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Home My WebLink About2011 Annual ReportTown of Reading Massachusetts OF RE9�I �a .wo 639 :INC0 R404P Annual Report 2011 2011 Annual Report Table of Contents PJ9'IHCOPPOPP Page No. TOWN MANAGER 2011 Annual Letter ............................................ ............................... 1 -2 ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE DEPARTMENTS Accounting Department ...................................... ............................... 3 Finance Department ........................................... ............................... 3 Finance: Assessment Division ............................... ............................... 4 Finance: Collection Division ................................ ............................... 4 Finance: Electronic Payment ................................ ............................... 4 Finance: General Division ................................... ............................... 5 General Finance: Trust Funds ................................ ............................... 6 Finance: Human Resources Division ....................... ............................... 6 Finance: Technology Division ............................... ............................... 7 Finance: Town Clerk .......................................... ............................... 8 -9 Finance: Trust Funds .......................................... ............................... 10 -11 Report of the Town Collector ................................ ............................... 12 -16 FY 2010 Real Estate Abatements .............................................. :........... 17 -20 Financial Statements .......................................... ............................... 21 -99 COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT Boardof Selectmen ................................................... ............................... 100 -104 Conservation Division ........................................ ............................... 105 -106 Elder/Human Services ........................................ ............................... 107 -113 HealthDivision ................................................ ............................... 114 -115 Inspections Division ........................................... ............................... 116 Zoning Board of Appeals ..................................... ............................... 116 Planning Division .............................................. ............................... 117 -119 Veterans' Services Division .................................. ............................... 120 TownCounsel .................................................. ............................... 121 The Arc of Middlesex ......................................... ............................... 122 -123 Historical Commission ........................................ ............................... 124 -125 Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) ........................................... 126 -132 Mystic Valley Elder Services ................................................................ 133 -134 Trails Committee ............................................... ............................... 135 -136 West Street Historic District Commission ................... ............................... 1 137 HOUSING AUTHORITY Report........................................................... ............................... 138 -145 LEGISLATIVE BODY Town Meeting Reports and Voting Results ................ ............................... 146 -295 Organization Chart ............................................ ............................... 296 READING PUBLIC LIBRARY Report........................................................... ............................... 297 -308 PUBLIC SAFETY Fire Department .......................................................... ............................... 309 -314 Police Department ............................................. ............................... 315 -320 AnimalControl ................................................ ............................... 321 Parking Enforcement Officer ................................ ............................... 321 -324 Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse (RCASA) . ............................... 325 -329 PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Administration Division ...................................... ............................... 330 CemeteryDivision ............................................. ............................... 331 Custodian of Soldiers' and Sailors' Graves ................ ............................... 331 Engineering Division ......................................... ............................... 331 -334 HighwayDivision .............................................. ............................... 335 Forestry: Tree Warden's Report ............................. ............................... 336 ParksDivision ......................................................... ............................... 336 Recreation Division ........................................... ............................... 337 -343 Water Distribution Division .................................. ............................... 344 Sewer Distribution Division .................................. ............................... 344 Water Supply Division ........................................ ............................... 345 -347 Director's Report ............................................... ............................... 347 -348 SCHOOL DEPARTMENT Superintendent's Report ...................................... ............................... 349 -407 Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School ..... ............................... 408 -424 BOARDS, COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS Report........................................................... ............................... 425 -433 TOWN MANAGER'S ANNUAL LETTER TO: Residents of the Town of Reading Dear Fellow Residents: The Town of Reading Annual Report for the calendar year 2011 is attached. This report, in all of its details, highlights the many activities in Reading this past year. As you read the report I'm sure that you will agree that the condition of the Town of Reading is excellent, and that the community is undergoing some exciting changes while retaining those attributes that makes the Town a great place to live and work. These are some of the reasons that Reading was named by CNBC as the 4`h most perfect suburb in the Nation in 2011. Reading Town government is lead by an outstanding group of unpaid volunteers (your neighbors) and is staffed by a very professional, competent team of paid employees in all areas of Town government, the School Department, and the Reading Municipal Light Department. This group, volunteers and staff alike, are proud of their collaborative approach to problem solving and decision making at all levels, and this process serves the community and its residents well. This Annual Report is again dedicated to all of the men and women who work and volunteer for their community of Reading. During 2011, we continued to be an energetic and engaged community, and some highlights for 2011 include: • The Town government continues to provide excellent customer service, as exhibited by over 400 customers who provided customer feedback. • Community Development activities continued strong, with the beginning of construction of Calereso's, Reading Woods (former Addison Wesley/Pearson site), and the Oaktree development (former Atlantic Supermarket site). • Several functions of Town government have been restructured, including regionalizing Public Health services, and reducing hours in Conservation, Inspections, and Elder/Human Services as appropriate to current workload. All of these transitions are in place and working well. • The Town continues to maintain its sound financial performance, bolstered in large part by the refinancing of some school debt in early 2012, resulting in savings for the Town budget and beginning in 2014 for the taxpayers through reduced costs of the RMHS debt exclusion. On a less positive note, following the shooting death of a resident in Reading, and the death of another Reading resident outside of the community, Reading conducted a series of three Community Dialogues last fall centered on the issue of Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention in Reading. A direct outcome of those dialogues is a coordinated approach in the FY 2013 budget to address these issues through education, treatment, and enforcement. 1 For those who have need for detailed information about the Town of Reading, we hope this Annual Report will be valuable for you. It provides a good historical record of what has happened in the Town of Reading in calendar year 2011. We welcome any questions, suggestions, or comments that you may have with regard to this report, or to the provision of the services within the community. You can address them to me at townmanager(o),,ci.reading.ma.us, or call at 781 - 942 -9043. Much information is available on the Town of Reading web site at www.readingma.gov and while you are there: • Please fill out our customer service survey found on the home page. • Please register for the Reading Community Alerts (RCA) program which will provide you with important community updates in a manner that you select. Sincerely, Peter I. Hechenbleikner Town Manager 2 ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE DEPARTMENTS Accounting Department The Accounting Department, under the direction of the Town Accountant, is responsible for maintaining financial records. These records facilitate the preparation of financial reports and schedules that provide meaningful, accurate information for comparability and for management's decision making process. The Accounting Department ensures that all financial transactions are in compliance with legal requirements and are properly recorded on a timely basis. The Town used the auditing firm of Melanson & Heath in FY 2011. Finance Department The Finance Department, under the direction of the Assistant Town Manager/Finance Director, supports a wide variety of financial and administrative functions. The Finance Department staff are designed to be flexible and experienced in many of these divisions as work flows vary throughout the year. Assessors: Assessment of property is the first step in the process of tax revenue collection for the Town of Reading. The Assessment division's function is to provide for the fair and equitable assessment of all taxable real and personal property. A three- member Board of Assessors sets policy. General Finance: Collections is responsible for collecting all taxes and other charges (including ambulance and water /sewer /storm water bills). They also receive and process all deposits (such as schools and recreation). Treasury is responsible for providing the cash for the operation of all Town, School and Light Department functions on a timely basis. In addition, it conducts all borrowing and investing activities, including those on behalf of the Town's Trust Funds (at the direction of the Trust Fund Commissioners). Human Resources: This division supports the Town (under the direction of the Town Manager), Schools (under the direction of the Superintendent), Light Department (under the direction of the RMLD General Manager) and Retiree benefit activities. Technology: The Technology Division provides centralized computer network and telecommunications services as well as distributed internet, audio /video, software and personal computer support and geographic information systems (GIS) mapping for the municipal government (Town Hall, the Library, the Senior Center, Police, Fire /Emergency Management, Public Works, Water, Sewer and Storm Water). This division also coordinates many technology activities with both the School and Light Departments. Town Clerk: The Town Clerk is guided by Federal, State, and local laws and policies in overseeing Elections, voter registration, the census process, Town Meeting, and local licenses as well as historic and legal documents for the Town. Finance: Assessment Division Assessment of property is the first step in the process of tax revenue collection for the Town of Reading. The Assessment Division's function is to provide for the fair and equitable assessment of all taxable real and personal property. The Assessors trend the values each year so that the revaluations done every three years won't result in substantial changes. The Assessors must annually determine the tax levy and obtain State approval of the tax rate so that bills can be issued in a timely manner. The tax rate for FY 2012 was set at $14.15 per thousand, a $0.35 increase per thousand from the FY 2011 rate. The total assessed value of all properties and accounts for FY 2012 is $3.764 billion which is a 0.4% increase from the previous year. The average house in Reading is now valued at $444,500, which is a 0.4% increase from FY 2011. The breakdown of Reading property for FY 2012 is as follows Finance: Collection Division The Collection Division is responsible for collecting all taxes and other charges (including ambulance and water /sewer /storm water bills). This Division also receives and processes all deposits (such as schools and recreation). Massachusetts does not allow Towns to pay any charges associated with electronic collection of tax bills — such as a flat fee or credit card fee. Debit card usage is comparatively inexpensive, and an economical method to pay online. Electronic Payments (to 02/27/12) Assessed Value Share Change Residential $3,389,725,591 90.0% +0.5% Commercial $ 320,481,055 8.5% +0.3% Industrial $ 9,648,700 0.3% -0.1% Personal $ 44,158,280 1.2% -2.5% TOTAL $ 3,764,013,606 100.00% +0.4% Finance: Collection Division The Collection Division is responsible for collecting all taxes and other charges (including ambulance and water /sewer /storm water bills). This Division also receives and processes all deposits (such as schools and recreation). Massachusetts does not allow Towns to pay any charges associated with electronic collection of tax bills — such as a flat fee or credit card fee. Debit card usage is comparatively inexpensive, and an economical method to pay online. Electronic Payments (to 02/27/12) Municipal lien certificates have increased due mainly mortgage refinancing activities. Foreclosures dropped off from a high in 2008, in sharp contrast to economic measures nationally. 0 CY12 CY11 CY09 CY08 CY07 CY06 Registered Users 2731 2514 1109 873 508 258 Real Estate 107 410 167 141 95 38 Excise 594 919 402 329 352 220 ater /Sewer /Storm Water 79 454 174 125 75 NA Municipal lien certificates have increased due mainly mortgage refinancing activities. Foreclosures dropped off from a high in 2008, in sharp contrast to economic measures nationally. 0 Municipal Lien Certificates (to 02/28/12) *Fee increased 12/1/2010 Foreclosures (Foreclosure deeds recorded at the Registry of Deeds as of 02/28/12) 2012 Issued Fees FY12 784 $38,200 FYI 1* 1106 $40,475 FY10 859 $24,875 FY09 969 $26,901 FY08 743 $22,350 FY07 698 $21,252 FY06 930 $30,800 FY05 991 $28,327 FY04 1,627 $43,856 *Fee increased 12/1/2010 Foreclosures (Foreclosure deeds recorded at the Registry of Deeds as of 02/28/12) 2012 0 2011 10 2010 18 2009 11 2008 20 2007 10 2006 1 Real estate taxes collected were $50.6 million — a 2.7% increase from the $49.2 million in the previous year. Personal property taxes collected also increased to $0.616 million from $0.614 million; and Excise tax collections increased to $2.94 million in FYI I from $2.59 million in FY10. See the Appendix for more complete details. Finance: General Division This Division is responsible for providing the cash for the operation of all Town and School functions on a timely basis. In addition, it conducts all borrowing and investing activities, including those on behalf of the Town's Trust Funds (at the direction of the Trust Fund Commissioners). Interest earnings for the General Fund during FYI l were only $355,700 — a few years ago this figure was about $1.7 million before interest rates began their historic drop. No permanent debt was issued during calendar year 2011. G_` General Finance - Trust Funds FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 Beginning Balances $7,620,268 $8,029,097 $8,263,326 $8,501,857 $8,775,298 Contributions $ 96,565 $91,885 $125,896 $292,348 $92,097 Disbursements ($ 226,608) ($215,912) ($233,641) ($256,135) ($255,805) Interest $ 538,873 $358,255 $346,277 $237,227 $270,878 Ending Balances $8,029,097 $8,263,326 $8,501,857 $8,775,298 $8,882,468 The Trust Funds disbursed over $1 million in the past five years as shown in the table above. The Hospital Trust Fund continued to provide aid through the Reading Response Program, which provides skilled health care services, respite care, medical transportation and Lifeline Emergency call systems to Reading residents who meet specific health and income guidelines. Finance: Human Resources Division The Human Resources Division supports the Town (under the direction of the Town Manager), Schools (under the direction of the Superintendent), Light Department (under the direction of the RMLD General Manager) and Retiree benefit activities. Employee benefits administered through this Division include health, dental and life insurance, deferred compensation, flexible spending accounts, the sick -leave bank, the Employee Assistance Program, paid time off, leave of absences and unemployment benefits. Job related injuries covered by worker's compensation or M.G.L. Chapter 41, Section IIIF (for public safety employees) are also handled by this Division. Worker's compensation is a premium -based program through the Massachusetts Inter -Local Insurance Association (MIIA). The Town is self - insured for job - related injuries to public safety N Ending Ending Ending Ending 1 -year Balance Balance Balance Balance Change FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 Cemetery $3,463,268 $3,629,468 $3,710,648 $3,784,637 2.0% Hospital $4,069,260 $4,156,231 $4,178,520 $4,203,279 0.6% Library $66,002 $66,622 $60,930 $62,524 2.6% Scholarships $124,106 $123,600 $173,131 $171,628 -0.9% Veterans $103,195 $103,135 $101,165 $104,503 3.3% Memorial Celebration $59,506 $47,086 $47,608 $44,146 -7.3% Historic $70,287 $66,815 $68,058 $70,925 4.2% Preservation Elder $285,942 $286,227 $411,930 $416,790 1.2% Services Loans $21,760 $22,672 $23,307 $24,035 3.1% Finance: Human Resources Division The Human Resources Division supports the Town (under the direction of the Town Manager), Schools (under the direction of the Superintendent), Light Department (under the direction of the RMLD General Manager) and Retiree benefit activities. Employee benefits administered through this Division include health, dental and life insurance, deferred compensation, flexible spending accounts, the sick -leave bank, the Employee Assistance Program, paid time off, leave of absences and unemployment benefits. Job related injuries covered by worker's compensation or M.G.L. Chapter 41, Section IIIF (for public safety employees) are also handled by this Division. Worker's compensation is a premium -based program through the Massachusetts Inter -Local Insurance Association (MIIA). The Town is self - insured for job - related injuries to public safety N employees. The health insurance program is self - insured through the MIIA Health Benefits Trust with large losses shared by all members of the Trust. Due to a number of significant benefit changes designed to encourage medical cost - efficient behavior for employees the annual health insurance premium costs over the past seven years are about 2 %. However additional enrollment often caused by spousal job -loss in the private sector have pushed budget costs closer to 4% at a time when Town revenue growth has been less than 2% Finance: Technology Division The Technology Division provides centralized computer network and telecommunications services as well as distributed internet, audio /video, software and personal computer support and geographic information systems (GIS) mapping for the municipal government. This division also coordinates many technology activities with both the School and Light Departments. The division is in the midst of implementing several new systems. Almost all of these systems are designed to communicate with each other in order to bring a high level of technological efficiency to town government functions in light of recent staff budget reductions. Following is a list of active projects: a `computer assisted mass appraisal (CAMA)' system for the Board of Assessors; extending document storage to the School Department and all other areas of town government, 'and then making search capabilities on public records available to anyone via the internet; adding a new License and Permits system that will encompass everything from building permits through liquor licenses, be integrated into the town's financial accounting system, and also available online; a new GIS mapping system available online; and during 2012 a new website design will be unveiled. Recently completed new systems include a conversion to an internal unified Public Safety system for Police, Fire & Dispatch; Reading Community Alerts system for mass communication with the general public; and an online cemetery information system. By 2013 the public will see a great deal of information and new capabilities to interact with the Town government offered online. The Town has decided to take an integrated approach to offer as much `one -stop shopping' for customers as is possible, and this efforts has involved a few years of planning and implementation. Finance: Town Clerk Elections In 2011 there was a local town election in the Town of Reading. Election Turnout On April 5, 2011 there were 2,367 votes cast in the Local Election with 56 Absentee Ballots, totaling in a 14 % turn out. 7 Board of Registrars Registrars Krissandra Holmes, Gloria Hulse, Harry Simmons, and Town Clerk Laura A Gemme registered 658 voters — down from 948 last year; made 7,264 voter changes (name, address, status); and deleted 686 voters in 2011. There were over 8,840 signatures certified on nomination and petition papers for the 2011 election year. Registrars also offered assistance to voters on election days. Registrars held a voter registration day at the Reading Memorial High School in 2011. Census The Annual Town Census was conducted in January, entirely by mail, with a total of 10,532 forms mailed to residences. The local census assists Town Clerks in putting together the Street List (resident book) and the Jury List. Major functions served by an annual local census are: • Information collected for municipal purposes • Schoolneeds • Growth and planning needs • Resident identification for police and fire • Collection of dog information • Veteran Information • Information for the Jury Commissioners • Determining inactive voter status for voter removal as required by the National Voter Registration Act. Town Meeting Town of Reading held an Annual and Subsequent Town Meeting in 2011. The Annual Town Meeting was held in four nights on April 25, 2011, April 28, 2011, May 2, 2011 and May 5, 2011. The Subsequent Town Meeting was held in two nights on November 17, 2011 and November 21, 2011. Subsequent Town Meeting passed a General Bylaw recodification completed by the Bylaw Committee. Vital Statistics and Licensing During the calendar year 2011, the following Vital Statistics were recorded in the Town Clerk's Office: Births — 229 Marriages — 90 Deaths — 324 The Town Clerk's office issued 2,454 dog licenses, 2 commercial dog kennel licenses, and 2 residential kennel licenses, 130 business certificates, 18 renewals for 67 underground storage tanks, and 36 cemetery deeds. Reading is one of a few towns north of Boston still selling fishing and hunting licenses. A total of 252 Fish and Wildlife licenses and 67 stamps were issued during the year for a total of $4,889. Of these, the Town of Reading issued 87 licenses free of charge to those citizens over 70 years of age. The Town retained $90.45 in fees from the sale of licenses. Total receipts collected in the Clerk's Office for the calendar year 2011 amounted to $91,168.12. Respectfully submitted, Gail LaPointe, CPA Town Accountant Robert W. LeLacheur, Jr., CFA Assistant Town Manager/Finance Director E Town of Reading, Massachusetts Combining Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balance Trust Funds Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2011 Balance July 1, 2010 - Receipts Disbursements Balance June 30, 2011 Non- Bequests and Investment Non - expendable Expendable Contributions Income Expenditures expendable Expendable $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Cemetery funds Charles Lawn 474,809 222,455 7,350 21,489 23,484 481,709 220,910 Forest Glen 652,283 696,474 1,680. 41,251 45,204 653,963 692,521 Laurel Hill 293,310 494,418 - 24,072 26,384 293,310 492,106 Wood End 798,236 78,662 75,600 28,047 30,427 872,336 - 77,783 Total cemetery funds 2,218,638 1,492,010 84,630 114,859 125,500 2,301,318 1,483,319 Hospital funds Stephen Foster 3,872 95,695 - 3,108 - 3,872 98,803 Anne S. Grouard 75,000 1,959,720 - 62,521 49,991 75,000 1,972,250 Gilman L. Parker 35,000 2,009,233 700 62,831 54,411 35,000 2,018,354 Total hospital funds 113,872 4,064,648 700 128,461 104,402 113,872 4,089,407 Library funds: Endowment 4,000 579 - 143 - 4,000 722 Appleton /Mansfield 11,000 90 - 346 - 11,000 437 Edward Appleton 5,000 3,559 - 267 - 5,000 3,826 R/M Babcock 3,598 109 - 116 - 3,598 224 Stephen Foster 12,000 25 - 375 - 12,000 400 Charles Torrey 1,000 192 - 37 - 1,000 229 Donald Tuttle 500 1,675 - 68 - 500 1,743 Elaine & George Long 5,000 1,071 - 190 - 5,000 1,261 Barbara Hewitt 8,952 965 - 300 299 8,952 966 James /FredaRawstron 1,613 2 - 50 - 1,613 53 Total library funds 52,663 8,268 - 1,893 299 52,663 9,861 H Non- Bequests and Investment Non - expendable Expendable Contributions Income Expenditures expendable Expendable Scholarship funds: Kenneth Brown 1,000 6,785 - 243 25 1,000 7,003 Nathaniel Hill 1,500 12 - 47 40 1,500 19 No. Residents Association 11,370 1,108 - 366 800 11,370 674 Gilman L. Parker 5,000 905 550 154 1,250 5,000 359 Torre - - 5,494 - 159 400 - 5,253 Carl B. Sawyer 5,000 1,316 - 180 600 5,000 895 Hal Croft 5,687 49 - 179 I50 5,687 78 Florence Nichols 16,680 615 - 540 900 16,680 255 Dennis Lehane 30,457 429 200 969 1,000 30,657 398 James Klepeis 15,000 182 - 474 400 15,000 257 Patron for Older Adults 25,000 42 - 782 - 25,000 824 PatrickSchettini - 26,118 200 819 2,217 - 24,920 Joan Clifford Award 1,000 86 - 34 - 1,000 120 Exemplary teacher award: Arnold Berger 6,856 5,438 - 384 - 6,856 5,822 Education loan fund: Winthrop Parker 23,307 - - 728 - 24,035 - Total education funds 147,859 48,579 950 6,057 7,782 148,786 46,877 Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial 82,118 19,047 5,070 3,253 4,985 82,883 21,620 Elder Services Avis E. Schroeder 10,000 13,428 15 716 726 10,000 13,433 Dorothy Burbank - 261,806 - 8,070 6,280 - 263,595 Patron for Older Adults 126,482 213 - 3,947 881 126,482 3,280 Celebration General - 34,757 - 1,087 4,950 - 30,894 400th - 12,851 - 401 - - 13,252 Historical Preservation General - 33,128 732 1,045 - - 34,904 400th celebration - 12,825 - 400 - - 13,225 Historical Commission - 22,106 - 690 - - 22,796 Total trust funds 2,751,642 6,023,655 92,097 11 270,878 255,805 2,836,005 6,046,463 TOWN OF READING REPORT OF THE COLLECTOR 12 MONTHS ENDING JUNE 30, 2011 Committed 2010 -2011 Interest and Costs Collected Abatements & Adjustments Paid to Treasurer Subsequent Tax Title Deferred Taxes Uncollected June 30, 2011 Balance June 30, 2010 Interest and Costs Collected Abatements & Adjustments Paid to Treasurer Taxtitle Taking Uncollected June 30, 2011 Committed 2010 -2011 Interest and Costs Collected Abatements & Adjustments Paid to Treasurer Uncollected June 30, 2011 2011 REAL ESTATE 51,210,572.47 37,051.36 355,038.66 50,280,609.65 154,978.02 19,641.80 437,355.72 51,247,623.85 51,247,623.85 2010 REAL ESTATE 191,974.87 16,682.10 51,724.52 99,734.69 56,648.28 549.48 208,656.97 208,656.97 2011 PERSONAL PROPERTY 12 636,877.14 113.40 18,763.17 613,923.40 4,303.97 636,990.54 636,990.54 Balance June 30, 2010 Interest and Costs Collected Abatements & Adjustments Paid to Treasurer Uncollected June 30, 2011 2010 PERSONAL PROPERTY 6,672.16 110.72 1% 1,403.42 5.379.46 6,782.88 6,782.88 2011 MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE Committed 2011 2,629,146.46 Interest and Costs 1,392.58 Collected Abatements & 52,780.01 Adjustments Paid to Treasurer 2,500,532.81 Uncollected June 30, 2011 77,226.22 2,630,539.04 2,630,539.04 2010 MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE Balance June 30, 2010 157,882.56 Committed 2010 -2011 324,104.15 Interest and Costs Collected 3,009.12 Abatements & 33,492.80 Adjustments Paid to Treasurer 424,532.70 Uncollected June 30, 2011 26,970.33 484,995.83 484,995.83 2009 MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE Balance June 30, 2010 28,901.37 Committed 2010 -201 627.62 Interest and Costs Collected 1862.47 Abatements & 2,096.27 13 Adjustments Paid to Treasurer 13,978.06 Uncollected June 30, 2011 15,317.13 31,391.46 31,391.46 2008 MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE Balance 6/30/10 13,688.59 Committed 2010 -2011 0 Interest and Costs Collected 704.35 Abatements & 903.32 Adjustments Paid to Treasurer 2,250.93 Uncollected June 30, 2011 11,238.69 14,392.94 14,392.94 2007 MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE Balance June 30, 2010 15,168.99 Committed 2010 -2011 0 Interest and Costs 252.14 Collected Abatements & 0 Adjustments Paid to Treasurer 851.01 Uncollected June 30, 2011 14,570.12 15,421.13 15,421.13 2006 MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE Balance June 30, 2010 9,496.18 Interest and Costs 212.61 Collected Abatements & 0 Adjustments Paid to Treasurer 594.06 Uncollected June 30, 2011 9,114.73 9,708.79 9,708.79 14 Balance June 30, 2010 Interest and Costs Collected Abatements & Adjustments Paid to Treasurer Uncollected June 30, 2011 Committed 2010 -2011 Service Charge & Final Bill Fee Interest & Costs Collected Abatements & Adjustments Paid to Treasurer Discount for Timely Payments Added to 2011 Taxes Uncollected June 30, 2011 Committed 2010 -2011 Interests & Costs Collected Abatements & Adjustments Paid to Treasurer Discount for Timely Payments Added to 2011 Taxes Uncollected June 30, 2011 OLD EXCISE -2005 & PRIOR 1,674.49 1,650.97 237.23 3,088.23 0 3,325.46 3,325.46 WATER CHARGES 5,839,849.51 7,180.89 6,441.76 62,860.17 4,068,373.74 425,401.44 169,179.78 1,127,657.03 5,853,472.16 5,853,472.16 SEWER CHARGES 15 5,992,064.81 6,605.71 5,998,670.52 74,899.15 4,173,605.81 437,842.86 166,442.37 1,145,880.33 5,998,670.52 STORM WATER FEES Committed 2010 -2011 432,761.17 Interest & Costs Collected 351.03 Abatements & Adjustments 42.64 Paid to Treasurer 310,469.60 Discount for Timely Payments 32,556.03 Added to 2011 Taxes 8,839.75 Uncollected June 30, 2011 81,204.18 433,112.20 433,112.20 ADDITIONAL WATER CHARGES (SPMs & SPCs) Balance June 30, 2010 2,828.05 Committed 2010 -2011 9,913.58 Paid to Treasurer 11,434.47 Added to 2011 Taxes 0 Uncollected June 30, 2011 1,307.16 12,741.63 12,741.63 AMBULANC FEES E Committed 2010 -2011 1,206,000.24 Abatements & 477,404.93 Adjustments Paid to Treasurer 616,213.77 Uncollected June 30, 2011 112,381.54 1,206,000.24 1,206,000.24 CERTIFICATES OF MUNICIPAL LIENS Certificates Issued 40,525.00 Paid to Treasurer 40,525.00 40,525.00 40,525.00 OR APPLICANT Aldrich Alibrandi Amico Anderson Becker Blakely Briggs Brown Callahan Cann Cantillon Carpentella Carter Chan Clemente Congton Connolly Counihan Coyne Cullen DiDonato Diluca Dunn Emilius Fasco Faucette Fertility Ctr of NE Ferul to First American Title Formato Gallugi German Gray Griffin Health Quarters PROPERTY 40 Prescott Street 15 South Street 4 Chapel Hill Drive 35 Laurel Lane 206 Woburn Street 75 Spruce Rd 22 Green Meadow Dr 28 Martin Road 217 Washington Street 34 Salem Street 115 Prescott Street 52 Prescott Street 15 Pondview Lane 7 Pratt Street 22 Pondview Ln 436 West Street 15 Hillcrest Rd 8 Verdi Circle 129 Oak Street 32 Holly Road 59 Bancroft Street 63 Intervale Terr 19 Benjamin Lane 40 Fairchild Street 31 Avon Street 35 Kingston Street 20 Pond Meadow Dr 46 Howard Street 248 Main Street off Summer Ave 69 Eastway 12 Linden Street 146 Summer Avenue 167 Pleasant Street 274 Main Street Abatement Summary in Budget 2011 Decision Abated Value FY 2011 Tax Original Val New Value 3/8/2011 $ 25,800 $ 356.04 477.400 451.600 2/8/2011 $ 53,000 $ 731.40 578,000 525,000 4/12/2011 $ 13,200 $ 182.16 374.400 361.200 3/29/2011 $ 10,300 $ 142.14 620,300 610,000 2/22/2011 $ 7,800 $ 107.64 334,600 326,800 3/15/2011 $ 5,700 $ 78.66 396,600 390,900 4/6/2011 $ 30,700 $ 423.66 706,300 675,600 1/18/2011 $ 2,028 $ 27.99 22,028 0 3/1/2011 $ 7,200 $ 99.36 394,600 387,400 2/8/2011 $ 40,500 $ 558.90 809.100 768.600 3/15/2011 $ 27,100 $ 373.98 363,800 336,700 2/8/2011 $ 38,700 $ 534.06 761,900 723.200 4/27/2011 $ 34,500 $ 476.10 256.000 221.500 1/25/2011 $ 238,300 $ 3,288.54 1,776,500 1,538.200 4/27/2011 $ 71,700 $ 989.46 373,100 301.400 2/8/2011 $ 72,300 '$ 997.74 363,600 291.300 2/15/2011 $ 91,500 $ 1,262.70 693.100 601,600 4/27/2011 $ 75,000 $ 1,035.00 644,800 569,800 1/25/2011 $ 50,000 $ 690.00 631,800 581,800 3/15/2011 $ 50,000 $ 690.00 657.000 607.000 4/12/2011 $ 55,000 $ 759.00 435,000 380,000 1/25/2011 $ 55,000 $ 759.00 435,000 380,000 1/25/2011 $ 55,000 $ 759.00 435,000 380,000 4/27/2011 $ 52,800 $ 728.64 427,800 375,000 2/15/2011 $ 52,800 $ 728.64 427.800 375.000 2/15/2011 $ 190,400 $ 2,627.52 995,600 805,200 311512011 $ 55,000 $ 759.00 435.000 380,000 3/29/2011 $ 39,700 $ 547.86 517,200 477.500 311512011 $ 60,600 $ 836.28 537,100 476,500 3/15/2011 $ 39,700 $ 547.86 577.400 537.700 2/15/2011 $ 37,600 $ 518.88 265,100 227.500 4/12/2011 $ 1,900 $ 26.22 571,000 569,100 3/8/2011 $ 27,300 $ 376.74 546.000 518,700 2/8/2011 $ 58,800 $ 811.44 514,400 455.600 3/15/2011 $ 252,600 $ 3,485.88 603,000 350.400 17 Henneberry Hill Hologic LP Holt Hunter Ippolito Jacob Way LLC JOHNSON WOODS RLTY TR JOHNSON WOODS RLTY TR JOHNSON WOODS RLTY TR Kimbal Kinney Knowles Kreppein Lamontagne Linden Street Rlty Trst Lusk Lydon M &N Realty Martiniello Mcauley Mellen Moss Mungenast Napoli Neeraj Ocallaghan O'Connell Oconner Oster Pacillo Patterson Pirano Porter Putnam Raffi Abatement Summary in Budget 2011 17 Berkeley Street 2/8/2011 $ 24,000 $ 331.20 15 Catherine Ave 1/4/2011 $ 10,000 $ 138.00 30 New Crossing Rd U207 3/15/2011 $ 184,500 $ 2,546.10 46 Fairview Ave 3/22/2011 $ 10,800 $ 149.04 51 Ashley Place 4/27/2011 $ 37,600 $ 518.88 52 Fairchild Street 4/2712011 $ 30,900 $ 426.42 Jacob Way 5/10/2011 $ 6,119,600 $ 92,400.00 112 Johnson Woods Dr -102 4/6/2011 $ 800 $ 11.04 off West Street 4/6/2011 $ 4,570 $ 63.07 122 Johnson Woods Dr -203 4/6/2011 $ 18,000 $ 248.40 27 Longfellow 1/25/2011 $ 15,300 $ 211.14 28 Highland Street 1/25/2011 $ 52,000 $ 717.60 12 Hancock Street 4/26/2011 $ 28,900 $ 398.82 15 Pratt Street 3/1/2011 $ 13,700 $ 189.06 24 Gavin Circle 4/12/2011 $ 87,700 $ 1,210.26 10 Linden Street 4/12/2011 $ 11,200 $ 154.56 20 Eastway 2/8/2011 $ 10,400 $ 143.52 8 Pratt Street 2/15/2011 $ 20,500 $ 282.90 315 Main Street 3/22/2011 $ 50,300 $ 694.14 11 Milepost Road 2/15/2011 $. 20,500 $ 282.90 33 Canterbury Dr 2/15/2011 $ 94,800 $ 1,308.24 0 Low Meadow 4/26/2011 $ 45,800 $ 632.04 20 Echo Avenue 2/22/2011 $ 28,200 $ 389.16 128 Wakefield Street 4/26/2011. $ 20,300 $ 280.14 203 High Street - 4/26/2011 $ 21,100 $ 291.18 20 Melendy Dr 2/22/2011 $ 21,300 $ 293.94 302 Woburn Street 3/8/2011 $ 31,600 $ 436.08 118 Red Gate Lane 3/29/2011 $ 135,700 $ 1,872.66 660 Main Street 2/8/2011 $ 39,000 $ 538.20 5 Wash Street Unit D1 2/15/2011 $ 32,600 $ 449.88 38 Cross Street 4/12/2011 $ 111,300 $ 1,535.94 128 Grove Street 2/15/2011 $ 5,900 $ 81.42 216 Washington Street 2/8/2011 $ 29,500 $ 407.10 64 Berkeley Street 3/22/2011 $ 21,700 $ 299.46 16 Boyce Street 4/27/2011 $ 42,500 $ 586.50 134 Pearl Street 1/18/2011 $ 10,500 $ 144.90 18 3lkxIZIr 742.100 1.015,100 392,000 679.700 304,900 401.300 4,570 515,500 438,700 317.300 334,800 508.300 460.400 335,200 354,100 453,200 410,500 29,300 750,000 469,600 555.400 371,100 285.500 403,100 457,700 640,300 459,800 365,100 632.000 617.600 759,100 357,100 459,000 299,900 732.100 830,600 381,200 642.100 274.000 400.500 0 497,500 423.400 265,300 305,900 494,600 372,700 324,000 343,700 432,700 360,200 8 800 655.200 423,800 527,200 350,800 264,400 381,800 426,100 504,600 420,800 332,500 520,700 611.700 729,600 335,400 416,500 289,400 REDSTONE REALTY TRUST REDSTONE REALTY TRUST REDSTONE REALTY TRUST REDSTONE REALTY TRUST REDSTONE REALTY TRUST REDSTONE REALTY TRUST REDSTONE REALTY TRUST REDSTONE REALTY TRUST Restaurant Tech Inc Richter ROHMER -DRAKE Rosenstein Russell Ryan Salvatore Salvatore Santorelli Scully Sherman Shin Silva Smith Sollop Stabler Stackpole Stitt Sullivan Thornton Tierney Town of Reading Vail Valentino Verizon Internet Vyriotes Wai -Por Wang XJ Abatement Summary in Budget 2011 156 Johnson Woods Dr 4/6/2011 $ 53,400 $ 736.92 714.900 661.500 158 Johnson Woods Dr 4/6/2011 $ 8,800 $ 121.44 765.300 756.500 160 Johnson Woods Dr 4/612011 $ 45,700 $ 630.66 310.100 264,400 162 Johnson Woods Dr 4/6/2011 $ 35,500 $ 489.90 428.000 392.500 112 Johnson Woods Dr -103 4/6/2011 $ 253,500 $ 3,498.30 266.800 13.300 112 Johnson Woods Dr -203 4/6/2011 $ 31,300 $ 431.94 472.900 441.600 122 Johnson Woods Dr -103 4/6/2011 $ 63,200 $ 872.16 551.800 488.600 122 Johnson Woods Dr -102 4/6/2011 $ 14,800 $ 204.24 419.400 404,600 Personal Property 3/15/2011 $ 87,300 $ 1,204.74 799.200 711.900 6 Lindsay Lane 4/27/2011 $ 33,000 $ 455.40 365.100 332,100 176 Summer Ave 1/25/2011 $ 22,300 $ 307.74 323.200 300.900 189 -191 Woburn Street 1/25/2011 $ 49,000 $ 676.20 482,600 433.600 48 Prescott Street 2/15/2011 $ 270,850 $ 3,737.73 305.150 34.300 105 Salem Street 1/25/2011 $ 152,040 $ 2,098.15 1,690,170 1,538.130 3 Bancroft Street 2/8/2011 $ 16,700 $ 230.46 583,600 566,900, 5 Bancroft Street 2/8/2011 $ 31,700 $ 437.46 528,500 496.800 1349 Main Street 2/8/2011 $ 35,300 $ 487.14 412.600 377,300 62 Federal Street 2/8/2011 $ 12,400 $ 171.12 463.800 451,400 123 Prescott Street 3/22/2011 $ 20,600 $ 284.28 777,000 756.400 88 Prescott Street 3/15/2011 $ 67,100 $ .925.98 826.500 759.400 16 Glen Road 3/1/2011 $ 42,900 $ 592.02 610.900 568,000 4 C Street 2/15/2011 $ 40,600 $ 560.28 949.800 909.200 71 Mt Vernon Street 1/25/2011 $ 64,000 $ 883.20 575,300 511.300 194 Pearl Street 4/26/2011 $ 35,900 $ 495.42 603.500 567,600 186 Summer Ave 2/15/2011 $ 63,600 $ 877.68 154,800 91.200 54 Deering Rd 4/26/2011 $ 15,300 $ 211.14 802.500 787,200 31 Indian Tree Lane 1/25/2011 $ 216,000 $ 2,980.80 1,484,000 1.268.000 14 Perkins Ave 3/15/2011 $ 4,700 $ 64.86 350,200 345,500 28 Pondview Lane 4/27/2011 $ 129,900 $ 1,792.62 1,239.100 1.109,200 0 Kyle Drive 1/18/2011 $ 63,000 $ 869.40 615.100 552,100 4 Bolton Street 4/12/2011 $ 14,300 $ 197.34 552.200 537,900 36 Hemlock Rd 2/8/2011 $ 56,800 $ 783.84 726.600 669,800 Personal Property 312212011 $ 25,600 $ 353.28 933.500 907.900 111 Longwood Road 4/6/2011 $ 37,700 $ 520.26 369.300 331,600 7 Woodbine Street 2/15/2011 $ 41,100 $ 567.18 486,600 445.500 61 Line Rd 4/26/2011 $ 9,100 $ 125.58 432,000 422.900 19 Abatement Summary in Budget 2011 Webber 39 Howard Street 1/4/2011 $ 3,700 $ 51.06 Wise 276 Summer Ave 3/29/2011 $ 1,190 $ 16.42 ZoPatti 69 Ash Street 1/18/2011 $ 251,700 $ 3,473.46 ' Includes Interest from FY 2009 & 2010 $ 11,844,178 $ 171,399.18 20 3 700 . 0 17,000 15,810 251,700 0 MELANSON HEATH &I COMPANY, PC Ctarru+ie, Nuar.ic AccouwTANrs NinNAGEM N,T Anvisoli6 10 New Eng!nn,1 Rmvnezv C r,t Drum • Suire 107 Awimei^ MA01S10-1096 (978) 749.0005 • Fa- (.978) 719 -0006 ua.:� crcl��mxmhzcdi, corn INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT To the Board of Selectmen Town of Reading, Massachusetts We have audited the accompanying financial statements of the governmental activi- ties, the business -type activities, each major fund, and the aggregate remaining fund information of the Town of Reading, Massachusetts, as of and for the year ended June 30, 2011, which collectively comprises the Town's basic financial statements as listed in the Table of Contents. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Town of Reading's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinions. In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all mate- rial respects, the respective financial position of the governmental activities, the business -type activities, each major fund, and the aggregate remaining fund infor- mation of the Town of Reading as of June 30, 2011, and the respective changes in financial position and cash flows, where applicable, thereof and the respective budgetary comparison for the General Fund for the year then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. CremFrki, MA • ElLi.Y mL, IME • Nuluw, NW • M vv.,I vu, M! 21 In accordance with Government Auditing Standards, we have also issued a report dated February 21, 2012 on our consideration of the Town's internal control over financial reporting and on our tests of its compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts and grant agreements and other matters. The purpose of that report is to describe the scope of our testing of internal control over financial report- ing and compliance and the results of that testing, and not to provide an opinion on the internal control over financial reporting or on compliance. That report is an inte- gral part of an audit performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards and should be considered in assessing the results of our audit. The Management's Discussion and Analysis, appearing on the following pages, and the supplementary information, appearing on page 69, are not a required part of the basic financial statements but are supplementary information required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. We have applied certain limited procedures, which consisted principally of inquiries of management regarding the methods of measurement and presentation of the required supplementary information. However, we did not audit the information and express no opinion on it. Our audit was conducted for the purpose of forming opinions on the financial state- ments that collectively comprise the Town of Reading's basic financial statements. The accompanying supplementary information, appearing on pages 70 - 79 are presented for purposes of additional analysis and are not a required part of the basic financial statement. This information has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the basic financial statements, and, in our opinion, is fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole. ; -� f /-¢-� , f P �. Andover, Massachusetts February 21, 2012 WA MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS As management of the Town of Reading, we offer readers this narrative overview and analysis of the financial activities of the Town of Reading for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011. Unless otherwise noted, all amounts reported in this analysis are expressed in thousands. A. OVERVIEW OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS This discussion and analysis is intended to serve as an introduction to the basic financial statements. The basic financial statements are comprised of three components:. (1) government -wide financial statements, (2) fund financial state- ments, and (3) notes to the financial statements: This report also contains other supplementary information in addition to the basic financial statements themselves. Government -wide financial statements. The government -wide financial state- ments are designed to provide readers with a broad overview of our finances in a manner similar to a private- sector business. The Statement of Net Assets presents information on all assets and liabilities, with the difference between the two reported as net assets. Over time, increases or decreases in net assets may serve as a useful indicator of whether the finan- cial position is improving or deteriorating. The Statement of Activities presents information showing how the government's net assets changed during the most recent fiscal year. All changes in net assets are reported as soon as the underlying event giving rise to the change occurs, regardless of the timing of related cash flows. Thus, revenues and expenses are reported in this statement for some items that will only result in cash flows in future fiscal periods (e.g., uncollected taxes and earned but unused vacation leave). Both of the government -wide financial statements distinguish functions that are principally supported by taxes and intergovernmental revenues (governmental activities) from other functions that are intended to recover all or a significant portion of their costs through user fees and charges (business -type activities). The governmental activities include general government, public safety, educa- tion, public works, health and human services, and culture and recreation. The business -type activities include water supply and distribution, sewer disposal, landfill, electric, and storm water activities. Fund financial statements. A fund is a grouping of related accounts that is used to maintain control over resources that have been segregated for specific activities or objectives. Fund accounting is used to ensure and demonstrate compliance with finance- related legal requirements. All of the funds can be 23 divided into three categories: governmental funds, proprietary funds, and fiduci- ary funds. Governmental funds. Governmental funds are used to account for essentially the same functions reported as governmental activities in the government -wide financial statements. However, unlike the government -wide financial statements, governmental fund financial statements focus on near -term inflows and outflows of spendable resources, as well as on balances of spendable resources available at the end of the fiscal year. Such information may be useful in evaluating a government's near -term financing requirements. Because the focus of governmental funds is narrower than that of the government - wide financial statements, it is useful to compare the information presented for governmental funds with similar information presented for governmental activities in the government -wide financial statements. By doing so, readers may better understand the long -term impact of the government's near -term financing deci- sions. Both the governmental fund balance sheet and the governmental fund statement of revenues, expenditures and changes in fund balances provide a reconciliation to facilitate this comparison between governmental funds and governmental activities. An annual appropriated budget is adopted for the general fund. A budgetary comparison statement has been provided for the general fund to demonstrate compliance with this budget. Proprietary funds. Proprietary funds are maintained as follows: Enterprise funds are used to report the same functions presented as business - type activities in the government -wide financial statements. Specifically, enter- prise funds are used to account for water, sewer, landfill, and electricity opera- tions. Proprietary funds provide the same type of information as the business -type activities reported in the government -wide financial statements, only in more detail. The proprietary fund financial statements provide separate information for the water, sewer, landfill, electric, and storm water operations. Water and electric are considered to be major funds. Fiduciary funds. Fiduciary funds are used to account for resources held for the benefit of parties outside the government. Fiduciary funds are not reflected in the government -wide financial statements because the resources of those funds are not available to support the Town's own programs. The accounting used for fiduciary funds is much like that used for proprietary funds. Notes to financial statements. The notes provide additional information that is essential to a full understanding of the data provided in the government -wide and fund financial statements. 24 Other information. In addition to the basic financial statements and accom- panying notes, this report also presents certain required supplementary infor- mation which is required to be disclosed by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. B. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS • As of the close of the current fiscal year, the total of assets exceeded liabili- ties by $ 226,010 (i.e., net assets), a change of $ 344 in comparison to the prior year. • As of the close of the current fiscal year, governmental funds reported com- bined ending fund balances of $ 38,029, a change of $ (2,825) in comparison to the prior year. • At the end of the current fiscal year, unassigned fund balance for the general fund was $ 7,109, a change of $ 812 in comparison to the prior year. • Total bonds payable at the close of the current fiscal year was $ 55,071, a change of $ (5,658) in comparison to the prior year. C. GOVERNMENT -WIDE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS The following is a summary of condensed government -wide financial data for the current and prior fiscal years. 25 Governmental Business -Type Activities Activities Total 2011 2010 2011 2010 2011 2010 Current and other assets $ 45,253 $ 48,926 $ , 44,283 $ 42,577 $ 89,536 $ 91,503 Capital assets 131,441 132,665 88,109 88,218 219,550 220,883 Total assets 176,694 181,591 132,392 130,795 309,086 312,386 Long -term liabilities outstanding 54,633 55,119 15,534 16,560 70,167 _ 71,679 Other liabilities 6,499 7,413 6,411 7,629 12,910 . 15,042 Total liabilities 61,132 62,532 21,945 24,189 83,077 86,721 Net assets: Invested in capital assets, net 88,067 87,843 77,337 76,251 165,404 164,094 Restricted 26,051 26,368 5,436 4,801 31,487 31,169 Unrestricted 1,445 4,848 27,674 25,554 29,119 30,402 Total net assets $ 115,563 $ 119,059 $ 110,447 $ 106,606 $ 226,010 $ 225,665 25 l (a) 2010 Includes a one -time MSBA grant of $ 13,206 As noted earlier, net assets may serve over time as a useful indicator of a' government's financial position. At the close of the most recent fiscal year, total net assets were $ 226,010, a change of $ 345 from the prior year. 26 " CHANGES IN NET ASSETS Governmental Business -Type Activities Activities Total 2011 2010 2011 2010 2011 2010 Revenues: Program revenues: Charges for services $ 6,029 $' 5,527 $ .98,831 $ 91,192 $ 104,860 $ 96,719 Operating grants and contributions 21,253 20,564 1,784 5,650 23,037 26,214 Capital grants and contributions 770 388 66 910 836 1,298 General revenues: Property taxes 51,465 49,877 - - 51,465 49,877 Excises 2,839 2,672 - - 2,839 2,672 Penalties and interest and other taxes 695 461 - - 695 461 Grants and contributions - not restricted to specific programs 2,963 16,844 (a) - - 2,963 16,844 Investment income 1,089 1,460 112 194 1,201 1,654 Other 696 1,196 839 805 1,535 2,001 Total revenues 87,799 98,989 101,632 98,751 189,431 - 197,740 Expenses: General government 4,247 4,027 - - 4,247 4,027 Public safety 10,977 10,440 - - 10,977 10,440 Education 63,373 59,493 - - 63,373 59,493 Public works 8,462 8,779 - - $,462 8,779 Human services 1,101 1,144 - - 1,101 1,144 Culture and recreation 3,076 3,030 - - 3,076 3,030 Interest on long -tens debt 1,944 2,149 - - 1,944 2,149 Intergovernmental 923 907 - - 923 907 Electric - - 85,317 83,244 85,317 83,244 Water - - 4,735 4,812 4,735 4,812 Other - - 4,931 4,900 4,931 4,900 Total expenses 94,103 89,969 94,983 92,956 189,086 182,925 Excess of revenues over expenses (6,304) 9,020 6,649 5,795 345, 14,815 Transfers in (out) 2,808 2,103 (2,808) (2,103) - - Change in net assets (3,496) 11,123 3,841 3,692 345 14,815 Net assets - beginning of year 119,059 107,936 106,606 102,914 225,665 210,850 Net assets - end of year $ 115,563 $ 119,059 $ 110,447 $ 106,606 $ 226,010 $ 225,665 (a) 2010 Includes a one -time MSBA grant of $ 13,206 As noted earlier, net assets may serve over time as a useful indicator of a' government's financial position. At the close of the most recent fiscal year, total net assets were $ 226,010, a change of $ 345 from the prior year. 26 The largest portion of net assets $ 165,404 reflects our investment in capital assets (e.g., land, buildings, machinery, and equipment); less any related debt used to acquire those assets that is still outstanding. These capital assets are used to provide services to citizens; consequently, these assets are not available for future spending. Although the investment in capital assets is reported net of related debt, it should be noted that the resources needed to repay this debt must be provided from other sources, since the capital assets themselves cannot be used to liquidate these liabilities. An additional portion of net assets $ 31,487 represents resources that are sub- ject to external restrictions on how they may be used. The remaining balance of unrestricted net assets $ 29,119 may be used to meet the government's ongoing obligations to citizens and creditors. Governmental activities. Governmental activities for the year resulted in a change in net assets of $ (3,496). Key elements of this change are as follows: General fund expenditures exceeding revenues $ (3,974) PILOT from RMLD 2,172 Enterprise fund indirect costs 636 Special revenue and permanent fund revenues exceeding expenditures 1,058 Current year revenue used for the acquisition of capital assets 2,052 Depreciation expense exceeding debt service principal (1,721) Increase in OPEB obligation (3,768) Other 49 Total $ 3,496 Business -type activities. Business -type activities for the year resulted in a change in net assets of $ 3,841. Key elements of this change are as follows: • The electric operations had revenues of $ 90,273 and expenses and transfers of $ 87,489, resulting in a change in net assets of $ 2,784. • The water operations had revenues of $ 5,435 and expenses and transfers of $ 5,113, resulting in a change in net assets of $ 322. • The sewer operations had revenues of $ 5,522 and expenses and transfers of $ 5,053, resulting in a change in net assets of $'469. • The landfill operations did not report any revenues or expenditures 27 • The storm water management operations had revenues of $ 402 and expenses of $ 136, resulting in a change in net assets of $ 266. D. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S FUNDS As noted earlier, fund accounting is used to ensure and demonstrate compliance with finance- related legal requirements. Governmental funds. The focus of governmental funds is to provide infor- mation on near -term inflows, outflows and balances of spendable resources. Such information is useful in assessing financing requirements. In particular, unassigned fund balance may serve as a useful measure of a government's net resources available for spending at the end of the fiscal year. As of the end of the current fiscal year, governmental funds reported combined ending fund balances of $ 38,029, a change of $ (2,825) in comparison to the prior year. Key elements of this change are as follows: General fund expenditures exceeding revenues and transfers in $ (585) Special revenue and permanent fund revenues exceeding expenditures and transfers out 477 Capital project fund expenditures exceeding revenues 2,717 Total $ (2,825) In fiscal year 2011, the Town implemented Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statement #54 Fund Balance Reporting and Governmental Fund Type Definitions. In general, amounts previously reported as undesignated fund balance, are now reported as unassigned fund balance. Full definitions of all fund balance classifications can be found in the Notes to Financial Statements. Additionally, amounts previously reported as stabilization, are now required to be presented as committed fund balance in the general fund. The general fund is the chief operating fund. At the end of the current fiscal year, unassigned fund balance of the general fund was $ 7,109, while total fund bal- ance was $ 23,121. As a measure of the general fund's liquidity, it may be useful to compare both unassigned fund balance and total fund balance to total general fund expenditures. Refer to the table below. % of Total General General Fund 6/30/11 6/30/10 Change Fund Expenditures Unassigned fund balance $ 7,109 $ 6,297 $ 812 8.7% Total fund balance 23,121 23,706 (585) 28.3% The total fund balance of the general fund changed by $ (585) during the current fiscal year. Key factors in this change are as follows: Use of MSBA grant for debt service $ (697) Use of free cash and overlay surplus as a funding source (2,045) Revenues in excess of budget 1,307 Expenditures less than budget 764 Other 86 Total $ 585 Included in the total general fund balance is the Town's stabilization funds with the following balance: Stabilization 6/30/11 6/30/10 Change $ 2,245 $ 1,900 $ 345 The following table reflects the trend in all the components of the general fund's fund balance: Restricted Committed for As of for Debt Stabilization 30.1un Service Fund 2006 $ $ 851 2007 - 896 2008 4,362 1,454 2009 - 1,840 2010. 12,530 1,900 2011 11,833 2,245 Last Six Fiscal Years Proprietary funds. Proprietary funds provide the same type of information . found in the business -type activities reported in the government -wide financial statements, but in more detail. 29 Assigned for Subsequent Assigned for Year's Total Fund Encumbrances Expenditures Unassigned Balance $ 881 $ 662 $ 4,221 $ 6,615 1,435 264 5,788 $ 8,383 1,597 227 6,451 $ 14,091 1,210 763 6,486 $ 10.299 1,488 1,491 6,297 $ 23,706 1,006 928 7,109 $ 23,121 Proprietary funds. Proprietary funds provide the same type of information . found in the business -type activities reported in the government -wide financial statements, but in more detail. 29 Net assets of the enterprise funds at the end of the year amounted to $ 110,447, a change of $ 3,841 in comparison to the prior year. Factors concerning the finances of proprietary funds have already been addressed in the entity -wide discussion of business -type activities. E. GENERAL FUND BUDGETARY HIGHLIGHTS Differences between the original budget and the final amended budget resulted in an overall change in appropriations of $ 247. The majority of this increase was related to the snow and ice supplemental appropriation, which was primarily funded through the use of free cash. F. CAPITAL ASSET AND DEBT ADMINISTRATION Capital assets. Total investment in capital assets for governmental and business - type activities at year -end amounted to $ 219,550 (net of accumulated deprecia- tion), a change of $ (1,333) from the prior year. This investment in capital assets includes land, buildings and system, improvements, and machinery and equip- ment. Major capital asset events during the current fiscal year included the following: Governmental additions: • $ 2,610 in education improvements • $ 549 in roadway improvements • $ 224 acquisition of new ambulance • $ 200 in Town Hall technology improvements Business -type additions: • $ 4,503 in electric improvements • $ 258 in water improvements • $ 220 in sewer improvements • $ 288 in stormwater improvements Additional information on capital assets can be found in the Notes to Financial Statements. Lonp -term debt. At the end of the current fiscal year, total bonded debt out- standing was $ 55,071, all of which was backed by the full faith and credit of the government. Additional information on capital assets and long -term debt can be found in the Notes to Financial Statements. 30 G. ECONOMIC FACTORS AND NEXT YEAR'S BUDGETS AND RATES The adopted FY12 General Fund budget of $ 75,739 is a 0.98% increase over the prior year. The FYI budget is balanced. State Aid exclusive of ARRA funds has been level at approximately $ 12,400 since 2008. FY2012 State aid will be $ 12,309 plus a distribution of $ 198 in one time supplemental aid to help make up for the 7.2% reduction in FYI I's Unrestricted General Government Aid. Federal ARRA stimulus funding is not available to supplement FY2012 state aid to cities and town. To make up for this revenue reduction, the Town made an allocation from the unassigned fund balance of $ 863. The tax levy for FYI of $ 53,261 represents a 3.1% increase over the prior year, and the FYI tax rate is $ 14.15 per thousand compared to $ 13.78 in the prior year. Overall, property values increased .045% to $ 3,764,000. For FY2012, the Board of Selectmen acting as the Water and Sewer Commissioners voted to increase Water Rates by 3.0% and Sewer Rates by 1.5% for all customers effective September 2011. These increases are expected to cover all operations, planned infrastructure improvements and debt. The state passed legislation allowing Massachusetts municipalities to pass a Local Option Meals Tax of 0.75% with 100% of the revenue going to the Town. Reading Voted to accept this local option at their November 2010 Town Meeting. We received 9 months of revenue in FY2011 totaling $ 173. The FYI revenue budgeted for this tax is $ 211. The Town issued $ 2,050 non - interest bonds in the Water Fund in August of 2011 (FY2012) through the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Local Pipeline Assistance program to fund our Local Water System Improvement Program for the water mains on a portion of Haverhill Street. The Town issued a $ 222 non - interest bond in the Sewer Fund in August of 2011 (FY2012) through the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority program for Sewer Rehabilitation and Infiltration /inflow reduction. The debt service related to these bonds is budgeted within the respective enterprise fund. On June 29, 2011, the Town entered into a Project Funding Agreement with the Massachusetts School Building Authority for "Green Repair Projects." This includes a $ 788 project at the Birch Meadow Elementary School for Window Replacement and a $ 1,349 project at the Killam Elementary School for roof replacement. The town will receive 47% reimbursement from the MSBA for the eligible costs of these projects. The Town is working on a $ 12,000 capital improvement project for remodeling our library. We are currently second on the Massachusetts Board Of Library Commissioners Approved Project list. We are on hold until the state releases more funding in 2012. Town meeting must vote for funding of the towns share of 31 the project and a special town wide vote for a debt exclusion must be completed within 6 months of the grant becoming available. The High School Building Construction project was completed in FY2009 and in FY2010 the Town filed the preliminary closing documents with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The $ 55,900 project was funded with a $ 35,000 bond and $ 20,900 of progress payments from the MSBA. The MSBA has calculated their share of the project to be $ 35,600. The Town already received $ 20,900 of that in progress payments and MSBA is retaining $ 1,500 pending settlement of contract law suits. The Town received the balance as a lump sum payment of $ 13,200 from MSBA in FY2010. The MSBA grant must be reserved and is applied over the remaining term of the bond issue. The percentage that each annual principal payment represents of the total debt for the project is applied to. the reserve . to determine the amount to use each fiscal year. Interest earned on the balance is general fund revenue. Each year, the unused portion of the MSBA grant will be reflected in the General Fund -Fund Balance Restricted for Debt Service. The Total General Fund Balance as a percent of Expenditures could be distorted by this reserve. A better measure of reserve strength uses only the unassigned fund balance. Users of these financial statements should take this into consideration when calculating reserve ratios. REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION This financial report is designed to provide a general overview of the Town of Reading's finances for all those with an interest in the government's finances. Questions concerning any of the information provided in this report or requests for additional financial information should be addressed to: Town Accountant Town Hall 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867 32 TOWN OF READING; MASSACHUSETTS STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS JUNE 30, 2011 See notes to financial statements. 33 Governmental Business -Type Activities Activities Total ASSETS Current: Cash and short-term investments $ 34,261,408 $ 11,302,691 $ 45,564,099 Restricted cash - 16,385,677 16,385,677 Investments 9,593,164 - 9,593,164 Receivables, net of allowance for uncollectibles Property taxes 338,268 - 338,268 Excises 95,791 - 95,791 Userfees - 11,818,541 11,818,541 Departmental and other - 283,078 - 283,078 Intergovemmental 118,018 - 118,018 Prepaid assets - 753,132 753,132 Unamortized discounts on bonds 9,909 296 10,205 Inventory - 1,744,983 1,744,983 Other assets 83,366 - 83,366 Noncurrent: Restricted investments - 2,200,000 2,200,000 Investment in associated companies - 77,463 77,463 Receivables, net of allowance for uncollectibles: Property taxes 389,905 - _ 389,905 Deferred charges 80,175 888 81,063 Capital assets being depreciated, net 127,355,150 86,659,280 214,014,430 Capital assets not being depreciated 4,086,432 1,449,426 5,535,858 TOTALASSETS 176,694,664 132,392,377 309,087,041 LIABILITIES Current: Warrants payable 1,398,122 5,046,553 6,444,675 Accrued liabilities 3,403,815 479,361 3,883,176 Customer advances for construction 255,980 255,980 Customer deposits - 561,385 561,385 Retainage payable 1,104,104 - 1,104,104 Notes payable 140,000 - 140,000 Other current liabilities 453,457 68,142 521,599 Current portion of long -term liabilities: Bonds and loans payable 4,185,000 1,487,965 5,672,965 Accrued employee benefits 61,696 56,698 118,394 Unamortized premiums on bonds 24,762 776 25,538 Noncurrent Bonds and loans payable, net of current portion 39,880,000 9,518,131 - 49,398,131 Accrued employee benefits 1,701,047 2,961,819 4,662,866 Unamortized premiums on bonds 200,419 2,328 202,747 Net OPEB obligation 8,579,719 1,506,152 10,085,871 TOTAL LIABILITIES 61,132,141 21,945,290 83,077,431 NET ASSETS . Invested in capital assets, net of related debt 88,067,366 77,337,382 165,404,748 Restricted for: Grants and other statutory restrictions 17,362,850 4,265,768 21,628,618 OPEB Trust - 1,169,499 1,169,499 Permanent funds: Nonexpendable 2,833,730 - 2,833,730 Expendable 5,853,868 - 5,853,868 Unrestricted 1,444,709 27,674,438 29,119,147 TOTAL NET ASSETS $ 115,562,523 $ 110,447,087 $ 226,009,610 See notes to financial statements. 33 W TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 See notes to financial statements. Program Revenues Net (Expenses) Revenues and Changes in Net Assets Operating Capital Business - Charges for Grants and Grants and Governmental Type Expenses Services Contributions Contributions Activities Activities Total Governmental Activities: General government $ 4,247,179 $ 428,281 $ 488,335 $ - $ (3,330,563) $ - $ (3,330,563) Public safety 10,976,788 1,639,603 143,752 - (9,193,433) - (9,193,433) Education 63,372,720 3,142,572 20,322,244 582,036 (39,325,868) - (39,325,868) Public works 8,461,668 169,321 - 188,015 (8,104,332) - (8,104,332) Health and human services 1,100,902 68,341 250,386 - (782,175) - (782,175) Culture and recreation 3,076,537 580,785 48,559 - (2,447,193) - (2,447,193) Debt service interest 1,944,284 - - - (1,944,284) - (1,944,284) Intergovernmental 923,008 (923,008) (923,008) Total Governmental Activities 94,103,086 6,028,903 21,253,276 770,051 (66,050,856) - (66,050,856) Business -Type Activities: Electric operations 85,317,168 87,511,283 1,784,218 65,693 - 4,044,026 4,044,026 Water operations 4,735,541 5,398,444 - - - 662,903 662,903 Other 4,930,744. 5,921,619 990,875 990,875 Total Business -type Activities 94,983,453 98,831,346 1,784,218 65,693 5,697,804 5,697,804 Total $ 189,086,539 $ 104,860,249 $ 23,037,494 $ 835,744 (66,050,856) 5,697,804 (60,353,052) General Revenues and Transfers: Property taxes 51,465,121 - 51,465,121 Excises 2,839,172 - 2,839,172 Penalties, interest and other taxes 694,269 - 694,269 Grants and contributions not restricted to specific programs 2,963,044 - 2,963,044 Investment income 1,089.006 111,906 1,200,912 Other 695,734 839,057 1,534,791 Transfers, net 2,808,251 (2,808,251) Total general revenues and transfers 62,554,597 (1,857,288) 60,697,309 Change in Net Assets (3,496,259) 3,840,516 344,257 Net Assets: Beginning of year 119,058,782 106,606,571 225,665,353 End of year $ 115,562,523 $ 110,447,087 $ 226,009,610 See notes to financial statements. TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNMENTALFUNDS BALANCE SHEET JUNE 30, 2011 - Nonmajor Total Governmental Governmental General Funds Funds ASSETS Cash and short-term investments $ 26,471,188 $ 7,790,220 $ 34,261,408 Investments 1,000,000 8,593,164 9,593,164 Receivables: Property taxes 812,116 - 812,116 Excises 153,937 - 153,937 Departmental and other 283,078 - 283,078 Intergovernmental - 118,018 118,018 Other assets 83,366 83,366 TOTAL ASSETS $ 28,803,685 $ 16,501,402 $ 45,305,087 LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCES Liabilities: Warrants payable $ 1,088,174 $ 309,948 $ 1,398,122 Accrued liabilities 2,967,713 - 2,967,713 Deferred revenues 1,173,412 38,816 1,212,228 Tax refunds payable - - - Retainagepayable - 1,104,104 1,104,104 Notes payable - 140,000 140,000 Other liabilities 453,457 453,457 TOTAL LIABILITIES 5,682,756 1,592,868 7,275,624 Fund Balances: Nonspendable - 2,833,730 2,833,730 Restricted 11,832,693 12,059,791 23,892,484 Committed 2,244,822 150,000 2,394,822 Assigned 1,934,414 - 1,934,414 Unassigned 7,109,000 (134,987) 6,974,013 TOTAL FUND BALANCES 23,120,929 14,908,534 38,029,463 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCES $ 28,803,685 $ 16,501,402 $ 45,305,087 See notes to financial statements. , 35 TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS RECONCILIATION OF TOTAL GOVERNMENTAL FUND BALANCES TO NET ASSETS OF GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES IN THE STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS JUNE 30. 2011 Total governmental fund balances $ 38,029,463 • Capital assets used in governmental activities are not financial resources and, therefore, are not reported in the funds. 131,441,582 • Revenues are reported on the accrual basis of accounting and are not deferred until collection. 1,070,139 • Governmental funds report the effect of long -term debt issuance costs, premiums, and discounts when debt is first issued, whereas these amounts are deferred and amortized in the statement of activities. (135,097) • In the statement of activities, interest is accrued on outstanding long -term debt, whereas in governmental funds interest is not reported until due. (436,102) • Long -term liabilities, (bonds payable, accrued employee benefits and net OPEB obligation) are not due and payable in the current period, and, therefore, are not reported in the governmental funds. (54,407,462) Net assets of governmental activities $ 115,562,523 See notes to financial statements. 36 TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 See notes to financial statements. 37 Nonmajor . Total Governmental Governmental General Funds Funds Revenues: Property taxes - $ 51,396,712 $ - $ 51,396,712 Excises 2,936,623 - 2,936,623 Penalties, interest and other taxes 694,269 - - 694,269 Departmental 1,511,243 4,197,883 5,709,126 Licenses and permits 156,266 - 156,266 Fines and forfeitures 111,598 - 111,598 Intergovernmental 20,331,901 4,654,470 24,986,371 Investment income 370,203 694,045 1,064,248 Other - 273,460 422,770 696,230 Total Revenues 77,782,275 9,969,168. 87,751,443 Expenditures: Current: . General government 3,373,174 292,488 3,665,662 ' Public safety 8,323,155 615,308 8,938,463 Education 43,239,761 9,241,105 52,480,866 Public works 5,612,821 358,958 5,971,779 Health and human services 605,248 285,099 890,347 Culture and recreation 2,019,445 835,795 2,855,240 Employee benefits 11,506,088 - 11,506,088 Debt service 6,153,445 - 6,153,445 Intergovernmental 923,008 923,008 Total Expenditures 81,756,145 11,628,753 93,384,898 Deficiency of revenues r over expenditures (3,973,870) (1,659,585) (5,633,455) Other Financing Sources (Uses): Transfers in 3,388,721 - 3,388,721 Transfers out - (580,470) (580,470) Total Other Financing Sources (Uses) 3,388,721 (580,470) 2,808,251 Change in fund balances - (585,149) (2,240,055) (2,825,204) Fund Balances, at Beginning of Year 23,706,078 17,148,589 40,854,667 Fund Balances, at End of Year $ 23,120,929 $ 14,908,534 $ 38,029,463 See notes to financial statements. 37 TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS RECONCILIATION OF THE STATEMENT OF REVENUES EXPENDITURES, AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES OF GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS TO THE STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 NET CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES - TOTAL GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS $ (2,825,204) Governmental funds report capital outlays as expenditures. However, in the statement of activities the cost of those assets is allocated over their estimated useful lives and reported as depreciation expense: Capital outlay purchases 4,662,859 Depreciation (5,886,202) Revenues in the statement of activities that do not provide current financial resources are fully deferred in the statement of revenues, expenditures and changes in fund balances. Therefore, the recognition of revenue for various types of accounts receivable (i.e., real estate and personal property, motor vehicle excise, etc.) differ between the two statements. This amount represents the net change in deferred revenue. 22,330 • The issuance of long -term debt (e.g., bonds) provides current financial resources to governmental funds, while the repayment of the principal of long -term debt consumes the financial resources of governmental funds. Neither transaction, however, has any effect on net assets: Repayments of debt 4,165,000 Current year amortization of bond premiums and costs 14,853 Increase in other long -term liabilities (OPEB) (3,767,831) • In the statement of activities, interest is accrued on outstanding long -term debt, whereas in governmental funds interest is not reported until due. 54,070 • Some expenses reported in the statement of activities, such as compensated absences, do not require the use of current financial resources and therefore, are not reported as expenditures in the governmental fund s. 63,866 CHANGE IN NET ASSETS OF GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES $ (3,496,259) See notes to financial statements. W to TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS GENERALFUND STATEMENT OF REVENUES AND OTHER SOURCES, AND EXPENDITURES AND OTHER USES - BUDGET AND ACTUAL FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 Budgeted Amounts Variance with Final Budget Original Final Actual Positive Budget Budget Amounts (Negative Revenues and Transfers: Taxes $ 51,192,450 $ 51,192,450 $ 51,332,892 $ 140,442 Excise taxes 2,450,000 2,450,000 2,936,623 486,623 Penalties, interest and other taxes 600,000 600,000 692,697 92,697 Departmental 1,450,000 1,450,000 1,511,721 61,721 Licenses and permits 156,000 156,000 156,138 138 Fines and forfeitures 130,000 130,000 111,590 (18,410) Intergovernmental 13,375,344 13,375,344 13,465,060 89,716 Investment income 400,000 400,000 370,272 (29,728) Other - - 303,377 303,377 Transfers in 3,357,564 3,367,564 3,548,420 180,856 Total Revenues and Transfers - 73,111,358 73,121,358 74,428,790 1,307,432 Expenditures: General government 3,667,393 3,627,393 3,445,103 182,290 Public safety 8,242,399 8,342,399 8,276,337 66,062 Education 36,383,097 36,160,097 36,082,960 77,137 Public works 5,617,326 6,027,326 5,781,164 .246,162 Health and human services 626,911 626,911 605,849 21,062 Culture and leisure 1,951,107 1,951,107 1,938,804 12,303 Intergovernmental 907,858 907,858 934,352 (26,494) Employee benefits 11,712,081 11,712,081 11,531,247 180,834 Debt service 6,158,003 6,158,003 - 6,153,445 4,558 Total Expenditures 75,266,175 75,513,175 74,749,261 763,914 Excess (deficiency) of revenues and other sources over expenditures (2,154,817) (2,391,817) (320,471) 2,071,346 Other Financing Sources: Use of free cash and overlay surplus 1,807,827 2,044,827 2,044,827 - Use of debt service reserve 696,990 696,990 696,990 - Increase stabilization reserve (350,000) (350,000) . .(350,000) Excess of revenues and other sources over expenditures and other uses $ $ $ 2,071,346 $ 2,071,346 See notes to financial statements. TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS PROPRIETARY FUNDS STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS JUNE 30, 2011 See notes to financial statements. 40 Division Water Non Major Fund Fund Funds Total ASSETS Current: Cash and short-term investments $ 6;596,634 $ 2,049,718 $ 2,656,339 $ 11,302,691 User fees, net of allowance for uncollectibles 8,749,838 1,447,587 1,621,116 11,818,541 Prepaid expenses 753,132 - - 753,132 Deferred charges - 296 - 296 Inventory 1,586,245 155,230 3,508 1,744,983 Total current assets 17,685,849 3,652,831 4,280,963 25,619,643 Noncurrent: Restricted cash and dash equivalents 16,385,677 - - 16,385,677 Restricted investments 2,200,000 - - 2,200,000 Investment in associated companies 77,463 - - 77,463 Deferred charges, net of current portion - 888 - 888 Capital assets being depreciated, net 66,294,667 14,003,801 6,360,812 86,659,280 Capital assets not being depreciated 1,265,842 121,823 61,761 1,449,426 Total noncurrent assets 86,223,649 - 14,126,512 6,422,573 106,772,734 TOTALASSETS 103,909,498 17,779,343 10,703,536 132,392,377 LIABILITIES Current: Warrants payable 4,997,392 18,769 30,392 5,046,553 Accrued liabilities 390,660 88,701 - 479,361 Customer advances for construction 255,980 - - 255,980 Customer deposits 561,385 - - 561,385 Other current liabilities - - 68,142 68,142 Current portion of long -term liabilities: Bonds and loans payable - 1,370,000. 117,965 1,487,965 Accrued employee benefits 56,698 - - 56,698 Unamortized premiums on bonds . 776 776 Total current liabilities 6,262,115 1,478,246 216,499 7,956,860 Noncurrent: ' Bonds and loans payable - 9,400,000 118,131 9,518,131 Accrued employee benefits 2,878,001 58,929 24,889 2,961,819 Unamortized premiums on bonds - 2,328 - 2,328 Net OPEB obligation 1,165,800 240,768 99,584 1,506,152 TOTAL LIABILITIES 10,305,916 11,180,271 459,103 21,945,290 NETASSETS Invested in capital assets, net of related debt 67,560,510 3,547,958 6,228,914 77,337,382 Restricted for depreciation fund 4,265,768 - - 4,265,768 Restricted for OPEB trust 1,169,499 - - 1,169,499 Unrestricted 20,607,805 3,051,114 4,015,519 27,674,438 TOTAL NET ASSETS $ 93,603,582 $ 6,599,072 $ 10,244,433 $ 110,447,087 See notes to financial statements. 40 TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS PROPRIETARY FUNDS STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENSES AND CHANGES IN FUND NET ASSETS FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 . Division Water Non Major Fund Fund Funds Total Operating Revenues: Charges for services $ 87,511,283 $ 5,398,444 $ 5,921,619 $ 98,831,346 Other 1,784,218 - 1,784,218 Total Operating Revenues 89,295,501 5,398,444 5,921,619 100,615,564 Operating Expenses: Personnel expenses - 946,942 479,477 1,426,419 Non - personnel expenses - 376,623 139,171 515,794 Intergovernmental 1,330,070 1,726,878 3,922,082 6,979,030 Depreciation 3,452,749 1,194,036 360,084 5,006,869 Energy purchases 66,822,547 35,396 26,782 66,884,725 Other 13,338,306 13,338,306 Total Operating Expenses 84,943,672 4,279,875 4,927,596 94,151,143 Operating Income 4,351,829 1,118,569 994,023 6,464,421 Nonoperating Revenues (Expenses): Investment income 103,765 4,741 3,400 111,906 Interest expense (2,005) (455,666) (3,148) (460,819) Loss on disposal of capital assets (371,491) - - (371,491) Other 807,807 31,250 - 839,057 Total Nonoperating Revenues (Expenses) 538,076 (419,675) 252 118,653 Income Before Transfers and Contributions - 4,889,905 698,894 994,275 6,583,074 Capital contributions 65,693 - - 65,693 Transfers out (2,171,880) (377,367) (259,004) (2,808,251) Change in Net Assets 2,783,718 321,527 735,271 3,840,516 Net Assets at Beginning of Year 90,819,864 6,277,545 9,509,162 106,606,571 Net Assets at End of Year - $ 93,603,582 $ 6,599,072 $ 10,244,433 $ 110,447,087 See notes to financial statements. 41 TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS PROPRIETARY FUNDS STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 Cash Flows From Operating Activities: Receipts from customers and users Payments to vendors and employees Customer refund, purchase power, and fuel charge adjustments Payments to other governments Net Cash Provided By Operating Activities Cash Flows From Noncauital Financina Activities MMWEC refund Other Transfer out Net Cash Provided By (Used For) Noncapital Financing Activities Cash Flows From Capital and Related Financing Activities Acquisition of capital assets - Capital grants and contributions Principal payments on bonds and notes Interest expense - Net Cash (Used For) Capital and Related Financing Activities Cash Flows From Investing Activities: Decrease in restricted cash and investments Investment income - Net Cash Provided By Invesbng Activities Net Change in Cash and Short-Term Investments Unrestricted Cash and Short Term Investments, Beginning of Year Unrestricted Cash and Short Term Investments, End of Year Reconciliation of Operating Income to Net Cash Provided By (Used Fort Operating Activities: Operating income Adjustments to reconcile operating income (loss) to net cash provided by (used for) operating activities: Depreciation Changes in assets and liabilities: User fees receivables Inventory and prepayments Other assets Warrants payable Accrued liabilities Other liabilities OPEB liability Net Cash Provided By (Used For) Operating Activities See notes to financial statements. Electric Division Water Non Major Fund Fund Funds Total $ 86,647,569 $ 5,226,157 $ 5,725,456 $ 97,599,182 (82,392,991) (1,163,366) (623,073) (84,179,430) 1,784,218 - - 1,784,218 (1,726,878) (3,922,082) (5,648,960) 6,038,796 2,335,913 1,180,301 9,555,010 571,635 - - 571,635 236,171 31,250 - 267,421 (2,171,880) (377,367) (259,004) (2,808,251) (1,364,074) (346,117) (259,004) (1,969,195) (4,503,250) (258,619) (507,482) (5,269,351) 65,693 - - 65,693 - (1,375,000) (117,965) (1,492,965) (2,005) (455,666) (3,148) (460,819) (4,439,562) (2,089,285) (628,595) (7,157,442) (1,910,065) - - (1,910,065) 103,765 4,741 3,400 111,906 (1,806,300) 4,741 3,400 (1,798,159) (1,571,140) (94,748) 296,102 (1,369,786) 8,167,774 2,144,466 - 2,360,237 12,672,477 $ 6,596,634 $ 2,049,718 $ 2,656,339 $ 11,302,691 $ 4,351,829 $ 1,118,569 $ 994,023 $ 6,464,421 3,452,749 1,194,036 360,084 5,006,869 (925,903) (172,287) (196,163) (1,294,353) 52,149 76,953 (286) 128,816 - 296 - 296 (1,190,866) (9,355) (18,853) (1,219,074) (37,750) (7,178) - (44,928) (15,751) (11,534) (20,333) (47,618) 352,339 146,413 61,829 560,561 $ 6,038,796 $ 2,335,913 $ 1,180,301 $ 9,555,010 42 TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS FIDUCIARY FUNDS STATEMENT OF FIDUCIARY NET ASSETS JUNE 30, 2011 r Municipal Light Pension Pension Trust Agency Trust Fund Funds Funds ASSETS Cash and short term investments $ 13,735 $ 4,787,498 $ 346,693 Investments 92,305,343 1,000,000 - Accounts receivable 84,979 - Other 3,613 Total Assets 92,404,057 5,787,498 350,306 LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Warrants payable - 15,665 Other liabilities 184,750 334,641 Total Liabilities 184,750 350,306 i NET ASSETS Total net assets held in trust for pension benefits and other purposes $ 92,219,307 $ 5,787,498 $ See notes to financial statements. 43 TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS FIDUCIARY FUNDS STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN FIDUCIARY NET ASSETS FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 0 Additions: Contributions: Employers Intergovernmental Plan members Total contributions Investment Income: Increase in fair value of investments Less: management fees Net investment income Total additions Deductions: Benefit payments to plan members, beneficiaries, and other systems Refunds and transfers to other systems Administrative expenses Other Total deductions Net increase (decrease) Net assets: Beginning of year End of year See notes to financial statements. R '44 Municipal Light Pension - Pension Trust Fund Trust Funds $ 4,231,461 $ 1,000,000 381,362 - 2,044,056 6,656,879 1,000,000 17,379,141 48,514 (437,873) 16,941,268 48,514 23,598,147 1,048,514 7,718,792 - 239,290 70,780 - 1,278,695 8,028,862 1,278,695 15,569,285 (230,181) 76,650,022 6,017,679 $ 92,219,307 $ 5,787,498 TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS Notes to Financial Statements Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The accounting policies of the Town of Reading (the Town) conform to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) as applicable to govern- mental units. The following is a summary of the more significant policies: A. Reporting Entity The government is a municipal corporation governed by an elected Board of Selectmen. As required by generally accepted accounting principles, these financial statements present the government and applicable com- ponent units for which the government is considered to be financially accountable. In fiscal year 2011, it was determined that no entities met the required GASB 39 criteria of component units. The Reading Contributory Retirement System was established to provide retirement benefits primarily to employees and their beneficiaries. The System is presented using the accrual basis of accounting and is reported as a pension trust fund in the fiduciary fund financial statements. Additional financial information of the System can be obtained by contacting the System located at 16 Lowell Street, Reading, Massachusetts 01867. B. Government -wide and Fund Financial Statements Government -wide Financial Statements The government -wide financial statements (i.e., the Statement of Net Assets and the Statement of Changes in Net Assets) report information on all of the nonfiduciary activities of the primary government. For the most part, the effect of interfund activity has been removed from these statements. Governmental activities, which normally are supported by taxes and intergovernmental revenues, are reported separately from business -type activities, which rely to a significant extent on fees and charges for support. The Statement of Activities demonstrates the degree to which the direct expenses of a given function or segment is offset by program revenues. Direct expenses are those that are clearly identifiable with a specific func- tion or segment. Program revenues include (1) charges to customers or applicants who purchase, use, or directly benefit from goods, services, or privileges provided by a given function or segment and (2) grants and contributions that are restricted to meeting the operational or capital requirements of a particular function or segment. Taxes and other items not properly included among program revenues are reported instead as general revenues.. 45 Fund Financial Statements Separate financial statements are provided for governmental funds, proprietary funds, and fiduciary funds, even though the latter are excluded from the government -wide financial statements. Major individual govern- mental funds and major individual enterprise funds are reported as sepa- rate columns in the fund financial statements. C. Measurement Focus, Basis of Accounting, and Financial Statement Presentation Government -wide Financial Statements The government -wide financial statements are reported using the eco- nomic resources measurement focus and the accrual basis of accounting, as is the proprietary fund and fiduciary fund financial statements. Reve- nues are recorded when earned and expenses are recorded when a liability is incurred, regardless of the timing of related cash flows. Property taxes are recognized as revenues in the year for which they are levied. Grants and similar items are recognized as revenue as soon as all eligi- bility requirements imposed by the provider have been met. As a general rule, the effect of interfund activity has been eliminated from the govern- ment- wide financial statements. Amounts reported as program revenues include (1) charges to customers or applicants for goods, services, or privileges provided, (2) operating grants and contributions, and (3) capital grants and contributions, includ- ing special assessments. Internally dedicated resources are reported as general revenues rather than as program revenues. Likewise, general revenues include all taxes and excises. Fund Financial Statements Governmental fund financial statements are reported using the current financial resources measurement focus and the modified accrual basis of accounting. Revenues are recognized as soon as they are both measur- able and available- Revenues are considered to be available when they are collectible within the current period or soon enough thereafter to pay liabilities of the current period. For this purpose, the government con- siders property tax revenues to be available if they are collected within 60 days of the end of the current fiscal period. All other revenue items are considered to be measurable and available only when cash is received by the government. Expenditures generally are recorded when a liability is incurred, as under accrual accounting. However, debt service expendi- tures, as well as expenditures related to compensated absences and - claims and judgments, are recorded only when payment is due. The government reports the following major governmental funds: 46 • The general fund is the government's primary operating fund. It accounts for all financial resources of the general government, except those required to be accounted for in another fund. Proprietary funds distinguish operating revenues and expenses from non - operating items. Operating revenues and expenses generally result from providing services and producing and delivering goods in connection with a proprietary fund's principal ongoing operations. The principal operating revenues of the enterprise fund are charges to customers for sales and services. Operating expenses for enterprise funds include the cost of sales and services, administrative expenses and depreciation on capital assets. All revenues and expenses not meeting this definition are reported as nonoperating revenues and expenses. Private - sector standards of accounting and financial reporting issued prior to December 1, 1989 generally are followed in both the government -wide and proprietary fund financial statements to the extent that those stan- dards do not conflict with or contradict guidance of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. Governments also have the option of fol- lowing subsequent private- sector guidance for their business -type activi- ties and enterprise funds, subject to this same limitation. The government has elected not to follow subsequent private- sector guidance. The government reports the following major proprietary funds: • Electric Enterprise Fund • Water Enterprise Fund The government reports the following fiduciary funds: • The pension trust fund accounts for the activities of the Employees Contributory Retirement System, which accumulates resources for pension benefit payments to qualified employees. • The municipal light pension trust fund accounts for the activities of the Municipal Light Employees Contributory Retirement System, which accumulates resources for pension benefit payments to qualified employees. • The agency fund is custodial in nature and do not involve measurements D. Cash and Short-Term Investments Cash balances from all funds, except those required to be segregated by law, are combined to form a consolidation of cash. Cash balances are invested to the extent available, and interest earnings are recognized in 47 the General Fund. Certain special revenue, proprietary, and fiduciary funds segregate cash, and investment earnings become a part of those funds. Deposits with financial institutions consist primarily of demand deposits, certificates of deposits, and savings accounts. A cash and investment pool is maintained that is available for use by all funds. Each fund's portion of this pool is reflected on the combined financial statements under the caption "cash and short-term investments ". The interest earnings attributable to each fund type are included under investment income. For purpose of the statement of cash flows, the proprietary funds consider investments with original maturities of three months or less to be short- term investments. E. Investments State and local statutes place certain limitations on the nature of deposits and investments available. Deposits in any financial institution may not exceed certain levels within the financial institution. Non - fiduciary fund investments can be made in securities issued by or unconditionally guaranteed by the U.S. Government or agencies that have a maturity of one year or less from the date of purchase and repurchase agreements guaranteed by such securities with maturity-dates of no more than 90 days from the date of purchase. Investments for the Contributory Retirement System and Trust Funds consist of marketable securities, bonds and short -term money market investments. Investments are.carried at market value. F. Property Tax Limitations Legislation known as "Proposition 2Yz" limits the amount of revenue that can be derived from property taxes. The prior fiscal year's tax levy limit is used as a base and cannot increase by more than 2.5 percent (excluding new growth), unless an override or debt exemption is voted. The actual fiscal year 2011 tax levy reflected an excess capacity of $ 8,093. G. Inventories Inventories are valued at cost using the first -in /first -out (FIFO) method. The costs of governmental fund -type inventories are recorded as expendi- tures when purchased rather than when consumed. No significant inven- tory balances were on hand in governmental funds. a] H. Capital Assets Capital assets, which include property, plant, equipment, and infra- structure assets are reported in the applicable governmental or business - type activities columns in the government -wide financial statements. Capital assets are defined by the government as assets with an initial individual cost of more than $ 5,000 and an estimated useful life in excess of two years. Such assets are recorded at historical cost or estimated historical cost if purchased or constructed. Donated capital assets are recorded at estimated fair market value at the date of donation. The costs of normal maintenance and repairs that do not add to the value of the asset or materially extend assets lives are not capitalized. Major outlays for capital assets and improvements are capitalized as projects are constructed. Interest incurred during the construction phase of capital assets of business -type activities is included as part of the capitalized value of the assets constructed. Property, plant and equipment are depreciated using the straight -line method over the following estimated useful lives: Assets Years Land improvements 20 Buildings and improvements 2040 Machinery, equipment, and furnishings 3 -20 Infrastructure 50 /. Compensated Absences It is the government's policy to permit employees to accumulate earned but unused vacation and sick pay benefits. All vested sick and vacation pay is accrued when incurred in the government -wide, proprietary, and fiduciary fund financial statements. A liability for these amounts is reported in governmental funds only if they have matured, for example, as a result of employee resignations and retirements. J. Long-Term Obligations In the government -wide financial statements, and proprietary fund types in the fund financial statements, long -term debt, and other long -term obliga- tions are reported as liabilities in the applicable governmental activities, business -type activities, or proprietary fund type statement of net assets. 49 K. Fund Equity Fund equity at the governmental fund financial reporting level is classified as "fund balance ".. Fund equity for all other reporting is classified as "net assets'. Fund Balance - Generally, fund balance represents the difference between the current assets and current liabilities. The Town reserves those portions of fund balance that are legally segregated for a specific future use or which do not represent available, spendable resources and therefore, are not available for appropriation or expenditure. Unassigned fund balance indicates that portion of fund balance that is available for appropriation in future periods. The Town's fund balance classification policies and procedures are as follows: 1) Nonsoendable funds are either unspendable in the current form (i.e. inventory or prepaid items) or can never be spent (i.e. perpetual care). 2) Restricted funds are used solely for the purpose in which the fund was established. In the case of special revenue funds, these funds are created by statute or otherwise have external constraints on how the funds can be expended. 3) Committed funds are reported and expended as a result of motions passed by the highest decision making authority in the government (i.e., the Town Meeting). 