2015-04-27 Special Town Meeting Minutes

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SPECIAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School Preforming Arts Center April 27, 2015 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Alan E. Foulds, at 8:40 PM, there being a quorum present. The Warrant was partially read by the Town Clerk, Laura Gemme, when on motion by Dan Ensminger, Board of Selectmen, it was voted to dispense with further reading of the Warrant. Motion made by Dan Ensminger, Board of Selectmen to dispense of the reading of all motions in their entirety. Motion Carried ARTICLE 1: Motion made by Dan Ensminger, Board of Selectmen and Article 1 was tabled ARTICLE 2: Motion made by John Halsey, Board of Selectmen and Article 2 was tabled ARTICLE 3: Motion made by John Arena, Board of Selectmen and Article 3 was tabled ARTICLE 4 Motion made by Dan �Ensminger, Board of Selectmen that the Town vote to appropriate the sum of one million ($1,00 ,000.00) dollars for the purpose of extraordinary repairs, replacement and /or new installation of field lighting systems, including the costs of consulting services, audits, plans, documents, cost estimates, bidding services and all related expenses incidental thereto and necessary in connection therewith, and, for the purpose of meeting such appropriation, to authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, to borrow said sum in accordance with Chapter 44, Section 7(25) of the Massachusetts General Laws, or any other enabling authority; said sum to be expended by and under the direction of the Town Manager; and to see if the Town will authorize the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager, or any other agency of the Town, to apply for a grant or grants, to be used to defray the cost of all, or any part of, said field lighting systems improvements; and to authorize the Town Manager to enter into any and all contracts and agreements as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Article. Background: A Master Plan for the Birch Meadow Complex was drafted in 2008 and approved by the Board of Selectmen in 2009. Town Meeting subsequently approved funding in the Capital Plan to begin in FY15. Approximately two years ago, a discussion with the Board of Selectmen concluded with a changed approach that the Recreation Committee would revisit the Master Plan and make comments and suggestions before any funds were expended. The project start date was pushed out beyond FY15 on the capital plan. Last fall the Recreation Committee and Town staff began discussing the Master Plan in detail and one change evident to all was that the fields would not need to be shifted slightly. This represented a substantial cost avoidance compared to what had been proposed previously. This decision then made the