Chester selectmen OK pay raise for transfer station's lone full-timer

By John Carey
Staff writer

March 05, 2008 07:31 am

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CHESTER — Lloyd Healey, the lone full-time worker at the town transfer station, will receive the raise he has been asking for.

After a brief debate, selectmen voted on Feb. 28 to increase Healey's salary to $14 per hour.

Chester transfer station workers and spouses Lloyd and Bonnie Healey have been working at the transfer station for a combined 26 years, but Lloyd, a full-time employee, had been earning only $11.99 per hour. Bonnie, a part-time supervisor, earns $14.71 per hour.

After the issue of a pay raise for station employees was brought up at a January Board of Selectmen meeting by the Healeys, selectmen offered to review statistics from other Chester-sized communities to find a fair rate of pay.

At the Feb. 28 meeting, Selectman Jack Cannon proposed a raise to $15.50 per hour, a figure called "very generous," by board Chairman Mike Weider.

Selectman James Hassam agreed with Weider.

"I think $15.50 is a little high, I would be willing to go up maybe 75 cents," said Hassam.

Selectmen Jack Cannon responded with a lower figure.

"I think $14 is fair and in line with other towns," he said.

Selectmen Stephen Landau was in favor of a higher raise than proposed, saying that the transfer station was a "model for other transfer stations with a high percentage of recycling."

"This is one of the things that has worked out very well for us," Landau said of the transfer station.

Selectmen also decided that both the Healeys will be eligible for a raise in the coming review period this year.