4) Assigned funds are used for specific purposes as established by management. These funds, which include encumbrances, have been assigned for specific goods and services ordered but not yet paid for. This account also includes fund balance (free cash) voted to be used in the subsequent fiscal year. 5) Unassigned funds are available to be spent in future periods. When an expenditure is incurred that would qualify for payment from multi - pie fund balance types, the Town uses the following order to liquidate liabilities: restricted, committed, assigned and unassigned. Net Assets - Net assets represent the difference between assets and liabilities. Net assets invested in capital assets, net of related debt, consist of capital assets, net of accumulated depreciation, reduced by the outstanding balances of any borrowing used for the acquisition, construc- tion or improvement of those assets. Net assets are reported as restricted when there are limitations imposed on their use either through the ena- bling legislation adopted by the Town or through external restrictions 50 imposed by creditors, grantors, or laws or regulations of other govern- ments. All other net assets are reported as unrestricted. L. Use of Estimates The preparation of basic financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures for contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the basic financial statements, and the reported amounts of the revenues and expenditures /expenses during the fiscal year. Actual results could vary from estimates that were used. 2. Stewardship, Compliance, and Accountability A. Budgetary Information At the annual town meeting, the Finance Committee presents an operating and capital budget for the proposed expenditures of the fiscal year com- mencing the following July 1. The budget, as enacted by town meeting, establishes the legal level of control and specifies that certain appropria- tions are to be funded by particular revenues. The original budget is amended during the fiscal year at special town meetings as required by changing conditions. In cases of extraordinary or unforeseen expenses, the Finance Committee is empowered to transfer funds from the Reserve Fund (a contingency appropriation) to a departmental appropriation. "Extraordinary" includes expenses which are not in the usual line, or are great or exceptional. "Unforeseen" includes expenses which are not foreseen as of the time of the annual meeting when appropriations are voted. Departments are limited to the line items as voted. Certain items may exceed the line item budget as approved if it is for an emergency and for the safety of the general public. These items are limited by the Massa- chusetts General Laws and must be raised in the next year's tax rate. Formal budgetary integration is employed as a management control device during the year for the General Fund and Proprietary Funds. Effective budgetary control is achieved for all other funds through provi- sions of the Massachusetts General Laws. At year -end, appropriation balances lapse, except for certain unexpended capital items and encumbrances which will be honored during the subse- quent year. 51 B. Budgetary Basis The General Fund final appropriation appearing on the 'Budget and Actual' page of the fund financial statements represents the final amended budget after all reserve fund transfers and supplemental appropriations. C. Budget/GAAP Reconciliation The budgetary data for the general and proprietary funds is based upon accounting principles that differ from generally accepted accounting prin- ciples (GAAP). Therefore, in addition to the GAAP basis financial state- ments, the results of operations of the general fund are presented in accordance with budgetary accounting principles to provide a meaningful comparison to budgetary data. The following is a summary of adjustments made to the actual revenues and other sources, and expenditures and other uses, to conform to the budgetary basis of accounting. General Fund Revenues /Expenditures (GAAP Basis) Other financing sources /uses (GAAP basis) Subtotal (GAAP Basis) To record use of free cash and overlay surplus Reverse beginning of year appropriation carryforwards from expenditures Add end -of -year appropriation carryfonvardsto expenditures To reverse the effects of the non - budgeted MSBA grant (net) To reverse the effects of non - budgeted State contributions for teacher retirements To record stabilization funding Other Budgetary Basis 52 Revenues Expenditures and Other and Other Financing Sources Financing Uses 77,782,275 $ 81,756,145 3,388,721 - 81,170,996 81,756,145 2,044,827 (1,291,729) 1,006,105 696,990 696,990 (6,838,505) (6,838,505) - (350,000) 96,299 120,255 $ 77,170,607 $ 75,099,261 Cj Cash and Short-Term Investments Custodial Credit Risk - Deposits. Custodial credit risk is the risk that in the event of a bank failure, the Town's and Contributory Retirement System's (the System) deposits may not be returned. Massachusetts General Law Chapter 44, Section 55, limits the Town's deposits "in a bank or trust company or banking company to an amount not exceeding sixty percent of the capital and surplus of such bank or trust company or banking company, unless satisfac- tory security is given to it by such bank or trust company or banking company for such excess. Massachusetts General Law Chapter 32, Section 23, limits the System's deposits "in a bank or trust company to an amount not exceed- ing ten percent of the capital and surplus of such bank or trust company. The Town and System do not have a deposit policy for custodial credit risk. As of June 30, 2011, $ 548,822 of the Town's and $13,635 of the System's bank balances of $ 66,822,303 and $ 110,519, respectively, were exposed to custodial credit risk. However, the System's entire exposed balance was on deposit with the Massachusetts Municipal Depository Trust (MMDT). Investments A. Credit Risk Generally, credit risk is the risk that an issuer of an investment will not fulfill its obligation to the holder of the investment. For short-term invest- ments that were purchased using surplus revenues, Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 44, Section 55, limits the Town's investments to the top rating issued by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSROs). The Town and System do not have a policy for credit risk. Presented below (in thousands) is the actual rating as of year -end for each investment of the Town: Exempt Rating as of Year End Fair From Investment Type Value Disclosure Aaa Aa2 Aa3 Corporate bonds $ 355 $ - $ $ 160 $ 195 Corporate equities 1,600 1,600 - - - Mutual funds 2,306 2,306 - - Certificates of deposit 2,898 2,898 - Federal agency securities 5,634 - 5,634 - - Total investments $ 12,793 $ 6,804 $ 5,634 $ 160 $ 195 53 Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 32, Section 23, limits the investment . of System funds, to the extent not required for current disbursements, in the PRIT Fund or in securities, other than mortgages or collateral loans, which are legal for the investment of funds in savings banks under the laws of the Commonwealth, provided that no more than the established percentage of. assets, is invested in any one security. At June 30, 2011, the Contributory Retirement System maintained its invest- ments in the State Investment Pool' with a fair value of $ 92,305,343. This investment type is not rated. . "Fair value is the same as.the value of the pool share. The Pension Reserves Investment Trust was created under Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 32, Section 22, in December 1983. The Pension Reserves Investment Trust is operated under contract with a private investment advisor, approved by the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board. The Pension Reserves Investment Management Board shall choose an investment advisor by requesting proposals from advisors and reviewing such proposals based on criteria adopted under Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 30B. B. Custodial Credit Risk The custodial credit risk for investments is the risk that, in the event of the failure of the counterparty (e.g. broker - dealer) to a transaction, a govern- ment will not be able to recover the value of its investment or collateral securities that are in the possession of another party. The Town and System do not have policies for custodial credit risk. The System's investments of $ 92,305,343 were exposed to custodial credit risk as uninsured and uncol lateral ized. However, the investments were held in the State Investment Pool (PRIT). Of the Town's investment of $ 12,793,164, the government has a custodial credit risk exposure of $ 355,024 because the related securities are uninsured, unregistered and held by the Town's brokerage firm, which is also the Counterparty to these securities. The Town manages this custodial credit risk with SIPC and excess SIPC. C. Concentration of Credit Risk The Town places no limit on the amount the Town may invest in any one issuer. Investments in any one issuer (other than U.S. Treasury securities and mutual funds) that represent 5% or more of total investments are as follows (in thousands): Freddie Mac - FreddieNotes $ 1,474 Freddie Mac - Step CPN FreddieNotes $ 3,163 Certificates of Deposit $ 2,001 Money Market Trusts $ 2,307 54 Massachusetts'General Law Chapter 32, Section 23 limits the amount the System may invest in any one issuer or security type, with the exception of the PRIT Fund. The System does not have an investment in one issuer greater than 5% of total investments, with the exception of the PRIT Fund. D. Interest Rate Risk Interest rate risk is the risk that changes in market interest rates will ad- versely affect the fair value of an investment. Generally, the longer the maturity of an investment, the greater the sensitivity of its fair value to changes in market interest rates. The Town and System do not have a formal investment policy that limits investment maturities as a means of managing its exposure to fair value losses arising from increasing interest rates. Information about the sensitivity of the fair values of the Town's investments to market interest rate fluctuations is as follows: Investment Type Debt - related Securities: Corporate bonds Federal agency securities Total E. Foreign Currency Risk Fair Value $ 5,634 355 Investment Maturities (in Years) Less Than 1 11 -55 $ 988 61 $ 5,989 $ $ 1,049 6 -10 $ 4,646 294 $ 4,940 Foreign currency risk is the risk that changes in foreign exchange rates will adversely affect the fair value of an investment. The Town and System do not have policies for foreign currency risk. 5. Taxes Receivable Real estate and personal property taxes are levied and based on values assessed on January 1st of every year. Assessed values are established by the Board of Assessor's for 100% of the estimated fair market value. Taxes are due on a quarterly basis and are subject to penalties and interest if they are not paid by the respective due date. Real estate and personal property taxes levied are recorded as receivables in the fiscal year they relate to. 55 El 7 Fourteen days after the due date for the final tax bill for real estate taxes, a demand notice may be sent to the delinquent taxpayer. Fourteen days after the demand notice has been sent, the tax collector may proceed to file a lien against the delinquent taxpayers' property. The Town has an ultimate right to foreclose on property for unpaid taxes. Personal property taxes cannot be secured through the lien process. Taxes receivable at June 30, 2011 consist of the following (in thousands): Real Estate 2011 Personal Property 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Prior Tax Liens Deferred Taxes Total Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 4 5 3 2 2 6 $ 267 22 434 89 $ 812 The receivables reported in the accompanying entity -wide financial state- ments reflect the following estimated allowances for doubtful accounts (in thousands): Governmental Property taxes $ 84 Excises 58 Capital Assets Capital asset activity for the year ended June 30, 2011 was as follows (in thousands): 56 57 Beginning Ending Balance Increases Decreases Balance Governmental Activities: Capital assets, being depreciated: Land improvements $ 2,612 $ 690 $ - $ 3,302 Buildings and improvements 128,889 3,388 (617) 131,660 Machinery, equipment, and furnishings 8,318 932 (149) 9,101 Infrastructure 37,924 873 1,418 37,379 Total capital assets, being depreciated 177,743 5,883 (2,184) 181,442 Less accumulated depreciation for: Land improvements (629) (140) - (769) Buildings and improvements (25,282) (3,520) 617 (28,185) Machinery, equipment, and furnishings (3,045) (768) 149 (3,664) Infrastructure 21,429 1,458 1,418 21,469 Total accumulated depreciation 5( 0,385) (5,886) 2,184 (54,087) Total capital assets, being depreciated, net 127,358 (3) 127,355 Capital assets, not being depreciated: Land 3,939 - 3,939 Construction in progress 1,368 147 1,368 147 Total capital assets, not being depreciated 5,307 147 (1'368) 4,086 Governmental activities capital assets, net $ 132,665 $ 144 $ 11368 $ 131,441 Beginning Ending Balance Increases Decreases Balance Business -Type Activities: Capital assets, being depreciated: Land improvements $ 1,437 $ - $ $ 1,437 Buildings and improvements 16,541 146 (53) 16,634 Machinery, equipment, and furnishings 31,644 1,807 (190) 33,261 Infrastructure 101,578 3,316. (1,147) 103,747 Total capital assets, being depreciated 151,200 5,269 (1,390) 155,079 Less accumulated depreciation for: Land improvements (48) (70) - (118) Buildings and improvements (8,973) (523) 53 (9,443) . Machinery, equipment, and furnishings (17,263) (1,157) 190 (18,230) Infrastructure 3( 8,148) (3,256) 775 4( 0,629) Total accumulated depreciation 64,432 5,006 1,018 68,420 Total capital assets, being depreciated, net 86,768 263 (372) 86,659 Capital assets, not being depreciated: Land 1,450 - - 1,450 Total capital assets, not being depreciated 1,450 - 1,450 Business -type activities capital assets, net $ 88,218 $ 263 $ (372) $ 88,109 57 Depreciation expense was charged to functions of the Town as follows (in thousands): Governmental Activities General government $ 222 Public safety 543 Education 3,177 Public works 1,744 Health and human services 30 Culture and recreation 170 Total depreciation expense - governmental activities $ 5,886 Business -Type Activities Electric $ 3,453 Water 1,194 Other - Sewer 347 Other - Stormwater 12 Total depreciation expense - business -type activities $ 5,006 8. Warrants Payable Warrants payable represent 2011 expenditures paid by July 15, 2011. 9. Deferred Revenue Governmental funds report deferred revenue in connection with receivables for revenues that are not considered to be available to liquidate liabilities of the current period. The balance of the General Fund deferred revenues account is equal to the total of all June 30, 2011 receivable balances, except real and personal property taxes that are accrued for subsequent 60 -day collections. . 10. Long -Term Debt A. General Obligation Bonds The Town issues general obligation bonds to provide funds for the acquisi- tion and construction of major capital facilities. General obligation bonds M have been issued for both governmental and business -type activities. General obligation bonds currently outstanding are as follows: Amount Serial Outstanding Maturities Interest as of Governmental Activities: Through Rates % 6/30/11 Police station 02/01/12 4.12% $ 400,000 Coolidge Middle School 02/01/21 4.75% 4,725,000 Memorial High School 03/15/24 4.22% 25,635,000 Barrow Elementary School 06/30/24 3.96% 1,635,000 Wood End Elementary School 06/30/24 3.96% 1,950,000 Wood End Elementary School 06/30/24 3.92% 130,000 Wood End Elementary School 04 /15/24 3.94% 390,000 Wood End Elementary School 04/15/24 3.94% 585,000 Downtown Improvement projects 11/01/17 3.45% 455,000 Fire Engine 11/01/12 3.45% 160,000 Turf Field improvements 11/01/12 3.45% 150,000 Joshua Eaton refunding 07/01/13 3.05% 80,000 Birch Meadow refunding 07/01/12 3.05% 25,000 Parker School refunding 07/01/17 3.05% 1,360,000 Ladder truck 07/01/17 3.05% 560,000 Tennis courts 07/01/12 3.05% 190,000 Financial hardware and software 01/27/13 2.00% 550,000 Fire truck 08/01/14 4.61% 420,000 Energy Improvements 08/01/24 4.61% 4,665,000 Total Governmental Activities: $ . 44,065,000 Amount Serial Outstanding Maturities Interest as of Business -Type Activities: Through Rates % 06/30/11 Water treatment plant 06/30/15 3,38% $ 400,000 MWRA buy -in 04/15/27 4.00% 2,540,000 Water mains 04/15/12 3.66% 490,000 MWRA buy -in 11/01/17 3.05% 6,630,000 Water demo 07/01/17 3.05% 560,000 MWRA water supply 01/27/13 2.00% 150,000 MWPAT septic 02/01/12 0.00% 11,628 MWRA sewer 08/15/12 0.00% 17,732 Fairview and Sunnyside sewer 11/01/11 3.05% 75,000 MWRA sewer 08/20/14 0.00% 131,736 Total Business -Type Activities: $ 11,006,096 59 B. Future Debt Service The annual payments to retire all general obligation long -term debt outstanding as of June 30, 2011 are as follows: Governmental Principal Interest Total 2012 $ 4,185,000 $ 1,830,943 $ 6,015,943 2013 3,810,000 1,686,344 5,496,344 2014 3,310,000 1,619,425 4,929,425 2015 3,350,000 1,433,155 4,783,155 2016 3,300,000 1,288,233 4,588,233 2017 -2021 16,545,000 4,333,279 20,878,279 2022 -2025 9,565,000 862,156 10,427,156 Total $ 44,065,000 $ 13,053,535 $ 57,118,535 The general fund has been designated as the sole source to repay the governmental -type general obligation debt outstanding as of June 30, 2011: - Business -TVpe Principal 2012 $ 1,487,965 2013 772,965 2014 764,099 2015 764,099 2016 631,165 2017 -2021 2,915,803 2022 -2026 2,740,000 2027 -2028 930,000 Total $ 11,006,096 Interest $ 416,116 366,670 339,905 312,340 284,531 1,036,305 477,675 37,388 Total $ 1,904,081 1,139,635 1,104,004 1,076,439 915,696 3,952,108 3,217,675 967,388 $ 3,270,930 $ 14,277,026 C. Changes in General Long -Term Liabilities During the year ended June 30, 2011, the following changes occurred in long -term liabilities (in thousands): .1 w) The Electric fund estimated their liability prior to the issuance of the valuation. D. Bond Authorizations Long -term debt authorizations which have not been issued or rescinded as of June 30, 2011 are as follows: Purpose Amount MWRA loan program $ 404,000 Birch meadow tennis courts 140,000 Turf field improvements 275,000 Sunnyside /Fairview sewer mains 65,000 Fire ladder truck 50,000 MWRA water bonds Equals Killam School remodeling Total Birch Meadow School remodeling 446,500 Total Less Long -Term $ 5,329,000 Balance Balance Current Portion 7/1/10 Additions Reductions 6/30/11 Portion 6/30/11 Governmental Activities Bonds payable $ 48,230 $ $ (4,165) $ 44,065 $ (4,185) $ 39,880 Other: Accrued employee benefits 1,827 64 (128) 1,763 (62) 1,701 Unamortized premium on bonds 250 (25) 225 (25) 200 Net OPEB obligation 4,812 5,896 2,128 8,580 - 8,580 Totals $ 55,119 $ 5,960 $ (6,4j6j $ 54,633 $ 4,272 $ 50,361 Total Total Less Long -Term Balance Balance Current Portion 7/1/10 Additions Reductions 6130/11 Portion 6/30/11 Business -Type Activities Bonds and loans payable $ 12,499 $ - $ (1,493) $ 11,006 $ (1,488) $ 9,518 Other: Accrued employee benefits 3,111 74 (166) 3,019 (57) 2,962 Unamortized premium on bonds 4 (1) 3 (1) 2 Net OPEB obligation 946 839 (1,117) 668 - 668 I "I Totals $ 16,560 $ 913 $ (2,777 $ 14,696 $ (1'546) $ 13,150 w) The Electric fund estimated their liability prior to the issuance of the valuation. D. Bond Authorizations Long -term debt authorizations which have not been issued or rescinded as of June 30, 2011 are as follows: Purpose Amount MWRA loan program $ 404,000 Birch meadow tennis courts 140,000 Turf field improvements 275,000 Sunnyside /Fairview sewer mains 65,000 Fire ladder truck 50,000 MWRA water bonds 2,285,000 Killam School remodeling 1,413,500 Birch Meadow School remodeling 446,500 Birch Meadow School remodeling 250,000 Total $ 5,329,000 61 11. Restricted Net Assets The accompanying entity -wide financial statements report restricted net assets when external constraints from grantors or contributors are placed on net assets. Permanent fund restricted net assets are segregated between nonexpend- able and expendable. The nonexpendable portion represents the original restricted principal contribution, and the expendable represents accumulated earnings which are available to be spent based on donor restrictions. 12. Commitments and Contingencies Outstanding Legal Issues - There are several pending legal issues in which the Town is involved. The Town's management is of the opinion that the potential future settlement of such claims would not materially affect its financial statements taken as a whole. Grants - Amounts received or receivable from grantor agencies are subject to audit and adjustment by grantor agencies, principally the federal government. Any disallowed claims, including amounts already collected, may constitute a liability of the applicable funds. The amount of expenditures which may be disallowed by the grantor cannot be determined at this time, although the Town expects such amounts, if any, to be immaterial. 13. Post- Employment Healthcare and Life Insurance Benefits Other Post - Employment Benefits During the year, the Town implemented GASB Statement 45, Accounting and Financial Reporting by Employers for Postemployment Benefits Other Than Pensions. Statement 45 requires governments to account for other post - employment benefits (OPEB), primarily healthcare, on an accrual basis rather than on a pay -as- you -go basis. The effect is the recognition of an actuarially required contribution as an expense on the Statement of Revenues, Expenses, and Changes in Net Assets when a future retiree earns their post - employment benefits, rather than when they use their post - employment ben- efit. To the extent that an entity does not fund their actuarially required contri- bution, a post - employment benefit liability is recognized on the Statement of Net Assets over time. A. Plan Description In addition to providing the pension benefits described in Note 17, the Town provides post - employment health and life insurance benefits for retired employees through the Town of Reading's Massachusetts C-A Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA) Health Benefits Trust. Benefits, benefit levels, employee contributions, and employer contributions are governed by Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws. As of June 30, 2011, the actuarial valuation date, approximately 677 retirees and 525 active employees meet the eligibility requirements. The plan does not issue a separate financial report. B. Benefits Provided The Town provides post - employment medical, prescription drug, and life insurance benefits to all eligible retirees and their surviving spouses. All active employees who retire from the Department and meet the eligibility criteria will be eligible to receive these benefits. C. Funding Policy Retirees contribute 29% of the cost of the medical and prescription drug plan, as determined by the MIIA Health Benefits Trust. Retirees also contribute 50% of the premium for a $ 5,000 life insurance benefit. The Department contributes the remainder of the medical, prescription drug, and life insurance plan costs on a pay -as- you -go basis. D. Annual OPEB Costs and Net OPEB Obligation The Town's fiscal 2011 annual OPEB expense is calculated based on the annual required contribution of the employer (ARC), an amount actu- arially determined in accordance with the parameters of GASB Statement No. 45. The ARC represents a level of funding that, if paid on an ongoing basis, is projected to cover the normal cost per year and amortize the unfunded actuarial liability over a period of thirty years. The following table shows the components of the Town's annual OPEB cost for the year ending June 30, 2011, the amount actually contributed to the plan, and the change in the Town's net OPEB obligation based on an actuarial valuation as of June 30, 2011. 63 (a) Includes adjustment of $1,093,969 to reflect revision to June 30, 2008 actuarial report (b) The Electric fund estimated their liability prior to the issuance of the valuation. The Town's annual OPEB cost, the percentage of annual OPEB cost contributed to the plan, and the net OPEB obligation were as follows: Fiscal year ended 2011 2010 2009 Annual OPEB cost $ 6,733,892 $ 6,522,905 $ 6,326,701 Percentage of OPEB Cost Contributed 48.16% 57.09% 53.24% Net OPEB Obligation $ 9,248,292 $ 5,757,459 $ 2,958,316 The Town's net OPEB obligation as of June 30, 2011 is recorded as a component of the "noncurrent liabilities' line item. E. Funded Status and Funding Progress The funded status of the plan as of June 30, 2011, the date of the most recent actuarial valuation was as follows: Actuarial accrued liability (AAL) $ 94,458,486 Actuarial value of plan assets 1,167,161 Unfunded actuarial accrued liability (UAAL) $ 93,291,325 Funded ratio (actuarial value of plan assets /AAL) 1.24% Covered payroll (active plan members) N/A UAAL as a percentage of covered payroll N/A Actuarial valuations of an ongoing plan involve estimates of the value of reported amounts and assumptions about the probability of events far into 64 Governmental Water Sewer Electric Stormwater Funds Fund Fund Fund Fund Total Annual Required Contribution (ARC) $ 5,887,367 $ 131,875 $ 49,572 $ 630,058 $ 10,950 $ 6,709,822 Interest on net OPEB obligation 256,026 7,728 3,254 95,341 - 362,349 Adjustment to ARC (247,537) (7,471) (3,146) '(80,125) - (338,279) Annual OPEB cost 5,895,856 132,132 49,680 645,274 10,950 6,733,892 Contributions made (2,128,025) 14,281 1,199 36,647 - (2,075,898) (a) Additional funding to trust - - - (1,167,161) - (1,167,161) Increase in net OPEB obligation 3,767,831 146,413 50,879 (485,240) 10,950 3,490,833 Net OPEB obligation - beginning of year 4,811,888 94,355 37,755 813,461 - 5,757,459 Net OPEB obligation - end of year $ 8,579,719 $ 240,768 $ 88,634 $ 328,221 $ 10,950 $ 9,248,292 (b) (a) Includes adjustment of $1,093,969 to reflect revision to June 30, 2008 actuarial report (b) The Electric fund estimated their liability prior to the issuance of the valuation. The Town's annual OPEB cost, the percentage of annual OPEB cost contributed to the plan, and the net OPEB obligation were as follows: Fiscal year ended 2011 2010 2009 Annual OPEB cost $ 6,733,892 $ 6,522,905 $ 6,326,701 Percentage of OPEB Cost Contributed 48.16% 57.09% 53.24% Net OPEB Obligation $ 9,248,292 $ 5,757,459 $ 2,958,316 The Town's net OPEB obligation as of June 30, 2011 is recorded as a component of the "noncurrent liabilities' line item. E. Funded Status and Funding Progress The funded status of the plan as of June 30, 2011, the date of the most recent actuarial valuation was as follows: Actuarial accrued liability (AAL) $ 94,458,486 Actuarial value of plan assets 1,167,161 Unfunded actuarial accrued liability (UAAL) $ 93,291,325 Funded ratio (actuarial value of plan assets /AAL) 1.24% Covered payroll (active plan members) N/A UAAL as a percentage of covered payroll N/A Actuarial valuations of an ongoing plan involve estimates of the value of reported amounts and assumptions about the probability of events far into 64 the future. Examples include assumptions about future employment, mortality, and the healthcare cost trend. Amounts determined regarding the funded status of the plan and the annual required contributions of the employer are subject to continual revision as actual results are compared to past expectations and new estimates are made about the future. The schedule of funding progress, presented as required supplementary information following the notes to the financial statements, presents multi- year trend information about whether the actuarial value of plan assets is increasing or decreasing over time relative to the actuarial accrued liability for benefits. F. Actuarial Methods and Assumptions Projections of benefits for financial reporting purposes are based on the plan as understood by the Town and the plan members and include the types of benefits provided at the time of each valuation and the historica pattern of sharing of benefit costs between the Town and plan members to that point. The actuarial methods and assumptions used include techniques that are designed to reduce short-term volatility in actuarial accrued liabilities and the actuarial value of assets, consistent with the long -term perspective of the calculations. In the June 30, 2011 actuarial valuation, the Projected Unit Credit actuarial cost method was used. The actuarial assumptions included a 4.75% investment rate of return (7.75% for the Reading Municipal Light Department) and an initial annual healthcare cost trend rate of 9.0% which decreases to a 5.0% long -term rate for all healthcare benefits after six years. The amortization costs for the initial UAAL is a level percentage of payroll amortization, with amortization payments increasing at 2.5% per year for a period of 20 years. 14. Contributory Retirement System The Town follows the provisions of GASB Statement No. 27, Accounting for Pensions for State and Local Government Employees, (as amended by GASB 50) with respect to the employees' retirement funds. A. Plan Description and Contribution Information Substantially all employees of the Town (except teachers and administra- tors under contract employed by the School Department) are members of the Reading Contributory Retirement System (Reading CRS), a cost sharing, multiple employer defined benefit PERS. Eligible employees must participate in the Reading CRS. The pension plan provides pension benefits, deferred allowances, and death and disability benefits. Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws establishes the authority of the Reading CRS Retirement Board. Chapter 32 also establishes contribution 65 percentages and benefits paid. The Reading CRS Retirement Board does not have the authority to amend benefit provisions. As required by Massachusetts General Laws, the System issues a separate report to the Commonwealth's Public Employee Retirement Administration Commis- sion. Membership of each plan consisted of the following at December 31, 2010: Retirees and beneficiaries receiving benefits 324 Terminated plan members entitled to but not yet 29 receiving benefits Active plan members 348 Total 701 Number of participating employers 2 Employee contribution percentages are specified in Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws. The percentage is determined by the participant's date of entry into the system. All employees hired after January 1, 1979 contribute an additional 2% on all gross regular earnings over the rate of $ 30,000 per year. The percentages are as follows: Before January 1, 1975 5% January 1, 1975 - December 31, 1983 7% January 1, 1984 - June 30, 1996 8% Beginning July 1, 1996 9% Employers are required to contribute at actuarially determined rates as accepted by the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC). Schedule of Emolover Contributions Year Ended Annual Required Percentage June 30 Contribution Contributed 2002 $ 2,980,400 100% 2003 3,051,200 100% 2004 3,124, 800 100% 2005 3,405,725 100% 2006 3,488,686 100% 2007 3,696,695 100% 2008 3,785,501 100% 2009 3,600,826 100% 2010 3,686,795 100% 2011 4,231,461 100% B. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Accounting - Contributory retirement system financial statements are prepared using the accrual basis of accounting. Plan member contri- butions are recognized in the period in which the contributions are due. Employer contributions are recognized when due and the employer has made a formal commitment to provide the contributions. Benefits and refunds are recognized when due and payable in accordance with the terms of the plan. Method Used to Value Investments - Investments are reported at fair value in accordance with PERAC requirements. C. Funded Status and Funding Progress The information presented below is from the,Reading Contributory Retirement System's most recent valuation. The Schedule of Funding Progress following the notes to the financial statements presents multi -year trend information about the actuarial value of plan assets relative to the actuarial accrued liability for benefits. 67 Actuarial UAAL as Accrued a Percent - Actuarial Liability Unfunded age of Actuarial Value of (AAL) - AAL Funded Covered Covered Valuation Assets Entry Age (UAAL) Ratio Payroll Payroll Date (a) fbj (b-a) u f-ci b -a lc 06/30/09 $ 83,167 $ 121,918 $ 38,751 68.2% $ 21,005 184.5% The Schedule of Funding Progress following the notes to the financial statements presents multi -year trend information about the actuarial value of plan assets relative to the actuarial accrued liability for benefits. 67 D. Actuarial Methods and Assumptions The annual required contribution for the current year was determined as part of the actuarial valuation using the entry age normal actuarial cost method. Under this method an unfunded actuarial accrued liability of $ 38.8 million was calculated. The actuarial assumptions included (a) 7.75% investment rate of return and (b) a projected salary increase of 4.75% - 8.00% per year. Liabilities for cost of living increases have been assumed at an annual increase of 3 %, on the first $ 12,000 of benefit payments. The actuarial value of assets is determined by projecting the market value of assets as of the beginning of the prior plan year with the assumed rate of return during that year (7.75 %) and accounting for deposits and disbursements with interest at the assumed rate of return. An adjustment is then applied to recognize the difference between the actual investment return and expected return over a five -year period. As of June 30, 2011, the unfunded actuarially accrued liability is being amortized over 18 years using 4.5% increase in payments method. E. Teachers As required by State statutes, teachers of the Town are covered by the Massachusetts Teachers Retirement System (MTRS). The MTRS is funded by contributions from covered employees and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Town is not required to contribute. All persons employed on at least a half -time basis, who are covered under a contractual agreement requiring certification by the Board of Education are eligible, and must participate in the MTRS. Based on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' retirement laws, employ- ees covered by the pension plan must contribute a percentage of gross earnings into the pension fund. The percentage is determined by the participant's date of entry into the system and gross earnings, up to $ 30,000, as follows: Before January 1, 1975 5% January 1, 1975 - December 31, 1983 7% * January 1, 1984 - June 30, 1996 8% * July 1, 1996 - June 30, 2001 9% * Beginning July 1, 2001 11% *Effective January 1, 1990, all participants hired after January 1, 1979, who have not elected to increase to 11 %, contribute an additional 2% of salary in excess of $ 30,000. The Town's current year covered payroll for teachers and administrators was not available. .: In fiscal year 2011, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts contributed $ 6,838,505 to the MTRS on behalf of the Town. This is included in the education expenditures and intergovernmental revenues in the general fund. 15. Risk Management The Town is exposed to various risks of loss related to torts; theft of, damage to and destruction of assets; errors and omissions; and natural disasters for which the government carries commercial insurance. There were no signifi- cant reductions in insurance coverage from the previous year and have been no material settlements in excess of coverage in any of the past three fiscal years. 16. Subsequent Events Subsequent to June 30, 2011, the Town has incurred the following additional debt: Water Bond Sewer Bond FI1"TWn $ 2,050,000 $ 222,200 .• Interest Issue Maturity Rates Date Date 0% 08/15/11 08/15/16 0% 08/22/11 08/15/16 Town of Reading, Massachusetts Municipal Light Department Notes to the Financial Statements Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The significant accounting policies of the Town of Reading Municipal Light Department ( "the Department ") (an enterprise fund of the Town of Reading) are as follows: A. Business Activity - The Department purchases electricity which it distributes to consumers within the towns of Reading, North Reading Wilmington, and Lynnfield. B. Regulation and Basis of Accounting - Under Massachusetts General Laws, the Department's electric rates are set by the Municipal Light Board. Electric rates, excluding the fuel charge, cannot be changed more often than once every three months. Rate schedules are filed with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU). While the DPU exercises general supervisory authority over the Department, the Department's rates are not subject to DPU approval. The Department's policy is to prepare its financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Proprietary funds distinguish operating revenues and expenses from non - operating items. Operating revenues and expenses generally result from providing services and producing and delivering goods in connection with a proprietary fund's principal ongoing operations. The principal operating revenues of the enterprise fund are charges to customers for sales and services. Operating expenses for enterprise funds include the cost of sales and services, administrative expenses and depreciation on capital assets. All revenues and expenses not meeting this definition are reported as nonoperating revenues and expenses. Private - sector standards of accounting and financial reporting issued prior to December 1, 1989 generally are followed in the proprietary fund finan- cial statements to the extent that those standards do not conflict with or contradict guidance of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. Governments also have the option of following subsequent private- sector guidance for their enterprise funds, subject to this same limitation. The Department has elected not to follow subsequent private- sector guidance. C. Concentrations - The Department operates within the electric utility indus- try which has undergone significant restructuring and deregulation. Legis- lation was enacted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1998 which changed the electric industry. The law introduced competition and pro- 70 vided consumers with choices while assuring continued reliable service. Municipal utilities are not currently subject to this legislation. D. Retirement Trust - The Reading Municipal Light Department Employees' Pension Trust (the "Trust") was established on December 30, 1966, by the Town of Reading's Municipal Light Board pursuant to Chapter 164 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Trust constitutes the principal instrument of a plan established by the Municipal Light Board for the purpose of funding the Department's annual required contribution to the Town of Reading Contributory Retirement System (the System), a cost sharing, multi - employer public employee retirement system. E' Revenues - Revenues are based on rates established by the Department and filed with the DPU. Revenues from sales of electricity are recorded on the basis of bills rendered from monthly meter readings taken on a cycle basis and are stated net of discounts. Recognition is given to the amount of sales to customers which are unbilled at the end of the fiscal period. F. Cash and Short-term Investments - For the purposes of the Statement of Cash Flows, the Department considers both restricted and unrestricted cash on deposit with the Town Treasurer to be cash or short-term invest- ments. For purpose of the Statement of -Net Assets, the proprietary funds consider investments with original maturities of three months or less to be short-term investments. G. Investments - State and local statutes place certain limitations on the nature of deposits and investments available. Deposits in any financial institution may not exceed certain levels within the financial institution. Non - fiduciary fund investments can be made in securities issued or unconditionally guaranteed by the U.S. Government or agencies that have a maturity of one year or less from the date of purchase and repurchase agreements guaranteed by such securities with maturity dates of no more than 90 days from date of purchase. Investments for the Department and the Trust consist of U.S: government bonds that are being held to maturity. Investments are carried at. cost. H. Inventory - Inventory consists of parts and accessories purchased for use in the utility business for construction, operation and maintenance pur- poses and is stated at average cost. Meters and transformers are capi- talized when purchased. I. Capital Assets and Depreciation - Capital assets, which include property, plant, equipment, and utility plant infrastructure, are recorded at historical cost or estimated historical cost when purchased or constructed. Donated 71 capital assets are recorded at estimated fair market value at the date of the donation. The cost of normal maintenance and repairs that do not add to the value of the asset or materially extend asset lives are not capitalized. Major outlays for capital assets and improvements are capitalized as they are acquired or constructed. Interest incurred during the construction phase of proprietary fund capital assets is included as part of the capitalized value of the constructed asset. When capital assets are retired, the cost of the retired asset, less accumulated depreciation, salvage value and any cash proceeds, is charged to the Department's unrestricted net assets account. Massachusetts General Laws require utility plant in service to be depre- ciated at an annual rate of 3 %. To change this rate, the Department must obtain approval from the DPU. Changes in annual depreciation rates may be made for financial factors relating to cash flow for plant expansion, rather than engineering factors relating to estimates of useful lives. J. Accrued Compensated Absences - Employee vacation leave is vested annually but may only be carried forward to the succeeding year with supervisor approval and, if appropriate, within the terms of the applicable Department policy or union contract. Generally, sick leave may accumu- late according to union and Department contracts and policy, and is paid upon normal termination at the current rate of pay. The Department's policy is to recognize vacation costs at the time payments are made. The Department records accumulated, unused, vested sick pay as a liability. The amount recorded is the amount to be paid at termination at the current rate of pay. K. Long -Term Obligations - The proprietary fund financial statements report long -term debt and other long -term obligations as liabilities in the pro- prietary fund statement of net-assets. L. Use of Estimates - The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures for contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of the revenues and expenses during the fiscal year. Actual results could vary from estimates that were used. M. Rate of Return - The Department's rates must be set such that earnings attributable to electric operations do not exceed eight percent of the net cost of plant. The audited financial statements are prepared in accor- dance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. To determine the net income subject to the rate of return, the Department performs the following calculation. Using the net income per 72 2. the audited financials, the return on investment to the Town of Reading is added back, the fuel charge adjustment is added or deducted, and miscellaneous debits /credits (i.e., gain /loss on disposal of fixed assets, etc.) are added or deducted, leaving an adjusted net income figure for rate of return purposes. Investment interest income and bond principal payments are then deducted from this figure to determine the net income subject to the rate of return. The net income subject to the rate of return is then subtracted from the allowable eight percent rate of return, which is calculated by adding the book value of net plant and the investment in associated companies less the contributions in aid of construction multi- plied by eight percent. From this calculation, the Municipal. Light Board will determine what cash transfers need to be made at year end. Cash and Investments Cash and investments as of June 30, 2011 are classified in the accompa- nying financial statements as follows: Statement of net assets Unrestricted cash and short-term investments $ 6,596,634 Restricted cash and short-term investments 16,385,677 Restricted investments 2,200,000 Fiduciary funds: Cash and short -term investments 4,787,498 Investments 1,000,000 Total cash and investments $ 30,969,809 Cash and investments at June 30, 2011 consist of the following: Cash on hand $ 3,000 Deposits with financial institutions 27,766,809 Investments 3,200,000 Total cash investments $ 30,969,809 Disclosures Relating to Interest Rate Risk Interest rate risk is the risk that the fair value of an investment will be adversely affected by changes in market interest rates. Generally, the longer the maturity of an investment, the greater the sensitivity of its fair value to changes in market interest rates. One of the ways that the Department manages its exposure to interest rate risk is by purchasing a combination of shorter term and longer term investments and by timing cash flows from maturities so that a portion of the portfolio is maturing or 73 coming close to maturity evenly over time as necessary to provide the cash flow and liquidity needed for operations. As of June 30, 2011, the Department (including the Pension Trust) had the following investments: . Disclosures Relating to Credit Risk Generally, credit risk is the risk that the issuer of an investment will not fulfill its obligation to the holder of the investment. This is measured by the assign- ing of a rating by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. Pre- sented below is the actual rating as of year end for each of the Department's (including the Pension Trust) investment types: Minimum Rating as of Year End Legal Not Investment Type Amount Rating AAA Rated Government agency bonds $ 3,200,000 N/A $ 3,200,000 $ - Total $ 3,200,000 $ 3,200,000 $ - Concentration of Credit Risk The Department follows the Town of Reading's investment policy, which does not limit the amount that can be invested in any one issuer beyond that stipu- lated by Massachusetts General Laws. Investments in any one issuer (other than U.S. Treasury securities, mutual funds, and external investment pools) that represent more than 5% of the Department's total investments (including the Pension Trust investments) are as follows: Reported Issuer Investment Type Amount Freddie Mac Government agency bonds $ 3,200,000 Custodial Credit Risk Custodial Credit Risk for deposits is the risk that, in the event of the failure of a depository financial institution, the Department will not be able to recover its 74 - Restricted Pension Maturity Moody's Investments Trust Date Rating Government agency bonds Freddie Mac $ 2,200,000 $ - 9/15/2020 AAA Freddie Mac - 1,000,000 9115/2020 AAA Total $ 2,200,000 $ 1,000,000 Disclosures Relating to Credit Risk Generally, credit risk is the risk that the issuer of an investment will not fulfill its obligation to the holder of the investment. This is measured by the assign- ing of a rating by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. Pre- sented below is the actual rating as of year end for each of the Department's (including the Pension Trust) investment types: Minimum Rating as of Year End Legal Not Investment Type Amount Rating AAA Rated Government agency bonds $ 3,200,000 N/A $ 3,200,000 $ - Total $ 3,200,000 $ 3,200,000 $ - Concentration of Credit Risk The Department follows the Town of Reading's investment policy, which does not limit the amount that can be invested in any one issuer beyond that stipu- lated by Massachusetts General Laws. Investments in any one issuer (other than U.S. Treasury securities, mutual funds, and external investment pools) that represent more than 5% of the Department's total investments (including the Pension Trust investments) are as follows: Reported Issuer Investment Type Amount Freddie Mac Government agency bonds $ 3,200,000 Custodial Credit Risk Custodial Credit Risk for deposits is the risk that, in the event of the failure of a depository financial institution, the Department will not be able to recover its 74 deposits or will not be able to recover collateral securities that are in the pos- session of an outside party. The custodial credit risk for investments is the risk that, in the event of the failure of the counterparty (e.g., broker - dealer) to a transaction, the Department will not be able to recover the value of its investments or collateral securities that are in the possession of another party. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 55, limits deposits "in a bank.or trust company or banking company to an amount not exceeding sixty per cent of the capital and surplus of such bank or trust company or banking company, unless satisfactory security is given to it by such bank or trust company or banking company for such excess." The Department follows the Massachusetts statute as written, as well as the Town of Reading's deposit policy for custodial credit risk. Because the Department pools its cash with the Town of Reading, the spe- cific custodial credit risk of the Department's deposits could not be deter- mined at June 30, 2011. As of June 30, 2011, Department investments (including the Pension Trust) in the following investment types were held by the same broker - dealer (counterparty) that was used by the Department to buy the securities: Investment Type Reported Amount Government agency bonds $ 3,200,000 Total $ 3,200,000 3. Restricted Cash and Investments Restricted cash and investments consist of the following at June 30, 2011: Depreciation fund Deferred fuel reserve Rate stabilization Deferred energy conservation reserve OPEB reserve Reserve for uncollectible accounts Sick leave benefits Hazardous waste fund Customer deposits Total Cash Investments $ 4,297,944 $ 3,055,225 - 5,046,137 1,000,000 170,788 - 969,499 200,000 200,000 - 1,934,699 1,000,000 150,000 - 561,385 - $ 16,385,677 $ 2,200,000 Restricted investments are invested in government agency bonds, which will be held to maturity, and are reported at book value of $ 2,200,000. The fair market value of the investments at June 30, 2011 was $ 2,174,282. 75 The Department maintains the following restricted cash accounts: - Depreciation fund - The Department is normally required to reserve 3.0% of capital assets each year to fund capital improvements. - Deferred fuel reserve - The Department transfers the difference between the customers' monthly fuel charge adjustment and actual fuel costs into this account to be used in the event of a sudden increase in fuel costs. - Rate stabilization - This represents amounts set aside to help stabilize short-term cost increases resulting from fluctuations in purchase power costs. - Deferred energy conservation reserve - This account is used to reserve monies collected from a special energy charge added to cus- tomer bills. Customers who undertake measures to conserve and improve energy efficiency can apply for rebates that are paid from this account. OPEB reserve - This account is used to account for the Department's contributions to fund its actuarially determined Other Post - Employment Benefits (OPEB) liability. Reserve for uncollectible accounts - This account was set up to offset a portion of the Department's bad debt reserve. Sick leave benefits - This account is used to offset the Department's actuarially determined compensated absence liability. - Hazardous waste fund -This reserve was set up by the Board of Commissioners to cover the Department's insurance deductible in the event of a major hazardous materials incident. - Customer deposits - Customer deposits that are held in escrow. 4. Accounts Receivable Accounts receivable consists of the following at June 30, 2011: 76 5. I 7 Customer Accounts: 136,719 Billed $ 3,607,974 Less allowances: 99,683 Uncollectible accounts (200,000) Sales discounts (296,467) Total billed Unbilled, net Total customer accounts Other Accounts Merchandise sales 136,719 MMWEC flush 571,635 Liens and other 99,683 Total other accounts Total net receivables Prepaid Expenses Prepaid expenses consist of the following: Insurances Purchase power PASNY prepayment fund WC Fuel - Watson Total Inventory 3,111,507 4,830,294 7,941,801 � $ 8,749,838 $ 277,479 97,011 238,331 140,311 $ 753,132 Inventory is comprised of supplies and materials at June 30, 2011, and is valued using the average cost method. Investment in Associated Companies Under agreements with the New England Hydro- Transmission Electric Com- pany, Inc. (NEH) and the New England Hydro- Transmission Corporation (NHH), the Department has made the following advances to fund its equity requirements for the Hydro - Quebec Phase II interconnection. The Depart- ment is carrying its investment at cost, reduced by shares repurchased. The Department's equity position in the Project is less than one -half of one percent. 77 14 a 10. Investment in associated companies consists of the following, at -June 30, 2011: New England Hydro- Transmission Electric Company, Inc. $ 15,748 New England Hydro- Transmission Corporation 61,715 Total $ 77,463 Capital Assets The following is a summary of fiscal year 2011 activity in capital assets (in thousands): Business -Type Activities: Capital assets, being depreciated: Structures and improvements $ Equipment and furnishings Infrastructure Total capital assets, being depreciated Less accumulated depreciation for: Structures and improvements Equipment and furnishings Infrastructure Total accumulated depreciation Total capital assets, being depreciated, net Capital assets, not being depreciated: Land Total capital assets, not being depreciated Capital assets, net Accounts Payable Beginning Ending Balance Increases Decreases Balance 13,521 $ 146 $ - $ 13,667 29,251 1,181 (68) 30,364 72,602 3,176 (1,116) 74,662 115,374 4,503 (1,184) ,118,693 (6,772) (386) (7,158) (16,732) (953) 68 (17,617) 26,255 (2,114) 745 27,624 49,759 3,453 813 52,399 65,615 1,050 (371) 66,294 1,266 1,266 1,266 1,266 $ 66,881 $ 1,050 $ (371) $ 67,560 Accounts payable represent fiscal 2011 expenses that were paid after June 30, 2011. Customer Deposits This balance represents deposits received from customers that are held in escrow. m 11 12. 13. M 15. Customer Advances for Construction This balance represents deposits received from vendors in advance for work to be performed by the Department. The Department recognizes these deposits as revenue after the work has been completed. Accrued Liabilities Accrued liabilities consist of the following at June 30, 2011: Accrued payroll $ 215,991 Accrued interest 3,550 Other 171,119 Total $ 390,660 Accrued Employee Compensated Absences Department employees are granted sick leave in varying amounts. Upon retirement, termination, or death, employees are compensated for unused sick leave (subject to certain limitations) at their then current rates of pay. Restricted Net Assets The proprietary fund financial statements report restricted net assets when external constraints are placed on net assets. Specifically, restricted net assets represent depreciation fund reserves, which are restricted for future capital costs. Post - Employment Health Care and Life Insurance Benefits Other Post - Employment Benefits The Department follows GASB Statement 45, Accounting and Financial Reporting by Employers for Postemployment Benefits Other Than Pensions. Statement 45 requires governments to account for other post - employment benefits (OPEB), primarily healthcare, on an accrual basis rather than on a pay -as- you -go basis. The effect is the recognition of an actuarially required contribution as an expense on the Statement of Revenues, Expenses, and Changes in Net Assets when a future retiree earns their post - employment benefits, rather than when they use their post - employment benefit. To the extent that an entity does not fund their actuarially required contribution, a post - employment benefit liability is recognized on the Statement of Net Assets over time. II' A. Plan Description In addition to providing the pension benefits described in Note 16, the Department provides post - employment health and life insurance benefits for retired employees through the Town of Reading's Massachusetts Inter - local Insurance Association (MIIA) Health Benefits Trust. Benefits, benefit levels, employee contributions and employer contributions are governed by Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws. As of June 30, 2008, the actuarial valuation date, approximately 72 retirees and 64 active employees meet the eligibility requirements. The plan does not issue a separate financial report. B. Benefits Provided The Department provides post - employment medical, prescription drug, and life insurance benefits to all eligible retirees and their surviving spouses. All active employees who retire from the Department and meet the eligibility criteria will be eligible to receive these benefits. C. Fundina Policv As of the June 30, 2008, the actuarial valuation date, retirees were required to contribute 30% of the cost of the medical and prescription drug plan, as determined.by the MIIA Health Benefits Trust. In 2010,. this required contribution changed to 29 %. Retirees also contribute 50% of the premium for a $ 5,000 life insurance benefit. The Department contributes the remainder of the medical, prescription drug, and life insurance plan costs on a pay -as- you -go basis D. Annual OPEB Costs and Net OPEB Obligation The Department's fiscal 2011 annual OPEB expense is calculated based on the annual required contribution of the employer (ARC), an amount actuarially determined in accordance with the parameters of GASB State- ment No. 45. The ARC represents a level of funding that, if paid on an ongoing basis, is projected to cover the normal cost per year and amortize the unfunded actuarial liability over a period of twenty years. The follow- ing table shows the components of the Department's annual OPEB cost for the year ending June 30, 2011, the amount actually contributed to the plan, and the change in the Department's net OPEB obligation based on an actuarial valuation as of June 30, 2008. i Annual Required Contribution (ARC) $ 680,035 Interest on net OPEB obligation 225,946 Adjustment to ARC - Annual OPEB cost 905,981 Contributions made (553,642) Increase in net OPEB obligation 352,339 Net OPEB obligation - beginning of year 813,461 Net OPEB obligation - end of year $ 1,165,800 The Department's annual OPEB cost, the percentage of annual OPEB cost contributed to the plan, and the net OPEB obligation for fiscal year 2011 and the two preceding fiscal years were as follows: The Department's net OPEB obligation as of June 30, 2011 is recorded as a component of the "noncurrent liabilities" line item in the Statements of Net Assets. E. Funded Status and Funding Progress The funded status of the plan as of June 30, 2008, the date of the most recent actuarial valuation was as follows: Actuarial accrued liability (AAL) $ 8,085,388 Actuarial value of plan assets - Unfunded actuarial accrued liability (UAAL) $ 8,085,388 Funded ratio (actuarial value of plan assets /AAL) 0% Covered payroll (active plan members) Not available UAAL as a percentage of covered payroll Not available In fiscal year 2010, the Department's Board of Commissioners voted to accept the provisions of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 32B §20, to create an Other Post Employment Benefits Liability Trust Fund as a mechanism to set aside monies to fund its OPEB liability. In fiscal year 9E Annual Percentage of OPEB OPEB Net OPEB Fiscal year ended Cost Cost Contributed Obligation 06/30/09 $ 890,140 50.97% $ 436,402 06/30/10 $ 878,668 57.09% $ 813,461 06/30/11 $ 905,981 61.11% $ 1,165,800 The Department's net OPEB obligation as of June 30, 2011 is recorded as a component of the "noncurrent liabilities" line item in the Statements of Net Assets. E. Funded Status and Funding Progress The funded status of the plan as of June 30, 2008, the date of the most recent actuarial valuation was as follows: Actuarial accrued liability (AAL) $ 8,085,388 Actuarial value of plan assets - Unfunded actuarial accrued liability (UAAL) $ 8,085,388 Funded ratio (actuarial value of plan assets /AAL) 0% Covered payroll (active plan members) Not available UAAL as a percentage of covered payroll Not available In fiscal year 2010, the Department's Board of Commissioners voted to accept the provisions of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 32B §20, to create an Other Post Employment Benefits Liability Trust Fund as a mechanism to set aside monies to fund its OPEB liability. In fiscal year 9E 2011, the department contributed $ 1,165,800 to this fund, which was equal to its actuarially determined OPEB liability at June 30, 2011. Because these monies are not held in an irrevocable trust supported by a trust instrument, as required by GASB 45, they are reported as restricted net assets on the Department's Statements of Net Assets. Actuarial valuations of an ongoing plan involve estimates of the value of reported amounts and assumptions about the probability of events far into the future. Examples include assumptions about future employment, mortality, and the healthcare cost trend. Amounts determined regarding the funded status of the plan and the annual required contributions of the employer are subject to continual revision as actual results are compared to past expectations and new estimates are made about the future. The schedule of funding progress, presented as required supplementary information following the notes to the financial statements, presents multi- year trend information about whether the actuarial value of plan assets is increasing or decreasing over time relative to the actuarial accrued liability for benefits. F. Actuarial Methods and Assumptions Projections of benefits for financial reporting purposes are based on the plan as understood by the Department and the plan members and include the types of benefits provided at the time of each valuation and the his- torical pattern of sharing of benefit costs between the Department and plan members to that point. The actuarial methods and assumptions used include techniques that are designed to reduce short-term volatility in actuarial accrued liabilities and the actuarial value of assets, consistent with the long -term perspective of the calculations. In the June 30, 2008 actuarial valuation, the Projected Unit Credit actuarial cost method was used. The actuarial value of assets was not determined, as the Department has not advance funded its obligation. The actuarial assumptions included a 7.75% investment rate of return and an initial annual health care cost trend rate of 10.0% which decreases to a 5.0% long -term rate for all health care benefits after seven years. The amortiza- tion costs for the initial UAAL is a level percentage of payroll amortization, with amortization payments increasing at 2.5% per year for a period of 20 years. 16. Pension Plan The Department follows the provisions of GASB Statement No. 27, (as amended by GASB 50) Accounting for Pensions for State and Local Government Employees, with respect to the employees' retirement funds. Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws assigns the System the authority to establish and amend benefit provisions of the plan, and the M. State legislature has the authority to grant cost -of- living increases. The System issues a publicly available financial report which can be obtained through the Town of Reading Contributory Retirement system at Town Hall, Reading, MA. A. Plan Description The Department contributes to the Town of Reading Contributory Retire- ment System (the System), a cost - sharing, multiple - employer,. defined benefit pension plan administered by a Town Retirement Board. The System provides retirement, disability and death benefits to plan mem- bers and beneficiaries. Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws assigns the System the authority to establish and amend benefit provi- sions of the plan, and grant cost -of- living increases. B. Fundino Policy Plan members are required to contribute to the System at rates ranging from 5% to 11 % of annual covered compensation. The Department is required to pay into the System its share of the remaining system wide actuarially determined contribution plus administration costs which are apportioned among the employers based on active covered payroll. The contributions of plan members and the Department are governed by Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws. The Department's con- tributions to the System for the years ended June 30, 2011, 2010, and 2009 were $ 1,278,695, $ 919,336, and $ 896,185, respectively, which were equal to its annual required contributions for each of these years. 17. Participation in Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company The Town of Reading, acting through its Light Department, is a participant in certain Projects of the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company ( MMWEC). MMWEC is a public corporation and a political subdivision of the Common- wealth of Massachusetts, created as a means to develop a bulk power supply for its Members and other utilities. MMWEC is authorized to construct, own, or purchase ownership interests in, and to issue revenue bonds to finance, electric facilities (Projects). MMWEC has acquired ownership interests in electric facilities operated by other entities and also owns and operates its own electric facilities. MMWEC sells all of the capability (Project Capability) of each of its Projects to its Members and other utilities (Project Participants) under Power Sales Agreements (PSAs). Among other things, the PSAs require each Project Participant to pay its pro rata share of MMWEC's costs related to the Project, which costs include debt service on the revenue bonds issued by MMWEC to finance the Project, plus 10% of MMWEC's debt ser- m vice to be paid into a Reserve and Contingency Fund. In addition, should a Project Participant fail to make any payment when due, other Project Partici- pants of that Project may be required to increase (step -up) their payments and correspondingly their Participant's share of that Project's Project Capa- bility to an additional amount not to exceed 25% of their original Participant's share of that Project's Project Capability. Project Participants have cove- nanted to fix, revise, and collect rates at least sufficient to meet their obliga- tions under the PSAs. MMWEC has issued separate issues of revenue bonds for each of its eight Projects, which are payable solely from, and secured solely by, the reve- nues derived from the Project to which the bonds relate, plus available funds pledged under MMWEC's Amended and Restated General Bond Resolution (GBR) with respect to the bonds of that Project. The MMWEC revenues derived from each Project are used solely to provide for the payment of the bonds of any bond issue relating to such Project and to pay MMWEC's cost of owning and operating such Project and are not used to provide for the payment of the bonds of any bond issue relating to any other Project. MMWEC operates the Stony Brook Intermediate Project and the Stony Brook Peaking Project, both fossil - fueled power plants. MMWEC has a 3.7% interest in the W.F. Wyman Unit No. 4 plant, which is operated and owned by its majority owner, FPL Energy Wyman IV, LLC, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources LLC (formerly FPL Energy LLC), and a 4.8% ownership interest in the Millstone Unit 3 nuclear unit, operated by Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc. (DNCI), the majority owner and an indirect subsidiary'of Dominion Resources, Inc. DNCI also owns and operates the Millstone Unit 2 nuclear unit. The operating license for the Millstone Unit 3 nuclear unit extends to November 25, 2045. A substantial portion of MMWEC's plant investment and financing program is an 11.6% ownership interest in the Seabrook Station nuclear generating unit operated by NextEra Energy Seabrook, LLC (NextEra Seabrook) (formerly FPL Energy Seabrook LLC), the majority owner and an indirect subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources LLC (formerly FPL Energy LLC). The operating license for Seabrook Station extends to March, 2030: NextEra Seabrook has submitted an application to extend the Seabrook Station operating license for an additional 20 years. Pursuant to the PSAs, the MMWEC Seabrook and Millstone Project Partici- pants are liable for their proportionate share of the costs associated with decommissioning the plants, which costs are being funded through monthly Project billings. Also the Project Participants are liable for their proportionate share of the uninsured costs of a nuclear incident that might be imposed under the Price - Anderson Act (Act). Originally enacted in 1957, the Act has been renewed several times. In July 2005, as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Congress extended the Act until the end of 2025. Reading Municipal Light Department has entered into PSAs and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with MMWEC. Under both the PSAs and PPAs, the Department is required to make certain payments to MMWEC payable solely from Department revenues. Under the PSAs, each Participant is unconditionally obligated to make all payments due to MMWEC, whether or not the Project(s) is completed or operating, and notwithstanding the suspension or interruption of the output of the Project(s). MMWEC is involved in various legal actions. In the opinion of MMWEC management, the outcome of such actions will not have a material adverse effect on the financial position of the company. Seven municipal light departments that are Participants under PSAs with MMWEC have submitted a demand for arbitration of a dispute relating to charges under the PSAs. MMWEC cannot predict the outcome of the arbitration demand, but in the opinion of MMWEC management, it will not have a material adverse effect on the financial position of MMWEC. Total capital expenditures for MMWEC's Projects amounted to $ 1,578,484,000, of which $ 113,067,000 represents the amount associated with the Depart- ment's share of Project Capability of the Projects in which it participates, although such amount is not allocated to the Department. MMWEC's debt outstanding for the Projects includes Power Supply System Revenue Bonds totaling $ 358,420,000, of which $ 17,135,000 is associated with the Depart- ment's share of Project Capability of the Projects in which it participates, although such amount is not allocated to the Department. After the July 1, 2011 principal payment, MMWEC's total future debt service requirement on outstand- ing bonds issued for the Projects is $ 420,481,000, of which $ 19,693,000 is anticipated to be billed to the Department in the future. The estimated aggregate amount of Reading Municipal Light Department's required payments under the PSAs and PPAs, exclusive of the Reserve and Contingency Fund billings, to MMWEC at June 30, 2011 and estimated for future years is shown below. In addition, under the PSAs, the Department is required to pay to MMWEC its share of the Operation and Maintenance (O &M) costs of the Projects in M Annual Costs For years ended June 30, 2012 $ 4,583,000 2013 4,315,000 2014 3,706,000 2015 2,729,000 2016 2,700,000 2017-2020 1,660,000 Total $ 19,693,000 In addition, under the PSAs, the Department is required to pay to MMWEC its share of the Operation and Maintenance (O &M) costs of the Projects in M 18. 19. which it participates. The Department's total O &M costs including debt service under the PSAs were $ 14,683,000 and $ 14,350,000 for the years ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Environmental Remediation In August of 2009, while working on a transformer upgrade project at the Gaw Substation, the Department discovered soil that was contaminated with poly- chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). This contamination was traced to a capacitor bank lineup located on the south side of the Gaw Substation control house. Once utilized to stabilize voltage, these capacitor banks were removed from the Substation decades prior to the onset of the transformer upgrade project. Site cleanup at Gaw Substation was conducted by a Commonwealth. of Massachusetts Licensed Site Professional in compliance with United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP) regulations. Analysis, soil sampling, and remediation of the contaminated area began in fiscal year 2010 and were completed in fiscal year 2011. As of June 30, 2011, environmental remediation costs related to the Gaw Substation project totaled $ 2,482,826, of which, $ 1,386,395 was expended in fiscal year 2011. The Department has temporarily modified its rate structure to include a Hazardous Material Charge of $ 0.001 /kWh, which is designed to recover a portion of the Gaw Substation soil remediation costs ovef the next three years. Leases Related Party Transaction - Property Sub -Lease The Department is sub - leasing facilities to the Reading Massachusetts Town Employees Federal Credit Union. The original sub -lease agreement commenced in December 2000 and ended in November 2005. A new agree- ment, which extended the lease through November 30, 2008, was signed on December 1, 2005. An additional amendment, effective December 1, 2008, extends the lease through November 30, 2011. The following is the future minimum rental income for the years ending June 30: 2012 $ 3,630 Total $ 3,630 :. 20. NStar Radial Transmission Charges Effective November 10, 1979, RMLD entered into FERC Rate Schedule No. 125 with Boston Edison Co. (now NStar) to transmit power to the Gaw Substation over two radial 115kV transmission lines (Lines 211 -503 and 211- 504). Rate Schedule No. 125 provided for RMLD to pay $ 11,635 per month for the "support" (i.e., operation and maintenance costs) of these radial transmission lines. In approximately April 2003, NStar and National Grid constructed new facilities which "looped" Lines 211 -503 and 211 -504 and made them eligible for treatment as Pool Transmission Facilities ( "PTF "). Once Lines 211 -503 and 211 -504 were reclassified from radial to PTF facilities, their costs became eligible for recovery through Regional Network Service rates paid by all customers under the ISO New England ( "ISO -NE ") Tariff under either of two alternatives. First, NStar could have rolled -in the costs associated with those lines to its revenue requirement for Regional Network Service rates, which would be socialized by NStar throughout all New England. Second, NStar could have left Rate Schedule No. 125 in place as a "grandfathered" support agreement, and RMLD could have included the charges it paid under Rate Schedule No. 125 in its revenue requirement for the Regional Network Service Rates, which would be socialized by RMLD throughout all New England. However, RMLD was not notified that Lines 211 -503 and 211 -504 had been reclassified as PTF, and NStar left Rate Schedule No. 125 in place without advising RMLD of the opportunity to include its costs under that Rate Schedule in RMLD's revenue requirement for Regional Network Service rates. In May 2011, RMLD discovered that NStar Lines 211 -503 and 211 -504 had been reclassified as PTF and that continuation of Rate Schedule No. 125 in effect without including RMLD's payments in Regional Network Service (RSN) rates was no long appropriate. RMLD contacted NStar, and with the assis- tance of legal counsel, was able to terminate Rate Schedule No. 125 effective June 1, 2011. In light of the fact that Rate Schedule No. 125 contained a limitation of claims clause, previously upheld by the federal courts, that limited RMLD's ability to challenge to bills issued within the previous twelve months, RMLD determined that its customers were better off if RMLD incorporated the costs of the terminated agreement in its RNS revenue requirement, through a true -up mechanism, for the prior twelve months and for the five months of 2011 during which Rate Schedule No. 125 had been in effect. Between June 1, 2011 and May 31, 2014, the use of the RNS revenue requirement true -up mechanism will recover $ 198,000 in charges paid under Rate Schedule No. 125 through adjustments in RMLD's purchased power costs. The value of payments made under Rate Schedule No. 125 between June 2003 and December 2009 which cannot be recovered due to the claims limitation under Rate Schedule No. 125 and the limited scope of available cost recovery under the ISO -NE Tariff is $1,094,968. MW (This page intentionally left blank.) :: TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS SCHEDULE OF FUNDING PROGRESS REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION June 30, 2011 (Unaudited) (Amounts Expressed in thousands) Employees' Retirement System Other Post - Employment Benefits Actuarial UAAL as UAAL as Actuarial Accrued a Percent - Actuarial Accrued a Percent - Actuarial Liability Unfunded Value of Liability AAL age of Actuarial Value of (AAL) - AAL Funded Covered Covered Valuation Payroll Assets Entry Age (UAAL) Ratio (a/b) Payroll Payroll Date $ f?) $ 60,023 (b-) (a/b) N/A fpl b -a /c 06/30/00 $ 54,076 $ 78,486 $ 24,410 68.9% $ 15,798 154.5% 06/30/01 $ 58,286 $ 82,550 $ 24,264 70.6% $ 16,129 150.4% 06/30/02 $ 60,933 $ 86,888 $ 25,955 70.1% $ 16,855 154.0% 06/30/03 $ 62,897 $ 91,302 $ 28,405 68.9% $ 16,734 169.7% 06/30/04 $ 66,850 $ 95,961 $ 29,111 69.7% $ 17,487. 166.5% 06/30/05 $ 71,468 $ 102,153 $ 30,685 70.0% $ 18,048 170.0% 06/30/06 $ 77,151 $ 106,238 $ 29,087 72.6% $ 18,860 154.2% 06/30/07 $ 84,784 $ 112,012 $ 27,228 75.7% $ 19,313 141.0% 06/30/09 $ 83,167 $ 121,918 $ 38,751 68.2% $ 21,005 184.5% Other Post - Employment Benefits See Independent Auditor's Report w UAAL as Actuarial a Percent - Actuarial Accrued Unfunded age of Actuarial Value of Liability AAL Funded Covered Covered Valuation Assets (AAL) (UAAL) Ratio Payroll Payroll Date (al (b) (b-a) (a/b) Ll b-a /c 06/30/08 $ $ 60,023 $ 60,023 0.0% 'N /A N/A 06/30/11 $ 1,167 $ 94,458 $ 93,291 1.24% N/A N/A See Independent Auditor's Report w TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS COMBINING BALANCE SHEET NONMAJOR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS JUNE 30, 2011 all Special Revenue Funds Federal State Revolving Receipts Grants Grants Funds Reserved ASSETS Cash and short-term investments $ 15,029 $ 789,121 $ 2,511,236 $ 1,620,159 Investments - - - - Receivables: Intergovernmental 79,202 - 38,816 - Total Assets $ 94,231 $ 789,121 $ 2,550,052 $ 1,620,159 LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCE Liabilities: Warrants payable $ 93,400 $ 52,512 $ 81,709 $ - Deferred revenue - - 38,816 - Notes payable - - - - Retainage payable - - - Total Liabilities 93,400 52,512 120,525 - Fund Balances: Non - spendable - - - - Restricted 15,117 794,151 2,429,527 1,620,159 Committed - - - - Unassigned 1( 4,286) (57,542) - - Total Fund Balance 831 736,609 2,429,527 1,620,159 Total Liabilities and Fund Balance $ 94,231 $ 789,121 $ 2,550,052 $ 1,620,159 all Special Revenue Funds Other Gifts and Trust Trust Donations Funds Funds Subtotals $ 555,091 $ 98,008 $ 195,663 - 8,593,164 - $ 555,091 $ 8,691,172 $ 195,663 $ 7,728 $ 3,574 7,728 3,574 - 2,833,730 .547,363 5,853,868 547,363 $ 555,091 8,867,596 $ 8,691,172 91 195,663 195,663 $ 195,663 $ 5,784,307 8,593,164 118,018 $ 14,495,489 $ 238,923 38,816 277,739 2,833,730 11,455,848 (71,828) 14,217,750 $ 14,495,489 (continued) TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS COMBINING BALANCE SHEET NONMAJOR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS JUNE 30, 2011 (continued) 92 Capital Project Funds Total Town School Nonmajor Capital Capital Governmental Proiect Funds Proiect Funds Subtotals Funds ASSETS Cash and short-term investments $ 433,067 $ 1,572,846 $ 2,005,913 $ 7,790,220 Investments - - - 8,593,164 Receivables: Intergovernmental - - - 118.018 Total Assets $ 433,067 $ 1,572,846 $ 2,005,913 $ 16,501,402 LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCE Liabilities: Warrants payable $ 55,423 $ 15,602 $ 71,025 $ 309,948 Deferred revenue - - - 38,816 Notes payable - 140,000 140,000 140,000 Retainage payable - 1,104,104 1,104,104 1,104,104 Total Liabilities 55,423 - 1,259,706 1,315,129 1,592,868 Fund Balances: Non - spendable - - - 2,833,730 Restricted 227,644 376,299 603,943 12,059,791 Committed 150,000 - 150,000 150,000 Unassigned - (63,159) (63,159) (134,987) Total Fund Balance 377,644 313,140 690,784 14,908,534 Total Liabilities and Fund Balance - $ 433,067 $ 1,572,846 $ 2,005,913 5 16,501,402 92 (This page intentionally left blank.) 93 9 TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS COMBINING STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES NONMAJOR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 Nr Special Revenue Funds Federal State Revolving Receipts Grants Grant s Funds Reserved Revenues: Departmental $ - $ - $ 4,161,613 $ 36,270 Intergovemmental 2,664,743 1,717,113 152,614 - Investment income - - 68 3,603 Other 20,131 3,251 Total Revenues 2,664,743 1,717,113 4,334,426 43,124 1 Expenditures: Current: General government - 16,711 17,282 Public safety 95,099 81,392 430,806 - Education 2,552,853 817,019 3,131,995 - Public works - 208,152 - - Health and human services 102,079 48,381 15,298 - Culture and recreation 10,113 8,310 419,002 Total Expenditures 2,760,144 1,179,965 4,014,383 Excess (deficiency) of revenues over (under) expenditures (95,401) 537,148 320,043 43,124 Other Financing Sources (Uses): Transfers out (157,219) (328,251) Total Other Financing Sources (Uses) (157,219) (328,251) Change in fund balances (95,401) 537,148 162,824 (285,127) Fund Balances, beginning of year 96,232 199,461 2,266,703 1,905,286 Fund Balances, end of year $ 831 $ 736,609 $ 2,429,527 $ 1,620,159 Nr Soecial Revenue Funds 25,418 32,789 Other 92,200 Gifts and Trust - Twat 615,308 Donations Funds Funds Subtotals $ - $ - $ - $ 4,197,883 - - - 4,534,470 - 683,912 6,462 694,045 397,318 2,070 7,232 422,770 397,318 685,982 6,462 9,849,168 25,418 32,789 - 92,200 8,011 - - 615,308 121,606 - 7,232 6,630,705 3,441 125,499 - 337,092 2,096 117,245 - 285,099 393,961 831,386 554,533 275,533 7,232 8,791,790 (157,215) 410,449 (770) 1,057,376 (95,000) (580,470) (95,000) (580,470) (252,215) 410,449 (770) 476,908 799,578 8,277,149 196,433 13,740,842 $ 547,363 $ 8,687,598 $ 195,663 $ 14,217,750 - (wntinued) 95 TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS COMBINING STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES NONMAJOR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 (continued) Revenues: Departmental Intergovernmental Investment income Other Total Revenues Expenditures: Current General government - Public safety Education Public works Health and human services Culture and recreation Total Expenditures Excess (deficiency) of revenues over (under) expenditures Other Financing Sources (Uses): Transfers out Total Other Financing Sources (Uses) Change in fund balances Fund Balances, beginning of year Fund Balances, end of year Capital Project Funds Town School Capital Capital Pro act Funds Proiect Funds Subtotals Total Nonmajor Governmental Funds $ - $ - $ - $ 4,197,883 - 120,000 120,000 4,654,470 - - - 694,045 422,770 - 120,000 120,000 9,969,168 200,288 - 200,286 292,488 - - - 615,308 - 2,610,400 2,610,400 9,241,105 21,866 - 21,866 358,958 - - - 285,099 4,409 4,409 835,795 226,563 2,610,400 2,836,963 11,628,753 (226,563) (2,490,400) (2,716,963) (1,659,585) (580,470) (580,470) (226,563) (2,490,400) (2,716,963) (2,240,055) 604,207 2,803,540 3,407,747 17,148,589 $ 377,644 $ 313,140 $ 690,784 $ 14,908,534 W. TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS NONMAJOR PROPRIETARY FUNDS COMBINING SCHEDULE OF NET ASSETS JUNE 30, 2011 ASSETS Current: Cash and short-term investments User fees, net of allowance for uncollectibles Inventory Total current assets Noncurrent: Capital assets being depreciated, net Capital assets not being depreciated Total noncurrent assets TOTAL ASSETS LIABILITIES Current: Warrants payable Other current liabilities Current portion of long -tens liabilities: Bonds payable Total current liabilities Noncurrent: Bonds payable, net of current portion Accrued employee benefits Net OPEB obligation Total noncurrent liabilities TOTAL LIABILITIES NET ASSETS Invested in capital assets, net of related debt Unrestricted TOTAL NET ASSETS See notes to financial statements. Business -Type Activities Enterprise Funds 5,969,180 Landfill 61,761 - - 61,761 Sewer Closure and Slormwater 68,142 1,437,267 10,703,536 Fund Postdosure Management Total $ 1,658,643 $ 68,142 $ 929,554 $ 2,656,339 1,505,035 - 116,081 1,621,116 3,508 - 15,572 3,508 3,167,186 68,142 1,045,635 4,280,963 5,969,180 - 391,632 6,360,812 61,761 - - 61,761 6,030,941 391,632 6,422,573 9,198,127 68,142 1,437,267 10,703,536 28,668 - 1,724 30,392 - 68,142 - 68,142 117,965 117,965 146,633 68,142 1,724 216,499 118,131 - - 118,131 9,317 - 15,572 24,889 88,634 10,950 99,584 216,082 - 26,522 242,604 362,715 68,142 28,246 459,103 5,837,282 391,632 6,228,914 2,998,130 1,017,389 4,015,519 $ 8,835,412 $ $ 1,409,021 $ 10,244,433 97 TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS NONMAJOR PROPRIETARY FUNDS COMBINING SCHEDULE OF REVENUES, EXPENSES AND CHANGES IN FUND NET ASSETS FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 Business -Type Activities Enterprise Funds Landfill Sewer Closure and Stormwater Fund Postclosure Management Total Operating Revenues Charges for services $ 5,520,310 Total Operating Revenues 5,520,310 Operating Expenses: 479,477 Personnel expenses 397,064 Non personnel expenses 97,518 Intergovernmental 3,922,082 Depreciation 347,857 Energy purchases 26,782 Total Operating Expenses 4,791,303 Operating Income 729,007 Nonoperating Revenues (Expenses): (3,148) Investment income 2,563 Interest expense (3,148) Total Nonoperating Revenues (Expenses) (585) Income Before Transfers 728,422 Transfers (out) (259,004) Change in Net Assets 469,418 Net Assets at Beginning of Year 8,365,994 Net Assets at End of Year $ 8,835,412 See notes to financial statements. KI $ - $ 401,309 $ 5,921,619 - 401,309 5,921,619 - 82,413 479,477 - 41,653 139,171 - - 3,922,082 - 12,227 360,084 26,782 - 136,293 4,927,596 - 265,016 994,023 837 3,400 (3,148) 265,853 994,275 - (259,004) - 265,853 735,271 1,143,168 9,509,162 $ $ 1,409,021 $ 10,244,433 TOWN OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS NONMAJOR PROPRIETARY FUNDS COMBINING SCHEDULE OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,2011 Cash Flows From Operating Activities: Receipts from customers and users Payments to vendors and employees Payments to other governments Net Cash Provided By (Used For) Operating Activities Cash Flows From Noncapital Financing Activities: Transfer out Net Cash Provided By (Used For) Noncapital Financing Activities Cash Flows From Capital and Related Financing Activities Acquisition of capital assets Principal payments on bonds and notes Interest expense Net Cash (Used For) Capital and Related Financing Activities Cash Flows From Investing Activities: Investment income Net Cash Provided By Investing Activities Net Change in Cash and Short-Term Investments Cash and Short Term Investments, Beginning of Year Cash and Short Term Investments, End of Year Reconciliation of Operating Income (Loss) to Net Cash Provided By (Used For) Operating Activttles: Operating income Adjustments to reconcile operating income (loss) to net cash provided by (used for) operating activities: Depreciation Changes in assets and liabilities: User fees receivables Inventory and prepayments Warrants payable Other liabilities OPEB liability Net Cash Provided By (Used For) Operating Activities See notes to financial statements. Business -Type Activities Entemdse Funds Landfill Sewer Closure and Stormwater Fund Postciosure Management Total $ 5,336,088 $ - $ 389,368 $ 5,725,456 (471690) (23,509) (127,874) (623,073) (3,922,082) - 10,950 (3,922,082) 942,316 (23,509) 261,494 1,180,301 (259,004) (259,004) (259,004) - - (259,004) (219,671) - (287,811) (507,482) (117,965) (117,965) (3,148) (3,148) (340,784) - (287,811) (628,595) 2,563 837 3,400 2,563 - 837 3,400 345,091 (23,509) (25,480) - 296,102 1,313,552 91,651 955,034 2,360,237 $ 1,658,643 $ 68,142 $ 929,554 $ 2,656,339 $ 729,007 $ - 347,857 - (184,222) - (286) - (5,253) - 4,334 (23,509) 50,879 $ 942,316 $ 23,509 non, $• 265,016 $ 994,023 12,227 360,084 (11,941) (196,163) (286) (13,600) (18,853) (1,158) (20,333) 10,950 61,829 $ 261,494 $ 1,180,301 ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT Board of Selectmen Selectmen James Bonazoli and Ben Tafoya were re- elected to three year terms. For Fiscal Year 2012, Camille Anthony served as Chairman, Stephen Goldy served as Vice Chairman and Ben Tafoya served as Secretary. Avery Stroman and Jordan Coleman were appointed as the Youth Liaisons to the Board of Selectmen. Personnel and Volunteers The Board of Selectmen: • Reappointed Gail LaPointe as Town Accountant. In late 2011 the Town learned that Town Accountant Gail LaPointe would be retiring in June of 2012. Gail has served ably as Town Accountant for six years. Reappointed Brackett and Lucas as Town Counsel. Town Administration: • Administrative Secretary Lillian Marino's position was eliminated due to budget cuts. • Marianna Corrente replaced Rachel Boschetti as the Receptionist. • As part of the necessary restructuring of Town government, several senior positions were restructured, and this meant the retirement of Conservation Administrator Fran Fink, and Technology Administrator Bill Connors. Public Health Administrator Larry Ramdin and Elder/Human Services Administrator Dawn Folopoulos left Reading for other employment. In the area of Boards, Committees and Commissions, the Board of Selectmen: • Approved the policy establishing a Fall Street Faire Committee. • Rescinded the policy on the Land Bank Committee. • Rescinded. the policy on the Telecommunications and Technology Advisory Committee. • Approved the policy establishing the ad hoc Committee on Amplified Sound in Parks. The following individuals were either newly appointed or re- appointed by the Board of Selectmen to the following Boards, Committees or Commissions: • Animal Control Appeals Committee - Tina Ohlson. • Board of Appeals — John Miles and Damase Caouette. • Board of Cemetery Trustees — Olive Hecht and Janet Baronian. • Board of Health — Andrew Friedman. • Board of Registrars — Harry Simmons. • Advisory Committee on the Cities for Climate Protection Program — David Williams, Ronald D'Addario, Gina Snyder (Associate), Michele Benson (Associate), and Laurie Ann Sylvia (Associate). 10111 • Commissioners of Trust Funds — Elizabeth Klepeis and Stephen Gold. • Community Planning and Development Commission — Charles Adams, David Tuttle, George Katsou£s (Associate), and William Keating (Associate). • Conservation Commission — William Hecht and Tom Laughlin. • Constable — Sally Hoyt. • Council on Aging — Carol Oniskey, Jean Prato, Kevin Walsh, and Dorothy Derosa. • Cultural Council — Margaret Caouette, and Colleen O'Shaughnessy. • Economic Development Committee — Ben Yoder, Sheila Clarke, Michelle Ferullo (Associate), Maria Higgins (Associate), Karl Weld (Associate), and John Russell (Associate). • Historical Commission — Janann Ali, Roberta Sullivan, and Virginia Adams (Associate). • Human Relations Advisory Committee — Carie Ann Torrence, and Robin Decker (Associate). • RCTV Board of Directors — Edward Smethurst. • Reading Ice Arena Authority — Carl McFadden. • Recreation Committee — Adam Chase, Richard Hand, and Joseph Rossetti (Associate). • RMLD Citizen Advisory Board — Tony Capobianco. • Trails Committee — Alan Rosh and William Finch (Associate). • Volunteer Appointment Subcommittee — Ben Tafoya and James Bonazoli. Licensing and Permits In the area of licenses, the Board of Selectmen approved: • Delegated approval of A -Frame Signs to the Town Manager. • Approved an application for a Junk Dealer's License (precious metal) at 75 Haven Street. • Approved a Special Liquor License for the Fall Street Faire. • Approved an application for Waiver of Retail Sales before 6:00 a.m. for JK Market, 211 Main Street. The Reading Police conducted a sting operation that resulted in the Board of Selectmen suspending five liquor licenses including Bangkok Spice Thai Restaurant, Knights of Columbus, Oye's Restaurant, Fuddruckers, and The Wine Shop. Each license was suspended for three days for selling alcohol to a minor. The Board also held a hearing on Oye's violation of Board of Selectmen Policies regarding not having a manager on duty. Community Development The Board of Selectmen approved the first application for outdoor dining for two tables at Sammy Jo's Bakery and Cafe at 2 Haven Street. A resident's petition was presented to the Board of Selectmen regarding use of amplified sound at Morton Field on Sundays from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. by the Reading Bulldogs. The request was 101 for the Selectmen to overturn the permit issued by the Recreation Committee because the sound is intrusive and impacts the residents' right to peace. As a result of this request the Board of Selectmen rescinded the permit for the Reading Bull Dogs team to use amplified sound and then voted to allow them to only play the National Anthem and announce the players. The Selectmen later created an ad hoc committee to create a policy regarding amplified sound in parks. The Board reviewed a presentation of the Glen Meadow Park Master Plan at the Barrows School. The plan included keeping the tennis courts but moving them closer to Stewart Road to give a buffer with the playground. The plan also includes a small retaining wall along the walkway to help with erosion and a guardrail to keep cars from driving down the hill. Irrigation is needed for the ball field and a new backstop is also needed. The Board of Selectmen voted in favor of the federally funded Safe Routes to School project to construct and reconstruct curb, and sidewalks on portions of Temple Street, Woburn Street, Washington Street, Prescott Street, Riverside Avenue, and Sunnyside Avenue. Security and Safety Following the shooting death of a resident in Reading, and the death of another Reading resident outside of the community, Reading conducted a series of three Community Dialogues this fall centered on the issues of Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention in Reading. A direct outcome of those dialogues is a coordinated approach in the FY 2013 budget to address these issues through education, treatment, and enforcement. Infrastructure Significant progress (although never enough) is being made on road reconstruction and improvements, and over the next 3 to 4 fiscal year, including FY 2012, an additional infusion of one time revenues is being devoted to road improvements — over $300,000 in additional funds in FY 12, FY 13, and projected for FY 14. The grand opening of the Matters Cabin was held on April 30, 2012. This project was made possible from a sizeable grant that paid for materials; the Northeast Regional Vocational School did the work and Jordan's Furniture and other businesses also made donations. The need for a new Cemetery Garage was reviewed during 2011. The Board of Selectmen voted to endorse the further exploration of two sites — Laurel Hill site and Forest Glen site — for the new location of a new Cemetery Garage. They further instructed the Town Manager to include in . the FY2013 Capital Improvement Program funding for design of the two sites and to utilize whatever other funds and other resources that may be available prior to that date for further site evaluation and planning work. The Board of Selectmen approved two 30 minute parking spaces from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM for 505 and 519 Main Street (Quick Stop)-due to the constant use of parking spaces by Grumpy Doyle's customers. 1EM The Selectmen reviewed the options of selling various parcels of town owned land. After much review, the Board of Selectmen directed the Town Manager to have appraisals done of town owned property on Lothrop Road and Audubon Road. The Reading Public Library is 116 years old and in need of more space and updating. The Library Board reviewed their needs and decided to update and add on to the current Library. The Children's Room will be expanded and there will also be additional meeting room space. Expanding out will also solve a lot of accessibility issues. Reading is on the list for grant funding and if it granted, it will need Town Meeting vote and a special election. Financial Financial issues are always central to much of the activity of the community, as the still struggling economy on a State and National level had an impact on local finances. While Reading too has been challenged by this recession, the Town's fiscal health is good. This improving Town financial picture is due in large part to the Town's ability to make difficult decisions on a timely manner. The Town continues to be fiscally conservative. Financial highlights during 2011 were: • Finance and Accounting staff began to prepare for a debt refinancing for the RMHS and Coolidge projects, and the sale took place in early 2012. The results were full payment by the State of all remaining balances owed on these projects, a refinancing with interest cost of 1.97 %, saving $400,000 in tax funds, and $5 million in excluded debt over the remaining life of the debt issues. • Restructuring of some local government services with little, if any, loss of service to the customers, primarily in the Community Services and technology areas. This resulted in regionalizing the Public Health functions by an interlocal services agreement with Melrose and Wakefield, and right sizing the Elder/Human Services, Plumbing and Gas and Wiring inspections, and Conservation functions • Development of a plan for use of one time revenues on one time expenses — mostly for much needed road improvements. • Town Meeting approval for the sale of several parcels of Town owned land, some of which should be available for sale shortly; and • Receipt of new grants totaling over $1.6 million for a variety of purposes big and small. To help regulate use of the Bancroft Avenue Tennis Courts during high demand times, the Board of Selectmen approved the "Seasonal Tennis Pass" as recommended by the Recreation Committee. The Seasonal Pass was valid from May 31, 2011 to September 2, 2011 for the hours of 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Monday — Friday (holidays excepted), for the seasonal cost of $10 per individual resident with a maximum of $25 per resident family; and $100 per individual non- residents. The Board of Selectmen, at a joint meeting with the Reading Housing Authority, voting as a committee of the whole, pursuant to the enabling legislation creating the Affordable Housing 103 Trust Fund, voted to approve funds for the Oaktree Development in Reading in the amount of $200,000 as a grant with due diligence as last money into the project. The Board of Selectmen voted to amend Section 1.5.2 of Selectmen's Policies re: use of public funds for gifts. The issue was that the policy did not allow the funds to be used for bereavement. To allow for donations to be collected the wording was changed to "accept and use funds" instead of "use of public funds." The Board of Selectmen approved the 10 year lease agreement between the Town of Reading and the Reading Ice Arena Authority for the operation and management of the Nelson S. Burbank Ice Arena at 15 Symonds Way effective February 24, 2013. The lease has two renewable terms and is consistent with the lease that has been in place for the past 12 years. Economic Development One element of our financial success is our success in economic development, highlights include: • Location of a number of new businesses in the community. • The beginning of the Oaktree project on Haven Street at the former Atlantic Supermarket site. This mixed use development, including underground parking, retail, and 53 apartments, has been used by the Massachusetts DHCD as a model of Smart Growth development • The Reading Commons project by Pulte Homes on the former Addison Wesley Pearson site is now under construction. This Gateway Smart Growth project will eventually contain 425 housing units (all condominiums), including 43 affordable units. • Calereso's has relocated to an expansive new location on South Main Street, redeveloping a somewhat blighted area at the gateway to Reading. • E -Cars has redeveloped the former Artist Shoppe site on South Main Street, and reflects the "green" orientation of the community. • The Economic Development Committee has spearheaded the placement of flower baskets and banners in downtown, using the assets of the Downtown Improvements and Events Trust established by Town Meeting a couple of years ago. • The Reading Fall Street Faire, in its 3`d year, has fast become a beloved and successful tradition in Reading, celebrated the second Sunday of September. • The Town is making progress on implementation of the Licensing & Permitting Software in the Community Services and other departments, which when fully implemented, will make tracking and the issuance of development permits and licenses easier. Eventually customers will be able to track the progress of their own permits. 104 2011 ANNUAL REPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT - CONSERVATION DIVISION Wetlands Protection Activities During 2011, the Conservation Commission reviewed 66 permit applications for proposed work and wetlands delineation. The Commission held 35 public hearings and public meetings and performed more than 156 site inspections regarding the permit applications and construction. The Commission also issued 101 decisions including permits, resource area delineations, extensions, and amendments. The Commission made final site inspections and closed 48 project files. The Commission identified and resolved 14 violations. The Administrator reviewed and signed off on 850 building permits and 31 minor projects, and performed 554 site inspections. The Commission collected $8,015.50 in filing fees under the Wetlands Protection Act and $37,074.50 under the Wetlands Protection Bylaw. Major projects under permitting review and/or construction oversight by the Commission in 2011 included: • The initial review of the work on Reading Woods by Pulte Homes at the old Addison Wesley site • The permitting and final approval of eCars at the old Artist Shoppe on Main Street. • The clean-up of all the hazardous waste at the Gas substation on West Street. The approval of major renovation at the Cutlery Firm on John Street, rear. • The removal of a building by National Grid at the Walkers Brook location. The staffing changes under the reorganization effective July 1, 2011 were a result of budget cuts. A part time (temporary) Conservation Administrator was hired in July. Along with the staffing changes, the regulations governing conservation were under review. A Survey was posted on the website and was sent via direct mail to both applicants and abutters to solicit input. As a result of the feedback from the survey, it became apparent that there was a need to streamline and simplify the Conservation Commission regulations. The Commission was asked by the Board of Selectmen (BOS) to consider rescinding the Local Wetland By -Law. After the discussion, the rescission did not go forward. The BOS asked the Commission to examine in -depth the existing local bylaw and regulations with an eye toward simplifying it. The Commission created an ad -hoc Committee which examined the local bylaw and proposed changes. As a result of the work, Town Meeting voted to amend the local bylaw to simplify it. The Commission has worked and continues to work on revisions to the regulations to keep protection at the current levels but simplify the regulations. The Commission participated in the Earth Day Fair and the Economic Development Summit Meeting. Natural Resources Conservation Activities 105 Conservation secured a Recreational Trails Grant for improvements in Kurchian Woods. Work has begun by the Trails Committee to implement the Grant. The opening of the Mattera Cabin has provided a venue for many town wide activities. Scheduling is done by the Recreation Department with many Town groups using the facility. Conservation has welcomed nature walks led by Library staff; including an "owl prowl" in March, a spring walk in April, and a summer walk in July. Information about trail events is posted on the website, www.readingma.gov. Conservation has also continued to work closely with the Police Department to stop occasional misuse of Conservation lands, including fires and Off Road Vehicle use. With better signage and patrolling, incidents have decreased this year. Membership and Office Management The Commission began 2010 with Bill Hecht as Chairman, and Jamie Maughan, Tina Ohlson, Barbara Stewart, Annika Scanlon, Brian Tucker and Brian Sullivan. Tina Ohlson retired effective June and was replaced by Thomas Loughlin. Fran Fink, longtime administrator, retired at the end of June. In the FY 2012 budget the administrator position was reduced from full time to 20 hours per week. For about 6 weeks the Commission functioned without professional support and Commission members provided staffing. Chuck Tirone was hired as the new Conservation Administrator. Maureen Knight served for part of the year as Recording Secretary; Kim Saunders became Recording Secretary as of October 26. Commissioners and the Administrator attended various workshops and courses during the year to stay current with open space protection and wetland regulation practices, and to obtain certification on new State ethics regulations. At the request of the Board of Selectmen, the Conservation Commission formed an ad hoc committee to review the Town's Wetland Bylaws and Regulations. The committee was comprised of Commissioners (Brian Sullivan, Barbara Stewart, and Jamie Maughan) and Reading Citizens (Mark Wetzel, Will Finch, and Pat Lloyd). Meeting almost every week during the summer, the committee developed proposed changes to the Bylaws and presented them at the fall Town Meeting which passed the proposed changes. They also developed an extended list of needed enhancements for the regulations and policies. The full Commission has been working to develop specific proposals to enhance the regulations and draft policies. The Commission's office is located in the Community Services Department on the first floor of Town Hall. The phone number is 781- 942 -6616. 