Groton Town Manager withdraws request for raise
Groton — Groton Town Manager John Burt said Saturday that he has removed his request for a $13,000 raise that was expected to be considered by the Town Council on Tuesday.
Burt, whose annual salary would have increased to $170,000 if the request was approved, said he did not want the issue to detract from the salary increases he has recommended for other town employees.
The council on Tuesday is expected to take up a proposed salary increase for a new human resources director/assistant city manager position, along with bumps in pay for three positions in The Office of Planning and Development Service. Burt said the salary structures for the positions are below what they should be and more in line with entry-level employees.
“First, I don’t want to interfere with the positive economic development momentum that we are starting to experience,” Burt said in a statement Saturday. “Second, I agree with observations that it isn’t right for me to get a salary increase when I’m a part of making difficult decisions during the budgeting process.”
As part of his proposed budget, Burt has recommended the elimination of nine positions and addition of the equivalent of one. He said three of the nine positions are filled.
One of those positions currently is occupied by Emergency Management Director Joseph Sastre, a retired lieutenant from the Milford Police Department who has held the position in town for the past 16 years. His last day would have been June 1 under the proposal.
Sastre, 62, said Saturday he has opted to instead retire. His last day is Friday.
“It’s not by choice,” Sastre said. “I wouldn’t be retiring if they hadn’t told me my job was going away.”
Because of union bumping rights, it remains unclear whether there would be layoffs as the result of the elimination of two positions in the public works department.
Burt, who has been with the town for less than a year, had applied for a city administrator’s job in Urbana, Ill., but withdrew himself from consideration earlier this month. He said he remains committed to Groton and plans to be here for a “long time.”
“My salary has zero effect on that,” Burt said. “I’m glad to be part of the community and the positive changes that are happening.”
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