Letter
Why the budget spike at the Avon Town Clerk’s office?
At their Oct. 11 meeting, the Avon Town Board, by a 4-1 vote, has presented its preliminary budget for the year 2013.
While they have been diligent in holding taxes below the two percent tax cap, this year’s budget holds some extraordinary pay increases for one department.
Most of the town employees will gratefully enjoy a two percent pay increase in 2013. The town clerk’s proposed pay increase alone for the 2013 year is just over 23 percent. In addition, the deputy town clerk line for this year shows a 41 percent increase over last year.
Logic would presume that as the long time deputy town clerk retired that the deputy clerk line would be reduced. Not the case!
The new deputy clerk was hired at an hourly rate higher than the clerk who had served in the position for 12 years.
When the new clerk’s 90 day probationary period ended recently, a proposal was made to increase her rate by another $1 per hour – over a seven percent increase.
The deputy town clerk is a very capable individual as were many of the other applicants that applied for the position. It is curious as to what increased benefit that the taxpayers will see as a result of these extraordinary pay increases within the department.
Will the office be open extra hours? Will tax collection, dog, hunting and marriage licensing somehow become less expensive? more efficient?
While the clerks are friendly and helpful, I do not see where this pay increase, born by the taxpayers is warranted.
The tentative 2013 budget held town tax rates flat – no increase. The preliminary budget as proposed will now require a tax increase to cover these additional expenses after reducing other budget lines.
I encourage town taxpayers to attend the budget hearing to be held Thursday Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. in the board room of the Town Hall.
You deserve an explanation as to why one department merits such an outlandish increase out of the pockets of the town’s hard working taxpayers.
— Submitted by Mary Blye, Avon
