Police Committee Minutes 10-31-2025
Police Committee Minutes 10-31-2025
RUTLAND TOWN SELECTBOARD COMMITTEE MEETING
POLICE COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 31st, 2025
The Police Committee of the Rutland Town Selectboard met at 9:00 AM on Friday October 31st, 2025, at the Municipal Town Hall. Present were Selectboard Chair Mary Ashcroft, Selectboard Member Matt Getty, Town Police Chief Ed Dumas, Town Deputy Police Chief Ted Washburn and Town Police Officer Jimmy Plakas.
Discussed an update to town employee benefits. There is a request to allow health insurance buyouts if an employee does not take the insurance. The current cost of the plan for an employee only is $1337.35 per month. An employee plus spouse is $2674.70. An employee plus children is $2581.09. A Family plan is $3757.95 per month. Starting January 1st, the rate will be for an employee only is $1409.43 per month. An employee plus spouse is $2818.86. An employee plus children is $2720.20. A Family plan is $3960.50 per month. A buyout is not currently available to town staff. Other municipalities which offer this, issue a separate check to the staff member once a month. Open enrollment for the Town insurance carrier is only for the month of November. If this were to be offered, employees would have to make changes during this time. The committee is in favor of the proposal and will be discussed with the full board at the next meeting.
Reviewed the draft budget for the next fiscal year. Chief Dumas told the committee he plans to retire between April and June of 2026. Discussed the compensation rate for the officers. Chief Dumas is recommending increasing all the officers to the same rate. This would be in place of any cost-of-living increases proposed. Reviewed compensation rates in surrounding communities. Discussed the outside detail / overtime costs and how they could be impacted by the Walmart project. Work conducted by our K9 officer on sex offender registry compliance is being reimbursed by a federal grant. Discussed establishing a budget line to handle contract specific expenses. Other lines are being used and may not reflect those expenses correctly. Discussed where money could be allocated to purchase the next vehicle to be replaced in the schedule.
Discussed adding a question to the ballot asking voters if they would support a study to review needs to move towards 24-hour police coverage in town. The result would be used to guide budget discussions and planning next year.
Reviewed the remaining budget lines.
A line will be added for forfeitures to track what money was received, this will not be used to anticipate any income from this.
There are some personnel costs which cannot be added without input from the Town Treasurer.
The meeting adjourned at 11:03 AM.
Respectfully submitted, Bill Sweet