SWAMPSCOTT — The first night of the annual Town Meeting went long, with discussion of the proposed budget for fiscal year 2022 taking up much of the meeting.
Town Meeting members spent more than an hour debating the proposed creation of a position within Town Hall for a diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator, a job with a proposed salary of $85,000.
“When we look at our workforce or the way we make decisions about land use or other responsibilities we have, we have not been able to build a more inclusive community,” said Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald in response to a motion by Town Meeting member Ken Norton to remove the line item from the budget. “We have taken up a focus on prioritizing how we become a more inclusive community. This is going to take years of hard work… I don’t think we can do it without this type of expert support for diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Several Town Meeting members expressed concern about the salary at a time when the town is trying to make budget cuts, as well as the prospect of hiring for the position when the town does not currently have a human resources director, who would oversee the position.
Finance Committee Chair Tim Dorsey explained that the committee spent a lot of time discussing the position and came to the conclusion that having the full-time position was worth the money for the town.
Norton’s motion to remove the position from the budget, and a subsequent motion by Town Meeting member Wayne Spritz to make the position part-time at half the proposed salary, both failed.
Another motion was made by Town Meeting member Denis Pilotte not to give Fitzgerald his scheduled raise for the next fiscal year. Select Board Chair Peter Spellios and Town Counsel Darren Klein explained that Fitzgerald’s salary is set by his contract with the town and cannot be amended by Town Meeting.
Town Meeting members did not vote on any warrant articles by The Item’s print deadline.
The Finance Committee has proposed a total operating budget for the town of $70.68 million.
