1993-01-26 Board of Selectmen Minutes

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Minutes of the Board of Selectmen Meeting January 26, 1993 The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, MA. Present were Chair- man Dan Ensminger, Vice Chairman George Hines, Secretary Sally Hoyt, Selectman Eugpne Nigro. Selectman Bill Burditt was attend- ing an Audit Committee Meeting and joined the meeting at 7 : 55 p.m. Also present were Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, Town Counsel Ted Cohen, Library Director Deidre Hanley, Library Board Chairman Elia Marnik, School Committee members Timothy Twomey and Sue Cavicchi, Richard Radville and Ron Wood. Deidre Hanley explained to the Board of Selectmen that the Library figures previously presented with regard to the Library Budget were for two different years. For FY93' Reading ranks 6 out of 10 communities in Library expenditures per capita. H. Theodore Cohen, Town Counsel, was present to discuss legal services budget. He presented a review of the history of the Legal Services Budget since 1979 . The budget has been level funded on a retainer basis for the last four years. The Town Manager recommended increasing the budget to $100, 000, which was more in concert with the proposal submitted when the service was bid two years ago. George Hines noted that Town Counsel appears to . have accomplished some progress in reducing the hours, and would be inclined to favor a 2 1/2% increase rather than 5% level with all other salary. Dan Ensminger asked what the hour projec- tions for FY94 were and Town Counsel indicated that he could not predict it. Gene Nigro reminded the Board of Selectmen about the process of selection and that we elected to go with a retainer. He indicated that he would support the increase and will keep an eye on the level of service. Dan Ensminger felt that he would support the increase out of a sense of fairness. Sally Hoyt in- dicated that she would also. George Hines indicated that this was sort of like a salary issue and while we are considering in- creases of some salaries this year, the Town Counsel should be evaluated along with other salary issues. Bill Burditt joined the quorum at 7:55 p.m. He indicated that he had attended the last unofficial Audit Committee Meeting and there were only a couple of minor points. He presented a review of the revenues and expenditures as projected, and noted that of the $537, 000 increase in revenues, $257 , 000 would go for in- creases in employee benefits, $200, 000 in debt service and state and county assessments, leaving $148, 000. That yields an actual increase of .63%, and based on current distributions, $92 , 000 and $56,000 to the Town. The department requests were $2 . 1 million dollars more than what is available, with $800, 000 of that for schools, $700, 000 for rubbish, and $400, 000 for Public Works capital. The schools currently get approximately 66% of the Town's discretionary dollars. The Board talked about the School Reform Bill and what that would mean to the Town of Reading. The Town Manager recommended developing the budget assuming that there would not be a School Reform Bill, and then being able to react to that School Reform Bill within the school budget if