2013-04-09 Board of Selectmen Minutes

Home Browse Search

Board of Selectmen Meeting April 9, 2013 For ease of archiving, the order that items appear in these minutes reflects the order in which the items appeared on the agenda for that meeting, and are not necessarily the order in which any item was taken up by the Board. The meeting convened at 7:00 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, Massachusetts. Present were Vice Chairman Ben Tafoya, Selectmen John Arena, James Bonazoli, Dan Ensminger and Marsie West, Youth Liaison Mary Kate Kelley, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, Assistant Town Manager/Finance Director Bob LeLacheur, Office Manager Paula Schena and the following list of interested persons: Tim Kelley. Town Clerk Laura Gemme swore in new Selectmen Daniel Ensminger and Marsie West. A motion by Bonazoli seconded by Arena that the Board of Selectmen go into Executive Session to discuss strategy with respect to labor negotiations, health insurance, and for the approval of minutes, that the Chair declares that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the body, and that the Board will come back into Open Session at approximately 7:30 PM was approved on a roll call vote with all five members voting in the affirmative. The Board reconvened in Open Session at 7:25 p.m. Reports and Comments Selectmen's Liaison Reports and Comments — John Arena noted that the Reading Municipal Light Board recently voted to have three people serve one role and he feels it is bad practice. He noted the motion was moved, seconded and voted on in less than seven minutes and he noted that was unheard of. He questions whether there was discussion outside of the role as Board member. Marsie West noted that she was not at that meeting and is just as concerned. She noted that motion was defeated previously and she feels rotating the leadership is not appropriate. The Town Manager noted that the RMLB actions were not in accordance with the Home Rule Charter and they did not follow Roberts Rules of Orders. There was no notice of a hearing for removal. He will inform them of Town Counsel's opinion. Marsie West indicated the Board took this action during an active search and they lost a qualified candidate due to their action. She indicated she would like to be the RMLD liaison. Dan Ensminger thanked the voters for electing him. Mary Kate Kelley noted that school vacation starts on Thursday; the Junior Prom is on Thursday, and there was a lock down at the High School last week. The Interact Club will be doing a food pantry fundraiser this spring.