CANTON — Selectmen approved raises for three town employees at their meeting Thursday.
Town Clerk Carol Buzzell, Sewer Department Attendant Dave Madison and Transfer Station attendant Jim Dyment will receive raises retroactive to July 1. Buzzell’s pay will increase to $25.50 an hour, Madison’s to $21.50 and Dyment’s to $13.91, the selectmen decided.
Before the pay raise vote, Town Treasurer Vernice Boyd spoke highly of Buzzell’s work, encouraging the selectmen to give her a raise. Also speaking on Buzzell’s behalf was town resident Rene Ouellette, who said that Buzzell should “get the same opportunity” for a raise as did Highway Foreman Paul McKenna in July following an executive session during a selectmen’s meeting. McKenna now earns $23.50 an hour.
Also approved during Thursday’s meeting, highway department employees Paul and Jerry McKenna will receive up to $500 as an on-the-job clothing and footwear reimbursement.
In other business, the selectmen discussed the possibility of changing the date for a vote on medical marijuana retail establishments in the town to November during the general election vote and referendum. The selectmen decided that Buzzell will contact Kevin Belanger for his opinion on the possible date change from a possible date at the end of August to November. Belanger presented a petition with 55 signatures to the town in June to vote on allowing medical marijuana stores in town.
While discussing a change in date for the retail marijuana vote, Selectman Chair Russell Adams told the board that having the vote in November “would make more sense” since the town would already have a general election at that time. The vote on whether to have medical marijuana stores in town has also been discussed at prior select board meetings.
In other business, resident Richard Landry questioned the selectmen about several issues that he objected to regarding town events and one of its selectmen.
Landry said that Selectman Brian Keene should not be working on the town’s computers, to which Keene said he hasn’t “worked with the town computers for at least two years now.” Keene was the town’s technical person at the time, but its technical work is now done by another business, the selectmen said. Landry also asked for Keene’s resignation, saying, “It’s because he spends so much money (from) this town. This town, you (selectmen) spend money like it’s going out of style; taxes and everything else,” he said.
Landry said he was also upset by the new signs placed throughout the town because “the town didn’t know anything about it.” He wanted to know how much each sign cost, and Selectmen Adams and Carole Robbins both said they didn’t know the specific amount, but that funds for the signs came from the town’s Community Benefits Fund.
The selectmen also said that information about the signs was written about in local newspapers and in the town’s own newspaper, the Canton Crier. Landry also wanted to know why there were cameras at the transfer station and at other town locations to which he was told that they were to prevent theft in the metal pile and for security and safety reasons.
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