106 2011 ANNUAL REPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT - ELDER/HUMAN SERVICES DIVISION The Division of Elder/Human Services provides social services, advocacy, activities, transportation, educational programs, and a meal site at the Senior Center for Reading residents age 60 and over. Home - delivered meals are available for homebound elders through Mystic Valley Elder Services' Meals on Wheels program. In addition, the division offers information, support, and referrals to seniors and their adult children, friends, and caregivers about a variety of aging concerns. For those under age 60, the division provides social services and holiday programs. The staff consists of an Administrator (16 hr /wk), a Social Worker (37.5 hr /wk), a Senior Center Coordinator (35 hr /wk), a Van Driver (35 hr /wk), a Nurse Advocate (21 hr /wk) and a Clerk (19 hr /wk). Activities for the Elder /Human Services division this year included the following: o Due to a reorganization and budget cuts for FYI 2, the Administrator's position was reduced from 37.5 hr /wk to 16 hr /wk effective July 1. As a result of this change, part -time temporary help was added to lead the division through the remainder of the year. Regular meetings with staff focused on streamlining and reassigning tasks to improve efficiency without affecting service while staying within budget constraints. o In cooperation with the Reading Police Department, the Everbridge Communication System was rolled out for Elder Services. As of December 2011, 250 seniors have signed up for the program. o Visitors of the Senior Center partnered with EMARC during the holiday season to provide a Giving Tree. Seniors donated hats, mittens and gloves to 17 special needs adults living in group homes in the Town of Reading. o In collaboration with the School Department, the division continued the METCO shuttle. The shuttle uses the Elder Services' van and drivers but is funded by the METCO grant. o The Keurig Corporation generously donated a Keurig coffee maker to enhance the quality of service at the Senior Center. Social Service Our Social Worker addresses the needs and concerns of Reading residents of all ages. Assistance for those under the age of 60 often involves crisis intervention, goal- setting, information and referrals about finances, housing, mental health, and disability - related concerns. For those age 60 and over, assistance includes crisis intervention; EAP -model of case management; addressing housing concerns; mediating intergenerational disputes; intervening in cases of neglect, loneliness, or depression; coordinating appointments with area medical and social service agencies; as well as providing information and referrals with regard to nursing home placement and eligibility for State and Federal programs. Assisting relatives and friends of seniors with all 107 the above concerns is another important service our Social Worker provides. During 2011, our Social Worker had 2,847 contacts with approximately 892 people (53% fewer than last year) who required assistance of some kind. In addition, our Social Worker co- facilitates an Alzheimer's/Memory Loss Caregivers' support group at the Senior Center. Our Social Worker provides eligibility screening for, and assistance with, the Reading Food Pantry, various transportation programs, and where to file applications for Fuel Assistance. In 2011, the Social Worker completed these tasks for 123 (10% increase from 2010) individuals /families to the Reading Food Pantry, 124 (2% decrease from 2010) certifications for medical transportation and assisted 167 (8% decrease from 2010) households with their Fuel Assistance applications. Our Home Heating Financial Assistance program provided $1,100 (100% increase from 2010) in assistance during 2011. Nurse Advocate The Nurse Advocate is dedicated to helping Reading seniors manage their health care needs. The main responsibilities of the Nurse Advocate include educating, counseling and advocating for seniors. This position is interested in identifying the frailest seniors in Reading, especially those who live alone and do not have someone nearby for support. By being available to support seniors more proactively, the program will help seniors to remain healthier and more independent. Similar programs have demonstrated that such interventions can even reduce disabilities and prevent or delay institutionalization. In the past year, the Nurse Advocate has assisted 276 seniors with 823 contacts. Some of the outcomes of her work include: • helping to reduce anxiety • facilitating transition to more appropriate living situation • encouraging proactive planning • developing trusting relationships • providing referrals • advocating for seniors by problem solving with providers and/or family members • assisting with accurate diagnosis o facilitating prompt treatment and/or follow up • improved quality of life for seniors and caregivers • educating seniors regarding health/medical issue • educating caregivers • promoting self care W o prevent 911 calls o prevent hospitalizations o prevent fall, injury or disability o prevent caregiver burnout o prevent premature nursing home placement Helping seniors understand their health care needs and plan strategies for managing these needs both in the short term and future is the goal of this program. The Nurse Advocate is very knowledgeable about Alzheimer's disease. This year she co- facilitated the Alzheimer's/Memory Loss support group at the Senior Center. During the past year, there has been a consistent flow of referrals from a wide variety of sources. Both seniors and elder care professionals have shown a great deal of interest in learning about the position. There have been many notes of appreciation from seniors and their caregivers. Senior Center The Senior Center Coordinator's primary responsibility is to manage the daily operations of the Senior Center, including the care of the facility and the coordination of activities. As can be seen from the following chart, the Senior Center is a hub of activity Monday through Friday. Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Cribbage Bingo Billiards Bingo Chess Movies* Motion to Knitters Motion to Music - B.E.S.T. - Strength Music - aerobics aerobics Training Open Computer Computer Book Discussion Party Bridge Computer Lab Lessons Lessons Tai Chi Open Quilting Congressman* Open Computer Lab Computer Lab Tieme 's Office Hairdresser* Practice Bridge Yoga Open Computer AA Lab Birthday Lunch* Facials Coffee Social* Scuttlebutt* SHINE - health insurance info* Art Classes Fix -it Lamp Low Vision* Podiatry Clinic* Walgreen's* Blood Repair Pressure Clinic* SHINE* Health Visit with the* Open Blood Pressure Art Classes Insurance School Supt. Computer Lab Clinic ** Information Zumba fitness Party Bridge Visit with the* Town Manager WIR *Meet monthly * *Provided by the Reading Health Department New programs added during 2011 include: Coffee Social, Computer Classes (Monday /Wednesday), Drop -in game day, Line Dancing Massages, Painting Group, Chronic Disease Self- Management 6 week program. Support groups, like Low Vision, Scuttlebutt, the Bereavement Support Group and the Alzheimer's/Memory Loss Caregivers' group provide participants with an opportunity to express their feelings and gain insights from other participants' experiences. Guest speakers are often invited to present education and alternate viewpoints. Volunteers The division recognizes the importance of volunteers. Few of our programs would run smoothly without volunteers from the community. The volunteers themselves team new skills, meet new people, and enjoy an increased sense of self -worth. For these reasons, the division places great emphasis on offering a variety of volunteer opportunities for a diverse set of skills, abilities, and interests. The Social Worker matches volunteers to various community service positions, many of which specifically aid Reading's older population. Some of the positions filled by volunteers include Senior Center receptionists, gardeners, book discussion leaders, game leaders, income tax preparers, computer instructors, COA board members, repairmen, friendly visitors, medical escorts, office workers, newsletter editor, bread suppliers, kitchen helpers, shoppers for homebound seniors, and shopping escorts. Intergenerational projects continue to be an important teaching tool for cooperation among the generations. Students served the seniors lunch and helped with yard work. They provided entertainment at the Senior Center and prepared dinner and entertainment for the seniors at their schools. They made cards, cookies, and tray favors at holiday times. When reporting statistics, the Executive Office of Elder Affairs has requested a differentiation between "registered" volunteers and "unregistered" volunteers. Registered volunteers include those who have completed the volunteer application process including the application, Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, interview, training, placement and ongoing support. Unregistered volunteers include, but are not limited to, students, civic groups, town departments, and free performers. 110 Bereavement Support Group Visit with Selectman Goldy* Manicures Memoir Writing Massages* *Meet monthly * *Provided by the Reading Health Department New programs added during 2011 include: Coffee Social, Computer Classes (Monday /Wednesday), Drop -in game day, Line Dancing Massages, Painting Group, Chronic Disease Self- Management 6 week program. Support groups, like Low Vision, Scuttlebutt, the Bereavement Support Group and the Alzheimer's/Memory Loss Caregivers' group provide participants with an opportunity to express their feelings and gain insights from other participants' experiences. Guest speakers are often invited to present education and alternate viewpoints. Volunteers The division recognizes the importance of volunteers. Few of our programs would run smoothly without volunteers from the community. The volunteers themselves team new skills, meet new people, and enjoy an increased sense of self -worth. For these reasons, the division places great emphasis on offering a variety of volunteer opportunities for a diverse set of skills, abilities, and interests. The Social Worker matches volunteers to various community service positions, many of which specifically aid Reading's older population. Some of the positions filled by volunteers include Senior Center receptionists, gardeners, book discussion leaders, game leaders, income tax preparers, computer instructors, COA board members, repairmen, friendly visitors, medical escorts, office workers, newsletter editor, bread suppliers, kitchen helpers, shoppers for homebound seniors, and shopping escorts. Intergenerational projects continue to be an important teaching tool for cooperation among the generations. Students served the seniors lunch and helped with yard work. They provided entertainment at the Senior Center and prepared dinner and entertainment for the seniors at their schools. They made cards, cookies, and tray favors at holiday times. When reporting statistics, the Executive Office of Elder Affairs has requested a differentiation between "registered" volunteers and "unregistered" volunteers. Registered volunteers include those who have completed the volunteer application process including the application, Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, interview, training, placement and ongoing support. Unregistered volunteers include, but are not limited to, students, civic groups, town departments, and free performers. 110 During the past year, 218 registered volunteers gave 8,978 hours of service. The financial equivalent for these services is approximately $113,981 and unregistered volunteers gave 360 hours of service. Lunch time Meals The Senior Center's daily nutrition program is provided by Mystic Valley Elder Services, Inc. (MVES). In an effort to increase attendance at lunch, we often offer concurrent games, programs, and/or entertainment. There are 31 meal site volunteers who help serve and clean up after the noontime meal at the Senior Center. Socialization is an important component of this program. In 2011, a total of 4,451 lunches were served at the Senior Center. Van Transportation The van transportation program provides a vital service for those seniors that don't drive. Transportation is provided in -town for the following purposes: errands, grocery shopping, voting, medical and personal appointments, pharmacy needs, going to breakfast, and visiting the Senior Center. For younger residents, the van services offers transportation to and from the food pantry and other vital destinations. In 2011, the van provided 3,701 one -way trips. Newsletter The "Pleasantries" newsletter is a monthly publication created by the division. In July of 2011, Reading switched to Senior News Publications for printing and there is no cost to the Town for this arrangement. The company's revenue is derived from selling advertising space in the newsletter. The newsletters are delivered to approximately 2,610 senior households in Reading three times a year. This figure is significantly lower than in previous years. In an effort to lower costs, we have combined married couple households, and we now hand - deliver stacks of newsletters to senior housing developments instead of mailing them. The Burbank Trust Fund provides the funding for postage. During the other nine months, 900 copies of the newsletter are available at several locations around town. The goal of the newsletter is to increase awareness of the programs and services available to Reading's seniors and their caregivers. The newsletter also provides important information about benefit changes and helpful agencies. An annual subscription is available by mail for $5. Residents can also subscribe to the newsletter online at no cost and receive it via email. Property Tax Worker Program The division coordinates the Property Tax Worker program which allows Reading seniors to perform various tasks for Town departments in exchange for an abatement on their property taxes. The program is open to Reading residents age 65 and over or disabled, who own property 111 and have a household income that does not exceed limits set by the program. In 2011 there were 30 positions available, and each participant was permitted to earn a maximum abatement of $1,000 annually. In 2011, participants were compensated at a rate of $8.00 per hour. The program has been funded through the Assessors' Overlay account. Burbank Trust Fund In 2011 the Council on Aging approved expenditures from the Dorothy L. Burbank Trust to pay for the following: Mahjong set, repair the bingo system, a k -cup carousel for the new Keung coffee maker, Kenwood stereo for the van, the Volunteer Recognition Reception, advertisements in the Reading Recreation Community Guide, three months of postage cost for bulk mailings of the newsletter, monthly entertainment for the Senior Center's special lunch program, birthday cakes, gift certificates, and lunch for the monthly birthday celebrants. 2011 beginning balance= $261,776.00 2011 ending balance= $264,781.40 Patrons for Older Adults Support Fund In 2010 Town Meeting (Article 17) the members voted to accept a gift from the Patrons for Older Adults. The fund has established a permanent trust fund to be known as "Patrons for Older Adults Support Fund." In 2011 the Council on Aging approved expenditures from the fund to support the Volunteer Appreciation Event. 2011 beginning balance= $129,762.00 2011 ending balance= $131,020.36 Schroeder Trust Fund In 2011 funds from the Schroeder Trust were used to purchase hot Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for seniors who were going to be alone for the holidays. Thirty meals were provided for each Thanksgiving and Christmas. All meals were delivered by Council on Aging board members. 2011 beginning balance= $23,433.00 2011 ending balance= $22,970.56 Donations Many individuals and organizations have generously supported Elder/Human Services' efforts by providing money, gifts, and in -kind services. Some of the donations have included sponsorship of an event, program or meal; senior center decorations; baked goods; paper cups and plates; flowers; plants; art work; refreshments; and more. Human Services 2011 beginning balance= $5,603.00 Human Services 2011 ending balance= $6,552.39 Elder Services 2011 beginning balance = $17,175.00 Elder Services 2011 ending balance = $17,528.54 112 Holiday Programs Adopt -a- Family Once again the Reading Rotary Club and ReadingCARES coordinated the Adopt -A- Family holiday program and they did a terrific job. Elder/Human Services worked with them to help support their efforts and distribute food and gifts to families in need. The Adopt -a- Family program matched low income Reading families with confidential donors of food and gifts for children. Reading residents, businesses, out -of -town businesses that employ Reading residents, youth organizations, school groups, nursery schools, churches, and municipal departments join together to make this program a success. This past year, 77 donor groups, families, and individuals made donations of food and gifts to the Adopt -A- Family program. Recipients Households Thanksgiving Food 54 Christmas Food/Gifts 62 (129 children) COA Hot Meals The Social Worker supplies the Council on Aging with a list of 30 seniors who would welcome a Thanksgiving meal and a visitor, and another 30 for around Christmas time. (This task is more difficult than it sounds as many seniors are uncomfortable accepting assistance.) The meals are purchased from Boston Market using Schroeder Trust funds and are delivered by COA board members. Christmas Gifts The Social Worker gathers gift wishes from 25 seniors. The Young Women's League purchases, wraps and delivers the gifts. Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets The Social Worker supplies the Wakefield Elks with a list of 10 seniors who would welcome receiving a basket of uncooked holiday food. Emergency Funds The division has two revolving funds. The Elder Services Revolving Fund covers emergency situations for persons age 60 and older who lack financial resources to cover basic needs or emergencies. The Human Service Revolving Fund is for persons under age 60 who lack financial resources for emergency situations. Council on Aging Board Two new members joined the Council on Aging Board this year. The Council is currently at 10 members. The members took on many volunteer tasks this year, which is an important contribution to the Town of Reading. 113 2011 ANNUAL REPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT — HEALTH DIVISION Introduction As a result of reorganization, including budget cuts as part of the FYI Annual Budget, 2011 was a year of great change for the Health Division. The Health Administrator position was reduced to part-time with the goal of regionalizing this function. Shortly thereafter, the position was vacated and in the interim a retired Health Director worked per diem. Regionalization plans were solidified in October, when the Town of Reading signed a purchase of service agreement with the City of Melrose for Reading to join the existing Melrose/Wakefield regional health department venture. The Health Director position is now shared among the three communities. Reading's public health staff remains in their capacity serving Reading. The Board of Health, appointed by the Board of Selectmen, also had a new member this year. Andrew Friedmann joined Barbara Mead RN/NP and Dr. David Singer, DMD on the Board. In November, the Board held a joint meeting with the Wakefield and Melrose Boards of Health for presentations from EMARC and Riverside Community Cares. Work is underway to standardize fees and regulations among the three communities. Environmental Health The Health Division enforces 14 state regulations, 17 local Board of Health regulations and Town By -Laws. This includes regular inspections and responding to complaints concerning housing, food service, air quality and noise control, semi - public swimming pools, camps, tanning and animal licensing. In 2011 the division received 43 complaints and performed 466 inspections. The Health Division continues to maintain a sharps disposal kiosk for the use of Reading residents who may have medication for their families and pets that require injections. The sharps are disposed of appropriately; a safer alternative to curbside trash collection. Public Health Nursing The Public Health Nurse is responsible for the follow up of all reportable communicable diseases, immunization clinics, blood pressure clinics (33 clinics for 223 people), and health education activities (Reading Fall Street Faire, Reading Friends and Family Day, Senior Health Fair at the Senior Center, and the Reading Memorial High School Health Fair. The Nurse also is part of the team which inspects recreation camps. This year, Reading joined the state's electronic surveillance system for the communicable disease follow ups which allows for more timely and paperless work. There were 41 confirmed cases of communicable diseases for Reading residents. The annual flu clinics were held this fall, with a few changes. Due to state budget cuts, Reading did not receive any free vaccine from the Department of Public Health. All vaccine was purchased and then billed to the various insurance companies. With the new regional arrangement, residents could also take advantage of the additional clinics offered in Wakefield 114 and Melrose. A total of 1,026 flu shots were given. In addition, 4 other immunizations were administered during the year. Emergency Preparedness The Health Division continues to participate in the Emergency Preparedness Region 3B - Greater Lawrence Coalition and Greater River Valley Medical Reserve Corps (GRVMRC). Plans are underway to change to the Mystic Valley Coalition to be in the same coalition as Melrose and Wakefield. Weights and Measures The Weights and Measures function is contracted to the State Division of Standards. The contract with the Division of Standards was renewed for 2011. Mosquito Control Reading continues to be part of the Eastern Middlesex Mosquito Control Project. The project conducts mosquito surveillance and spraying for larval/adult mosquitoes. The Department of Public Works assists with the larviciding of Catch basins in town. The adult mosquito surveillance program used traps to collect mosquitoes from 5 Reading locations. Data was compiled from 21 mosquito trap collections over 7 different nights. Selected trap collections in the district, including two collections from Reading, were tested for West Nile Virus and EEE by the Mass. Dept. of Public Health. The larval mosquito control program relied on the larvicides, Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) and methoprene, which are classified by the EPA as relatively non - toxic. An April helicopter application of Bti controlled mosquito larvae at 284 wetland acres. Field crews using portable sprayers applied Bti in the summer to 8.5 wetland acres when high densities of mosquito larvae were found in stagnant water. For adult mosquito control, there were 10 crews assigned to apply Sumithrin to 5882 acres at night using truck mounted aerosol sprayers when survey traps indicated high populations of mosquitoes. Other Funds are included in the Health Division budget or outpatient mental health services provided by Riverside Community Cares. In fiscal year 2011, 62 Reading residents received 865 visits. With the sliding scale used, $33,785 of free care was provided. Funds are also included to help pay for vocational services for Reading residents with EMARC (Eastern Middlesex Association for Retarded Citizens). 39 residents participate in this program. 115 2011 ANNUAL REPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT - INSPECTIONS DIVISION The Inspections Division is responsible for carrying out inspectional services on commercial and residential construction in the areas of building, gas, plumbing and wiring. In addition, the division is responsible for enforcing the Town's Zoning By -laws and providing staff to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Statistics Year End 2011 Previous Year End 2010 Building Building Permits issued 815 759 Inspections 1209 1,212 Fees received $277,178.10* $218,086.28* Occupancy Permits 114 117 Fees received $4,585.* $4,760.* Wiring Wiring Permits issued 543 503 Inspections 859 875 Fees received $38,845.* $35,998* Plumbing /Gas Gas Permits issued 234 213 Gas Fees received $8,388.* $7,439.* Plumbing Permits issued 383 358 Plumbing Fees received $19,886.* $15,703.* Combined Inspections Gas/Plumbing 624 848 TOTAL FEES $348,882.10* $281,986.28* * Totals do not include permit fees for Walkers Brook Crossing, Johnson Woods and Archstone - Reading deposited in revolving building account. ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS The Zoning Board of Appeals met 19 times in 2011. The ZBA voted on petitions for 28 Variances, Special Permits and appeals. ZBA Members are Chairman Jeffrey Perkins, Robert Redfem, John Jarema, Damase Caouette, John Miles, and Kristin Cataldo. Town Planner Jean Delios and the Commissioner of Buildings, Glen Redmond, provide primary support to the Zoning Board of Appeals. 116 2011 ANNUAL RPEORT COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT - PLANNING DIVISION In 2011 the Planning Division of the Community Services Department was busy with planning, economic development, development review and permitting of 6 major redevelopment projects, and regional planning initiatives. Likewise, as part of a departmental effort to streamline regulatory requirements, the Planning Division, in collaboration with the Community Planning and Development Commission (CPDC), revised zoning to make it easier for small projects to be permitted under anew "Minor Site Plan Review" provision. The Community Planning and Development Commission (CPDC) continued to receive experienced and dedicated service from its Chair, John Weston and Vice Chair, Dave Tuttle and board members Nick Safrna, Paul Bolger (who resigned in late 2011), new member Charlie Adams, and associate member George Katsoufis. The Planning Division worked closely with the CPDC, The Reading -North Reading Chamber of Commerce, and Economic Development Committee to achieve important milestones in 2011. Planning Division Activities - General Responsibilities of the Planning Division include advising the public, property owners, Reading's Boards and Commissions, business owners and architects, and coordinating Town Staff on planning issues regarding land use, zoning, and economic development. The Planning Division provides support to the Community Planning and Development Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Economic Development Committee. In 2011, the CPDC met 25 times, and with the assistance of the Planning Division, reviewed 48 requests for a variety of approvals including site plan review; subdivision; signage design and extensions /modifications to existing decisions. The CPDC held 14 public meetings and 12 zoning work sessions centered on zoning bylaw amendments noted below and proposed zoning changes and design standards for South Main Street. 9 Development Review Team (DRT) meetings were also held with Town Staff and Applicants to provide guidance on application procedures, permitting and zoning compliance. Major Accomplishments - 2011 • ZBL Updates - Annual Town Meeting Adopted changes to • Section 4.3.3.11 Minor Site Plan Review; • Section 4.8 Aquifer Protection District • Planning Staff and CPDC held numerous workshops, meetings, presentations, and public hearings as part of these changes. • South Main Street - Additional work on draft design standards and zoning changes. • ZBL Updates — Subsequent Town Meeting — With CPDC and Economic Development Committee prepared updates and recommended by -law revisions to Section 6.2 Signs (Construction/Redevelopment). 117 Economic Development Committee The Economic Development Committee (EDC) Chair Meghan Young - Tafoya, Vice Chair Sheila Clarke, Russ Graham, George Rio, Michelle Williams, and Associate Members Jack Russell, Michelle Ferullo, Maria Higgins and Ben Yoder, working with Planning Staff, executed an aggressive work plan for the year. The Committee welcomed new associate member Karl Weld. A very successful Fall Street Faire was held in September for the third year. A Fagade and Signage improvement project was undertaken with funding from a State grant. Website updates included a more prominent link from the home page to an updated list of active projects. Regional Planning Initiatives In keeping with the goal for regionalization, several regional planning initiatives were pursued in 2011. A grant was applied for with the NSPC for sustainable development. A DLTA grant was successfully secured from the MAPC for a "Main Street" study for Reading, Melrose, and Wakefield. Community forums were held for the Main Street project to solicit public input into the planning process. Several goals were identified to improve connectivity and encourage alternative forms of transportation throughout the region along Main Street. Six Major Redevelopment Projects: In an effort to keep the public informed, the Bi- Weekly Notes that were used during the Downtown Revitalization project were brought back. This was a welcome addition and generated many accolades from readers. 1. Reading Woods, One Jacob Way Reading Woods is a 24.8 acre site being developed by Pulte Homes of New England, LLC and is a redevelopment of a former office complex known as the Addison Wesley property. The former office use consisted of 208,000 square feet of vacant and dilapidated buildings and related parking. In total, the project will include 424 for -sale residential homes (208 age restricted and 43 low /mod housing units as required under the 40R zoning district designation) that mostly are garden style condominiums with the exception of 16 which will be townhouses. The site has been cleared of all former structures, site work has commenced, and construction of the first phase of the project has begun. Phase I includes a clubhouse, a 50 unit building (in the 40R district), and 16 townhouses. 2. Calareso's Garden Center, 80 -100 Main Street Calareso's is an expansion and new construction of a stalwart local business that has outgrown its original home (several blocks away on South Main Street). The new development will be a retail store (that is more than 2.5 times larger than currently), a greenhouse (2 times larger than currently), and a parking area that is double the capacity of the current store. 3. a -cars, 281 Main Street An electric car dealership has been developed in place of a former vacant, abandoned building on South Main Street that housed an artist shop. The project was been completed and the business opened at the end of 2011. In.] 4. Perfecto's, 285 Main Street A coffee shop /caf6 is being planned for this former building that housed a tux shop. Construction is expected to commence in the spring of 2012. This replaces a vacant, abandoned fire site. 5. MF Charles Building, 600 Main Street This property is a mixed use building, largely vacant, with some active tenants. A redevelopment of the property is being proposed which will focus on the commercial retail areas located on the first floor. Upper story residential use will follow in a future phase. Permitting is anticipated in the spring of 2012 with construction to follow. 6. Oaktree, 30 Haven Street This is a mixed use redevelopment of approximately 100,000 square feet with 20,000 square feet of first floor commercial /retail space and 80,000 square feet of both underground parking and upper level housing (53 units). This redevelopment replaces a former vacant, closed, downtown supermarket. This is the first project to be built under the Town's Downtown Smart Growth District (40R). Construction has progressed with completion expected in the Spring/Summer of 2012. In 2010, revenue generated from Planning Division activities totaled $66,355. The Planning Division is located at Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street, and can be reached at 781 - 942 -9056. 119 2011 ANNUAL REPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT — VETERANS SERVICES The Department of Veterans' Services Office is responsible for the needs of all the veterans in Reading. It is the Veterans Services Officer to whom the unemployed, the indigent, the disabled, the ill, or veterans otherwise in need, first apply for assistance. The Veterans Services Officer administers benefits and assists veterans with other resources, referrals, and assistance. The Veterans Services Officer interviews applicants, determines eligibility, and helps veterans file for all veterans' benefits, including the Massachusetts Chapter 115 program for income eligible veterans and their dependents. The Town of Reading receives 75% reimbursement from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under the Chapter 115 program. The Veterans' Service Officer also assists Reading veterans with applying for all other state benefits such as tuition waivers, grants, student loans, annuities, bonuses, outreach centers, counseling, veterans' license plates and many more. Under the category of federal aid, veterans are assisted in processing applications for benefits including service - related compensation, disability pensions, personal aid, pensions, social security benefits, medical, education, employment, medals, and death benefits. Retrieving military records for veterans who would not be eligible for any benefits without these records is also offered. Federal Benefits include filing for compensation and pension, life insurance, burial and survivor's benefits. The Veterans' Affairs Administration provided benefits directly to the veteran population in Reading for the fiscal year that ended in June 2011. Reading's Department of Veterans' Services also works with other committees to coordinate public events such as the Veterans Day ceremony held at the Reading Memorial High School and Memorial Day services held at the. four cemeteries in town. The Reading Department of Veterans' Services office hours are.Tuesday 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, Wednesday 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM and Thursday 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Frank Driscoll, Veterans' Services Officer for the Town of Reading can be reached at 781 - 942 -6652. 120 BRACKETT & LUCAS COUNSELORs AT LAW 19 CEDAR STREET _ WoxcESreR MA01609 508- 799 -9739 GARY S. BRACKEIT FAX 508- 799 -9799 gsbrackett@brackettlucas.com April 13, 2012 Peter I. Hechenbleikner, Town Manager Town of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867 RE: 2011 Annual Report Dear Peter: I am submitting the report of Brackett & Lucas as Town Counsel for the calendar year 2011. During the past year, legal assistance was provided to the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager, department heads, town boards, committees and commissioners. Our services included advice and legal opinions as well as attendance at meetings as required. In addition, we assisted in the preparation and review of warrant articles and we attended the Annual Town Meeting and Subsequent Town Meeting. In 2011, we were engaged in representing the Town of Reading in several litigation matters. Two cases involve claims related to the construction/renovation of the Reading Memorial High School. Efforts to resolve these cases through the use of a professional mediation service were unsuccessful. Land use appeals were pending regarding decisions of the Zoning Board of Appeals. An administrative appeal was pending before the Appellate Tax Board regarding a challenge to the real estate valuation for a commercial complex. Our firm has also assisted in several other departmental matters including employment issues, alcohol license violations, appeals from gun permit license suspensions and revocations and the revisions of the wetlands regulations. It has been an honor and pleasure to serve as Town Counsel during the past year and we look forward to continuing our service to the Town of Reading in the future. GSB /dsh _ _ 121 Very Brackett 2011 ANNUAL REPORT EAST MIDDLESEX ARC Listed below is a detailed analysis of the number of individuals serviced during CY 2011 by East Middlesex Arc in Reading as well as the surrounding cities and towns. Program Statistics for CY 2011: Day, Recreation and Residential Program Reading Other Total Day Services 39 166 205 Recreation 130 210 340 Residential Range Heights Road, Lynn 4 4 Cliffside Commons, Malden 2 2 Woodcrest Drive, Wakefield 5 5 Main Street, Melrose 7 7 Haven Street, Reading 8 8 Hopkins Street, Reading 5 5 Pitman Drive, Reading 4 4 Newcomb Avenue, Saugus 4 4 Albion Street, Wakefield 6 6 Nahant Street, Wakefield . 3 3 Spruce Street, Wakefield 4 4 Water Street, Wakefield 5 5 Independent/Supported Living 6 12 18 TOTAL RESIDENTS 23 52 75 Day Services The Arc's Day Services Division includes East Middlesex Industries (EMI), School to Work Transition Services and, as of June 2007, Life Choices, a federally funded day habilitation program. EMI provides employment placement services and training, as well as follow -up case management to clients placed in gainful employment worksites within the area. The goal of EMI is to provide individuals with the employment skills and training to become independent, tax- paying members of their communities. Additionally, EMI provides work opportunities through production services and the Center for Emerging Artists (CEA). Products produced by many of the individuals attending CEA are featured in several exhibitions in the area each year. Many items produced are for sale, and the artists receive commission income for each piece sold. 122 Recreation Program East Middlesex Arc provides recreational services throughout the year for children and adults with developmental disabilities. The funding to run these programs is raised through fundraising efforts and individual attendance fees. Although these programs are staffed by employees, not all of them could be run without the assistance of volunteers. Several dances and swim programs are held throughout the year, and it should be noted that approximately 50 Reading residents have volunteered to assist in these very successful programs. Residential Services Residential services are currently provided at several sites throughout the area to 75 adults who have developmental disabilities. Residential programs are funded primarily by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS). Room and Board fees charged to the residents are used to offset DDS funding. The goal of residential services is to provide individuals with an opportunity to live and participate in the local communities that we serve. Family Support Services The Arc's Family Support Division provides advocacy services for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. • Parent Resource Counseling • Information and Referral Services • Internships and Work Study Programs for students • Various Support Groups • Resource Library • Family Education and Training • Individual Centered Planning • Supported Living • Sib -Shop groups for siblings of individuals with developmental disabilities • Respite Services • Building Community Bridges The Family Support DESE/DDS program supports children under 18 who are in imminent risk of residential placement. IFFS (Intensive Flexible Family Support) provides support to 8 individuals. One individual is a Reading resident. Case management is provided for 15 individuals. Adult Foster Care, a new Family Support Program, supports 2 Reading, families. There are 2 teens in the Teen Sibling Group. The Senior Support Group (age 60 +) provides monthly support and information to the parents of 7 Reading individuals with disabilities. East Middlesex Are is grateful for the continued support that the Town of Reading has provided to its residents with developmental disabilities. Respectfully submitted, Gail Covelluzzi, Chief Financial Officer 123 2011 ANNUAL REPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT - READING HISTORICAL COMMISSION The Reading Historical Commission's (RHC) work in 2011 included regular monthly meetings and work in the RHC's Town archives. The RHC also worked on 3 Demolition delays, worked to protect the Demolition Delay Bylaw, and worked with Town based and non -Town based entities. The RHC continued to digitize historically important records, worked on organization of other historical records, and responded to several requests about inventoried properties. Two of the demolition delays, on 10 Pierce Street and 200 Ash Street, were released early. The other demolition delay, 258 Main Street, continued to run, while the RHC attempted to work with the owner on alternatives to demolition. The RHC went on 3 site visits, 2 of which were for demolition delay hearings (258 Main Street and 200 Ash Street). The other site visit was to document a non - inventoried property before it was demolished. This property happened to be formerly part of the Pierce Organ Factory and was moved to 12 Winter Street in 1869 when the factory was expanded. There were changes proposed in 2011. First, an article was brought before the spring Town Meeting to reduce the Demolition Delay from 12 Months to 6 Months. The article passed by a small margin. Second, a petitioned article was brought forth to the fall Town Meeting. The article wording was confusing as was the intent of the article. Town Meeting decided to indefinitely postpone the article. The RHC began working on ways to make the processes more transparent to the public. The RHC worked with the several property owners, contractors and designers to achieve preservation goals in 2011 including: • 335 Main Street (dance studio) - repairs to the front fagade. • 600 Main Street (MF Charles building) - building renovation. • Reading Public Library - assisted with the grant process for the new addition. • Representatives from the Old South Church — advised on issues with the structure of the bell tower and issues with the windows. • 320 Haverhill Street - to correct some rot on the fagade. The RHC worked with the Town Planner on improving communication between Town Hall and the RHC. The RHC worked on a way to make email communications more professional. This was achieved by creating a Gmail account, reading. historical .commission(aDgmail.com. The RHC worked with the Town to repair a water leak in the archives. The leak damaged several cases of "At Wood End" books and could have caused irreparable damage to historic documentation. The RHC worked with the Building Inspector on 33 Salem Street where the owner was doing work on this inventoried property without a permit. 124 The RHC was presented with bound volumes of vital records for marriages and deaths from 1850 -1937. The volumes were put together by the Blodgetts. A summer intern worked on organizing the Pierce Organ Pipe Factory papers that were provided by the new owner of 10 Pierce Street, as well as organizing other historical records. The RHC worked with the Massachusetts Historical Commission on correcting Reading's inventory sheets on their website. The RHC received the grant money for the 2010 inventory expansion project from the MHC for inventory expansion project. A new bandstand proposal was brought to the RHC's attention. There was turnover in membership as two chairmen resigned from the RHC. A general request for new members was sent to owners of inventoried properties. In June, 2011 the RHC was able to return to having a full slate of members with 3 associate members and officers were elected. The members and officers have remained intact since June, 2011 and are listed below. Membership at end of 2011: Mark Cardono — Chairman Sharlene Reynolds -Santo — Secretary Roberta Sullivan — Treasurer Janann Ali — Member Robyn Parker - Member Virginia Adams - Associate Nancy Kohl- Associate Judith Smith - Associate 125 The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the regional planning agency serving the people who live and work in the 101 cities and towns of Greater Boston. With a mission to promote smart growth and regional collaboration, MAPC's work is guided by our regional plan, "MetroFuture: Making a Greater Boston Region." This year has been transformative in many ways for both MAPC and the region. With an infusion of federal dollars through HUD's Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant, MAPC has been honored and challenged with' a great responsibility this year: to support and showcase the best smart growth projects and policies across Greater Boston, and to serve those up as models for others across the country. Our Metro Boston Sustainable Communities Consortium, which governs the grant, now numbers 158 member organizations, including 65 municipalities representing 80 percent of the region's 3 million residents. The Consortium's Steering Committee has already funded a number of projects that were directly included in our application to HUD. In addition, we released our first request for place -based project proposals this summer, to which we received 33 applications totaling $1.7 million in diverse ideas. We are pleased to report that 11 new projects were selected for funding under a competitive evaluation process that emphasized our MetroFuture goals related to equity and sustainability, while aiming for geographic diversity. Take a look at some of the exciting projects funded by Sustainable Communities: • The Regional Housing Plan and Fair Housing Equity Assessment will outline the region's housing needs, link fair housing with a broader set of regional issues, and recommend housing development and policy goals. • Sustainable Communities will augment the City of Boston's planning process in the Fairmount/Indigo Line Corridor, which includes some of the most underserved neighborhoods in Boston. We will also provide predevelopment support to the Community Development Corporations in the Fairmount Collaborative, and advance the need for green spaces and bicycle paths in the communities served by the new rail line. • The Framingham Tech Park Transportation Management Plan will recommend investments in transit, infrastructure, and incentives to facilitate economic development in an old industrial park along Route 9. Goals include improved access to employment and a reduction of vehicle miles traveled in the region. • "Community PlanIt" will develop an on -line social media game focused on community Teaming, deliberation, and participation to engage a broad range of stakeholders in decision - making. Our program will also help the Asian Community Development Corporation to engage linguistically - isolated, low- income Asian residents of Quincy in local development and planning activities. 126 • An early success of the program occurred when the town of Littleton adopted zoning to protect the future of the active farms in residential districts. • The Everett Community Visioning Process will create an inclusive, comprehensive vision and a set of development goals for Everett's future, using innovative public engagement techniques. • A feasibility study to redevelop Millis Town Center will explore mixed -use development opportunities at two former industrial sites: the Cliquot Club Factory and the GAF Shingle Plant. • Pedestrian and Bicycle Network Planning will encourage accommodations for biking and walking in four community clusters: Dedham & Westwood; Quincy to Boston; Hudson, Stow, Maynard, & Marlborough; and Chelsea, Everett, Revere, Malden, Saugus, & Lynn. • An Urban Green Infrastructure Plan along the Lower Mystic River will reduce water pollution and improve environmental quality near the Chelsea Creek, with a focus on storm water management. These projects will move into scoping and implementation throughout 2012, providing a platform for learning and expanding opportunities for dialogue and collaboration. It will be gratifying to watch the projects develop, furthering the goals of MetroFuture and bettering the region in the process, and informing the way we conduct the rest of our work — always with an eye toward greater prosperity, equity and sustainability for all of Greater Boston. Of course, Sustainable Communities is not the only way we try and implement MetroFuture by helping cities and towns. We're proud to report that 2011 was another successful year for our work under the District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) program, which is an essential vehicle for helping communities achieve more sustainable land use and more effective local governance. DLTA funding is provided by the Legislature and Governor to help cities and towns . to collaborate regionally on housing, economic development, and environmental protection projects. The funding can also be used to help municipalities to coordinate and more efficiently deliver local services. This year, MAPC funded 19 projects, 8 in land use planning and 11, in municipal services. Another critical component to MAPC's mission is assisting the region's municipalities to envision and foster local, collaborative economic development opportunities. This year, MAPC co- sponsored a summit in Gloucester with funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The highly- attended water -front conference in November developed a roster of ideas for helping the city to blend its historic, vibrant fishing industry with emerging maritime industries and economic development opportunities. MAPC staff also worked with the 495/MetroWest Development Compact to help identify priority development and preservation areas and significant transportation and infrastructure investments for that region. We worked with our neighbors to the west, the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission, and other allied organizations, to hold community meetings in almost 40 cities and towns, yielding both local and regional priorities for 127 both residential and economic growth, as well as priority land for preservation and protection. MAPC is working to make sure commercial and residential growth respects open space resources, transportation networks, and water resources in the region. One of the most important drivers of the region's vitality is a strong, reliable transportation network. From transit to roadways and walking and biking infrastructure, the area's ability to attract and retain a productive workforce rests on a dependable transportation network. This year, one of our most significant accomplishments came in connection with the launch of the New Balance Hubway Bike Share in Boston. Hubway opened in July 2011 with 600 bikes spread across 61 stations in Boston, and demand has been high for the program's shared bicycles since its very outset. Bolstered with funding from the Federal Transit Administration, MassDOT, the MPO, and local businesses and institutions, Hubway bikes clocked over 140,000 trips by the time the program closed down for the winter — wildly outpacing expectations. In 2012, MAPC will help to facilitate expansion of Hubway into surrounding cities and towns such as Brookline, Cambridge and Somerville this year. We've also continued to support bicycling through infrastructure improvements through our Bike Rack Purchasing Program, funded by the MPO. This year, which is slated to be the final year of the program, cities and towns purchased $272,149 worth of bicycle parking infrastructure, including two innovative bike - parking corrals in Somerville which replaced one full -size car parking space in Union Square and another in Davis Square. In the four years of the program, 8,542 bike parking spaces have been installed, with another 4,268 still on order. Our bicycle and pedestrian planners also released a new Snow Removal Policy Toolkit in winter 2011, just in time for the record snowfalls the region experienced. The guide, available at www.mapc.orp,/resources /snow - removal - policy, contains best practices, information on a recent state Supreme Judicial Court ruling about snow removal, and model ordinances for municipal leaders to apply. Hard copies are available by request. MAPC also published the 2011 Greater Boston Cycling and Walking Man, the region's first comprehensive map of walking and bicycling facilities. With a companion website that is updated regularly as new information becomes available, this comprehensive guide includes walking paths, hiking trails, bike lanes, and upcoming projects. To see the interactive website or request a hard copy of the map, visit www.trailmap.mapc.org. MAPC also led an innovative community visioning process for the area around a potential terminus of the Green Line Extension at Mystic Valley Parkway in Somerville and Medford. Using 3- dimensional models of potential developments and estimates of their impacts, MAPC led residents of both cities through a 10 -month process to envision station -area development that would make the most of new transit while also preserving community character and preventing displacement. A full report on the process findings was presented to the Medford City Council in November and is available on MAPC's website, www.mat)c.org. As programs such as Hubway have helped to make biking and walking more popular options for getting around Metro Boston, our outreach staff has worked hard to fold these modes of mobility into the MetroFuture "Walks and Talks" program. Walks and Talks has helped to grow our 128 "Friends of MetroFuture" list to more than 1,900 supporters by offering lectures, workshops and walking and biking tours of our region. Events this year, many of them sellouts, included a tour of the Deer Island Sewage Treatment Plant in Boston Harbor; a weekend biking tour of the Neponset Greenway in Dorchester; an urban bicycling safety workshop, co- hosted with MassBike; and a forum on funding challenges at the MBTA with Stephanie Pollack of the Dukakis Center at Northeastern University. With something planned every month, it's easy to get involved with MAPC and connected to MetroFuture through Walks and Talks. For more information about events and to become a Friend of MetroFuture, visit www.metrofuture.org. In 2011 we added two new divisions to MAPC: energy and public health. We now have several staff devoted exclusively to providing technical assistance and policy guidance to bolster energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), to help in the regional development of renewable energy resources, and to procure energy products and services for groups of municipalities. We hope this work will advance markets for clean technology while reducing GHG and dependence on fossil fuels. For example, we brought together 14 communities to hire an Energy Services Company (ESCO) and we created a new Local Energy Action Program to help communities plan and implement local clean energy projects. We especially want to thank. The Barr Foundation for their support of MAPC's energy work. In the public health field, we had the unprecedented opportunity this year to partner with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) — a member of our Sustainable Communities Consortium — to apply for a Community Transformation Grant funded under the" federal health reform law, the Affordable Care Act. MAPC and DPH coordinated with Middlesex County to design a program that would meet that region's unique public health needs. Middlesex County is the largest in Massachusetts, with some of the greatest health disparities in areas such as tobacco use, diabetes, obesity and cancer - related deaths. We were selected in September, 2011, making MAPC the only regional planning agency in the country to receive a Community Transformation Grant. This gives us an opportunity to link land use planning decisions to public health outcomes and provides several years of stable funding to anchor our public health work and move it forward long term as long as neither Congress nor the Supreme Court repudiates health care reforms that were so long overdue in our country. As we have journeyed into the field of public health, we have learned that health outcomes are one of the greatest indicators of inequality in the Metro Boston region. Indeed, although the region as a whole has become far more diverse over the past decade, deep divisions and inequity remain. We wanted to highlight these challenges in the very first "Regional Indicators Report" published after the adoption of MetroFuture. And so, in December 2011, MAPC published "The State of Equity in Metro Boston," an analysis of how inequity creates challenges at all stages of life: childhood, young adulthood, adulthood, and the senior years. The full report can be found at www.mape.org, while a more detailed review of indicators can be studied at www.regionalindicators.org. Of course, data gathering and analysis cannot solve all the problems which they reveal. So, in 2012, MAPC will work with partners across the region and in state government to publish the second phase of our "State of Equity" report, a thorough compendium of recommendations for 129 public and private actions that can make Metro Boston a leader not only in diversity, but also in equality. In 2011, MAPC also continued to innovate new ways to use technology and interactive websites to engage residents and share data about the region. The Data Services Department developed two new online transportation survey tools that allow commuters and parents to provide information about travel patterns using an interactive map, rather than a traditional paper survey. These "open source" survey tools, available at http:Hgreenstreets.mapc.org and www.myschoolcommute.org, can be easily adapted for use by other municipalities and organizations in the region. MAPC is also developing new ways to help stakeholders find and use data, through interactive mapping sites such as the Mystic River Environmental Atlas (www.mays.maDe.org/mycwa), which provides easy access to information about storm -water discharges and water quality monitoring results for dozens of sites in the Mystic River Watershed. During the past year, more than 8,600 unique users visited www.MetroBostonDataCommon.org, MAPC's regional data viewer and web mapper, to access data about 2010 Census results, the American Community Survey, housing developments, and hundreds of other topics. Early 2012 will see the launch of the next generation of the DataCommon, which will include new Community Snapshots, a more intuitive mapping interface, and more powerful tools for the analysis and visualization of data. Even as we branch into new areas of work, our mission remains the desire to help municipalities collaborate across city and town borders, becoming more efficient in their operations and service delivery, oftentimes saving money and resources in the process. Nowhere is this more exemplified this year than in MAPC's unique Fire Apparatus Collective Purchasing Program. ogram. This year, within the first six months of launching the state's first collective purchasing contracts for fire apparatus, MAPC and the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts (FCAM) brought the city of Boston into the partnership, giving the program a giant leap forward. Now, with the program just one year old, our staff are consistently fielding calls from new fire chiefs interested in saving money by purchasing fire apparatus through our collaborative. To date, 23 fire trucks have been purchased through the program, saving $460,000 collectively. _ In keeping with our mission to promote regional collaboration, MAPC continues to operate three regional equipment cache sites, containing reserves of emergency resources for large -scale incidents. Located in Beverly, Framingham and Lexington, each site contains equipment to help the region prepare for and respond to major events such as natural or man-made disasters, by providing resources that municipalities typically can't afford to purchase individually. MAPC works in tandem with NERAC, the Northeast Homeland Security Regional Advisory Council, to offer these vital resources through the Homeland Security grant program by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through the state's Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. For example, NERAC assets were deployed in such major disasters as Hurricane Irene and the early - October Northeaster which crippled large swaths of New England, making 2011 a year of deep need in terms of emergency planning and preparedness. MAPC continued a robust legislative agenda in 2011, focusing on topics such as transportation funding, zoning reform, and pursuing a more sound financial footing for the Community 130 Preservation Act. With many allies, we achieved a major success when Governor Patrick signs into law legislation reforming health insurance for municipal employees on July 12, 2011. This law will help dozens of municipalities to negotiate savings on health care costs for their employees and retirees. This law strikes a balance that gives municipalities a chance to manage their way through the fiscal crisis while preventing layoffs and ensuring high- quality health insurance for all municipal employees and retirees. Finally, as the discussion and debate around the MBTA's struggling financial picture takes shape, we are poised to influence policy decisions and advocate for key revenue changes as part of our new Transportation Campaign. We've hosted forums on transit funding throughout the year and are planning more as pending fare hikes approach for transit riders. If you are interested in joining us, visit our website to get started. As we move forward into a new year, we know that MAPC will continue to be involved in creating a healthy, strong, more vibrant region consistent with our MetroFuture goals. Visit www.mapc.or throughout the year for news and updates about our work. i 131 The Metropolitan Area Planning Council North Suburban Planning Council (NSPC) Burlington, Lynnfield, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, Wilmington, Winchester and Woburn The North Suburban Planning Council (NSPC) is composed of eight towns and one city that have formed a voluntary association to facilitate cooperative regional planning. The goals of NSPC are to facilitate communication between member communities on planning topics of interest including issues of growth management and land use and to provide a forum for members to create a shared agenda for action that, if thoughtfully addressed, will allow the region to continue to thrive as a desirable place to live and work. NSPC held ten meetings in 2011. Tony Fields, Town of Burlington, continued to serve as the Chair. Joan Blaustein, MAPC Land Resources Planner, has served in the role of NSPC Subregional Coordinator for over two decades; she stepped down from this role in 2011. Jennifer Erickson, MAPC Regional Planner, will serve in this role moving forward. NSPC members heard from guest presenters as well as MAPC staff about various projects and topics of interest. Members received information about project funding opportunities through the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant ( SCRPG), DLTA - funded regional energy projects, and the MAPC Local Energy Action Program. Presentations were also offered on timely topics like stormwater management, the regionalization of housing services, and municipal governments and accessibility issues. Members continued the annual activity of reviewing NSPC transportation priorities, projects, and study areas as part of the Transportation Improvement Program and the Unified Work Planning Program. Through the Sustainable Communities proposal development process, members identified a number of shared interests and project ideas, including: identification of priority development and preservation areas in the subregion, open space preservation and connectivity planning and potential linkages towards creation of a regional open space and trails system, residential development patterns in NSPC communities, and best practices for regional corridor districts. NSPC and its member communities also engaged in the following notable activities in 2011: submission of a comment letter on the TIP priority projects list to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO); development and submission of a proposal to the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant program; and participation in developing a 2012 NSPC Work Plan that includes new strategies the subregion will engage that are enabled by SCRPG funding. MAPC also commenced project work on the Reading - Wakefield- Melrose Main Street Corridor Planning Study, which involves two NSPC member communities — Wakefield and Reading — along with the City of Melrose. This project was funded through the 2011 District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) program, and looks at ways to improve upon the existing transportation network by reducing automobile traffic while promoting commuter rail, walking, bicycling, and bus transportation. MAPC continues to upgrade the NSPC webpage in an on -going effort to provide member communities with better access to information. The page is: www.mgpc.org /subregions /nspc. 132 2011 ANNUAL REPORT MYSTIC VALLEY ELDER SERVICES In FYI over 405 Reading residents used Mystic Valley's services valued at $1,802,125; of these, 71 were eligible for Nursing Facility care while remaining at home. Mystic Valley Elder Services is a nonprofit organization, which has been helping people find practical solutions to long term care issues since 1975. Our goal is to help seniors, disabled adults and their family caregivers find the best available services that fit within family resources. We offer a wide range of services creatively designed to support the challenges of daily life and independent living. Some are free of charge, others are offered on a sliding fee scale or private pay basis. Information & Assistance Resource consultants offer FREE advice and referrals from our extensive database of local, state and national resources. Assistance is available by telephone, email or a home visit by an experienced Care Manager. 319 consumers served at a cost of $8,339. Care Management & Home Care Services A range of programs for seniors designed to provide assistance with activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, etc.) for those who wish to remain in their own homes. It includes: in -home assessment by a care manager, development of a care plan, and delivery of approved services. 210 consumers served at a cost of $1,584,308. Caregiver Support Services may include an in -home assessment, caregiver training and education regarding such areas as memory loss, home safety, respite care and fall prevention. This provides useful resources especially for working and long distance caregivers. 18 consumers served at a cost of $16,014. Transportation Providing rides to medical appointments and adult day health centers. 3 consumers served at a cost of $780. Meals on Wheels A mid -day meal and daily check in by a friendly driver for those over 60 who are homebound and unable to prepare their own food. 22,758 meals served at a cost of $126,301. Senior Dining Sites Centers in 14 locations offer seniors an opportunity to meet and enjoy a nutritious lunch. Ethnic meals are available. 4,911 meals served at a cost of $44,118. Behavioral Health Services Clinical Caseworker provides outreach and connects consumers to behavioral health services in home and community settings. The program provides assistance with coordination and payment of behavioral health services. 1 consumer served at a cost of $1,845. 133 Minority Outreach Services for non -and limited - English speakers include information and referral, translation of and assistance responding to important documents, health insurance information counseling, and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. 0 consumers served at a cost of $0. SHINE Health Benefits Counseling Trained counselors provide seniors with no -cost, confidential counseling and unbiased information regarding health insurance and prescription drug options. 153 consumers served at a cost of $8,804. Money Management Assistance Trained volunteers provide assistance with bill paying, budgeting and banking tasks. A volunteer may also serve as a Representative Payee. 9 consumers served at a cost of $6,468. Volunteer Program Dedicated volunteers augment the agency's capacity by sharing their expertise with a variety of professional and administrative functions, providing bill paying assistance to elders, counseling Medicare and MassHealth recipients, staffing congregate meal sites and/or food pantries, and serving as literacy tutors in area elementary schools. 26 volunteers performed 1,835 hours of service. Legal Assistance We provide no -cost legal assistance and education on issues such as public benefits, landlord tenant disputes and loss of independence. 15 consumers served at a cost of $3,313. 134 2011 ANNUAL REPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT — TRAILS COMMITTEE This is the Annual Report of the Reading Trails Committee (RTC) for 2011, outlining the activities and events that members, associate members and volunteers participated in throughout the year. The RTC is happy to report another productive and successful year of activities. The committee is a very dedicated and active group of Reading residents who feel that it is important to maintain and develop Reading's trail systems for others to explore, respect and enjoy. The group is made up of five voting members, a few associate members, Kim Honetschlager, the GIS Coordinator for the Town of Reading, and a variety of hard working volunteers. The Reading DPW crew has also been very supportive by providing time and equipment towards whatever is needed. Focus in 2011 by the RTC and Scouts has been in the Kurchian Woods conservation area where a trail system has existed for many years. A very generous Department of Conservation and Recreation grant was received which is to be used to build and replace a very old boardwalk built back in the 1970's. The new boardwalk will be at the Franklin Street entrance to Kurchian and will be a huge undertaking. The planning has begin, the funds received, and the first two six' sections are in place. The project will continue into 2012. Every year we have a few Boy Scouts who are eager for ideas and projects they can work on as a way to earn their Eagle Scout Awards, and they have accomplished much again this year. Major projects have been completed this year such as a trail clean-up, clearing and blazing; the designing and building of a bridge across a stream making access of the trail more accessible and safer; an old sign built in 1974 by a previous Boy Scout was painted and "restored," all making the Kurchian area a nice place to spend time. There have been monthly RTC meetings at the Town Hall and at the Mattera Cabin and some members have attended additional Town meetings for various reasons that were pertinent to RTC or conservation business. In June, National Trails Day was a day to get out and clean up the Mattera Cabin yard. Other members participated in the Ipswich River Cleanup collecting trash, bottles, cans and disposing of them. Participating in the Friends and Family Day in June was a time to share what the RTC has been up to when people stop by the display table. Will Finch's turtles are always a hit and draw a crowd. With all of the snow in the Winter, a few snowshoe outings were enjoyed at Bare Meadow and in the Town Forest, Woodcock (bird) walks, a few finishing touches at the Mattera Cabin, the retirement of Fran Fink, Conservation Administrator, clearing trails at Kylie Drive, a Girl Scout hike at Bare Meadow and many other fun times took place in our town. The availability of trails and woods for the Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall add to everything else Reading has to offer its residents. 135 Reading Trails Committee members: Tom Gardiner, Chairman Joan Hoyt, Secretary Dave Williams, Member Susan Giacalone, Member Alan Rosh, Member John Parsons, Associate Member Will Finch, Associate Member 136 2011 ANNUAL REPORT . COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT - WEST STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION The purpose of the West Street Historic Commission is to administer Section 5.18: Historic District Bylaw of the General Bylaws as it pertains to the West Street Historic District. The District was created to preserve the distinctive characteristics and architecture of the West Street area. Through its required review of all construction projects in the District, the Commission seeks to maintain and improve the settings of the buildings within the District and to encourage building designs compatible with the historic character of the area. The Commission is currently composed of five voting members and two alternates. The voting members are Chairman (Acting) Steve O'Shea, Vice Chairman (Vacant), Virginia Adams, Everett Blodgett, and Priscilla Poehler. The alternates are Ilene Bornstein and Sharlene Reynolds Santo. For more complete information about the West Street Historic District and the Commission, including the text of the Historic District Bylaw and design guidelines for the District, please refer to the Commission's webpage which is linked to the Town Of Reading webpage under Boards and Committees. 137 READING HOUSING AUTHORITY 2012 ANNUAL REPORT It is with great pleasure that we share with you the activities and accomplishments of the Reading Housing Authority over the past year. The start of the New Year has seen some improvement in our economy; however, we remain cautious during this somewhat unstable time. The pressure on the real estate market has continued to create a critical challenge for poor and lower income families to find, keep and maintain their housing. As the real estate values escalated over the past few years, it was certainly felt most dramatically at the low- income levels. Rental units had been at a greater premium in this area; however, we continue to see an increase in availability. Previously, landlords had been able to ask for and receive higher rents that historically price the poor and lower income families out of the rental market. Again, we are beginning to see a change in the rental market area with increase inquiries from landlords who are experiencing more difficulty renting units. The Reading Housing Authority (Authority) strives to assist these families to seek and obtain housing that is decent, safe and sanitary. In an effort to ameliorate this impact, the Authority will continue its efforts to develop new units and purchase affordable units when the opportunity arises. The Authority most recently has begun a careful search for a multi - family home in our area with the hope of adding additional family affordable units to our present inventory in the upcoming year. We continue to support private developers and the Town in their efforts to set aside units for low /moderate income families in their proposed developments. We reach out to owners of multi - family units who would like to work with us to serve our clients. As always, the Authority goes beyond the bricks and mortar and provides assistance to families, elderly and handicapped persons to obtain the services they need. We continue to work closely with Mystic Valley Elder Services and other home care agencies to meet the needs of the elderly residents as they strive to remain independent and age in place. Our local nurse advocate, Dianne Luther, has been someone that elder residents and RHA staff have relied on in greater numbers in order to have seniors remain in their homes. With budget cuts affecting all of us, we strive to maintain our programs, work with other supportive agencies and still offer a safe and decent place for our seniors, disabled and families in need. On behalf of the Board, we want to thank Executive Director, Lyn Whyte and her staff for their continued dedication, commitment and service to the Reading Housing Authority. We look forward to working with them as we meet the new challenges that lie ahead. Organization Organized in 1963 to address the housing needs of the Town's low and moderate income residents, the Reading Housing Authority is "a public body politic and corporate" duly organized and authorized by Massachusetts General Laws (MGL), Chapter 121B, s.3. The Authority receives it funds from the State and Federal government to assist our clients with their housing needs. Although the Authority does not receive any local funding, five volunteer Reading residents compose the Board of Commissioners. The Board of Selectmen appoints four of these 138 board members and one is the Governor's appointee. Each member serves for a 5 -year term. The Board is responsible for the overall operation of the Authority. The day to day responsibility is delegated to the Executive Director. The Board meets regularly and has scheduled their monthly meetings for the first Monday of each month. The Annual Meeting of the Board is currently scheduled for the month after the Selectmen makes their annual appointment of a Board member. Currently, the Board Members and their term of office are as follows: Timothy J. Kelley 84 Woburn Street Kevin Mulvey 67 Whittier Road Mary Connors 52 Sanborn Street, #103 Karen L. Flammia 19 Vista Avenue Diane Cohen 73 Hillcrest Avenue Lyn E. Whyte 41 Shore Road, Saugus Administrative Staff Chair Term expires 6/30/2014 Vice -Chair Term expires 6/30/2013 Treasurer and Tenant Representative Term expires 6/30/2012 Asst. Treasurer Term expires 6/30/2015 Member and State Appointment Term expires 5/03/2016 Secretary and Executive Director The Board contracts an Executive Director who manages the day -to -day operations of the Authority. Within State and Federal guidelines and other budgetary limits, the Executive Director hires the supporting staff necessary to achieve the goals an d responsibilities of the Authority's programs. The Executive Director, Lyn Whyte, is in a five -year contract that expires August 29, 2015. Administration Lyn E. Whyte Secretary and Executive Director Catherine Sutherland Office Manager Kathleen Rolli Federal Program Coordinator & Assistant Executive Director Michelle Hudzik State Program Coordinator Katelyn Veglia Part-time Program Assistant Maintenance Frank Veglia Maintenance Supervisor Joseph Costello Maintenance Staff 139 Kevin Boyle Maintenance Staff Supportive Services Affiliations . Home Care Jacqueline Carson Sanborn Home Care Director Daniel J. O'Leary Director, Mystic Valley Elder Services Jane Burns Town of Reading Interim Elder/Human Services Administrator Financial Institutions Reading Cooperative Bank Eastern Bank BankNorth Mass. Municipal Depository Trust — Boston, MA Affiliations National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Massachusetts Chapter of National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (MassNAHRO) New England Regional Council of National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NERC/NAHRO) Section 8 Administrators Association North Shore Housing Executive Directors' Association (NSHEDA) Adult Literacy Committee of Reading/Wakefield YMCA Consultants Accountants: Fenton, Ewald & Associates Legal: Charles Houghton, Esq. & DHCD Legal Counsel, Lori McBride Contractors Hiltz Waste Disposal Avon Plumbing Supply Hodson S. M. Company, Inc Roberto Bros. Landscaping Bennett Construction John's Sewer & Pipe Cleaning Powers Plowing Service 140 Automatic Laundry Home Depot Maintenance We do it all — from the beautiful paint job to the new appointments before you move into your new apartment. The maintenance staff meets the challenges on every occasion and has done an excellentjob.. With the four seasons here in New England, maintenance has to be ready to take it all in stride. They do the spring clean-up and plantings; the summer mowing, watering, weeding and trimming; the fall leaf pick -up; and winter's snow and ice removal. The maintenance staff works tirelessly to keep our developments looking beautiful. We have been lucky enough to have the assistance of the Work Release Program from the Middlesex Sheriff's Department. They have been exceptional in the work that they have done with our landscaping and painting projects. These programs are cost effective and have become a critical component to maintaining our properties. During the course of this past year, this program enabled us to maintain the grounds of our properties with a fall and spring clean up. hi addition, the Community Room located within our elderly development called Tannerville, was painted. This project changed the look of these properties and it greatly enhanced their appearances. Additionally, with the assistance of this program, we painted a family residence this year. The properties needed a facelift and the Work Release Program afforded us the opportunity to enhance the appearance of those homes. ' The Authority is responsible for 108 individual units located on 10 different sites. It is no easy task to keep each one looking in its top form. The maintenance staff is also responsible for the daily work orders and any emergency work that has to be done. The Authority has an extensive preventative maintenance program for all major components and has a cyclical paint schedule for all units. 2010 Grants Received Each year the Authority applies for several grants to improve our properties and better serve our residents and the community. Included in this year's awards were: Modernization of State Housing American Recovery & Reinvestment Act - Weatherization Assistance Program (ARRAWAP) grant of $55,120 to fund costs related to the heating system replacement at our state family developments was awarded to the RHA in 2010. However, the project was completed in 2011 with additional funding added to the original grant which provided RHA with the opportunity to replace more heating units than originally planned. The Housing Authority also completed Capital Improvement Plans at various state locations in the Fall 2011 as a result of our state funding award of $38,651 for fiscal year 2012; Oakland / 141 Waverly family development had new windows installed, along with new exterior entry doors and storm doors in all units. Our elderly development had 20% of their units fitted with new tub enclosures and our special needs home on Bancroft had new exterior doors and storm doors installed throughout that home. All of these improvements were a benefit to those families that live in our developments. Supportive Services Grant — HUD No funding available since we no longer administer an FSS program. Supportive Services Grant — State Funding of Resident Service Coordinator to address elderly /non - elderly needs for Frank D. Tanner Drive residents was approved; however, it is now categorized as an administrative expense. Audits The Authority has a Single Audit of all programs by an independent auditor each year. Ross and Company of Nashua, NH was engaged to perform the latest review of the Authority's programs for fiscal year end June 2011. The audit was completed in October 11 and final submissions to designated agencies were completed in December 2011. The Authority had no findings or additional recommendations as a result of this latest audit. The Authority's financial position is, adequate to meet the needs of the operation and development of the programs and we are fortunate to maintain a retained revenue agency status. A compliance audit for FYE June 2008 and June 2009 was conducted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Auditors office in February 2010 and completed with no findings. The Commonwealth conducts this audit every two years. Our next compliance audit for FYE June 2010 and June 2011 will not be scheduled until 2012. Management Review The Authority has had a current Management Review done of all State programs. The Asset Managers from the State's Department of Housing and Community Development reviewed all the operations of the State programs to insure compliance in the daily operation of the Authority's budget, occupancy, administration, maintenance, services and tenant participation. The Authority received an excellent review with minor comments. In regard to our federal program, the Authority submitted its annual Section 8 Management Assessment Program ( SEMAP) reports for fiscal year end June 2011 to HUD for review and subsequent scoring. The purpose of SEMAP is to measure public housing authority performance in key areas of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program management. It is a tool used by HUD to effectively monitor and assist PHA's. It is our pleasure to report that the Reading Housing Authority received an overall score of 100 percent for the fiscal year ending June 30, 142 2011. As a result of this score, HUD designates the Authority as a "high performer" with credit going to Section 8 Program Coordinator, Kathy Rolli for her continued efforts in administering an ever - changing federal program. We will not submit additional SEMAP reports until fiscal year June 2013. These assessments are now performed every two years for an agency of our size per latest HUD changes. State Programs The Authority currently manages the three programs under the State's Department of Housing and Community Development: 667 Housing (elderly/handicapped housing); 705 Housing (Family housing); 689 Housing (Special Needs Housing). Our 667 wait lists are open at the present time; however, we are not accepting applications for our state family program at this time due to an estimated wait of fifteen years. We encourage applicants to apply for our elderly/handicapped (667) housing by contacting the Housing Authority at 781 - 944 -6755 or by accessing the application on the Town of Reading website. Housine for Elderlv/HandicaDved Persons (667 80 units Frank D. Tanner Drive Complex Eligibility 60 years of age or disabled Income 1 person - $45,500 2 persons - $52,000 Housine for Families (705 6 units Waverly and Oakland Road (six 3BR units) 4 units Pleasant and Parker Street (two 2BR units; two 3BR units) Eligibility Family of 2 or more depending on Bedroom size Income 2 persons - $52,000 3 persons - $58,500 4 persons - $65,000 5 persons - $70,200 6 persons - $75,400 7 persons - $80,600 8 persons - $85,800 Federal Programs The Authority manages 125 subsidies for persons of very low income under the Federal Section 8 program. Currently, the RHA participates in a centralized waiting list administered by the MASSNAHRO organization. Applications for this wait list are available at the administration office building at 22 Frank D. Tanner Drive, Reading. Section 8 Rental Assistance Income Limits I person - $34,250 2 persons - $39,150 3 persons - $44,050 4 persons - $48,900 5 persons - $52,850 6 persons - $56,750 143 7 persons - $60,650 8 persons - $64,550 RHA -Owned Properties . The Authority presently owns and manages sixteen family units located in various locations throughout the Town of Reading. We continue to pursue opportunities to expand low income housing units within the Town whenever possible. Applications Elderly/Handicapped Housing (667) The Authority manages 80 one - bedroom units of housing for elderly/handicapped persons at our Frank D. Tanner Drive complex in Reading. To qualify for this housing, a single person or couple must meet the eligibility guidelines and be 60 years of age or older or handicapped. The Authority sets aside 13.5% of these units for non - elderly handicapped persons. The wait list is currently open for all seniors' 60 years of age and older. We encourage Reading residents to apply and are making special outreach efforts to elderly of minority representation. The 13.5% non - elderly handicapped requirement has been fulfilled but applications are still being accepted for our wait list. Non - elderly applicants will be served after the Authority has placed all qualified applicants if the 13.5% requirement has been met. You may obtain an application at the office of the Authority, 22 Frank D. Tanner Drive, Reading, MA 01867 or by accessing one online from the Town of Reading website. Family Housing — State (705) The Authority operates the State's Family Housing Program with 2 different developments. The first family housing development that was built by the Authority is located at Oakland and Waverly Roads and is called Waverly Oaks. There are six 3- bedroom units. Our second state family development is near the center of Town and is referred to as our Pleasant/Parker location. There are only four units available at this site. Our wait list is currently closed. Wait times for those presently on the list.remains quite long. Section 8 Federal Housing Assistance Program Currently the wait list for our Section 8 Program is open. We now participate in the centralized wait list program initiated in December 2002 and administered by Mass NAHRO. Applications are available at our administrative office or online at www.mnahro.org. An application can be downloaded from that site and submitted to any agency participating in the centralized wait list program. There are currently over 85 member agencies taking part in that joint process. At present there are almost 100,000 families on this waitlist with waiting times for assistance quite long. The State - maintains a wait list for its programs through the Metropolitan Boston Housing Program (MBHP). Anyone seeking an emergency application should contact MBHP at 800 -272- 0990 to obtain an application. The local area service agency for emergency applicants is Community Service Network. You may contact them at 781 - 438 -1977. 144 Summit Village First Time Homebuyers Program The Authority continues to oversee the maintenance of the wait list for qualified and eligible applicants for the affordable units at Summit Village through the First Time Homebuyers Program. We presently have nine potential buyers on our waitlist. During the past year, no affordable unit was made available and subsequently sold at an affordable price to a family on our wait list. The "affordable" owners must have a fair market appraisal done; the Authority reviews the appraisal and if accepted, provides the owner with the maximum resale price for the affordable unit.' If the owner has a friend who would be eligible and income - qualified, then the Authority reviews their qualifications and provides them with an "Eligible Purchaser Certificate ". If the owner wishes to select an applicant from the wait list, the Authority would send the next available and eligible buyer's name to the owner to negotiate the sale. Interested applicants may pick up applications packets at the Town Clerk's office in Town Hall; at the Reference Desk at the Reading Public Library; or at the office of the Reading Housing Authority, 22 Frank D. Tanner Drive. When making an application, a $10 fee made payable to the "Reading Housing Authority" must be included along with all pertinent documentation. If the family applying for the affordable unit is headed by 2- persons, both parties must execute the application as applicant and co- applicant. Income from all family members age 18+ is included in family income for eligibility. However, if the income of one of these persons is from a dependent (not spouse) who is a full -time student, then a deduction for out of pocket expenses for books, tuition, fees and/or travel is allowed. Documentation from the school must be provided and verification for employment and expenses must be provided with the application. All persons must sign a "Release of Information" to have their documentation verified by the Authority. Highlights of the program are: First Time Homebuyer Cannot have' owned a home within the last 3 years; divorced .persons cannot currently own home but 3 year restriction is excused. Maximum Family Income Currently, the maximum family income cannot exceed 80% of FY 2010 Medium Family Income presently set at $91,800 (effective 5/14/10) for all persons in the family from all sources (wages, interest, dividends, etc.) Family Housing The 2 bedroom units must have a minimum family size of 2 persons. The maximum number of persons that can qualify for a 2- bedroom unit would be 4 persons. 145 The 3 bedroom units must have a minimum of 3 persons with 2 being minor children living in the household. The maximum number of persons that would qualify for a 3- bedroom unit would be 6 persons. Affordable Price The affordable price is based on a 20% discount from the current fair market appraisal of the unit, which must be verified by the Authority. Deed Restriction Anyone wishing to purchase an "affordable" unit should be aware that a permanent deed restriction would be recorded with their deed. This restriction states that the unit must be sold to a qualified and eligible purchaser at a 20% discount from the fair market value as approved by the Reading Housing Authority. Single Persons Applications are accepted from single family households but persons on the single person wait list will be chosen only after all the eligible family applicants have been served. Local Preference Applicants from the Town of Reading are given preference over other applicants if their application is made on the same day. This local preference is given if a person is employed in the Town of Reading; has a business or enterprise in Reading which has been established for one or more years; if they are parents of a school child in Reading; persons who were residents of Reading for 5 or more years. Conclusion The Reading Housing Authority is proud to provide this information to you. Anyone interested in obtaining an application for any of our housing programs: elderly/handicapped housing, state family or the Federal Section 8 Rental Assistance Program, should contact the authority at 22 Frank D. Tanner Drive or by calling the office at 781 - 944 -6755. 146 COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Middlesex, ss. Officers Return, Reading: By virtue of this Warrant, I, on March 4, 2011 notified and warned the inhabitants of the Town of Reading, qualified to vote on Town affairs, to meet at the place and of the time specified by posting attested copies of this Town Meeting Warrant in the following public places within the Town of Reading: Precinct 1 J. Warren Killam School, 333 Charles Street Precinct 2 Peter Sanborn Place, 50 Bay State Road Precinct 3 Reading Police Station, 15 Union Street Precinct4 Joshua Eaton School, 365 Summer Avenue Precinct 5 Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street Precinct 6 Austin Preparatory School, 101 Willow Street Precinct 7 Reading Library, Local History Room, 64 Middlesex Avenue Precinct 8 Wood End School, 85 Sunset Rock Lane The date of posting being not less than fourteen (14) days prior to April5, 2011, the date set for the Local Election in this Warrant I also caused a posting of notice of this Warrant will be published on the Town of Reading website on March 4, 2011. A true copy Attest: Laura Gemme, Town Clerk 146 � c Nan W Ulrich, Constable TOWN WARRANT (SEAL) COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Middlesex, ss. To any of the Constables of the Town of Reading, Greetings: In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Reading, qualified to vote in the Local Elections and Town affairs, to meet in the following place designated for the eight precincts in said Town, namely: Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 Reading Memorial High School, Hawkes Field House, Oakland Road TUESDAY, the FIFTH DAY OF APRIL, A.D., 2011 from.7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to act on the following Articles, viz: ARTICLE 1 To elect by ballot the following Town Officers: A Moderator for one year; Two members of the Board of Selectmen for three years; One member of the Board of Assessors for three years; Two members of the Board of Library Trustees for three years; One member of the Municipal Light Board for three years; Two members of the School Committee for three years; and Sixty Eight Town Meeting Members shall be elected to represent each of the following precincts: Precinct 1 Eight members for three years; Precinct 2 Eight members for three years; One member two years; Precinct 3 Eight members for three years; Two members two years; Precinct 4 Eight members for three years; Precinct 5 Eight members for three years; Precinct 6 Eight members for three years; One member two years; Precinct 7 Eight members for three years; and Precinct 8 Eight members for three years. To vote on the following two questions Question 1: Shall the Town of Reading approve the amendments to Article 4 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, proposed by the November 8, 2010 Subsequent Town Meeting, which are summarized below: Article 4 — Appointed Boards and Committees Section 4 -10 (a) This section will be deleted to eliminate the Land Bank Committee. 