Compromise on Town Clerk's Salary Coming to Town Meeting

A compromise on Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman salary is close at hand as Elizabeth Allison, chairwoman of the Warrant Committee, and Diane Crimmins, the town's human resources director, have been in negotiations to prevent yet another contentious public debate at Belmont's annual Town Meeting – the third in two years – on how much Cushman is worth.

According to Crimmins, Cushman's total compensation should be higher then the $66,000 the Warrant Committee is recommending in the fiscal 2013 town budget.

"After hearing from my concerns, (the Warrant Committee) reviewed things and came up with their own methodology that will explains how they get to the total of (the $71,105) in total compensation to the beginning of the Grade 18 range," said Crimmins.

"I think they rolled up their sleeves and have come up with something else for town meeting," said Crimmins.

"I wanted to remind the Warrant Committee that typically people get STEP equivalence and I don't think that had been considered in the Warrant Committee this and last year," said Crimmins.

"As HR director, my concern is mostly that the total compensation be within that range," said Cushman.

"If they could look at this extra methodology and somehow come up to $71,105, which is the very bottom of the range," said Crimmins.

"I could then support that amount if asked by Town Meeting for my opinion," said Crimmins.

"Hopefully that will work for all the parties