Paris residents riled by town manager raise

PARIS — It may have been just 20 degrees outside the Paris town office, January 29, but that didn’t stop a dozen local taxpayers from getting good and steamed at the results of an emergency selectboard meeting.

Having cooled their heels for nearly an hour in a crowded hallway while selectmen met in executive session, the group poured into the parking lot, irate over what town fathers did when they came out of the closed-door meeting.

By a vote of 3-2, selectmen extended their contract with Town Manager Sharon Jackson to 2014 and promised her a 13 percent  — $7,800 — pay hike over the next two years.

Effective July 1, Jackson’s salary will jump $3,900 to $64,116.  She’ll get a similar increase on July 1, 2010, boosting her pay to $68,016. 

“Why?” asked former selectman Ernie Fitts, seconds after exiting the office.  “Why, in such a tight budget year, when less than a year ago the fire and police departments were limited in what they could spend.  Why, when [Fire Chief] Brad [Frost] just last week said he’s way behind and may need help in his budget?  Why?”

According to selectboard Chairman Ray Glover, the answer is simple: “She’s doing a very capable, competent job,” he said, following the vote.  “The office is running well and all the staff has been performing well under her management. 

“More than a majority of the board evaluated her very highly,” said Glover, “and so, based on excellent job performance, we gave her a wage increase commensurate with that performance.”

Glover also points out that Jackson was hired at a provisional salary when she took the top job in Paris, a step up from her former position as deputy treasurer and assistant tax collector in Oxford, where she lives. 

After averaging $42,900 during her first year — almost $15,000 less than her predecessor, Steve McAllister — Jackson’s pay has climbed steadily.  She made $55,000 for the 2006-2007 fiscal year, $57,600 in FY 2008 and $60,216 last year.

Still, despite a 40 percent increase in pay over four years, Jackson’s salary still lags behind that of some of her peers.

Based on figures from the Maine Municipal Authority, selectmen determined that town manager salaries in nine Western Maine towns average $65,827 — ranging from $58,335 in Mechanic Falls to $78,520 in Bridgton. 

Meanwhile, in nine Maine towns close to Paris’ 5,001-person population, town manager pay averages $74,472.  The spread runs from a low of $60,896 in Jay (pop. 4,848) to $97,225 in Bar Harbor (pop. 5,098).

Oxford Town Manager Michael Chammings makes $62,400.  Norway Town Manager David Holt makes $62,900.

”We wanted to get her wage in line with other communities of our same size and in our geographic area,” explained Glover.  “She’s proven herself, so it’s time to bring her in line with what she should be paid.”

Glover’s comments came after the meeting.  Only Selectman Glen Young, who joined David Ivey in voting against Jackson’s new contract, chose to comment in the few moments between the vote and adjournment of the special meeting.

“I wasn’t for it,” Young said.  “It isn’t anything personal, it’s just that we had people in here last year — the room was packed — because the taxes were crushing them, and the taxes are going to go up again this year.

Perhaps sensing a quizzical look from Glover, Young quickly corrected himself, adding, “I’ve heard taxes are going to go up again this year.”

“From who?” asked Glover.

“A good resource, okay?” said Young.  “Hopefully, they won’t.  We’ll see.”

“Well, that’s not the plan,” said Glover.

Undaunted, Young plowed on.

“We’ve got a lot of people on fixed incomes,” he said.  “Even the president has put freezes on.  I wish we could give her more.  I wish everybody could make more, but I think we’re taking away from the townspeople.”

There was a brief pause, while the audience seemed to be waiting to see if Young had anything else to add.  Then, apparently, deciding he was done, they then broke into a round of applause.

Selectmen Skip Herrick and Gerald Kilgore joined Glover in voting for Jackson’s new contract.  "No" votes by Young and Ivey split the board along the same 3-2 line seen on many recent decisions in South Paris. 

In the parking lot immediately after the meeting, conspiracy theories abounded.  Some argued the board pushed Jackson’s term out to 2014 in case Kilgore, up for reelection in June, loses out to someone who might side with Young and Ivey, as Fitts did before Herrick’s election last year.

“What’s the emergency?” asked Robert Ripley.  “Her contract doesn’t run out for two more years.”

