2010-06-15 Appointment Committee -Finance Committee Minutes

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V Finance Committee Appointment Committee C L June 15, 2010 The meeting convened at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room, 16 LowAiDU SWe 3R di g P Massachusetts. Present were Moderator Alan Foulds, Finance Committee Chairman George Hines, Selectmen Chairman Ben Tafoya, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner and Assistant Town Manager/Finance Director Bob LeLacheur. Also present were candidates Kara Fratto, Mark Dockser, and Phil Pacino. The Committee interviewed Mark Dockser and Kara Fratto. The additional candidate Frank Fardy was not available for an interview but was known to all of the members of the FinCom Appointment Committee. Dockser indicated that he has lived in Reading for 14 years. He has been a Town Meeting Member for 10 years. His work and travel schedules have changed to allow him to do volunteer work for the Town. He's been general manager of a business in the area of $2 - $3 million start ups. He does budgets as part of his job. Dockser indicated that he is interested in overall Town issues including school buildings. Two children have graduated through Reading Memorial High School and the third child is in seventh grade. His wife is very involved in the schools. Dockser has a BA in economics and an MBA. He has worked for companies as large as General Electric and for smaller start up companies. Dockser has done a great deal of team work particularly in the area of marketing. Alan Foulds asked if he had any conflicts of interests (he does not) and asked if he was a member of any other Board, Committee or Commission and he noted he is not. The Committee interviewed Kara Fratto. She graduated from school in 1998 and is an attorney. She has experience in working with her own personal budget. She feels that if the Finance Committee cannot save $150,000 to avoid the meals tax, then they need new blood, She feels there is a problem. She feels that the Finance Committee has to respect other people's money and they did not. She had experience in school government. She knows how to look at things with new eyes. She is not a dull person. In response to questions by Ben Tafoya, she looks at everything objectively. There are some challenges every year. She feels FinCom needs members who don't want to go to the taxpayers to solve all their problems. She feels the Town needs to separates the needs from wants. George Hines took exception to Fratto's comments. He feels the Finance Committee and staff work very hard and that they have cut budgets repeatedly in the community. Hines asked Fratto how long she has been a Town Meeting Member, and Fratto indicated she's been a Town Meeting Member for one year. Cuts in services have been invisible. The Town is still turning money back into free cash. Alan Foulds asked if Fratto has any conflict of interest - she did not. Foulds asked if she is on any other Boards, Committees or Commissions and she is not. Foulds noted that we have three positions available and four candidates. Tafoya indicated he knows Hal Torman and recognizes his excellent record on the Finance Committee. He also