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, affiliated with the Hampton Professional Firefighters Association, Local 2664, IAFF, which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits at current staffing levels, over the amount paid in the prior fiscal year:
Estimated Increase (over previous year level)
2020 (39 weeks) $ 31,742
2021 (52 weeks) $ 38,398
2022 (52 weeks) $ 37,769
2023 (13 weeks) $ 9,499
And to further raise and appropriate $31,742 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? (Majority vote required)
What it means: This Article does not cover the Fire Chief, but it does include the Lieutenants and Captains who ride on the fire trucks and manage resources during events. It also includes the Fire Prevention Officer and the Medical officers who manage the ambulances. Like the Firefighters’ contract, and the Police Officers’ contract from last year’s Warrant, the contract provides a 2.8% salary increase, in line with the 2019 federally defined cost of living.
Those in favor say: Hampton Fire Supervisors’ salaries will keep pace with inflation if this Article passes. See the comments under Article 16 – the requested increases are in keeping with raises in neighboring towns. If we do not keep pace, we will lose trained and qualified professionals to other communities.
Those against say: No one spoke against this Article at the Deliberative Session.
Fiscal impact: If Article 17 is approved, it will create an additional tax cost of $3.20 for a Hampton home valued at $400,000 in the current fiscal year, and a maximum of $3.87 per year during the contract period. Take your property value divided by 1000 times .008 to get your cost.