147 Section 4 -10 (b) This section is relettered as Section 4 -10 (a). Section 4 -10 (c) This section is relettered as Section 4 -10 (b). Yes No Question 2: Shall the Town of Reading approve the amendments to Article 2 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, proposed by the November 8, 2010 Subsequent Town Meeting, which are summarized below: Article 2 — Representative Town Meeting Section 2 -15: Referendum Procedure This amendment clarifies the process for filing a referendum petition to submit an affirmative vote of the Town Meeting to the voters in the form of a ballot question, and establishes the form of the petition to be circulated for signatures. The amendment requires that the ballot question be set forth at the top of each petition form and be identical to the ballot question that will appear on the official ballot. Circulators may make additional copies of the petition form but each copy must be an exact duplicate. The petition form must have language advising voters that it may not be altered in any way, and that no extraneous markings may appear on the petition form or the signatures on that petition form may be invalidated. Extraneous markings do not include signatures and addresses. The petition form must also include language advising that only the signatures of registered voters will be valid, that the petition form should not be signed more than once, and that they may authorize another person to write their name and address on the petition form if they are physically unable to do so. The back of each petition form shall instruct voters to read the signer information on the front before signing. In addition to certifying signatures, the amendment authorizes the Board of Registrar of Voters to examine the petition forms for alterations and extraneous markings. In addition, the separate paragraphs of Section 2 -15 have been given lettered subsections. Yes No and to meet at the Reading Memorial High School, 62 Oakland Road, in said Reading on MONDAY, the TWENTY -FIFTH DAY OF APRIL A.D., 2011 at seven -thirty o'clock in the evening, at which time and place the following Articles are to be acted upon and determined exclusively by Town Meeting Members in accordance with the provisions of the Reading Home Rule Charter. ARTICLE 2 To hear and act on the reports of the Board of Selectmen, Town Accountant, Treasurer - Collector, Board of Assessors, Director of Public Works, Town Clerk, Tree Warden, Board of Health, School Committee, Contributory Retirement Board, Library Trustees, Municipal Light Board, Finance Committee, Cemetery Trustees, Community Planning & Development Commission, Town Manager and any other Official, Board or Special Committee. Board of Selectmen 148 ARTICLE 3 To choose all other necessary Town Officers and Special Committees and determine what instructions shall be given Town Officers and Special Committees, and to see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the purpose of funding Town Officers and Special Committees to carry out the instructions given to them, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 4 To see if the Town will vote to amend the FY 2011 - FY 2020 Capital Improvements Program as provided for in Section 7 -7 of the Reading Home Rule Charter and as previously amended, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 5 To see if the Town will vote to amend one or more of the votes taken under Article 12 of the Warrant of the Annual Town Meeting of April 26, 2010 as amended under Article 4 of the warrant of the Subsequent Town Meeting of November 10, 2010; and to see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, as the result of any such amended votes for the operation of the Town and its government, or take any other action with respect thereto. Finance Committee ARTICLE 6 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the payment during Fiscal Year 2011 of bills remaining unpaid for previous fiscal years for goods and services actually rendered to the Town,.or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 7 To see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by. borrowing, whether in anticipation of reimbursement from the State under Chapter 44, Section 6, Massachusetts General Laws, or pursuant to any other enabling authority or from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for highway projects in accordance with Chapter 90, Massachusetts General Laws, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 8 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to acquire by purchase, gift, eminent domain or otherwise, permanent and temporary construction easements upon and over a portion of certain properties located at Woburn Street, Sunnyside Avenue, Washington Street, Prescott Street and Fairview Avenue, as shown on a plan entitled "Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Highway Division, Safe Routes to School, Parker Middle School, Woburn Street - Washington Street - Sunnyside Avenue, Preliminary Right of Way in the City of Reading, Middlesex County, 25175% Submission, November 3, 2010" a copy of which is on file in the Town Clerk's Office, upon such terms and conditions as the Board of Selectmen shall determine to be appropriate, for the purpose of constructing and maintaining sidewalks; and, further, to see if the Town will 149 vote to raise, appropriate, transfer from available funds, accept gifts or borrow a sum of money for this purpose and any expenses related thereto, and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into all agreements and take all related actions necessary or appropriate to carry out this acquisition, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 9 To see if the Town will vote to accept the following roads as public ways pursuant to M.G.L. c.82, in accordance with the layouts adopted by the Board of Selectmen and on file with the Office of the Town Clerk: • Pondview Lane and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to accept deeds of easement and for the fee in said roads; and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to purchase, or take such ways in fee or rights of easement by eminent domain under the provisions of M.G.L. c.79;, or to acquire said lands in fee or rights of easement therein by purchase, gift or otherwise, and to assess betterments therefore pursuant to M.G.L. c.80; and to see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing, or from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, and appropriate for the acquisition of said lands or easements therein or for payment of any eminent domain damages and for the construction of said ways, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 10 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell, or exchange, or dispose of, upon such terms and conditions as they may determine, various items of Town tangible property, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 11 To see if the Town will vote to approve the FY 2012 — FY 2021 Capital Improvements Program as provided for in Section 7 -7 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 12 To see if the Town will vote to approve the preliminary design for the renovation and expansion of the Reading Public Library design as shown on the architectural schematics included in the background materials, or take any other action with respect thereto. Library Board of Trustees Article 13 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a lease of the existing indoor ice skating rink. known as the Burbank Ice Arena, and the parking areas and accompanying land, all known as 51 Symonds Way, Reading, Massachusetts, and shown as lot 54 and a part of Lot 56 on Reading Assessors' Map. 41, to a non - profit organization, organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and that has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be an organization qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and that has at least ten years of experience in the operation of a skating rink, for the purpose of operating an ice skating rink, with usage. preference for the residents of the Town, for an initial term of ten (10) 150 years, with up to two options to extend the lease term for up to ten years each; with the net income from the rinks operations, after deducting (a) operational, maintenance and repair costs and expenses, and (b) the funding of a cash reserve fund to cover capital replacements and contingencies, to be paid to the Town of Reading, Massachusetts, such rental payments to the Town to be made no less frequently than annually and upon such other lease terms and conditions as the Board of Selectmen deem appropriate; or take any action in relation thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 14 To see if the Town will vote to authorize revolving funds for certain Town Departments under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 53E Y2 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011 with the receipts, as specified, credited to each fund, the purposes, as listed, for which each fund may be spent, the maximum amount that may be spent from each fund for the fiscal year, and the disposition of the balance of each fund at fiscal year end. Revolving Spending Revenue Allowed Expenditure Year End Account. Authority Source Expenses Limits Balance Consulting and engineering Fees as provided services for the or in Reading review of designs $25,000 Conservation General Bylaws and engineering Commission Section 5.7, work for the Available for Consulting Conservation Wetlands protection of expenditure Fees Commission Protection wetlands. next year Legal, oversight and inspection, plan review, initial property appraisals and appeals, Community Building Plumbing, Services general $200,000 Wiring, Gas and management, curb other permits for sidewalks and he Oaktree, pedestrian safety Addison-Wesley/ improvements, Inspection Pearson and records archiving Available for Revolving Town Johnson Woods and other project expenditure Fund Mana er developments related costs. next year Vaccines, materials for screening clinics and clinical supply costs, medical equipment and $25,000 supplies, Public Health Clinic Fees and immunizations, Available for Clinics and Board of third party . educational expenditure Services Health reimbursements materials next year Library Library ICharges for lost or cquire Library $15000 Available for Materials Director and dama ed Libra materials to replace , expenditure 151 Replacement Trustees materials lost or damaged next year items Utilities and all Mattera other maintenance $10,000 vailable for Cabin Recreation and operating expenditure Operating dministrator Rental Fees expenses next year or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 15 To see if the Town will vote pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30B, Section 12 to authorize the School Committee to enter into a contract or contracts including all extensions renewals and options for school bus transportation for a period greater than three years but not exceeding 5 years upon such terms and conditions determined by the School Committee, or take any other action with respect thereto. School Committee ARTICLE 16 To see if the Town will vote to supplement debt authorized under Article 9 of the 2010 Subsequent Town Meeting for the so called "Green Repair" program and if so, to see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, and appropriate for the purpose of making improvements including but not limited to repairing and/or replacing roofs and /or windows at the Killam School and/or Birch Meadow School, including the costs of consulting services, audits, plans, documents, cost estimates, bidding services, and all related expenses incidental thereto and necessary in connection therewith, said sum to be expended by and under the direction of the School Committee and /or the Superintendent of Schools; and to see if the Town will authorize the School Committee, Board of Selectmen, Superintendent of Schools, Town Manager, or any other agency of the Town, to apply for a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority or any other source of funding, to be used to defray the cost of all, or any part of such improvements; and to authorize the School Committee and /or the Superintendent of Schools and /or the Town Manager to enter into any and all contracts and agreements as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Article, or take any other action with respect thereto. School Committee ARTICLE 17 To see if the Town will vote accept the supplemental annual allowance of $9,000 for widow(er)s of disability retirees as provided in section 101 of Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws, or take any other action with respect thereto. Contributory Retirement Board ARTICLE 18 To see if the Town will vote to delete Section 5.15 — Storing or Handling of Crude Petroleum or any Crude Petroleum Products, of the Reading General Bylaw, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 19 To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 5.13 — "Demolition of Structures of Potentially Historical Significance" of the Reading General Bylaw, by deleting 152 the term "twelve (12) months" from Section 5.13.3.6 thereof, and inserting in its place "six (6) months' so that section reads in its entirety: (note — Gress thmugh represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language) 5.13.3.6 If the Commission determines that the demolition of the Potentially Significant Structure would be detrimental to the historical or architectural heritage or resources of the Town, such structure shall be considered a Preferably Preserved Historic Structure. The Commission shall so advise the applicant and the Building Inspector, and a Demolition Permit may be delayed up to twelve (12) six (6) months after the conclusion of the hearing during which time alternatives to demolition shall be considered. The Commission shall offer the owner information about options other than demolition, such as resources in the preservation field, the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the Town Planner, and other interested parties that General Bylaws 69 Amended through March 2010 might provide assistance in preservation, funding and /or adaptive reuse. or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 20 To see if the Town will vote to delete in its entirety, Section 5.16 of the Reading General Bylaw, and insert in its place the following new Section 5.16, 5.16 Outdoor Loudspeakers and Public Address Systems No commercial establishment (except for restaurants as noted below) shall install or operate any outdoor loudspeaker or public address system on its premises except for the sole purpose of direct communication with a customer to assist that customer or to conduct a specific business transaction at the commercial establishment, as for example at a drive -up window of a fast food or banking establishment, or at self - service gasoline pumps. Any such loudspeaker or public address system shall be operated only during the regular business hours of the establishment. The owner of the establishment shall at all times ensure that the volume of sound produced outdoors by such loudspeaker or public address system shall be such as not to be audible from any portion of a public way or residential property. Restaurants, except drive - through food establishments, may provide outdoor loudspeakers for the purpose of providing music for their patrons while dining, provided that such music is not audible from any portion of a public way or abutting property. Any such loudspeaker shall be operated only during the regular business hours of the establishment. or take any other action with respect thereto Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 21 To see if the Town will vote to amend the General Bylaws of the Town of Reading by deleting Section 5.2.4, and by adding a new section 5.19 as follows: 5.19 Snow and Ice Removal 5.19.1 Residences. The owner or occupant of any residentially zoned land abutting a paved sidewalk that has been designated by the Board of Selectmen as a walking route in the Town shall cause all snow and ice to be removed from said sidewalk by plowing, shoveling, scraping or otherwise so as not to damage such sidewalk, and within eight hours between sunrise and sunset 153 after such snow and ice have come upon the sidewalk. At a minimum, only so much of said sidewalk that meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for a minimum cleared width of thirty six inches (36') shall be required. Violations of this section shall be punishable by a fine of $25 per day that the snow and ice are not so removed. The provisions of this bylaw may be enforced through the non - criminal disposition method as provided in M.G.L.. c. 40, § 21D and Section 5.11 of this Bylaw. For the purpose of non - criminal disposition, the following shall be enforcing persons: Police Officers. The Board of Selectmen is authorized to exempt citizens from the requirements of this section upon petition showing demonstrable extreme hardship due to a combination of health and financial duress. 5.19.2 Apartments / Condominiums. The owner of any residential property utilized for apartment house or multi unit condominium use that abuts a paved sidewalk in the Town shall cause all snow and ice to be removed from the entire width of such sidewalk by plowing, shoveling, scraping or otherwise so as not to damage such sidewalk, and within the first three hours between sunrise and sunset after such snow and ice have come upon such sidewalk. Violations of this section shall be punishable by a fine of $25 per day that the snow and ice are not so removed. The provisions of this bylaw may be enforced through the non - criminal disposition method as provided in M.G.L. c. 40, § 21D and Section 5.11 of this Bylaw. For the purpose of non - criminal disposition, the following shall be enforcing persons: Police Officers. 5.19.3 Businesses. The owner or occupant of any land abutting upon a paved sidewalk of a public way in this Town, which said property is zoned or used for business purposes shall cause all snow and ice to be removed from the entire width of such sidewalk. Such snow and ice shall be so removed by plowing, shoveling, scraping or otherwise so as not to damage such sidewalk, and within the first three hours between sunrise and sunset after such snow and ice has come upon such sidewalk. Violations of this section shall be punishable by a fine of $25 per day that the snow and ice are not so removed. The provisions of this bylaw may be enforced through the non - criminal disposition method as provided in M.G.L. c. 40, § 21D and Section 5.11 of this Bylaw. For the purpose of non - criminal disposition, the following shall be enforcing persons: Police Officers. 5.19.4 In addition to the remedies provided above, the Board of Selectmen may, in its discretion, after due notice to the owner of the real property and an opportunity to be heard, perform or otherwise cause the clearing or treating of snow and /or ice to be performed and recover from said owner the expense therefore which shall not exceed $500.00 per occurrence. Such expense shall constitute a municipal charge lien against the real property as provided in M.G.L. c. 40, § 58. 5.19.5 No person shall move or remove snow or ice from private lands upon any public street, sidewalk or common land of the Town in such a manner as to obstruct or impede the free passage of vehicular or pedestrian traffic upon the street, sidewalk or common land of the Town, unless he has first obtained a permit therefore issued by the Director of Public Works. No person shall lay, throw, place, or cause to be placed any ice or snow on any portion of any street, sidewalk, or common land within the Town. 154 or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 22 To see if the Town will vote to amend the Reading Home Rule Charter as follows: (note – Gress ihreagt-i represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language) by removing 'Board of Assessors" in the first paragraph of Section 3.1 so that the paragraph reads as follows: Section 3 -1: General Provisions The offices to be filled by the voters shall be the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, om of Assessors, Board of Library Trustees, Municipal Light Board, Moderator, Vocational School Representative and such members of regional authorities or districts as may be established by statute, interlocal agreement or otherwise, to re- number Section 3.6 as Section 4 -10, and to amend the language in the new Section 4- 10 to read as follows: Section 36 4 -10: Board.of Assessors There shall be a Board of Assessors consisting of three (3) members elected appointed for three (3) year terms so arranged that one (1) term shall expire each year. The terms of the members of the Board of Assessors shall expire on the first day of July. Members of the Board of Assessors shall be appointed by an Appointment Committee chaired by the Moderator, consisting of the Moderator who shall have one vote, the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen who shall have one vote, and the-Chairman of the Finance Committee who shall have one vote. Any vacancy on the board shall be filled by the Appointment Committee. The Board of Assessors shall have all the powers and duties given to Boards of Assessors by the Law of the Commonwealth not inconsistent with this Charter, to renumber the present Section 4.10 as Section 4.11, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 23 To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 4.3.3 of the Town of Reading Zoning By -Laws as follows: (note — Gress through represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language) 4.3.3. SITE PLAN REVIEW 4.3.3.1. Applicability. The following types of activities and uses require site plan review by the CPDC_ Routine maintenance of replacement in -kind is exempt. 155 a. Any exterior construction, or alteration or expansion of more than five hundred (500) gross square feet of an institutional, commercial, industrial, or multi - family structure with four or more dwelling units; b. 6enstr1_1stien of expaRsiOR of . aFki g let s„r . � + ° +; +� ^� w„meFGma;- b. A change of use within an institutional, commercial, industrial, or multi - family structure; C. Interior renovations over two thousand (2,000) gross square feet, d. Construction or expansion of a parking lot for an institutional, commercial, industrial, or multi - family structure or purpose. 4.3.3.2. Procedures. Applicants for site plan approval shall submit twelve (12) copies of the site plan to the CPDC for review, and within three (3) days thereafter request a determination from the Town Planner on completeness of application. The Town Planner shall make a determination of completeness within thirty (30) days of receipt of such application. The CPDC shall review and act upon the site plan, with such conditions as may be deemed appropriate, within sixty (60) days of its determination of completeness, and notify the applicant of its decision. The decision of the CPDC approving site plan review, shall be a majority of the commission and shall be in writing. No building permit or certificate of occupancy shall be issued by the Building Inspector without the written approval of the site plan.by the CPDC, or unless 60 days lapse from the date of a determination of completeness of the site plan without action by the CPDC. 4.3.3.3. Requirements: 4.3.3.3.1. Where the CPDC serves as the special permit granting authority for - proposed work, it shall consolidate its site plan review and special permit procedures. 4.3.3.3.2. The applicant may request, and the CPDC may grant by majority vote, an extension of the time limits set forth herein. 4.3.3.3.3. No deviation from an approved site plan shall be permitted without modification thereof approved by CPDC. 4.3.3.4. Preparation of Plans. Applicants are invited to submit a pre - application sketch of the proposed project to the CPDC and to schedule a comment period at a regular meeting of the CPDC. Site plans shall be submitted on 24 -inch by 36- inch sheets, or larger if necessary for clarity. Plans shall be prepared by a registered professional engineer, registered land surveyor, architect or landscape architect, as appropriate. Dimensions and scales shall be adequate to determine that all requirements are met and to make a complete analysis and evaluation of the proposal. 4.3.3.5. Contents of Plan. The contents of the site plan are as follows: 156 4.3.3.5.1. Five (5) separate plans prepared at a scale of one (1) inch equals twenty (20) feet or forty (40).feet or such suitable scale as may be approved by the CPDC. The plans are as follows: a. Site layout, which shall contain the boundaries of the lot(s) in the proposed development, proposed structures, drives, parking, fences, walls, walks, outdoor lighting, loading facilities, and areas for snow storage after plowing. The first sheet in this plan shall be a locus plan, at a scale acceptable to the CPDC, showing the entire project and its relation to existing areas, buildings and roads for a distance of one thousand (1,000) feet from the project boundaries or such other distance as may be approved or required by the staff. b. Topography and drainage plan, which shall contain the existing and proposed final topography at two -foot intervals and plans for handling storm water drainage, including resource area delineation. C. Utility plan which shall include all facilities for refuse and sewerage disposal or storage of all wastes, the. location of all hydrants, fire alarm and fire fighting facilities on and adjacent to the site, all proposed recreational facilities and open space areas, and all wetlands including flood plain areas. d. Architectural plans, which shall include the floor plans and architectural elevations of all proposed buildings and a color rendering or photographs of similar structures. e. Landscaping plan, showing the limits of work, existing tree lines, and all proposed landscape features and improvements including screening, planting areas with size and type of stock for shrub or tree, and including proposed erosion control measures. 4.3.3.5.2. The site plan shall be accompanied by a written statement indicating the estimated time required to complete the proposed project and any and all phases thereof. . 4.3.3.5.3. A written summary of the contemplated projects shall be submitted with the site plan indicating, where appropriate, the number of dwelling units to be built and the acreage in residential use, the evidence of compliance with parking and off - street loading requirements, the forms of ownership contemplated for the property and a summary of the provisions of any., ownership or maintenance thereof, identification of all land that will become common or public land, and any other evidence necessary to indicate compliance with this By -Law. 4.3.3.5.4. The site plan shall be accompanied by drainage calculations by a registered professional engineer. Storm drainage design must conform to the Town of Reading subdivision regulations and Department of Environmental Protection storm water regulations. 4.3.3.5.5. The CPDC may require a narrative statement detailing the impact of the proposed use on municipal services and the environment, lighting, traffic, 157 hazardous materials storage, trash, hours of operation and construction impacts. 4.3.3.5.6. Certification that the proposal is in compliance with the provisions, if applicable, of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Massachusetts Architectural Barriers Board. 4.3.3.5.7. All plans submitted shall be in digital format as well as prints as approved by the Town Engineer. Number of prints submitted shall be determined by the Town Planner. 4.3.3.6. Approval. Site plan approval shall be granted upon determination by the CPDC that the plan meets the following objectives. The CPDC may impose reasonable conditions at the expense of the applicant, including performance guarantees, to promote these objectives. Any new building construction or other site alteration shall provide adequate access to each structure for fire and service equipment and adequate provision for utilities and storm water drainage consistent with the functional requirements of the CPDC's Subdivision Rules and Regulations. New building construction or other site alteration shall be designed in the site plan, after considering the qualities of the specific location, the proposed land use, the design of building form, the grading, egress points, and other aspects of the development, so as to: a. Minimize the volume of cut and fill, the number of removed trees 6" caliper or larger, the length of removed stone walls, the area of wetland vegetation displaced, the extent of storm water flow from the site, soil erosion, and the threat of air and water pollution; b. Maximize pedestrian and vehicular safety both on the site and approach /egression from it; C. Minimize obstruction of scenic views from publicly accessible locations; Minimize visual intrusion by controlling the visibility of parking, storage, or other outdoor service areas viewed from public ways or premises residentially used or zoned through the use of landscaping and fencing; Minimize glare from headlights and lighting intrusion; Minimize unreasonable departure from the character, materials, and scale of buildings in the vicinity, as viewed from public ways and places; g. Minimize contamination of groundwater from on -site wastewater disposal systems or operations on the premises involving the use, storage, handling, or containment of hazardous substances; h. Ensure compliance with the provisions of the Zoning By -Law; Maximize property enhancement through use of landscaping and other site amenities; Minimize environmental impacts to adjacent properties through hours of operation, deliveries, noise, rubbish removal and storage. 158 4.3.3.7. Lapse. Site plan approval shall lapse after two (2) years from the grant thereof if a substantial use thereof has not sooner commenced except for good cause. Such approval may, for good cause, be extended in writing by the CPDC upon the written request of the applicant. 4.3.3.8. Regulations. The CPDC may adopt and from time to time amend reasonable regulations for the administration of these site plan guidelines. 4.3.3.9. Fee. The CPDC may adopt reasonable administrative fees and technical review fees for site plan review at levels necessary to cover costs. The CPDC may also require the applicant to fund professional review of the filing. 3.3.10. Appeal. The appeal of any decision of the CPDC hereunder shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Mass. Gen. L. Ch. 40A. §17. ... A 3 .--.-- .3.12.1 . ViaN,elc of Shp Pl;;R: 4.3.3.11. Minor Site Plan Review: The Community Planning and Development Commission or the Town Planner by administrative 'approval may waive grant approval for a minor site plan review with or without conditions provided the proposed construction, expansion or alteration will not result in any adverse impact in the areas described in Sections 4.3.3.5 or 4.3.3.6 and for any of the following reasons provided however that the property has not been approved for a minor site plan review within the last three (3) years; easonss a. The construction, expansion or alteration only involves the interior renovation of an existing space such as plumbing, electrical, furniture, fixtures, mechanical systems, or interior changes to comply with the current building code such as handicap accessibility. and the b. The proposed change in use is in the same use category afld will net C. The property has undeFgene been developed according to a full site plan review and approval within the past five years. and the PFopese 159 If the Community Planning and Development Commission or Town Planner does not act within 60 W days of receiving a complete waiver Minor Site Plan Review Project request, the waiver shall be deemed granted. 4.3.3.12.1. Waiver of Loading Zone Space Requirements: The Community Planning and Development Commission may waive the . requirements of 6.1.1.3 as to the number of loading zone spaces, provided there is no adverse impact in the areas described in Section 4.3.3.6:, or take any other action with respect thereto. 4.3.3.12.2. Waiver of Parking, Loading Space and Related Design Requirements in the Business C District. Upon the applicant's request and submission of supporting documentation, the community Planning and Development Commission may waive or reduce the requirements under Section 6.1.1.3 and Section 6.1.2, provided there is no adverse impact in the areas described in Section 4.3.3.6. or take any other action with respect thereto. Community Planning and Development Commission ARTICLE 24 To see if the Town will vote to approve an Affordable Housing Trust Fund Allocation Plan pursuant to Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2001 entitled "AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF READING TO ESTABLISH AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND ", or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 25 To see if the Town will vote to sell at public auction the southwesterly section of Lot 28 -202 (Pearl and Audubon) of the Board of Assessors' map together with the former public way known as Pearl Street, said auction to be held on or before December 31, 2011, or take any other action with respect thereto. By Petition ARTICLE 26 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell or dispose of, upon such terms and conditions as they may determine, the following real estate properties as shown on the Board of Assessors' Map, 38 -54 Birch Road, 8 -11 Fairmount Road, 33 -37 Main Street, 23 -62 Torre Street, 27 -210 Locust Street, 17 -215 Green Street, 32 -13 off Parkman Road, 23 -70 Bay State Road and 21 -147 Kingston Street, or take any other action with respect thereto. By Petition ARTICLE 27 To see if the Town will vote to sell at public auction Lot 9 -3 (Lothrop Road) of the Board of Assessors' Map, said auction to be held on or before December 31, 2011, or take any other action with respect thereto. By Petition 160 ARTICLE 28 To see if the Town will vote to determine how much money the Town will appropriate by borrowing, or from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the operation of the Town and its government for Fiscal Year 2012- beginning July 1, 2011, or take any other action with respect thereto. Finance Committee ARTICLE 29 To see if the Town will vote to appropriate funds from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds or otherwise to the Employee Sick Leave Buy -back and Vacation Leave Buyback Stabilization Fund, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 30 To see if the Town will vote, pursuant to Section 2 -6 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, to declare the seats of certain Town Meeting Members to be vacant and remove certain described persons from their position as Town Meeting Members for failure to take the oath of office within 30 days following the notice of election or for failure to attend one half or more of the Town Meeting sessions during the previous year, or take any other action with respect thereto: Precinct 2 Lizabeth Ann Malinski Gerard McDonald John B. Sullivan Kim Marie Sullivan Richard J. Moore Robert R. Morelli Brooks E. Rice Joseph T. Connearney Sr. Wei E. Lam George A. Snow Precinct 3 David A. Craven Anthony D'Arezzo Precinct 5 Susan A. Giacalone Precinct 6 Jacquelyn A. Mandell Allison M. Piper Steven L. Cool Rick D'Angelo Chad R. Smith Precinct 7 Mario A. Jarrin Hurtado Nancy B. Matheson Precinct 8 Patricia Beckman William O. Finch Donald J. Golini Robert I. Nordstrand 161 Board of Selectmen and you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting an attested copy thereof in at least one (1) public place in each precinct of the Town not less than fourteen (14) days prior to April 5, 2011, the date set for the Election in said Warrant, or providing in a manner such as electronic submission, holding for pickup or mailing, an attested copy of said Warrant to each Town Meeting Member. Hereof fail not and make due return.of this Warrant.with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at or before the time appointed for said meeting. Given under our hands this 1st day of March; 2011. an W. Ulrich, Constable 162 Gaunim vv. to iti ivi ly, vi�c ��aninuir Richard W. Schubert, Secretary, Ste�p�ien A. Goldy i afoya SELECTMEN OF READING Local Election April 5, 2011 Official Certified Results Pursuant to the Warrant and the Constable's Return thereon, a State Election was held for all eight precincts at the Hawkes Field House, Oakland Road. The Declaration of Polls being according to the Warrant by the Town Clerk, Laura A Gemme. The ballot boxes were examined by the respective Wardens and Police Officer on duty and each found to be empty and registered 000. The Town Clerk declared the polls open at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with the following results: 2367 Total ballots (14.0 %) of registered voters cast as follows: Board of Library Trustees for three years - Vote for Two Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total David P Hutchinson* 201 140 144 248 174 200 243 178 1528 Victoria V Yablons * 197 139 146 236 172 198 232 176 1496 Other 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 4 Blanks 234 148 146 290 218 204 244 222 1706 Total 632 428 438 774 564 602 720 576 4734 * Elected Municipal Light Board for three years - Vote for One Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 I Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Robert H Soli* 200 142 154 239 169 204 217 193 .1518 Other 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 Blanks 114 70 64 148 113 97 143 95 844 Total 316 214 219 387 282 301 360 288 2367 * Elected School Committee for three years - Vote for Two Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 I Pr 3 I Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Lisa Gibbs* 198 1141 127 205 156 149 231 157 1337 Karen T Janowski* 208 132 120 206 157 192 237 173 1425 Charles R Arthur Jr 120 92 111 208 136 152 130 125 1074 Other 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 Blanks 106 90 79 155 115 108 122 120 895 Total 632 428 438 7741 5641 6021 7201 5761 4734 * Elected 163 Local Election. April 5, 2011 Official Certified Results Pursuant to the Warrant and the Constable's Return thereon, a State Election was held for all eight precincts at the Hawkes Field House, Oakland Road. The Declaration of Polls being according to the Warrant by the Town Clerk, Laura A Gemme. The ballot boxes were examined by the respective Wardens and Police Officer on duty and each found to be empty and registered 000. The Town Clerk declared the polls open at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with the following results: 2367 Total ballots (14.0 %) of registered voters cast as follows: Moderator for one year - Vote for One Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Alan E. Foulds* 237 155 166 270 201 220 261 222 1732 Other 0 2 1 0 0 3 0 4 10 Blanks 79 57 52 117 81 78 99 62 625 Total 316 214 219 387 282 301 360 288 2367 * Elected Board of Selectmen for three years - Vote for Two Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total James E Bonazoli* 214 120 124 235 156 182 259 181 1471 Ben Tafo a* 190 108 159 267 164 185 222 160 1455 Kara Fratto 135 112 82 122 117 133 118 139 958 Other 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 5 Blanks 91 87 73 150 127 101 121 95 845 Total 632 428 438 774 564 602 720 576 4734 * Elected Board of Assessors for three years - Vote for One Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Fred A McGrane* 4 0 0 4 3 6 0 4 21 Other 15 7 12 14 13 14 13 11 99 Blanks 297 207 207 369 266 281 347 273 2247 Total 316 214 219 387 282 301 360 288 2367 * Elected 164 Local Election April 5, 2011 Official Certified Results Pursuant to the Warrant and the Constable's Return thereon, a State Election was held for all eight precincts at the Hawkes Field House, Oakland Road. The Declaration of Polls being according to the Warrant by the Town Clerk, Laura A Gemme. The ballot boxes were examined by the respective Wardens and Police Officer on duty and each found to be empty and registered 000. The Town Clerk declared the polls open at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with the following results: 2367 Total ballots (14.0 %) of registered voters cast as follows: Precinct One - Town Meeting Members for three years - Vote for not more than Eight Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Roy A Benjamin Jr* 208 144 208 Roger J D'Entremont* 212 137 212 Mark L Dockser* 219 3 219 Ellen Mounteer` 199 1 199 Paula J Perry* 219 2 219 Elaine L Webb* 2291 1 5 229 Mark Cardono* 2 1 1 1 1 1 1420 2 Keith D'Entremont* 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1712 3 Other 9 9 Blanks 1228 1228 Total 2528 2528 * Elected Precinct Two - Town Meeting Members for three years - Vote for not more than Eight Candidate Pr 1 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total . Reginald T Peters* 144 144 George A Snow* 137 137 Anthony Bastiani* 3 3 David Wayne Decker* 1 1 David O'Sullivan* 2 2 Other 5 5 Blanks 14201 1 1 1 1 1 1420 Total 17121 1 1 1 1 1 1 1712 * Elected 165 Local Election April 5, 2011 Official Certified Results Pursuant to the Warrant and the Constable's Return thereon, a State Election was held for all eight precincts at the Hawkes Field House, Oakland Road. The Declaration of Polls being according to the Warrant by the Town Clerk, Laura A Gemme. The ballot boxes were examined by the respective Wardens and Police Officer on duty and each found to be empty and registered 000. The Town Clerk declared the polls open at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with the following results: 2367 Total ballots (14.0 %) of registered voters cast as follows: Precinct Two - Town Meeting Member for two year - Vote for not more than One Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 1 Er _4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Noah B White* 1 141 1 Other 9 145 9 Blanks 204 141 204 Total 214 141 214 * Elected Precinct Three - Town Meeting Members for three years - Vote for not more than Eight Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Norman W Blanchard* 141 141 Jeanne MacDonald Duran* 145 145 Richard W Eagleston Jr* 141 141 Lawrence A Hurley* 141 141 Sheila C Spinney* 149 149 John D Breslin* 142 142 Margaret M Faulkner* 2 2 Kathleen M Tibbetts* 2 2 Other 11 11 Blanks 878 878 Total 1752 1752 * Elected 166 Local Election April 5, 2011 Official Certified Results Pursuant to the Warrant and the Constable's Return thereon, a State Election was held for all eight precincts at the Hawkes Field House, Oakland Road. The Declaration of Polls being according to the Warrant by the Town Clerk, Laura A Gemme. The ballot boxes were examined by the respective Wardens and Police Officer on duty and each found to be empty and registered 000. The Town Clerk declared the polls open at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with the following results: 2367 Total ballots (14.0 %) of registered voters cast as follows: Precinct Three - Town Meeting Member for two year - Vote for not more than Two Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 I Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Anthony D'Arezzo* 162 126 162 Colleen O'Shaughnessy* 2 252 2 Other 3 267 3 Blanks 271 206 271 Total 438 243 438 Elected Precinct Four - Town Meeting Members for three years - Vote for not more than Eight Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Marie J Fratto 126 126 Nancy M Graham* 252 252 Russell T Graham* 267 267 Harry M Simmons* 206 206 Ben Tafo a* . 243 243 Nancy J Twomey* 254 254 Marsie K West* 216 216 Andrew Kluge* 240 240 David G Mancuso* 191 191 Other 2 2 Blanks 1099 1099 Total 30961 3096 * Elected 167 Local Election April 5, 2011 Official Certified Results Pursuant to the Warrant and the Constable's Return thereon, a State Election was held for all eight precincts at the Hawkes Field House, Oakland Road. The Declaration of Polls being according to the Warrant by the Town Clerk, Laura A Gemme. The ballot boxes were examined by the respective Wardens and Police Officer on duty and each found to be empty and registered 000. The Town Clerk declared the polls open at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with the following results: 2367 Total ballots (14.0 %) of registered voters cast as follows: Precinct Five - Town Meeting Members for three years -.Vote for not more than Eight Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 I Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Camille W Anthony* Ralph A Colorusso* 177 182 177 Angela F Binda* Ronald M D'Addario* 152 191 152 Paul C Dustin* Robert L Mandell* 162 153 162 Timothy J Kelley* John M Miles* 178 168 178 Gary M Nihan* Gary D Phillips* 178 133 178 Erin K Calvo- Bacci* Jeanne M Borawski* 157 1601 157 Laurence F Hayes Jr* Mary Ann C Quinn* 7 198 7 Gina DiRocco* Robert J Quinn* 16 180 16 Other Other 10 8 10 Blanks Blanks 1219 1035 1219 Total Total 2256 2408 2256 * Elected Precinct Six - Town Meeting Members for three years - Vote for not more than Eight Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Ralph A Colorusso* 182 182 Ronald M D'Addario* 191 191 Robert L Mandell* 153 153 John M Miles* 168 168 Gary D Phillips* 133 133 Jeanne M Borawski* 1601 160 Mary Ann C Quinn* 198 198 Robert J Quinn* 180 180 Other 8 8 Blanks 1035 1035 Total 2408 2408 *-Elected f Local Election April 5, 2011 Official Certified Results Pursuant to the Warrant and the Constable's Return thereon, a State Election was held for all eight precincts at the Hawkes Field House, Oakland Road. The Declaration of Polls being according to the Warrant by the Town Clerk, Laura A Gemme. The ballot boxes were examined by the respective Wardens and Police Officer on duty and each found to be empty and registered 000. The Town Clerk declared the polls open at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with the following results: 2367 Total ballots (14.0 %) of registered voters cast as follows: Precinct Six - Town Meeting Member for two year - Vote for not more than One Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5. Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Russell D Bond ** Carl F Anderson 111* 1 205 1 Michael J BorawsW* Christopher Caruso* 1 230 1 Christopher Campbell*" Michele Weber Chia ini* 1 233 1 Leslie L Hadle ** C Ellen Commito* 1 243 1 Jacquelyn A Mandell ** John Jack K Downing* 1 219 1 Fred A McGrane ** Bryan EJ Walsh* 1 1951 1 Alexander McRae ** John E Carpenter* 1 234 1 Other Daniel A Ensmin er* 2 221 2 Blanks Other 292 6 292 Total Blanks 301 301 * Elected ** Tie Breaker to be determined by Precinct at Annual Town Meeting Precinct Seven - Town Meeting Members for three years - Vote for not more than Eight Candidate Pr 1 . Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr.5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Carl F Anderson 111* 205 205 Christopher Caruso* 230 230 Michele Weber Chia ini* 233 233 C Ellen Commito* 243 243 John Jack K Downing* 219 219 Bryan EJ Walsh* 1951 195 John E Carpenter* 234 234 Daniel A Ensmin er* 221 221 Other 6 6 Blanks 1094 1094 Total 2880 2880 * Elected 169 Official Local Election April 5, 2011 Certified Results Pursuant to the Warrant and the Constable's Return thereon, a State Election was held for all eight precincts at the Hawkes Field House, Oakland Road. The Declaration of Polls being according to the Warrant by the Town Clerk, Laura A Gemme. The ballot boxes were examined by the respective Wardens and Police Officer on duty and each found to be empty and registered 000. The Town Clerk declared the polls open at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with the following results: 2367 Total ballots (14.0 %) of registered voters cast as follows: Precinct Eight - Town Meeting Members for three years - Vote for not more than Eight Candidate Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total William C Brown* 181 181 Donald J Golini* 169 169 Kathleen E Golini* 168 168 Robert I Nordstrand* 179 179 Kenneth R Tucci* 170 170 Kevin M Sexton* 168 168 Eileen Shine Litterio* 5 5 Frederick Van Magness* 5 5 Other 12 12 Blanks 1247 1247 Total 2304 2304 * Elected 170 Local Election April 5, 2011 Official Certified Results Pursuant to the Warrant and the Constable's Return thereon, a State Election was held for all eight precincts at the Hawkes Field House, Oakland Road. The Declaration of Polls being according to the Warrant by the Town Clerk, Laura A Gemme. The ballot boxes were examined by the respective Wardens and Police Officer on duty and each found to be empty and registered 000. The Town Clerk declared the polls open at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with the following results: 2367 Total ballots (14.0 %) of registered voters cast as follows: Question 1 Shall the Town of Reading approve the amendments to Article 4 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, proposed by the November 8, 2010 Subsequent Town Meeting, which are summarized below: Article 4 — Appointed Boards and Committees Section 4 -10 (a) This section will be deleted to eliminate the Land Bank Committee. Section 4 -10 (b) This section is relettered as Section 4 -10 (a). Section 4 -10 (c) This section is relettered as Section 4 -10 (b). Question 1 Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Yes' 187 120. 143 232 163 170 206 171 1392 No 59 46 32 49 . 49 64 41 50 390 Blanks 70 48 44 106 70 67 113 67 585 Total 316 214 219 387 282 301 360 288 2367 171 Local Election April 5, 2011 Official Certified Results Pursuant to the Warrant and the Constable's Return thereon, a State Election was held for all eight precincts at the Hawkes Field House, Oakland Road. The Declaration of Polls being according to the Warrant by the Town Clerk, Laura A Gemme. The ballot boxes were examined by the respective Wardens and Police Officer on duty and each found to be empty and registered 000. The Town Clerk declared the polls open at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with the following results: 2367 Total ballots (14.0 %) of registered voters cast as follows: Question 2' Shall the Town of Reading approve the amendments to Article 2 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, proposed by the November 8, 2010 Subsequent Town Meeting, which are summarized below: Article 2 — Representative Town Meeting Section 2 -15: Referendum Procedure This amendment clarifies the process for filing a referendum petition to submit an affirmative vote of the Town Meeting to the voters in the form of a ballot question, and establishes the form of the petition to be circulated for signatures. The amendment requires that the ballot question be set forth at the top of each petition form and be identical to the ballot question that will appear on the official ballot. Circulators may make additional copies of the petition form but each copy must be an exact duplicate. The petition form must have language advising voters that it may not be altered in any way, and that no extraneous markings may appear on the petition form or the signatures on that petition form may be invalidated. Extraneous markings do not include signatures and addresses. The petition form must also include language advising that only the signatures of registered voters will be valid, that the petition form should not be signed more than once, and that they may authorize another person to write their name and address on the petition form if they are physically unable to do so. The back of each petition form shall instruct voters to read the signer information on the front before signing. In addition to certifying signatures, the amendment authorizes the Board of Registrar of Voters to examine the petition forms for alterations and extraneous markings. In addition, the separate paragraphs of Section 2 -15 have been given lettered subsections. Section 4 -10 (c) This section is relettered as Section 4 -10 (b). 172 Local Election April 5, 2011 Official Certified Results Pursuant to the Warrant and the Constable's Return thereon, a State Election was held for all eight precincts at the Hawkes Field House, Oakland Road. The Declaration of Polls being according to the Warrant by the Town Clerk, Laura A Gemme. The ballot boxes were examined by the respective Wardens and Police Officer on duty and. each found to be empty and registered 000. The Town Clerk declared the polls open at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with the following results: 2367 Total ballots (14.0 %) of registered voters cast as follows: Question 2 Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 Pr 4 Pr 5 Pr 6 Pr 7 Pr 8 Total Yes` 217 143 166 273 .202 213 248 195 1657 No 43 38 22 33 32 42 32 47 289 Blanks 56 33 31 81 48 46 80 46 421 Total 316 214 219 387 282 301 360 288 2367 A true copy. Attest: Laura A Gemme Town Clerk 173 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 25, 2011 Town Clerk, Laura Gemme and Moderator, Alan Foulds swore in elected Town Meeting members before their precinct meetings. Precinct 2 - Appointed two members to fill current vacancies -- Paul McNeice and William Ryan were appointed with a 17 -0 vote with one vacancy remaining. Precinct 6 -Voted on a tie - breaker from the April 5, 2011 Local Election - -- Christopher R Campbell was elected as a Town Meeting Member. The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Alan E'. Foulds, at 7:45 PM, there being a quorum present. The meeting was started with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. All newly elected and appointed Town Meeting Members were sworn in by the Moderator. The Warrant was partially read by the Town Clerk, Laura Gemme, when on motion by James Bonazoli, chair of the Board of Selectmen, it was voted to dispense with further reading of the Warrant except for the Officer's Return, which was read by the Town Clerk. ARTICLE 2 State of the Town given by James Bonazoli, Board of Selectmen - given as a video - text as listed below: Welcome and congratulations to our newest Town Meeting members. For those of you who are new every Annual Town Meeting in April the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen is to present the State of the Town. It is my honor to serve as the Chair and tonight I have the opportunity to say a few words on behalf of the Board of Selectmen. For my six years on the Board I have promoted the use of technology and that the Town needed to keep up with how residents and other communicate. With reverse 911 — Ed -line and the town web site Town staff has done an incredible job meeting my challenge. Heck even Peter is more technically advanced now as he can't be seen anywhere without his iPhone. So I figured it was time to put my money (or pride) where my mouth is and hope that technology doesn't fail me tonight as I would like to present the State of the Town in the form of a video. . As it is about 14 minutes long I invite Mr. Moderator, Town Clerk and others to move to the chairs in the front row...... While they do that ... just so you don't think I was overly confident in my re- election and started this before then I didn't and so put the RCTV staff through hell this week. Dawn DiChico and Phil Rushworth of RCN spent 13 hours on Saturday putting this together with me and as the Board can attest, 4 hours with me is tough let alone 13 - So I want to send a big thank you to Dawn and Phil. Now if we can turn down the lights I give you the Annual Town Report Aristotle once wrote "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." As Chairman, I am here to present the Annual Town Report on behalf of the Board of Selectmen and to outline how despite the enormous fiscal and day to day challenges, we have continued to achieve excellence this past year. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 174 As you will hear in this report our achievements are solely due to the people who have come together to serve our community - as paid staff and as volunteers. These creative - hard working people are not just here at Town Hall but within the DPW, Police, Fire, the Library, schools and boards committees and commissions. So let's start with Public Safety. For Public Safety in 2010 and the start of this year, sadly, both our fire and police departments have seen an increase in calls for service and an increase in the complexity and severity of the call. To help address this in December of 2010, the Fire Dept. implemented an ambulance software that allows the Town to remain in compliance with mandated State EMS reporting regulations and also allows them to electronically store reports and data that in the past was all paper copy. But more importantly the program has allowed them to monitor and to continually improve patient care by being able to track the treatments given to our residents by paramedics and evaluate the patient response to the treatments and monitor the type and frequency of calls they respond to. Through a grant Reading was able to purchase much needed 12 lead defibrillator monitors and replace all our semi automatic defibrillators. The addition of the new defibrillator monitors has allowed the Fire Department to complete their expansion of our Advance Life Support program to all our first line fire apparatus. One area of public safety that we don't give much attention, that is, until the most recent natural disaster in Japan and that is emergency shelters. Reading has strengthened our ability to provide emergency shelters to our residents in the event of a disaster. Through a grant from the Northeast Homeland Security Council we purchased emergency supplies that will improve the speed and efficiency in which we can move supplies to our shelters. Additionally we had all our shelters surveyed by a member of the Red Cross so we are now able to use Red Cross Staff to assist in the event we need to open a shelter. Speaking of shelters let's move over to one of our original shelters — the Library. Not everyone has moved to the Kindle or reading on their Pads. The Reading Public Library continues to grow as circulations for the year topped over a half a million for the first time ever. Now this achievement really isn't all that surprising when you realize the caliber of staff working here. Last year 2 of the library staff were recognized for their achievements. Children's Division Head Corinne Fisher was inducted into the Massachusetts Library Association Hall of Fame for her outstanding leadership in Children's Services in Massachusetts and New England. Allison Sloan was named Paralibrarian of the Year by Library Journal, a prestigious national professional magazine, for her advocacy for recognition of Paralibrarians throughout the profession. Later in the warrant articles we will be talking about how the library hopes to finally turn a school building structure into a library structure and expand with a new wing. Speaking of construction let's take a look at our economic development. 2010 was a very productive year with many achievements in the Community Services Department. Major accomplishments for the year included rewriting the sign by -law which was adopted by Town Meeting and sign compliance; economic development; and revisions to the non - conforming section of the zoning by- laws. By Town Meeting adopting the new sign by -law it alleviates a large financial burden for many businesses by bringing their signs into compliance. The changes.to the zoning by -law also increased flexibility by allowing businesses to promote themselves and events through A -Frame signs in Downtown through an annual license process. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 175 In 2010 we saw revitalization of stalled projects on prominent vacant properties such as the two 40R Smart Growth Districts of the Atlantic site with Oak Tree and the former Pearson property with Pulty Homes. The actions we have taken around Smart Growth and building a plan in achieving our mandated 10% low income housing has been recognized by the state and has already deterred one unwanted 40B project, a feat most communities have not been able to achieve. Since much of our attention has been on the down town and Walkers Brook areas for economic development it is nice to see South Main St. picking up as well. I already mentioned Putty Homes which will bring in 424 housing units to the Pearson property but the former Tambone Property will soon be the new site for Calareso's Farm stand. This will be a nice addition to Sam's Bistro across the street which also opened last year. Additionally the long vacant sites of Bear Rock Cafe and Linens and Things are now the thriving Oye's Restaurant and newly opened Golf Town. One of the main ways to get above our 2 '/2% tax revenue cap is new growth. We continue to look at ways to simplify and streamline our processes move businesses from planning to revenue producing as quickly as possible, and as the Zoning B -Laws pertaining to Non - Conformities has been a major source of confusion for both applicants and staff the revision has now been clarified and made easier to follow for all. This is a critical aspect of zoning that can now be administered with ease which is important to drive new growth. DPW ......................... Another area of great success was in the DPW — not because of their handling of an overwhelming winter but in all areas of the department. The new Rubbish and Recycling program made Reading a greener community. Recycling has doubled since the onset of the new program, saving thousands of dollars in disposal fees as well as offering residents many additional services at a reduced cost. In October of 2010, phase I of the renovations for Memorial Park were completed. This phase, the largest part of the planned project, was truly a community effort. The park project was financed by a generous donation from Nelson and Rita Burbank and other gifts such as 37 trees donated by Reading Cooperative Bank, and eight benches from various Reading organizations and families including the Reading Ice Authority, Burbank YMCA and Friends of Reading Tennis. This special project saw the culmination and collaboration of work from the Department of Public Works Engineering, Water and Sewer, Highway, Parks and Forestry and Recreation Divisions all playing a significant role in converting our Master plan into a reality. The newly renovated Memorial Park is now open to the public to enjoy all the amenities including basketball, tennis, skating, walking and other fitness opportunities. The public can also enjoy physical activity at the newly renovated playgrounds at Killiam and Washington Park as well. Another great combined success for Community Services and DPW is the Mattera Cabin which will be having its Grand Opening this weekend April 30'h. Mattera has been a long renovation project with help from Scouts, the Trails Committee, donation from REI, Jordan's Furniture, and DiNapoli Painting and countless other contributors. But what I am most impressed with is all the renovation work, all new plumbing, electrical and flooring was done by kids from the vocational school. 1 hope you will all stop by this Saturday morning to see it. Oh and feel free to make a donation while you're there. Without question these are great accomplishments; ones that were not made without many challenges and we have even greater ones ahead. We must continue to provide excellent customer service despite the potential major changes to Community Services as part of budget cutbacks proposed under the FY12 budget. We need to work through efforts to streamline and reduce regulatory requirements while preserving the goals of the regulatory reviews and our overall Master Plan. In the coming year there will be an increased federal focus on storm water requirements. The Federal II Program requires an enormous amount of time of an already thin staff to complete outfall inspections, sampling, expand public participation programs, and develop detailed mapping of the Town's entire drainage infrastructure. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 176 This past year in the DPW we saw an unusually high turnover of personnel and we need to find better ways to capture the history and knowledge that so often goes unrecorded as employees leave or retire. Succession Planning continues to be the focus as we enter FY12. As in every year, but at times when finances are the most constrained and overwhelming snow totals, we are challenged with funding our much needed capital expenditures. Our buildings, vehicles, and public works projects continue to compete for limited resources. Due to budget reduction in past and our current budgets we eliminated funding for training in most departments. One of these reductions was the "training officer" for the fire department. This program was in place for several years and was highly successful in improving consistency and the knowledge base within the Fire Department. So due to the fiscal situation we are concerned reductions in future fiscal years will negatively impact our ability to provide the same levels of service to the community we are providing currently. There is no single silver bullet to address these challenges but many can be found in a call to the nation made fifty years ago in the inauguration speech by Massachusetts' own .... This is a call that Reading has answered ever since then. Last year alone the board: filled 237 volunteer positions, on 44 standing Town Boards, Committees and Commissions (not including Town Meeting), which contributing to over 7000 volunteer hours per year or 3.6 person years. Each Board, Committee, or Commission meets on average 30 hours per year — many meet much more. Each volunteer dedicates the equivalent of almost a week of full time work per year Keep in mind that is 44 "standing" boards and committees — in addition, the Town has had several ad hoc groups dealing with activities such as the Municipal Buildings, the Town Fair, and public site Naming Rights. Add to this the tremendous number of volunteers on behalf of our schools, recreation programs, and cultural offerings this is truly a remarkable story. I would love to name all our volunteers but that just isn't possible in the time we have but there is one individual I would like to mention and that is Town Meeting member and the Reading North Reading Chamber's Citizen of the Year — Sheila Clarke. Sheila has been an incredible contributor on the Economic Development Committee and as Chair of the Fall Street Fair has made it a tremendous community event that is now recognized around the state. The economy will continue to be our maim concern with energy and gas prices rising — the unknown in health care and more and more need to help our neighbors young and old. We know what additional things we need to do as a community — we are planning for that. Together our local elected officials, our several Departments, our volunteers, our legislative leaders on a state and national level can and will accomplish more to benefit this entire community. We have and will achieve excellence it is habit for us now, we know we can achieve what seems to be the impossible. We have some of the best leadership around to guide us through the challenges.. We have the financial thought leadership in Bob LeLacheur, Gail LePointe, Mary DeLai and Finance Committee and we are stronger because of the actions taken by you - Town Meeting. We live in a community where young and old can work together and help each other building a stronger community. We know what we can do as a community — we have shown that — and it is amazing. Reading is a great town and is truly a Community of Excellence. Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: - See Attached 2011 Annual Town Meeting 177 Motion made by James Bonazoli, Board of Selectmen to table subject matter of Article 2 Motion Carried ARTICLE 3 Motion made by James Bonazoli, Board of Selectmen to table subject matter of Article 3 Motion Carried ARTICLE 4 Motion made by Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town vote to amend the FY 2011 - FY 2020 Capital Improvements Program as provided for in Section 7 -7 of the Reading Home Rule Charter and as previously amended by making the following changes: • Add Library renovation project (Article 12 will detail); • Add $100k cemetery garage design study in FYI 3; $1.5mil project now financed with debt; • Street sweeper moved from FYI to FYI (Article 5 will detail); • Several items beyond FYI were rearranged as capital priorities constantly change. Background - given by Peter Hechenbleikner: This Article is included in every Town Meeting Warrant. Town Bylaws prohibits Town Meeting from approving any Capital Expenditure unless the project is included in the Capital Improvements Program (CIP). Bond ratings agencies also want to ensure that changes to a long -term CIP are adequately described. The following changes are proposed to the 2011- 2020 CIP: • Library renovation /expansion project (described further in Article 12); ' • Add $100k cemetery garage design study (FY13); $1.5 mil. project (FY14) as debt; • Street sweeper moved from FYI to FYI 1; • Several items beyond FY12 were advanced or deferred as capital priorities have changed. These are also included in the CIP in Article 11 — the FY 2012 -FY 2021 Capital Improvements Program. Finance Committee Report - given by Francis Fardv: The Finance Committee voted 9 -0 -0 at their March 28, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter of this Article. Placing items in the capital improvement program is a prerequisite but does not authorize spending funds towards these items. . Bylaw Committee Report: No Report Presentation given by Bob LeLacheur - See Attached Motion Carried ARTICLE 5 Motion made by Richard Schubert, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town will vote to amend the votes taken under Article 12 of the Warrant of the Annual Town Meeting of April 26, 2010 as amended under Article 4 of the warrant of the Subsequent Town Meeting of November 10, 2010 as follows, and that the Town vote to appropriate by transfer from available funds, such amended amounts for the operation of the Town and its government: 2011 Annual Town Meeting 178 General Fund — Wages and Expenses Account Line Description Decrease Increase . E99 Vocational Education (Minuteman) $27,000 G92 Town Admin Expenses (Legal $10k; P &C $40,000 Insurance $30k) $21,000 K91 Community Services Wages (sick/vacation $55,000 $10,000 buyback) $40,000 K92 Community Services Expenses $1,000 $23,000 (animal disposal $3k; Veteran's benefits $117,000 $142,000 $20k Net Transfer From Storm Water Reserves $502,000 M93 Public Works: Snow & Ice $125,000 M95 Public Works: Rubbish $100,000 N91 Public Safety (Fire) Wages $250,000 U99 School department (energy) $415,000 $662,000 Subtotals Net from Operating Transfers and $237,000 Available Funds (Free Cash) From Town Sick/Vacation Stabilization $10,000 Fund Enterprise Funds —Wages and Expenses Account Line Description Decrease Increase Y99 Storm Water— Street Sweeper (capital) $142,000 Y99 Storm Water Jet/VAC Truck (capital) $21,000 General Drainage (capital) $55,000 Project specific Drainage (capital) $40,000 Equipment Rental (expenses) $1,000 $117,000 $142,000 Subtotals Net Transfer From Storm Water Reserves $25,000 (3/29 balance $275,590) Presentation given by Bob LeLacheur - See Attached 2011 Annual Town Meeting 179 Finance Committee Report - given by Kevin Levne: The Finance Committee voted 9 -0 -0 at their March 30, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter of this Article. Transfers between wage and expense line items and from free cash are necessary to balance the FYI budget. Note the snow & ice budget is through March 30, 2011 and is more than fully responsible for the need to use general fund reserves this year. In the Storm Water Enterprise Fund, an attractive trade -in allowance for the old Street Sweeper is a high priority, and several drainage projects will be deferred until July 2011 to accommodate the purchase of a new Street Sweeper in FYI instead of FYI as previously planned.. Bylaw Committee Report: No Report 2/3 Vote required Declared unanimous by Moderator 164 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried ARTICLE 6 Motion made by Ben Tafoya, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town vote to indefinitely postpone the subject matter of Article 6. Motion Carried ARTICLE 7 Motion made by Stephen Goldy, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town vote to appropriate by borrowing, whether in anticipation of reimbursement from the State under Chapter 44, Section 6, Massachusetts General Laws, or pursuant to any other enabling authority or from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, the sum of $597,663 for highway projects in accordance with Chapter 90, Massachusetts General Laws. Presentation given by George Zambouras - See Attached Background - given by Peter Hechenbleikner: The purpose of this Article is to make Chapter 90 funds for road improvements available to the Town. The Article authorizes expenditures upon receipt of the grant. The FY 2012 Chapter 90 allocation is anticipated to be $593,943. This amount represents a $133,637 increase over the previous year's allotment. The expectation is that the State will formally release the amount prior to the April 25 Annual Town Meeting. Finance Committee Report - given by Kevin Levne: The Finance Committee voted 9 -0 -0 at their March 28, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter of this Article. The FY 2012 Chapter 90 allocation is $593,943, up nearly 30% when compared to FY 2011 as the State directs more funding to road improvements. Bylaw Committee Report: No Report Motion Carried 2011 Annual Town Meeting 180 TOWN MANAGER'S WARRANT REPORT Peter Hechenbleikner gave the following information: Because the 2011 Annual Town Meeting Warrant is filled with a number of non - routine issues, I thought it might be helpful to Town Meeting members if I put these articles into some sort of overall context. The Town is in a difficult position financially, as are most communities across the nation. These circumstances present us with some significant challenges, some unusual opportunities, and some great responsibilities. The Warrant for this Annual Town Meeting has been deliberately crafted to give Town Meeting the opportunity to address many of these. ' The major financial challenges are addressed in Article 28 — the FY 2012 budget. There will be much more discussion when that article comes up for discussion, so I won't discuss this in detail at this time except to say that this is a time of difficult decisions, and the budget that will be presented to you is filled with these decisions in an effort to re -size what we as a community can do and at the same time retain our community in a strong and sustainable position. Even in this difficult financial climate, there are some significant opportunities that present themselves to the Town at this time: • Article 5 — Amending the FY 2011 budget — to secure an additional $8,000 value on the trade -in of the street sweeper • Article 8 — acquiring easements to allow us to move forward with a sidewalk construction project worth over $300,000 in federal funding • Article 12 — to approve a much needed Library renovation and modest expansion plan to enable this much valued institution to continue to carry out it's mission . • Article 13 — to allow the Board of Selectmen to bid and negotiate a new lease for the Burbank Arena, keeping this valued asset operating effectively and to the community's benefit, including returning significant funding to the Town of Reading • Article 16'— increasing the local funding to fund improvements to the Birch Meadow and Killam Schools with 47% project funding from the State • Article 24 — to provide assistance from the Affordable Housing Trust fund to enable the Oaktree development to move forward to expand the community's tax base and redevelop a vacant site in our 40R Downtown Smart Growth district • Articles 25 -27 —will be indefinitely postponed because they are not correctly drafted as petitioned articles, may be back at future Town Meetings to sell some of these un- needed real estate assets As we look at what we do as a community, and how we do it, we have a responsibility to address with Town Meeting whether we are "right sized" in some of the services that we provide, and in the regulations that we impose on ourselves and our property owners. This is particularly important as we look at what we as a community have the administrative capacity to manage, and what regulations we impose that might be standing in the way of the community's appropriate efforts at economic development. • Article 18 — would rescind the "petroleum storage" bylaw — it is redundant with improved state regulations and no longer needed • Article 19 —would roll back the potential demolition delay from 12 months to 6 months for 300 properties listed in the Town's inventory . • Article 20 — would modify regulations on outdoor loudspeakers to allow them to be used for restaurants with outdoor seating if the sound cannot be heard beyond the property line • Article 22 — would change the Board of Assessors from an elected body to an appointed one; and • Article 23 — would simplify site plan review for many local businesses • In addition to these matters brought before this Town Meeting, I am pleased to announce that the Conservation Commission has agreed, at the Selectmen's request, to conduct a thorough review with the community and stakeholders of the local wetlands bylaw and regulations. Modifications to the wetlands bylaw could be proposed to the 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 181 These are challenging times. The proposed budget and legislative items on this warrant are challenging ideas. Reading has long been a leader in innovation in local government. The community has hired and developed strong, intelligent, hardworking, and creative staff as exemplified by our Department Heads. Reading is known for its hardworking and dedicated volunteers inside and outside of government. We need to harness these assets and move the community forward to a new era in our local government. I believe that this Town is receptive to these changes for the good of the community in the long term. I look forward to working with Town Meeting as these items are presented and reviewed. ARTICLE 8 Motion made by James Bonazoli, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to acquire by purchase, gift, eminent domain or otherwise, permanent and temporary construction easements upon and over a portion of certain properties located at Woburn Street, Sunnyside Avenue, Washington Street, Prescott Street and Fairview Avenue, as shown on a plan entitled "Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Highway Division, Safe Routes to School, Parker Middle School, Woburn Street - Washington Street - Sunnyside Avenue, Preliminary Right of Way in the City of Reading, Middlesex County, 25 / 75% Submission, November 3,.2010" a copy of which is on file in the Town Clerk's Office, upon such terms and conditions as the Board of Selectmen shall determine to be appropriate, for the purpose of constructing and maintaining sidewalks; and, further, and that the Town will vote to transfer from free cash to the sum of $40,000 for this purpose and any expenses related thereto, and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into all agreements and take all related actions necessary or appropriate to carry out this acquisition, or take any other action with respect thereto. Motion made by Camille Anthony to dispense of further reading Motion to dispense Carried Background - given by George Zambouras: The purpose of this Article is to authorize the Board of Selectman to acquire the temporary and permanent easements necessary to construct the Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Program Project (SRTS). The SRTS project is a 100% federally funded infrastructure program with an estimated value of $350,000, administered through MassRides of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation. The program creates and enhances safety for school pedestrian and bicycle access. The Parker Middle School project received approval in 2008 and includes improvements to: • the Woburn Street and Temple Street Intersection; • a new sidewalk and curb along the westerly side of Washington Street from Woburn Street to Prescott Street; and • a new sidewalk and curb along the easterly side of Sunnyside Avenue from Prescott Street to Fairview Avenue. The extent of the proposed improvements and the required easements are depicted on the plans below. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 182 Temple / Woburn Street intersection and Washington Street (above) and Sunnyside Ave (below) L_— I �- C.i.. .°= ------------ - - - - -- r - l_ �51114I19K &KKK - _ _ — — — - I.r . l �1. ®"' -gyp G . n w�ylvc� rrT ' • - - - -- - - � �C. ,I II ('° I _ �RiV' . _ —°V�J —I 4a• S' {1Y -- - I -sue �1f1�" Irk- � dw'' I CAI' Temple / Woburn Street intersection and Washington Street (above) and Sunnyside Ave (below) 2011 Annual Town Meeting 183 L_— I �- �51114I19K &KKK - _ _ — — — - b G ' • I ('° I -_•� _ ___- -_ - -__ ! I < I I I 6I —JJI 2011 Annual Town Meeting 183 To facilitate construction of these improvements it is necessary to acquire temporary easements from 21 property owners along the project, and 1 permanent easement at the intersection of Washington Street and Woburn Street. The temporary easements enable the minor re- grading of driveways, walkways and properties which are necessary to construct the improvements. The permanent easement is necessary to reconstruct the existing sidewalk which is presently located within private property. A complete listing of the easements is as follows: Safe Routes Temporary Easement List Address Name Parcel Number (ROW) Square Footage 177 Woburn St. Thomas P. and Hol A. Allen TE - 1 - a5 171 Woburn St. David M. and Sherry Waldman TE - 2 220 180 Woburn St. SL Agnes Roman Catholic Church TE - 3 620 166 Woburn St. Victor J. Silva TE -4 50 136 Woburn St. John H. and Donna M. Lowes ' TE - 5 190 142 Woburn St. Ernest C. and Marie J. Bay TE - 5 990 35 Washington St. Robert Ray and Lois H. Bell TE - 7 450 37 Washington St. Stephen and Holly Turner TE - 8 600 43 Washington St. Robert B. and Krnberly Rose Hubbard TE - 9 860 47 Washington St. Brian and Chdsto her Donegan TE - 10 540 37 Prescott St. Roger M. and Be M. Stinchfeild TE - 11 545 52 Washington St. Damon P. Lusk and Chnstiner E. Tighe TE -12 20 32 PfesCOtt St. Timothy M. Michel and Lynda J. Ott TE -13 10 65 Preswtt St. Joseph A. and Ronda J. While TE - 14 190 '12 urn side Ave. Nan L. Anderson TE -15 470 16 Sunn side Ave. Randall G. and Kimberly J. Moreau TE - 16 105 20 Sunn side Ave. James G. and Dorothy Costello TE -17 145 28 Sunn side Ave. Sunn side Avenue Real TE -18 110 34 Sunn side Ave. Joseph D. and Elizabeth Gesmundo TE -19 1105 44 Sunn side Ave. Kenn T. and Kara M. Goodreau TE - 20 450 57 Fairview Ave. James D. and Martha Polley TE - 21 270 Safe Routes Permanant Easement List 136 Woburn St. I John H. and Donna M. Lowes I I SW -1 1 25 The easements are in the process of being appraised and a complete listing of the acquisition cost is expected to be available prior to the April 25 Annual Town Meeting. Finance Committee Report: The Finance Committee voted 0 -0 -8 at their March 28, 2011 meeting not to recommend the subject matter of this Article- The Committee was unable to take a position on this article because valuations on properties subject to the easements were not yet available. Fin Com revisited this Article at its April 13, 2011 meeting voting 7 -0 -0 to support this Article after receiving a financial update. Ron Brown, Precinct 8 stated the information of the revote should have been sent to Town Meeting members 5 days before the meeting and he did not believe this was done timely. Bylaw Committee Report: No Report After discussion with Town Meeting Members 2011 Annual Town Meeting 2/3 Vote required 147 Voted in the affirmative 8 Voted in the negative 164 Town Meeting Members in Attendance 184 Motion Carried Motion made by Richard Curtis, Library Board of Trustees to take Article 12 out of order Motion Carried ARTICLE 12 Motion made by Richard Curtis, Library Board of Trustees to move that the Town vote to approve the preliminary design for the renovation and expansion of the Reading Public Library design as shown on the architectural schematics included in the background materials included in the 2011 Annual Town Meeting Warrant Report. Background - given by David Hutchinson: The Fall Town Meeting authorized the Library Trustees to apply for a state construction grant .through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners to upgrade and make more efficient use of space to serve the needs of a growing patronage. Much has changed in library services over the past 27 years. Since its relocation to the Highland School site in 1984, the Reading Public Library has seen the introduction of computers, DVDs, and numerous other media formats. Interlibrary loan requests have grown exponentially, and the meeting room has been in constant demand. The community's use of the library has doubled in immeasurable ways and skyrocketed in many others. The library trustees have studied current building deficiencies and projected needs, with the goal of serving the community for many years to come. The trustees are committed to preserving as much of the "feel" of the current library as possible while enhancing its accessibility, functionality and flexibility. Beacon Architectural Associates, working in conjunction with Adams & Smith Architects, has prepared a proposal that calls for rearrangement of existing internal space, major capital improvements to the exterior (such as masonry and window replacements) and a 7,596- square -foot expansion on the hill at the easterly side toward School Street. This article does not involve financial consideration. Part of the grant process includes acceptance by Town Meeting of a plan that would upgrade and expand the current facility. Funding of any improvements, if a grant is approved, will require separate Town Meeting and voter approval. Finance Committee Report: No Report Bylaw Committee Report: No Report Presentation given by David Hutchinson, Library Board of Trustees, with the help of the architects involved in the project - Beacon Architectural and Adams & Smith Architects - See Attached Information presented by Bob LeLacheur as follows: The Finance Committee encourages a prudent use of debt so as to spread out the cost of large capital assets over a period of time that should not exceed the expected useful life of the asset. If debt service of any new capital project is expected to exceed 0.25 % of NAR in any single year, the project should instead be brought forward as debt or capital excluded from the tax levy... Projected cost to the Town: $6.5 million • Projected financing: 10 -year debt (longer is permissible but expensive) • Today's cost: $900,700 /year (a bit lower than the estimate on page 238) • FY12 net available revenue (NAR) = $71.6 million 2011 Annual Town Meeting 185 • Expected debt service is 1.25% of NAR, well above the Finance Committee policy of 0.25% • Impact on $400,000 single family home: $96.60 /year for ten years Motion Carried ARTICLE 9 Motion made by Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen to indefinitely postpone the subject matter of Article 9. ' Motion Carried ARTICLE 10 Motion made by Richard Schubert, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell, or exchange, or dispose of, upon such terms and conditions as they may determine, the following items of Town tangible property, 1999 Ford Taurus— Police • 2007 Ford Crown Victoria— Police 1989 Ford Pickup — DPW /Parks 136k miles • 2000 Ford Explorer— DPW /Engineering 108k miles 1997 Ford F350 Pickup — DPW/Water 74k miles • 2006 Ford F350 Pickup — DPW /Sewer 90k miles • 2001 Ford F250 Pickup — DPW /Sewer 105k miles • 2005 Elgin Pelican (John Deere) Sweeper -2658 hours run Background - given by Peter Hechenbleikner: Following is a list of surplus vehicles that are scheduled to be disposed of in FY 2012. Town Meeting approval is required for disposition of tangible property with a value of $5000 or more. It is unlikely that any of these items have a value that exceeds that amount, but to be safe, Town Meeting approval is requested. Disposition could be through trade in, auction, or other sale. • Taurus (1999) — Police • Crown Victoria (2007) — Police • Ford Pickup (1989) — DPW /Parks 136k miles • Ford Explorer (2000) — DPW /Engineering 108k miles • Ford F350 Pickup (1997) — DPW/Water 74k miles • Ford F350 Pickup (2006) — DPW /Sewer 90k miles • Ford F250 Pickup (2001) — DPW /Sewer 105k miles • Elgin Pelican (John Deere) Sweeper (2005) —2658 hours run Town Meeting members may be interested in how we disposed of tangible personal property that was authorized last year. Last year we disposed of the following vehicles: • Ford / Horton ambulance (2000) $4,000 trade -in allowance (Fire ambulance) • Ford Expedition (1998) $1,000 trade -in allowance (Police Ford Expedition) • Ford Econoline Van (1996) $1,000 trade -in allowance (Police Ford Expedition) • Ford E250 Cargo Van (2001) $500 trade -in allowance • Melrose Bobcat Front End Loader (1987) $1,500 trade -in allowance • Warco Motor Grader (1952) — still available! • International dump truck (1990) $2,500 trade -in allowance 2011 Annual Town Meeting :. • Int'I dump truck w/ catch basin cleaner (1998) $15,000 trade -in allowance Finance Committee Report - given by Paula Perry: The Finance Committee voted 9 -0 -0 at their March 30, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter.of this Article. This Article authorizes the disposal of aging vehicles. Bylaw Committee Report: No Report Motion Carried ARTICLE 11 Motion made by Ben Tafoya, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town vote to approve the FY 2012 — FY 2021 Capital Improvements Program as provided for in Section 7 -7 of the Reading Home, Rule Charter and as detailed on page 230 of the "Report of the Warrant, 2011 Annual Town Meeting ". Finance Committee Report - given by Harold Torman: The Finance Committee voted 9 -0 -0 at their March 30, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter of this Article. This Article establishes the Capital Improvements Program, and any projects to be funded must first appear on the CIP before they are eligible to be funded. A ten -year capital plan is a prudent fiscal tool that facilitates long range planning and project prioritization. The plan provides the maximum amount the Town can fund each year and stay within the Finance Committee guide -lined amount. Bylaw Committee Report: No Report Motion Carried ARTICLE 13 , Motion made by Steven Goldy, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a lease of the existing indoor ice skating rink known as the Burbank Ice Arena, and the parking areas and accompanying land, all known as 51 Symonds Way, Reading, Massachusetts, and shown as lot 54 and a part of Lot 56 on Reading Assessors' Map 41, to a non - profit organization, organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and that has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be an organization qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and that has at least ten years of experience in the operation of a skating rink, for the purpose of operating an ice skating rink, with usage preference for the residents of the Town, for an initial term of ten (10) years, with up to two options to extend the lease term for up to ten years each; with the net income from the rinks-operations, after deducting (a) operational, maintenance and repair costs and expenses, and (b) the funding of a cash reserve fund to cover capital replacements and contingencies, to be paid to the Town of Reading, Massachusetts, such rental payments to the Town to be made no less frequently than annually and upon such other lease terms and conditions as the Board of Selectmen deem appropriate. Motion made by Richard Schubert to dispense of further reading Motion to dispense Carried Background = given by Peter Hechenbleikner: The purpose of this article is to authorize the Board of Selectmen, in accordance with State statute, to advertise and bid for a new lease for the Burbank Ice Arena. The current lease expires in 2013, and it will take some time for the Town to properly advertise, accept bids, and negotiate the terms of a new lease. The following information is offered sb that Town 2011 Annual Town Meeting 187 Meeting members understand the value of the current operation of the Burbank Ice Arena under the existing lease. In the early 1990's Nelson Burbank offered to give an indoor ice skating rink to the Town. In 1993 Town Meeting voted to accept such a gift from Mr. Burbank and to lease land on Symonds way for the ice rink. The Town entered into a long -term lease in 1993 with Reading Ice Arena Authority, Inc. (the Authority), a then newly formed non - profit corporation organized by Mr. Burbank, by the terms of which the Authority would construct, maintain and operate an indoor ice skating arena. Since that time it has operated a quality skating rink. The Board of Directors of the Authority is composed of Reading residents who come from various public interest groups. The Board of Selectmen appoints one of the members of the Board. Over the last 10 years, the Authority has paid to or for the Town over one million, six hundred thousand dollars ($1,600,000). Some additional contributions of the Authority to the Town and to our community are stated below.. The final term of the original lease expires in 2013. Reading Ice Arena Authority 51 Symonds Way, Reading, MA 01867 Check Date Purpose Amount Cumulative No 8.21.99 For YMCA 761 Totals Payment for Reading's contribution to YMCA 753 1.11.99 For YMCA 756 8.21.99 For YMCA 761 1.12.00 For YMCA 762 4.15.00 For YMCA $250,000 $100,000 $100,000 $64,968 Payment in Lieu of taxes for land lease 1997 $696 1998 $675 1999 $658 2000 $658 2001 $619 Payment in Lieu of taxes for land lease (continued) 2002 $512 2003 $481 2004 $512 2005 $526 2006 $505 2007 $505 2008 $527 2009 553 2011 Annual Town Meeting 188 Direct payment to the Town of Reading Costs for major improvements 757 11.9.99 Town of Reading $50,000 764 4.10.01 $15,005 Town of Reading $130,000 766 4.22.02 $35,649 Town of Reading $204,163 767. 4.1.03 Town of Reading $116,074 768 4.4.04 Town of Reading $107,256 769 4.16.05 Town of Reading $110,000 770 4.18.05 Town of Reading $10,000 771 4.12.06 Town of Reading $120,000 772 4.17.07 Town of Reading $120,000 9960 5.22.08 Town of Reading $100,000 787 6.18.10 Town of Reading $95,000 Improvements made to the 1 Burbank Arena Costs for major improvements other than general up keep Sound system $25,000 Scoreboard $14,470 Granite counter tops $15,005 Rink dehumidification $69,465 Zamboni $60,850 Monitoring system $35,649 Painting Interior $44,500 Rink lighting replacement $38,000 $302,939 $302,939 Improvements - Locker Room for Girls $317,099 $317,099 and Total payments to Reading plus investment in facility: $ 2,304,926 RIAA QUALITATIVE BENEFITS TO TOWN OF READING In addition to the direct financial benefits to the Town as enumerated above, the Reading Ice Arena Authority has operated in a manner to maximize non financial benefits to the community and its many non- profit organizations. The following is a summary of some of these activities: • Provided free Meeting Room Space and Equipment Storage Space to Reading Non - profits Since 1994. Groups Include(d): • Reading Youth Hockey • Reading Youth Lacrosse o Reading Youth Baseball • Reading Senior Baseball o. Reading Youth Soccer • Host the Reading Lions Club Road Race Annually (at no Charge), Moved Here due to Parking / Traffic Constraints at Memorial Park • Provided Ice Rentals at No Charge for: 2011 Annual Town Meeting I '�' • Reading High School 2008 State Championship Celebration / Fundraiser • North Shore Skating Club 2009 Skate -a -thon to Benefit Dana Farber Cancer Institute • Since 2000 have provided a clean, lit parking area & restrooms for Symonds Way Field, which was built without any dedicated parking area. Field Hosts: o RHS Freshmen Baseball Games o Youth Baseball Games o Youth Soccer Games o Youth Soccer Clinic which was moved here due to parking Concerns elsewhere in Town • Since 2002, have been in written agreement with Town of Reading Health Division that the RIAA's Burbank Ice Arena will provide facility and labor for an Emergency Morgue in the event of a large loss of life in town • Since inception, have lived up to all agreements with Symonds Way / Haverhill St. / Range Road neighbors ... Formerly Maillett & O'Brien. Presently Grimmer, Foley, Donnelly & Reading Rifle & Revolver • Have provided reasonably priced public skating sessions year -round • Member in good standing of Reading /No. Reading Chamber of Commerce, Mass. Restaurant Association, Northeast Ice Skating Managers' Association and the Ice Skating Institute • Provided dedicated locker room space for Reading High School Boys' & Girls Ice Hockey teams • . Hosted annual New Year's Eve Bash for children. For many years the Reading Firefighters Association co- hosted with RIAA • Host Reading Girls Scouts Martin Luther King Day Skating Event Annually • Host Reading Special Skates, Saturdays at 12noon for 18 weeks per year • Provided Cold Storage for flowers (American Cancer Society's Daffodil Days) Finance Committee Report - given by Mark Dockser: The Finance Committee voted 9 -0 -0 at their March 28, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter of this Article. The Ice Arena Authority is achieving its mission of offering valuable services to the Town, not being a financial burden on the Town, and it has been able to provide a regular annual payment to the Town. Authorizing the Board of Selectmen to enter into a new lease agreement will continue these benefits. Bylaw Committee Report: No Report. 2/3 Vote required Declared unanimous by Moderator 164 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried Motion to adjourn made by a Town Meeting Member 69 Voted in the affirmative 75 Voted in the negative 164 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion to adiourn did not Car I_131td114iL Motion made by James Bonazoli, Board of Selectmen move that the Town vote to authorize revolving funds for certain Town Departments under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 53E Yz for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011 with the receipts, as specified, credited to each fund, the purposes, as listed, for which each fund may be spent, the maximum amount that may be spent from each fund for the fiscal year, and the disposition of the balance of each fund at fiscal year end. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 190 Motion made by Richard Schubert to dispense of further reading Motion to dispense Carried Revolving Spending Revenue Allowed Expenditure Year End Account Authority Source Expenses Limits Balance Conservation Conservation Fees as provided Consulting and engineering services $25,000 Available for Commission Commission for in Reading for the review of designs and expenditure Consulting General Bylaws engineering work for the protection of next year Fees Section 5.7, wetlands. Wetlands Protection Inspection Town Building Legal, oversight and inspection, plan $200,000 Available for Revolving Manager Plumbing, Wiring, review, initial property appraisals and expenditure Fund Gas and other appeals, Community Services general next year permits for the management, curb sidewalks and Oaktree, Addison- pedestrian safety improvements, Wesley/ Pearson records archiving and other project and Johnson related costs. Woods developments Public Health Board of Clinic Fees and Vaccines, materials for screening $35,000 Available for Clinics and Health third party clinics and clinical supply costs, expenditure Services. reimbursements medical equipment and supplies, next year immunizations, educational materials Library Library Charges for lost Acquire Library materials to replace $15,000 Available for Materials Director and or damaged lost or damaged items expenditure Replacement Trustees Library materials next year Mattera Cabin Recreation Rental Fees Utilities and all other maintenance and $10,000 Available for Operating Administrator operating expenses expenditure next year Backqround - given by Peter Hechenbleikner: Conservation Consulting Revolving. Fund - There was no activity in the Conservation Consulting Revolving Fund during Fiscal Year 2011. The balance remains at zero. The Conservation Commission voted unanimously to support Article 8 of the Warrant, re- authorizing the revolving fund in the amount of $25,000. These funds are used to receive payments from applicants, hire expert consultants where required, and return the balance to the applicant. Inspections Revolving Fund - Beginning in 2004, Town Meeting approved the Inspections Revolving Funds as a way to deposit building and other permit fees, and to use them directly purposes of plan review, inspections, legal expenses, initial property value appraisal and appeals, and general management of the Community Services operations related to three developments as well as for the construction of curbs, sidewalks and pedestrian safety improvements. The balances available as of March 31, 2010 in these funds are $6,879.44. The total expenses to be authorized during FY 2010 are expected to be up to $100,000, assuming that there would be permit fees from the Walkers Brook Crossing, Oaktree, Addison - Wesley /Pearson (now Pulte Homes), and Johnson Woods developments. • Health Clinic Revolving Fund - The Reading Health Division contracts for third party payments for a number of immunizations. The funds are used to augment the influenza vaccine supply from the State Department of Public Health to insure vaccine for the homebound clients and first responders. The Division also uses these funds for materials for cholesterol, glucose and 2011 Annual Town Meeting 191 tuberculosis screening clinics. Clinic client fees are also deposited into this fund to offset vaccine and clinical supply costs. In the coming year the State is cutting back on the free flu vaccine to be distributed to cities and towns, and the Town therefore needs to purchase an extra 800 doses at an estimated cost of $8000. The necessary amounts used for clinic vaccine, supplies and staff salaries related to the clinics each year directly from the revolving fund is therefore approximately $35,000. Library Materials Replacement Fund — During the course of a year, the Library recovers funds from patrons who have lost or damaged books or other materials. Previously, those funds went into the Town's General Fund and at the end of the year went into Free Cash. Once this Revolving Fund was adopted (beginning in FY 2010), those funds recovered from patrons for lost or damaged materials were available directly, to the Library for expenditure to purchase replacement materials and processing supplies. Through March 10, 2011, the amount recovered was $7,874.40. Mattera Cabin Operating Fund — The log cabin on the Mattera conservation land was purchased a couple of years ago. The Town has developed a program of improvements to the cabin, and is working on programming its use. Some of the use is anticipated to be revenue generating, and it is anticipated that over time the site would generate enough funding to pay the operating costs of the cabin — primarily utilities. This Article would allow those revenues to be used directly for the operating expenses of the cabin. Finance Committee Report - given by Barry Berman: The Finance Committee voted 9 -0 -0 at their March 28, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter of this Article. Revolving accounts are an appropriate and well governed mechanism to provide funds directly for a stated ongoing program or purpose. The accounts are self- funded, do not affect the tax levy and are required by Massachusetts General Law to be authorized annually. Bylaw Committee Report: No Report Motion Carried ARTICLE 15 Motion made by Christopher Caruso, School Committee to move that the Town vote pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30B, Section 12 to authorize the School Committee to enter into a contract or contracts including all extensions renewals and options for school bus transportation for a period greater than three years but not exceeding 5 years upon such terms and conditions determined by the School Committee. Background - given by Mary DeLai: The current three -year contract for Student Transportation Services between the Reading School Committee and North Suburban Transportation expires on June 30, 2011. The School Department has issued Invitations to Bid for a subsequent contract pursuant to Chapter 30B. While historically, the contract for transportation services has been for a three year period, recent evidence from other district procurements suggests that vendors may be willing to offer lower rates in return for a longer term contract. To explore that option, the Invitation to Bid was structured to provide an Alternative Bid for a three year contract with the option to extend for two additional one year periods. Should responses for this Alternative Bid result in lower rates, the School Committee would like the authority to exercise this option and enter into a longer term agreement. The contract would be structured such that the additional two one -year renewals would be optional and would be exercised at the discretion of the School Department rather than by mutual agreement or at the discretion of the vendor. Finance Committee Report - given by Barry Berman: The Finance Committee voted 9 -0 -0 at their March 30, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter of this Article. Extending the term of the 2011 Annual Town Meeting 192 contract will make it more feasible for other vendors to bid, driving down rates. By extending the potential contract term, vendors will also be more willing to reduce rates. Giving the School Department two one year options will allow them to lock in reduced rates for a longer term, and allow an out if terms become less favorable. Bylaw Committee Report: No Report. Motion Carried ARTICLE 16 Motion made by Christopher Caruso, School Committee to move that the Town of Reading appropriate the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand ($250,000) Dollars for the purpose of making improvements including but not limited to repairing and /or replacing roofs at the Killam School and repairing and /or replacing windows at the Birch Meadow School, including the costs of consulting services, audits, plans, documents, cost estimates, bidding services, and all related expenses incidental thereto and necessary in connection therewith, which proposed repair project would materially extend the useful life of the school and preserve an asset that otherwise is capable of supporting the required educational program.], said sum to be expended under the direction of the School Committee, and to meet said appropriation the Treasurer /Collector, is authorized to borrow said sum under M.G.L. Chapter 44, or any other enabling authority; that the Town of Reading] acknowledges that the Massachusetts School Building Authority's '( "MSBA ") grant program is a non - entitlement, discretionary program based on need, as determined by the MSBA, and any project costs the Town of Reading incurs in excess of any grant approved by and received from the MSBA shall be the sole responsibility of the Town of Reading]; provided further that any grant that the Town of Reading may receive from the MSBA for the Project shall not exceed the lesser of (1) 47.21 percent ( %) of eligible, approved project costs, as determined by the MSBA, or (2) the total maximum grant amount determined by the MSBA; and that the amount of borrowing authorized pursuant to this vote shall be reduced by any grant amount set forth in the Project Funding Agreement that may be executed between the Town of Reading] and the MSBA. Motion made by Stephen Goldy to dispense of further reading Motion to dispense Carried Background - given by Mary DeLai: Under Article 9 of the November 8, 2010 Subsequent Town Meeting, Town Meeting voted to authorize debt in an amount not to exceed $2,000,000 for the purpose of replacing the roof at the Killam Elementary School and windows at the Killam and Birch Meadow Elementary Schools as part of the Massachusetts School Building Authority's "Green Repair' program. The funding amount was based on the best available information and known site conditions at each building. With the necessary approvals from MSBA in place, the School Department entered into an agreement with an Owner's Project Manager and Architect to develop a preliminary schematic design and project scope and budget for submission to the MSBA. The preliminary cost estimate places the total project cost at $2,900,000. The additional costs include an upgrade to the existing roofing system from an EPDM to a PVC roofing; hazardous materials abatement costs; and other unanticipated site and market conditions. As a result of the greater than anticipated project cost and additional work that would be required if we proceed with the original project scope, at Killam (including handicap accessibility upgrades), the scope of work is now being limited to replacement of the Killam roof and the windows at Birch Meadow only. We would, however, recommend installing the PVC rather than the EPDM roofing system at Killam which has a longer life and comes with an additional warranty period of ten years. To do so requires an increase to the original authorization in the amount of $250,000. The not to exceed amount would now be $2,250,000 with 47.21 % of that cost being eligible for MSBA reimbursement. If approved, this Article may add a small additional expense to the projected FY12 Debt Service budget that is presented in Article 29. The exact amount of new debt service should be known in time for a budget adjustment — if needed — at the November 2011 Town Meeting. