Finance Committee approves $600,500 fire contract, three other transfers

MARLBOROUGH -- May 25, 2023, Marlborough Finance Committee clears fire contract funding and bonus backfill in 5-0 sweep. The committee unanimously advanced a $600,500 transfer ($340,900 from salary reserves, $259,600 from free cash) to fund the new Marlborough Local 1714 firefighters contract, with a request that the City Council suspend the rules June 5. Members also approved $94,037.90 to backfill a miscalculated 1 percent non-pensionable inflation bonus paid to all city and school employees; Finance Director Patrick Jones took "full responsibility" for the error, attributing it to miscommunication on a payroll exceeding $100 million annually. The committee approved $9,102 to keep the substance abuse prevention coordinator line funded through June 30, Auditor Diane Smith said the actual obligation is $2,276 after the hired candidate resigned within two weeks. Council President Michael Ossing said Marlborough is set to receive roughly $2.3 million in opioid settlement funds over 7 to 15 years. The committee also reauthorized four revolving fund limits, raising the Parks and Recreation cap from $350,000 to $1,275,000.