Last evening during public comment, Harry Thayer and Bob Eastman, both well-respected Exeter residents, spoke out against the recently Board of Selectmen approved 2014 Pay Plan. These gentlemen are both noted for doing the necessary research and thoroughly studying issues before they speak publicly. Both have found serious defects in the pay plan and asked the Board of Selectmen to recall it and to spend the necessary time to clean up its many deficiencies.
It is difficult to understand Selectman Chartrand's reasoning for voting to approve the plan. He stated that if there were any defects they could be taken care of in the appeals process. This leaves the burden on employees to make a case for correcting deficiencies that are all to apparent to those who have studied the new pay grades included in the plan. The intransigence of the Board in recalling this plan is causing unnecessary morale issues amongst those affected.
From a taxpayer's point of view one has to question why the Town Manager decided to raise pay grade levels that were clearly in line with those of similar sized towns. The 2009 pay plan has kept pace in the competitive environment and in many cases finds Exeter employees paid much better. Why a new pay plan and why one that is so obviously defective? We need answers and actions from the Board of Selectmen to correct their grievous error in approving it.
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