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 193 Finance Committee Report - given by David Greenfield: The Finance Committee voted 9 -0 -0 at their March 30, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter of this Article. The repairs are required at some point and the better warranty on the roof proposed for Killam is an attractive option. The State reimbursement of approximate 47% and additional ongoing energy savings make this a cost effective decision. Note that the total figure of $2.25 million is a maximum and includes a 10% contingency amount which may not be fully expended. Bylaw Committee Report: No Report A presentation was given by Mary DeLai - See Attached 2/3 Vote required Declared unanimous by Moderator . 164 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried ARTICLE 17 Motion made by Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town vote accept the supplemental annual allowance of $9,000 for widow(er)s of disability retirees as provided in section 101 of Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws to be effective for July 1, 2012. Background: The Reading Contributory Retirement board voted unanimously to accept the supplemental annual allowance provision of Chapter 32, Section 101. It must be approved by Town Meeting before it can take effect. This section of the General Laws applies only when a disability retiree dies of a cause unrelated to his disability. When the cause of death is directly related to the retiree's disability the surviving spouse continues to receive the retiree's pension allowance. Before 1964, there was no provision for a disability retirees to leave a benefit to his spouse when he died of a cause unrelated to his disability: In 1964, section 101 allowed widows of disabled public employees to be paid an annual allowance of $1200. It has been amended 3 times in the past a 1973 increase $1200 to $1680 (9 years since inception) a 1984 increase $1680 to $3000 (11 years since previous increase) a 1995 increase $3000 to $6000 (11 years since previous increase) Accepting this warrant article will make the following change proposed July 1, 2012 increase $6000 to $9000 (17 years since previous increase) The Actuarial value of this change is an average increase of $8400 per year to our Pension Assessment. There is no appropriation required at this time. The Funding schedule for the Pension system is recalculated every other year. It will be revised as of June 30, 2011 and this change will be reflected in the 2012 pension assessment which will be paid by the Town in FY 2013. This allowance only applies to employees who became Disability Retirees before 1996. We have approximately 25 members in this status (it may be lower and we are checking this now.) The law changed in 1996 to allow a disability retiree to make the choice of taking a lower monthly benefit in order to leave a 2/3's lifetime benefit to the spouse. If they choose the higher benefit, then they have made the choice to leave nothing to the spouse upon their death. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 194 For our 25 disability retirees that were disabled before 1996 and were not given the opportunity to choose a lower monthly benefit, their spouses will only get the small amount allowed by this section of the law. Finance Committee Report - given by Mark Dockser: The Finance Committee voted 9 -0 -0 at their March 28, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter of this Article. This allowance applies to a small number of Disability retirees and despite past adjustments averaging every 11 years, the latest benefit amount has not been adjusted in the last 17 years. Bylaw Committee Report: The Bylaw Committee recommends the subject matter of this article by a vote of 4 -0 -0. Presentation given by Gail LaPointe - See Attached After discussion by Town Meeting Members Motion Carried Motion to adjourn made by Bill Brown, Precinct 8 Motion Carried Adjourned with 164 in attendance at 11:04 PM to continue on April 28, 2011 at 7:30 PM A true copy Attest 2011 Annual Town Meeting . 195 i IN O�� — i Laura A Gemme Town Clerk ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 28, 2011 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Alan E. Foulds, at 7:34 PM, there being a quorum present. The meeting was started with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. ARTICLE 18 Motion made by Richard Schubert, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town vote to delete Section 5.17 — Storing or Handling of Crude Petroleum or any Crude Petroleum Products, of the Reading General Bylaw. Background - given by Peter Hechenbleikner: Since the Town of Reading enacted General Bylaw 5.17 Storage and Handling of Crude Petroleum or any Crude Petroleum Products on April 26, 2004, there have been significant changes in how underground storage tanks containing these products are regulated in Massachusetts. Major changes are outlined below: 1. As of August 8, 2007, the Massachusetts Fire Prevention Code requires underground storage tanks and related piping to be inspected by a third party inspector once every three years. Third party inspectors must have a level of training that is approved by the State Fire Marshal. 2. As of April 1, 2008, the State Fire Marshal and the local Fire Chief may prohibit delivery of product to an underground tank for a violation of the Fire Prevention Code, including conditions that endanger public health, safety and the environment. 3.. As of July 1, 2009, the Massachusetts Underground Storage Tank Program was transferred to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). MassDEP is now responsible for aspects of the underground storage tank system in areas of environmental concerns and leaks. MassDEP also has rule making authority to promulgate regulations governing underground storage tanks that relate to leak prevention. 4. Beginning on August 8, 2012 the Massachusetts Fire Prevention Code requires operators of underground storage tank systems to be operated by trained personnel. Among other requirements, this regulation will mandate a trained operator to operate underground tank installations and to inspect safety systems and leak detection systems monthly. Trained operators must have completed training that is approved by the State Fire Marshal. The local Fire Chief is responsible to issue permits for underground tank installations, the product stored, self service fuel stations and the removal of underground storage tanks. The State Fire Marshal and the local Fire Chief has the authority to conduct random inspections of facilities that have been inspected by a third party inspector to ensure the integrity of the system. Therefore the local bylaw is unnecessary and redundant, and can be rescinded. Finance Committee Report: No Report Bylaw Committee Report - report not given on floor: The Bylaw Committee agrees the Section 5:15 of the General Bylaw is now redundant of State Law and thus no longer needed. The Bylaw Committee recommends the subject matter of this article by a vote of 4 -0 -0. Presentation given by Chief Greg Burns - See Attached After discussion with Town Meeting Members Motion Carried ARTICLE 19 2011 Annual Town Meeting 196 Motion made by Ben Tafoya, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town vote to amend Section 5.13 — "Demolition of Structures of Potentially Historical Significance" of the Reading General Bylaw, by deleting the term "twelve (12) months" from Section 5.13.3.6 thereof, and inserting in its place "six (6) months" so that section reads in its entirety: (note — Gress through represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language) 5.13.3.6 If the Commission determines that the demolition of the Potentially Significant Structure would be detrimental to the historical or architectural heritage or resources of the Town, such structure shall be considered a Preferably Preserved Historic Structure. The Commission shall so advise the applicant and the Building Inspector, and a Demolition Permit may be delayed up to twelve (12) six (6) months after the conclusion of the hearing during which time alternatives to demolition shall be considered. The Commission shall offer the owner information about options other than demolition, such as resources in the preservation field, the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the Town Planner, and other interested parties that might provide assistance in preservation, funding and /or adaptive reuse. Background - given by Peter Hechenbleikner: The portion of the above warrant article in the third to the last and next to the last lines that is shown in bold and says "General Bylaws 69 Amended through March 2010" is the footer in the published bylaw and was inadvertently copied into the text when the Article was drafted. This language was discovered by members of the Reading Historical Commission and will be left out of the motion under this article. In 1996 Town Meeting adopted General Bylaw Section 5.13 "Demolition of Structures of Potentially Historical Significance ". This Bylaw was amended in 2006 and the timeframe for the demolition delay extended from six (6) months to twelve (12) months. The purpose of the Bylaw is to preserve and protect structures of potentially historical significance. The Bylaw defines potentially historically significant structures as reflecting the architectural, cultural, economic, political, or social history of the Town. A more detailed definition is contained in Section 5.13.2.4 and generally includes structures that are on the National /State Register of Historic Places; included in (or pending being listed in) the Town's Historical and Architectural Inventory; or by a vote of the Reading Historical Commission (RHC). The Bylaw further states that its goal is to encourage owners of historic structures to find alternatives to demolition. Administration of this Bylaw falls under the authority of the Reading Historical Commission (RHC). When a permit is filed with the building inspector for demolition of a potentially historical structure, it is forwarded to the RHC for an initial determination of applicability of a demolition delay under this Bylaw. The RHC determines if the structure is potentially historically significant. If the determination is positive then a public hearing is held. If the outcome of the hearing is a determination that the structure is potentially historically significant, then it is considered a Preferably Preserved Historic Structure and demolition is delayed for up to twelve (12) months. Through this demolition delay provision; the RHC works with property owners to seek alternatives to demolition. If after the 12 month demolition delay there is no likelihood that the property owner can find alternatives to demolition or convey the property to another owner who could, the restriction expires. If the RHC and the property owner can come to an agreement on plans for the structure then the demolition delay may be lifted at any time. Article 19 proposes to.modify the regulations under Section 5.13 of the Town's General Bylaws and reduce the maximum amount of time a demolition delay order can be issued by the RHC from 12 months to 6 months and: • Allow property owners to make plans for their structures in a more expedited manner; • Boost economic development; • Provide a customer service benefit; Modifying the time frame will still keep the Demolition Delay Bylaw in tact and provide a tool for historic preservation, but will make it less burdensome on the applicant/property owner. The table below shows the history of the use of the bylaw to date, and indicates that, with a very limited sample, the 6 month 2011 Annual Town Meeting 197 delay resulted in 2 "saved" properties, where the 12 month delay has resulted in no "saved" properties, and in 2 demolitions. Town of Reading - Demolition Delay By -Law. Recap of Activity as of 3/1/11 - per Reading Historical Commission Notes: ' Reading Housing Authority "Estimated number per RHC Reading Historical Commission Report - given by Angela Binda and Virginia Adams: The Reading Historical Commission feels that the proposed change to the demolition delay period from 12 months to 6 months will seriously impede its work, and could threaten the Town's most treasured and historic resources. The Reading Historical Commission does not recommend warrant Article 19. The purpose of the Reading Historical Commission is to document historical assets of the Town and to develop a plan to protect them. Not only is this the legal purpose of the Reading Historical Commission, but it is also a Town goal that has been stated repeatedly, as in the Master Plan objective "to protect buildings of historical significance ... as part of the value the Town puts into its architectural heritage and character." The Board of Selectmen reaffirmed this Town priority in their 2008 "Vision, Mission, and Values" Statement which reads, in part, "In support of the Town of Reading Mission, Reading Municipal Government will... uphold the character of Reading by actively encouraging efforts to document and preserve the history of the community, its historic buildings and areas, and prized open spaces -" The demolition delay bylaw is the tool by which the Reading Historical Commission can carry out this stated objective. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 198 m — m 2 °' d. E m a U to E v X C Regulation Outline of Issues Quantity Date W ° g g' 6 Month Dell 1 Town Meeting Adoption 1996 Number of Properties on List - 2 Town -wide 229 Application Activity (# 3 applications) 10 Case Disposition; # Residential; # 4 Commercial 8- Demo 6 1 1 2 Number of Properties on List - 5 West St Historic District 0 12 Month Dela 1 Town Meeting Adoption 2006 Number of Properties on List - 2 Town -wide 329 2010 Application Activity (# 3 applications) 2 Case Disposition; No. Residential; 4 No. Commercial 2 -Demo 1 1` Number of Properties on List - 5 West St Historic District 12" Notes: ' Reading Housing Authority "Estimated number per RHC Reading Historical Commission Report - given by Angela Binda and Virginia Adams: The Reading Historical Commission feels that the proposed change to the demolition delay period from 12 months to 6 months will seriously impede its work, and could threaten the Town's most treasured and historic resources. The Reading Historical Commission does not recommend warrant Article 19. The purpose of the Reading Historical Commission is to document historical assets of the Town and to develop a plan to protect them. Not only is this the legal purpose of the Reading Historical Commission, but it is also a Town goal that has been stated repeatedly, as in the Master Plan objective "to protect buildings of historical significance ... as part of the value the Town puts into its architectural heritage and character." The Board of Selectmen reaffirmed this Town priority in their 2008 "Vision, Mission, and Values" Statement which reads, in part, "In support of the Town of Reading Mission, Reading Municipal Government will... uphold the character of Reading by actively encouraging efforts to document and preserve the history of the community, its historic buildings and areas, and prized open spaces -" The demolition delay bylaw is the tool by which the Reading Historical Commission can carry out this stated objective. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 198 The demolition delay bylaw was enacted in 1996, with a 6 -month delay. The Reading Historical Commission worked with this 6 -month delay for 10 years, but found the delay period to be inadequate to find alternatives to demolition. The Reading Historical Commission returned to Town Meeting in 2006 to ask that the delay period be increased to 12 months, and Town Meeting amended the bylaw. The Reading Historical Commission has found the 12 -month delay to be a more productive and successful . length of time, as it allows a property owner and the Reading Historical Commission more time to fully explore alternatives to demolition, and to concurrently go through other commissions' regulatory procedures and hearing processes (e.g., Conservation, CPDC, and /or ZBA). The Reading Historical Commission does not wish the demolition delay to be overly burdensome for property owners, and is judicious in its application. In fact, a provision for early release ends the delay when a solution has been formulated, or it becomes clear that the building will not be saved. However, the Reading Historical Commission believes that the 12 -month delay is sometimes necessary to protect the Town's limited, and diminishing, historical resources. The delay period is truly a time for unforeseen alternatives to be discovered. Ultimately, property owners retain all decision - making authority. There are currently 130 cities and towns in Massachusetts with a demolition delay bylaw, some with a delay of up to 18 months. Every year, more cities and towns add a similar bylaw to protect their historical assets, and every year several cities and towns increase their length of delay. Since 2006, when Reading increased its delay from 6 to 12 months, no towns or cities have eliminated the bylaw or decreased the length of the delay. Historic preservation is a vital component to economic development in Reading. Reading has embraced Smart Growth principles, with Town Meeting establishing the Downtown Smart Growth District zoning and with the revitalization of the downtown, both of which the RHC supported. Historic preservation is a major component of the Smart Growth movement; it is sustainable development, it supports mixed land uses, it fosters distinctive and attractive communities with a strong sense of place, it utilizes existing infrastructure, and it promotes a pedestrian friendly environment. Historic buildings are natural incubators of small businesses and provide a variety of rent levels and rental spaces, and often allow for more immediate occupancy. Our historic assets, attractive and historic downtown, and the "Sense of Place" created by those historic buildings are a major draw for business owners wishing to establish themselves in Reading, and for those moving here. Reading often markets its historic assets to attract businesses to town. A Smart Growth approach that does not include historic preservation high on the agenda is missing a valuable economic development strategy. Historic properties create a sense of continuity and rootedness that stabilize the Town's economy and create a sense of community. The current Demolition Delay Bylaw is an invaluable tool that enables the Town of Reading to protect its historic buildings. The regulation provides an effective measure of control over local historic resources. This is the only tool the RHC can utilize to assure active participation in the formal process when demolitions of historic properties are proposed. Article 19 would significantly weaken this proven and effective tool. Finance Committee Report: No Report Economic Development Committee Report - given by Russell Graham: The EDC recommends to the Board of Selectmen support of Article 19, by a vote of 5 -0 -0. Bylaw Committee Report - given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee feels the presently 12 month requirement should stay in place in order to preserve Reading heritage. The Committee does not see an undue burden from leaving the 12 months in place. By a vote of 1 -2 -0 the Bylaw Committee does not recommend the subject matter of this article. - Report not given on the floor James Bonazoli, Board of Selectmen wanted Town Meeting to be aware of the split vote among the Board of Selectmen in favor 3 -2 See Attached presentation from Historical Commission - given by Angela Binda and Virginia Adams 2011 Annual Town Meeting 199 After extensive discussion a motion was made by Ronald Thomas O'Keefe, Precinct 1 to move the question. 213 Vote Required 94 Voted in the affirmative 45 Voted in the negative 159 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion to Move Question Carried 75 Voted in the affirmative 73 Voted in the negative 159 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried Note: A motion to reconsider was submitted by James Bonazoli and later withdrawn ARTICLE 20 Motion made by Stephen Goldy, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town vote to delete in its entirety, Section 5.16 of the Reading General Bylaw, and insert in its place the following new Section 5.16, 5.16 Outdoor Loudspeakers and Public Address Systems No commercial establishment (except for restaurants as noted below) shall install or operate any outdoor loudspeaker or public address system on its premises except for the sole purpose of direct communication with a customer to assist that customer or to conduct a specific business transaction at the commercial establishment, as for example at a drive -up window of a fast food or banking establishment, or at self- service gasoline pumps. Any such loudspeaker or public address system shall be operated only during the regular business hours of the establishment. The owner of the establishment shall at all times ensure that the volume of sound produced outdoors by such loudspeaker or public address system shall be such as not to be audible from any portion of a public way or residential property. Restaurants, except drive - through food establishments, may provide outdoor loudspeakers for the purpose of providing music for their patrons while dining, provided that such music is not audible from any portion of a public way or abutting property. Any such loudspeaker shall be operated only during the regular business hours of the establishment. Motion made to dispense of further reading Motion to dispense Carried Background - given by Peter Hechenbleikner: Section 5.16 was adopted by Town Meeting on April 30, 1998. At that time virtually every business in Reading directly abutted residential property, and there had been no previous regulation of loudspeakers for drive through restaurants, gasoline service station, banks, and the like. The existing regulations have worked well and there have been no complaints from abutting property owners about noise from speakers from these establishments. However, since the development of the commercial development on Walkers Brook Drive, there are a number of restaurants (7) that have been developed which are isolated from abutting residential development. Several of these businesses have unknowingly installed speaker systems, and they have been directed to turn them off. However, it does not appear that there is any public purpose in not allowing speakers in these locations for the enjoyment of their dining customers; particularly with a requirement "... that such music is not audible from any portion of a public way or abutting property. Any such loudspeaker shall be operated only during the regular business hours of the establishment." 2011 Annual Town Meeting 200 Finance Committee Repo rt:.No Report Bylaw Committee Report - given.bv Philip Pacing: The Bylaw Committee recommends the subject matter of this article by a vote of 3 -1 -0. Economic Development Committee Report - report not given on floor: The EDC recommends to the BOS support of Article 20, by a vote of 5 -0 -0. After some discussion by Town Meeting Members a motion was made by John Carpenter, Precinct 7 to lay the Article on the table Motion to Table Carried ARTICLE 21 Motion made by James Bonazoli, Board of Selectmen to move to indefinitely postpone the subject matter of Article 21. Comments made by James Bonazoli, Board of Selectmen Chair, Board of Selectmen met on April 19, 2011 in regards to this Article - Sidewalk Plowing and Shoveling - After great input from citizens it was decided to indefinitely postpone. Ronald D'Addario, Precinct 6 asked if Town Meeting could consider the Article and omit 5.19.1 removing in Residence from the Article. Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen stated that we didn't want to do this as there were too many issues that we had no answers for, therefore at this point we don't want to look at it. Motion to Indefinitely Postpone Carried r_13�Ld��k% Motion made by Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town vote to amend the Reading Home Rule Charter as follows: (note — Gress through represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language) by removing "Board of Assessors" in the first paragraph of Section 3.1 so that the paragraph reads as follows: Section 3 -1: General Provisions The offices to be filled by the voters shall be the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, ReaFd of Assessors, Board of Library Trustees, Municipal Light Board, Moderator, Vocational School Representative and such members of regional authorities or districts as may be established by statute, interlocal agreement or otherwise, to re- number Section 3.6 as Section 4 -10, and to amend the language in the new Section 4 -10 to read as follows: Section 3-6 4 -10: Board of Assessors There shall be a Board of Assessors consisting of three (3) members elected appointed for three (3) year terms so arranged that one (1) term shall expire each year. The terms of the members of the Board of Assessors shall expire on the first day of July. Members of the Board of Assessors shall be appointed by an Appointment Committee chaired by the Moderator, consisting of the Moderator who shall have one vote, the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen 2011 Annual Town Meeting 201 who shall have one vote, and the Chairman of the Board of Assessors who shall have one vote. Any vacancy on the board shall be filled by the Appointment Committee. The Board of Assessors may appeiRt PFOpeFty aPpFaiseFs and shall have all the powers and duties given to Boards of Assessors by the Law of the Commonwealth not inconsistent with this Charter, to renumber the present Section 4.10 as Section 4.11, Background - given by Peter Hechenbleikner: The Reading Home Rule Charter was developed in 1985 and adopted in April 1986. Members of the Charter Commission from that time have indicated that when it came to the question of the Board of Assessors being elected or appointed, a concern was expressed by 2 of the 3 incumbent members of the Board of Assessors at the time that making the Board of Assessors an appointed Board would have negatively affected their pensions because they were retired State employees. Largely because of this concern, the Board of Assessors was made an elected Board. Those 2 members are no longer on the Board of Assessors. There are several reasons to consider making the Board of Assessor's an appointed body at this time In the last 30 years, there have been 5 instances (soon to be 6 ?) where there was a vacancy on the Board of Assessors that had to be filled by a committee of the whole made up of the remaining members of the Board of Assessors and the full membership of the Board of Selectmen: 1984, 1989, 2000, 2007, and 2009. Additionally there was at least one instance where a vacancy was filled by a write -in vote because there were no candidates on the ballot. Again in 2011 an incumbent on the Board of Assessors has chosen not to run for re- election, and the options are: • A write -in candidate with as little as 1 vote could be elected; or • If there are no write -in votes the remaining members of the Board of Assessors along with the full membership of the Board of Selectmen would once again appoint a member to the Board of Assessors until the next election. 2. The work of the Board of Assessors is more technical than policy making. The Assessors are similar in operation to the appointed Board of Health or the appointed Community Planning and Development Commission, rather than a policy making body like a Board of Selectmen or a School Committee. This lends itself more to a deliberate search for residents of the community who have expertise and interest in this work. In some instances the qualifications that make a good Assessor might not reside in someone who is interested in running for election. 3. The Town has worked hard over the past several years to develop completely integrated financial systems through the use of technology. It is important that the Assessment function be fully integrated with the remaining financial systems, and that the final decisions on such matters reside centrally within the Town administration. 4. The Board of Selectmen is interested in examining the potential for regionalizing a number of services, and tax assessment is one that lends itself particularly well to a regional structure. Having the Board of Assessors as an appointed Board would facilitate such a process. One argument sometimes made for having an elected Board of Assessors is that it takes the politics out of the appointment process. To address this issue, the Charter amendment proposes to have an appointment committee process just like that for the Finance Committee and Bylaw Committee. The Appointment Committee would be made up of the Town Moderator along with the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen and the Chairman of the Finance Committee. A survey of other area communities reveals that a number of comparable communities have appointed Boards of Assessors: 2011 Annual Town Meeting 202 Town Board of Assessors Bedford Elected Burlington Elected Danvers Appointed Lexington Appointed Melrose Appointed North Andover Appointed North Reading Appointed Stoneham Elected Wakefield Elected Wilmington Appointed Winchester Elected The process for amending the Reading Home Rule Charter is spelled out in Article Section 8 -1: "This Charter may be replaced, revised or amended ... by a two- thirds vote of the Town Meeting approved by the voters at the next Town Election. ", which will be in the spring of 2012. Finance Committee Report: No Report Bylaw Committee Report - given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee feels that the Appointment Committee as set forth in this proposed Charter change should include the Chairman of the Board of Assessors in place of the Chairman of the Finance Committee. The Chairman of the Board of Assessors would be more familiar with the working of both the Assessment Department and the Board and thus would be the better individual to make a judgment regarding the best person to serve on the Board of Assessors. The Appointment Committee for both the Finance Committee and the Bylaw Committee on which this proposal was modeled after include the Chairman of each respective Committee as part of the Appointment Committee. The Bylaw Committee agrees that the Board of Assessors should advance to an appointment process instead of being elected. The lack of candidates in the recent election concerns the Committee. The Bylaw Committee recommends the subject matter of this Article as amended by a vote of 4 -0 -0. 2/3 Vote Required 7 Voted in the affirmative 132 Voted in the negative 159 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Does Not Carry 2011 Annual Town Meeting 203 Motion to adjourn made by Bill Brown, Precinct 8 Motion Carried Adjourned with 159 in attendance at 10:18 PM to continue on May 2, 2011 at 7:30 PM A true copy Attest: Laura A Gemme Town Clerk 2011 Annual Town Meeting 204 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School May 2, 2011 Precinct 2 - Met under M.G.L. open meeting law and voted on Article 30 - Removal of Town Meeting Members. Precinct 6 - Met under M.G.L. open meeting law and voted on Article 30 - Removal of Town Meeting Members. The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Alan E. Foulds, at 7:42 PM, there being a quorum present. The meeting was started with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. The following letter was read by Peter Hechenbleikner from Colonel Jack Hammond thanking the Reading community for the support to the Yankee Brigade. "I would like to take the opportunity to thank the people of Reading once again for the support you have shown to the Soldiers of the 26th Yankee Brigade. We sincerely appreciate everything that you have done for us this year from the heartfelt send off ceremony to the donations of the "Yankee" Brigade sweatshirts. We have arrived in Afghanistan for our year long mobilization in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While these deployments are hard on the Soldiers and their loved ones, we take comfort in knowing that our local communities are behind us. As you can see we are enjoying the sweatshirts that you donated to us here in Kabul. Your patriotism is to be commended. The send -off ceremony that you held for us was beyond our expectations, the sweatshirts are a constant reminder of your support of Soldiers of the "Yankee" Brigade and it makes the task ahead of us that much easier. Please accept my heartfelt appreciation and thanks. We look forward to seeing you when we return home next year." Motion made by James Bonazoli to move Article 28 out of order Motion Carried IT:41119364P'*] Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee Chair to see if the Town will vote to determine how much money the Town will appropriate by borrowing, or from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the operation of the Town and its government for Fiscal Year 2012 beginning July 1, 2011, or take any other action with respect thereto. Presentation given by Peter Hechenbleikner, Gail LaPointe and Bob LeLacheur - See Attached MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town raise by borrowing, or from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds, and appropriate the sum of: $85,973,304 for the operation of the Town and its Government for Fiscal Year 2012, beginning July 1, 2011. MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 2011 Annual Town Meeting 205 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item B99 (Benefits): $12,845,486 to be provided as follows: Line B99 — $863,309 from Free Cash and the balance from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts I Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line B99 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item C99 (Capital): $948,000 to be provided as follows: Line C99 — from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line C99 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item D99 (Debt): $6,063,446 to be provided as follows: Line D99 - $300,000 from Sale of Real Estate Fund and the balance from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line D99 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item E99 (Vocational Education): $419,343 to be provided as follows: Line E99 — from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line E99 7 -0 -0 at April 3, 2011 meeting after receiving additional data - Original vote was at the March 28, 2011 meeting of 9 -0 -0 MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item G91 (Town Administration Wages): $212,611 and Line Item G92 (Town Administration Expenses): $468,180 to be provided as follows: Lines G91 and G92 — from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts 2011 Annual Town Meeting 01 Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line G91 9 -0-0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting and voted in support of Line G92 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item H91 (Accounting Wages): $156,779 and Line item H92 (Accounting Expenses): $1,300 to be provided as follows: Lines H91 and H92 — from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line H91 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting and voted in support of Line H92 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item 191 (Finance Wages): $1,089,226 and Line Item 192 (Finance Expenses): $458,200 to be provided as follows: Lines 191 and 192 — from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line 191 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting. Voted in support of Line 192 7 -0 -0 at April 3, 2011 meeting after receiving additional data - Original vote was at the March 28, 2011 meeting of 9 -0 -0. Motion made by Bill Brown, Precinct 8 to move to reduce the GIS Coordinator position to $38,171 - 0.6 FTE Motion Does Not Carry Motion made by Ralph Colorusso, Precinct 6 to add $23,000 to keep the part time Associate Appraiser Motion Does Not Carry MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item J92 (Finance Committee Reserve Fund): $150,000 to be provided as follows: Line J92 — from property taxes, State aid and non- property tax local receipts Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line J92 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting. MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item K91 (Community Services Wages): $773,980 and Line Item K92 (Community Services Expenses): $241,499 to be provided as follows: 2011 Annual Town Meeting 207 Lines K91 and K92 — from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line K91 7 -0 -0 at the April 13, 2011 meeting after receiving additional data - Original vote was at the March 28, 2011 meeting of 7 -2 -0. Voted in support of Line K92 7 -0 -0 at April 13, 2011 meeting. Conservation Commission Report - given by William Hecht: - The Commission supports this motion very reluctantly. Council on Aging Report - given by Steven Oston: - The Council does not support regionalization or half time administrator, if position is cut to half time would like to see it returned to full time as soon as possible. MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item L91 (Library Wages): $987,717 and Line Item L92 (Library Expenses): $253,813 to be provided as follows: Lines L91 and L92 — from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line L91 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting and voted in support of Line L92 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting. MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item M91 (Public Works Wages): $2,289,710 and Line Item M92 (Public Works Expenses): $836,930 to be provided as follows: Line M91 — $100,000 from the Reading Ice Arena to support Recreation wages; Line M92 — $25,000 from the Sale of Cemetery lots to support Cemetery expenses; and the balance of Lines M91 and M92 from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line M91 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting. Voted in support of Line M92 7 -0 -0 at April 13, 2011 meeting after receiving additional data - Original vote was at the March 28, 2011 meeting of 9 -0 -0 MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item M93 (Public Works - Snow & Ice Expenses): $565,000; Line Item M94 (Public Works — Street Lighting Expenses): $253,575 and Line Item M95 (Public Works — Rubbish Collection & Disposal Expenses): $1,472,159 to be provided as follows: Lines M93, M94 and M95 — from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line M93 9 -0 -0 at March 28, 2011 meeting and voted in support of Line M94 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting and voted in support of Line M95 8 -1 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting 2011 Annual Town Meeting 208 MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item N91 (Public Safety Wages): $7,595,269 and Line Item N92 (Public Safety Expenses): $366,014 to be provided as follows: Lines N91 and N92 — from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line N91 9 -0 -0 at March 28, 2011 meeting and voted in support of Line N92 9 -0 -0 at the March 28, 2011 meeting MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item U99 (School Department): $36,005,307 to be provided as follows: Line U99 — from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line U99 7 -0 -0 at-April 13, 2011 meeting after receiving additional data - Original vote was at the March 28, 2011 meeting of 9 -0 -0 Motion made by Elaine Webb, Precinct 1 to amend Line U99 to add $50,000 from free cash Motion Does Not Carry as Declared by Moderator Motion made by David Tuttle, Precinct 3 to amend Line U99 to add $994,643 from free cash Motion Does Not Carry as Declared by Moderator Motion.made by David Talbot, Precinct 5 to amend Line U99 to add $55,000 from free cash Declared Out of Order by Moderator Motion made by a Town Meeting Member to amend Line U99 to add $150,000 from free cash 62 Voted in the affirmative 68 Voted in the negative 147 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Does Not Carry Moderator Declared all other Motions out of Order MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item V99 (Town Facilities): $699,877 to be provided as follows: Line V99 — from property taxes, State aid and non - property tax local receipts 2011 Annual Town Meeting 209 Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line V99 9 -0 -0 at March 28, 2011 meeting MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item W99 (Water Enterprise Fund): $5,295,343 to be provided as follows: Lines W99 — $300,000 from Water Reserves and the balance from user fees and other charges Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line W99 9 -0 -0 at March 28, 2011 meeting MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item X99 (Sewer Enterprise Fund): $5,147,890 to be provided as follows: Line X99 — from user fees and other charges Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line X99 9 -0 -0 at March 28, 2011 meeting MOTION UNDER•ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget as presented for Line Item Y99 (Storm Water Enterprise Fund): $376,650 to be provided as follows: Line Y99 — from user fees and other charges Finance Committee Report - given by Marsie West: Voted in support of Line Y99 9 -0 -0 at March 28, 2011 meeting MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 28 Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee to move `that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2012 Budget, exclusive of State and county assessments: $85,973,304 Representing the total of all motions made under ARTICLE 28 as amended Funds are to be provided as set forth in said motions as amended 2/3 Vote Required 127 Voted in the affirmative 3 Voted in the negative 147 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried 2011 Annual Tom Meeting 210 Motion to adjourn made by James Bonazoli, Precinct 6 Motion Carried Adjourned with 147 in attendance at 11:11 PM to continue on May 5, 2011 at 7:30 PM A true copy Attest: 2011 Annual Town Meeting 211 Laura A Gemme Town Clerk ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School May 5, 2011 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Alan E. Foulds, at 7:43 PM, there being a quorum present. The meeting was started with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. ARTICLE 23 Motion made by David Tuttle, Community Planning and Development Commission to move that the Town vote to amend Section 4.3.3 of the Town of Reading Zoning By -Laws as follows: (note — Gress through represents language to be eliminated and bold, represents new language) Motion made by Camille Anthony to dispense of further reading Motion to dispense Carried 4.3.3 SITE PLAN REVIEW Applicability. The following types of activities and uses require site plan review by the CPDC; Routine maintenance or replacement in -kind is exempt. Any exterior construction, or alteration or expansion of more than five hundred (500) gross square feet of an institutional, commercial, industrial, or multi - family structure with four or more dwelling units; A change of use within an institutional, commercial, industrial, or multi- family structure; Interior renovations over two thousand (2,000) gross square feet Construction or expansion of a parking lot for an institutional, commercial, industrial, or multi- family structure or purpose. 4.3.3.2. Procedures. Applicants for site plan approval shall submit twelve (12) copies of the site plan to the CPDC for review, and within three (3) days thereafter request a determination from the Town Planner on completeness of application. The Town Planner shall make a determination of completeness within thirty (30) days of receipt of such application. The CPDC shall review and act upon the site plan, with such conditions as may be deemed appropriate, within sixty (60) days of its determination of completeness, and notify the applicant of its decision. The decision of the CPDC approving site plan review, shall be a majority of the commission and shall be in writing. No building permit or certificate of occupancy shall be issued by the Building Inspector without the written approval of the site plan by the CPDC, or unless 60 days lapse from the date of a determination of completeness of the site plan without action by the CPDC. 4.3.3.3. Requirements: 4.3.3.3.1. Where the CPDC serves as the special permit granting authority for proposed work, it shall consolidate its site plan review and special permit procedures. 4.3.3.3.2. The applicant may request, and the CPDC may grant by majority vote, an extension of the time limits set forth herein. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 212 4.3.3.3.3. No deviation from an approved site plan shall be permitted without modification thereof approved by CPDC. Preparation of Plans. Applicants are invited to submit a pre - application sketch of the proposed project to the CPDC and to schedule a comment period at a regular meeting of the CPDC. Site plans shall be submitted on 24 -inch by 36 -inch sheets, or larger if necessary for clarity. Plans shall be prepared by a registered professional engineer, registered land surveyor, architect or landscape architect, as appropriate. Dimensions and scales shall be adequate to determine that all requirements are met and to make a complete analysis and evaluation of the proposal. 4.3.3.5. Contents of Plan. The contents of the site plan are as follows 4.3.3.5.1. Five (5) separate plans prepared at a scale of one (1) inch equals twenty (20) feet or forty (40) feet or such suitable scale as may be approved by the CPDC. The plans are as follows: a. Site layout, which shall contain the boundaries of the lot(s) in the proposed development, proposed structures, drives, parking, fences, walls, walks, outdoor lighting, loading facilities, and areas for snow storage after plowing. The first sheet in this plan shall be a locus plan, at a scale acceptable to the CPDC, showing the entire project and its relation to existing areas, buildings and roads for a distance of one thousand (1,000) feet from the project boundaries or such other distance as may be approved or required by the staff. b. Topography and drainage plan, which shall contain the existing and proposed final topography at two -foot intervals and plans for handling storm water drainage, including resource area delineation. c. Utility plan which shall include all facilities for refuse and sewerage disposal or storage of all wastes, the location of all hydrants, fire alarm and fire fighting facilities on and adjacent to the site, all proposed recreational facilities and open space areas, and all wetlands including flood plain areas. d. Architectural plans, which shall include the floor plans and architectural elevations of all proposed buildings and a color rendering or photographs of similar structures. e. Landscaping plan, showing the limits of work, existing tree lines, and all proposed landscape features and improvements including screening, planting areas with size and type of stock for shrub or tree, and including proposed erosion control measures. 4.3.3.5.2. The site plan shall be accompanied by a written statement indicating the estimated time required to complete the proposed project and any and all phases thereof. 4.3.3.5.3. A written summary of the contemplated projects shall be submitted with the site plan indicating, where appropriate, the number of dwelling units to be built and the acreage in residential use, the evidence of compliance with parking and off - street loading requirements, the forms of ownership contemplated for the property and a summary of the provisions of any ownership or maintenance thereof, identification of all land that will become common or public land, and any other evidence necessary to indicate compliance with this By -Law. 4.3.3.5.4. The site plan shall be accompanied by drainage calculations by a registered professional engineer. Storm drainage design must conform to the Town of Reading subdivision regulations and Department of Environmental Protection storm water regulations. 4.3.3.5.5. The CPDC may require a narrative statement detailing the impact of the proposed use on municipal services and the environment, lighting, traffic, hazardous materials storage, trash, hours of operation and construction impacts. 4.3.3.5.6. Certification that the proposal is in compliance with the provisions, if applicable, of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Massachusetts Architectural Barriers Board. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 213 4.3.3.5.7. All plans submitted shall be in digital format as well as prints as approved by the Town Engineer. Number of prints submitted shall be determined by the Town Planner. 4.3.3.6. Approval. Site plan approval shall be granted upon determination by the CPDC that the plan meets the following objectives. The CPDC may impose reasonable conditions at the expense of the applicant, including performance guarantees, to promote these objectives. Any new building construction or other site alteration shall provide adequate access to each structure for fire and service equipment and adequate provision for utilities and storm water drainage consistent with the functional requirements of the CPDC's Subdivision Rules and Regulations. New building construction or other site alteration shall be designed in the site plan, after considering the qualities of the specific location, the proposed land use, the design of building form, the grading, egress points, and other aspects of the development, so as to: Minimize the volume of cut and fill, the number of removed trees 6" caliper or larger, the length of removed stone walls, the area of wetland vegetation displaced, the extent of storm water flow from the site, soil erosion, and the threat of air and water pollution; Maximize pedestrian and vehicular safety both on the site and approach /egression from it; C. Minimize obstruction of scenic views from publicly accessible locations; Minimize visual intrusion by controlling the visibility of parking, storage, or other outdoor service areas viewed from public ways or premises residentially used or zoned through the use of landscaping and fencing; e. Minimize glare from headlights and lighting intrusion; f. Minimize unreasonable departure from the character, materials, and scale of buildings in the vicinity, as viewed from public ways and places; g. Minimize contamination of groundwater from oh -site wastewater disposal systems or operations on the premises involving the use, storage, handling, or containment of hazardous substances; Ensure compliance with the provisions of the Zoning By -Law; Maximize property enhancement through use of landscaping and other site amenities; Minimize environmental impacts to adjacent properties through hours of operation, deliveries, noise, rubbish removal and storage. Lapse. Site plan approval shall lapse after two (2) years from the grant thereof if a substantial use thereof has not sooner commenced except for good cause. Such approval may, for good cause, be extended in writing by the CPDC upon the written request of the applicant. Regulations. The CPDC may adopt and from time to time amend reasonable regulations for the administration of these site plan guidelines. Fee. The CPDC may adopt reasonable administrative fees and technical review fees for site plan review at levels necessary to cover costs. The CPDC may also require the applicant to fund professional review of the filing. 4.3.3.10. Appeal. The appeal of any decision of the CPDC hereunder shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Mass. Gen. L. Ch. 40A. §17. 4.2.3.11. Fxempbon, 2011 Annual Town Meeting 214 n z c 2 42 +. a 4AW- B€SitEp1 4.3.3.11. Minor Site Plan Review The Community Planning and Development Commission or the Town Planner by administrative approval may waive grant approval for a minor site plan review with or without conditions provided the proposed construction, expansion or alteration will not result in any adverse impact in the areas described in Sections 4.3.3.5 or 4.3.3.6 and for any of the following reasons provided however that the property has not been approved for a minor site plan review within the last three (3) years; a. The construction, expansion or alteration only involves the interior renovation of an existing space such as plumbing, electrical, furniture, fixtures, mechanical systems, or interior changes to comply with the current building code such as handicap accessibility. b. The proposed change in use is in the same use category and will net Fe6Ult on an adveFse The property has undergene been developed according to a full site plan review and approval within the past five years. and the PF9pGsed Ghanges will net FeGUIt in aR adverse the areas desnFibed If the Community Planning and Development Commission or Town Planner does not act within 60 30 days of receiving a complete waiver Minor Site Plan Review Project request, the request shall be deemed granted. 4.3.3.12. Waiver of Loading Zone Space Requirements: The Community Planning and Development Commission may waive the requirements of 6.1.1.3 as to the number of loading zone spaces, provided there is no adverse impact in the areas described in Section 4.3.3.6., or take any other action with respect thereto. 4.3.3.13. Waiver of Parking, Loading Space and Related Design Requirements in the Business C District. Upon the applicant's request and submission of supporting documentation, the community Planning and Development Commission may waive or reduce the requirements under Section 6.1.1.3 and Section 6.1.2, provided there is no adverse impact in the areas described in Section 4.3.3.6. Background: The purpose of Article 23 is to promote ease of permitting and improving customer service and thereby promoting economic development. The Zoning By -Law includes a provision under Section 4.3.3 for Site Plan Review. The purpose of Site Plan Review is to promote development that will be beneficial to the community and that is in keeping 2011 Annual Town Meeting 215 with its character. Site Plan Review allows the Town to manage growth and insure that it is consistent with the Zoning Bylaw and the Reading Master Plan. Site Plan Review is not required for residential construction of less than four (4) dwelling units. Article 23 seeks to modify (lessen) the threshold requirements for site plan review, omit the waiver requirement, and add a provision for Minor Site Plan Review. Article 23 proposes to change the threshold for exterior construction or alternation from 300 square feet to 500 square feet and for interior construction or alteration from 1,000 square feet to 2,000 square feet. In an effort to streamline Site Plan Review Article 23 eliminates the requirement for seeking a waiver for projects that currently qualify for site plan review but still are required to appear before the Community Planning and Development Commission (CPDC). To promote economic development and ease of permitting, Article 23 includes a new provision for Minor Site Plan Review which allows administrative approval by either the CPDC or the Town Planner for projects that meet the stated criteria as follows: Construction, expansion, or alteration involving an interior renovation (no exterior work) of an existing space such as plumbing, electrical, furniture, fixtures, mechanical equipment or interior changes to comply with the current building code such as handicap access; The proposed change is in the same use category (no change of use); The property has been developed according to a full site plan review and approval within the past five years; In summary, Article 23 supports on -going efforts to streamline regulations, simplify reviews to be more customer friendly, and promote economic development. It should be noted that smaller projects that can be handled through administrative approvals will result in a big benefit to applicants who otherwise have to attend evening CPDC meetings. Public hearings for larger projects sometimes pre -empt the smaller projects as they are scheduled first on the agenda, weeks in advance, due to advertising requirements. This requires smaller projects to be scheduled later on the agenda which can be very late into the evening. Finance Committee Report: No Report Bylaw Committee Report -given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee recommends the subject matter of this Article by a vote of 4 -0 -0. Economic Development Committee Report -given by Sheila Clarke: The EDC recommends to the Board of Selectmen support of Article 23, by a vote of 5 -0 -0. Community Planning and Development Commission Report -given by David Tuttle: The CPDC recommends the subject matter of the Article by a vote of 4 -0 -0 Motion made by John Carpenter to amend as follows: Any exterior construction, or alteration or expansion of more than five hundred (500) gross square feet of an institutional, commercial, industrial, or multi - family structure with four or more dwelling units; GGFAFR9FGial, WdustFial, GF Fnulti family StFUGtUFe With fiquF oF FneFe dwelling units; Change five hundred (500) gross square feet to two thousand (2000) gross square feet.... Motion Ruled out of Order 213 Vote required 2011 Annual Town Meeting 216 109 Voted in the affirmative 6 Voted in the negative 129 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried UA1119114'.'. Motion made by Richard Schubert, Board of Selectmen to move that the Town vote to approve an Affordable Housing Trust Fund Allocation Plan entitled "2011 Town of Reading Affordable Housing Trust Fund Allocation Plan" dated April 26, 2011 pursuant to Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2001 entitled "AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF READING TO ESTABLISH AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND ", Background - given by Peter Hechenbleikner: Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2001 authorized the Town of Reading to establish an Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF). This legislation was done as a Home Rule Petition by the Town. The legislation provides in part "The Town of Reading may establish a. separate fund to be known as the Affordable Housing Trust Fund for the purpose of creating or preserving affordable housing by the Town of Reading, the Reading Housing Authority or a housing trust, community development corporation or similar entity created under the laws of the commonwealth for the purpose of creating, maintaining or operating affordable housing." Among the state purposes is to: "develop new or rehabilitate existing dwelling units for purchase or rental by low and moderate income housing purchasers or tenants;" According to the legislation, "Expenditures shall follow an allocation plan submitted by the Board of Selectmen annually to Town Meeting at the Annual Town Meeting, and approved by Town Meeting." "[a]ll expenditures from the fund, ... shall be in accordance with the allocation plan and approved by a majority vote of the full combined memberships of the Board of Selectmen and the Reading Housing Authority." The purpose of this legislation is to provide a framework for the Town to expend funds on affordable housing. The current balance in the Affordable housing Trust Fund is $458,017.68 which has been accumulated over the years as funds secured for the purpose by the CPDC, and funds deposited in at least one instance when an existing affordable unit was no longer able to be kept affordable after efforts were made to do so. There have been no expenditures to date from this fund, although there have been several attempts at using these funds — in one instance to subsidize a Reading Housing Authority project. As part of the Oaktree development (the former Atlantic site) a total of 20% of the units will be affordable units, or 11 units of the total of 57 units in the development. The Town has negotiated to provide up to $400,000 from the Affordable Housing Trust fund to subsidize the development of those 11 affordable units. All of the affordable units will be affordable in perpetuity. All of the 57 units will count on the Town's inventory of affordable housing units because the units will be developed as rental units. An affordable housing restriction will be required that must be approved by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). This request is based on the stated need for the funds to carry out the project and will require a joint agreement between Oaktree, the Board of Selectmen, and the Housing Authority. As part of the due diligence related to this request, the Town has been working with Oaktree reviewing pro - formas to clarify the finances of this project including the need for our help through the AHTF. The process is on -going and the Town has asked for additional information to clarify what has been provided to date. In addition to analyzing the pro - forma, the Town has indicated to Oaktree that we would be drafting a set of legal documents with conditions in order to satisfy our requirements. The discussion has included. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 217 protecting the Town's investment of funds by use of the following which would be recorded at the Registry of Deeds: • Deferred Payment Loan (DPL) Agreement — this is commonly used in affordable housing projects where the funds are provided as a grant, but with conditions that could trigger repayment of. all or some of the funds. For example, if the project were sold as a permitted project to another developer then the terms of the DPL could require repayment in full. or • Promissory Note — another legal document that assures compliance with stated terms. or • Mortgage —just like a bank would place a mortgage on a house, we would do so here. By taking these steps the Town of Reading will be protected and a viable redevelopment project will be supported. The redevelopment of the former Atlantic Supermarket, 30 Haven Street, is an important project that will be an anchor to both Haven Street and High Street. It will increase foot traffic throughout the downtown and promote Smart Growth. With just under 100,000 square feet of new construction including approximately 20,000 square feet of retail with 57 units of residential above (11 of which will be affordable) this project is consistent with the Master Plan, Housing Plan, and Economic Development efforts. As a rental project under the 40R zoning, the Town of Reading will get credit for all 57 units in its affordable housing inventory maintained by the State. Even if the development were to change to condominiums, the Town would still be credited with 11 affordable units. Finance Committee Report - _given by Berry Berman: The Finance Committee voted 0 -1 -8 at their March 30, 2011 meeting not to recommend the subject matter of this Article. If financial information becomes available to Finance Committee they will review it at their April 13, 2011 meeting and may reconsider their vote. A majority of the Committee is not opposed to using Trust Funds for this project, but felt there was not enough information at the time of the vote to feel comfortable supporting this Article. Members questioned the need for the Town to subsidize the developer for construction costs and urged the Town to drill down further and analyze the project's financial statements. Finance Committee wanted to know what steps the Town would take to protect the investment, including structuring the Trust funds as a loan. The lone member opposing the article felt it was inappropriate for the Town to utilize Trust Fund proceeds to subsidize a private developer for housing units the Town does not own. Bylaw Committee Report: No Report Information presented by Peter Hechenbleikner: Pursuant to Article 24 of the 2011 Annual Town Meeting, an Affordable Housing Trust Fund Allocation Plan for the Fiscal Year 2012 in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2001 is as follows: Available Balance — Unrestricted Funds: Available Balance — Restricted Funds a. Unrestricted funds shall be used for the following purposes: 99% for constructing affordable housing (including maintaining and improving affordability of existing existing housing stock to add it to or maintain it housing inventory 1 % for administration of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund $458,017.68 $0 loan and grant programs), or, for housing stock; or for the purchase of as a part of the existing affordable b. Restricted funds received into the AHTF for designated purposes from grants, gifts, donations, or the like, shall be allocated at 100% towards the stated purposes. Motion made by Bill Brown, Precinct 8 to Indefinitely Postpone this Article Motion to Postpone does not Cam After discussion among Town Meeting Members 2011 Annual Town Meeting 218 Motion Carries as presented by Peter Hechenbleikner ARTICLE 25 2011 Annual Town Meeting Motion made by Bill Brown, Precinct 8 to move to indefinitely postpone the subject matter of Article 25 Motion Carries ARTICLE 26 Motion made by Bill Brown, Precinct 8 to move to indefinitely postpone the subject matter of Article 26 Motion Carries ARTICLE 27 Motion made by Bill Brown, Precinct 8 to move to indefinitely postpone the subject matter of Article 27 Motion Carries ARTICLE 29 Motion made by James Bonazoli to move that the Town vote to transfer from Free Cash and appropriate the sum of $25,000 to the Employee Sick Leave Buy -back and Vacation Leave Buyback Stabilization Fund. Background - given by Bob LeLacheur: The 2009 Annual Town Meeting voted to establish a stabilization fund for Town employee sick -leave and /or vacation leave buy -back. This was done because the Town Departments could not accurately forecast 18 months in advance what employees might leave their employment and be eligible for these payments. In most cases, the various Town wage budgets as voted by Town Meeting did not have the capacity to support these unpredictable payments, unless a position remained unfilled for a sufficient period of time. In FY11 the Town has had several circumstances that required these payments and in most cases we were able to fund the costs through unused wages because a position was unfilled. In Article 5 of this Town Meeting we are requesting a transfer out of $10,000 for a department that does not have sufficient funds to cover an FY11 obligation. If this transfer under Article 5 is approved, the remaining balance of the fund would be approximately $5,400. Article 29 seeks to add $25,000 from free cash to supplement this amount, to be used in future years by vote of Town Meeting as needed. The potential for Sick Leave buy -back is diminishing as changes in Personnel Policies and collective bargaining agreements work towards eventual elimination of this benefit. For example, as part of the bargaining process in 2010, all Sick Leave Buy -back for Police Patrol Officers. and Police Superior Officers was eliminated — currently and prospectively. All other Town non -union and most other Town unions have given up sick leave buy -back prospectively from a variety of dates. Many non -union employees have never been eligible for this benefit. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 219 Vacation leave buy -back is already severely constrained by limits on vacation leave carryover, and is the smaller amount of the buy -back leave. Finance Committee Report - given by Bryan Walsh: The Finance Committee voted 9 -0 -0 at their March 30, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter of this Article. If a transfer was approved earlier at this Annual Town Meeting under Article 5, then the balance of this stabilization fund is about $5,420. Increasing that amount will allow the Town to meet future obligations without skewing the individual department budgets; which was the intention when this Fund was created. Bylaw Committee Report: No Report 2/3 Vote required Declared unanimous by Moderator 129 Town Meeting Members in Attendance ARTICLE 30 Move that the Town vote, pursuant to Section 2-6 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, to declare the seats of the following Town Meeting Members to be vacant and remove said persons from their position as Town Meeting Members for failure to attend one half or more of the Town Meeting sessions during the previous year: Precinct 2 Lizabeth Ann Malinski Kim Marie Sullivan Richard J. Moore Robert R. Morelli Brooks E. Rice George A. Snow Precinct 3 Anthony D'Arezzo Precinct 5 Susan A. Giacalone Precinct 6 Allison M. Piper Chad R. Smith Precinct 7 Mario A. Jarrin Hurtado Nancy B. Matheson Precinct 8 William O. Finch Donald J Golini Robert I Nordstrand Background - given by Alan Foulds:' The Reading Home Rule Charter provides for the removal by Town Meeting of Town Meeting Members who did not attend at least half of the Town Meeting sessions during the previous year. There are 24 members who meet those criteria, as listed above. This compares to 10 members who were listed in the Town Meeting warrant report in 2010. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 220 The remaining Town Meeting Members from Precincts 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8'will be asked to meet in a caucus before this Article is taken up, and to evaluate the particular circumstances of each of these situations. The affected precincts will then make a recommendation to Town Meeting as to whether the member should be removed Finance Committee Report: No Report Bylaw Committee Report: No Report Precinct 2 Report - given by Precinct Chair, Priscilla Ryan: Precinct 2 voted to remove the following members: Lizabeth Ann Malinski Brooks E Rice Kim Marie Sullivan Precinct 3 Report - given by Precinct Chair, Frank Driscoll: Precinct 3 voted to remove the following members: None Precinct 5 Report - given by Precinct Chair, Janice Jones: Precinct 5 voted to remove the following members: None Precinct 6 Report - given by Precinct Chair, James Mulvey: Precinct 6 voted to remove the following members: Alison M Piper Chad R Smith Precinct 7 Report - given by Precinct Chair, Daniel Ensminger: Precinct 7 voted to remove the following members: None Precinct 8 Report - given by Precinct Chair, William Hecht: Precinct 8 voted to remove the following members: None Motion Carried to Remove the Above Members I_13tf944F To choose all other necessary Town Officers and Special Committees and determine what instructions shall be given Town Officers and Special Committees, and to see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the purpose of funding Town Officers and Special Committees to carry out the instructions given to them, or take any other action with respect thereto. The following Instructional Motions were submitted as follows: Motion made by Ronald D'Addario, Precinct 6: In recognition of May as National Bike month, this motion instructs our selectmen to work with our Walkable Reading Committee and the Reading Climate Committee to provide safe street lanes for bicycles. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 221 Background: We have already in place bike racks installed around town at our schools and municipal buildings to our depot. We need to take the next step to make bike riding safer for family outings whether to our downtown or to one of our recreational parks. Installing bike lanes, whether a separate path or just a white line on the street, provides a margin of safety required by bicyclists especially those with younger children. Presently, moving about town by bike can be hazardous to your health. Let's work to improve this dangerous situation to make Reading a bike friendly town. If Boston can do it, surely, Reading can too. Thank you. Motion.Carried Motion made by Russell Graham, Precinct 4: Move that the Reading Board of Selectmen appoint a committee for the purpose of studying the Oakland Road property to determine the best use of or disposition of said property. Such committee to include members of Town Meeting and representatives of the Reading School Committee and representatives of the Reading Recreation Committee. Motion Carried Motion made by Marsie West, Finance Committee: Move that Town Meeting instruct the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager, and School Committee /School Department to explore the following revenue enhancement ideas recommended by Reading citizens at the Financial Forum held on September 15, 2010 and report back to Town Meeting and Finance Committee by October 2011 with: • Specific actions taken (organizations consulted, timelines) • Comments on feasibility of opportunity • Follow up tasks to achieve additional revenue The goal of this motion is to include all feasible opportunities in the revenue budget for FY 13. Finance Committee would appreciate interim monthly updates beginning in June 2011 until the ideas are either implemented or the responsible Board /Manager votes to take other action on them. 1) Town Manager: a) Additional cell tower opportunities b) Advertising / Billboards (including electronic billboards) c) Expanded rental of space /increased rental fees 2) School Committee / School Department: a) Expanded rental of existing space b) Naming rights for buildings and other property 3) Board of Selectmen a) Increase parking fees at Depot b) Sponsoring of town trees, benches, lights, etc. c) Sale of Town land (Oakland Road) Background: The Finance Committee sponsored a series of Financial Forums last fall to encourage citizens to bring forth their ideas on revenue enhancement as well as cost reductions. At the September 15, 2010 session, approximately 50 citizens and board members attended and offered their revenue enhancement ideas, then voted their priorities. More than 25 ideas were generated and received votes. Each of the items listed above was among the top voted items (7+ votes for each). Many of the cost reduction opportunities identified at the October 27, 2010 Financial Forum have been incorporated into the FY2011 budget proposal. The goal of this motion is for the Boards, Town Manager and Schools to actively pursue these opportunities and implement all feasible revenue enhancement measures. Finance Committee would like to be informed of their status on a regular basis using the evaluation criteria on the attachment developed by the Committee to help assess the opportunities. Our goal is to keep these ideas front and center to help provide additional revenues that benefit the Town. 2011 Annual Town Meeting 222 Motion Carried Motion made by Frederick Van Magness Sr, Precinct 8: Move that the Board of Selectmen and the Reading Housing Authority, in implementing any distribution of funds to other than non - profit entities from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (Trust) per the plan approved under Article 24 of this Town Meeting or any subsequent Town Meeting, be instructed to loan funds for a period not to exceed 10 years, with security and guaranteed repayment of principal to the Trust, instead of providing outright grants. In addition, to ensure the maximum long term affordable housing benefit to Reading from the use of these Trust funds, the Board of Selectmen and the Reading Housing Authority are instructed to limit distributions to any single entity to not more than 50 % of the available Trust funds. - Motion made by Philip Pacino, Bylaw Committee to change non - profit to qualified tax - excempt entities Motion Accepted Motion made by Stephen Crook, Precinct 3 to delete the entire second paragraph Motion to Amend Carried Oriainal Motion as Amended does not Car Motion made by Daniel Ensminger, Precinct 7; John Carpenter, Precinct 7; Maryann Quinn, Precinct 6; Erin Calvo -Baci, Precinct 5; David Mancuso, Precinct 4: Move that Town Meeting instruct the Town Moderator appoint a five- person review committee comprised of two (2) Reading citizens or businessmen at large, one (1) Historical Committee member, one (1) liaison from the Economic Development Committee and one (1) liaison from the Community Planning and Development Committee to conduct a public review of Reading General Bylaws, Section 5.13, Demolition of Structures of Potential Historical Significance, reporting back to Town Meeting at its Adjourned Meeting approximately November of 2011 with: • Identification of the sufficiency or deficiency of the aforementioned bylaws relating to the protection of private property owners' legal rights under the 5"' amendment of the US constitution and the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. • Draft Bylaw amendment including a public process that complies with US and Commonwealth Constitution and laws and preserves property owners' rights, for (a) adding, revising, and removing specific properties from Reading's list of historically significant buildings;. (b) appealing and adjudicating decisions of the Historical Commission regarding such properties; (c) establishing unambiguous and specific criteria for adding, revision, and /or removing specific properties from said list; and'(d) provides for public posting of the list of protected properties and periodic notification of subject property owners. • Identification of areas for improvement in the business processes of the Historical Commission for the selection, notification, and hearing process that ensures owners of properties under consideration for addition to the Demolition Delay list are ensured due process prior to having their property added to the list and throughout the process of renovating, demolishing or selling the property in question. • Recommendation of other historic preservation processes and functions that represent the best and most public processes of other Historical Commissions in the Commonwealth. • Specific actions required to revise the aforementioned bylaw to ensure a transparent public process for the preservation of historic properties and the protection of private property owners' rights under the law. Town Counsel should be made available as a resource to answer written questions from the committee regarding constitutionality. The goal of this motion is establish a clear, concise and equitable bylaw that enables the Town to balance its desire to preserve properties of historic significance while fully respecting 2011 Annual Town Meeting 223 the rights of the individual property owner in a manner that harmonizes relationships between concerned parties. Background: Discussion surrounding the recent 75 to 73 vote to return the Demolition Delay to its original 6 month waiting period graphically depicts the Town's desire to preserve properties of potential historic significance while respecting the rights of private property owners and preventing undue financial or emotion hardship on those property owners. While the vote was in effect, a laudable compromise between views on either side of the issue, it failed to address the substantive question of whether the town needs to revise Section 5.13 of the General Bylaws to ensure the legal protection of private property owners rights. By conducting a formal review of Bylaw 5.13, Reading will ensure a smoother process for protecting historic properties, minimizing possible legal liabilities for the Town and setting a new standard of cooperation within the community. Motion to make an amendment by Angela Binda, Precinct 5 Committee to evaluate all aspect of the demolition delay bylaw - 7 member committee 2 Historical Commission Members 1 Board of Selectmen Member 2 Members (total) from the following committees which have Regulatory Authority and oversee land use: CPDC ZBA Conservation Commission 1 Member EDC 1 Town Meeting Member (not serving on one of the above named boards) Motion to Amend does not Car Motion as Presented does not Car Motion made by Ronald D'Addario, Precinct 6: The Town Manager and Selectmen are instructed to find a town or village in the tornado ravaged American south who desperately needs help. The Town Manager is instructed to contact the selected town's mayor to determine the needs of the community especially those needs that we could fill. By whatever means possible funds are raised, we load a rental box truck with those provisions and drive them to our sister town. Motion does not Carry Motion to adjourn made by a Town Meeting Member Move to adjourn the 2011 Annual Town Meeting sine die at 10:14 PM Motion Carried A true copy Attest: aura A Gemme Town Clerk 2011 Annual Town Meeting 224 COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Middlesex, ss. Officer's Return, Reading: By virtue of this Warrant, I, on September 28, 2011 notified and warned the inhabitants of the Town of Reading, qualified to vote on Town affairs, to meet at the place and at the time specified by posting attested copies of this Town Meeting Warrant in the following public places within the Town of Reading: Precinct 1 J. Warren Killam School, 333 Charles Street Precinct 2 . Peter Sanborn Place, 50 Bay State Road Precinct 3 Reading Police Station, 15 Union Street Precinct 4 Joshua Eaton School, 365 Summer Avenue Precinct 5 Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street Precinct 6 Austin Preparatory School, 101 Willow Street Precinct 7 Reading Library, Local History Room, 64 Middlesex Avenue Precinct 8 Wood End School, 85 Sunset Rock Lane The date of posting being not less than fourteen (14) days prior to November 14, 2011, the date set for Town Meeting in this Warrant. I also caused a posting of this Warrant to be published on the Town of Reading website on September 28, 2011. A true copy Attest: O/ Laura Gemme, Town Clerk 225 a Thomas 14 Freeman, Constable TOWN WARRANT (SEAL) COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Middlesex, ss. To any of the Constables of the'Town of Reading, Greetings: In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Reading, qualified to vote in elections and Town affairs, to meet at the Reading Memorial High School Auditorium, 62 Oakland Road, in said Reading, on Monday, November 14, 2011, at seven -thirty o'clock in the evening, at which time and place the following articles are to be acted upon and determined exclusively by Town Meeting Members in accordance with the provisions of the Reading Home Rule Charter ARTICLE 1 To hear and act on the reports of the Board of Selectmen, Town Accountant, Treasurer - Collector, Board of Assessors, Director of Public Works, Town Clerk, Tree Warden, Board of Health, School Committee, Contributory Retirement Board, Library Trustees, Municipal Light Board, Finance Committee, Cemetery Trustees, Community Planning & Development Commission, Town Manager and any other Official. Board or Special Committee. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 2 To choose all other necessary Town Officers and Special Committees and determine what instructions shall be given Town Officers and Special Committees, and to see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the purpose of funding Town Officers and Special Committees to carry out the instructions given to them, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 3 To' see if the Town will vote to amend the FY 2012 - FY 2021 Capital Improvements Program as provided for in Section 7 -7 of the Reading Home Rule Charter and as previously amended, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 4 To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $55,470.89 for the purpose of funding the West Street final design project, including all engineering and design costs, and any other associated costs, and that to meet this appropriation: ♦ 7$ ,798.08 shall be transferred from the unexpended proceeds of the town's bonds dated 4 -10 -08 which were issued for the construction of the Birch Meadow Tennis Courts pursuant to the vote of the town passed 11/13/07 (Article 9); ♦ $46,209.30 be transferred from the unexpended proceeds of the town's bonds dated. 11 -1 -07 which were issued for the construction of the Turf Field Improvements pursuant to the vote of the town passed 4/26/07 (Article 22); + $1,341.51 be transferred from the unexpended proceeds of the town's bonds dated 4 -10 -08 which were issued for the purchase of a Ladder Truck pursuant to the vote of the town passed 11/13/07 (Article 10); and ♦ 1$ 22.00 be transferred from the unexpended proceeds of the town's bonds dated 8 -1 -09 which were issued for the purchase of a Fire Engine pursuant to the vote of the town passed 11/10/08 (Article 11); 226 and that the Board of Selectmen is authorized to take any other action necessary to carry out this project; provided, however that no expenditures shall be made hereunder until the Board of Selectmen determines (which determination shall be conclusive) that after the transfer of such unexpended bond proceeds, the remaining amount of unexpended bond proceeds from all of the above referenced bonds is sufficient to complete the project for which the bonds were sold, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 5 To see if the Town will vote to amend one or more of the votes taken under Article 28 of the Warrant of the Annual Town Meeting of April 25, 2011; and to see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, as the result of any such amended votes for the operation of the Town and its government, or take any other action with respect thereto. Finance Committee ARTICLE 6 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the payment during Fiscal Year 2011 of bills remaining unpaid for previous fiscal years for goods and services actually rendered to the Town, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 7 To see if the Town will vote to rescind the remaining balances on the following authorized but unsold debt that is no longer needed for the completion of the projects. ♦ $140,000 for Birch Meadow Tennis Courts —April 26, 2007 Annual Town Meeting Article 21; ♦ $275,000 for Turf Field Improvements -April 26, 2007 Annual Town Meeting Article 22; $65,000 for Sewer improvements Sunnyside /Fairview - April 26, 2007 Annual Town Meeting Article 23; ♦ $50,000 for Ladder Truck — November 13, 2007 Subsequent Town Meeting Article 10 Or take any other action with respect thereto Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 8 To see if the Town will vote to amend the action taken under Article 7 of the Warrant at the November, 2010 Town Meeting, which vote authorized the borrowing of $2,285,000 to pay costs of water system improvements on Haverhill Street, to permit the expenditure of funds authorized to be borrowed under said Article 7, but which not needed to complete the Haverhill Street project, to pay costs of rehabilitating and repairing water mains on Howard Street, from Summer Ave to County Road, including the costs of engineering services, plans, documents, cost estimates, bidding services and all related expenses, or take any other action relative thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 9 To see what sum the Town will vote to transfer from the Smart Growth Stabilization Fund tot the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 10 To see if the Town will amend the motion under Article 5 at the November 13, 2001 Subsequent Town Meeting by striking the Words "July 1, 2003" and the words "allocated 75% towards perpetual (non expendable) principal and 25% to be available (expendable)" so that the sentence shall read: "Unless otherwise directed by a subsequent donor as to the use of his or her donation made on or after January 1, 2012 shall be available for expenditure (expendable)." Or take any other action with respect thereto. Commissioners of Trust Funds 227 ARTICLE 11 To see if the Town will vote to authorize revolving funds for certain Town Departments under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 53E'/2 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011 with the receipts; as specified, credited to each fund, the purposes, as listed, for which each fund may be spent, the maximum amount that may be spent from each fund for the fiscal year, and the disposition of the balance of each fund at fiscal year end. Revolving Spending Revenue Allowed Expenditure year End Account Authority Source Expenses Limits Balance Director of Public Works upon the Sale of recommendation of the timber; fees Planning and Town Town Forest for use of the Improvements to Forest Committee Town Forest the Town Forest $10,000 $0 or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 12 To see if the Town will vote to accept the report of the Board of Selectmen under the provision of law authorizing the assessment of betterments, to install granite curb on Stewart Road and Edgemont Avenue: and to authorize the Board of Selectmen under the provision of law authorizing the assessment of betterments under the provisions of Chapter 80 of the General Laws, as amended, to assess betterments therefore, in accordance with the statutory requirements; and to see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing, or from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the installation of curbing, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 13 To see if the Town will vote to discontinue as a public way for all purposes a portion of Grant Street, consisting of approximately 399 square feet of land along the northerly side of Grant Street and 400 square feet of land along the southerly side of Grant Street as shown on a Plan entitled "Grant Street Roadway Discontinued Plan" dated September 27, 2011, a copy of which is on file with the Town Clerk, subject to the reservation of any and all utility and drainage facility easements in said way; and to transfer the care, custody, control and management of said discontinued portion of Pearl Street from the Board of Selectmen for public way purposes, to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of conveyance, and further, to authorize the Board of Selectmen pursuant to M.G.L. c.40, §3 to convey all of the Town's right title and interest in said discontinued way upon such terms and conditions, and for such consideration as the Board of Selectmen deem to be in the best interest of the Town, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 14 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen, pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40, §3, to convey all of the town's right title and interest in the parcel of land identified on the Assessors Map as Map 28, Lot 202 containing 13,930 square feet of land, upon such terms and conditions, and for such consideration as the Board of Selectmen deem to be in the best interest of the Town, or take any other action relative thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 15 1 To see if the Town will vote to discontinue as a public way for all purposes a portion of Old Pearl Street, consisting of approximately 11,351 square feet of land along the westerly side of the 1944 Pearl Street alteration beginning at the private way known as Bunker Avenue and extending in the northerly direction for a distance of approximately 250 linear feet to the side line of Audubon Road as shown on a Plan entitled "Pearl Street Roadway Discontinued Plan" dated September 27, 2011, a copy of which is on file with W-? the Town Clerk, subject to the reservation of any and all utility and drainage facility easements in said way; and to transfer the care, custody, control and management of said discontinued portion of Pearl Street from the Board of Selectmen for public way purposes, to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of conveyance, and further, to authorize the Board of Selectmen pursuant to M.G.L. c.40, §3 to convey all of the Town's right title and interest in said discontinued way upon such terms and conditions, and for such consideration as the Board of Selectmen deem to be in the best interest of the Town, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of. Selectmen ARTICLE 16 To see if the Town will vote, pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40, Section 15A, to transfer the care, custody and control of approximately 31,061 square feet of land as shown on Board of Assessor's map 27 lot 405, and map 27 lot 412 from the School Department to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of conveyance; and; and further, to authorize the Board of Selectmen pursuant to M.G.L. c.40, §3 to convey all of the Town's right title and interest in said property upon such terms and conditions, and for such consideration as the Board of Selectmen deem to be in the best interest of the Town, . or take any other action with respect thereto School Committee ARTICLE 17 To see if the Town will vote to discontinue as public ways for all purposes, the following; - a portion of Grandview Road, on the west side of the way southerly from the intersection of Cold Spring Road for approximately 358 feet, - a portion of Cold Spring Road, on the south side of the way westerly for approximately 115 feet from the intersection of Grandview Road and the. full width of the way an additional 112 feet westerly to Oakland Road, - a portion of Oakland Road southerly from the intersection of Cold Spring Road for approximately 330 feet to Chestnut Road; and - a portion of Tower Road westerly from Grandview Road for approximately 243 feet to Oakland Road, all as shown as "the Discontinued Sections of Grandview Road, Cold Spring Road, Oakland Road and Tower Road" on a Plan entitled "Roadway Discontinuance Plan" dated September 27, 2011, a copy of which is on file with the Town Clerk, subject to the reservation of any and all utility and drainage facility easements in said ways; to transfer the care, custody, control and management of said discontinued portions of Grandview Road, Cold Spring Road, Oakland Road and Tower Road from the Board of Selectmen for public way purposes to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of conveyance; and further, to authorize the Board of Selectmen to convey all of the Town's right title and interest in said discontinued ways together with all of the land shown on Board of Assessor's Map 33 Lot 19, Map 33 Lot 31, Map 27 lot 405, and Map 27 lot 412 upon such terms and conditions, and for such consideration as the Board of Selectmen deem to be in the best interest of the Town, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 18 To see if the Town will vote, pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40, Section 15A, to transfer the care, custody and control of the property shown on Board of Assessor's Map 9, Lot 3, consisting of 31,614 square feet of land, from the Water Department or the Board of Selectmen for water resource and protection purposes, to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of conveyance; and further, to authorize the Board of Selectmen pursuant to M.G.L. c.40, §3 to convey all of the Town's right title and interest in said parcel of land upon such terms and conditions, and for such consideration as the Board of Selectmen deem to be in the best interest of the Town, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen 229 ARTICLE 19 To see if the Town will approve the recodification of the Reading General Bylaw pursuant to Section 8.9 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, or take any other action with respect thereto. Bylaw Committee ARTICLE 20 To see if the Town will vote to approve an amendment to the Table of Organization pursuant to Section 6 -1 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 21 To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 4.8, Aquifer Protection District, of the Town of Reading Zoning By -Laws, in the following respects (note — ^•^� thpeugh represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language): by amending Section 4.8.3. Definitions: as follows (new language in bold) Impervious Surface: Material or structure on, above, or below the ground that does not allow precipitation or surface water to penetrate directly into the soil. Impervious surfaces shall include all roofs, decks, driveways, parking areas, roadways and walkways, regardless of the proposed surface material. Excluded from this definition are decks that are constructed with open joints between the floorboards, and where the surface underneath the deck is not impervious; by deleting Sections 4.8.6.1.9 and 4.8.6.1.10 in their entirety, and inserting in place thereof the following new sections: 4.8.6.1.9 Land uses that result in the rendering impervious of more than 15% or 2,500 square feet of any lot or parcel, whichever is greater, unless a system of artificial recharge of precipitation is provided; 4.8.6.1.10 When artificial recharge is required to meet the limitation established in Section 4.8.6.1.91 a system for the recharge of precipitation shall be provided that will not result in the degradation of groundwater quality. Recharge plans shall comply with the DEP Stormwater Guidelines and shall be submitted to the Town Engineer for review and approval; by inserting a new Section 4.8.7 as follows: 4.8.7. Nonconforming Uses and Structures Non - conforming uses and structures which were lawfully existing, begun or in receipt of a building or special permit, prior to the first publication of notice of public hearing for this bylaw may be continued. If such non - conforming uses and structures are changed, extended or altered, as specified in M.G.L. c. 40A, §6 and Section 6.3 of this bylaw, then the use or structure as changed, extended or altered must comply with this bylaw. by inserting a new Section 4.8.8 as follows: 4.8.8 No Variance Permitted No variances shall be granted from the provisions of this bylaw Section 4.8. by inserting a new Section 4.8.9 as follows: 4.8.9 Administration /Rules and Regulations 230 This bylaw shall be administered by the Community Planning and Development Commission which shall also have the authority to adopt rules and regulations governing the design of infiltration systems required herein; by renumbering the current Section 4.8.7 as 4.8.10, or to take any other action with respect thereto. Community Planning and Development Commission ARTICLE 22 To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 6.2 (Signs) of the Town of Reading Zoning By -Laws as follows: (note — Gress through represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language) 6.2.2. Definitions t. Temporary Construction /Redevelopment Signs — A temporary unlit free standing sign or wall sign affixed to a structure or fence identifying the project name, project team, project description or business to be conducted on the premises. 624. Exempt Signs . Temporary Construction signs shall be allowed during active construction, where a demolition or building permit has been issued and where at least site preparation work has commenced. Temporary Redevelopment signs shall be allowed for sites that have not begun construction, but have been issued a building or demolition permit or have an approved site plan. The maximum size of Temporary Construction /Redevelopment Signs shall not exceed 32 square feet in surface area or 10 feet in any dimension. Temporary Redevelopment signs may be displayed for a period of up to 1 year. Upon written request and approval of the CPDC the display period for a Temporary Redevelopment sign may be extended. Temporary Construction signs shall be removed after the construction, repair or renovation work is completed or within 7 days after the issuance of a final occupancy permit. 6.2.3. Signs Permitted According to Zoning District Table 6.2.3 Signs Permitted According to Zoning District Max Max Sign Sign Setbacks: Permit Area Height Front Side Maximum Type Required (sq. ft.) (ft.) (ft.) (ft.) Number All Zoning Districts: 1. Personal Message N 4 6 N/A 20 1 /lot 2. Identification (Joint and Area N 4 8 (A) N/A N/A 1 /lot 3. Construction N 46532 N/A N/A 20 NIA 1 4. Subdivision Sales (C) 48 N/A N/A N/A 1 /subdiv. 5. Subdivision (C) 24 N/A N/A N/A 1 /subdiv. 6. Real Estate Sales N 8(G) 6 N/A 20 1 /lot 231 7. Temp Open House N 4 N/A N/A 20 1 /agency per lot 8. Garage/Yard Sale N 4 N/A N/A 20 1 /lot 9. Informational- N 4 6 N/A N/A N/A Directional Portable A -Frame Regulated by the Board of Selectmen — Annual Permit Required 10. Temporary Y 16 N/A (See Section 6.2.6.2.h.) Business Signs or 30 Business -A, Business -C and Industrial Zoning Districts: 11. Free - Standing Y 50(D) 20 0 20(I) 1 /lot 12. Wall Y 2/4E (A) N/A 10 1 /business 13. Projecting / Blade Y 8 (A)(H) N/A 10 1 /business Business -B Zoning Districts: 14. Free - standing Y 35(D) 14 0 20 1 /lot Service Stations Only) 15. Wall Y 2(F) .(A) 0 0 2 /businesses 16.Projecting/ Blade Y 8 (A)(H) -4 0 1 /business 17. Free - Standing SPP(J) 35 10.5 0 20 1 /lot NOTES: (A) No portion of such sign shall extend higher than the bottom of the sills of the windows of the second floor of a building or higher than the lowest portion of the eaves or, in the case of a gabled wall, no higher than a line equal in height to the lowest portion of the lower eave of any adjoining building wall, whichever.of the above is lowest. (B) Aggregate sign area of all applicable signs. (C) Only as shown in Definitive Subdivision Plans as approved by the Community Planning and Development Commission consistent with Paragraph 6.2.1.1. (D) May not be larger than 75 square feet, if more than one business occupies the lot. 'See Section 6.2.6.4. (E) If the minimum distance from the building wall on which the sign is mounted is less than 100 feet from the centerline of the street which the sign faces, the maximum sign area shall be equal to 2 square feet per linear foot of said wall occupied by the establishment to which the sign relates; if such distance is more than 100 feet, maximum sign area shall be equal to 4 square feet per linear foot of said wall so occupied. (F) No wall sign for any non - residential establishment shall exceed a sign area equal to 2 square feet per linear footage of length of the front wall of the building occupied by the establishment to which the sign relates. G) Real Estate Signs in the Industrial Zoning Districts are allowed one sign per business with a maximum sign area equal to 2 square feet per linear foot of said wall occupied by the establishment to which the sign relates without a sign permit: (H) Projecting /Blade Signs shall be at least eight (8) feet from the ground and may project no more than four 4 feet from the structure. 232 (1) A Special Permit may be granted by the CPDC. See Section 6.2.9 for Special Criteria. Free - standing signs shall be permitted only where the principal business entrance located more that 40 feet from the centerline of the street in front of the lot. CPDC rr waive the 40' business entrance setback requirement for signs in existence as of I effective date of this amendment. See Section .6.2.9.a. for Special Permit Criteria Or take any other action with respect thereto. Community Planning and Development Commission ARTICLE 23 To see if the Town will vote to amend the Town of Reading General Bylaw by adding a new section as follows: 8.10 Maintenance of Vacant Buildings and Land All vacant structures and vacant land within the Town of Reading shall be maintained in a safe, secure and clean condition so as not to compromise the health, safety and general welfare of the community. 