PLAINVILLE - The town will hold a special town meeting Oct. 16 concerned mainly with financial housekeeping.

The meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Wood School.

Among the six items on the warrant is the primary reason for the meeting, an article that asks residents to transfer $108,498 from free cash to correct an accounting error and reduce the amount to be raised by appropriation to fund this fiscal year's budget.

The town currently has $548,842 in free cash.

Training and equipment Residents also will vote on transferring $1,484 to pay a legal bill from the prior fiscal year to Kopelman and Paige, transferring $2,000 from the fire department's expense account to its out-of-state travel expense account to cover expenses incurred by Chief Ted Joubert to attend grant-writing seminars and transferring $8,500 for a refurbished thermal imager for the fire department.

New thermal imagers typically cost $12,000.

Residents also will vote on an amendment to the personnel bylaw that would include a job classification of senior secretary, which could potentially save the town money because it would not require the employee to work a minimum of 20 hours, whereas current classifications of similar skill level do.

Last week, selectmen rejected two proposed articles, including one to increase the town clerk's salary by $13,298, which would put Town Clerk Ellen Robertson at the high end of the range approved at the last town meeting.

Selectmen said that while they would like to pay Robertson more, the town's dire fiscal situation doesn't allow it.

"Mid-year is not the time to do this," Selectman Robert Fennessy said. "You don't want to start giving increases in salary mid-year, as much as she deserves it."

"We're in a tough financial situation right now, and I just want to make sure we get through it and get through it to next year," Fennessy added.

Selectmen also rejected an article to increase part-time planner Amy Love's annual salary from $22,500 to $25,750.

As part of the cuts made to the budget this year, Love's position was reduced from full to part time.

Town Administrator Joseph Fernandes said Love took a month's maternity leave, but is being paid as though she is working a full 12-month year, which is a violation of the personnel bylaw. The increase in salary to $25,750 would allow her to keep earning at that rate. Since it has been rejected, Love will owe the town about $700.

"I have a real problem with suggesting to town meeting to give increases after the budget has been set," Fennessy said. "And after what we went through last year with the override, it's just not right."

LAUREN CARTER covers Plainville for The Sun Chronicle. She can be reached at lauren-carter@hotmail.com.