To the Editor:
Since Steve Myrick wrote an article last week, playing loose and free with comments on the salary of the Oak Bluffs town clerk (“Oak Bluffs voters face overrides, $24.7 million town budget,” April 1), I felt he might like to know what actually transpired at last year’s meeting, which he admittedly did not attend. The finance and advisory committee actually supported the salary increase and spoke in favor of it at the meeting. One member from the personnel board attempted to speak against it, but was admonished by the moderator not to speak on behalf of this board because this board can only speak for or against positions which they oversee, and the position of town clerk is not one of these. This individual went on stating her own personal feelings against the requested increase and found support in only one other person when the vote was called for. With the exception of these two individuals, all in attendance spoke and voted in favor of the increase.
In the budget process this year, I simply followed the instruction of the town administrator in increasing all the salaries in this office by three percent. Town meeting will complete this process with their final vote on April 13.
Deborah Ratcliff
Oak Bluffs