8.10.1 Definitions: For purposes of this bylaw the following definitions shall apply: 8.10.1.1 Building A structure enclosed within exterior walls or firewalls, built, erected, or framed of any materials, and fixed to the ground, having a roof, to form a structure for the shelter of persons, animals or property, or the storage of commercial or industrial personal property. This bylaw shall not apply to buildings or property owned or subject to the control of the Town or any of its governmental bodies. 8.10.1.2 Owner A person, entity, service company, property manager or real estate broker, who alone or severally with others: • has legal or equitable title to any building, structure or parcel of land, vacant or otherwise; or • has care, charge or control of any building or structure, parcel of land, vacant or otherwise, in any capacity including but not limited to agent, executor, executrix, . administrator, administratrix, trustee or guardian of the estate of the holder of legal title; or • is a mortgagee in possession of any such property; or • is an agent trustee or other person appointed by the courts and vested with possession or control; or • is an officer or trustee of the association of unit owners of a condominium; each such person being bound to comply with the provisions of these minimum standards as if he were the owner; or • is a trustee who holds, owns or controls mortgage loans for mortgage backed securities transactions and has initiated a foreclosure process. 8.10.1.3 Vacant Buildings or property that are unoccupied for a period greater than one hundred eighty (180) days by a person or persons with legal right to occupancy thereof. 233 8.10.2 Minimum Maintenance Requirements Owners of vacant properties must fulfill the following minimum adequate maintenance requirements for any such property they own: • Maintain vacant properties in accordance with all applicable local and state Sanitary Codes, Building Codes and Fire Codes. • Secure vacant properties to prevent unauthorized entry and exposure to the elements. • Maintain vacant properties in a manner that ensures their external /visible maintenance, including but not limited to the maintenance of major systems, the removal of trash and debris, and the upkeep of lawns, shrubbery, and other landscape features. • Remove graffiti, carvings or markings from all structures, signs, walls and fences. • Repair or replace broken windows or doors within thirty (30) days. Boarding up any doors or windows is prohibited except as a temporary measure for no longer than thirty (30) days. • For properties vacant for six months or more, the utilities for which have been shut off, remove or cut and cap such utilities to prevent accidents. • Maintain free from the storage of any junked, wrecked, or abandoned vehicles. Compliance with this section shall not relieve the owner of any applicable obligations set forth in any other codes, regulations, covenant conditions or restrictions, and /or homeowner or condominium association rules and regulations. 8.10.3 Notice of Failure to Maintain Property Upon identifying a property as failing to meet the minimum maintenance requirements set out in section 8.10.2, the Building Inspector may notify the owner in writing at the owner's last known address of maintenance deficiencies. If any maintenance deficiency is not corrected within 30 days of said notice, or if a maintenance plan is not approved by the Building Department within 30 days of said notice, the Town may impose a penalty in accordance with the provisions of this bylaw. 8.10.4 Inspections The Building Department, the Board of Health, the Chief of the Police Department and the Chief of the Fire Department, or their designees, shall have the authority to periodically inspect any property reasonably understood to be a vacant property for compliance. The Building Department shall have the discretion to determine when and how such inspections are to be made, provided that the time and manner of such inspections are reasonably calculated to ensure that this bylaw is enforced. 8.10.5 Penalties Violations of this bylaw, including violations of any regulation promulgated hereunder, or failure to comply with a maintenance plan approved by the Building Department, shall be punishable by a fine of one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each day during which the violation continues. In addition to any other means of enforcement, the provisions of this bylaw may be enforced by non - criminal disposition in accordance with the provisions of Section 1.8 of this bylaw, and M.G.L. Chapter 40, Section 21D. For the purposes of such non - criminal disposition, the "enforcing person" shall mean the Building Inspector, the Health Director, the Police Department, the Fire Department, or their designee. 8.10.6 Enforcement The Building Department or its designee, the Board of Health, Fire Department and /or the Police Department or their designees(s) shall enforce all provisions of this bylaw; including any regulation promulgated hereunder, and shall institute all necessary administrative or legal action to assure compliance. 8.10.7 Unsafe Buildings If the Building Inspector determines the building to be unsafe, he may act immediately in accordance with the State Building Code to protect public safety. Furthermore, nothing in this bylaw shall abrogate 234 the powers and /or duties of municipal officials to act pursuant to any general statutory authority including, without limitation, M.G.L. c.139, §1 et seq. and M.G.L. c.143, §6 et seq. or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 24 To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 7.1 of the Town of Reading General Bylaw as follows(note — Gress ihreugh represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language, and all section numbers are in accord with the proposed recodified General Bylaw): Delete the last sentence of the second paragraph of Section 7.1.4 and substitute therefore "The critical wetland - related terms used in this bylaw and regulations adopted pursuant hereto shall be defined in regulations promulgated under this bylaw" and delete Sections 7.1.4.1 through 7.1.4.11, so that Section 7.1.4 reads as follows 7.1.4 Concurrent Notice and Hearings to Meet State Law Requirements The same Notice of Intent, plans and specifications required to be filed by an applicant under M.G.L. Chapter 131, Section 40 will be accepted as fulfilling the applicable requirements of this bylaw. The Conservation Commission may adopt and impose project review changes in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant hereto. Town projects are exempt from review fees under Section 7.1.14. All hearings and public meetings held under M.G.L. Chapter 131, Section 40 when it applies, and under this bylaw shall be held simultaneously, whenever possible. Definitions, time frames and procedures, not inconsistent with this bylaw or the regulations adopted pursuant hereto, set forth in said Section 40, and in the regulations promulgated by the Department of Environmental Protection, as the same may from time to time be amended, are hereby made a part of this bylaw. , hereby al6e R;ade a part of this bylaw and shall Anilmrnl thPFe il; A GORfliAt -hRhVPPR the diffeFeRt EiaAf it,QRs; The critical wetland - related terms used in this bylaw and regulations adopted pursuant hereto shall be defined in regulations promulgated under this bylaw . �- 235 And amend section 7.116 as follows: 7.1.16 Violations No person shall remove, fill, dredge or alter any area subject to protection under the provisions of this bylaw without the required authorization, or cause, suffer or allow such activity, or leave in place unauthorized fill, or otherwise fail to restore illegally altered land to its original condition, or fail to comply with an enforcement order issued pursuant to the provisions of this bylaw. Each day such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense except that any person who fails to remove unauthorized fill or otherwise fails to restore illegally altered land to its original condition after gwiag given written notification of said violation to by the Conservation Commission shall not be subject to additional penalties under this bylaw, unless said person thereafter fails to comply with an enforcement order or order of conditions. Or take any other action with respect thereto Conservation Commission ARTICLE 25 To see if the Town will vote to amend the Town of Reading General ByLaw, in the following respects (note — Gress thFaugh represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language, and all section numbers are in accord with the proposed recodified General Bylaw): by amending Section 2.1.1 Date of Annual Town Meeting, as follows: The Annual Town Meeting shall be held on the third Tuesday preceding the fourth Monday in April of each year for the election of Town Officers and for such other matters as required by law to be determined by ballot. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an any Y8@F iR WhiGh the PFesideRtial eleGtem aFe to be elBGted, the Board of Selectmen may schedule the commencement of the Annual Town Meeting for the same date designated as the date to hold the PFPSiEJPRtiR1 D. mar„ any Federal or State election; Or take any other action with respect thereto 236 Finance Committee ARTICLE 26 To see if the Town will vote to amend the Town of Reading General Bylaw, in the following respects (note — Grn��zugh represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language, and all section numbers are in accord with the proposed recodified General Bylaw): by amending Section 2.2 Conduct of Town Meetings, as follows: Rule 3 Prior to debate on each Article in a Warrant involving the expenditure of money, the Finance Committee shall advise the Town Meeting as to its deliberations, findings or recommendations and the reasons therefore; by amending Section 3.3.2, Finance Committee, as follows: 3.3.2.1 Duties The Finance Committee shall consider all matters of business included within the Articles of any Warrant which involve the expenditure, appropriation and raising or borrowing of money or which otherwise impact the town finances; 3.322 — RPGAFAMPRGIRt :OR,; Report to Town Meeting The Finance Committee shall make a written report on all Articles that it has considered, and the Town Clerk shall make said written FeGOmmendations report b to eaGh TE)WR none} n3 Member n} sprm.nd Monday n NovembeF and fouF (4) days prior to any SpeGial TOWR Meeting as part of the "Report on the Warrant" available to each Town Meeting Member. The said FRAOMMeRdatiGRS should be these of majority of the entiFe Comm ttee but FeGOMmeRclations FRay alse be FRade by a MiReFity of said Committee. ri n __.__.ii_ _1 _.1 _L_11 1 l�l� lL� ♦.t.l ��...� .0 .. �.��. �innn nn nnmmon/}O!} �'\ \(._I} nn }i\c on}o . When sufficient information has been provided to take a vote, the recommendations should be those of a majority of the entire Committee. However, recommendations may also be made by a minority of said Committee in addition to the majority. The Committee's recommendation shall include the total amount of appropriations that it recommends on each article within the Warrant. by inserting the following new sections: 3.3.2.3 Form of Report The Finance Committee in making its report upon any subject referred to it shall arrange the report in clear and compact form, and shall divide it into separate propositions whenever in its judgment such divisions may be desirable. The Committee shall attach to each proposition its own recommendations or a summary of deliberations, when applicable. 3.3.2.4 Failure of Finance Committee to Make Recommendation The failure of the Finance Committee to consider, recommend and/or report on any Article in the Warrant shall not affect the validity of any vote or other action taken at any Town Meeting. and by renumbering the current Sections 3.3.2.3 and 3.3.2.4, as 3.3.2.5 and 3.3.2.6, or take any action with respect thereto. Finance Committee ARTICLE 27 To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 7.2, Demolition of Structures of Potentially Historical Significance, of the Reading General Bylaw, as follows (all section numbers are in accord with the proposed recodified General Bylaw): by inserting the following new sections: 237 7.2.3.7 Appeal Within seven (7) business days of the Commission's determination that a structure is a Preferably Preserved Historic Structure pursuant to Section 7.2.3.6 hereof, the property owner may appeal the determination to the Board of Selectmen by filing a written request for review with the Board of Selectmen. The request for review shall be received by the Board of Selectmen and the Town Clerk's Office within seven (7) business days of the date of the Commission's determination and a copy of the request shall be provided to the Building Commissioner and the Commission. The Board of Selectmen shall hold a public hearing and issue its determination within forty -five (45) business days from the date of said Commission's determination. Public notice of the time, place and purpose of the hearing shall be posted in a conspicuous place at Town Hall and published in a local newspaper not less than seven (7) business days prior to the date of the scheduled public hearing. Said notice shall identify the street address of the subject Building. A copy of the public hearing notice shall be mailed to the Applicant and record owner if different from the Applicant, the Building Commissioner and Commission; 7.2.3.8 Certificate of Hardship Pursuant to M.G.L. c.40C, §10(c), in the event of an application for a Certificate of Hardship, the Commission shall determine whether, owing to the conditions especially affecting the building or structure involved, but not affecting the District generally, failure to approve an application will result in a substantial hardship, financial or otherwise, to the applicant and whether such application may be approved without substantial detriment to the public welfare and without substantial derogation from the intent and purposes of this bylaw. If the Commission determines that owing to such conditions failure to approve an application will involve substantial hardship to the applicant then approval thereof may be made to authorize the Building Inspector to approve the application for demolition of said property; and by renumbering the current Sections 7.2.3.7 and 7.2.3.8 as Sections 7.2.3.9 and 7.2.3.10; or take any other action in respect thereto. Petition ARTICLE 28 To see if the Town will vote, pursuant to Section 8 -1 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, to amend Article 5, Town Manager, Section 5 -1: Appointment, Qualifications, Term, so that it reads as follows (language with °'Fi�thFGu9 rshows deletions /words in bold denotes new language) The Board of Selectmen shall appoint a Town Manager wit ;eat -tern; and may enter into a contract with the Town Manager not exceeding three (3) years in length, and shall fix his compensation within the amount annually appropriated for that purpose. The Town Manager shall not be subject to a personnel bylaw, if any. The Town Manager shall be appointed solely on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications. He shall be a professionally qualified person of proven ability, especially fitted by education, training and previous experience. He shall have had at least five (5) years of full -time paid experience as a City or Town Manager or Assistant City or Town Manager or the equivalent level public or private sector experience. The terms of the Town Manager's employment shall be the subject of a written contract - agreeF%N setting forth his tenure, compensation, vacation, sick leave, benefits, and such other matters (eXdudiRg tenure) as are customarily included in an employment contract agFeemeRt, While serving as Town Manager he shall devote full time to the office (and except as expressly authorized by the Board of Selectmen) shall not engage in any other business or occupation and (except as expressly provided in the Charter) shall not hold any other public office, elective or appointive, in the Town. With the approval of the Selectmen, he may serve as the Town's representative to regional boards, . commissions and the like but shall not receive additional salary from the Town for such services. or take any other action with respect thereto 238 Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 29 To see if the Town will vote, pursuant to Section 8 -1 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, to amend Article 7, Finances and Fiscal Procedures, Section 7 -2: Submission of Proposed Budget, paragraph 1, so that it reads as follows: (language with s#ikethreugh shows deletion /language in bold denotes new language) At least four (4) months before the start of the fiscal year, and following consultation with the Board of Selectmen on the Municipal Government portions of the budget, the Town Manager shall submit to the Finance Committee a proposed budget for the ensuing fiscal year with an accompanying budget message and supporting documents. He shall simultaneously provide for the publication in a local newspaper of a general summary of the proposed budget, and a notice stating the times and places where complete copies of his proposed budget shall be available for examination by the public. or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 30 To see if the Town will vote pursuant to Section 8 -1 of the Reading Home Rule Charter to amend Section 2 -12, Establishment of Standing Committees, the third paragraph under Finance Committee, as follows (new language in bold): The Finance Committee shall have all the powers and duties granted to Finance Committees under the laws of the Commonwealth, Town bylaws, Town Meeting vote and other applicable laws. In addition to these powers, the Finance Committee shall have the power to investigate the books, accounts, records and management of any office, board or committee in Town, and may use agents in carrying out such investigations. The Finance Committee shall report on its deliberations, findings, approval or disapproval on all Articles that involve the expenditure of funds in the Warrant in writing at least seven (7) days before Town Meeting. Such a report shall not preclude further action or reconsideration by the Finance Committee, or take any other, action in respect thereto. Finance Committee ARTICLE 31 . Warrant Article Title: Amendment of Section 2 -15• Referendum Procedure, of the Reading Home Rule Charter To see if the Town will vote, pursuant to Section 8 -1 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, to amend Section 2- 15: Referendum Procedures, subsection (b) Form of Referendum Petition /Ballot Question, so that it reads as follows: (language with strikethreagh shows deletions /words in bold denotes new language.) No final affirmative vote of a Town Meeting on any Warrant Article shall be operative until after the expiration of sevea (-7-) ten (10) days following the dissolution of the Town Meeting except the following: (a) a vote to adjourn or dissolve, (b) votes appropriating money for the payment of notes or bonds of the Town and interest becoming due within the then current fiscal year, (c) votes for the temporary borrowing of money in anticipation of revenue, or (d) a vote declared by preamble by a two - thirds vote of Town Meeting to be an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the peace, health, safety or convenience of the Town. If a referendum petition is not filed within the said seven) ten (10) days, the votes of the Town Meeting shall then become operative. (a) Referendum Petition — If, within said seven (7) ten (10) days, a referendum petition signed by not less than three (3) percent of the voters certified by the Registrars of Voters containing their names and addresses is filed with the Board of Selectmen requesting that any question affirmative vote of Town Meeting be submitted to the voters in the form of a ballot question, such ballot question to be in the form required in (b) herein, to the voters, then the operation of the Town Meeting vote shall be further suspended pending its determination as provided below. The Board of Selectmen shall, within ten (10) days after the filing of such referendum petition, call a Special Election that shall be held within thirty (30) days or such longer period as may be required by law after issuing the call, for the purpose of presenting to the voters any such ballot question. 239 If, however, a regular or Special Election is to be held not more than sixty (60) days following the date the referendum petition is filed, the Board of Selectmen may provide that any such ballot question be presented to the voters at that Election. (b) Form of Referendum Petition /Ballot Question - Each ballot question submitted shall appear at the top of each referendum petition and shall be presented in the following form which shall be placed on the official ballot: - "Shall the Town vote to approve the action of the representative Town Meeting whereby it was voted on (insert date of town meeting) to (insert complete language of the vote in the same form in which it was stated when presented by the Moderator to the Town Meeting, and as it appears in the records of the Clerk of the meeting) "? The form of the referendum petition shall in conformance with this section. The circulator(s) of the referendum petition may make additional copies of the petition form, but such copies must be an exact duplicate thereof. Petition forms must be exact duplicates for the signatures to be certified and count toward the three percent of registered voters. The petition form may not be altered in any way. Alterations of the petition form will result in the invalidation of all 'signatures contained on that petition form. No extraneous markings, sash defined as underlines, highlighting, erasures, marking out or insertion of words, or alteration of the wording or emphasis of the petition question or informational language are allowed. OF other Rf9FMatien, aFe allowed. oR any aFea of the petitiGR fOFFA. Extraneous marks that may result in the invalidation of all signatures contained on that petition form are limited to marks that will fundamentally change the substance, wording or emphasis of the petition or the ability of the Board of Registrars of Voters to verify information on that petition form. Any GUGh extFaRe^_° . a*i gS 9R G- alteFafiens of the petitiOR ft*M, OF GGpies of the petition fGFM that AFe R0t exact dipliGat86, Wil result n the nvalidat en of all signatures G9RtaiRed OR that PetitiOR feFrn. Extraneous markings do not include signatures or addresses. Each petition form shall include language informing voters that additional markings will disqualify the signatures on the petition form; that for their signature to be valid, they must be a registered voter of the Town of Reading; that their signature shall be written as they are registered; that they should not sign the petition more than once; and that if they are prevented by physical disability from writing, that they may authorize some person to write their name and residence in their presence. The back of each petition form where signature lines appear, shall include the following instruction: "ATTENTION VOTERS: Before signing, read signer information on the other side ". The Town Clerk shall upon request produce suitable Town referendum petition /ballot question forms, compliant with section b requirements and prepared with the ballot question language as appears in the records of the Clerk of the meeting. At the requester's option, the Clerk shall within 4 business hours following the original request make 5 paper copies available for pickup at the Town Clerk's service window, or shall send an email containing an Adobe PDF document,attachment of the form. A referendum petition produced by the Town Clerk shall be deemed compliant with section (b) form conformance requirements in later examinations. In addition to the certification of signatures on the petition form, the Board of Registrars of Voters shall examine the petition forms for extraneous markings, and determine whether they are exact copies; or take any other action in respect thereto. Petition ARTICLE 32 To see if the Town will vote pursuant to Section 8 -1 of the Reading Home Rule Charter to amend Article 8, General Provisions, by inserting the following new section: Section 8 -16: Term Limits of Appointed Boards, Committees and Commissions M111 No volunteer member of.an appointed board, committee or commission shall serve more than three (3) consecutive three (3) year terms on any individual board, committee or commission. The Chairmanship of all boards, committees and commissions shall rotate among the membership on an annual basis with no person serving two consecutive, one year terms as Chairperson or, more than three years as Chairperson throughout their term of service on that specific board, committee or commission; and by renumbering the current Sections 8 -16 as Section 8 -17; or take any other action in respect thereto. 241 Petition and you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting an attested copy thereof in at least one (1) public place in each precinct of the Town not less than fourteen (14) days prior to November 14, 2011, or providing in a manner such as electronic submission, holding for pickup or mailing, an attested copy of said Warrant to each Town Meeting Member. Hereof fail not and make due return of this Warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at or before the time appointed for said meeting. Given under our hands this 27'" day of September, 2011. Thomas H Free an nstable 242 Camille W. Anthony , Chairman Vice Chairman Rchard W. Schubert ames ohaz Ii SELECTMEN OF READING SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School November 14, 2011 Precinct 2 - Meeting canceled - not having a quorum present. Precinct 5 - Appointed one member to fill a current vacancy - -- Marie Ferrari was appointed with a 15 -0 vote. Precinct 6 - Meeting canceled - not having a quorum present. The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Alan E. Foulds, at 7:36 PM, there being a quorum present. The Invocation was given by Frances Sansalone, Precinct 7, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. All newly elected and appointed Town Meeting Members were sworn in by the Moderator. The Warrant was partially read by the Town Clerk, Laura Gemme, when on motion by Camille Anthony, chair of the Board of Selectmen, it was voted to dispense with further reading of the Warrant except for the Officer's Return, which was read by the Town Clerk. ARTICLE 1: To hear and act on the reports of the Board of Selectmen, Town Accountant, Treasurer - Collector, Board of Assessors, Director of Public Works, Town Clerk, Tree Warden, Board of Health, School Committee, Contributory Retirement Board, Library Trustees, Municipal Light Board, Finance Committee, Cemetery Trustees, Community Planning & Development Commission, Town Manager and any other Official, Board or Special Committee. Reports given: ♦ RMLD Annual Report - Philip Pacino, RMLD Board Member ♦ State of the Schools — Karen Janowski, School Committee Member and John Doherty, Superintendent of Schools Status of previous Instructional Motions - Peter Hechenbleikner, Town Manager ♦ Town Meeting Rules Committee - Alan Foulds, Moderator Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: No report On motion made by Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen Article 1 was tabled. ARTICLE 2: To choose all other necessary Town Officers and Special Committees and determine what instructions shall be given Town Officers and Special Committees, and to see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the purpose of funding Town Officers and Special Committees to carry out the instructions given to them, or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: This Article appears on the Warrant of all Town Meetings. There are no known Instructional Motions at this time. The Town Moderator requires that all proposed Instructional Motions be submitted to the Town Clerk in advance so that Town Meeting Members may be "warned" as to the subject of an Instructional Motion in advance of the motion being made. Instructional Motions are normally held until the end of all other business at Town Meeting. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 243 Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: No report On motion made by Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen Article 2 was tabled. ARTICLE 3: Stephen Goldy, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to amend the FY 2012 - FY 2021 Capital Improvements Program as provided for in Section 7 -7 of the Reading Home Rule Charter and as previously amended, as follows: Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried General Fund FY12 add new item outside tax levy: ♦ Library renovation & expansion project as debt exclusion; FY12 add new or increase items ( +$341,000): ♦ School building study $50,000; ♦ $10,000 for Dispatch technology; Pedestrian Improvements up from $25,000 to $75,000; ♦ local share of road improvements up from $400,000 to $631,000; FY12 items moved from other years ( +$79,500): ♦ $24,000 carpet/flooring for Birch Meadow (from FY13); ♦ $55,500 to complete West Street design (from FY13). FY12 total is +$420,500 inside the tax levy: $55,500 (Article 4) and $365,000 (Article 5). ♦ Killam renovation project as debt exclusion (ADA issues, Main Office reconfiguration, Window replacements, fire sprinkler replacement and Gym floor); FY13 add new items ( +$422,000): ♦ School modular space $400,000; ♦ $12,000 for HVAC /energy at Parker for new exhaust fans; ♦ $10,000 for DPW street sign replacements; FY13 changed items (- $256.350): Remove: ♦ $79,500 items mentioned in FY12 are removed from FY13. ♦ $15,000 Main fire station windows & doors (completed) ♦ $20,000 Town Hall windows and doors (completed); ♦ Parker lockers $12,000; Move the following items to FY14 ♦ $10,000 Police station doors, ♦ $10,000 Police station carpet/flooring, ♦ $10,000 Birch Meadow lockers & cubbies, ♦ $25,000 Joshua Eaton tile floor replacements; Move the following items to FY15: ♦ $35,000 Main Fire station boiler replacement 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 244 ♦ $30,000 West Side Fire station generator, ♦ $10,000 Town Hall ceiling repairs, $24,000 Killam tile floor replacements, ♦ $10,000 Coolidge tile floor replacements; Change: ♦ $20,000 vehicle replacement to $42,000 for Schools {replace 1999 pickup truck); ♦ decrease school technology for large -scale projects from $100,000 to $75,000; ♦ change $120,000 DPW snow holder #1 to two smaller snow blowers for $78,000 and $66,750; ♦ increase DPW 1996 dump truck from $60,000 to $63,000; ♦ increase Leaf Vac from $20,000 to $28,000; ♦ increase cemetery mower from $15,600 to $17,000; FY14 -FY21: ♦ Various items were added, subtracted, changed or moved to different years. Enterprise Funds — Storm Water FY13: ♦ 1985 Excavator moved up from FY16 to FY13, and cost increased from $58,500 to $65,000; FY14: ♦ Saugus River Design & Permitting $150,000 previously included as part of entire project debt in FY14; FY15: ♦ Aberjona River Design & Permitting $150,000 previously included as part of entire project debt (FY18); FY18: ♦ Saugus & Aberjona River projects scheduled to begin funded by debt; FY13 to FY18: ♦ Specific drainage projects funding is adjusted to accommodate the changes above and result in a relatively level amount of capital for the next five years. Enterprise Funds — Sewer FY19 (- $250.000): ♦ Start of next Meter Replacement program pushed out to 2020 Enterprise Funds —Water FY12 ( +$250,000): ♦ Move Howard Street from County Road to Summer Avenue water main ( +$186,000) up to FY12 from FY16 ♦ Hydraulic Study increased by $64,000 to $94,000; FY13 ( +$11.000). ♦ Tank Maintenance on Auburn estimate increased to $550,000 from $475,000; ♦ Hydraulic Study decreased by $64,000 to $56,000. FY19 (- $250,000): ♦ Start of next Meter Replacement program pushed out to 2020 or take any other action with respect thereto. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 245 Background: The following amendments are proposed to the FY 2012 — FY 2021 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). These amendments need to be included in the CIP in order for Town Meeting to consider funding them under the various Articles at Town Meeting. The full revised CIP is included in the blue pages in the back of this report. Presentations given by: ♦ Bob LeLacheur — See Attached ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner — See Attached ♦ Mary Delai — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report - given by Mark Dockser. The Finance Committee recommends the subject matter of this Article by a vote of 7 -0 -0 at their October 19, 2011 meeting. This Article allows capital requests to be considered for funding in later Articles that will be discussed and voted on during this Town Meeting. A 10 -year balanced capital plan is a prudent fiscal tool that facilitates long range planning and project prioritization. The balanced plan provides the maximum amount the Town can fund each year and stay within the FINCOM guideline amount. Bylaw Committee Report: No report After some discussion by Town Meeting Members Motion Carried ARTICLE 4: Ben Tafoya, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $55.470.89 for the purpose of funding the West Street final design project, including all engineering and design costs, and any other associated costs, and that to meet this appropriation: Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried ♦ $7,798.08 shall be transferred from the unexpended proceeds of the town's bonds dated 4 -10 -08 which were issued for the construction of the Birch Meadow Tennis Courts pursuant to the vote of the town passed 11/13/07 (Article 9); ♦ . $46,209.30 be transferred from the unexpended proceeds of the town's bonds dated 11 -1 -07 which were issued for the construction of the Turf Field Improvements pursuant to the vote of the town passed 4/26/07 (Article 22); ♦ $1,341.51 be transferred from the unexpended proceeds of the town's bonds dated 4 -10 -08 which were issued for the purchase of a Ladder Truck pursuant to the vote of the town passed 11/13/07 (Article 10); and ♦ $122.00 be transferred from the unexpended proceeds of the town's bonds dated 8 -1 -09 which were issued for the purchase of a Fire Engine pursuant to the vote of the town passed 11/10/08 (Article 11); ♦ and that the Board of Selectmen is authorized to take any other action necessary to carry out this project; provided, however that no expenditures shall be made hereunder until the Board of Selectmen determines (which determination shall be. conclusive) that after the transfer of such unexpended bond proceeds, the remaining amount of unexpended bond proceeds from all of the above referenced bonds is sufficient to complete the project for which the bonds were sold; ♦ or take any other action with respect thereto. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 246 Background: All of the above capital projects have been completed as designed - the above debt amounts were issued but there are some surplus funds that are no longer needed for these projects. By law, these unexpended proceeds may be used only for other eligible projects. Funding the final design of the West Street project is an eligible use of these unexpended bond funds, and the funds required for West Street approximately match the funds available. Using these unexpended proceeds removes this capital request from Article 5. Once the West Street project is brought up to 100% design, it is immediately 'shovel- ready' if and when state or federal funds become available for the project. Presentation given by: ♦ Bob Lelacheur— See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report - given by Marie Ferrari: The Finance Committee voted 7 -0 -0 at their October 19, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject material of this Article. This will authorize the town to appropriate the sum of $55,470.89 by transferring funds from unexpended proceeds from previously issued debt for Birch Meadow Tennis Courts (4/10/08 - $7,798.08), Parker Turf Field Improvements (11/1/07 - $46,209.30), Ladder Truck purchase (4/10/08 - $1,341.51), and Fire Engine purchase (4/8/08- $122.00) to meet the appropriation needed for the purpose of funding the West Street final design project, including all engineering and design costs, and any other associated costs. Bylaw Committee Report: No report 2/3 Vote required Declared unanimous by Moderator 135 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried ARTICLE 5: Richard Schubert, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to amend the votes taken under Article 28 of the Warrant of the Annual Town Meeting of April 25, 2011; and that the Town vote to appropriate by transfer from available funds, as noted as the result of the following amended votes for the operation of the Town and its government: Stephen Goldy, Board of Selectmen moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried General Fund — Wa 3es and Expenses Account Line Description Decrease Increase C99 - Capital $50,000 for School Facilities building study $84,000 $24,000 for'Birch Meadow carpettflooring $10,000 for Dispatch communications — local share of. rant J92 — FINCOM $59,000 spent on School facilities — RMHS Veteran's $109,000 Reserves wall $50,000 spent on Town facilities — Police electrical panel K91 — Community $7,000 additional for Alternate Building Inspector $20,500 ' Services wages $27,500 from Health Administrator salary see below 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 247 K92 - Community $100,000 for Veterans Benefits Decrease $127,500 Services expenses $27,500 for Health Administrator expenses - regional $64,000 arrangement will shift to quarterly billing instead. of payroll M94 - DPW Street ($50,000) due to lower RMLD rates for street lights $50,000 Lights Subtotals $228,500 $ 64,000 Subtotals $70,500 $320,500 J92 - FINCOM Net Operating Expenses $250,000 Reserves From Tax Levy, State Aid and Other Local Receipts $250,000 (One -time state aid refund $200,000; Meals Tax receipts $50,000 Enterprise Funds - Waaes and Expenses Account Line Description Decrease Increase W99 - Water Increase in capital for additional Hydraulic Study 2nd $64,000 connection (moved up from FY13) Decrease in debt service to repay the MWRA water main loan program. Repayment begins in FY13. $228,500 Subtotals $228,500 $ 64,000 Net - from tax levy, state aid, and other non - property $164,500 J92 - FINCOM tax local receipts $109,000 or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: General Fund - Waaes and Expenses Account Line Description Decrease Increase C99 - Capital $231,000 for DPW Road repairs* $365,000 $50,000 for DPW pedestrian improvements* $50,000 for School Facilities building study $24,000 for Birch Meadow carpettflooring $10,000 for Dispatch communications - local share of rant J92 - FINCOM $59,000 spent on School facilities - RMHS Veteran's $109,000 Reserves wall $50,000 spent on Town facilities - Police electrical panel K91 - Community $7,000 additional for Alternate Building Inspector $20,500 Services wages $27,500 from Health Administrator salary see below K92 - Community $100,000 for Veterans Benefits $127,500 Services expenses $27,500 for Health Administrator expenses - regional arrangement will shift to quarterly billing instead of payroll M94 - DPW Street ($50,000) due to lower RMLD rates for street lights $50,000 Lights Subtotals $70,500 $601,500 Net Operating Expenses $531,000 From Tax Levy, State Aid and Other Local Receipts $250,000 One -time state aid refund $200,000 Meals Tax receipts $50,000 From 40R Stabilization Fund* 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 248 $ 281,000 Enterprise Funds — Wages and Expenses Article 8 will be taken out of order since action under Article 8 is required prior to action on the following hudaet amendments for the Water enterprise funds. Account Line Description Decrease Increase W99 - Water Increase in capital for additional Hydraulic Study 2nd $64,000 connection (moved up from FY13) Increase in capital for water main repair project for $414,500 Howard Street from County Road to Summer Avenue (moved up from FY16). Decrease in debt service to repay the MWRA water $228,500 main loan program. Repayment begins in FY13. Subtotals 1 $228,500 $478,500 From Operating Transfers and Available Funds (Water Reserves): $250,000 Presentation given by: ♦ Bob LeLacheur — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report - given by Barry Berman: The Finance Committee recommends by a vote of 7 -0 -0 at its October 19, 2011 meeting the general fund items paid for by the $250k increased revenues and $50k decrease in the cost for street lights. These items are $50k school facilities study; $24k Birch Meadow carpeting; $10k Dispatch equipment; $109k for FINCOM Reserve fund; $7k for additional hours for Alternate Building Inspector; $100k for additional Veteran's benefits. The Finance Committee does not recommend by a vote of 0- 7 -0 -at its October 19, 2011 meeting the items paid for by the $281,000 use of 40R stabilization fund because technically the Town does not have access to those funds until the projects pull a building permit. While that is imminent, it had not taken place at the time of the vote. The items included in this vote are $50k pedestrian improvements and $231 k roadway repair. The Finance Committee by a vote of 7 -0 -0 at its meeting on October 19, 2011 recommended the enterprise funds additional water main project for $250k funded by water reserves. The availability of an MWRA interest free loan on the Haverhill Street project (which came in under budget) allowed us to move the Howard Street project up and take advantage of the interest free financing. This allows us to get the project done more quickly and at less cost Bylaw Committee Report: No report After some discussion by Town Meeting Members Motion Carried ARTICLE 6: James Bonazoli, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to authorize the payment during Fiscal Year 2012 of the following bills remaining unpaid for previous fiscal years for goods and services actually rendered to the Town: to be paid from the tax levy, State aid and other local receipts: ♦ $1,704.05 Highway salaries -Union grievance settlement for out of grade work 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 249 ♦ $121.38 Finance expense - mileage reimbursement for an employee's travel, submitted after fiscal years was closed ♦ $14,150.69 Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency; ♦ or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: Mass General Law does not allow the Town to pay for last year's expenses with this year's budget money. The fiscal year closed June 30, 2011 and departments had until July 15 to inform the Town Accountant of any commitments that were made with the Fiscal Year 2011 budgeted funds. The Assessors submitted job - related mileage reimbursement requests for the months of April, May and June of 2011 totaling $121.38. This request was submitted in late August 2011 which was past the end of the closing of the fiscal year so we need to appropriate funds in this fiscal year to pay for last fiscal years bills. In addition, on October 6, 2011 the Town was notified by. the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) that a $14,150.69 refund was owed to the state. On June 28, 2010 a heavy rainstorm forced the Town to incur over $50,000 in emergency expenses. Since that time paperwork has wound its way through MEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Town's insurance carrier (MIIA). The refund is due to the fact that these three agencies have combined to overpay the Town for the allowable emergency expenses. Presentation given by: ♦ Gail LaPointe — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report — given by Marie Ferrari: The Finance Committee voted 8 -0 -0 at their October 14, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject material of this Article. This will authorize the payment of previous fiscal years' bills for goods and services rendered to the Town of Reading, to include reimbursement of $121.26 for the job - related FY2011 mileage expense of the Assessors for the months of April, May and June 2011 and reimbursement of $14,150.69 to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency for overpayment from past damages incurred between March 12 and April 26, 2010, since the Town's insurance ultimately covered that amount. Bylaw Committee Report: No report 9/10 Vote required Declared unanimous by Moderator 135 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried ARTICLE 7: Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to rescind the remaining balances on the following authorized but unsold debt that is no longer needed for the completion of the projects: ♦ $140,000 for Birch Meadow Tennis Courts — April 26, 2007 Annual Town Meeting Article 21; ♦ $275,000 for Turf Field Improvements - April 26, 2007 Annual Town Meeting Article 22; ♦ $65,000 for Sewer improvements Sunnyside /Fairview - April 26, 2007 Annual Town Meeting Article 23; ♦ $50,000 for Ladder Truck — November 13, 2007 Subsequent Town Meeting Article 10; ♦ or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: All of the above capital projects have been completed as designed, and the above debt authorizations are no longer required. The amount of debt listed for each project was never issued. There 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 250 is a combination of factors responsible for requiring less debt than approved by Town Meeting. In the case of both the Birch Meadow Tennis Courts and Parker Turf Field Improvements there were private donations and grant funds considered integral to these projects. The authorization of the full amount of project debt was a required legal formality even though the Town never intended to sell all of the authorized debt. In the case of the Sunnyside /Fairview Sewer improvements, due to the timing of the debt issuance an initial budgeted debt payment was instead paid directly from funds available. For the Ladder Truck, the final price of the equipment was less than anticipated. Presentation given by: ♦ Bob LeLacheur — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report — given by John Arena: The Finance Committee recommended the subject matter of Article 7 by a vote of 7-0-0 taken at their October 19, 2011 meeting. There is no financial impact from this Article. Bylaw Committee Report: No report - Motion Carried ARTICLE 8: Stephen Goldy, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to amend the action taken under Article 7 of the Warrant at the November, 2010 Town Meeting, which vote authorized the borrowing of $2,285,000 to pay costs of water system improvements on Haverhill Street, so as to permit the expenditure of funds authorized to be borrowed under said Article 7, but which is not needed to complete the Haverhill Street project, to pay costs of rehabilitating and repairing water mains on Howard Street, from Summer Ave to County Road; and that the Town vote to appropriate from water reserves the sum of $250,000 and from the tax levy, State aid and other non - property tax local receipts the sum of $164,500 for said projects including the costs of engineering services, plans, documents, cost estimates, bidding services and all related expenses, or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: The Haverhill Street water main project bids came in below budget by almost $700,000, and work is currently underway. It is being financed by a no-interest 10 -yr loan from the MWRA. The MWRA has made the unused funds from that project available to the Town for another water main project that meets eligibility criteria as a no interest loan. Construction on that project must begin before June 30, 2012. The $1.1 million water main project for Howard Street from County Road to Summer Avenue meets the eligibility criteria and was scheduled for FY16, but can now be done sooner. This Article authorizes the Howard Street water main project to be added in to the previous $2,285,000 debt authorization from a prior Town Meeting. However, the Town needs to fund an additional $414,500 in order to complete this work. The first $228,500 of funds will be from unused FY12 debt service, made possible because the Town did not draw down the Haverhill Street MWRA loan until after July 1, 2011 and the first debt repayment now begins in FY13. This leaves an additional $186,000 needed, which will be requested under Article 5. See the Table below for the changes to previously projected capital and debt costs in the water enterprise fund. Note that for additional funding in FY12 and FY22, less funding will be needed during the 5 -year period from FY15 -FY19, for a net savings of almost $800,000 over the next several years. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 251 FY12 FY15 FY16 I FY18 FY19 FY22 Total Change s $186,OD 0 ($268,18 0 ($255,02 4L— ($241,86 8 ) ($228,71 2 ) ($215,55 6 $228,50 0 ($794,84 0 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 251 Presentation given by: ♦ Bob LeLacheur— See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report: - given by Paula Perry: The Finance Committee voted 7 -0 -0 at their October 19, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter of this article. The combination of the MWRA interest free loan program and the Haverhill Street water main project coming in below budget provides an opportunity for financial gain and early project completion of the Howard Street water main project. Although it requires expending additional funds in FY12 of $186K from the water reserves funds, it provides a long term savings of almost $800K due to the low bids on Haverhill St. combined with interest not being paid on Howard St. The Finance Committee is comfortable that spending $186K from water reserves still leaves the fund at a healthy level. — Finance Committee voted again on November 14, 2011 with more information 8 -0 -0 Bylaw Committee Report: No report After some discussion by Town Meeting Members 213 Vote required Declared unanimous by Moderator 135 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried ARTICLE 9: Ben Tafoya, Board of Selectmen moved to indefinitely postpone the subject matter of Article 9. Board of Selectmen Report — given by Ben Tafoya: It has been pointed out during the warrant review process that, while there is interest in maintaining the AHTF at appropriate (previous) levels, the $200,000 allocated to the Oaktree project may not be needed in whole or in part by the developer, and that we will know for certain by next fall how much if any of the funds were utilized by Oaktree. Any money allocated for Oaktree but not used goes back to the AHTF. Therefore waiting until fall 2012 to replenish the AHTF from one -time revenues will accomplish the goal of this article and the Board of Selectmen therefore recommends indefinite postponement of the article. Motion to Postpone Carried ARTICLE 10: Bill Brown, Precinct 8 moved that the Town vote to amend the motion under Article 5 at the November 13, 2001 Subsequent Town Meeting by striking the Words "July 1, 2003" and the words "allocated 75% towards perpetual (non - expendable) principal and 25% to be available (expendable)" so that the sentence shall read: "Unless otherwise directed by a subsequent donor as to the use of his or her donation made on or after January 1, 2012, donated funds shall be available for expenditure (expendable)." or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: The Veteran's Memorial Fund was set up in 2001 to provide flowers each Memorial Day for deceased Veterans interned in Reading's cemeteries. While steps have been taken to contain the costs, the members of the Trust Fund Committee are concerned that given the present interest rates the time may come when there may not be sufficient funds to provide the flowers. This proposed amendment will allow all donations made after January 1, 2012, unless otherwise specified by the donor, to be used 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 252 . immediately together with the interest on the principal to sustain the fund. The principal on donations made prior to 1 -1 -12 cannot and will not be used. Presentation given by: Bill Brown — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report: - given by Paula Perry: The Finance Committee voted 7 -0 -0 at their October 19, 2011 meeting to recommend the subject matter of this article. Due to the low interest -rate environment, the Finance Committee agreed the amendment requested to allow future donations for flowers for the Veteran's graves be available for expenditure both principal and interest is reasonable and prudent. Bylaw Committee Report: No report After some discussion by Town Meeting Members Motion Carried ARTICLE 11: Richard Schubert, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to authorize a revolving fund for the Town Forest under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 53E Y: for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011 with the receipts, as specified, for the fund, the purposes as listed, for which the fund may be spent, the maximum amount that may be spent from the fund for the fiscal year, and the disposition of the balance of the fund at fiscal, year-end. Camille Anthony moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried Revolving Spending Revenue Allowed Expenditure Year End Account Authority Source Expenses Limits Balance Director of Public Works Sale of timber; upon the recommendation fees for use of Planning and Town of the Town Forest the Town Improvements to Forest Committee Forest the Town Forest $10,000 $0 or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: Town Meeting annually approves several revolving funds for specific purposes. The Town Forest Committee has requested the creation of a Town Forest revolving Fund as follows: Town Forest Revolving Fund - The Town Forest Committee received a grant last year to evaluate the Town Forest timberland and to make recommendations as to any measures that should be taken to improve the quality of the woodland on the Town Forest and adjacent Town owned properties. The recommendations include selected harvesting of timber over a number of years, and replanting these harvested areas in some cases with more desirable plantings. It is expected that the harvesting of the timber will yield some level of payment to the Town, and the Town Forest Committee would like any such funds made available directly to the Town Forest Committee for improvements to the Town Forest, including for their current master planning efforts. The -Town Forest Committee does not presently receive any Town funding. Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner for the Town Forest Committee —See Attached 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 253 Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report: - given by Harold Torman: The Finance Committee recommends the subject matter of this Article by a vote of 7-0 -0 at their October 19, 2011 meeting. Revolving funds are the appropriate fiduciary vehicle for collecting and spending funds for a specific ongoing purpose. The $10k limit was thought to be a reasonable starting point and it will be monitored for necessary adjustments. Barring any changes to the fund's authorized limit, funds collected in excess of $10k, will go to the general fund. Bylaw Committee Report: No report After some discussion by Town Meeting Members Motion Carried ARTICLE 12: James Bonazoli, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to accept the report of the Board of Selectmen under the provision of law authorizing the assessment of betterments, to install granite curb on Stewart Road and portions of Edgemont Avenue, and to authorize the Board of Selectmen under the provision of law authorizing the assessment of betterments under the provisions of Chapter 80 of the General Laws, as amended, to assess betterments in accordance with the statutory requirements; and that the Town vote to appropriate the sum of fifty six thousand seventy six dollars ($56,076) from free cash for the installation of curbing, or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: The Town has been petitioned by residents of Stewart Road and Edgemont Avenue to install granite curbing along the northerly side of Stewart Road from Shelby Road to Edgemont Avenue; and along both sides of Edgemont Avenue from Stewart Road to Arcadia Avenue. The cost of the improvements is estimated at $56,076. Edgemont Ave / Stewart Rd Curbing Betterment I \o 0 The cost of constructing the improvements is borne 100% by the abutting property owners on a pro rata per foot basis. Under the provisions of the Betterment Act, the assessment may be repaid to the Town over a period not exceeding twenty years, with annual payments of not less than five dollars, with interest at a rate determined by the Board of Selectmen annually on the unpaid balance. These apportioned payments appear annually on the real estate tax bill. Presentation given by: 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 254 ♦ George Zambouras — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report ' Finance Committee Report: - given by David Greenfield: The Finance Committee voted in favor of this Article by a vote of 7 -0 -0 at the meeting on October 19, 2011. Bylaw Committee Report: No report After some discussion by Town Meeting Members Motion Carried ARTICLE 13: Stephen Goldy, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to discontinue as a public way for all purposes a portion of Grant Street, consisting of approximately 399 square feet of land along the northerly side of Grant Street and 400 square feet of land along the southerly side of Grant Street as shown on a Plan entitled "Grant Street Roadway Discontinued Plan" dated September 27, 2011, a copy of which is on file with the Town Clerk, subject to the reservation of any and all utility and drainage facility easements in said way; and that the Town vote to transfer the care, custody, control and management of said discontinued portion of Grant Street from the Board of Selectmen for public way purposes, to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of conveyance, and that the Town further authorize the Board of Selectmen pursuant to M.G.L. c.40, §3 to convey all of the Town's right title and interest in said discontinued way upon such terms and conditions, and for such consideration as the Board of Selectmen deem to be in the best interest of the Town or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: It has been pointed out that the Article inadvertently named Pearl Street instead of Grant Street in a portion of the Article cited below. This reflects some of the hazards of "cutting and pasting" information in today's electronic age. "dated September 27, 2011, a copy of which is on file with the Town Clerk, subject to the reservation of any and all utility and drainage facility easements in said way; and to transfer the care, custody, control and management of said discontinued portion of Pearl Street from the Board of Selectmen for public way purposes, to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of conveyance" Town Counsel has ruled that this is not a fatal flaw in the article — that the article is clear as to what is intended, and the motion that is presented will correct this "typo ". Grant Street is a short street off of Summer Avenue. The right of way goes from Summer Avenue to Hancock Street, but due to ledge and differences in elevation, the street will never be constructed to connect Summer with Hancock. On March 12, 1956 the former Board of Public Works accepted Grant Street which was constructed with a 20' by 20' area on each side of the roadway. These areas were to provide for a turnaround at the end of Grant Street. Since Grant Street is a short dead end street, there was never any need for the turn around, and the paved areas became locations for off street parking to the abutting properties. The property owner from whom the land was taken is interested in having the turnaround discontinued by the Town and re- attached to her lot so she would have unencumbered access to the off - street parking. The DPW has no objections to this action. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 255 :r: �! ert�xrimsr . — •�— — . .- cormslsmamr . sm ammn rur `—y% :� sBIM Sl6dr Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner— See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: No report 2/3 Vote required Declared unanimous by Moderator 135 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried ARTICLE 14: Stephen Goldy, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen, pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40, §3, to convey all of the town's right title and interest in the parcel of land being a portion of Assessors Map 28, Lot 202 and containing 13,930 square feet of land, upon such terms and conditions, and for such consideration as the Board of Selectmen deem to be in the best interest of the Town or take any other action relative thereto. Background: At the 2011 Annual Town Meeting, an instructional motion was approved directing the Board of Selectmen to "explore the following revenue enhancement ideas recommended by Reading citizens at the Financial Forum held on September 15, 2010: Sale of Town land ". Articles 14 through 18 address the instructional motion. The Board of Selectmen reviewed over a dozen Town owned properties to determine whether or not they should be sold. The Board focused on the following 3 parcels: ♦ Audubon Road and Pearl Street — Articles 14 and 15 ♦ Oakland Road — Articles 16 and 17 ♦ Lothrop Road — Article 18 . 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting . 256 The Board of Selectmen limited the focus to these three parcels because they are the only three that could be utilized as house lots or other stand -alone uses, and therefore they have the greatest potential value (sale price) of all of the lots. Many of the other properties considered could carry a higher cost to sell the lots than the likely proceeds from the sale. Conveyance of public property requires a public bid process in accordance with State statute. For some /all of these lots additional work will need to be done particularly where discontinuance of streets is concerned. Article 14 would authorize the sale of the Town owned portion of map 28 lot 202 which is at the south- west corner of Pearl Street and Audubon Road. Only that 13,925 square foot portion of that lot is proposed for sale (plus the portion of "old Pearl Street" proposed to be discontinued under Article 15). The remainder of lot 202 at the north -west comer of the intersection would be retained since it is substandard in size for the creation of a lot conforming to zoning, and abandonment of the abutting . portion of "old Pearl Street" would land -lock the abutting property. The conveyance of this parcel plus the abandoned "old Pearl Street" under Article 15, would create a lot of approximately 25,280 square feet, more than enough to meet the minimum lot size under zoning for a single residential lot, but not enough land to create 2 conforming 15,000 sf lots. At least one abutting . property owner has expressed interest in acquiring a portion of the discontinued "old Pearl Street" and adding it to their property. If these articles are approved the Board of Selectmen could consider this as part of the bidding the sale of the property. � .0 r O /. � }1 ►.,� A� / L Y 2 .fir' 910, 7 F c °. 1 Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner — See Attached 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 257 Board of Selectmen Report: - given by Stephen Goldy: The Board of Selectmen has placed warrant articles 14 through 18 on the warrant to allow Town Meeting to consider selling 3 parcels of Town owned land. The Board of Selectmen evaluated a number of other parcels, all of them smaller that the 3 parcels in question. The _Board felt that many of the parcels would cost more to sell than the proceeds from the sale; but that the parcels of land at Pearl Street / Audubon Road, at Oakland Road, and on Lothrop Road were worthy of consideration: Each of these 3 parcels of land is zoned for residential use, and each would be usable for one or more residential building lots under existing zoning. Proceeds from any such land sales would go to the Sale of Real Estate fund and can only be used for capital projects, debt service, and unfunded pension liability. The process of selling land is dictated by Chapter 30B of the state statutes. It requires public bidding, following the appraisal of the property. For purposes of consideration an individual building lot (particularly like the ones at Pearl and Audubon and on Lothrop Road that need no new streets or infrastructure) should be considered as having a value of $250,000 or more. The Board of Selectmen held 2 meetings in September to which it invited abutters of the 3 parcels in question. At those meetings the Town Manager presented a fact sheet on each property prepared by staff and Town Counsel, and the Board heard questions and input from those in attendance. With regard to Articles 14 and 15, 2 articles are needed in order for the Town to offer for sale a conforming building lot. The first (Article 14) is to authorize Town Meeting to convey a 13,926 square foot portion of the Town owned land lying at the SW corner of the intersection of Pearl and Audubon. Since a conforming lot is 15,000 sf, additional property is required to meet zoning. The Board proposes under Article 15 to discontinue the old part of Pearl Street between Audubon and Pearl which abuts the 13,986 square foot parcel. The discontinued portion of Pearl Street is 10,897 square feet, and when combined with the abutting parcel, is adequate in size to create one conforming residential lot. There is a water main in this part of old Pearl Street and the area of the water, main would be retained by the Town as an easement. As a result of the informational discussion with the neighborhood, the Town has been approached by 2 abutters about acquiring portions of the parcel /old Pearl Street property, and if these articles are approved, the Board of Selectmen is amendable to such a sale so long as it does not make the remainder of the property unusable. Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: No report After some discussion by Town Meeting Members 2/3 Vote required 81 Voted in the affirmative 33 Voted in the negative 135 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried ARTICLE 15: Stephen Goldy, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to discontinue as a public way for all purposes a portion of Old Pearl Street, consisting of approximately 11,505 square feet of land along the westerly side of the 1944 Pearl Street alteration beginning at the private way known as Bunker Avenue and extending in the northerly direction for a distance of approximately 250 linear feet to the southerly side line of Audubon Road as shown on a Plan entitled "Pearl Street Roadway Discontinued Plan" dated September 27, 2011, a copy of which is on file with the Town Clerk, subject to the reservation of any and all utility and drainage facility easements in said way; and that the Town vote to transfer the care, custody, control and management of said discontinued portion of Pearl Street from the Board of Selectmen for public way purposes, to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of conveyance, and further, to that the Town vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen pursuant to M.G.L. c.40, §3 to convey 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 258 all of the Town's right title and interest in said discontinued way upon such terms and conditions, and for such consideration as the Board of Selectmen deem to be in the best interest of the Town, or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: See the background and map for Article 14 Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: No report After some discussion by Town Meeting Members 2/3 Vote required 94 Voted in the affirmative 12 Voted in the negative 135 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried ARTICLE 16: Ben Tafoya, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote, pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40, Section 15A, to transfer the care, custody and control of approximately 27,284 square feet of land as shown on Board of Assessor's map 27 lot 405, and map 27 lot 412 from the School Department to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of conveyance; and; and further, that the Town vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen pursuant to M.G.L. c.40, §3 to convey all of the Town's right title and interest in said property upon such terms and conditions, and for such consideration as the Board of Selectmen deem to be in the best interest of the Town, or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: See the background and map for Article 14 The Oakland Road property across from RMHS is in small parcel of land (26,501 square feet) owned in the name of the School Department, but the majority of the abutting property is owned by the Town as Tax Title land and is under the care, custody and control of the Board of Selectmen. The property is divided by a number of "paper" streets which limit its use for any future use by the Town or for a buyer. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 259 Article 16 transfers the care, custody, and control of the property from the School Department to the Board of Selectmen. The School Committee voted in September 2011 that the property is surplus to its needs and that it should be transferred. Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: - given by Ben Tafoya: The general background given for the Pearl Street / Audubon Road applies to this property. Article 16 transfers property from the School Department to the Board of Selectmen. The School Committee voted in September that this 26,501 square foot parcel was surplus to their needs. Article 17 discontinues whole pieces of streets, as well as '/2 pieces of streets that are wholly within or abutting the parcels of land owned by the Town. This action is required in the Board's opinion, in order to use this parcel for either Town use or to sell it. Discontinuing the streets will take, in addition to Town Meeting action, further action of the Land Court. The final action proposed in Article 17, is to transfer the discontinued streets to the Board of Selectmen, and to authorize the conveyance of the discontinued streets as well as the Town owned parcels. The majority of the Board of Selectmen supports this article including the conveyance (sale) of the property. The Land Court process will take a number of months to complete, and the Board has 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 260 committed to undertake an extensive process with the neighborhood and the community in planning for the conveyance of the property, if Town Meeting approves the conveyance. If Town Meeting does not approve the conveyance, they should approve the other aspects of these articles. Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: No report After some discussion by Town Meeting Members 2/3 Vote required 92 Voted in the affirmative 17 Voted in the negative 135 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried ARTICLE 17: Ben Tafoya, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to discontinue as public ways for all purposes, the following; ♦ a portion of Grandview Road, on the west side of the way southerly from the intersection of Cold Spring Road for approximately 358 feet; ♦ a portion of Cold Spring Road, on the, south side of the way westerly for approximately 115 feet from the intersection of Grandview Road and the full width of the way an additional 112 feet westerly to Oakland Road; ♦ a portion of Oakland Road southerly from the intersection of Cold Spring Road for approximately 152 feet to Tower Road ♦ a portion of Park Street from Tower Road to Chestnut Road for approximately 106 feet; and ♦ a portion of Tower Road westerly from Grandview Road for approximately 416 feet to Oakland Road, all as shown as "the Discontinued Sections of Grandview Road, Cold Spring Road, Oakland Road and Tower Road" on a Plan entitled "Roadway Discontinuance Plan" dated September 27, 2011, a copy of which is on file with the Town Clerk, subject to the reservation of any and all utility and drainage facility easements in said ways; and that the Town vote to transfer the care, custody, control and management of said discontinued portions of Grandview Road, Cold Spring Road, Oakland Road and Tower Road from the Board of Selectmen for public way purposes to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of conveyance; and that the Town further vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to convey all of the Town's right title and interest in said discontinued ways together with all of the land shown on Board of Assessor's Map 33 Lot 19, Map 33 Lot 31, Map 27 lot 405, and Map 27 lot 412 upon such terms and conditions, and for such consideration as the Board of Selectmen deem to be in the best interest of the Town, or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: See the background and map for Article 14 If Town Meeting approves Article 16 (and even if Town Meeting does not approve it), Article 17 would do two things: ♦ It would authorize the Board of Selectmen to move forward to discontinue the various paper streets that lie within the Town owned land areas. Certification of the Town's ownership rights through Land Court in addition Town Meeting approval will be required, but this is an important action regardless of whether the property is to be retained by the Town or sold for other use. The process of discontinuing the paper streets will take a matter of months. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 261 ♦ The article would authorize the Board of Selectmen to bid the sale of the property including the area of the paper streets that would be discontinued, as well as the portions of the property that would be transferred from the School Department under Article 16. On October 11, 2011 the Board of Selectmen hosted a meeting of all abutters within 300 feet to solicit their comments and questions with regard to the future of this property. Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner— See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: No report After some discussion by Town Meeting Members 2/3 Vote requited 88 Voted in the affirmative 8 Voted in the negative 135 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried ARTICLE 18: Richard Schubert, Board of Selectmen moved Move that the Town vote, pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40, Section 15A, to transfer the care, custody and control of the property shown on Board of Assessor's Map 9, Lot 3, consisting of 31,614 square feet of land, from the Water Department or the Board of Selectmen for water resource and protection purposes, to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of conveyance; and that the Town further vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen pursuant to M.G.L. c.40, §3 to convey all of the Town's right title and interest in said parcel of land upon such terms and conditions, and for such consideration as the Board of Selectmen deem to be in the best interest of the Town, or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: See the background and map for Article 14 Map 9 lot 3 is owned by the Town in the name of the Water Department and was purchased to build a water tower. The water pressure in this area of Town is currently adequate because the Town operates booster pumps to make sure that it is adequate. Therefore the need for water storage in that location is no longer present. The MWRA has expressed interest in purchasing the property and building a water storage facility, but to build one of the size that they would want they would also have to acquire additional property. The property is adequate in size (31,614 square feet) to meet lot minimum size requirement of 20,000 square feet for one single family home under zoning. The lot width is substandard — 40 feet of frontage rather than the required 120 feet, so any buyer would have to seek a variance. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 262 U N \ we Water 9-3 31,614 sf _., •� �� — ►sewer MeM A. Water Main 0 50 100 200 OFit 1.17A 'J s to \\ -, ■ .." � • Imo , o I t WOBURN \ \$ \\\ \ Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report — given by James Bonazoli: The Town owns a 31,614 square foot parcel of land on Lothrop Road. The parcel was originally acquired in the 1950's to house a water tower, but due to pumping of water to address pressure issues on this high parcel of land, a water tower was never built. In recent memory the Town considered building a water tower on the property, and the neighborhood was very opposed to the idea. The Town now purchases water from the MWRA, and while the MWRA would very much like to put a water tower on the property, the site is not large enough to house a 3 MG tower (the Bear Hill standpipe, for example, is 1 MG). This article would transfer the property from the Town for water purposes to the Board of Selectmen for purposes of conveyance, and would authorize the conveyance of the property. Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: No report 2/3 Vote required Declared unanimous by Moderator 135 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried Motion to adjourn made by Bill Brown, Precinct 6 Motion Carried Adjourned with 135 in attendance at 10:45 PM to continue on November 17, 2011 at 7:30 PM 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 263 A true copy Attest: Laura A Gemme Town Clerk 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 264 SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High.School November 17, 2011 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Alan E. Foulds, at 7:39 PM, there being a quorum present. Meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. David Mancuso, Precinct 4 moves to take Article 27 out of order. Motion to Take Article 27 Out of Order Carried ARTICLE 27: David Mancuso, Precinct 4 moved that the Town vote to amend Section 7.2, Demolition of Structures of Potentially Historical Significance, of the Reading General Bylaw, as follows (all section numbers are in,accord with the proposed recodified General Bylaw): by inserting the following new sections: Stephen Goldy moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried . 7.2.3.7 Appeal Within seven (7) business days of the Commission's determination that a structure is a Preferably Preserved Historic Structure pursuant to Section 7.2.3.6 hereof, the property owner may appeal the determination to the Board of Selectmen by filing a written request for review with the Board of Selectmen. The request for review shall be received by the Board of Selectmen and the Town Clerk's Office within seven (7) business days of the date of the Commission's determination and a copy of the request shall be provided to the Building Commissioner and the Commission. The Board of Selectmen shall hold a public hearing and issue its determination within forty-five (45) business days from the date of said Commission's determination. Public notice of the time, place and purpose of the hearing shall be posted in a conspicuous place at Town Hall and published in a local newspaper not less than seven (7) business days prior to the date of the scheduled public hearing. Said notice shall identify the street address of the subject Building. A copy of the public hearing notice shall be mailed to the Applicant and record owner if different from the Applicant, the Building Commissioner and Commission; 7.2.3.8 Certificate of Hardship In the event of an application for a Certificate of Hardship, the Commission shall determine whether, owing to the conditions especially affecting the building or structure involved, failure to approve an application will result in a substantial hardship, financial or otherwise, to the applicant and whether such application may be approved without substantial detriment to the public welfare and without substantial derogation from the intent and purposes of this bylaw. If the Commission determines that owing to such conditions failure to approve an application will involve substantial hardship to the applicant then approval thereof may be made to authorize the Building Inspector to approve the application for demolition of said property; and by renumbering the current Sections 7.2.3.7 as Section 7.2.3.9, or take any other action in respect thereto. Background: The sponsors of this Article support the desire by the town to preserve the historical character of its older structures balanced against the rights of private property owners to. maintain and improve their buildings to meet their needs. The Reading Historical Commission Bylaws currently do not allow private' property owners a means to appeal property assignments to the list of Structures of Potentially Historical Significance as other 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 265 Commonwealth communities provide. This Article proposes changes to the Reading Bylaw that reconcile the Town's desire to encourage preservation with the acknowledgement of property owner fundamental rights to due process and appeal. Where land use dispute / appeals are properly addressed by the Board of Appeals, the review of appeals revolving around private property rights vs. Town interests support a senior appeals path to the elected Board of Selectmen, providing objective interpretation of community standards. This Article also adds the existing State language entitling property owners to pursue exemptions from property inclusion on the list of Structures of Potentially Historical Significance due to personal hardship, financial or otherwise. (M.G.L c.40C, sec. 10(c) of the Historical District Act). The addition of this language into Town bylaws is intended to make citizens aware of these pre - existing rights. Town Counsel has advised that the motion under this article should omit the language in proposed section 7.2.3.8 that references MGL c 40 S 10(s), and the language regarding affecting the District generally so that that paragraph reads as follows: 7.2.3.8 Certificate of Hardship Pursuant to M.G.L. c.40C, §10(c), in the event of an application for a Certificate of Hardship, the Commission shall determine whether, owing to the conditions especially affecting the building or structure involved, but not affecting the District generally, failure to approve an application will result in a substantial hardship, financial or otherwise, to the applicant and whether such application may be approved without substantial detriment to the public welfare and without substantial derogation from the intent and purposes of this bylaw. If the Commission determines that owing to such conditions failure to approve an application will involve substantial hardship to the applicant then approval thereof. may be made to authorize the Building Inspector to approve the application for demolition of said property; and Presentation given by: ♦ David Mancuso ♦ Mark Cardono — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report - given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee feels that the changes to the Historical Demolition Bylaw as set forth in this Article are flawed. The Bylaw Committee feels that the stated intent of the petitioners has not been met by the proposed wording of the article. The Bylaw Committee strongly states that the intent and the wording of the Article should be deferred by Town Meeting at this time and that the intent should be reworked. The Bylaw Committee further strongly suggests that any reworking of this article be done in conjunction with all interested parties particularly the Historical Commission. The Bylaw Committee does not recommend this Article by a vote of 0 -5 -0. After discussion by Town Meeting Members - Motion made by Russ Graham, Precinct 4 to move the question 2/3 Vote required 89 Voted in the affirmative 18 Voted in the negative 123 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion to Move Question Carried Motion made by Mark Cardono, Historical Commission to indefinitely postpone 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 266 Motion to Indefinitely Postpone Carried ARTICLE 19: Philip Pacino, Bylaw Committee moved that the Town vote to approve the recodification of the Reading General Bylaw dated July 6, 2011 pursuant to Section 8.9 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, or take any other action with respect thereto. Backaround: Section 8 -9 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, requires that the Bylaw Committee present to Town Meeting not less than every 10 years, proposed revisions or recodification of the bylaws of the Town. A public Hearing on the bylaw recodification was held on July 6, 2011, and the following report of the Bylaw Committee was presented at that time. Section 8 -9 (Reading Home Rule Charter): Reenactment and Publication of Bylaws Within one (1) year of the adoption of this Charter and at intervals of not more than ten (10) years thereafter, proposed revisions or recodification of the bylaws of the Town shall be presented to Town Meeting by the Bylaw Committee. At least four (4) months prior to the Town Meeting at which action under this section is to be taken, the Committee shall cause to be published in a local newspaper: (a) a report summarizing its recommendations and noting the times and places within the Town where complete copies of the report shall be available for inspection by the public, and (b) the date, time and place not less than two weeks following such publication when a public hearing shall be held by the committee on the preliminary report. The General Bylaw of the Town was last re- codified in 1988, shortly after the Reading Home Rule Charter was adopted. The intent of recodification is not to make substantive changes to the General Bylaw, but to make sure that the General Bylaw is simple to read and understand, and internally consistent and accurate. Since the winter of November 2010, the Bylaw Committee (together with Town Counsel, the Town Clerk, and the Town Manager) met 8 times and developed a new, easier to read, standardized version of the General Bylaw. The details of this draft are available in hard copy at the Library and Town Clerk's office, and electronically on the Town's web site at www.readingma.gov. In proceeding with this recodification, the Bylaw Committee had several specific goals in mind: ♦ Improve the organization of the General Bylaw - It is clear that the existing bylaws have been amended in sequential order without any particular attention to organizing the sections by subject matter. The "Public Order" article seems to eclipse the others. ♦ Improve the formatting — Make the General Bylaw more user friendly; easier to read; simpler (there are too many subsections in some portions of the bylaw); more compact (narrower margins mean less paper is used); add a robust index (not part of the adopted bylaw, but as a useful tool); and keep the chronology (also not part of the adopted bylaw, but as an additional tool). ♦ Standardize terms within the General Bylaw to the extent practical. The Bylaw Committee has had some definite ideas as to how to spell and reference certain terms. Town Counsel has reviewed those to ensure conformance with standard practice. Examples of now standardized terms include: the spelling and capitalization of "bylaw", references to the state statutes as W.G.L. ", and the consistent use of other common terms. In addition, there are a number of sections with common language, and some sections where the language is similar. The Bylaw Committee has attempted to organize the bylaw so that that the common language is standardized, and included only once in the bylaw. ♦ Review the bylaw for content. Each of the bylaw sections was reviewed in an effort to determine what, if any, changes are needed. The following are examples of some of those changes: ♦ What can be "re- codified" as is— (Wetlands) 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 267 ♦ What needs to be modified — (Personnel) ♦ What needs to be removed —(Building Code) ♦ What needs to be added — (table in section disposition and what the fines are) 1.7 that shows who enforces noncriminal The following is a summary of the detailed work included in the proposed recodification: Organization: . Following its review of best practices in the Commonwealth, the Bylaw Committee recommends reorganizing the General Bylaw into 8 Articles: General Provisions Town Meeting ♦ Town Offices and Town Officers ♦ Personnel ♦ Conduct of Town Business ♦ Financial Procedures ♦ Regulation on the Use of Land ♦ Public Order Inclusion of all previous sections: The Bylaw Committee retained all of the previous sections of the General Bylaw (but reorganized many of the provisions into new sections), except for the following sections which have been deleted: ♦ Laundromat Licenses — staff has determined that there is no reason for such a license ♦ Underground Petroleum Storage License — This bylaw was rescinded by Town Meeting at the 2011 Annual Town Meeting ♦ Gas Inspector section — not necessary — no other such positions are included in the bylaw Building Code — not necessary — there is a state building code and the Town may not vary from that ♦ Municipal Data Processing Center — no longer needed — this was required in pre- Charter days ♦ Conflict of Interest section - eliminated because the state statute, M.G.L. c.268A, applies Summary of Changes: Article 1: General Provisions ♦ Added some definitions from the detailed bylaw sections to create a general definition section ♦ Standardized the non - criminal disposition section as section 1.7 from different language in various sections of the bylaw, and inserted a chart that contains the bylaw section, enforcing agent, and fines (fines are specified in accordance with state statute) Article 2: Town Meeting ♦ No substantive changes Article 3: Town Offices and Town Officers ♦ Eliminated the section on the Gas Inspector— not necessary • Standardized the section on the general standards for Appointed Boards, Committees, and Commissions ♦ Eliminated Municipal Data Processing Center — no longer needed — this was required in pre- Charter days ♦ Eliminated the Conflict of Interest section because M.G.L. will apply Article 4: Personnel ♦ No substantive changes Article 5: Conduct of Town Business ♦ Removed a number of sections and put them in another section of the bylaw ♦ Modified the sections on Rules and Regulations to reflect current practice Article 6: Financial Procedures ♦ No substantive changes Article 7: Regulation on the Use of Land 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 268 ♦ This is a new article compiled of sections from various other sections of the previous bylaw ♦ Removed details of non - criminal disposition from individual sections and inserted them in the first article ♦ Eliminated underground petroleum storage licensing article Eliminated laundromat licensing and reference to the Gas Inspector position — not necessary — no other such positions are indicated ♦ Eliminated reference to the Building Code — not necessary — there is a state building code and the Town may not vary from that Article 8: Public Order • Rewrote the section on Anti -Litter to simplify it but retained the intent of the existing bylaw • Rewrote the section on News Racks but retained the intent of the existing bylaw Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report -given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee over the last year has spent considerable time and effort to recodify the General Bylaws in conjunction with the Town Manager, Town Clerk and Town Counsel. The details and specific goals are detailed above under the background. It is the feeling of the Bylaw Committee that the recodified General Bylaw project resulted in a set of General Bylaws that should be easier to work with by Town officials, Town staff and other users of this Bylaw. The Bylaw Committee recommends this Article by a vote of 3 -0 -0. Motion Carried ARTICLE 20: Stephen Goldy, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to approve an amendment to the Table of Organization dated September 20, 2011 pursuant to Section 6 -1 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: The following information in italics is the portion of the Reading home Rule Charter that addresses the creation of the Administrative Code (Table of Organization) for the municipal government. The current Table of Organization was approved in April 2002. A copy of it is enclosed in the appendix to this report. Since that time the community has gone through many changes and has had to modify the way it is organized to do business in order to remain as efficient and effective as possible. On September 20, 2011 the Board of Selectmen held a public hearing on the proposed amendments to the Table of Organization and adopted it. The new Table of Organization (it is included in the appendix to this report) reflects the organization of the functions of municipal government in Reading as they have been modified over recent years. There are no new departments, nor are any eliminated. The divisions are merely rearranged for maximum efficiency. Town Meeting may vote only to disapprove the Table of Organization as it is presented — they may not modify it. Section 6 -1: Creation of Departments, Agencies and Offices The organization of the Town into operating agencies shall be accomplished through the establishment of an Administrative Code, either by adoption of a bylaw or by the adoption of a Table of Organization, both as provided in this section: 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 269 (a) Bylaws - Subject only to express prohibitions in the Constitution, the General Laws or the Charter, the Town Meeting may, by bylaw, approve the reorganization, consolidation, or abolishment of any Town agencies, in whole or in part, and the establishment of such new Town agencies as it deems necessary or advisable. It may prescribe the functions of any Town agency. (b) Table of Organization — Subject only to express prohibitions in the Constitution, the General Laws or the Charter,.the Board of Selectmen, after consultation with the Town Manager, may from time to time, prepare and submit to the Town Meeting for approval a table of organization or reorganization, or amendments to any existing table of organization for the orderly, efficient or convenient conduct of the business of the Town. The administrative code may reorganize, consolidate or abolish any Town agencies in whole or in part and establish such new Town agencies as it deems necessary or advisable. It may prescribe the functions of any Town agency and, for such purpose, transfer the powers and duties and, so far as is consistent with the use, for which the funds were voted by the Town, transfer the appropriations of one Town agency to another. However, no function assigned by the Charter to a particular Town agency may be discontinued, or unless the Charter specifically so provides, assigned to any other. Whenever the Board of Selectmen prepares such a bylaw or table, the Board shall hold one or more public hearings on the proposal giving notice by publication in a local newspaper not less than seven (7) days in advance, which notice shall describe the scope of the proposal and the time and place at which the hearing shall be held. Following such public hearing the Board of Selectmen shall submit to the Town Meeting, by Warrant Article, its proposed Administrative Code which it may have modified subsequent to the public hearing. An administrative code shall become effective at the expiration of ninety (90) days following the date of the Town Meeting at which the proposal is submitted, unless the Town Mee_ ting shall, by a majority vote within that time, vote to disapprove the code. The Town Meeting may vote only to approve or disapprove the administrative code and may not vote to amend or alter it, except that a substitute motion may be moved by a majority of the Board of Selectmen. Section 6 -2: Publication of Administrative Code and Table of Organization For the convenience of the public, the administrative code, if adopted as a Table of Organization, shall be printed as an appendix to, but not an integral part of, the bylaws of the Town. The Table of Organization shall also be published annually in the Town Report. Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner— See Attached Board of Selectmen Report — given by Stephen Goldy: The Board of Selectmen held a hearing on the proposed amendments to the Table of Organization on September 20, 2011, and approved the Table of Organization as presented by the Town Manager. The previous Table of Organization was approved in April 2002, and there have been a number of organizational changes since then. The new Table of Organization reflects the way the Executive Branch of Town Government is currently organized, and much of this is based on budgets approved by Town Meeting. Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report - given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee recommends the Table of Organization be adopted so as to reflect the current operating structure of the Town. The Bylaw Committee recommends this Article by a vote of 3 -0 -0. After discussion by Town Meeting Members Motion Carried 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 270 ARTICLE 21: James Bonizoli, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to amend Section 4.8, Aquifer Protection District, of the Town of Reading Zoning By -Laws, in the following respects (note — sress through represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language): by amending Section 4.8.3. Definitions: as follows: Stephen Goldy moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried Impervious Surface: Material or structure on, above, or below the ground that does not allow precipitation of surface water to penetrate directly into the soil. Impervious surfaces shall include all roofs, decks, driveways, parking areas, roadways and walkways, regardless of the proposed surface material. Excluded from this definition are decks that are constructed with open joints between the floorboards, and where the surface underneath the deck is not impervious; by deleting Sections 4.8.6.1.9 and 4.8.6.1.10 in their entirety, and inserting in place thereof the following new sections: 4.8.6.1.9 Land uses that result in the rendering impervious of more than 15% or 2,500 square feet of any lot or parcel, whichever is greater, unless a system of artificial recharge of precipitation is provided; 4.8.6.1.10 When artificial recharge is required to meet the limitation established in Section 4.8.6.1.9, a system for the recharge of precipitation shall be provided that will not result in the degradation of groundwater quality. Recharge plans shall comply with the DEP Stormwater Guidelines and shall be submitted to the Town Engineer for review and approval; by inserting a new Section 4.8.7 as follows: 4.8.7. Nonconforming Uses and Structures Nonconforming uses and structures which were lawfully existing, begun or in receipt of a building or special permit, prior to the first publication of notice of public hearing for this bylaw may be continued. If such non - conforming uses and structures are changed, extended or altered, as specified in M.G.L. c. 40A, §6 and Section 6.3 of this bylaw, then the use or structure as changed, extended or altered must comply with this bylaw. by inserting a new Section 4.8.8 as follows: 4.8.8 No Variance Permitted No variances shall be granted from the provisions of this bylaw Section 4.8. by inserting a new Section 4.8.9 as follows: 4.8.9 Administration /Rules and Regulations This bylaw shall be administered by the Community Planning and Development Commission which shall also have the authority to adopt rules and regulations governing the design of infiltration systems required herein; by renumbering the current Section 4.8.7 as 4.8.10, or to take any other action with respect thereto 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 271 Background: In submitting the FY 2012 Budget, the Town Manager proposed additional actions that would "simplify and /or reduce regulation, make shared or regional efforts more feasible, and advance efficiency and effectiveness of Town government as a customer driven organization." One such area that is recommended is to simplify the Aquifer Protection District (APD) section of the Zoning bylaw, making it simpler for property owners to make improvements to their property while at the same time protecting the quality and quantity of ground water recharge in this area of the Community. The existing APD ♦ limits the impervious portions of a lot to 15% of the total lot area, ♦ with ground water recharge, the percentage of impervious cover could increase up to 20 %. ♦ These standards exceed the state standards in one very important way — under the state standards, there is no limit of the maximum percentage of lot coverage as long as the increase in coverage is supported by ground water recharge improvements. Simply stated, this bylaw amendment will: ♦ Simplify the regulations by clarifying the by -law; ♦ Provide added flexibility by changing the threshold requirement for a recharge system to the State regulations (either 15% coverage or 2500 square feet). Currently Reading's By -Law does not include the 2500 square feet provision; ♦ Utilize the CPDC to administer the by -law and adopt rules and regulations related to design of infiltration systems, Under the proposed amendments to the APD bylaw, the base level of impervious surface remains the same, but there is no upper limit other than whatever an engineering study determines that a recharge system could support. Therefore there is no need to grant a variance from this section of the Zoning Bylaw. The portions of the Town included in the APD are shown on the map below: 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 272 i Q^ q n NORTH READING AlZr i? 11^4 ! �0 END.6CN0DL u - � j � f AqufPor�;? ' xm ! Probcffon � _ ' �`D /afl /cT RDp al°j+ � . D�Y . Z I Ix D _ K R LAa O \\ 1 5 ' we I cE QNI� 'ao D �DEWkOM 4 F AK D O ti r LL DING��M1M1ffffM�DRIAL (( n T IGN'a�HODE 8 n .t �c E A 1 w n eAY 13Y t s v s w WS m T w scA" T BA D a LT r 4 @_ ` t ATDN 9 e z t IN WAKEFELD WODORN a 1O ST c t The Town, by the terms of the buy -in to the MWRA for water supply, must retain APD regulations that are no less stringent than the state standards. Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner — See Attached Board of Selectman Report: - given by James Bonazoli: The Board of Selectmen has engaged with Town staff in a process of "right sizing" regulations in the community, trying to ensure that the regulations in fact accomplish what they are intended to do and that the purpose is still important to the Town. The Aquifer Protection section of the Zoning Bylaw establishes restrictions on impervious cover (buildings, driveways, walks, pools, decks, etc.) in the Aquifer Protection District. The base level permits no more than 15% of the lot can be covered with impervious surface, and with approval of groundwater recharge improvements, up to 20% coverage is permitted. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 273 The state regulations are not as stringent as the local Zoning Bylaw. Under State regulations one can have impervious surface of 15% or 2500 square feet, whichever is greater. Additionally, there is no maximum if greater coverage by impervious surface can be supported by engineered ground water recharge. With the Town's change to the MWRA the Town is no longer relying on its well fields. However, the health of the Ipswich River and its environs requires that a reasonable amount of ground water recharge take place. While many may want to do away with the APD regulations altogether that is not permitted under the terms of the Town's MWRA buy -in. Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: - given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee recommends this Article by a vote of 3 -0 -0. CPDC Report —given by Charlie Adams: At a meeting on September 12, 2011, on a motion made by Mr. Tuttle, seconded by Mr. Safina the CPDC approved modifications for Article 20 (Aquifer Protection District) be recommended to be on the Warrant for Subsequent Town Meeting by a vote of 4 -0 -0. Motion made by Karen Gately Henrick, Precinct 8 to amend section 4.8.7 by adding "only if the change, extension, or alteration increases the impervious footprint" Motion to Amend Carried Motion made by Daniel Ensminger, Precinct 7 to strike section 4.6.8 entirely and to renumber subsequent sections. Motion to Amend Carried 2/3 Vote required 110 Voted in the affirmative 3 Voted in the negative 123 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried as Amended ARTICLE 22: Charlie Adams, CPDC Member moved to see if the Town will vote to amend Section 6.2 (Signs) of the Town of Reading Zoning By -Laws as follows: (note — sfess thFgugh represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language) 6.2.2. Definitions Temporary Construction /Redevelopment Signs — A temporary unlit free standing sign or wall sign affixed to a structure or fence identifying the project name, project team, project description or business to be conducted on the premises. Moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried 6.2.4. Exempt Signs Temporary Construction signs shall be allowed during active construction, where a demolition or building permit has been issued and where at least site preparation work 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 274 has commenced. Temporary Redevelopment signs shall be allowed for sites that have not begun construction, but have been issued a building or demolition permit or have an approved site plan. The maximum size of Temporary Construction /Redevelopment Signs shall not exceed 32 square feet in surface area or 10 feet in any dimension. Temporary Redevelopment signs may be displayed for a period of up to 1 year. Upon written request and approval of the CPDC the display period for a Temporary Redevelopment sign may be extended. Temporary Construction signs shall be removed after the construction, repair or renovation work is completed or within 7 days after the issuance of a final occupancy permit. 6.2.3. Sians Permitted Accordina to Zonina District Table 6.2.3 Signs Permitted According to Zoning District Max',' '�a Max`_ ? Sr nF Sin ; Setbacks*, `3 Perrmt ` . •Area :' : Hei' tits - Front- -`Side , ' Maximum Re wired;, " • s ft. ft ft. ft Number_- t°: All Zoning Districts: 1. Personal Message N 4 6 N/A 20 1 /lot 2. Identification (Joint and Area N 4 8 (A) N/A N/A 1 /lot 3. Construction N 4-632 N/A N/A 20 WA 1 4. Subdivision Sales C 48 N/A N/A N/A 1 /subdiv. 5. Subdivision C 24 N/A N/A N/A 1 /subdiv. 6. Real Estate Sales N 8 G 6 N/A 20 1 /101 7. Temp Open House N 4 N/A N/A 20 1 /agency erlot 8. Garage/Yard Sale N 4 N/A N/A 20 1 /lot 9. Informational - Directional N 4 6 N/A N/A NIA Portable A -Frame Regulated by the Board of Selectmen — Annual Permit Required 10. Temporary Y 16 N/A (See Section 6.2.6.2. h.) Business Signs or 30 Business -A, Business -C and Industrial Zonin Districts: 11. Free-Standing Y 50 D 20 0 20 I 1 /lot 12. Wall Y 2/4E Al N/A 10 1 /business 13. Projecting / Blade Y 8 (A )(H) N/A 10 1 /business Business -B Zoning Districts: 14. Free - standing Service Stations Only) Y 35(D) 14 0 20 1 /lot 15. Wall Y 2 F A 0 0 2 /businesses 16.Pro'ectin / Blade Y 8 A H -4 0 1 /business 17. Free-Standing SPP J 35 10.5 0 20 1 /lot 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 275 (A) No portion of such sign shall extend higher than the bottom of the sills of the windows of the second floor of a building or higher than the lowest portion of the eaves or, in the case of a gabled wall, no higher than a line equal in height to the lowest portion of the lower eave of any adjoining building wall, whichever of the above is lowest. (B) Aggregate sign area of all applicable signs. (C) Only as shown in Definitive Subdivision Plans as approved by the Community Planning and Development Commission consistent with Paragraph 6.2.1.1. (D) May not be larger than 75 square feet, if more than one business occupies the lot. See Section 6.2.6.4. (E) If the minimum distance from the building wall on which the sign is mounted is less than 100 feet from the centerline of the street which the sign faces, the maximum sign area shall be equal to 2 square feet per linear foot of said wall occupied by the establishment to which the sign relates; if such distance is more than 100 feet, maximum sign area shall be equal to 4 square feet per linear foot of said wall so occupied. (F) No wall sign for any non - residential establishment shall exceed a sign area equal to 2 square feet per linear footage of length of the front wall of the building occupied by the establishment to which the sign relates. Real Estate Signs in the Industrial Zoning Districts are allowed one sign per business with a maximum sign area equal to 2 square feet per linear foot of said wall occupied by the establishment to which the sign relates without a sign permit. (H) Projecting /Blade Signs shall be at least eight (8) feet from the ground and may project no more than four (4) feet from the structure. (1) A Special Permit may be granted by the CPDC. See Section 6.2.9 for Special Criteria. (J) Free - standing signs shall be permitted only where the principal business entrance located more than 40 feet from the centerline of the street in front of the lot. CPDC rr waive the 40' business entrance setback requirement for signs in existence as of 1 effective date of this amendment. See Section 6.2.9.a. for Special Permit Criteria Background: The changes being proposed under Article 22 will allow larger temporary signs for construction and redevelopment sites as an exempt use which does not require a permit. The change was initiated by the Economic Development Committee through their work with the business community. This work identified the need for increasing the dimensional allowance for this type of exempt signage. Article 22 proposes increasing the maximum sign area for temporary construction /redevelopment signs from 16 square feet to 32 square feet or 10 feet in any dimension. The number of temporary construction /redevelopment signs allowed is limited to one. Presentation given by: • Jean Delios — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report: No report 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 276 Bylaw Committee Report — given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee recommends this Article by a vote of 3 -0 -0. CPDC Report -given by Charles Adams: At a meeting on September 12, 2011, on a motion made by Mr. Tuttle, seconded by Mr. Safina, the CPDC approved Article 21 (Signs) as modified be recommended to be on the Warrant for Subsequent Town Meeting by a vote of 4 -0 -0. EDC Report — given by Jack Russell: EDC strongly recommends this Article. Motion to amend made by Mary Ellen O'Neill, Precinct 6 to add to Table 6.2.3 #3 construction - Add (K) to Area Column with Note to follow at end of Notes: so that is reads "construction signs in residential districts S -15, S -20, S-40, A-40 and A -80 are limited to 16 square feet" Motion to Amend Did Not Carry Motion made by John Carpenter, Precinct 2 to amend Section 6.2.2 by adding words "and /or" after the word description as follows: t. Temporary Construction /Redevelopment Signs — A temporary unlit free standing sign or wall sign affixed to a structure or fence identifying the project name, project team, project description and/or business to be conducted on the premises. Motion to Amend Carried Before vote was taken on above motions Stephen Goldy, Board of Selectmen questioned quorum was present. Count of 97 — Quorum Present Motion made by Ronald Thomas O'Keefe, Precinct 1 to move question 2/3 Vote required 32 Voted in the affirmative 58 Voted in the negative 97 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion to Move Question Did Not Carry Motion made by James Bonazoli, Precinct 6 to table question Motion to Table Did Not Carry After discussion by Town Meeting Members 2/3 Vote required 86 Voted in the affirmative 8 Voted in the negative 97 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried as Amended Motion to adjourn made by James Bonazoli, Precinct 6 Motion Carried 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 277 Adjourned with 123 in attendance at 10:41 PM to continue on November 21, 2011 at 7:30 PM A true copy Attest: Laura A Gemme Town Clerk 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 278 SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School November 21. 2011 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Alan E. Foulds, at 7:46 PM, there being a quorum present. Meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. ARTICLE 23: Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote to amend the Town of Reading General Bylaw by adding a new section as follows: 8.10 Maintenance of Vacant Buildings and Land All vacant structures and vacant land within the Town of Reading shall be maintained in a safe, secure and clean condition so as not to compromise the health, safety and general welfare of the community. James Bonazoli , Board of Selectmen moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried 8.10.1 Definitions: For purposes of this bylaw the following definitions shall apply: 8.10.1.1 Building A structure enclosed within exterior walls or firewalls, built, erected, or framed of any materials, and fixed to the ground, having a roof, to form a structure for the shelter of persons, animals or property, or the storage of commercial or industrial personal property. 8.10.1.2 Owner A person, entity, service company, property manager or real estate broker, who alone or severally with others: ♦ has legal or equitable title to any building, structure or parcel of land, vacant or otherwise; or ♦ has care, charge or control of any building or structure, parcel of land, vacant or otherwise, in any capacity including but not limited to agent, executor, executrix, administrator, administratrix, trustee or guardian of the estate of the holder of legal title; or ♦ is a mortgagee in possession of any such property; or ♦ is an agent trustee or other person appointed by the courts and vested with possession or control; or ♦ is an officer or trustee of the association of unit owners of a condominium; each such person being bound to comply with the ,provisions of these minimum standards as if he were the owner; or ♦ is a trustee who holds, owns or controls mortgage loans for mortgage backed securities transactions and has initiated a foreclosure process. 8.10.1.3 Vacant Buildings or property that are unoccupied for a period greater than one hundred eighty (180) days by a person or persons with legal right to occupancy thereof. 8.10.2 Minimum Maintenance Requirements Owners of vacant properties must fulfill the following minimum adequate maintenance requirements for any such property they own: 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 279 ♦ Maintain vacant properties in accordance with all applicable local and state Sanitary Codes, Building Codes and Fire Codes. Secure vacant properties to prevent unauthorized entry and exposure to the elements.. ♦ Maintain vacant properties in a manner that ensures their external1visible maintenance, including but not limited to the maintenance of major systems, the removal of trash and debris, and the upkeep.of lawns, shrubbery, and other landscape features. ♦ Remove graffiti, carvings or markings from all structures, signs, walls and fences. ♦ Repair or replace broken windows or doors within thirty (30) days. Boarding up any doors or windows is prohibited except as a temporary measure for no longer than thirty (30) days. • For properties vacant for six months or more, the utilities for which have been shut off, remove or cut and cap such utilities to prevent accidents. • Maintain free from the storage of any junked, wrecked, or abandoned vehicles. Compliance with this section shall not relieve the owner of any applicable obligations set forth in any other codes, regulations, covenant conditions or restrictions, and /or homeowner or condominium association rules and regulations. 8.10.3 Notice of Failure to Maintain Property Upon identifying a property as failing to meet the minimum maintenance requirements set out in section 8.10.2, the Building Inspector may notify the owner in writing at the owner's last known address of maintenance deficiencies. If any maintenance deficiency is not corrected within 30 days of said notice, or if a maintenance plan is not approved by the Building Department within 30 days of said notice, the Town may impose a penalty in accordance with the provisions of this bylaw. 8.10.4 Inspections The Building Department, the Board of Health, the Chief of the Police Department and the Chief of the Fire Department, or their designees, shall have the authority to periodically inspect any property reasonably understood to be a vacant property for compliance. The Building Department shall have the discretion to determine when and how such inspections are to be made, provided that the time and manner of such inspections are reasonably calculated to ensure that this bylaw is enforced. 8.10.5 Penalties Violations of this bylaw, including violations of any regulation promulgated hereunder, or failure to comply with a maintenance plan approved by the Building Department, shall be punishable by a fine of one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each day during which the violation continues. In addition to any other means of enforcement, the provisions of this bylaw may be enforced by non- criminal disposition in accordance with the provisions of Section 1.8 of this bylaw, and M.G.L. Chapter 40, Section 21D. For the purposes of such non - criminal disposition, the "enforcing person" shall mean the Building Inspector, the Health Director, the Police Department, the Fire Department, or their designee. 8.10.6 Enforcement The Building Department or its designee, the Board of Health, Fire Department and /or the Police Department or their designees(s) shall enforce all provisions of this bylaw; including any regulation promulgated hereunder, and shall institute all necessary administrative or legal action to assure compliance. 8.10.7 Unsafe Buildings If the Building Inspector determines the building to be unsafe, he may act immediately in accordance with the State Building Code to protect public safety. Furthermore, nothing in this bylaw shall abrogate the powers and /or duties of municipal officials to act pursuant to any general 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 280 statutory authority including, without limitation, M.G.L. c.139, §1 et seq. and M.G.L. c.143, §6 et seq. or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: The Town is faced with a significant number of sometimes very visible incidences of inadequately maintained property, in some cases related to the poor economy and foreclosures. There is currently no legal authority or ability of the Town to require appropriate maintenance of property under Town bylaws or state statute. Increasingly communities are turning to property maintenance bylaws or ordinances to address this concern. The Town receives a growing number of complaints from other property owners about the condition of some of these properties, and it is frustrating to Town employees and residents when the Town cannot take any action to remedy these situations. The "minimum maintenance requirements" as detailed in section 8.10.2 are not onerous and are the minimum levels of property maintenance that any abutting property owner would expect of the maintenance of their neighbor's property. Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report — given by Camille Anthony: The previous presentation shows a number of situations in Reading where lack of property maintenance has a blighting influence on neighboring communities and abutters. The Board of Assessor's recently had an Appellate Tax Board case where the board upheld an abutters complaint that abandoned and poorly kept property had a negative effect on property values. The proposed bylaw is simple to understand and relatively simple to enforce. It establishes a minimum level of upkeep of property that anyone in this community would expect of neighboring property. Without this bylaw the Town has no tools to require property owners of vacant property to meet even minimum expected standards of maintenance. Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report — given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee concurs with the intent of this Article to deal with inadequately maintained properties. After review, we further concur that the Article would not impose an undue burden on property owners to meet "minimum maintenance requirements ". The Bylaw Committee recommends this Article by a vote of 3 -0 -0. Motion to amend made by Bill Brown, Precinct 8 as follows: Change 8.10.2 From To Repair or replace broken windows or doors within thirty (30) days. Boarding up any doors or windows is prohibited except as a temporary measure for no longer than thirty (30) days. ♦ Repair or replace broken windows or doors within thirty (30) days. Boarding up any doors or windows is prohibited except as a temporary measure for no longer than thirty (30) days, except Building under Demo Delay order. Motion to Amend Did Not Carry Motion to amend made by Fred Van Magness, Precinct 8 as follows: 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 281 Change 8.10.2 From ♦ Repair or replace broken windows or doors within thirty (30) days. Boarding up any doors or windows is prohibited except as a temporary measure for no longer than thirty (30) days. To Repair or replace broken windows or doors within thirty (30) days. Boarding up any doors or windows is prohibited except as a temporary measure for no longer'than thirty (30) days, unless an extension is approved by the Building Inspector. Motion to Amend Carried After discussion by Town Meeting Members Motion Carried as Amended ARTICLE 24: William Hecht, Conservation Commission moved that the Town vote to amend Section 7.1 of the Town of Reading General Bylaw as follows(note sressthreugh represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language, and all section numbers are in accord with the proposed recodified General Bylaw): Stephen Goldy, Board of Selectmen moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried Delete the last sentence of the second paragraph of Section 7.1.4 and substitute therefore "The critical wetland - related terms used in this bylaw and regulations adopted pursuant hereto shall be defined in regulations promulgated under this bylaw" and delete Sections 7.1.4.1 through 7.1.4.11, so that Section 7.1.4 reads as follows . 7.1.4 Concurrent Notice and Hearings to Meet State Law Requirements The same Notice of Intent, plans and specifications required to be filed by an applicant under M.G.L. Chapter 131, Section 40 will be accepted as fulfilling the applicable requirements of this bylaw. The Conservation Commission may adopt and impose project review changes in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant hereto. Town projects are exempt from review fees under Section 7.1.14. All hearings and public meetings held under M.G.L. Chapter 131, Section 40 when it applies, and under this bylaw shall be held simultaneously, whenever possible. Definitions, time frames and procedures, not inconsistent with this bylaw or the regulations adopted pursuant hereto, set forth in said Section 40, and in the regulations promulgated by the Department of Environmental Protection, as the same may from time to time be amended, are hereby made a part of this bylaw. Notwithstanding any defiRFWAG Set fOFth the following definitions aFe heFeby also FRade a paFt Of this bylaw and shall GOMM! wheneveF theFe Genfl'Gt between the different definqtiens� The critical wetland - related terms used in this bylaw and regulations adopted pursuant hereto shall be defined in regulations promulgated under this bylaw 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 282 7.1 4-9 RaF8 SP8GiGS 7 1.4.19 RwYeFfrent Area 7-1.4,11 A .- rrvtivetlandc Wetlands have Grie OF ri:i�re of the fal And amend section 7.1.16 as follows 7.1.16 Violations No person shall remove, fill, dredge or alter any area subject to protection under the provisions of this bylaw without the required authorization, or cause, suffer or allow such activity, or leave in place unauthorized fill, or otherwise fail to restore illegally altered land to its original condition, or fail to comply with an enforcement order issued pursuant to the provisions of this bylaw. Each day such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense except that any person who fails to remove unauthorized fill or otherwise fails to restore illegally altered land to its original condition after giving given written notification of said violation to by the Conservation Commission shall not be subject to additional penalties under this bylaw, unless said person thereafter fails to comply with an enforcement order or order of conditions. or take any other action with respect thereto Background: In the Winter of 2011, as part of a comprehensive review of financial and administrative and operational changes needed to address the gloomy financial outlook for the Town, the Town Manager proposed the elimination of the local wetland bylaw in order to simplify that area of Town 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 283 government for staff, customers, and the Conservation Commission. The Conservation Commission asked that this matter be postponed in order to give the Conservation Commission time to conduct a comprehensive review of the local Wetland Bylaw, and the Wetland Regulations. During the spring and summer of 2011 the Conservation Commission's subcommittee conducted this evaluation and submitted a report to the Board of Selectmen proposing modest revisions to the Bylaw and more extensive revisions to the Regulations. The Conservation Commission's proposed Bylaw revisions are included in this article. The amendments to the Rules and Regulations are subject to a revision process by the Commission this fall and winter. In Section 7.1.5 of the Bylaw, a lengthy list of definitions of wetland - related terms could is presented. These definitions are also in the Wetland Regulations which have been developed under the mandate in the bylaws. One of the Conservation Commission goals is to make the Reading Wetland Bylaws consistent with the State regulations unless there is a specific and good reason for inconsistency. The State revises their definitions periodically based on new scientific information, review of cases, changes in the state program and similar reasons. By locking definitions into the bylaws when the State makes a change in definitions, an inconsistency can be created. It is preferable to the Conservation Commission and several wetland permit applicants that these terms be defined in the Regulations only, so that if a change is necessary based on State changes, new science or technology, or other reasons, the Conservation Commission can facilitate changes in the Regulations, in a simpler, more straightforward, and more technically based process than going before Town Meeting for a bylaw change. Thus, Conservation Commission proposes to delete the last sentence of the first paragraph in Section 7.1.5 and the entire list of definitions and have the definitions only in the Wetland Regulations. The Conservation Commission is currently revising several of the definition in response to stakeholder input and to make them more consistent with the state definitions. The other recommended bylaw change is much simpler. In Section 5.7.17, there is an apparent typo in the seventh line: "'..after given (sic giving) written notification... ". The Conservation Commission proposes to correct this typo by substituting the word giving for given. Presentation given by: ♦ James Maughan — See Attached • John Arena — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: - given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee commends the work done by the Wetland Regulations Ad Hoc Committee. The Bylaw Committee agrees with the intent that adoption of this Article will achieve the Conservation Committee goal to make the Town Wetland Bylaw consistent with the State Regulations. The Bylaw Committee recommends this Article by a vote of 5 -0 -0. Motion made by John Arena, Precinct 1 to indefinitely postpone Motion to Indefinitely Postpone Did Not Carry After discussion by Town Meeting Members Motion Carried ARTICLE 25: Marsie West, Finance Committee moved that the Town vote to amend the Town of Reading General Bylaw, in the following respects (note Gress thmugb represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language, and all section numbers are in accord with the proposed recodified General Bylaw): 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 284 by amending Section 2.1.1 Date of Annual Town Meeting, as follows: Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried The Annual Town Meeting shall be held on the third Tuesday preceding the fourth Monday in April of each year for the election of Town Officers and for such other matters as required by law to be determined by ballot. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in be elected; the Board of Selectmen may schedule the commencement of the Annual Town Meeting for the same date designated as the date to hold the o."s a"".;"i o: m ° "' any Federal or State election, or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: This amendment allows additional flexibility for the Board of Selectmen to schedule a local election concurrently with a Federal or State election. This provides the option to save some election expenses while also increasing local tumout when the election can be scheduled on the same date. Presentation given by: ♦ Marsie West— See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report — given by Marsie West: The Finance Committee voted in favor of submitting this Article by a vote of 7 -0 -1 at their meeting on September 14, 2011. Bylaw Committee Report — given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee agrees that the flexibility set forth in this Article with regard to scheduling of the election dates should save the Town funds. The Bylaw Committee sets forth that the Article is worded properly. The Bylaw Committee recommends this Article by a vote of 3 -0 -0. After discussion by Town Meeting Members Motion Carried Motion made by Marsie West, Board of Selectmen to take Article 30 Out of Order Motion to Take Out of Order Carried ARTICLE 30: Marsie West, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote pursuant to Section 8 -1 of the Reading Home Rule Charter to amend Section 2 -12, Establishment of Standing Committees, the third paragraph under Finance Committee, as follows (new language in bold): The Finance Committee shall have all the powers and duties granted to Finance Committees under the laws of the Commonwealth, Town bylaws, Town Meeting vote and other applicable laws. In addition to these powers, the Finance Committee shall have the power to investigate the books, accounts, records and management of any office, board or committee in Town, and may use agents in carrying out such investigations. The Finance Committee shall report on its deliberations, findings, approval or disapproval on all Articles that involve the expenditure of funds in the Warrant in writing at least seven (7) days before Town Meeting. Such a report shall not preclude further action or reconsideration by the Finance Committee. or take any other action in respect thereto 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 285 Backaround: Currently the charter does not allow the Finance Committee to provide a report in the Warrant without first taking a vote to approve or disapprove the article. Occasionally, all financial details are not available at the time that the article is initially discussed and it is impossible to provide approval or disapproval without these key details. The Finance Committee would like to report to Town Meeting as to their deliberations and discussion related to the article but does not wish to vote against an article purely due to the lack of details, as this may be misleading to Town Meeting. This change will allow Finance Committee to report on article discussions in the Warrant without voting to approve or disapprove an amendment when additional details are pending. Presentation given by: ♦ Marsie West— See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report — given by Marsie West: The Finance Committee voted in favor of submitting this Article by a vote of 7 -0 -1 at their meeting on September 14, 2011. Bylaw Committee Report — given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee feels this Article is formally putting in place the current practice of reporting to Town Meeting by the Finance Committee. The Bylaw Committee recommends this Article by a vote of 5 -0 -0. After discussion by Town Meeting Members 2/3 Vote required 38 Voted in the affirmative 66 Voted in the negative 116 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Did Not Carry ARTICLE 26: Marsie West, Finance Committee moved that the Town vote to amend the Town of Reading General Bylaw, in the following respects (note — Gross thmugh represents language to be eliminated and bold represents new language, and all section numbers are in accord with the proposed recodified General Bylaw): by amending Section 2.2 Conduct of Town Meetings, as follows: Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried Rule 3 Prior to debate on each Article in a Warrant involving the expenditure of money, the Finance Committee shall advise the Town Meeting as to its deliberations, findings or recommendations and the reasons therefore; by amending Section 3.3.2, Finance Committee, as follows: 3.3.2.1 Duties The Finance Committee shall consider all matters of business included within the Articles of any Warrant which involve the expenditure, appropriation and raising or borrowing of money or which otherwise impact the town finances; 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 286 3.3.2.2 — Resemmendat+ens Report to Town Meetin The Finance Committee shall make a written resemmendaiien report on all Articles that it has considered, and the Town Clerk shall make said written FRGARIFnendations report available to eaGh Town Meeting MembeF at least seven (;) days PFOOF to the 46t adjOUFRment of the Annual Town Meeting, seveR (7) days PFiGF t9 the seGand Menday on Nevembef and 4GUF (4) days p�oF to any SpeGial Town Meeting as part of the "Report on the Warrant" available to each Town Meeting Member. The said reseaamendatiens. When sufficient information has been provided to take a vote, the recommendations should be those of a majority of the entire Committee. However, recommendations may also be made by a minority of said Committee in addition to the majority. The Committee's recommendation shall include the total amount of appropriations that it recommends on each article within the Warrant. by inserting the following new section: 3.3.2.3 Form of Report The Finance Committee in making its report upon any subject referred to it shall arrange the report in clear and compact form, and shall divide it into separate propositions whenever in its judgment such divisions may be desirable. The Committee shall attach to each proposition its own recommendations or a summary of deliberations, when applicable. and by renumbering the current Sections 3.3.2.3 and 3.3.2.4, as 3.3.2.4 and 3.3.2.5, or take any action with respect thereto. Background: Currently the bylaws require that the Finance Committee takes a vote to approve or disapprove an article in order to provide a report to Town Meeting. Occasionally, all financial details are not available at the time that the article is initially discussed and it is impossible to provide approval or disapproval without these key details. The Finance Committee would like to report to Town Meeting as to their deliberations and discussion related to the article but does not wish to vote against an article purely due to the lack of details as this may be misleading to Town Meeting. This change will allow Finance Committee to report on article discussions in the Warrant without voting to approve or disapprove an amendment when additional details are pending. This article also amends the bylaws to reflect the current reporting practices of detailing the expenditures for each Warrant article individually. After the Warrant was closed, subsequent discussions with Town Counsel identified a paragraph (noted below) that was in conflict with the current charter. Additionally, the committee removed a proposed new section related to Lack of Finance Committee Report since the goal of this article is to provide additional background to Town Meeting rather than limit reporting. FINCOM planned to add the paragraph below to this bylaw in section 3.3.2.2. However, Town Counsel ruled that this was in conflict with the current Charter. FINCOM plans to move to amend the bylaw at the Spring Town Meeting if the Charter changes proposed at this Town Meeting are approved and voted. Additional language removed: When in the opinion of the Committee there is insufficient information for a vote to be taken on an Article, the Committee shall instead provide a written report in the Report on the Warrant summarizing their deliberations on the Article. The Committee may vote.their recommendation on the Article when such information becomes available and provide a verbal report at Town Meeting. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 287 Presentation given by: ♦ Marsie West— See Attached Board of Selectmen Report: No report Finance Committee Report — given by Marsie West: The Finance Committee voted in favor of submitting this Article by a vote of 7 -0 -1 at their meeting on September 14, 2011. The Finance Committee discussed the updated article and voted to recommend the revised version (striking paragraph 3.3.2.4) by a vote of 7 -0 -0 at their meeting on October 19, 2011. Bylaw Committee Report — given by Philip Pacino: The, Bylaw Committee feels this Article is formally putting in place the current practice of reporting to Town Meeting by the Finance Committee. The Bylaw Committee recommends this Article by a vote of 5 -0 -0. After discussion by Town Meeting Members Motion Did Not Cam ARTICLE 28: James Bonizoli, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote, pursuant to Section 8 -1 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, to amend Article 5, Town Manager, Section 5 -1: Appointment, Qualifications, Term, so that it reads as follows (language with st4ethrough shows deletions, words in bold denotes new language) The Board of Selectmen shall appoint a Town Manager without teFFA and may enter into a contract with the Town Manager not exceeding three (3) years in length, and shall fix his compensation within the amount annually appropriated for that purpose. The Town Manager shall not be subject to a personnel bylaw, if any. The Town Manager shall be appointed solely on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications. He shall be a professionally qualified person of proven ability, especially fitted by education, training and previous experience. He shall have had at least five (5) years of full -time paid experience as a City or Town Manager or Assistant City or Town Manager or the equivalent level public or private sector experience. The terms of the Town Manager's employment shall be the subject of a written contract agreement setting forth his tenure, compensation, vacation, sick leave, benefits, and such other matters (excluding tenure) as are customarily included in an employment contract agreement. While serving as Town Manager he shall devote full time to the office (and except as expressly authorized by the Board of Selectmen) shall not engage in any other business or occupation and (except as expressly provided in the Charter) shall not hold any other public office, elective or appointive, in the Town. With the approval of the Selectmen; he may serve as the Town's representative to regional boards, commissions and the like but shall not receive additional salary from the Town for such services. or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: The Reading Home Rule Charter does not currently permit the Board of Selectmen to enter into an employment contract with the Town Manager. The incumbent Town Manager, who is the first person to serve as Town Manager under the Charter, has an employment agreement with the Town which specifies the conditions of his employment, but the employment agreement does not specify the tenure or term of employment. This provision in Reading's Charter is unique in Massachusetts, and is highly unusual in the profession. Most senior management personnel in organizations including Towns have a contract which includes the term of the employment. In Reading, for example, the Superintendent of Schools has a 3 year employment contract, and the General Manager of the Reading Municipal Light Department has a 1 year contract that also renews automatically for a one year period unless the Board gives notice not to renew. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 288 While this has not been an issue with the incumbent Town Manager, the lack of the ability to enter into an employment contract with a specific term may hinder recruitment efforts when the incumbent Town Manager retires. The proposed Charter amendment would permit the Board of Selectmen to enter into an employment contract of up to 3 years, which is standard practice in the profession. This Charter amendment would not affect the current Town Manager — he is not seeking an employment contract with the Town. Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report — given by James Bonazoli:'The Board of Selectmen recommends this Article. There is no intent to apply this to the current Town Manager, but having permissive language allowing a contract up to 3 years may be essential to attracting the best talent to Reading when our current Town Manager retires. Employment contracts are standard in this and similar professions including our own Superintendent of Schools and RMLD General Manager. Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report - given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee agrees with the intent of this Article and states it is worded properly. The Bylaw Committee recommends this Article by a vote of 3 -0 -0. After discussion by Town Meeting Members 2/3 Vote required 101 Voted in the affirmative 0 Voted in the negative 116 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried ARTICLE 29: Camille Anthony, Board of Selectmen moved that the Town vote, pursuant to Section 8 -1 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, to amend Article 7, Finances and Fiscal Procedures, Section 7 -2: Submission of Proposed Budget, paragraph 1, so that it reads as follows: (language with stfikethmugh shows deletion, language in bold denotes new language) Moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried At least four (4) months before the start of the fiscal year, and following consultation with the Board of Selectmen on the Municipal Government portions of the budget, the Town Manager shall submit to the Finance Committee a proposed budget for the ensuing fiscal year with an accompanying budget message and supporting documents. He shall simultaneously provide for the publication in a local newspaper of a general summary of the proposed budget, and a notice stating the times and places where complete copies of his proposed budget shall be available for examination by the public, or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: The Reading Home Rule Charter does not currently contain language that outlines any role for the Board of Selectmen in the budget process. Over the 25 years since the Charter went into effect, a budget process has evolved whereby the Town Manager, who is responsible for the development and submission of the entire Town Budget, consults with the Board of Selectmen on the municipal portions of ..the budget prior to finalizing and submitting the budget to the Finance . Committee. This Charter amendment memorializes that process. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 289 Presentation given by: ♦ Peter Hechenbleikner— See Attached Board of Selectmen Report — given by Camille Anthony: The Charter currently has no role for the Board of Selectmen in the budget process, although practice as it has evolved over the past 25 years has carved out a role for the Board of Selectmen. This Charter amendment merely recognizes that the Board of Selectmen has a role, but it retains the essential Charter intent that the Budget as it is developed and presented to the Finance Committee is the Town Managers budget. Finance Committee Report — given by Marsie West: This Article formalizes a process that is in general practice. It is a prudent policy to include a formal role for our elected officials in the Charter related to the creation of the annual budget. The Finance Committee voted in favor of this Article by a vote of 6 -0 -1 at the meeting on October 19, 2011. Bylaw Committee Report — given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee agrees with the intent of this Article and states it is worded properly. The Bylaw Committee recommends this Article by a vote of 3 -0 -0. After discussion by Town Meeting Members 2/3 Vote required Declared unanimous by Moderator 116 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Carried ARTICLE 31: John Arena, Precinct 1 moved that the Town vote, pursuant to Section 8 -1 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, to amend Section 2 -15: Referendum Procedures, subsection (b) Form of Referendum Petition /Ballot Question, so that it reads as follows: (language with sNikethiceugh shows deletions, words in bold denotes new language.) No final affirmative vote of a Town Meeting on any Warrant Article shall be operative until after the expiration of seven (7) days following the dissolution of the Town Meeting except the following: (a) a vote to adjourn or dissolve, (b) votes appropriating money for the payment of notes or bonds of the Town and interest becoming due within the then current fiscal year, (c) votes for the temporary borrowing of money in anticipation of revenue, or (d) a vote declared by preamble by a two- thirds vote of Town Meeting to be an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the peace, health, safety or convenience of the Town. If a referendum petition is not filed within the said seven (7) days the votes of the Town Meeting shall then become operative. In computing time for the 7 day interval above, only days when the Town Hall is open for business shall be counted. Moved to dispense with the further reading of the motion Motion to Dispense Carried (a) Referendum Petition — If, within said seven (7) days, a referendum petition signed by not less than three (3) percent of the voters certified by the Registrars of Voters containing their names.and addresses is filed with the Board of Selectmen requesting that any question affirmative vote of Town Meeting be submitted to the voters in the form of a ballot question, such ballot question to be in the form required in (b) herein, to the voters, then the operation of the Town Meeting vote shall be further suspended pending its determination as provided below. The Board of Selectmen shall, within ten (10) days after the filing of such referendum petition, call a Special Election that shall be held within thirty (30) days or such longer period as may be required by law after issuing the call, for the purpose of presenting to the voters any such ballot question. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 290 If, however, a regular or Special.Election is to be held not more than sixty (60) days following the date the referendum petition is filed, the Board of Selectmen may provide that any such ballot question be presented to the voters at that Election. (b) Form of Referendum Petition /Ballot Question - Each ballot question submitted shall appear at the top of each referendum petition and shall be presented in the following form which shall be placed on the official ballot: - "Shall the Town vote to approve the action of the representative Town Meeting whereby it was voted on (insert date of town meeting) to (insert complete language of the vote in the same form in which it was stated when presented by the Moderator to the Town Meeting, and as it appears in the records of the Clerk of the meeting) "? The form of the referendum petition shall in conformance with this section. The circulator(s) of the referendum petition may make additional copies of the petition form, but such copies must be an exact duplicate thereof. Petition forms must be exact duplicates for the signatures to be certified and count toward the three percent of registered voters. The petition form may not be altered in any way. Alterations of the petition form will result in the invalidation of all signatures contained on that petition form. No extraneous markings, such defined as underlines, highlighting, erasures, marking out or insertion of words, or alteration of the wording or emphasis of the petition question or informational language are allowed. . Extraneous marks that may result in the invalidation of all signatures contained on that petition form are limited to marks that will fundamentally change the substance, wording or emphasis of the petition or the ability of the Board of Registrars of Voters to verify information on that petition form. FnaFkings on, 9F alterations of the petition f9FM, OF Ggpies of the petition f4aFFn that are not exaGt dUpliGa . Extraneous markings do not include signatures or addresses. Each petition form shall include language informing voters that additional markings will disqualify the signatures on the petition form; that for their signature to be valid, they must be a registered voter of the Town of Reading; that their signature shall be written as they are registered; that they should not sign the petition more than once; and that if they are prevented by physical disability from writing, that they may authorize some person to write their name and residence in their presence. The back of each petition form where signature lines appear, shall include the following instruction: "ATTENTION VOTERS: Before signing, read signer information on the other side ". The Town Clerk shall upon request produce suitable Town referendum petition /ballot question forms, compliant with section b requirements and prepared with the ballot question Is as appears in the records of the Clerk of the meeting. At the requester's option, the Clerk shall within 4 business hours following the original request make 5 paper copies available for pickup at the Town Clerk's service window, or shall send an email containing an attachment of the referendum petition in a suitable format. A referendum petition produced by the Town Clerk shall be deemed compliant with section (b) form conformance requirements in later examinations. In addition to the certification of signatures on the petition form, the Board of Registrars of Voters shall examine the petition forms for extraneous markings, and determine whether they are exact copies. Background: The Reading Home Rule Charter requires that referendum petitions submitted be free of 'extraneous marks', be identical in appearance, be produced with specific marking, language and construction, and be returned within 7 business days following dissolution of Town Meeting, otherwise the petition and/ or its signatures are considered invalid. The sponsors of this article support compliant, clear and timely petitions. To avoid petition and petitioner disqualification from potential 'differences in document appearance and marking, and to clarify the interpretation of dates, the sponsors of this article propose a set of clarifications. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 291 This article will strengthen existing referendum petition conduct by minimizing undesirable or unintentional sources of error, simplify the process of citizens obtaining a proper petition, and amend the section language to bring Town petition practices more aligned with State practices. Presentation given by: ♦ John Arena — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report_— given by Stephen Goldy: The Board of Selectmen is opposed to the Charter amendment regarding referenda. The Board feels that the previous amendments are adequate and appropriate to address the issues that surfaced in the last referendum on'Town Meeting action. The Board is concerned that the changes proposed, although addressed partially in the modifications reflected in the motion, are unnecessary and could lead to litigation, particularly with regard to the language intended to further define "extraneous markings ". Currently the Town will rely on definitions for such matters as are embodied in state statute and case law. Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: - given by Philip Pacino: The Bylaw Committee feels the adoption of this Article will make the referendum procedures stronger and thus it will be clearer and easier to follow the requirements. The Bylaw Committee recommends this Article by a vote of 3 -0 -0. After discussion by Town Meeting Members 2/3 Vote required 57 Voted in the affirmative 39 Voted in the negative 116 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Did Not Carry ARTICLE 32: David Mancuso, Precinct 4 moved that the Town vote pursuant to Section 8 -1 of the Reading Home Rule Charter to amend Article 8, General Provisions, by inserting the following new section: Section 8 -16• Term Limits of Appointed Boards Committees and Commissions No volunteer member of an appointed board, committee or commission shall serve more than three (3) consecutive three (3) year terms on any individual board, committee or commission. The Chairmanship of all boards, committees and commissions shall rotate among the membership on an annual basis with no person serving two consecutive, one year terms as Chairperson or more than three years as Chairperson throughout their term of service on that specific board, committee or commission; and by renumbering the current Sections 8 -16 as Section 8 -17; or take any other action in respect thereto. Background: Currently there are not consistent term limits for Reading volunteer Boards, Committees and Commissions. Some organizations have term limits defined but many do not have any direction regarding the length of time an individual may serve. It is in the best interest of the town to have dynamic, vibrant organizations made up of individuals with an interest in serving the community and a passion for their area of interest. At the same time, it is beneficial to the town for these groups to periodically refresh membership to experience new ideas and revitalize the mission of the organization. Rotating chair responsibilities ensures that each Board, Committee or Commission can accommodate changes over time. There is concern that there will not be enough volunteers if current long standing members are not allowed to continue on their Committees indefinitely. Today it can be a challenge to serve on certain Committees due to a lack of membership turnover. This can be discouraging for volunteers and may 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 292 serve to dissuade them from seeking alternative appointments. If Board members are aware that there is a limit to their service for an organization they are passionate about, they will recruit individuals with similar interest to replace them over time. Boards, Committees or Commissions that are not fully staffed and show a recurring lack of interest should be assessed periodically to see if their mission is still critical to town operations. There may be an opportunity to change the mission of the group or to consolidate responsibilities with other organizations that retain ongoing volunteer interest. Presentation given by: ♦ David Mancuso — See Attached Board of Selectmen Report — given by Ben Tafoya: The Board of Selectmen is opposed to this Charter amendment. As the appointing authority for many of the Boards, Committees, and Commissions that would be affected by this Charter amendment, the Board is only too aware of the difficulty in getting an adequate number of people to serve on the many Boards Committees and Commissions. The proponents suggest that perhaps the Town needs to eliminate some of the 30 volunteers BCC appointed by the Board of Selectmen. ♦ Many of these are required by statute — Planning Commission, ZBA, Board of Health, etc.; ♦ others are required by Charter — Commissioners of Trust Funds, Town Forest Committee, etc., still others have been created by this body — Audit Committee, Celebration Committee. ♦ That leaves a very few (actually 4) "discretionary" Boards; Committees, and Commissions — Economic Development Committee, Advisory Committee on Cities for Climate Change, Human Relations Advisory Committee, and the Trails Committee. As the appointing authority for most of the BCC, the Board of Selectmen seldom does not find an appointment for anyone who wants to volunteer, and the Board of Selectmen often has to recruit residents to fill vacant positions. At any one time, in spite of best efforts to advertise and recruit to fill vacancies, there are a number of vacant positions on the various BCC. Finally, as to the requirement to rotate the Chairmanship, the Board of Selectmen encourages this and models this behavior. However the fact of the matter is that not every member of every BCC wants to chair meetings. They may be very good members, but not want to chair. That should be ok, if they are a contributing member of the BCC in every other way. Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report — given by Philip Pacino: Town of Reading Board and Committees are staffed by volunteers who dedicate their time and energies to making the Committee process work. Boards and Committees are the backbone of our local government. Appointed Committee members are subject to reappointment every three years or less. At present there are 31 members of appointed Committees who have served more than 9 years, which would exceed the term limit set forth if this Article is adopted. These 31 members bring a great deal of experience and expertise to their service on Committees. Many of these members are in leadership positions. In many cases, newer members of appointed Committees look to these members for guidance. The Bylaw Committee feels that if term limits were adopted many of these more experienced members could choose to end their service to the Town. The petitioners state that the intent of the Article is to foster greater volunteerism to the appointed Boards and Committees. The Bylaw Committee does not agree that the intent of the petitioners will be achieved by adopting this Article. There are a great many more work and family pressures on individuals today. Volunteerism is down across many spectrums in this State and country. The Bylaw Committee feels that if this Article is adopted that the result will be less people available to serve, not more. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 293 The Bylaw Committee is further concerned that the adoption of this Article could exclude members from serving who bring specific skills, expertise and knowledge on subjects related to. specific needs of the Committees they serve on. With regard to the rotation of the Committee Chair, the petitioners state the intent is so that one member of an appointed Committee does not dominate the Committee. The Bylaw Committee feels the reappointment process plus actions of the other members of the particular committee involved should be used to address any dominance if this is a problem. The Bylaw Committee does not recommend this Article by a vote of 0 -5 -0. After discussion by Town Meeting Members 2/3 Vote required 10 Voted in the affirmative 87 Voted in the negative 116 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion Did Not Carry Camille Anthony moves to take Article 2 off the table Motion Carried ARTICLE 2: To choose all other necessary Town Officers and Special Committees and determine what instructions shall be given Town Officers and Special Committees, and to see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the purpose of funding Town Officers and Special Committees to carry out the instructions given to them, or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: This Article appears on the Warrant of all Town Meetings. There are no known Instructional Motions at this time. The Town Moderator requires that all proposed Instructional Motions be submitted to the Town Clerk in advance so that Town Meeting Members may be "warned" as to the subject of an Instructional Motion in advance of the motion being made. Instructional Motions are normally held until the end of all other business at Town Meeting. Instructional Motion 1: Gina Snyder, Precinct 5 moves that the Board of Selectmen be instructed to work with such boards, committees and volunteers as necessary to develop a program to demonstrate the benefits of rain gardens in Reading, including consideration of the installation of a demonstration rain garden on town property; with .a report on progress to Annual Town Meeting in spring 2012. Background: Rain gardens are shallow depressions in the landscape that typically include plants and a mulch layer or ground cover. Rain Gardens provide increased groundwater recharge, and pollutant treatment in rain gardens has been attributed to adsorption, decomposition, ion exchange, and volatilization. Rain gardens can be used in residential settings to accept runoff from a roof or other impervious surface. In a commercial setting, bio- retention areas are similar to rain gardens, but are often larger, and usually have an engineered design. The Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials, or NEMO, program has offered training on rain garden installation in many municipalities in New England. 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 294 Town Meeting Articles on the Aquifer Protection District and the Wetlands conservation programs indicate that our community in Reading would benefit from a better understanding of the benefits of recharge to our water resources. A program on rain gardens would not only help with recharging our water resources, it would beautify Reading and provide added storm water control. Motion Carried Instructional Motion 2 Erin Calvo - Bacci, Precinct 5 moves that the Town Meeting instruct the Board of Selectmen to direct the Reading Historical Commission to draft a clear, concise process for property owners to appeal the addition of their property to the list of historically significant structures subject to the demolition delay bylaw. A draft of this appeal process shall be created in an open and transparent process, including one or more opportunities for public comment, and shall result in a bylaw amendment article for debate and consideration by Town Meeting members during the Spring Town Meeting in 2012. Town Council should be made available as a resource to answer written questions from the committee regarding constitutionality. The goal of this motion is to establish a clear, concise and equitable bylaw that enables the Town to balance its desire to preserve properties of historic significance while fully respecting the rights of the individual property owner in a manner that harmonizes relationships between concerned parties. After discussion by Town Meeting Members — There was a Question of Quorum made by Ronald Thomas O'Keefe, Precinct 1 Quorum Count 81 — No Quorum Present No Vote Taken Instructional Motion 3 Philip Pacino, Precinct 5 moves to instruct the Rules Committee of Reading Town Meeting to review the process of how the Town of Reading Town Meeting promulgating Zoning Bylaws with emphasis on how Articles related to Town of Reading proposed Zoning Bylaw changes are amended on the floor of Town Meeting and to report back at the Annual Town Meeting. Not Presented to Town Meetina Members — No Vote Taken On motion by Camille Antony, Board of Selectmen Chair it was voted that this Subsequent Town Meeting stand adjourned (sine die). Meeting adjourned at 11:23 PM with 116 Town Meeting Members in Attendance. Motion Carried A true copy Attest: Laura A Gemme Town Clerk 2011 Subsequent Town Meeting 295 Town of Reading, MA Executive Branch Table of Organization (Adopted 11/17/11 ) VOTERS BOARD OF ASSESSORS BOARD OF SELECTMEN . (elected) (elected) ACCOUNTING Town Accountant 2,. . Accounting. - - Retirement ` COMMUNITY SERVICES .'Community Service Director /Town Planner Conservation " Economic Development' Elder /Human Services' Historical' West Street Historical' Inspections /Zoning' Planning' Public Health '- Veterans Services i i Town _Manager ,FINANCE Assistant - Town Manager/ Finance Director Assessment' - _ Collections. - . Treasurer Town Clerk Elections /Registration ` Human Resources Technology Trust Funds' LIBRARY Library Director Library ' .Cultural Council' - -- Dashed Line indicates a relationship between an elected Board and the Department or Division Italic Designates positions appointed by the Board of Selectman Designates an elected or appointed Commission, Board or Committee that works within that Division Law BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES PUBLIC SAFETY - Police /Fire Chiefs Emergency Management. Fire Police Animal Control - Telecommunications :PUBLIC WORKS Director of Public Works .Engineering Highway . Equipment Maintenance - Pa rks /Forestry/Cem a to ry 'Recreation' - Solid Waste -. Street. Lighting ` Snow /Ice Control Water Supply /Distribution Sewer Collection Town .Forest ' - :Stormwater N � (D T i ACCOUNTING Town Accountant 2,. . Accounting. - - Retirement ` COMMUNITY SERVICES .'Community Service Director /Town Planner Conservation " Economic Development' Elder /Human Services' Historical' West Street Historical' Inspections /Zoning' Planning' Public Health '- Veterans Services i i Town _Manager ,FINANCE Assistant - Town Manager/ Finance Director Assessment' - _ Collections. - . Treasurer Town Clerk Elections /Registration ` Human Resources Technology Trust Funds' LIBRARY Library Director Library ' .Cultural Council' - -- Dashed Line indicates a relationship between an elected Board and the Department or Division Italic Designates positions appointed by the Board of Selectman Designates an elected or appointed Commission, Board or Committee that works within that Division Law BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES PUBLIC SAFETY - Police /Fire Chiefs Emergency Management. Fire Police Animal Control - Telecommunications :PUBLIC WORKS Director of Public Works .Engineering Highway . Equipment Maintenance - Pa rks /Forestry/Cem a to ry 'Recreation' - Solid Waste -. Street. Lighting ` Snow /Ice Control Water Supply /Distribution Sewer Collection Town .Forest ' - :Stormwater 2011 ANNUAL REPORT READING PUBLIC LIBRARY PART ONE: LIBRARY SERVICES AND PROGRAMS The vision described in the 2009 — 2014 Plan of Service Creating New Ways to Connect & Explore — Engage & Inspire - Learn & Grow drives library services and programs. Every year the Trustees and staff develop and update an Action Plan to establish annual benchmarks and correlate objectives with changes in the community and the larger environment, and to take advantage of new opportunities in partnerships or grants that may have arisen. In 2011, during the third year of implementing activities to achieve the long -term goals of the Plan of Service, dramatic global changes transformed concepts of literacy, education, technology, and the world of books and reading. The library continued to pursue its vision, holding fast to its mission, while adapting to an increasingly fast - paced, online, and mobile environment Goal 1: Create New Ways to Connect & Explore Beginning in the summer of 2011, the library offered high school reading materials on eReaders in various brands /formats as a pilot program. Students and families appreciated the ability to quickly borrow multiple titles from required summer reading lists and the ease and mobility of the new eReaders. With the clear success of the pilot program, the library made Kindle and Nook Color eBook readers available for circulation later in the fall, allowing patrons the opportunity to try out these newer formats. The library began in -house development of a mobile website. Library Face book fans and Twitter followers both increased in 2011. As part of the NOBLE system the library offered increased access to downloadable eBooks and audio books this year. In January of 2011 we offered an eReader group session and continued throughout the year to offer one -on -one assistance to users with iPads, Kindles, Nooks and more. Reading residents checked out a total of 3,654 items in 2011 including audio books and eBooks: The Children's Division increased online offerings this year by adding over 150 children's eBooks to the NOBLE collection as well as subscribing to the online book database, Tumblebooks. In the first six months, 200 books have been viewed on that site. In a move to provide increased information access to users, the library began offering Text -a- Librarian service in December. Users simply text the word "rplinfo" to the number 66746 and ask their questions! Reference librarians answer questions during all open hours. In 2011, the library implemented "Pay to Print" system for public computers that enhances people's ability to use library equipment and facilitates people's use of private laptops for wireless printing. 297 Also in 2011, in response to increasing numbers of student's group projects and an upsurge in interest in video storytelling and graphic design, the library purchased two MacBook Pro computers to improve graphical, audio, and video capabilities for all patrons, and especially for students. The Library offered access to an online language learning database called Mango Languages. Reading patrons had 496 sessions and 15 iPhone sessions through a newly- introduced app in the first year of access. Goal 2: Create New Messages to Connect New Audiences Library staff coordinated our first library Snapshot Day. Statistics show that in one day in April we had: • 793 visits • 1,284 checkouts • 175 general questions answered • 125 computer / internet users • 98 program attendees A team developed a new brief library services PowerPoint, highlighting student services that librarians presented at several PTO meetings. Outreach efforts generally have been solid and well- supported, including School Blue Ribbon presence, Olde Reading Faire, Farmer's Market/Depot, and Friends & Family Day. We're consistently partnering with other town organizations and entities any. time we can - for example, RMLD, Walkable Reading, and Cities for Climate Protection were all invited to record a YouTube video with our Green Grant Project Director. Also in 2011, a team developed a new library services brochure "Did You Know" and a packet for new residents and the Children's department sent packages to all new parents. Teen & Children's Librarians represented the library at the School department Blue Ribbon conference with a "Plug It In and Power Up @ Your Library" campaign. "New This Week/Month" book marks drew attention to the latest books and helped people locate them quickly and simply when they visit. Spot displays and staff picks livened up offerings in -house and proved popular, especially as people began to identify with individual staff member's tastes in books, movies, and music. The library presented a well - attended "Reading in the Civil War" program and cemetery walk in December 2011. Other multi - generational programs that were presented during the year included nature walks at Bare Meadow and the Town Forest, and an end -of -the summer concert on the Town Hall lawn with the Woburn City Band. In fact, some programs that were started to bring generations together have been so successful that they now have a life of their own and continued for the third year, including the Sit —n —Knit, which found a new location outside the library, and the Rewind Film discussions. Mr.] Goal 3: Create New Ways to Engage & Inspire Programming is both a service to the community, part of our lifelong education mission, and also a means to introduce new services, bring attention to collections, draw people together around common themes of cultural or educational interest, and build community and have fun. When we plan our programming, we strive for a balance of interests, audiences, local strengths, volunteer contributions, and new directions to stretch, grow, and explore. We seek local partnerships whenever possible, incorporate multi - generational and culturally- diverse themes, and aim for new audiences/new demographics to reach ALL ages while striving to provide high - quality, excellent programs for current audiences. In 2011, the Library offered 21 LiveWires programs, with an average attendance of forty people. This popular programming series, designed for persons in midlife and beyond, offers speakers, films, and author talks to entertain and inform. Additional program highlights included the annual Book Group Night where guest speaker, Ann Hood, captivated an audience of 65 book lovers. The Not Your Grandmothers Emily Dickinson program featured local celeb Harold Bond, marking National Poetry Month in April, and drawing 44 attendees. The Holiday Craft Night offered by the staff was attended by 45 patrons. Several library staff members presented their picks n' pans in the popular Summer Sizzlers speed - dating -style book reviews to kick off the summer season. The library coordinated a new round of the Great Decisions series thanks to a local volunteer facilitator. The program once again filled quickly with 26 people who registered to participate in an 8 -part discussion series on U.S. Foreign policy. Students welcomed a new teen "Crafternoon" series with librarians offering materials and instruction or projects including Vintage Valentines and Snowflake crafts. The Teen Advisory group grew to twenty members. This active group of students in grades six through twelve volunteered throughout the year writing book reviews, decorating, shifting books and hosting several children's events. Local History & Genealogy In June, the library began offering access to the very popular. Ancestry.com. Our product, Ancestry Library Edition, is available on all library computers. Through 2011 patrons have used this product to conduct 4,412 searches and retrieve 1,861 records. The library has succeeded in getting several unique Reading historical items into the national Internet Archive through membership in Digital Commonwealth. 299 The Library successfully worked with the Historical Commission on developing schematics for building expansion design. The library now has the Historical Commission's database and their Architectural Inventory, an Obituary Index for the Reading Chronicle, the Library's Vertical File on People, the Street List numbering change in 1936, and an index to Vignettes of Reading History. All files are accessible using our Local History Room PC. Goal 4: Create Young Readers: Early Literacy The Library presented two early - literacy programs for the public, Best Books of 2011 and Library Services and Resources for Daycare providers. For the 2011 Summer Reading Program, a new "Babies on Board" component was created to include youngest readers in the summer fun. As part of the Summer Reading Program, we provided literacy activities "Babies on Board" for young parents to share with their children under 2 years of age. Mother Goose Lapsits (for under 2 years of age and parents /caregivers) continued in popularity with a total of 51 lapsits and 803 attendees. We offered 1 evening and 1 daytime program each month. Also In 2011: We issued 17 new library cards to children under 2 years of age; provided fliers and brochures at distribution points around town; updated the Parent /Teacher collection; and coordinated 20 Baby Playgroups twice monthly in the Meeting Room, with a total of 356 attendees. A Reading Public Library Children's Librarian presented research at a Department of Education Convention on the developing brains of children from birth to 8 years of age and public library literacy initiatives to serve these children and their parents /caretakers. Children's Librarians presented a program about library resources and storytelling to the Independent Day Care Providers Network of Reading. Goal 5: Grow Young Readers — and Goal 6: Support Independent Readers The 2011 Summer Reading program, "All Over the Map" drew 1,049 children who read for 15,143 hours. This was also the second year of online participation, which is becoming popular. Teen librarians visited twelve sixth -grade classrooms to promote the Joker's Wild Teen Summer Reading Program at Reading Public Library. 172 teens joined the program and submitted a total of 654 books. Over the summer, teens also enjoyed card crafts, "house of cards" building, card games, a movie test and an end of summer Tricks and Treats event. Eighteen teens completed 221 volunteer hours over the summer. The Library completed the LSTA (Federal) Autism Grant with a display of new materials for Autism Awareness Month and a new Saturday series of popular Sensory Storytimes, especially 300 for children on the Spectrum and their peers and caregivers. This is a result of the information we gathered during our participation on the Autism Grant. Reaching this new audience has been very successful and our efforts are really appreciated. A volunteer offered a series of Italian for Kids classes that quickly filled up in winter 2011. This enrichment series was met with great excitement. It generated family communication and multi- cultural interest and appreciation. Storytellers & Authors The Friends sponsored Tony Toledo for Halloween stories and author Laurie Isop introduced her new award - winning picture book. These activities are a great way to grow and support independent readers. Teen librarians coordinated two Middle School author visits with Parker and Coolidge media specialists. They hosted author David Greenberg in the spring and author Ji -li Jiang in the fall. Each author presented workshops at both middle schools as well as offering an evening program at RPL. Teen librarians worked with Children's Room librarians to conduct 14 sixth grade library tours for over 300 students. Students learned about library services and collections and went home with a library bag, guide to student services, and a scavenger hunt form to entice them back to the library! Through multiple meetings, RPL librarians reached out to school media specialists to discuss current library services and look at ways that the library's collection can continue to meet student needs. Teen librarians created over 20 new teen booklists in print and online, many with QR codes linking to more titles. Goal 7: Create New Ways to Grow & Learn — The Family Experience We extended the schedule of Babytime Playgroups and Evening Lapsits into the summer to meet the needs of parents with children less than two years of age. Many summer /fall programs targeted the entire family with Drop -In LEGO, Otha Day Drum Circles, Writing Contest Author Party, "Wear in the World" international celebration, parent/child Tea Party and Chapter Book Chat, and Super Science Sunday. In reaching out to other community groups, we worked with Creative Arts, Colonial Chorus, and the Coolidge Science Olympiad Team to present programming for families. Two new interactive displays in the Children's Room have added value to family visits: the "Where Do You Live ?" giant map with dots for family to indicate their homes and "Stop for Science" display /quiz which focuses monthly on a different STEM principles. 301 Goal 8: Be a Lifelong Education Center The library created a new tutoring area in the basement that has proven to be a very popular area year- round, with adult students and tutors using the tables and desks during the day and heavy use from tutors and students after school and evenings. A strong series of programs on employment, and a grant- funded series on Environmental Literacy and resources, have shown us that people seek real answers to real questions through the library's resources and services. The Library purchased full licensing for Microsoft Office 2010 for staff and public computers to maintain necessary upgrades in software applications. The major benefit in this edition is the improvement in providing access to users documents and notes from anywhere through the Web browser, computer, or Smartphone. The library completed implementation of the "Change Makes a Difference" environmental literacy grant. This federal grant administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners funded nine community environmental programs. Surveys indicated that 90 to 100% of attendees per program increased their environmental literacy and awareness of library environmental resources. The grant also included development of a new environmental webpage with green tips, links to local resources, green websites, library created tutorials, and an ongoing environmental newsletter. Increase in community partnerships included sharing programming with the School Department, Reading Municipal Light Department, Cities for Climate Protection, Walkable Reading, and the Town Water Quality and Supply Division. The grant also resulted in an over 100% increase in usage of environmental collections and online resources. PART TWO: SUMMARY & STATUS REPORT ON LIBRARY BUILDING PROJECT The 116- year -old Highland School building that has served as the Library's home since 1984 needs a major overhaul if it is to continue to serve the community in any capacity. It needs more than a facelift — it needs major structural and crucial infrastructure repairs and upgrades if it is going to survive. Everything from the building envelope, attic to basement, windows, HVAC, drainage, roof, electricity, networking capacity, stairs, stacks, and program spaces need to be addressed. The Trustees reviewed the facility and evaluated its condition with professionals and considered several options: • give up the Highland School • look for a new site and construct a new building • look for another building in Reading that could be adapted for library use • raze the building and start over on the current site • renovate and expand the current building. They sought the most cost - effective, efficient, responsible and community- responsive solution to an urgent and complex problem. The Trustees firmly believe that a majority of people in town 302 wish to keep the current building for library use. There are many arguments to be made for and against this direction, and countless constraints and challenges to surmount, but there was unanimous consent that the community wishes to see the local landmark preserved and. the community wishes the library to continue to be at the center of community life. The Building Plan was developed based on a needs assessment and long range planning process conducted over several years. The Building Plan calls for a complete renovation of the current library building and a 7,596 square foot addition on the east side. The Trustees commissioned two architectural firms to develop schematic drawings that preserve the historical character of the Highland School and keep its charm and warmth while transforming it for current and future needs at a reasonable cost. The design addresses structural and infrastructural problems and inadequacies. Within the constraints of budget, site, neighborhood, and National Historic Register requirements, the design seeks to provide space for community meetings, silent study, small group use, personal computing, and children's programs and services. The Building Plan is an integrated approach to solving multiple problems associated with adapting a 115 year old facility designed as a 19th Century school to the needs of a 21st Century library. The building Plan does not call for any dramatic growth in library collections but addresses local needs for shared learning spaces, quiet reading, independent research and study, and children's pre - school, summer, and after- school programs and learning. During this time of active review and planning by the Library Trustees, the Board of Selectmen charged an Ad Hoc Municipal Building Committee in November 2009 to examine capital needs throughout Town and School buildings. The Committee's Final Report presented in January 2011 places the Library as the number one priority project, giving it a rating of 24 out of possible 27 points based on a set of criteria developed by the Committee. In January 2011, with schematic drawings completed, the library applied to the state for a Public Library Construction Grant to provide up to 50% of the renovation/expansion cost. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners awarded $27.4 million to eight Massachusetts libraries in July, 2011. Reading, with an approved grant for $5,105,114, was placed second on a wait list of fifteen libraries. According to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners "Wait- listed libraries will receive their grants as funds become available through the state's five -year capital plan or if a grant recipient is unable to move forward with a project." The State Library Construction Bond Bill was authorized for $100 million. We hope that the Governor will release additional funding in Fiscal Year 2013 so that the Reading project can begin. As soon as State Construction Grant funding becomes available, the Town has six months to approve local funding. The Library Trustees. and staff conducted several informational sessions and tours in 2011 to share information and address questions or concerns that people may have. Questions and suggestions and ideas from the community have been shared with the architects for future design development. Trustees are hopeful that the library will receive notice from the Massachusetts 303 Board of Library Commissioners in 2012 that State Capital funds are available for the library proj ect. This constitutes my seventh annual report on services, activities, and programs of the Reading Public Library. It is a constant pleasure and honor to serve the people of Reading as Library Director in this engaged, involved, active, and supportive community. I am continuously struck by the depth of this community's commitment to its children, education, and its civic life and I am grateful for the many kindnesses and great generosity of its people. In addition to thanking the people of Reading for their loyal support of the library through thick and thin, I'd like to thank once again the many volunteers, friends, neighbors, trustees, governing boards, town administration, and colleagues who make it such a delight to be here, and most of all, I am grateful to the Staff of the Reading Public Library who make it all happen with intelligence, joy, and devotion. Respectfully submitted, Ruth S. Urell, Director PART THREE: SERVICE STATISTICS 2011 Circulation 506,594 Visitors 204,460 Volunteer Service Hours 2,068 LIBRARY HOLDINGS (Total) 127,063 Books 104,949 Video, DVDs, CDs 18,966 Electronic Content (Ebooks, Downloadable, etc.) 2,834 Magazine subscriptions 291 Electronic Subscriptions 23 Meeting Room Bookings 1,191 Reference Consultations 67,644 Program Attendance: Adults & Young Adults 5,203 Children's 13,245 Museum Passes Borrowed 1,691 PART FOUR: FINANCIALS State Aid, Gifts, Friends & Foundation, trust income, grants, and other sources of outside support for the library comprised 7% of the library budget in Fiscal Year 2011. The Library's Municipal Appropriation, Revolving Fund, and Capital Funding (Building Study) comprised 93 %. The Library is constantly grateful for the support it receives from the community and the countless in -kind gifts that are given throughout the year to enhance core services and programs. 304 Library Revenue FY2011 Municipal Appropriation $1,234,823 State Aid $24,439 Friends & Foundation $39,900 Trust & Endowment Income $404 Gifts $13,053 Grants $10,500 Revolving Fund $11,871 Capital (Building Stud) $85,000 Total $1,419,990 Library Revenue 305 Library Expenditures FY2011 Salaries $963,006 Grants Projects $5,313 Books & Materials $198,809 Continuing Education $10,285 Technology $9,103 Programs $31,500 Software & Network $51,349 Supplies &Equipment $19,990 State Aid & Donations Fw'd $41,008 Capital $83,887 Museum Passes $5,740 Total $1,419,990 Library Expenditures Programs 2% Software & Supplies & Network Equipment State Aid & 4% 1% Donations Fw'd 3% Technology \ 1 All % �. Continuing Education 1% Books & Materials 14% Capital °% Grants Projects 0% 306 Museum Passes 0% alaries 68% PART FIVE: BOARD OF TRUSTEES, FOUNDATION & FRIENDS READING PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Richard H. Curtis, Vice Chairman Cherrie Dubois David P. Hutchinson, Chairman Karyn A. Storti, Secretary Victoria Yablonsky FRIENDS OF READING PUBLIC LIBRARY OFFICERS President — Susan Axelson Vice President — Beth Klepeis Treasurer — Cathy Hoodlet Assistant Treasurer — Beth Klepeis Recording Secretary- Jean Clark Membership — Anne Schofield At -Large Members — Eleanor Delaney, Lynne Freeman, Joanne Swanson READING PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Bill Hecht, President Bob Nordstrand, Vice President Bruce Austin, Secretary Amy Coumounduros, Treasurer John Brzezenski Lynne Cameron Neil Cohen Dick Curtis Jerry Fiore Russ Graham Barbara Mulvey Maria Silvaggi PART SIX: READING PUBLIC LIBRARY— PERSONNEL Director — Ruth S. Urell Assistant Director — Dorota Socha Administrative Assistant — Kathryn Melesciuc Reference Division Division Head — Lorraine Barry Adult & Elder Services Librarian — Nancy Aberman Local History Librarian — Rachel Baumgartner Young Adult Librarians — Susan Beauregard, Amy Lannon 307 Promotional Services Librarian — Kathleen Miksis Reference Librarians — Eileen Barrett, Danielle Kimerer Technical Services Division Head — Jamie Penney Senior Library Associate — Allison DaSilva Senior Technician — Dawn Colford Page — Judy A. Newton Circulation Division Division Head — Michelle A. Filleul Senior Library Associate — Patrice A. O'Donnell Technicians — Donna Beaulieu Dawn Didham Colford Maureen Conwell Mary Ellen Downey Susan R. Haggerty Louise Hetherington Meaghan F. Kinton Carol Macomber Joanne H. Penta Christine Rutigliano Danielle Kimerer Pages — Neftali Gonzalez Molly O'Donnell Nancy Hunt Lisa Li Children's Room Division Head — Corinne Fisher Children's Librarians — Brenda Wettergreen, Rachel Baumgartner, Ashley Waring, Kathryn Geoffrion Scannell, Megan White Library Associate — Mary McIntire Pages — Meaghan Coughlin Jacquelyn Saunders Dennis Smith Theresa Teixeira Custodian — John Davis 1: 2011 ANNUAL REPORT READING FIRE DEPARTMENT The Reading Fire Department is responsible for four major functions: fire suppression, fire prevention, the emergency medical system and emergency management. This Department is also responsible to coordinate and apply for all reimbursements for State and Federal disaster declarations. The Reading Fire Department provides emergency medical treatment at the Advanced Life Support level (ALS) of care to sick and injured patients. This is the highest level of pre - hospital care available and we are continually expanding this program as the budget permits. In 2011 we added a new pediatric medication and expanded the use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device to patients experiencing bronchospasm. Emergency management continues to expand in importance. The primary goal for Emergency Management is to identify areas of vulnerability to the community, to prepare for all disasters whether natural or man -made, to coordinate the response of a wide range of agencies and assist in the recovery phase. A secondary goal is to ensure that the Town of Reading is in compliance with all Federal and State requirements to enable the community to remain eligible to receive reimbursement for Federal and State disaster declarations. The Town of Reading has created an Emergency Operations Center to enable a coordinated response to major incidents. This Emergency Operations Center was placed into operation for Tropical Storm Irene in August and the October snow storm. The Town of Reading is and has always been in full compliance with all Federal and State requirements. Emergency Activity In 2011 this Department responded to 3,792 emergency incidents of which 1,978 were requests for medical assistance and 1814 were requests for fire and other emergency responses. We responded to 249 fire incidents that were required to be reported to the State Fire Marshal; of these, 174 were classified as structure fires. The leading fire cause in Reading was cooking related and this is consistent with State data. The Department responded to 1,978 requests for emergency medical treatment and transported 1,076 patients. Significant Events As a result of the significant snow accumulations and the weight of the snow on the roofs during the winter, two homes were damaged. One of the homes was occupied when it collapsed and one home was severely damaged. The structural collapse occurred at a home located at 54 Marla Lane on Thursday, February 03, 2011. The roof of the building collapsed under the weight of the snow load and pushed the front and rear side walls out. This occurred while the home was occupied by a father and son and the Reading Fire Department was on the scene when it occurred. The second home damaged was located on Timberneck Drive and due to the amount of structural damage was condemned by the Building Inspector. 309 On Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 3:24 A.M, Reading Firefighters responded with mutual aid on the 5`h alarm to Saugus due to a gasoline tanker crash on Route 1. Lieutenant Jackson and Firefighters Delsignore and Germain were assigned to Engine 2. They were assigned to Vine Street and worked with Revere, Cambridge and Chelsea Fire to extinguish a fire in a Green House Complex. The fire location was about 1/3 of a mile from Route 1. As the tanker burned, it released its contents and the product flowed onto Route 1 and into a stream. The burning gasoline traveled in the stream and ignited a house, a commercial nursery business, and vegetation along the stream for about a 1/3 of a mile. This was a complex fast moving incident with several separate major incidents to address including: a burning tanker on Route 1 under an overpass, fire spreading down a stream and igniting two separate structures, the need to evacuate a neighborhood and to shut down traffic. On Saturday, October 22 "d at 9:00 AM there was a planned demolition using explosives of a six story building on Jacob Way. The Reading Fire Department worked with the Reading Police, Stoneham Fire, Stoneham Police, the State Fire Marshal's Office and State Police to coordinate the event. To inform the public, a press release was issued and an Everbridge message was sent out to all residents. The contractor also leafleted all properties within 1,000 feet of the building. On October 29, 2011 a snowstorm struck the area and caused many trees to fall and damage power lines, block roadways and damage homes. A number of residents were without power for several days. In response to the storm, the Town of Reading opened an emergency shelter at the High School Field House and a warming center at the Senior Center. Emergency Medical Services The Reading Fire Department provides an Advanced Life Support Level (ALS) of care to the community and this allows Reading Firefighters to treat patients with a wide variety of medications and sophisticated treatment techniques. This level of care is essential to patients who are experiencing a medical emergency that is an immediate threat to their lives.Our emergency medical program is coordinated by Firefighter Joseph Lapolla and Firefighter Scott Myette. The Reading Fire Department responded to 1,978 medical incidents in 2011 and transported 1,076 patients. Of the patients transported, approximately 57% required Advanced Life Support treatment. A review of emergency medical response by category indicates the four highest medical responses are for trauma, general malaise, cardiac disorders and respiratory disorders. In 2009 we trained all Paramedics in the use and delivery of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). This equipment is used to treat patients who are having difficulty breathing due to .the buildup of fluid in the lungs as a result of weakened heart. CPAP delivers oxygen under pressure and is designed to force fluid from the lungs into the interstitial spaces. This allows a patient who is in severe respiratory distress to breathe more efficiently. In 2011 we expanded the use of CPAP to include treatment for bronchospasm. We have also upgraded the medication used to treat pediatric croup. We now use the medication Recemic which is more effective. 310 Reading Emergency Management Agency Emergency Management is an active component of the Department. Housed within Reading's Emergency Management Agency are two separate functions: Emergency Management and the Local Emergency Planning Committee. Reading is also part of the North East Homeland Security Region ( NERAC). NERAC is one of the 5 Massachusetts homeland security regions created by the Executive Office of Public Safety. Federal and State legislation requires every community in the country to have a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). The LEPC identifies areas where the population is most at risk from a hazardous materials release, facilities and transportation routes that contain hazardous materials and resources that would be used to mitigate an incident. The Reading Fire Department has developed a Hazardous Materials Emergency Plan to meet both Federal and State statutory planning requirements. For the Town of Reading, the Fire Chief is the Local Emergency Planning Committee Chairman. To pool resources, the Town of Reading has joined with eleven other communities and formed the Mystic Regional Emergency Planning Committee. The Mystic Regional Emergency Planning Committee is designed to facilitate the sharing of resources in the event of an emergency and has attained Full Certification Status by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. In 2011 we improved and strengthened our ability to coordinate an emergency response for the Town of Reading. Through a $7,000 grant from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, we purchased two large interactive computer screens for the Emergency Operation Center. These interactive computer screens allow us to monitor and track incidents and request resources from other agencies. This equipment was used during Tropical Storm Irene in August and the October snow storm. An application package was submitted to FEMA to recover 75% of the Town's allowable costs incurred during the snow storm of January 11 -12, 2011. The Town recovered $99,676 for reimbursement of the DPW's expenses and $5,423 for costs incurred by Facilities. In May the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEM Plan) for the Town was reviewed and approved by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. The CEM Plan is an emergency management plan that forms the basis of the Town's emergency response to a disaster. Fire Prevention Lieutenant Paul Jackson is assigned the position of Day Officer. The Day Officer is responsible to ensure all life safety systems for new construction and renovations are designed and installed properly. This requires pre- construction meetings, plan review, code research and continual site visits to ensure proper installation. In 2011, several building renovations were monitored. We also monitored two extensive blasting operations in November and December. Long tern ledge blasting occurred at the Pulte Homes site located on Jacob Way and for the Massachusetts Water 311 Resources Authority to install a new 36" pipeline under Main Street between South Street and North Avenue in Stoneham. Major construction projects monitored included the redevelopment of 30 Haven Street, Pulte Homes on Jacob Way, Calareso's Farm Stand Building located at 80 -100 Main Street, eCars located at 281 Main Street, and the renovation of Peter Sanborn Place located at 50 Baystate Road. For existing buildings, the Day Officer is responsible to ensure all life safety systems are maintained properly. Other areas of responsibility include ensuring the safety and code compliance of flammable and combustible product storage and coordinating the maintenance of Department vehicles. Lieutenant Jackson is involved in school safety initiatives. He is an active member of the NEMLEC (North East Metropolitan Law Enforcement Counsel) Stars Program. This program is designed to assist school systems to prepare and respond to a wide variety of threats to the school environment. Regional Initiatives The Reading Fire Department is participating in a study that is examining the feasibility and cost factors associated with creating a regional public safety dispatch facility. The project is called the Middlesex Regional Emergency Communications Council ( MRECC) and the communities involved in the project include the Fire and Police Departments of Stoneham, Wakefield, Melrose and the Middlesex Sherriff's Office. The Executive Office of Public Safety and the State 911 Department has granted an award to the MRECC in the amount of $455,000 as part of Phase III implementation phase of our project. We have five Department members who serve on specialized regional response teams. One Firefighter serves on the State Hazardous Materials Team, four personnel serve on the Essex County Technical Rescue Team. Lieutenant Nelson was one of 30 Essex County Technical Rescue Team members who traveled to Florida for specialized Structural Collapse training. These team members received advance training in search techniques, shoring, breaching and breaking, lifting and moving, scene safety, and engineering principles. At the end of training, all 30 members passed an exam and earned Pro -board certification for Structural Collapse Technician, Level II. This is a very difficult credential to obtain and we are fortunate to have one of our Officers trained to this level. SAFE and Community Education Firefighter John Jenks coordinates the Reading Fire Department's S.A.F.E. Program. This fire safety education program is delivered in the Reading Public School System and continues to receive a high level of support from School Administrators and children. This program is funded by a $4,500 grant provided by the State. 