By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

As Rec Director Gary Colello reviewed various financial lines with the Bridgton Select Board at a March 3 budget session, he wanted to be sure the funding was in place to cover the town’s match for a federal Land Water Conservation Fund grant to upgrade the Ham Sports Complex.

To reach its $500,000 match, a year ago, town officials set aside money from three sources — Moose Pond Land Trust, Salmon Point Campground and the Rec Reserve.

Colello, who took part in the budget review via Zoom (he was attending a national Rec meeting in Cincinnati) looked to follow the same game plan in this proposed budget — $50,000 from Moose Pond, $30,000 from Salmon Point and $60,000 from Rec Reserve.

“This is the last piece, besides CDBG, that would make sure this Land Water Conservation grant is funded as proposed in our grant request,” Colello said. Grant award notice is expected in October. “I don’t believe that there’s any reason to think we won’t get it. We’ve met all their compliances. Now, we’re just waiting for the process to go through.”

With the shake-up and cost-cutting going on in Washington, D.C., some wondered if the grant was in jeopardy. Colello doesn’t believe so.

“The Land Water Conservation Fund is funded by offshore drilling and has no reflection within the federal government’s budgetary process. So, this branch shouldn’t be affected by any changes that’s been going on that we’ve been seeing. This is a well-funded account.”

To Colello’s and Select Board members’ surprise, the $60,000 from reserve was not carried forward a year ago.

Selectman Paul Tworog asked whether it was possible to set aside the requested $60,000 from Rec Reserve this year, and address the other $60,000 in the next budget, since the actual project will not start in 2025.

Officials decided to bite the bullet and correct the accounting snafu by taking $120,000 from Rec Reserve so the full town match is set to go.

• Striving for equity — Seeing the deputy rec director position evolve over the past four to five years to include more responsibilities, Colello felt a bump in pay is needed. He pointed out the salaried position pays just $2 more per hour than the programmer job.

“The responsibilities for the two positions are drastically different. The certifications that are required, the understanding of proper childcare practices and strategies to implement those programs and direct supervision aspect are why I’ve come to this change in salary request,” he said. “This is about equity.”

Leslie Hayes, who is the deputy rec director, noted that had she not switched to a salary from the hourly-rate pay, she “would be making less than the person I supervise.”

If “merit” figures into pay rate, Hayes pointed out she received national certification this year, and is a certified playground safety inspector. Neither the school district or other area towns have someone with that certification, Hayes said. If there is no pay hike, as requested, Hayes felt the position should return to an hourly rate so actual time worked, in some cases beyond 40 hours, would result in overtime compensation.

Select Board member Carmen Lone pointed to a steady climb in the Rec Department budget over the past few years — 21% in 2021-22, 40% in 2022-23, and 47% last year — leading her to support the interim town manager’s recommendation of 3% cost-of-living adjustment (which was used for other non-union employees).

“I’m not questioning your capabilities, you guys do a great job,” she said. “I’m just staying I want to stick with 3%.”

The board voted 3-2 (Carrye Castleman-Ross and Ken Murphy against) to support the 3% COLA over requested pay increases.

Lengthy discussion took place over longevity pay and budgeting pay for part-time staffing, which includes some employees — typically high school and college students — who work for the Rec Department on a seasonal basis (lifeguards, summer camp counselors), while others take part in the enrichment programs. Hours vary from 10, 20 to 34 hours a week.

Colello pointed out that registration fees help offset program costs. One example is the enrichment program, which saw a 13.9% revenue increase last year, and a $23,000 revenue hike from summer camp and swim lesson enrollments.

“It was a record number of kids. I think over 250-something that we had in our program,” he said. “It’s always a balancing act between having enough staff to meet the number of kids we serve.”

• Office solutions? — Rec Director Gary Colello tries to run his department as professionally as possible, but it can be difficult when the operation is run out of a former storage/maintenance closet.

Colello proposed a “mobile office” ($58104) be set up either behind the Town Hall or the plot of land adjacent to the ice rink, where the former septic system was situated.

The Select Board questioned why Colello couldn’t use office space at the municipal complex, as he once did?

“It’s away from all the staff I have. It’s away from all the programs and buildings we use,” he said. “Me being available and around during summer camp is another reason to have something close where we have to have private meetings with parents or different staff members with any personnel issues that come up. It’s more or less just being able to be close with my team considering everything that’s going on.”

A few years ago, a committee studied whether an addition could be added to the back side of the Town Hall. The determination was that “the back area was not really stable enough to add a second floor,” and it was the only feasible place to build an addition.

“I think that this is a good beginning to finding the solution. However, I think there needs to be more work done to determine one, if we could build an office section out in the back of the building, and two, look for other suppliers,” Select Board member Carmen Lone said. “We are all painfully aware of the issue with the office space at the Town Hall. So, my suggestion is that you temporarily utilize the space in the Town Office and come up with possibilities for out there (at the Town Hall site).”

Colello made the proposal to generate conversations about developing better office space for the Rec Department.

“We’re trying to make sure that our staff and myself have the things needed to be successful in a professional setting,” Colello said.

“I think this is a good start,” Lone said.

Select Board member Carrye Castleman-Ross added, “I support his proposal to want a more appropriately located office for him, to meet with parents and being on site of the Town Hall. I think what you’re (Lone) suggesting is smart. Maybe you can give him resource contacts.”

Colello was encouraged to develop a “more well-constructed plan” for office space and pitch it to the Select Board at next year’s budget session.

“It’s not ideal. I certainly understand the perspective. I just think that there’s a lot of barriers already with my team to try and make sure we’re accomplishing things and, and being in separate buildings across town is not ideal. I certainly understand the perspective of where Carmen is coming from. It’s more ideal for me to be closer to the three other full-time employees and there’s several other part-time employees throughout the day,” Colello said. “It’s not exactly accessible for my staff to come into the town office without going through the front desk. I do understand the perspective.”

Board Chairman Bob McHatton added, “We have a great Recreation Department and you certainly need an office to work out at. I just do not agree with the request right now because we need more information. What needs to be done here is find out what can be done out there and bring us a proposal.”

Part 3 of the Bridgton Budget Review looks at Public Works, Fire Department and outside agencies.