Auburn Finance Committee approves 34 salary transfers, sets monthly meeting schedule

AUBURN — November 19, 2025 — Auburn's Finance Committee approved more than 30 salary reserve transfers Wednesday, clearing the bulk of non-union wage adjustments for Fiscal Year 2026 and setting a regular third-Wednesday monthly meeting schedule. Chair Kevin W. Kennedy presided over four members — Vice Chair Michael Marshall, Patrick Jones, Stephen Consilvio, and Andrew Sharr — who approved transfers ranging from $46 for a solid waste compliance position to $13,206 covering turnover costs in the town manager's office. CFO and Town Accountant Karen Hardoise explained that bylaw employees receive a 2 percent base increase plus 1 percent upon successful annual evaluation, with all eligible employees this year having cleared review; union contract retro payments for GEU and SURA, both recently settled, are still to come. Jones voted against a $2,450 cemetery clerical coverage transfer, questioning why predictable vacation-replacement costs are not built into the annual budget from the start. The committee also heard that the town's debt stands at approximately 4.38 percent of the operating budget, with the fire station project still ahead, and scheduled a December 10 budget kickoff meeting with department heads.