Survey Raises Inclusion Concerns: Select Board Notebook

The town is doing a good job of meeting its mission to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, but still needs to do some work in key areas, according to a survey of town employees presented to the Andover Select Board Monday.

Director of Community Services Jemma Lambert told the select board that 14 percent of respondents disagreed with the statement the town’s working environment was “non-elitist,” while 13.8 percent disagreed that their workplace was “non-sexist.”

For the non-elitist category, 24 percent of respondents said they were “neutral” and 16 percent said they didn’t know whether their workplace was non-sexist.

“We are aware of these two and are looking at it more and more to use as a guide for future training,” Lambert said. “While we can’t make assumptions about what neutral means, it’s notable.”

Of the 114, or 38 percent, of town employees who completed the survey, 68 percent gave positive overall ratings for their working environment as measured in 11 categories in the table above.

The survey also showed 66 percent of respondents said they had not been treated unfairly by a supervisor, town employee or policy. But in certain categories, some employees said they had been treated unfairly in certain areas, including communication or co-work style (14.5%), age (8.4%) and sex or gender expression (7.6%).

More Select Board Coverage:

• Andover Considers Columbus Day Name Change
• Select Board Chair: Cut Taxes With Unexpected State Aid

Cost of living increase for retirees

The select board discussed a 5% cost of living increase for Town of Andover retirees from available funds. The board will hold a second hearing on the increase at a future meeting. The annual impact would be $82,000 and the existing liability would increase by $1.1 million. The retirement board previously approved the increase with a 3-2 vote.

In other business

Monday’s meeting was held at the Robb Center. Among the other business the select board addressed Monday:

• Held a closed-door executive session prior to the public portion of the meeting to discuss “the purchase, lease, or value” of unspecified property because an open session would harm the town’s bargaining position.
• Paid tribute with a moment of silence to Mary Kay Poe, a longtime Andover Public Schools’s employee who died last week, and Ben Hunt, a recent AHS alum who recently died.
• Heard from Kathy Grant on railroad concerns during the public comment period.
• Unanimously approved a change to Andover’s traffic rules that would making the default speed limit 25 MPH in thickly settled and business districts.
• Made appointments to the Housing Authority, Retirement Board and ZBA.
• Recommended Town Meeting approve 11 articles. The articles were primarily housekeeping articles, such as minor financial articles.

Photo: Town of Andover/Bartlet Street Dispatch

Video for Feb. 27 select board meeting from Andover TV

0:00:09 – Call To Order and vote to go into executive session
0:01:13 – Resume public meeting and Opening Ceremonies.
0:02:21 – Liaison Reports
0:04:18 – Updates from Select Board members
0:08:22 – Public Comment
0:14:15 – Retiree Cost of Living Adjustment (1st reading)
0:30:20 – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Update
0:50:08 – Acceptance of Drainage Easement
0:52:33 – Amendments to Traffic Rules and Regulations
1:09:01 – Andover Housing Authority Appointment
1:11:32 – Retirement Board and ZBA Appointment Process
1:15:30 – Town Manager’s Recommended Budget for FY2024
1:38:53 – Annual Town Meeting Articles
1:57:50 – Consent Agenda
1:58:25 – Adjourn

Packet for Feb. 27 Andover Select Board meeting