Cost of unsettled contract exceeds budget
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

Halfway through 2007, the money budgeted to fund health insurance for town highway employees is gone, according to Comptroller Frank Belliotti.

(See editorial on page four) During the July 2 Amherst Town Board meeting, Belliotti asked how the board would like to proceed now that he can no longer pay those bills from the highway budget.

The contract has been unsettled since December 2005, meaning the highway employees continue to use multiple health care providers instead of the one provider used by other unions.

At $50,000 a month, the cost is nearing $1 million - a significant expense for taxpayers, Council Member William A. O'Loughlin Jr. said.

"Stop pussyfooting around and behave in a way that is sensitive to the people that pay taxes. $900,000 on one contract ... (we) should be ashamed we have allowed this to go this far," O'Loughlin said.

The board voted to allow the Comptroller's Department to pay the bills from the surplus on a month-to-month basis.

"This has been going on far too long ... at what point are you going to sit in a room and finish this?" Council Member Dan Ward questioned the supervisor.

Supervisor Satish Mohan admitted during the July 2 meeting that he didn't have much bargaining power in the process.

"I have been ready to settle since day one, but this is two-sided," Mohan said, adding that the town has made counter offers.

He said the town has already given in on many contract items, but he has a responsibility to balance employee contracts.

Both sides, the highway union and the supervisor, have complained of a lack of meetings and progress toward a contract agreement.

It was close to 11 p.m. when the item was discussed, and Highway Superintendent Bob Anderson and Personnel Director Bob Mc- Carthy were not in attendance at the meeting.

The highway budget had allotted $558,000 for insurance costs, and as of June that money was spent.

"I do feel bad for the people," Mohan said, adding that he couldn't go into details during an open meeting. "Give me the authority, and it will be done."

McCarthy said a meeting had been planned for Tuesday, but he could not comment further on the progress of the negotiations.

Chris O'Neil, president of the Amherst Highway Employees Association, said the two sides met all day Tuesday and did not come to an agreement. He added that another meeting was scheduled for later in the week.