By Adam Swift
City manager Fidel Maltez is putting an administrative order aimed at paying volunteer board and commission members a stipend on hold.
Last month, Maltez presented the council with an administrative order proposing providing $1,500 annual stipends for members of several volunteer city boards and committees.
“After significant discussion with several City Councilors and Board members, we have decided that it is not the right time to implement this order,” stated Maltez. “We significantly value the work of our volunteers and we will continue exploring ways to support and acknowledge members of our Boards and Commissions.”
Maltez had previously noted that initial research found that many of the communities that are near Chelsea offer stipends to appointed residents. He estimated that there would be an annual cost of about $52,000 for 35 appointed board and commission members in the city.
District 8 Councilor Calvin Brown commended the city manager for putting the proposal on hold.
“When this first came out, a lot of us had concerns about this,” said Brown. “Talking to the members of the boards and also the city manager, we felt that a lot of folks were really taking pride in being able to have the opportunity to volunteer their time and come out and work on these boards.”
District 1 Councilor Todd Taylor also thanked the city manager for putting the stipend proposal on hold.
“I think this request was premature and I just want to reiterate my support for the independence of the boards,” said Taylor. “Especially, (considering) the past history of Chelsea, where we don’t want too much power concentrated in one place. That is when corruption really gets going and we want to prevent that at all costs.”
Having power dispersed among boards and commissions outside of the city council helps create a more democratic process for the city, Taylor said.
In other business at Monday night’s council meeting, Maltez informed the council that the administration has launched a page on its website with immigration support and legal resources.
“Many of the regional legal support organizations are overwhelmed by the level of need in our community, and they continue to offer support and services,” stated Maltez. “The Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants continues to provide support to our City. We will also continue hosting Know Your Rights trainings virtually.”