Shall the Town of Hampton vote to approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Hampton Board of Selectmen and the Hampton Fire Department Supervisory Association Local 3017, which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits at the current staffing level, over the amount paid in the prior fiscal year:
Estimated Increase
Fiscal Year (over previous year level)
2018 (39 weeks) $ 55,514
2019 (52 weeks) $ 74,283
2020 (13 weeks) $ 10,571
And to further raise and appropriate $55,514 for the current fiscal year, such sum representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits required by the new agreement over those that would be paid at current staffing levels.
What it means: A yes vote approves salary increases negotiated via the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Fire Officers. There will be a 3% increase in salaries for each of the 2 years in the contract. Although the contract covers only 2 years (104 weeks), the way the weeks fall, 3 years are involved. The first 39 weeks fall in 2018, a full 52 weeks in 2019 and the remaining 13 weeks fall in 2020.
There are changes to the medical costs as well. New lower cost health plans have been added for health insurance and prescription drug plan, saving the Town and employees on health insurance expenses. The employee contribution rate is increased to 83.5% effective 1/1/20 (from 80%). Should the Cadillac tax be imposed under the Affordable Care Act, members (not taxpayers) will be responsible for 100% of the tax.
Who is represented:
Fire Lieutenants
Fire Captains
Fire Prevention Officer
EMS Officer
Fire Department Secretary
Fire Prevention Secretary (part-time)
Deputy
Those in favor say: Those who spoke at Deliberative Session expressed support for this contract. Fire Supervisors received have no increases in 8 of the last 12 years, with the average increase being a little more than one-half of one percent. Social Security increases during that same period of time (for reference) averaged 2.5%.
Those against say: No one spoke against this article at Deliberative Session.
Fiscal Impact: The average Hampton home valued at $408,000 would bear an increased tax cost of $9.38 in a 52-week period at current staffing levels. (Take your property value divided by 1000 and multiply by .023 to get your specific tax impact.)