Pittsfield Considers Changes to Committee Clerks, Including Pay
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Do you have the experience and will to clerk city meetings?
The Ordinances and Rules subcommittee last M supported code changes that reduce the number of meeting clerks by one and increase pay. Two clerks of committees would be paid $5,000 per year for multiple monthly meetings.
"I think reorganization of this is good. I do worry a little bit that sometimes five committees is a lot, but I think I’m going to vote for this," member Kathy Amuso said.
"I think we kind of left out some of our clerks with the pay raises, and so this was on my radar for next budget season, so I think doing something earlier is better."
The subcommittee unanimously supported Council President Earl Persip III's petition to amend Chapter 16, Human Resources, and Article 6, Clerk of Committees. The aim is to have more consistency.
Clerks are currently paid around $2,800 annually for administrative and organizational support to City Council committees. This includes preparing the meeting agendas, handling documents, ensuring they are posted properly to meet Open Meeting Law, mailing hearing notifications, and taking minutes.
With these changes:
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Clerks would be appointed by the City Council biannually, rather than annually.
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One clerk is responsible for committees on ordinances and rules, public services and utilities, public buildings and maintenance, and community and economic development.
- The second clerk is responsible for committees on public health and safety, the audit, Committee of the Whole (including budget hearings), traffic, finance, and ad hoc committees.
The current code, Section 2-26, has three clerks splitting the committees, appointed yearly in January.
Member Patrick Kavey acknowledged the struggle to hire a clerk for meetings, and hopes that this will incentivize people to apply for the position.
"It will just make our business go a little bit easier," he said.
Subcommittee Chair Dina Lampiasi said she understands that there are a couple of clerks of committees candidates, so upon passage of the changes, those positions will hopefully be filled.
