The Kingston Wage and Personnel Board finalized a major cleanup of town bylaws on Monday evening, but lingering uncertainty regarding union negotiations means residents will head to the May 2nd Annual Town Meeting without a firm recommendation on cost of living adjustments (COLA). During what was expected to be the board's final session before the spring vote, Chair J. Chair and Member L. Member wrestled with the reality that several municipal contracts remain unsettled, complicating the town’s ability to set a unified wage floor for the coming fiscal year.

The tension between fiscal targets and rising costs has been a recurring theme in Kingston recently, with the Board of Selectmen previously signaling a strict 3% budget growth cap. Human Resources Director Tina noted that while her department reached out to unions as early as November to begin discussions, negotiations are still ongoing across the board. These delays mean the standard COLA warrant article typically presented by the Wage and Personnel Board may be left in the hands of the Town Administrator to resolve on the floor of Town Meeting. J. Chair expressed some frustration with the timing, recalling a historical preference for spreading out contract cycles. Typically, we would have the COLA in our warrant for the Town Meeting, J. Chair said. I'm fine not having it and leaving it up to the Town Administrator to present it. We will present our warrant article as currently written. If there's no COLA, there's nothing I can do about it.

The board is also proposing significant deletions to the town’s Schedule E pay scale, reflecting a broader effort to streamline administration. Six positions are slated for removal from the books, including the Administrative Assistant to the Fire Chief, the Assistant Town Accountant, and the Public Health Director. Additionally, the annual stipend for the Sealer of Weights and Measures is set to be reduced from $9,783 to $8,000, a change coinciding with the retirement of the current sealer at the end of the year. Tina reported that the town is already working with an applicant to manage that transition. These adjustments come as the town faces a 14% spike in medical insurance costs, though Tina clarified that rates for fiscal year 2027 are currently stable, with any potential insurance changes deferred until 2028.

Substantial revisions were made to the language governing how town employees manage their time off. The board debated a new Sick Leave Donation Policy, designated as Section 11C of the bylaw, which allows employees to voluntarily donate hours to colleagues in need. Administrative Support staff member Jennifer raised a question regarding terminology, asking whether the bylaw should refer to sick time or sick leave to maintain consistency with existing vacation and personal leave sections. J. Chair agreed that a uniform standard was necessary, noting, I'm fine with changing it all to 'leave' as long as it's consistent. It makes it a lot cleaner. L. Member emphasized that protections are in place for the town's resources, stating, The employee will need to exhaust all their own vacation leave and personal leave first before becoming eligible for donated hours. Motion Made by L. Member to approve Section 11C in its entirety, with an amendment to replace the word 'time' with 'leave' throughout the section to be consistent with the rest of the bylaw. Motion Passed 2-0.

The board also moved to tighten definitions within the bylaw to ensure compliance with federal standards. A discussion regarding Section 2 focused on whether to explicitly name the US Fair Labor Standards Act or simply refer to it by the common acronym FLSA. Jennifer noted that the document has historically used the full federal designation. In the bylaw, it's always been referred to as the 'US Fair Labor Standards Act.' That's why I added it, Jennifer explained. L. Member supported the move for the sake of clarity, noting that while most understand the acronym, it wouldn't hurt to put 'US' in anyway. Motion Made by L. Member to accept the draft of Section 2 of the Wage and Personnel Bylaw regarding exempt and non-exempt definitions. Motion Passed 2-0.

Further refinements were made to Section 5, which governs recruitment and the swearing-in of town officials. The board updated the list of positions required to be sworn in to include the Animal Inspector, Finance Director, Building Commissioner, and several others. The updated language also clarifies the process for background investigations for department heads, incorporating suggestions from town counsel. I read it and didn't have any issues, J. Chair said. It looks like we picked up the language from counsel as it relates to background checks for managers. Motion Made by L. Member to accept the review of the draft of Section 5, Recruitment, Selection, and Appointment, including positions that need to be sworn in and department head reviews. Motion Passed 2-0.

In addition to the policy shifts, the board handled administrative housekeeping for the Town Meeting handout, including a correction to Section 12 that increases the threshold for certain benefits from 1,200 to 1,250 hours. Motion Made by L. Member to accept the Annual Town Meeting handout and attachment as written, with the corrections made to sections 11C and 12. Motion Passed 2-0.

Amidst the legislative cleanup, Tina provided updates on the town's shifting workforce. Two new assistant harbormasters began their roles on the day of the meeting, providing a boost to the Harbor Committee’s oversight as the spring season begins. However, vacancies remain in other departments; the library is currently seeking an adult librarian, and the Sealer of Weights and Measures transition remains a work in progress. L. Member praised the comprehensive nature of the bylaw updates despite the pending union issues. I've been looking at the bylaw; there have been a lot of changes and a lot of cleaning up, L. Member remarked. Rome wasn't built in a day.