[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6354215,"mediaKeyId","2220355-660103ab2b855b4c32fe907163785f68","parentId",2220355,"title","Braintree council tables compensatory‑time, vacation‑carryover policy pending KP Law review","audioSeconds",680,"startMs",2478000,"endMs",3158000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2220355-660103ab2b855b4c32fe907163785f68&start=2478&end=3158","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2220355-660103ab2b855b4c32fe907163785f68/thumbnail_2478000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6354215/Town-of-Braintree/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Braintree-council-tables-compensatorytime-vacationcarryover-policy-pending-KP-Law-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6354215-33bbee7b3685048302386a360be6974d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771207306&Signature=TKdCra723iSGo4M-3Zd2KGlXaW-6E42Di4jWuH1i6dVgbdZlW~Zx9fPxZrAefYD22H0Gvbj29dQxR5JfFkHaiOhKaPhDYocKZqNFk7pSk5kOmrZrSt2WDjq1m06V7rrw0aVt40PqLWqwFGRtAhNY-ilAMofPPy4KHTC5XUh3vFLE--ThRLGqrZI~ymdded388owSrg50Nbpcr6i6~gybfzhz5SQA0-pLWEN-gdNLFEexfyCHv6bFXOfv5awgLvaG~n5Z2d9N2wrUzB7M9~QGghhTM0E1MPnlY~oVIrsJRZfUDrM5tPmXVh6Xmu1RT0w69zNz8qFE8hhdMHQi9zBNCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Braintree, MA","date","2025-02-05T00:00:00Z","article","The Braintree Town Council discussed a proposed compensatory‑time and vacation‑carryover policy for town‑council staff and voted to table the proposal while the mayor’s office seeks a legal opinion from KP Law.

Council President said he intends to approve compensatory time for employees under the council’s purview and asked that the policy remain on the table while the mayor and KP Law review its potential impacts. “As the president of the town council, I'm gonna approve it, work in comp time,” he said, adding he wants to monitor accruals and give councilors periodic updates to avoid large carryovers.

Councilor Martin, who led the personnel committee review, said the proposal was discussed in four committee meetings with mayoral staff present and that requested mayoral amendments were incorporated. Martin criticized the request for a KP Law opinion as “dilatory” and “a waste of taxpayers' money” while urging the council to act. Other councilors — including Angus, Reynolds, Maglio and Flaherty — argued the policy is practical, protects council employees and should be finalized soon. Several councilors emphasized the charter's separation of powers and said council staff are employees of the council, not the executive branch.

Procedural actions: a motion to take the item off the table passed, then later the council voted to table the item again, with both procedural votes recorded as unanimous in the meeting minutes.

What remains: the council left the substantive policy unresolved and asked for a legal review by KP Law at the mayor’s request. The council president said he will approve compensatory time requests for council staff in the interim and provide periodic reports on accruals and usage.

The council also directed staff to keep the item on the committee agenda for further action after the legal review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Braintree Town Council 2/4/25 7:30pm","oneSentenceSummary","Councilors debated a proposed council‑specific compensatory time and vacation carryover policy during multiple personnel meetings; the council voted to table the proposal after members requested an opinion from KP Law and discussion over separation of powers and employee protections.","taxTitle","Town of Braintree , Norfolk County, Massachusetts","taxId",57175,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6354219,"Braintree council opts out of early voting by mail under Votes Act of 2022",502,1945000,2447000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2220355-660103ab2b855b4c32fe907163785f68&start=1945&end=2447","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2220355-660103ab2b855b4c32fe907163785f68/thumbnail_1945000.jpg","/articles/6354219/Town-of-Braintree/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Braintree-council-opts-out-of-early-voting-by-mail-under-Votes-Act-of-2022","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6354219-c1bfbd9655932ec69f618a8d4fa35593/orig.mp4?Expires=1771207306&Signature=N36QlJbSkDctRw-WrEaaBp0HHZWpvSKlI7tazDwhqF5kvVKrpDE3sFxe7Db5x6-4Vpc5plzQjH52PpKPIX1VYodnYG7VPBtnbXlNBqDWm-BaSdvdhtJCAkqHDv2LPHX23WQW1tHYjX4igwugwdZjLNwOwRbkXqcugYQGxU72F4IRwqX~C9HM6yH8ONR72Nx1iJmbHWV9csRqo~zB4gNWKCD2TvYzYpplsdQOyXDImEpRWOdjRDSjG31uFTWVZQd6mOs5fAA4IamevcZ7Mdeh4mw0P36m8dQ8mkZnzyxro7EEt6DdWNIcvsQnbBqss1bHHQBNYd~LdQdQsZz6XMWBOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Braintree Town Council voted unanimously to exercise its opt‑out provision under the Votes Act of 2022 and decline early voting by mail for the November 2025 local election.

Town Clerk Jim Casey told the council the Vote Act of 2022 gives local officials authority to opt in or out of expanded early‑voting options and recommended the council opt out of early voting by mail because of cost and operational burdens. “I am recommending, as I did 2 years ago, that the council opts out of early voting by mail,” Casey said. He told the council the cost of running early voting by mail could “run in the neighborhood of $15,000,” noting postage is “a dollar and 1¢ per envelope.”

Casey said early voting by mail duplicates the absentee‑ballot process and that absentee voting provides similar timeframes for voters to request and return ballots. He also said the town’s Board of Registrars on Jan. 23 met and unanimously declined to recommend opting in for in‑person early voting for the local election, citing historically low turnout in local elections and the availability of absentee voting.

Councilors asked questions and clarified how absentee voting would continue to operate. Councilor Baraka emphasized that voters who cannot reach a polling place on Election Day retain the option to vote by absentee ballot. After brief discussion the council moved, seconded and approved the opt‑out motion; the meeting record shows the vote was unanimous.

What this means: Braintree will not mail early‑vote‑by‑mail ballots as a general early‑voting program for the town’s November local election. The town clerk remains responsible for administering absentee ballots and for all costs associated with election administration.

Clerk Casey and councilors also noted the fiscal impact of the decision: the clerk estimated about $15,000 in additional annual costs if the town had run an early‑vote‑by‑mail program, and he said the town mailed roughly 7,000 early‑vote‑by‑mail ballots for the November election and about 4,200 for the primary in the most recent election cycle, figures he used to illustrate processing and postage burdens.

The council did not change other voting options; absentee ballots remain available under state law. The council’s next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 25.","The Braintree Town Council voted unanimously to exercise the Votes Act of 2022 opt‑out and decline early voting by mail for the November 2025 local election after hearing cost and operational concerns from the town clerk.","actionData","errors"]

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Braintree council tables compensatory‑time, vacation‑carryover policy pending KP Law review

Braintree council opts out of early voting by mail under Votes Act of 2022