1992-03-17 Board of Selectmen Minutes

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Minutes of the Board of Selectmen Meeting March 17, 1992 The meeting convened in the Auditorium, Reading Memorial High School , 62 Oakland Road, at 7 : 40 p.m. Present were Chairman Eugene Nigro, Vice Chairman Dan Ensminger, Secretary Sally Hoyt, Selectmen George Hines and Russ Graham, Town Manager Peter I. Hechenbleikner, Town Counsel H Theodore Cohen and approximately 400 interested citizens. The Board signed a proclamation honoring Red Cross month and presented it to Sergeant Richard Robbins of the Reading Police Department for transmission to the Red Cross. Appreciation was expressed to Russ Graham who was participating in his last meeting of the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Graham has decided not to seek re-election at the elections on March 24. Each member of the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, Chief Marchand, former Selectmen Molly Ziegler and Jack Russell, Paul Dustin, former Chairman of the Finance Committee Gerry Fiore, and former secretary to the Fin Com Nancy Graham made presentations to Mr. Graham. Mr. Graham, in brief remarks, thanked the Board of Selectmen and staff. He received a standing ovation and the Board adjourned briefly to enjoy cake, coffee and conversation. The Board reconvened at 8: 22 p.m. Sally Hoyt read the notice for the Public Hearing on the Ice Rink Siting Advisory Committee report. George Hines introduced the members of the Siting Com- mittee. Nelson Burbank, the donor of $1,000,000 towards an ice rink made a presentation to the Board of Selectmen. He indicated that he wanted to give something back to the Town. There are no ulterior motives in his gift. He takes exception to the question "what's in it for Nelson Burbank. " Mr. Burbank expressed that an ice arena would contribute to children of all ages - with learn to skate programs for three to six year olds, figure skating programs, public skating, and hockey facility for youth hockey and high school. In addressing the issue of why a non-profit organization, he in- dicated that he has talked over the last two or three years to a number of rink managers. They unanimously feel that if they want to protect the town they make sure that they don't have to come back to the town for additional money, the rink should be run as a business. Woburn in 1980 and 1981 lost $100,000 per year. They contracted with the Youth Hockey Association to run the rink and donated $40,000 to new repairs. the $40, 000 was returned in two years, and the rink has made a profit every year for the past 10 years. The Stoneham rink has .been run by the town with no contingency fund, no incentives and no balance statement. While they should have had a $2, 000 profit last year, they actually had a $38,000 loss.