Bill St. Michel had asked for a 5 percent raise, but town meeting voters OK’d a budget with a 2 percent raise.

Failing to win his requested 5 percent pay raise, veteran Durham Fire Chief Bill St. Michel said he will resign.

St. Michel, 59, has been fire chief for 22 years, full-time fire chief for 13 years, and a member of the Durham Fire Department for 42 years.

In article 25 on Saturday’s annual town meeting warrant, voters approved a suggested $292,860 operating budget for Durham Fire & Rescue, and that equates to a 2 percent raise for St. Michel. His salary is $54,224. The vote, conducted in a written ballot, was 77-42 in favor of the budget as written. Though the issue of St. Michel’s salary generated considerable discussion, no one amended the article to accommodate his salary request.

“A 2 percent raise is what’s on the table,” said St. Michel, who has been on family leave, and had to leave the town meeting prior the budget article. “Once all my affairs are in order, I am leaving.”

Keith Russell, the deputy chief, has filled the chief’s position in St. Michel’s absence.

St. Michel said he had requested the 5 percent raise to selectmen, and then attended a Budget Committee meeting on Feb. 23. There, according to Budget Committee minutes, Jeff Wakeman, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, stated that selectmen were requesting a 2 percent raise pool, “which would be distributed after the town vote. Individual raises will be determined by merit and performance reviews.”

St. Michel said he later spoke with selectmen during an executive session.

“I told them I was not happy how it had gone down,” he said.

St. Michel said he does not want the issue to be personal.

“I still love the fire department,” he said. “But I need to look out for my family’s security.”

At the town meeting, Wakeman suggested voting down the $292,860 fire and rescue budget, and adding the extra amount to give St. Michel his 5 percent raise. But no one amended the article.

“We have an excellent chief,” Wakeman said. “He could be a chief in the big cities if he wanted to. He’s brought in nearly $600,000 in grants.”

Resident Richard Johnson concurred with Wakeman, noting that the fire department is busy, and adding that St. Michel has gone some years without a raise. St. Michel received a 2 percent salary increase last year, Wakeman said, but nothing in some recent years.

Russell said he didn’t know if the town should be willing to lose its fire chief for a difference of $1,600 or $1,700.

Others voiced different opinions.

“At this point, I think we’re offering him a fair deal,” said Selectman Mark Blake.

Bob Whitmore, who lost to incumbent Josh Libby for a seat on the Board of Selectmen, was more blunt.

“For this man to come to this town to give him a 5 percent raise, it’s time for him to go to a smaller town,” Whitmore said. “Let him leave.”

Durham selectmen were scheduled to meet Tuesday night, after the Tri-Town Weekly’s deadline, where they planned to discuss the fire chief situation.

St. Michel’s salary was one of several matters that kept residents in the school gymnasium for five hours Saturday.

In an odd circumstance, voters agreed to “explore other means of voting in the town budget,” even though Donna Church, who got the issue on the warrant though a petition drive, asked that the town take no action on it. Church carried with her a copy of the petition, which stated: “Shall the town of Durham have all warrant articles of the town meeting be voted on as a written ballot no sooner than 30 days and no later than 45 days after town meeting?”

Church urged residents to vote down the article.

“Since this article has no resemblance to the actual wording of the signed petition, I request the town take no action of this article,” she said.

Voters, however, apparently liked the idea of exploring another means of conducting town

business. Selectmen will form a committee to explore other means of voting in the budget.

Residents increased the requested amount to be transferred from the Eureka Community Center fundraising account to purchase a new stove at the facility. The Budget Committee had suggested $1,500 and the Board of Selectmen recommended $2,000. The amount approved was $3,000.

Pearl Scribner, a member of the Eureka Community Center Committee, gave a “thumbs-up” after voters agreed to her amended motion for $3,000.

Scribner said that the gas stove in the community center is not functioning properly, and the committee has not been able to find anyone to repair it. The community center floor also needs repair, Scribner said. There is $7,700 available in the fund, she said.

“We need to be able to get to the money to get things fixed so we can keep the hall open,” Scribner said.

Michelle Ritcheson said from the audience that the committee should be able to use funds it has raised.

“The money is there, and it’s raised by the community center committee,” Ritcheson said.

Three separate votes were necessary to determine that all unexpended funds from the Department of Public Works operating budget be transferred to the capital reserve fund – an account created in the previous article. Moderator Gary Wood announced that the motion, voted on by raised hands, had failed. Residents questioned that verdict, then Wood called for a standing count, which resulted in a 43-40 “yes” vote. Due to the closeness of the second vote,Wood then called for the written vote, resulting in a 51-41 vote to carry the unused funds to capital reserve.

Ruth Glaeser, the town’s administrative assistant, said Monday that voters approved $2,306,057 in municipal spending for 2016, compared to the $2,342,885 requested on the town meeting spending articles. The municipal budget would equate to an increase of 47 cents (2.8 percent) per $1,000 in assessed property value, to $17.12. That does not include a 3.82 percent hike in county taxes, and whatever increase brought about by the Regional School Unit 5 budget for 2015-2016.

Durham residents line up for a written vote during last Saturday’s annual town meeting, at Durham Community School. Staff photo by Larry GrardBill St. Michel