1990-01-25 Board of Selectmen Minutes

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MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING January 25, 1990 The meeting was. convened at 7:36 p.m. in the Selectmens Meeting Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, MA. Present were Chairman Graham, Vice Chairman Ziegler, Selectmen Nigro and Russell, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner and the following list of residents and staff: Gerry MacDonald, Gary Demopoulos, Janathan Edwards, Fred Van Magness, Jack Rivers, Ginny Lane, Tom Stohlman, Joan Nickerson, Edward McIntire, A. V. Fletcher, Lois K. Bond, Paul F. Caselle, Ruth Cogan, Corinne Fisher, Edward Marchand, Len Red- fern, Christine Redford. The Community Development budget was reviewed. The Town Manager's recommendation is to eliminate the Department of Com- munity Development, and assume its functions within the Division of the Department of Public Works. An alternative budget that would keep the half-time Planner and half-time Conservation Ad- ministrator was presented. The Board of Selectmen indicated that they would put this as a priority on an add back situation if a Prop 2 1/2 override was successful. Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Stohlman and Joan Nickerson spoke on this matter. The Department of Public Works budget was reviewed. Adding back the overlay program and the stone chips seal program are priorities. The Board at another date will be evaluating options in terms of trash collection. The Board questions whether trees and shrubbery should be included on a bare bones budget. The Town Manager indicated that the reduction in staff in the Depart- ment of Public Works, not including the Community Development function, was 3.4 full time equivalent positions from FY90 to FY 91. The Library budget was reviewed, and Susan Flannery and Christine Redford spoke on this matter. The Human Services budgets were reviewed and Ruth Cogan and Lois Bond spoke on the issues. The Fire Department budget was reviewed. The Chief expressed a priority for restoring two of the firefighters to make up a staff of 43 sworn firefighters. The Fire Department Mechanic will go back into the Fire Department budget rather than being in the Public Works budget. The Emergency Management budget was reviewed. The importance of this function is in terms of reimbursement of federal funds in an emergency situation. A presentation of the emergency operations plan will be made to the Board of Selectmen at a future date. The Police budget was reviewed with the Chief. The Board was concerned that Police Reserves were not being used even for pur- poses for which they were previously used.