Ripley also complained about having been told by Jackson that the special meeting would start at 7 p.m. — it began at 6 p.m. — while Fitts had a printed agenda with a 6:30 p.m. start time.  The agenda sent to the Advertiser had no time listed.

Both Fitts and Ripley charged that changing meeting times was an attempt to frustrate public input, or questioning, which was disallowed by Glover anyway.

“Some citizens are very outraged that they couldn’t have a little input on this,” said Rick Jackson, who is not related to the town manager.  “It’s our money.”

Glover said because the January 29 meeting was a special session, with just one item on the agenda, he would not entertain public comment.  He added later that the meeting was called because Young was not ready to vote on Jackson’s contract at the regular selectboard meeting, three days earlier. 

In the parking lot, Young admitted that he "didn't want to vote" at the January 26, but would not cop to causing the special meeting.  There was not reason Jackson's contact could not have been settled at the next regularly scheduled meeting, he said.

Glover also argued after the meeting, to the apparent satisfaction of some gathered around him in the parking lot, that it is not unusual for selectmen to negotiate a new contract before the old one has expired.  Jackson was hired on January 3, 2005, to an 18-month contract, later extended to three years.  However, satisfied with Jackson's performance after the first year, selectmen signed her on for five more.

Glover also seemed to score points by noting that Jackson can be dismissed at any time, “for cause.”  If she is let go for reasons not tied to poor performance, “while still willing to perform her duties,” Jackson must be paid one-month’s salary for each consecutive year of service.

Although Ripley admits to butting heads with Jackson numerous times over the past few years, he said his objection to her raise is not meant as a criticism of her work.

"I don’t care if they want to tell her she’s the best thing since sliced bread," he said, "but, in these economic times, we can not justify more money.  We’re not saying she’s doing a bad job, we just can’t do it in these times."

Greg Harris, an auto body man who says he is out of work because "no one's hiring," agreed.

"Things aren't good right now," he said.  "This is not the time to be giving one person that much money — not when people are hurting all over."

"Business sucks," said Ripley, noting that his employer, Keiser Industries, is shutting down for a week in mid-February. 

"It sucks everywhere, and we’re a lot better off than most," he said.  "But every time you pick up the paper it’s another thousand jobs lost, another company folding, another this, another that. 

As the group began to run low on gripes and straggled home, those who remained pounded on a common theme.  Everyone, it seemed, knew someone who has had trouble this past year paying taxes, paying mortgages, paying for fuel oil, paying off education loans, or even just paying for groceries.  If Glover is right about no increase in taxes, asked Harris, what will have to be cut from the town budget to cover Jackson's pay raise?

"To me," said Ripley, "this [vote] just shows a total disconnect with the people they [selectmen] are supposedly supposed to be looking out for.

A CLOSER LOOK

What do town managers make?

The following information, reportedly obtained from the Maine Municipal Authority, was used by Paris Selectmen when voting January 29 to boost the salary of Town Manager Sharon Jackson to $64,116, effective July 1.  That raise will be followed by a second $3,900 boost, on July 1, 2010, setting her pay $68,016. 

Town                         County       Population*         Town Mgr Pay*

Bar Harbor                Hancock     5,098                   $97,225

North Berwick          York           4,801                   $83,035

Bucksport                 Hancock     4,962                   $80,180

Bridgton                   Cumb.         5,120                  $78,520

Waldoboro               Lincoln        5,101                  $78,280

Casco                       Cumb.         3,481                  $70,709

Lincoln                     Penob.         5,081                  $70,000

New Gloucester       Cumb.          5,369                  $68,532

Poland                     Andro.          5,311                  $68,494

Herman                   Penob.           4,835                 $66,715

Norway                  Oxford           4,682                 $62,900

Oxford                   Oxford           3,975                 $62,400

Naples                    Cumb.           3,496                 $61,659

Jay                          Frank.           4,848                 $60,896    

Paris                       Oxford          5,001                $60,216

Mechanic Falls       Andro.                                   $58,335

*Population given is from the 2000 U. S. Census.  Town Manager pay is described as the base salary, not including benefits, for the current fiscal year.