The Personnel Board did not recommend a pay hike last year.
AMHERST - Non-union town employees will get a 2 percent cost of living pay hike for fiscal 2012 the first time in two years the staff will receive a hike.
Last year, the town was facing a budget shortfall that required a $1.68 million Proposition 2 ½ property tax override so many employee groups voted to forgo a pay hike. The teacher’s union also made salary concessions.
The Personnel Board last year recommended no cost of living hike.
“They have been doing really good work, everybody knows it,” said Flo R. Stern, chairwoman of the Personnel Board, which made the recommendation to the Select Board for the increase.
She said some employees are retiring now who have with the town for 40 years. “For a town, were very lucky, I’d like to reward it,” she said.
Town Manager John P. Musante said the 2 percent hike “was factored into the (fiscal 2012) budget. A COLA of 2 percent is doable,” he said.
He said there’s been a 10 percent reduction in the work forces and employees are being asked to do more work.
The 2 percent hike “it’s in keeping with what we’re seeing in the marketplace.”
The Select Board supported the hike, however,
board member Alisa V. Brewer was critical of the Personnel Board report because she said it lacked a historical context and asked that a more complete report be presented next time.
Stern said the town has 72 non-union employees. Kay Zlogar, the town’s trust manager, said the average salary in this group is in the $50,000 and $55,000 range so the average hike cost of living increase is about $1,000.
While the cost of living increase in the past applied to the town manager, that is not the case with Musante, Zlogar said. His contract is negotiated with the Select Board.
The increase takes effect July 1.