Swampscott finance board defers action on home rule petition

SWAMPSCOTT – The Swampscott Finance Committee agreed not to make a move on Selectman Barry Greenfield?s proposed home rule petition based on a lack of data.Chairman Don Pinkerton said since there was no financial component to deliberate in the early stages of Greenfield?s plan, the committee would wait for the Board of Selectmen to make a vote on whether or not the petition would appear on the Town Meeting Warrant.Greenfield?s proposed home rule petition would allow the town of Swampscott the ability to negotiate pensions and benefits with unions instead of the state through Chapter 32 of the General Laws in order to better control the cost of rising pensions for public employees (not including teachers) on the town?s budget.According to Selectman Rich Malagrifa, over 100 union member showed up at the Board of Selectmen?s meeting the night after Greenfield first presented the plan at the Finance Committee meeting on Feb. 5.Malagrifa said there may be so many who turn out to see how the Board of Selectmen vote on the petition at their Feb. 27 meeting that they may need to hold the meeting in Swampscott High School?s auditorium.?There?s a lot of negative reaction about it,” said Finance Committee member Cinder McNerny at the meeting Tuesday night. “I would recommend against it.”Retirement Board members appeared before the committee to convince the Finance Committee to recommend postponing the idea until it?s further developed. “This may be part of a good idea,” said board member Tom Driscoll. “I?m not sure, but it should be an idea that has some meat to it.”Driscoll suggested there be a committee formed to encourage dialogue on the subject for at least another year.Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].