A controversial proposal to abolish the state’s civil service testing program that determines who is eligible for appointment as the police chief and the fire chief was tabled.
WARE — Ware Town Meeting on Monday night zeroed out the salary line-item for the five selectmen, increased the school budget, cut the town budget and took no action on a controversial proposal to abolish the state’s civil service testing program that determines who is eligible for appointment as the police chief and the fire chief.
The $24.4 million operating budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 includes a 9.1 percent hike in school spending, to $12,396.969. To fund the school budget, nearly all town employees' salaries were slashed several thousands dollars apiece.
The school increase was the result of the state telling the town it had under-funded school spending by close to $1 million this year. Had Town Meeting refused to increase the school budget, the state would have imposed a penalty on the town and state aid to Ware would have been deducted by the amount the town has underpaid the school system.
The 1993 Education Reform Act requires the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to annually determine how much each public school system must pay to comply with the law. With the town agreeing to comply with the education reform act’s spending requirements, the matter has been resolved.
The selectmen and the planning board salaries were reduced to zero at Monday’s town meeting.
Selectman John Carroll, whose article proposed abolishing the civil service testing for the town’s police and fire chiefs, walked to the microphone to request the proposal be withdrawn.
Carroll said he had recent discussions with the chiefs and the wisest course of action now is to review what is in place and see what improvements can be made.
Former selectman Jack McQuaid said there is nothing broken that requires fixing civil service. McQuaid made his comments known to a reporter as he and wife Olive left the meeting.
“Leave it alone,” he said.
