary Schedule
SCHEDULE C- Hourly Wage Schedule
SCHEDULE D- Miscellaneous Compensation Schedule for Part-Time and Seasonal Positions
SCHEDULE A Classification of Positions by Occupational Groups
and Assignment to Compensation Grades
Clerical Group
Class Title
Compensation Grade or Schedule
Clerical Aide (Part-Time)
Miscl
Information Aide (Seasonal)
Miscl
Information Aide Supervisor (Seasonal)
Miscl
Junior Clerk
S-1
Senior Account Clerk
S-6
Senior Account - Billing Clerk
S-7
Senior Billing Clerk
S-6
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