By Rachel Goff
As select boards work on finalizing this year's town budget, one topic on the table is salary increases for payroll employees, which for some towns are directly tied to increased health insurance costs.
This year, Vermont state employees in corrections, supervisory and nonmanagement units will receive an across-the-board 2.5 percent raise. The town of Moretown is looking to do the same for its workers, which includes administrators and the road crew.
Keeping in line with state increases, those on the payroll in Moretown will receive a 2.5 percent raise across the board for this year. In 2015, town employees will continue to pay for zero percent of their health insurance premiums and 50 percent for each of their dependents.
In Fayston, those on the payroll will receive 3 percent raises across the board for this year. In 2015, town employees will continue to pay for 15 percent of their health insurance premiums for single-person, two-person and family plans.
In Warren, those on the payroll are currently looking at 3.5 percent raises across the board for this year, although that number could change as the Warren Select Board continues to work on the budget. In 2015, town employees will likely continue to pay for 5 percent of their health insurance premiums for single-person plans, 10 percent for two-person plans and 15 percent for family plans.
In Waitsfield, town employees' contributions to their health insurance premiums will go up this year, from 0 to 5 percent for single-person plans, from 4 to 6 percent for two-person plans and from 13 to 15 percent for family plans. To help offset the employee contribution increase, most of those on the payroll in Waitsfield will receive 3 percent raises, the road maintainer will receive a 5 percent raise and the road foreman will receive an 8 percent raise.
None of the towns cap the amount they will pay for employees' health care plans.
Duxbury Select Board chair Dick Charland did not respond to an email seeking information about Duxbury's wages and health care plans.
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