312 Our SAFE program features an in -house developed age appropriate curriculum for each grade level K through 5. Reading Firefighters trained as SAYE educators visit each school classroom of Kindergarten through grade 5 to deliver the fire prevention and anti - smoking message. Firefighters use a new specially designed trailer that is shared by the Metrofrre District to present a very real fire scenario to the students. Using this training aid, the children are taught life saving skills in a controlled setting that is not possible to duplicate in the classroom. The S.A.F.E. Trailer is available to the Reading Fire Department and 34 other communities in the greater Boston area free of charge. Fire Alarm The municipal fire alarm system in Reading is in excellent condition. This is a direct result of the planning, care and maintenance given to the system by our dedicated Fire Alarm Technicians: Brian Ryan, Michael Holmes and Bruce Ayer. When appropriate, we are connecting new and remodeled buildings to the municipal fire alarm system to ensure a rapid response to an incident. Personnel Firefighters Patrick Wallace, David Robidoux and Stephen Murphy were recognized as the Reading Fire Department's Firefighters of the year on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at the Hillview County Club in North Reading. They were selected by Department members for their actions in entering 54 Marla Lane to search for occupants immediately after the roof collapsed due to a heavy snow load. In 2011, one of our senior Firefighters retired. Firefighter Matt McSheehy began his career on January 15, 1983 and retired in December of 2011. Firefighter Daniel Pouliot returned from a leave of absence to fill the vacancy. Conclusion Over the last year we have strived to make advancements in all areas of the Department. We have increased the level of training for our personnel, introduced new technology and equipment and aggressively pursued resources by through public safety grants. The Advanced Life Support Program has been expanded to all fire apparatus and continues to provide Reading residents with the highest level of emergency medical care in this area. The condition of our fire apparatus is excellent and this increases our efficiency and capability at the scene of emergency. I would like to thank all Town Officers, Boards, Departments, members of the Reading Fire Department and especially the citizens of Reading for their continued high level of support and assistance. Respectfully submitted, Gregory J. Bums Chief of Fire Department 313 Reading Fire Department Roster Chief of Department Gregory J. Burns Captains: Kenneth N. Campbell Philip B. Boisvert Paul F. Guarino Peter L. Marchetti Lieutenants: Paul D. Jackson Richard L.S. Nelson David T. Ballou Mark F. Dwyer Richard A. Puopolo Firefighters: Matthew McSheehy^ Michael Belmonte Bruce Ayer Daniel Cahoon William VanHorn Paul Dalton Michael Holmes Lisa Palermo Ryan Buckley David Roy Michael Wood Joseph Lapolla Robert McCarthy Scott Dole Paul Damocogno Patrick Wallace John Jenks Garrett Antanavica Brian Ryan Eric Blackman David Ferreira Stephen Pelrine Paul Roy Christopher Germain Robert Beck Derek Loftus Robert Loring Stephen Murphy Dana Ballou Stephen Binari David Robidoux Thomas McCarthy Robert Drake Anthony Delsignore Sean Devlin Daniel Pouliot* David Gentile Scott Myette Secretary Cynthia M. Keenan Resigned position *Hired to fill vacancy ^Retired Fire Department Statistics for 2011 Permit Fees collected $17,919 Ambulance Fees Collected (FY 11) $634,375 Fire and Emergency Responses 1,814 ' Emergency Ambulance Calls 1,978 Inspections 976 314 ANNUAL REPORT 2011 READING POLICE DEPARTMENT Mission and Value Statement The Reading Police Department is committed to providing the highest level of public safety and service to the citizens and business people within the community. The members of the Department are empowered to enforce the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and By- laws of the Town of Reading to ensure that the peace and tranquility of our neighborhoods are maintained and that crime and the fear of crime are reduced. We emphasize and value integrity, honesty, impartiality and professionalism from our members in order to create an environment that values differences and fosters fairness and flexibility in our mission. We encourage citizen input and interaction that will assist us in developing sound partnerships between the community and police. Working together we can protect our future and enhance the quality of life for everyone within the town. This report summarizes the participation, activities, sponsorships, enhancements, accomplish- ments, and other notable events of the Reading Police Department during 2011. Personnel Changes The following personnel changes and adjustments were experienced by the Police Department in calendar year 2011: June 2011 ■ Officers Michael Lee and Christine Amendola returned from their deployment with their Army Reserves Military Police Unit to Afghanistan. Officer Lee resumed his Safety Officer assignment and Officer Amendola returned to night patrol. While Officer Lee was deployed, Officer Justin Martel was assigned as Acting Safety Officer. December 2011 • Part Time Dispatcher Jeff Strong resigned after 25 years of service to the Town. Dispatcher Strong was one of the original Fire Department civilian dispatchers before the combining of police and fire dispatching in 1990. In 1999, Dispatcher Strong went to part time per diem status. Awards and Recognitions March 2011 Sergeant David Clark was honored as the Reading Police Departments 2010 Officer of the Year at the Reading/North Reading Chamber of Commerce Dinner. Sgt. Clark was working the night of December 26, 2010 during the armed robbery of Kohl's department store in Woburn where Woburn Police Officer John Maguire was shot and killed by a 315 career criminal. Sgt. Clark, along with other Department officers, responded to the chaotic scene in the middle of a blizzard. As officers from various jurisdictions arrived on scene, Sgt. Clark took a leadership role ensuring the safety of all law enforcement personnel and the public and working as a team helped apprehend two violent suspects. May 2011 The Board of Selectmen recognized National Police Memorial Week. Community Policing The Reading Police Department continues to work closely with the community and other Town Departments, as well as State and Federal Agencies. The Police Department strongly promotes the philosophy of "working with the community." The Department sponsors or participates in a number of community events and /or programs. • The Police Department continues to be an active member the Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse (RCASA). Chief James Cornier and School Resource Office Corey Santasky are active members of the RCASA. • The Police Department was able to collaborate with the RCASA to be awarded grant funding that enables the Department to conduct alcohol compliance checks. The Detective Division has worked closely with the RCASA to be trained and implement alcohol compliance checks throughout the community. Unfortunately, after achieving one hundred percent compliance previously, this year we issued complaints to the licensing board for five violations in relationship to our compliance checks. • The Police Department is represented on the Human Relations Advisory Committee. (HRAC) Chief Cornier. The Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) program, which is a self defense course designed specifically for women, has been and continues to be one of the Reading Police Department's most successful programs. Two Basic Adult RAD classes were held, graduating 35 women. t The Police Department, in conjunction with the Reading Public Schools and the Reading Fire Department, coordinated the deployment send -off of the 26`h Yankee Division of the Massachusetts Army National Guard. The Police Department, in partnership with The Reading Public Schools, expanded the RAD program by offering RadKIDS. This course is designed specifically for boys and girls in the 5 to 11 year range. The program covers a multitude of topics including stranger danger, internet safety, good touch and bad touch, bullying, gun safety, and anti - abduction techniques. Two radKIDS classes were offered, graduating 27 boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 7 and 22 boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 11. Sgt. Clark, Sgt. Abate, Detective Iapicca, Detective Halloran, Officer Lavita, Officer Nelson, Officer Amendola and Officer Stasiak are the dedicated instructors. 316 • In June, police officers and their families participated in the Challenger Softball game, where they are afforded an opportunity to interact with children with challenges in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. • Also in June, the Department participated in Friends and Family Day held at Birch Meadow. Officer Collins. • The Department participates annually in the Library's Vehicle Day in August, where children of all ages get to enjoy the Town vehicles of the community. Officers Collins and Picco. • Throughout the year, the Department participated in the Governors' Highway Safety Bureau's "Click -it or Ticket" program. This program is an intensified traffic enforcement effort subsidized by a grant that targets specific traffic issues, such as seat belt use, or impaired operation. Lt. Stamatis, Sgt McKenna. • In August, the Department was issued an Award of Excellence, Bronze Category, for Municipal Departments for its commitment to traffic safety. The award was given based upon activities and level of traffic safety consciousness such as internal policies, officer training, effective patrolling and public information projects during the 2010 calendar year. • In October, the Department in conjunction with its labor unions organized its annual Senior Ham and Bean Supper at the Senior Center. Officer Collins. • In December the Department, in conjunction with its labor unions, organized the 31st annual Children's Holiday Party at Austin Preparatory School. Again collaborating with the Free Masons (Reading Lodge) to offer the Child Identification Program (CHIP) providing over 80 identification kits. Officer Collins. ■ The Department's Web Site ham• / /www.ci readin,.ma.us /Pages /ReadingMA Police /index is very successful and offers a variety of information for the public. Lt. Stamatis. ■ Acting Safety Officer Martel and Safety Officer Lee (upon returning from Afghanistan) gave safety talks to the following schools and groups: • Joshua Eaton School; Topic- Safety Day. • Barrows School; Topic- Summer Camp Safety Day for children with autism. • Birch Meadow School; Topic- Safety Talk. • Coolidge Middle School; Topic- Career Day, Summer Camp Safety, Summer Camp Bullying. • Little Treasure's School; Topic- Safety Talk on Notifying People Where You Are Going, Halloween Safety and book reading with the children. • Elderberry Lane complex; Topic- Senior Safety and Telephone Scams • EMARC Safety Lecture series. ■ School Resource Officer Santasky participated in the Reading Memorial High School Health Faire. 317 In September, the Police Department was actively involved in the planning and successful implementation of the third annual Fall Street Faire on September 11, 2011. The downtown business district was cordoned off to provide a street festival in the square and down Haven St. The event was once again a huge success. The Department also participated in events at the High School and Fall Street Faire commemorating the 10`h .anniversary of 9/11. Patrol Division The Reading Police Patrol Division is the core of policing services in the Town of Reading. The Patrol Division falls under the command of Lieutenant David Stamatis during daytime operations and Lieutenant Peter Garchinsky at nights. The Patrol Division is comprised of 2 Sergeants and 10 Patrol Officers during the day; and 4 Sergeants and 12 Patrol Officers on nights. The Patrol Division is the most visible section of the police department, providing around the clock service to the citizens and visitors to Reading. They are the uniformed Officers who provide the first line of defense for the public's safety. Each law enforcement patrol officer works to protect life and property, uphold the civil rights of individuals, preserve public peace, provide citizen assistance, enforce criminal and motor vehicle laws, and respond to emergency situations. These are dedicated and committed professionals who place their lives and well- being in jeopardy for the citizens of Reading on a daily basis. The Patrol Division currently consists of 8 supervisors and 22 sworn officers. It currently operates a fleet of 5 Ford Crown Victoria's as well as a Ford Explorer and Expedition. In addition to standard patrol, the Reading Police Department's Patrol Division also employs a motorcycle and 7 pedal bikes. The men and women of the Patrol Division are responsible for: enforcing state and municipal laws and regulations designed to protect life and property; maintain order in an assigned district or beat; patrol the community to preserve the peace and to prevent crime; take criminal reports and interview witnesses and suspects; apprehend fugitives and criminals; collect evidence and give testimony in court; conduct investigations for all misdemeanor and many felony cases; direct traffic, issue traffic tickets, investigate accidents, and make arrests; participate in crime prevention, public information, and safety programs. Patrol officers maintain closer contact with the public than any other section of the police department. Most likely, the first person you will see when you are in need of the police will be the patrol officer. The men and women of the Reading Police Department's Patrol Division take great pride in serving the citizens of Reading. It is important to realize that in a split second, the most inconsequential and routine activity can 'develop into a potentially hazardous situation. Without question, the Patrol Division is the backbone of the police department. In 2011, the Patrol Division issued 4,432 moving violations, made 195 arrests and answered 12,944 calls for service throughout the Reading Community. 318 Detective Division The Detective Division is the liaison of the Police Department with the Reading Public Schools, Austin Preparatory High School as. well as the Northeast Regional Vocational School in Wakefield. Outlined below are a number of the Detective Division's activities for 2011: • Detectives conducted a K -9 drug search at Reading Memorial High School in collaboration with the Middlesex Sheriff's Department, municipal police departments, and Reading Public Schools. This was the first operation of its kind in the Reading Public Schools. • Detectives worked in conjunction with the Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse ( RCASA) to conduct two rounds of alcohol compliance checks of all pouring establishments and liquor stores in Town. In 2011, five establishments were cited for violations. Detectives also conducted surveillance and party patrols to reduce underage drinking. • Detectives worked in conjunction with RCASA to develop and monitor the "Text a Tip" program. This program allows the public to send anonymous tips to the police department via cell phone or computer. Over 60 tips were provided to police in 2011. • Detectives worked in conjunction with RCASA to collect and properly destroy prescription drugs through the "RX Round -up" program. Since the program was developed in 2009, over 3,957 bottles of prescription and over the counter drugs have been collected. The number of bottles doubled from 2010 to 2011. • Detectives conducted several neighborhood meetings to discuss crime issues and prevention tips. This included meeting with the members of the Downtown Business District who had a concern about a rise in shoplifting incidents. In conjunction with Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone's Office, the Detective Division began implementing a new Juvenile Diversion Program. This program provides pre- trial probation to juvenile offenders that meet certain requirements. • Major Crimes that the Detective Division investigated this past year included two murders, one armed home invasion and a domestic related shooting. • Members of the Division worked with RCASA to define the process for juveniles that receive marijuana by -law citations based on the changes to the regulations from 2009. The in -house materials were updated and provided to patrol officers. The parent letter now outlines the required educational component and community service requirements for the juvenile. Members of the Division attended three community dialogue sessions in conjunction with RCASA and the Middlesex District Attorney's Office to discuss the drug trends within the Community after several violent crimes occurred. This initiative was spearheaded by police leadership. Priorities were developed and incorporated into the RCASA's strategic plan to reduce substance abuse in Reading. OR The School Resource Officer assigned to the Detective's Division conducted a variety of law enforcement and relationship - building activities within the Reading Memorial High School and the Reading Public Schools. An off -site evacuation drill was coordinated by the SRO for the entire Birch Meadow school complex. The SRO served as the police liaison, on the bullying law changes that affected Reading Public Schools. The SRO worked closely with RCASA Board of Directors through monthly meetings. The SRO and RCASA Director conducted classroom education sessions on opiate prevention for the freshman class at the high school. • Detectives worked with the FBI's "Bank Robbery Task Force" to identify and apprehend suspects in area bank robberies. • Members of the Detective Division attended many training programs in the areas of alcohol compliance enforcement, search warrant preparation, domestic violence, criminal, drug and narcotics investigatory techniques and prosecution. • Sgt. Detective Segalla attended a four day Sergeant Leadership training. Public Safety Dispatch The Reading Public Safety Dispatchers provide, through communications, a lifeline for the community, Police Officers and Firefighters. Eight full time dispatchers are under the direct supervision of the Head Dispatcher and under the command of the Day Shift Patrol Division Commander Lt. David Stamatis. Dispatchers receive requests for information and services, then triage those request based on available resources, and disseminate those request to the emergency personnel in the field. Dispatchers greet the public entering the police station and provide a valuable service to our community. Each year, Dispatchers attend various training seminars to expand their knowledge and provide a higher level of service. Dispatchers recorded 32,105.calls for service in 2011 and issued 3,765 Community Access Stickers. The Dispatch Corps are the face of Reading Public Safety. In most cases they are the first interaction the public has with a Public Safety agency. Over the past year there has been one change in the staffing level of the Communications Center when per diem Dispatcher Jeff Strong resigned after 25 years of service to the Town. Crossing Guards The school crossing guards are part-time civilian personnel. Currently there are twenty permanently assigned crossing guards and eight spares that fill in when a regular crossing guard is unable to cover their post. They are under the direct supervision, coordination and control of Safety Officer Michael Lee. Each crossing guard plays an essential role in ensuring the safe commute of children to and from school. They also serve as an extra set of eyes and ears for the police department and the community as well. These crossing guards have proven to be devoted to their duties and are a great asset to the Town of Reading. 320 Animal Control The Animal Control Officer is Ronald Burns and he works 13 hours per week and is on call for emergency situations. There were more than 330 calls for service received by the Animal Control Officer, 8 dog bites over the year resulting in injuries to humans, and 6 dog to dog bites resulting in veterinary care. There were 10 bites over the year resulting from animal of unknown ownership (6 dogs and 4 cats) and 4 cat bites to humans reported. Those that tested negative for rabies were quarantined for 10 days. There were over 50 coyote sightings and missing cat calls reported. There were 2 bats sent for rabies testing and both came back negative. Two cats were sent for rabies testing and both came back negative. Over 315 fines and citations were issued to residents for failure to keep their dog on a leash, failure to license their dog, and for biting. The majority of the calls were received from neighbors complaining about other's dogs. The Animal Control Officer is authorized to isolate and confine domestic animals suspected of being exposed to rabies. Acting according to state regulations and guidelines, Animal Control Officers must: • Investigate reports of domestic animals exposed to rabies. • Determine if the domestic animal has or may have been exposed to a rabid animal, and if the domestic animal has been properly vaccinated. • Make an evaluation of the exposure of the vaccinated animal and prescribe the appropriate action according to state regulations. • Obtain permission to euthanize exposed, unvaccinated animals from their owners or from the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture. ( MDFA) • Carry out euthanasia permitted by the animal owner or MDFA. • Collect the head of the euthanatized animal and deliver or send it to MDPH State Laboratory Institute if the animal has bitten or otherwise exposed a human or domestic animal. • Inspect residential kennels that house 4 or more dogs. • Ensure that vaccinated domestic animals receive a booster vaccination if needed, and that the animal remains under appropriate strict confinement or isolation. ■ Contact local officials when exposed domestic animals have exposed humans. • Although the Animal control Officer is not responsible for handling wildlife calls, he evaluates such calls and assists where possible. He provides contact numbers for the appropriate State or private agency to handle wildlife issues beyond the Town's control. Parking Enforcement Officer The Parking Enforcement Officer is Ronald Bums. He works 18 hours per week. The major responsibilities of the Parking Enforcement Officer are: 321 Identify and cite motorists who violate Reading's parking regulations and reduce opportunities for violations to be committed through preventive patrols of all parking areas. • Tally and inventory tickets daily. Identify parking problem areas within the town and forward this information to the Safety Officer. • Perform related duties as required. • Total citations issued by the Parking Enforcement Officer in 2011 were 1,424. • Total income from parking citations was $38,295. 84% of the citations were paid. 9% of the citations were marked for non - payment. The following is the Department Roster, a statistical analysis of our enforcement efforts and a record of revenues generated by our department for calendar year 2011. READING POLICE DEPARTMENT 2011 ROSTER CHIEF James W. Cormier LIEUTENANTS Executive Officer Lt. Richard W. Robbins Lt. David M. Stamatis SERGEANTS Bruce F. Russell Mark J. O'Brien John T. McKenna David J. Clark DETECTIVE DIVISION Sgt. Detective Mark Segalla Lt. Peter C. Garchinsky Francis G. Duclos Richard P. Abate Detectives Michael D. Saunders Derek Holmes Pasquale Iapicca Michelle Halloran School Resource Officer Corey P. Santasky 1;1:xa SUPPORT SERVICES Community Service Offices Safety Officer James P. Collins Michael R. Lee PATROL OFFICERS Christine Amendola Anthony F. Caturello Michael P.. Fitzgerald Robert MacHugh Jr Corey Santasky Christopher Voegelin Joseph Belmonte Erik Drauschke Keith D. Hurley Justin P. Martel David Savio Sean M. Wilson Armorer Christopher Picco Michael C. Bouvier John C. Edson Christopher E. Jones Mark Mullen Patrick Silva Reading Police Department 2011 Ancillary Personnel BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR Andrew Scribner - MacLean CLERKS Administrative Assistant Victoria Cummings Principal Clerk Joanne Power DISPATCHERS Head Dispatcher Victoria Avery Kevin M. Brown Jr. Matthew C. Edson Salvi Lavita Ian A. Nelson Kristen Stasiak Christopher Finnegan Debra Haynes Ryan Mahoney Joseph Pagnotta John Rawcliffe Regina Saunders Susan Tapley Matthew Vatcher SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS Cindy Asci Dick Baker Mildred Barton Cheryl Buckman Doug Cowell Bob DeWolfe Art Dickensen Peg Faulkner Gerry Intonti Lucy Intonti Tina Lantz Leon Leighton Marsha Leighton Joe Lopiccolo Louann MacKinnon Kris McNeil Don Pierce Dick Prudente Patricia Tilton Rosemary Violante 010] SPARE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS Bob Bent Maryann LaFleur Allan Sletterink George Snow . Richard Stoez Lynne Upton Joe Veno ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER/ PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER Ronald Bums Service Statistics calendar year 2011: ■ Arrests 295 ■ Protective Custody 110 • Motor Vehicle Citations 4432 ■ Parking Violations 1788 Detective Criminal Investigations 182 • Automobile Crashes Investigated 444 Fees Collected calendar year 2011: • License to Carry Permits $ 3,100.00 ■ Firearm Identification Cards $ 550.00 ■ Police Reports Copied $ 2,271.00 ■ Parking Fines $38,295.00 • Administrative Fees for details $22,877.24 • Community Access Stickers $76,455.00 • Parking Space Rentals $22,720.00 • Civil Motor Vehicle Infractions $50,537.50 • Community Room Rental fee $ 570.00 • Motor Vehicle Lease Surcharge $ 2,434.80 Conclusion: To summarize our Mission Statement, we are empowered to enforce the laws of our land, but in order to do this appropriately and adequately we have to work with the community. Providing the community with the highest level of police service is a goal that will require dedication, hard work and a strong commitment to and from our community. I want to thank the citizens of our community for their support and cooperation. Working with the community your police department will accomplish its mission. Respectfully submitted, f,U &° 'm James W. Cormier Chief of Police 324 2011 ANNUAL REPORT READING COALITION AGAINST SUBSTANCE ABUSE ( RCASA) Leadership The RCASA Board of Directors met monthly at the Reading Police Department Community Room throughout the year. Board members grappled with complex issues this past year and worked to respond to the changing needs of the community, particularly in light of drug related deaths. Board members served on a variety of workgroups and committees to accomplish critical tasks including data gathering, outreach, and leadership development. Adult and student representatives provided valuable status reports on their projects and initiatives. Coalition leaders appointed the nominating committee to fill vacant slots and recruit members. A report of the roster changes and motions related to by -laws was provided at the 2011 Annual Meeting. We said goodbye to board members that have moved on including Mark Mauriello, Student Representative for high school (graduated, replaced by Kelsie Pace)' Tom Guerierrio, Pharmacist for Hallmark Health (job transfer), Colleen Seferian, Liaison for Board of Health (new liaison to be appointed), and Mary Scott Wagner, liaison for the Clergy Council (replaced by Jane Duggan). Executive Board The Executive Board, comprised of the Town Manager, Police Chief, Superintendent of Schools and RCASA President, met monthly with the RCASA Director to provide guidance. The E- Board was instrumental in leading a 3 -part Community Dialogue Series in the fall of 2011. Data Workgroup The leaders of the Data Workgroup created pathways for staff to access additional school, police and town data. A key focus for data collection was the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey's for the middle and high school. Also, process data was captured through a youth focus group and three community dialogue sessions. All data is available on the RCASA section of the Edline site. Risk Behavior Workgroup The Risk Behavior Workgroup (RBW) focused on developing ways to educate the school community on multiple risk behaviors including substance abuse. The workgroup working with the School Wellness District Committee and the RCASA Youth Leaders planned the 2nd Annual Health & Wellness Day at the Reading Memorial High School in the spring of 2011. The event was jointly sponsored by the Reading Public Schools and RCASA. More than 1,100 students and 150 staff members participated in the day. There was a variety of staff and student activities 325 (grades 8 -12) throughout the day. Some of the local health fair partners included: Winchester Hospital, Burbank YMCA, Families Anonymous, Hallmark Health, AI -Anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, Reading Health and Wellness District Committee, RMHS Environmental Club, RMHS Gay Straight Alliance, Reading Police Department, Reading Public Health Department, Reading Public School Nurses, Reading Recreation Department, and the Salem State College Physical Education Teacher Education Program. Students had the option to participate in two important workshops focused on substance abuse prevention. Melissa Weiksnar, Harvard MBA, Educator and Parent, shared her personal story during the 2011 Health & Wellness Day. Melissa conducted workshops for students and shared the devastating impact of opiate addiction that led to the death of her daughter Amelia Caruso. The Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts conducted workshops throughout the day on the impact of alcohol and marijuana on the teen brain. Youth Workgroups The RCASA Youth Crew, comprised of 22 members, focused on youth leadership, media campaign development, outreach, and prevention products. In addition to special events, the Youth Crew leaders met every other Sunday for four hours throughout the school year and two afternoons a week during the summer to develop their projects. A key focus was on developing a proposal to ban tobacco in local pharmacies. This proposal was presented to the Board of Health. The RCASA Student Club, comprised of 15 members, met every Tuesday at Reading Memorial High School throughout the school year. They conducted a tobacco prevention research project (106 surveys collected) and co- organized the second Health & Wellness Day. The advisors for the club include RCASA Staff, Chair of the Wellness Department and the School Resource Officer (SRO). The results were shared with key stakeholders including the Board of Health. Collaborative Workgroups The Behavioral Health Task Force chaired by Dr. Doherty included concerned school leaders, faculty, and RCASA staff. The group met throughout the summer and fall to develop a set of clear recommendations designed to improve Behavioral Health in the district. The results were shared with the community and School Committee. The K -12 Wellness Assessment Review Team chaired by Tom Zaya and Erica McNamara conducted a thorough review of K -12 health and wellness education offered in the district. The team reviewed current materials & curricula, met with school stakeholders from each school level, explored current research, and reviewed standards based curricula. The co- chairs presented the results to Dr. Doherty. The recommendations were integrated into the school budget process. Coalition Membership Membership involvement has increased in all twelve coalition sectors from 293 people in 2008 to 904 people in 2011. Community Outreach PTO Presentations Avery Stroman, Kelsie Pace, and Ashley Testa joined Tom Zaya, RCASA Board for a special presentation for parents at Parker. Youth leaders shared trends in tobacco products and showed samples of products. Parents were interested in the material and asked questions about youth involvement in the coalition. Ashley Testa and Mark Mauriello joined Erica McNamara and Tom Zaya for a presentation to parents at the high school PTO. They shared data regarding high school age students, explored trends in Other Tobacco Products (OTPs), discussed parent /child communication and answered questions from the participants. Parent Series Parents participated in the four part parent/adult series. The series was conducted in the spring of 2011 by Marilyn Belmonte of the Burlington Task Force. According to the survey responses the presentation brought to Reading parents /adults in April and May was overwhelmingly successful. Everyone felt the substance abuse prevention information was valuable and the workshop was successful at teaching how to reduce the risk of adolescent substance abuse. Understanding Marijuana was the most popular evening presentation, closely followed by Adolescent Brain Development & Trends in Teen Drug Abuse. Prescription & Over -The- Counter Medications, Inhalant Abuse, and The Progression from Prescription Narcotics to Heroin were also very popular. School Events All freshman students enrolled in the Decisions Program at RMHS completed the Choose 2 Refuse Program. This program focuses on opiate prevention (using materials from the Essex County District Attorney) taught by RCASA staff and the SRO. More than twelve hundred RMHS students viewed the Improbable Players performance in the spring of 2011. There were two different performances. One was for freshman/sophomores and the other was for juniors /seniors. The players are a professional acting troupe comprised of adults in recovery from substance abuse. The Red Ribbon Week Observance was first brought to Reading in 2007 by faculty at Joshua Eaton: The 2011 celebration included many student activities to get young children involved. 1000 middle school students from Coolidge and Parker Middle School viewed Improbable Players Performances in November of 2011. Community Dialogue Series The first event was held in September of 2011 at the RMHS Field House. The event featured small group dialogues using the World Cafe model. Over 200 people participated. Deb Gilburg facilitated the event. The second event was held in October of 2011 at the RMHS Performing Arts Center. Highlights included a personal story of addiction shared by Mrs. Goodemote and her daughter Abby. The 2011 Youth Risk Behavior data was presented by the RCASA Director and Tom Zaya. The 327 RCASA Youth Crew shared project presentations including Dear 16 Year Old Me Video; Understanding Addiction; Environmental Strategies, and Social Entrepreneurship. The third event was held in mid - October at the RMHS Field House and featured a panel comprised of the RCASA Director, Chief of Police, and a representative from the Middlesex District Attorney's Office. The panel was moderated by the Town Manager and was followed by audience questions and small group discussions. Responsible Beverage Service Education The RCASA Director conducted the TIPS series for Oye's Restaurant (2 trainings) and the Wine Bunker staff (1 training). Awards Reading Memorial High School Ceremony for Senior Awards, April 2011 - The awards for Outstanding Youth Leadership were presented to graduating RCASA youth leaders including Ben Hitchcock, Kevin Gallagher, Mark Mauriello, and Ashlyn Lawrence. Reading Memorial High School Graduation Ceremony, June 2011- The awards for Outstanding Contributions to RMHS Health & Wellness were presented to students by Tom Zaya, Chair of the Wellness Department on behalf of RCASA. President's Volunteer Service Awards, Annual Meeting, October 2011- The awards were presented by the high school principal and School Committee Chairperson. The RCASA Student Club earned the Silver Service Award for dedicating 500 hours as a group over the last 2 years. The recipients received a silver pin, a letter from President Obama and a Certificate. Recipients: Emily Ames, Chris Brown, Zachary Camenker, Alexandra Crogan, Erin Cunningham, Katherine DeBenedetto, Robert Devaney, Garrison Doodlesack, Scott Freeman, Kevin Gallagher, Kelleigh Matrullo, Kelsey McCarthy, Kelsey McGinness, Kelsie Pace, Kathryn Reidy, Brian Rubin, Avery Stroman, Ashley Testa, Abigail Vieno, and Annie White. Finance Grants U.S. White House ONDCP /SAMHSA CSAP, Drug Free Communities Grant, $99,957 Health Resources in Action- Tobacco prevention- $9,950 Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety & Security, Alcohol Compliance, $5,000 (grant was awarded to Reading Police Department in conjunction with RCASA). Fundraising Events and TIPS training, $165. EeL-1' Match funds The resources committed to RCASA projects totaled $155,000 from the town, school and police departments. These resources included the provision of office and meeting space, matrix supervision, and financial oversight. Public Relations Twenty -five news updates featuring articles by the Youth Crew and staff were sent to 420 members. Staff prepared a series of Press Releases and also launched a blog on Reading Patch. Local newspapers published 111 RCASA news articles. Reading Community TV aired two RCASA event productions (Community Conversations and Dialogue Series). Coalition Milestones •• Proposed ban to remove tobacco from local pharmacies. • Implemented anonymous Text a Tip program for residents to report problems. • Strengthened police enforcement to reduce minors' access to alcohol through compliance checks program (88% pass rate amongst local liquor licensees'). • Doubled the intake of unwanted prescription medications through the Rx Round Up. • Conducted youth- driven projects on addiction, entrepreneurship, and media. • Collected 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data with new substance use questions. • Brought youth, parents and residents together to discuss substance abuse through the 3- part community dialogue series. • Proposed changes to strengthen the local Health Education and Behavioral Health strategies. 329 2011 ANNUAL REPORT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION COMMENT The Administration Division supported the Department with procurement administration, water and sewer billing through August, budget preparation and coordination, departmental personnel and payroll services, accounts payable processing, cemetery administration services and responses to public inquiries and concerns over all Public Works areas of responsibility. Significant projects included • Procurement, project support, and contract management for over 20 contracts throughout the public works divisions, including highway projects and supplies, water and sewer main projects, fuel, salt, and snow removal. • Oversight of the first year of a five year contract for our Town -wide solid waste collection and curbside recycling. The contract ends in July 2016. The new program includes weekly dual- stream recycling for paper and plastic, scheduled events for rigid plastics, paper - shredding, metal pickup, 5 curbside leaf collections, along with 1 bulk item picked up weekly curbside at no charge, and a reduced charge for curbside TV /CRT pickup through the vendor. • Coordination of 2 Household Hazardous Waste Day collection events with the Town of Wakefield. • Completion of a 5 year project for installations of new water meters. The 5`h and final year was contracted out to Mass Installations, Inc. • . Procurement assistance to other Town Departments and Divisions including the Library, Community Services, and the Assessors Office. • Overall facilitation of the Water Conservation Rebate Program: Appointment scheduling, rebate processing and tracking of high - efficiency washing machines, low - flow toilets, and irrigation system rain sensors, and rain barrels. • Coordination of Street Sign Sales — a unique opportunity to purchase a piece of Reading memorabilia. • Significant strides have been gained in reducing disposal tonnage. Increased recycling efforts through continued media and educational initiatives have led to new programs and new initiatives being instituted. In 2011, Reading became the first municipality in the area to add a permanent Styrofoam's recycling drop off center to their recycling program. Open every day, the Styrofoam— recycling center is one of many new programs helping Reading Recycle. Emphasis continued on providing public information, responding to inquiries and concerns, and improving all areas of public communications. 330 CEMETERY DIVISION The following is from office records for calendar year 2011. Interments — 113 Interments for all years - 14,739 Markers set — 11 Foundations — 22 Monuments re -set — 32 Sale of Lots Forest Glen — 2 lots in the Urn Garden - total for all years — 2,058 lots, 798 single graves. Charles Lawn — 5 lots, 3 single and veterans' graves — total for all years — 497 lots, 256 single and veterans graves. Wood End — 23 lots and 3 single grave — total for all years — 395 lots, 34 single graves. Cooperation from other divisions of Public Works was outstanding and much appreciated. The Board of Cemetery Trustees has been very supportive of all the numerous programs and goals of this division. I thank them for all their assistance. Respectfully submitted — Robert L. Keating, Supervisor Custodian of Veteran's Graves — Calendar year 2011 Interments — WWII — 7 Korea — 0 Vietnam — 1 Peacetime - 2 Total of all veteran's interred — 1,796 As has been the custom for many years, all veteran's graves were decorated with a flag and a potted flower for Memorial Day. Respectfully submitted — Frank Driscoll, Custodian of Soldiers and Sailors Graves ENGINEERING DIVISION The Engineering Division provides engineering services to all Departments within the Town of Reading. The Division is responsible for preparation of plans, contract documents, specifications, estimates, survey layout, inspection, design and construction management of Town construction projects, upkeep of traffic markings, review of subdivision plans and site plans for accuracy and conformance with the subdivision and site plan rules and regulations, review of conservation submittals, preparation of subdivision and conservation bond estimates, inspection of subdivision construction and the administration of the pavement management program and Chapter 90 roadway improvement program. The Division also provides technical assistance and guidance on various Town projects, performs traffic studies, regulates and inspects private construction activities within Town roadways, and is responsible for the 331 maintenance of all records concerning the subdivision of land, roadway, water, sewer and drainage construction, town maps and the issuance of various permits. The division provided surveying, design, project management and construction management services for the following construction projects completed during the year: Roadway Improvements In an effort to provide improved roadways, longer life cycle pavement surfaces and additional surface treatments the division revised the Town's pavement specifications to require super -pave mix designs; extensive hatching and application testing procedures; and to permit micro -seal surface treatment. Improvements were performed on the following roadways: - Beaver Road (Lucy to 90 degree bend) - Causeway Road (for street acceptance) -Dana Road (Colonial to old cul -de -sac) - Forest Glen Road (Pearl Street end) - Hanscom Avenue (Lowell Street to Weston Road) Sewer,System and I/I - Lowell Street (Bradford Road to Hartshorn Street) -Old Farm Road - Redgate Lane (Indian Tree Lane to Pennsylvania Avenue) - Sanborn Street (Lowell to Woburn Streets Grove Street and West Street sewer pump stations — conservation filing for UST removal South Street and Sturges Pump Station — analyze system capacity for acceptance added sewerage flow for Reading Woods development. Septic abandonment — performed Title V abandonment inspections on behalf of Health Department as needed. Managed Phase 7 of the MWRA 1/I Local Assistance Program, consisting of smoke testing 237,000 linear feet of sewer; dye testing of 75 locations; and the TV inspection of 21,000 linear feet of sewer. The study identified 30 unpermitted sewer connections which will result in an estimated $22,500 of added sewer use revenue to the Town. Isolated flow isolation and the studies final report recommending additional sewer improvements is expected during the summer of 2012. Water Haverhill Street Water Improvements — Started construction of the main replacement project extending from Wakefield Street to Batchelder Road. The project is funded under the MWRA Local Pipeline Assistance Program (LPAP). The program provides no interest loans to the Town for water quality improvement projects. 332 Parks & Playgrounds - Castine Field — design swale restoration - Barrows Elementary School — revise playground master plan -Birch Meadow Complex — Master Plan site amenities and landscape improvements -Water Treatment Plant Site, Strout Avenue — proposed park and parking alternatives Sidewalks and Curbs -Birch Meadow Road \Imagination Station - sidewalk relocation and parking expansion. Stormwater - Memorial Park Improvements — complete drainage swale restoration and sediment removal. - Howard Street — design drainage swale improvements - Causeway Road Street Acceptance — installed additional roadway drainage and water quality unit -Work continued on meeting the requirements of the NPDES MS4 Phase II Stormwater program with the submission of the annual compliance report; mapping, inspection and updating of the outfall database; distribution of storm water awareness information, and flyers; and delivery of stormwater presentations at the Parker Middle School Science Fair Day, MMA, SuAsCo and Mystic River Municipal Subcommittee. Stormwater Mapping and NPDES MS4 Assistance Prepared, advertised and solicited RFP's for the Stormwater Mapping and NPDES Assistance Project. Awarded contract to consultant CDM. Project will establish GIS layer of Town's stormwater system and provided technical assistance to the Town in meeting the requirements of the anticipated new MS4. Saugus and Aberjona River Study Prepared, advertised and solicited RFP's for the River Study contract. Awarded contract to consultant AECOM. Held initial meeting and site walk, study is in progress. Initial report is expected summer 2012. Miscellaneous -DPW Facility — Prepare site plan for security and drainage improvements - Library — Existing conditions site plan for proposed expansion - Roadway Acceptance Plans: Causeway Road, Benjamin Lane, Kylie Drive - Roadway Discontinuance Pearl Street, Grant Street and Oakland Road Area - Property Plans: Pearl Street and Oakland Road Area - Parker Turf Field — As -built and Conservation Compliance Plan ON - Walkers Brook Drive Roadway Improvements - As -built and Conservation Compliance Plan -Grove Street and West Street — Pumping Station UST removal Conservation Filing and Compliance Plan Federal/State Programs and Projects West Street Roadway Reconstruction Project: - The division continued its efforts to elevate the West Street Roadway Improvement Project to the funded project list of the States Transportation Improvement Plan through meetings with Metropolitan Planning Organization members and MassDOT officials. Secured local funding for the completion of the 100% design. Safe Routes to Schools: - Hired appraiser; secured temporary and permanent easements along the project corridor; and worked with MassDOT and their consultant to modify project in accordance with Board of Selectman's recommendations. MassDOT awarded contract in November and project is expected to start April 2012. High /Haven Streetscape Improvements - Hired consultant to develop conceptual plans to extend the downtown streetscape improvements along Haven Street, High Street, Washington Street, Sanborn Street, Linden Street, and Chute Street. Federal Railroad Train Horn Rule Quit Zone Compliance: - Submitted supplemental information to Federal Railroad and all required agencies for the Establishment of Quit Zone. Railroad Quite Zone Compliance: Installed traversable medians on New Crossing Road and Willow Street. Inspections and Permitting The Engineering Division performed inspections of utility installations and repairs; dig safe mark -outs Town wide; and for gas main installations on Manning Street. Performed site inspections for private development projects at Reading Woods, Calareso's Farm Stand at 80 -100 Main Street, E -Cars of New England at 281 Main Street, Perfecto's Cafe at 285 Main Street, Oak Tree Development at 30 Haven Street, 159 Haven Street, Meadow Brook Golf Course, 10 Pierce Street, 244R Ash Street, YMCA parking expansion, Johnson Woods, and Sailor Tom's Way subdivision. The Engineering Division issued permits and performed construction inspection for 21 new sewer connections; 13 new water connections; 17 permits for the disconnection, repair or reuse of existing sewer connections; 15 permits for the maintenance or repair of water services; 110 street opening permits to National Grid for repairs, new gas services and main installations; 22 street opening permits within Town right -of -ways; 6 curb cut permits; 4 street /sidewalk occupancy permits; 47 Jackie's Law trench excavation permits; and witnessed 5 soil evaluations for private projects. 334 HIGHWAY DIVISION The Highway Division at the Public Works Facility consists of 16 employees, 3 are Mechanics, I is a Dispatcher and the 12 that are left maintain the infrastructure of the Town of Reading. The regular projects such as street sweeping, catch basin repair (55), roadside cutting, sidewalk and street maintenance, tree lawn repair, mixing and sifting loam and compost, traffic control, cleaning of catch basins (approximately 2,600), and ditches continued by priority and need. Street sweeping was started on March 21, 2011 and finished on April 25, 2011. Miscellaneous Placed and filled planters for Adopt -An- Island program, placed mosquito control tablets in the catch basins and detention areas for the Health Department. We held Hazardous Waste Day, Paper Shredding and Hard Plastic recycling events. Participated in the Adopt -A- Family in November and December; Equipment Day at the Library; and Town Day. Provided support for the annual Fall Street Faire; did traffic control for Christmas on the Common; and the Halloween Parade. We installed brackets, banners, flowers, and hangers in the square. Vehicle Maintenance Repaired and serviced equipment from Police, Fire, School, Building Maintenance, Council on Aging, and Public Works Departments. We continued to take waste oil from the public during the week and on Saturdays, and did emergency in- the -field repairs as needed. Snow and Ice During the winter season of 2010- 2011 we plowed 9 storms and sanded sixteen 16 times. Special Projects - Installed drain line and catch basins on Causeway and Beaver Roads and removed the sediment in the ditch at Memorial Park. -Skim Coated sections of Van Norden Road, Wakefield and Forest Streets. -Dug test pits for engineering. -Did trail work for the Trails Committee. - installed a handicap ramp and parking space at the Mattera Cabin. - Installed a section of hot top berm at Fairview Avenue. -Did conduit work at the High School and installed security gates at the Garage. - Changed out electric pull boxes at the Police Station. -Dug ditch and drainage on Mark Avenue. 335 -Built the McCarthy Memorial at the High School. - Replaced concrete sidewalk on Cape Cod Avenue and a section of Woburn Street. - Milled and prepped sections of Washington and Hopkins Streets for Micro Seal. FORESTRY -TREE WARDEN'S REPORT Sixty -one hazardous trees were removed. These trees were dead or in a dangerous condition so as to be a threat to public safety. 69 hazardous tree stumps were removed from the tree lawns, parks, schools and playgrounds for public safety. 90 trees were trimmed. Dead wood and low branches were removed from the public trees as requested or observed. 29 trees were planted by the town as street trees. The varieties included Zelcova, Linden, Gingko, Tulip Tree, Elm, and Red Maple. The Compost Center on Strout Avenue continues to accept brush and leaves from residents. 41,569 cars entered the Compost Center in 2011. Residents are required to purchase stickers from the Police Department for use of the compost center. The holiday lighting put up by the tree crew in the town square was once again very successful. There were 20,000 colored bulbs installed on the common. Reading Municipal Light Department donated 40 strands of the new LED lights. The Town of Reading was awarded "Tree City USA" for the 26th consecutive year by the National Arbor Day Foundation. 500 Colorado Spruce trees were purchased and distributed to all the fifth graders. Thanks to the Reading Rotary Club for sponsoring and assisting in this program to make "Arbor Day 2011" a success in Reading. A special thanks to all the committees and commissions working toward the preservation of Reading's public shade trees. PARKS The division continues to maintain 80 acres of grassed area throughout the town as well as the facilities within the parks and schools. This includes the renovation as well as the continued maintenance of all the ball fields on school or parks grounds. The division maintains 16 tennis and basketball courts; the tot lots; and the skating rinks. The Division maintains the grounds for all municipal as well as school buildings. The division also assists all Town departments, committees and commissions with tree maintenance, snow and ice removal and election set -up. Respectfully Submitted, Robert L. Keating Supervisor -Tree Warden 336 2011 ANNUAL REPORT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS - RECREATION DIVISION Mission Statement The mission of the Reading Recreation Division is to provide the community with year round recreational activities. Recreation programs are broad based to meet the recreational needs of all segments of the population. The Recreation Division must continually update and modify its programming to meet the current needs of the community. As the community's participation and awareness of local recreational programs increase, so does their expectation of Recreation Division programs. The Recreation Division must be ready to anticipate and adapt to these growing expectations and trends. Division Overview 2011 was, yet again, another good year for the Recreation Division. The professional staff returned for its third consecutive year together. Great strides were made making the division more innovative with the addition of on -line registration and a plunge into social media networks Twitter and Facebook as avenues of connecting with the public. The Recreation Division continues to offer a high level and volume of programming each year. Spread over three seasons, Reading Recreation is offering programs that suit almost any demographic. The division watches trends closely trying to match the needs of the public to the hottest programs available. Projects The most significant projects in 2011 were the implementation of on -line registration. The Recreation Division said good bye to RecTrac, its long term registration data base. It was replaced by a website application called readingrec,com from a Vermont based company called MyRec. The on -line resource allows the residents to create and manage their own account, sign up, and pay on -line for programs. It also allows the Recreation Staff to run reports, checks programming numbers, and send email blast to participants from anywhere with an internet connection. There was another playground facelift this past year. The Joshua Eaton Elementary School received a new playground in September. Dodging the tropical storm in September, the Parks and Recreation Division worked together to provide the Joshua Eaton School with the second largest playground in Reading. $45,000 was contributed by the town through its capital improvements program. The Joshua Eaton PTO also contributed close to $50,000. 337 Another year, another master plan. In 2011, a master plan for Glen Meadow Field at the Barrows School was completed. The plan still needs final approval by the Board of Selectmen, but it is believed that the plan will be adopted in early 2012. In 2011, the Recreation Division began selling tennis access passes to the public for use of the Bancroft Avenue tennis courts. This program was put in place to help control the out -of -town use of the courts and overcrowding. Residents were charged $10 with a max of $25 per household and the non - residents were charged $100. The pass was only good for court use during the busy summer months from 5:00 PM — 10:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The program met with much success in the first year as residents appreciated the fact that the town was working hard to protect the courts. A tennis monitor was at the courts each evening to check passes and to schedule the courts. The Mattera Cabin opened officially for business in August 2011. The building received significant renovations in 2010 and 2011 by the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School. Close to 75 students worked on the cabin replacing the heating system completely, installation of track lighting, and a new tile floor among other enhancements. The Recreation Division began using the cabin in the fall for programming and rentals to the public. The cabin has also had open hours on Saturdays and Sundays for public use. Programming - Winter /Spring Reading Recreation highlights the following programs for the 2011 Winter /Spring season: • Spring Soccer Doctor Clinic • Spring Ball Basketball Clinic with H.S. Basketball Coach Kim Penny • Reading Baseball School — Pitching and Hitting with Coach Pete Moscariello • Spring Tennis Clinics for Youths and Adults • Challenger Biddy Basketball for Children with Special Needs • Saturday Morning Sports Series • Challenger All -Sports • 5th Season of the Junior Baseball League • Kids Just Love Crafts • Top Secret Science • Baby Sitting Course • Crafts programs for Adults • Fencing for Youth - Adults The Winter /Spring season featured many great programs for participants of all ages. The 5th season of Junior League Baseball proved again to be successful with over 230 participants. This program continues to grow each year and has become a mainstay and intricate part of the Recreation Division's programming line -up. The first season partnering with Reading Youth Baseball was a success. T -Ball became a program for 5 and 6 year old boys and girls in 2011. The 7 year olds would now need to go to RYS or RYB as a natural progression. 338 The spring season also saw many successful programs including the popular Reading Baseball School which is run by Peter Moscariello as well as Rocket Volleyball with Coach Michelle Hopkinson. The Recreation Egg Hunt was a huge success as it returned to Memorial Park this year. The event was originally cancelled due to wet grounds but was able to be made up the following week. Close to two hundred kids ranging for the age of 2 — 8 participated. The Recreation Division continues to offer programs such as a babysitting class from the staff of Winchester Hospital as well as Fencing for all ages. The Recreation Division believes that recreation is more than just the typical four major sports and can include enrichment type programs. Recreation continued to successfully run adult fitness classes such as Zumba and Cardio, Core and More in 2011. The programs are run by certified trainer Jennifer Tortalano. Saturday AM Sports is still dominating SAT AM's for most kids. This program is led by Jim Sullivan, John Bruno and our high school and college staff. The program offers one hour sections for T -Ball, Soccer and Basketball. Programming - Summer The Summer Camp program averaged approximately 82% capacity in summer 2011. This is a climb of about 13% from the previous summer. The program was a great success with over 650 kids taking part over 8 weeks. Thanks to Program Coordinator, Jim Sullivan and the hard work of the summer camp staff, the program was a success. The Recreation Division continued theme weeks for each week of camp which were very popular. Jamie Walsh continued as camp director for the 4th— 8th grade participants and staff. John Bruno served as the director of the K — 3rd grade. Both, working under the guidance of Jim Sullivan, steer the program in its many directions. This year's camp staff saw approximately 70% returning staff. The paraprofessional staff was as strong as ever this year and did a great job. We continue to look for students that enjoy working with children. The goal is to continue with the strong numbers for summer camp again this summer and make Reading Recreation Camp part of more kid's summer experience. The Recreation Division saw virtually exact parallel numbers in many of the sports clinics from the previous year. These sport clinics continue to thrive. Successful clinics and programs included: • Challenger Little League Baseball • Volleyball Clinics • Tiny Tot Soccer • Basketball Clinics for Boys and Girls 339 • Reading Baseball Clinics • Super Sports (3 Sessions) • Kids Crafts • Tennis Clinics The Recreation Division introduced some new afternoon programs and used signing up for camp as a discount opportunity tied into the new programs. Event -ful hosted several one -day programs including Jedi Training, Legos and American Girl. Each of these programs was well attended and very popular. The Recreation Division also offered discounts for those that participated in camp and our afternoon street hockey and basketball leagues. The Recreation Division hosted Wednesday Night All- Comers Track Meets again this past summer. Participants were happy to have this fun yet inexpensive program back. Each week there were 25 plus participants. "Theater on the Green" and "Touch of Class" concert series were again a great hit. "Theater on the Green" had a successful turnout this summer each Wednesday afternoon, five concerts highlighted by "Wayne from Maine ", and Curious Creatures. These concerts are very well attended by anywhere between 75 — 125 people each Wednesday. These concerts returned to the band stand at Memorial after a one year hiatus. The "Touch of Class" concerts included Reading staple "Bob Bachelor's Totem Pole Orchestra ", and Reading's own "Steven Savio" among the five concerts. The concert series also featured the Classifieds and the Reading Civic Concert Band. Between donations that were collected during each of the concerts and sponsorships from FORR, the Recreation Division was able to nun these concerts at minimal cost. These concerts were moved to the Common and front lawn of Town Hall. This turned out to be a very good location and attracted more people than the remote location of Memorial Park. The summer also featured Fireworks in Reading. On Friends and Family Day, Reading Recreation partnered with FORR for the third consecutive year to put on a great display of fireworks. Working closely with the Reading Fire and Police Departments, the show was enjoyable for all. They were shot from the outfield at Morton field and could be seen from miles around. The estimated crowd was about 3,000 — 3,500 people. A spectacular event! Finally, the Reading Recreation Division sponsored its 21st Annual Reading Tennis Open. The Tournament was a success once again this year with over 100 players participating. All proceeds go back to the RMHS tennis program and new equipment for the Town courts. The Tournament was again held on the "Reading Community Tennis Courts at Bancroft Ave ". The program is run by Kate Kaminer and Lorraine Salter from Friends of Reading Tennis. Gregg Luongo again served as the Recreation Tennis Professional for the 9th year. Gregg did a good job working with kids and adults and working without the major tennis court area. Tennis enrollment increased by approximately 25 %. We attribute this to the new enthusiasm for tennis with the new courts. Many kids enjoyed the clinics so much that they signed up for more than one week. 340 Programming - Fall /Winter The Fall /Winter season for the Reading Recreation Division produced many programming opportunities. The Recreation Division offered a host of programs such as Baseball, Basketball, Flag Football, Karate and an Art program among others. The Recreation Division again offered a Jr /Sr Volleyball program for 4th — 8th grade students. The program had close to 50 participants. The program was run by RMHS Varsity Coach Michelle Hopkinson and several RMHS volleyball players. We will continue to look for ways to enhance this program and take advantage of its popularity. The Recreation Division continued to offer a Fencing program with Olympic Coach Michael Tarascio. The program was open and populated by - students from 3rd grade — adults. The program is offered on Mondays and Fridays, allowing students that owned their own equipment to participate on both days. Oddly, SAT AM Sports did not run due to low enrollment. This was a stark change from the prior year. The issue could have been over - saturation. The Recreation Division will try bringing it back next Fall. The Halloween Parade had over 125 participants this year and was hosted by the Recreation Division in conjunction with the Friends of Reading Recreation at RMHS Cafeteria. The numbers were about half versus years past due to the October snow storm. Manv families were left with no power. The Recreation Division was happy to provide a safe Halloween alternatives for families. Jordan's Furniture donated popcorn for the event and the Independent Daycare Network gave away trick or treat bags. The Travel Basketball program in 2011 featured over 190 participants with 17 travel teams competing in three different leagues. These teams are selected by coaches with input from the Recreation Staff and Recreation Committee after a two -day competitive try -out. Virtually every player that signed up made a team, unless there were not enough coaches and players. The teams are coached by volunteer parents and friends of the Recreation Division. The Sunday Basketball program continues to grow each year. The program added a K — 1st grade developmental division last year in addition to the already popular 2nd grade players through 5th graders. John Bruno and Karen Atkinson were hired to be the supervisors of Sunday Basketball. They have done an outstanding job showing the ability to handle parent questions, work with kids and supervise the referees. 12 high school students were hired to work this program. Sunday Basketball had approximately 410 participants this year. This is a jump of close to 30 participants. Sunday Basketball continues to be one of the most important programs for the Recreation Division. The Recreation Division will continue to look for ways to enhance the program. After a brief hiatus, the learn -to -ski program was able to run again this year. Albeit, only the elementary section ran, the Recreation Division hopes to be able to rebuild the program. 341 Special Needs Programming Special Needs programming this year was offered by The Arc of East Middlesex Recreation in conjunction with the Recreation Division. Programs such as aquatics, social club and social dances were offered. The Arc offered successful programs such as Special Olympic training, bowling, teen groups, and social clubs to name a few. The participants are asked at the end of each session to fill out an evaluation form to give feedback. Margaret Veronelli ran Challenger Bowling program this past fall. The program did very well with participation. Challenger Soccer was managed by Ralph D'Amico once again and had a very successful run in the Unified Olympics with a huge come from behind win! Challenger Little League was taken over by Katya Farrel in Spring 2011. The Recreation Division also continued offering Special Skates at the Burbank Ice Arena. This program is headed by Karen Ghirardi. The Division continues to look for other programming areas to expand into. The Recreation Division also runs continuous sections of Challenger All - Sports. This program is run by Lynn Mahoney. She lines up groups each week to volunteer. The program is run for free and Ms. Mahoney does all of the coordination. Brochure and Advertising Reading Recreation continues the mailing of Reading Recreation Magazine to every household in Reading, three times a year. Participating agencies include Recreation, Police Department, Fire Department, Library Services, Elder Services, YMCA, Creative Arts, RCASA, Friends of Reading Recreation and various in -town organizations. The magazine also features interesting articles for the community to keep them connected to what's happening around Town. The Recreation Division staff has worked hard to put out a quality magazine that the public will look forward to receiving and reading each season. In 2011, Adult and Community Education decided to produce their own publication and therefore are no longer featured in the magazine. The Reading Recreation Division posts all of its programming at www.readingrec.com. At this website patrons can easily search and sign up for programs. They have the option of either paying on -line or they can print a registration form and mail a check to pay for the class. The website also allows for opt -in direct emails to the public. Email blasts can be sent to the entire database at the click of a mouse or can be sent to specific participants in a specific program. Twitter and Facebook have also proved to be great and inexpensive ways to publicize events Personnel Jim Sullivan begins his 6th year as Program Coordinator. "Coach Jim ", as his participants refer to him, in a short period of time, has become a vital part of the Recreation Division's operation. Jim's leadership and diligence has helped programs such as Sunday Basketball, Summer Camp and Junior League Baseball prosper. He continues to look for new programs and ideas to enhance the division. The feedback we get indicates how much the kids and parents appreciate Jim's hard work 342 Principal Clerk Sue Simeola enters her 4th year with the Recreation Division. Sue has made a positive impact on the operation of the Recreation Division. She has successfully managed the deposits and accounts receivables for Recreation making that process virtually seamless. She has also become the expert in the office on the new on -line registration system and was a huge part of making it a success. Sue handles much of the face to face customers for the Recreation Division/DPW as well as serves as the frontline for our phone system. Sue has quickly become the backbone of the Recreation Division. Administration John Feudo begins his 10th year as Recreation Administrator. John, under the direction of the Recreation Committee, continues to manage the scheduling of all town fields and oversee the everyday operation of the Recreation Division. Permits are issued for every field in Town. Reading Recreation will continue to work with the local Youth and Adult sports organizations in maximizing field space. Over the past five years, capital and master planning have become a very high priority for the Recreation Division and the Town. John has worked with many volunteer groups to design'master plans that are functional and advantageous for the Town. It should be noted that having a full service engineering department on site has made this process possible. There is a constant flow of information streaming from Recreation to Engineering to make these plans possible for public viewing. Attention is now being turned toward a pavilion/bathrooms and snack shack at the Birch Meadow Complex. It is the general feeling that this single enhancement could mean more to building community than another Recreation project in the near future. It becomes a meeting place for families to congregate and enjoy the best open spaces in Reading! Reading Recreation is continuously, looking for available land for the development of new recreational facilities. A comprehensive capital plan has been developed to include tennis courts, basketball courts and backstop replacement over the next twelve years. The Recreation Administrator continues to work with leaders of the sports organizations to develop other field opportunities with in what is already provided. The Reading Recreation Division and the Recreation Committee continue to develop policies that will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of each Reading Recreation program. Reading Recreation has been glad to offer the public over -200 recreational programs throughout the past year. Reading Recreation hopes to meet the communities changing recreational needs while, providing them with a combination of safe, fun, and educational programs. Suggestions of new programs are welcomed and encouraged. 343 WATER DISTRIBUTION A total of 10 new water services were installed, 23 old water services were replaced, repaired 28 water service leaks, repaired 8 broken water mains, replaced 6 old fire hydrants, repaired 10 broken fire hydrants, rebuilt 42 fire hydrants. A total of approximately 500' of new water mains were added to the distribution system, replaced 2,041' of old 6" water main with new 8" water main on Haverhill Street, replaced 1,895' of old 6" and 8" water main with new 12" water main on Haverhill Street, disconnected 23 water services for house demolition, replaced 1 water main gate valve, replaced 55 old water services from the water main to the sidewalk shut off for Chapter 90 road reconstruction. Assisted Wakefield Water Division with temporary water feed on Bay State Road, assisted with Friends & Family Day and Vehicle Day at Reading Library, inspected the installation of water mains at Reading Woods, MWRA interconnection, 480 Main Street and # 10 Pierce Street projects, continued cross connection control program, flushed water mains in southern section of town, all drinking fountains and town irrigation systems turned on in spring and turned off and winterized in fall, 2 seasonal laborers painted and lubricated hydrants over 1/4 of Town, completed annual water inventory, loam and seed on all water jobs, hot topped water and sewer trenches, checked and maintained 2 water booster stations daily, cleaned and maintained the grounds, cutting grass, etc. at the Auburn Street tank site. Lowered and raised water gate boxes for construction jobs, conducted a leak detection survey, assisted Highway Division during snow plowing operations, removed snow from business district, churches and schools, and shoveled snow from fire hydrants. The Town's water conservation program awarded rebates for 193 energy efficient washing machines, 72 water - saving toilets, 3 irrigation rain sensors and sold 63 rain barrels. METER ROOM The regular quarterly water meter reading cycle was supported, 199 work orders were received and completed, 227 bill -to -date readings were taken, 10 meters were removed, 10 meters were reset, 3 meters tested correct, 0 meters tested incorrect and 1,501 old meters were replaced with new water meters. SEWER DISTRIBUTION Approximately 12,532' of sewer mains were cleaned and T.V. inspected, 1,691 sewer main joints were tested and 1,477 sewer main joints were sealed, 11 sewer laterals were tested and sealed, replaced 4 sewer manhole frames and covers, repaired 1 broken sewer main, cleaned wet wells at all sewer stations, checked and maintained 12 sewer stations daily, cleaned approximately 1/4 of the sanitary sewer main system, cleaned and maintained the grounds, cutting grass, trimmed bushes etc., around the sewer stations, completed work orders regarding leaks, broken gates etc., exercised emergency generator weekly, completed the annual sewer inventory. Assisted Highway Division during snow plowing operations, removed snow from business district, churches and schools, shoveled snow from fire hydrants. 344 WATER SUPPLY DIVISION General Awarded contract to Weston & Sampson Engineers to update the distribution system hydraulic model for the water system Capital Improvement Master Plan, taking into consideration the MWRA's Northern Intermediate High Service Area redundancy project which will provide the means for the Town of Reading for a redundant second connection to the MWRA system. Completed the required third year of lead and copper sampling of the current cycle of yearly sampling for a three -year period. Thirty specifically targeted homes by regulatory requirements were sampled with all results falling below the lead limit of 15 parts per billion (ppb) and 1,300 ppb for copper. Requested and received Department of Environmental Protection approval for reduced lead and copper monitoring to once every three years as a result of submitting three consecutive years of lead and copper sampling results which" were below the 90th percentile results for lead and copper. The DPW Water Conservation Program continued with great success. In 2011, there was nearly $51,000 in rebates to residents and over $458,000 since the programs inception. The program incorporates emphasis on rebates for low flow washing machines, toilets, irrigation system rain sensors, and rain barrels, along with free home and irrigation system water use audits and reports and home water saving devices for residents that are available at the DPW office at no additional charge. The programs school educational phase continued with Meg Tabasco, Education Coordinator for the MWRA, making presentations to all 3rd grade classes in Town, focusing on water supply and conservation. As required by the August 6, 2006 Administrative Consent Order (ACO) the Town entered into with DEP, the Town continued to retain ownership and control of the Zone I (400' radius) and protection of the Zone II (well recharge area) of the emergency water supply wells and well - field. As a condition of the DEP ACO, the water supply wells and well -field continued to be maintained as an emergency water supply to -pump water to the distribution system with disinfection capabilities. The 750,000 gallon Auburn Street elevated drinking water storage tank and the 1,000,000 gallon Bear Hill standpipe were drained, cleaned, and interior and exterior inspections were completed. Supply Operated and maintained water supply valve, vault, SCADA and security systems, and emergency water supply wells, pump station, and all emergency power equipment. Collected and delivered to laboratory, for analysis, over 500 water system water quality samples. 345 A total of 597.2 million gallons of water were purchased from the MWRA and delivered to the distribution system in 2011. The highest single days' consumption was 2.86 million gallons on June 9, 2011. The highest weeks' consumption was for the period July 18, 2011 to July 24, 2011, an amount of 16.6 million gallons, and the highest month was July with an amount of 67 million gallons. Average daily usage for 2011 was 1.64 million gallons. The average daily per capita use (use by each individual) for 2011 was 47 gallons per person per day. The MWRA, in conjunction with the Water Supply Division, compiled and mailed the thirteenth annual drinking water report to all customers in June. Worked with the MWRA as they replaced the emergency connection 6" water main between Reading and Stoneham from South Street in Reading to North Street in Stoneham with 2,200' of 36" water main as Phase I of their Northern Intermediate High (NIH) Service Area pipeline redundancy project for this area. The MWRA awarded the design contract for Phase II of the project. Tropical storm Irene on August 28th felled a large tree across the 480v electrical lines feeding B -Line well snapping the utility pole, which was replaced by the Reading Municipal Light Department. 2011 MWRA WATER PURCHASED MONTH MILLION GALLONS DAYS AVERAGE DAY JANUARY 44.59 31 1.44 FEBRUARY 41.71 28 1.49 MARCH 46.05 31 1.49 APRIL 45.43 30 1.51 MAY 54.27 31 1.75 JUNE 60.85 30 2.03 JULY 66.99 31 2.16 AUGUST 54.32 31 1.75 SEPTEMBER 47.78 30 1.59 OCTOBER 44.71 31 1.44 NOVEMBER 47.06 30 1.57 DECEMBER 1 43.48 31 1.40 TOTAL 1 597.24 365 1.64 346 2011 RAINFALL RECORDS http://www.mass.gov/der/watersupply/rainfall/ MONTH MEASURED RAINFALL & MELTED SNOW ACCUMULATED RAINFALL & MELTED SNOW DCR POSTED NORMAL RAINFALL & MELTED SNOW JANUARY 3.90 3.90 3.62 FEBRUARY 4.84 8.74 3.27 MARCH 3.23 11.97 4.14 APRIL 4.23 16.20 3.74 MAY 2.34 18.54 3.55 JUNE 4.93 23.47 3.49 JULY 1.69 25.16 3.49 AUGUST 12.75 37.91 3.60 SEPTEMBER 5.30 43.21 3.58 OCTOBER 7.57 50.78 3.69 NOVEMBER 4.01 54.79 4.02 DECEMBER 1.37 56.16 3.88 TOTALS 56.16 56.16 44.07 Total precipitation in 2011 as measured at the DPW, 75 New Crossing Road, was 56.16 ", which is 12.09" above the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) composite normal for the northeast region as posted on January 26, 2012. Monthly normal values computed by DCR are based on averages for the entire period of record for northeast region stations having the longest period of record and are located in Concord, Lawrence and Waltham. Directors Comments I am pleased to submit the 2011 Department of Public Works Annual Report. I would first like to thank the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager, as well as .all town residents for their continued support and encouragement for the past year. In addition, I would also extend my extreme appreciation to all supervisors, as well as all union and non -union employees for their continued hard work, dedication, professionalism, and strong work ethic. Department personnel continue to be actively involved as members or liaisons to a number of boards and committees, and providing key staff support as required. We also continue to assist other departments throughout the year, on what could be any number of projects and programs, including assistance to the Conservation Commission, CPDC, Health Division, etc. The town's implementation of a new solid waste collection/ recycling contract was one of this departments major success stories for 2011. Waste tonnage is down dramatically, while town wide recycling hit an all -time high in December at 35 %. This program, which has become a template for a number of neighboring communities, has resulted in considerable dollar savings 347 to the town, as well as increased services such as curbside leaf collection, weekly recycling, etc. Also, 2011 saw this department deal with a winter season that included 96 total inches of snow (4th highest all time), at close to a 1 million dollar price tag. We persevered through it all, and I thank all involved for their efforts, and a job well done. In addition, as 2011 came to an end, this department, in coordination with facilities, was in the final stages on completing the security system project at the DPW facility at New Crossing Road. Once completed, with a new gate access system, security cameras, and Police Department real time monitoring, all the problems associated with a wide open type facility will all but be a thing of the past. These successes, combined with all the other programs, projects, activities as highlighted in this report, emphasizes that 2011 was truly an active and successful year, and one to build upon for a continued path of excellence in 2012. 348 John F. Doherty, Ed.D. Superintendent Patricia de Garavilla Assistant Superintendent SCHOOL DEPARTMENT 2011 Annual Report Reading Public Schools Mary C. DeLai Director of Finance & Operations Elizabeth Conway Human Resources Administrator This report represents the activities, accomplishments and events of note that occurred in the Reading Public Schools during the 2011 calendar year. Leadership Change • Chuck Robinson was elected Chair of the Reading School Committee for the 2011 -2012 school year. • Karen Janowski was elected Vice Chair of the Reading School Committee.. • Alison Elmer was appointed as Director of Pupil Services • Karen Feeney was appointed Principal at the Joshua Eaton School • Beth Beaulieu was appointed Assistant Principal at the Parker Middle School Notable Events • The Reading Public Schools were honored with inclusion on the College Board's Advanced Placement Honor Roll. • Reading Public Schools hosted the 3`d Annual Blueprint for Educational Excellence National Institute attended by over 800 teachers and administrators from all over the country. All district staff participated — Many teachers presented workshops in all areas of curriculum. • Several Reading families hosted students from Korea and China as part of an exchange program. • Reading Public Schools held the 6th annual Artsfest which showcased student artwork, drama and musical performances. • The Reading Public Schools is in the final year of the Federal American History grant totaling $999,818 over three years. The district is in partnership with Danvers, Dracut, Haverhill, Lowell, North Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield and Wilmington. • The Class of 2011 experienced an extraordinary level of success in their efforts to matriculate into our nation's most academically challenging programs. The following is a report on their plans: 82.6 % - Four Year Colleges, 5.3% - Two Year Colleges, 1.4% - Business /Technical /Prep Schools, 1.1 % - work, 0.7% Armed Services, Undecided — 4.6% and 1.8% - Other. • Once again the Reading Memorial High School students have attained scores that place the school within the top echelon of all high schools in the Commonwealth. Once again all of the seniors in.the class of 2010 met the MCAS graduation requirement. • 97.2% graduation rate for the Class of 2011. • Several faculty and staff members were recognized by local and national educational and professional organizations for outstanding achievement. • A group of teachers /administrators traveled to the Blue Ribbon Conference and participated in several presentations. • Reading Public Schools and RCASA host second annual Health & WeJIness Education Day. • "A World of Difference" program began its second year with the focus on the commitment to a positive school culture. • Middle School students successfully compete in local, state and national competitions including National Science Olympiad, Wordmasters Challenge, District Music competitions and writing contests. • The district continues to upgrade technology with the addition of Smartboards and other forms of technology. • LEGO Robotics: Under the leadership and dedicated efforts of David Ventola and several parent volunteers, over 100 elementary students participated in the Second Annual Lego Robotics invitational in January. The momentum continues as we now have teams at both the elementary and middle school for this year. • Safe Routes to school program sponsored by the MA Department of Transportation is adopted by several schools. • Birch Meadow is focusing on 21st century skills with Smartboards in every classroom and the use of technology to communicate with parents via a principal's blog and twitter. • The Barrows School continues with the "STARS" Program - Students that Act Responsibly Shine. • Several schools continue the Curriculum Initiatives — Open Circle and Differentiated Instruction with many teachers participating in professional development activities and workshops. • The Joshua Eaton School hosted a Technology Showcase where parents and educators were able to see technology at work in the building. 350 • TRRFCC (Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship) Character Program continues to be strong in the Killam community. • Wood End School continues to focus on character development and positive student decision through consistent positive reinforcement. • Technology at Wood End continues to expand with the addition of Smartboards and dedicated computers • Several students participated in the School Games Day sponsored by the Special Olympics • The Pupil Services Department continues to work, in conjunction with regular education, in the creation of internal programs and supports to assist students access the curriculum, and on their goal of controlling out of district costs by developing new programs. • The Facilities Department oversaw two Green Repair Grant Projects — the Birch Meadow Window Replacement and the Killam Roof Replacement. • Completion of the Energy Performance Contracting Project which has resulted in a 15- 30% decrease in energy & electricity usage in our buildings. READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE Chuck Robinson, Chair. Leadership There were several changes in leadership of the Reading School Committee. Lisa Gibbs and Karen Janowski were re- elected for a three -year term. At the committee's annual reorganization in June, Chuck Robinson was elected as Chair, and, Karen Janowski, Vice Chair. Other members of the committee are Lisa Gibbs, Karen Janowski, David Michaud and Hal Croft. Budget The School Committee engaged in a comprehensive process of establishing FY12 budget. Numerous meetings were conducted to discuss the various priorities and how the budget should support the District mission and goals. The final budget, while below the initial recommended budget put forth by the Superintendent, met the guidelines as proposed by the Finance Committee. At the Annual Town Meeting that commenced in April, the following school department budget was approved. 351 Schools Budget Summary Fiscal Year 2012 Recommended Budget Administration $852,309 Regular Day $21,587,525 Special Needs $9,186,325 Other School Services $1,180,308 Custodial /Maintenance $3,199,110 Total Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) Reading's statewide prominence in the MCAS rankings continued in 2011 as Reading placed in the top 20% of all Massachusetts districts in MCAS performance. This represents a significant accomplishment for a system that continues to spend below the state average on per pupil spending. This achievement continues to define Reading as a school system that always gets more performance for less money. We continue to be a frugal district that sets high expectation, and achieves these goals through a collaborative effort of the administration, the teachers, the students, and the parents. This is certainly a model to be envied throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The School Committee is very proud of our accomplishments in this regard and sees this as the standard for accountability ... high scores, low cost. Student Enrollment As students returned to school in September of 2011, it is apparent that with the construction done our students are staying in the school system. We have seen increases at all levels this year. Student enrollment in the fall of 2011(FY2012) stood at 4,377 students. See chart below. Reading Public Schools Student Enrollment FY2012 Elementary Schools K -5 2,048 Middle Schools 6 — 8 1,042 High School 9 — 12 1,253. Special Education *34 Total 4,377 * This is the number of enrollees in our "substantially separate" Special Education classrooms. Reading students who receive full - time Special Education services outside of Reading are not counted in this chart. 352 Achievements Reading Memorial High School graduated 283 young men and women in 2011. While many of our graduating seniors are attending some of the most prestigious universities in the country, all are moving into the future with a solid portfolio of skills, which will help their success in any environment they choose. While we naturally point to acceptances at schools like Tufts and Northwestern as an indication of our system's success, it is the goal of the School Committee, and a better measure of success that we find appropriate placements for all of our students, that will further prepare them to be productive, contributing citizens of our country. In addition to the success of our graduates, we can continue to take pride in the success of our students at all levels. Our athletic programs continue to be one of the best in Massachusetts, with our student athletes demonstrating athleticism, academic achievement, and above all, sportsmanship. Our students take part in a number of statewide competitions, including the Science Olympiad program, National History Day, Drama Fest, and numerous Band competitions. Our success at all levels is almost too numerous to repeat but continues to reflect on the efforts of the students, staff, and parents. We are always indebted to those in the community who provide the additional support when the school department cannot. It is this support from our PTO's, the Boosters, the Band and Drama Parents support organizations, the Reading Technology and Educational Fund, just to name a few, that provide that added support and encouragement that fosters a sense community and promotes participation and success. Student Services Department Alison Elmer, Director The Reading Public School system is committed to the provision of quality education for all students and offers an array of support services and programs in all of our schools. The Student Services Department, including special education, early childhood, guidance, nursing, and English language learners, offers a broad range of support services to students who meet mandated eligibility criteria. Staff, students and families have access to School Psychologists, Special Education Teachers, Therapists, and Consultants. Our office is staffed with two secretaries, five Team Chairpersons, and one Director. A Team Chairperson is assigned to supervise, support and service the needs of students, staff, and families at each of the levels from preschool to age 22 in programs both in and out of district, as well as ensure compliance with all state and federal special education regulations. This year we welcomed four new Team Chairpersons to the Student Services department, as Vicki Griffin retired, Pam Girouard accepted a position as the Director of Special Education in Rockport Public Schools, and Sarah Lanzo returned to her classroom position at Barrows Elementary. Rachael Fusco, Christina Gentile, and Scott Gray have joined our district to fill these vacancies. Mark Nacht, former School Psychologist at Birch Meadow Elementary, and Jessica Lynch, round out our staff of Team Chairpersons. 353 Program Development Due in large part to the extensive efforts of our Team Chairpersons, we are able to continue our efforts to create appropriate programs which allow students to be educated in their community and return from out of district. placements. In the school year 2007 -2008, 73 students were placed out of district. Currently, we have 58 students placed in programs outside of Reading. It is also important to note that we have five students from other districts that pay tuition to attend our in- district programs. This is a testament to the high quality of services and supports we are able to provide in these programs, while allowing opportunities for inclusion with same age peers. In the fall of 2010, the Developmental Learning Center (DLC) program at Barrows Elementary School extended to the kindergarten level in order to improve continuity of services and to minimize transitions for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders who require more intensive services than their home school can provide. The program continues to grow from its inception of three students nearly fifteen years ago to its current enrollment of thirty students at the elementary level. We will need to add teaching staff to the fifth grade for SY12 -13 to keep up with the continued growth of the program. New for the 2011 -2012 school year, the RISE preschool program has a satellite classroom within the Wood End Elementary School. This classroom is another step towards a vision of inclusive neighborhood schools for even our youngest students. In January 2011, the RISE Preschool program introduced a full -day pilot program which provides an inclusive educational experience for our youngest students. This program continued in Fall of this year and it will remain as one of our program offerings for the upcoming school year. This program is offered four days a week, in addition to our half -day programs, and is one of our most highly subscribed programs. An Open House event will be held at the RISE preschool on Wed, January 25th and all are' welcome to attend. Last Spring, the District hired a district -wide behavioral health coordinator, Sara Burd, who works with students, families and staff district -wide to further the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (DESE) Behavioral Health Initiative. She assists with the proactive planning and coordination of efforts, focused on meeting the increasing social, emotional and behavioral challenges and needs of our student population, as well as leads the work of the Behavioral Health Task Force. This task force met throughout the summer and school year to create recommendations for moving this work forward in the district and the community. To this end, the task force has already lead three community dialogues, in coordination with the Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse (RCASA). In January of 2012, we saw the creation of a new Therapeutic Support Program at RMHS for students identified with social and emotional disabilities. This substantially separate special education program is our newest program offering for students who have a history of repeated hospitalizations, chronic absenteeism, excessive tardiness, and other school avoidance behaviors who have not been able to successfully engage in school through other programmatic offerings. This program received mid -year approval from the School Committee as recognition of the district's commitment to addressing the academic and behavioral health needs of some or our most fragile students. 354 Professional Development In order to build the capacity of our staff to improve the quality of services and programs, our teachers, therapists, and paraprofessionals participate in extensive professional development and training throughout the year. The goal of our office over the next 3 -5 years will be to emphasize increased collaboration and partnership between regular education and special education staff in order to build unified systems of support. The district has also created the Office of Learning and Teaching, which combines the Office of the Assistant Superintendent and Student Services, to further these joint initiatives. Professional development will continue to target the areas of inclusive practices, co- teaching models, and universal design for learning. The Reading Public Schools is currently partnering with CAST (Center for Applied Special Technologies). CAST has been provided with grant funded research opportunities and we are fortunate to be chosen as a host site to conduct these studies. Additionally, teams from the Barrows Elementary School and RMHS are working with consultants on the co- teaching model and several of our elementary schools have begun to lay the groundwork for similar work by strategically reallocating their staffing resources to hire teachers, in place of paraprofessionals, to create co- teaching teams. Teacher and therapists have taken part in trainings such as Response to Intervention (RTI), de- escalation and safety care training (QBS), transition planning, executive functioning, mathematics training, Wilson, and educational evaluations. The Student Services Department offers a continuum of programs and services to ensure system- wide collaboration and coordination, for students in preschool through age 22. We are committed to strong professional development and training and we take pride in innovative and creative program development. We are very proud of our organization, our schools and our students. If you need assistance from the Reading Public Schools Student Services Department, you are welcome to contact us at 781 - 942 -9129. Reading Memorial High School Principal, Elinor A. Freedman Reading Memorial High School continued the tradition of strong educational and co- curricular achievement during 2011. With a philosophy of continuous improvement, RMHS looks to the future with a dedicated faculty and staff guided by school -wide expectations for the development of 21st century skills such as critical thinking, effective oral and written communication, creativity, collaboration, global and civic awareness and facility in using the ever growing technological resources available to this generation of learners. All classes are using forms of project based learning in which 21st century skills are embedded into course content with the expectation that our students will learn how to apply their skills to real life contexts. New opportunities offered during the 2011 -2012 school year include a Real World Problem Solving interdisciplinary assessment experience for juniors and the launch of Senior Internship Projects. Global learning has been enhanced by numerous student travel opportunities through exchange programs with schools in Madrid, Spain and Rouen, France, a week -long visit by students from China, as well as guided study tours of England, Eastern Europe, Iceland, Puerto Rico, and New York. Locally, students make connections beyond the classroom through a rich array of field 355 trips and service learning opportunities. Among these experiences, RMHS students looked at DNA with scientists at Boston University, taught English in a Hispanic community in Everett, participated in the international Model United Nations Conference in Boston, and studied ecosystems on the Ipswich River. Freshman Advisory classes experienced a powerful presentation by Holocaust survivor Edgar Krasa in February 2011 as a culminating experience to discussions of diversity and tolerance. . RMHS students also participated in a service learning trip by building houses on the eastern shore of Virginia with Habitat for Humanity, volunteered at local elementary and middle schools, tutored peers, conducted drives for the Reading Food Pantry and Mission of Deeds, presented the Anti - Defamation League's A World of Difference anti -bias curriculum to high school, middle school, and adult audiences, and cleaned local wetlands in Reading as a strong culture of community service is evident at RMHS Post- secondary outcomes for the Class of 2011 saw over 90% of RMHS graduates continuing their education with admission to a variety of prestigious colleges: RMHS students score competitively on standardized measures of educational readiness with SAT scores above the state and national average and 90 % of students scoring at Advanced and Proficient levels on MCAS exams. The Reading Public School District is proud to be one of fewer than 400 public school districts in the nation being honored by the College Board with a place on the 2nd Annual APO Honor Roll, for simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement coursework while maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP exams. RMHS PROUD HIGHLIGHTS: HONORS & DEPARTMENTAL ACHIEVEMENTS New Faculty Joining the RMHS community in September 2011 were the following faculty members: Laura Callahan Annemarie Cory Monique Day Jennifer DeCoff Erika Ferranti Sarah Fuller Scott Gray Michael Rasner Jacqueline Rogers Speech and Language Special Education Mathematics Mathematics Business & Technology History Special Education Team Chair Spanish English Met Graduation Academic Honor Speakers 2011 Valedictorian: Mark Mauriello Salutatorian: Micayla Oniskey National Merit Semi - Finalist 2011 for 2012 Scholarship Competition Dennis Smith National Merit Commended Scholars Fall 2011 for 2012 Scholarship Competition Maureen Baynes Elysa Bond Philip DiMuzio Garrison Doodlesack Kristina Lynch Alexander MacKenzie Michael McGlathery Kaitlin Menzie Philip Minard Virginia Perez Benjamin Webb 357 Guidance 1960 applications were processed by the Guidance Department for the Class of 2011 with over 90% of the graduating class continuing their education. Class of 2011 acceptances numbered among the following: Bates College Boston College Boston University Brandeis University Colby College Dartmouth College Harvard University George Washington University Mt. Holyoke College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Smith College Tufts University University of Michigan University of Rochester Vassar College Villanova University Wake Forest University Worcester Polytechnic Institute • A very successful 28th annual College Fair was held in October at the Shriners Auditorium. Representatives from 190 schools, colleges and universities attended to present information to students and parent$ from eleven school communities, including RMHS. • Evening meetings for parents of seniors and juniors were hosted by the Guidance Department covering topics such as graduation requirements, standardized testing dates and deadlines, financial aid information, post- secondary application process and a timetable of important events. Attendance numbered over two hundred parents /guardians at each evening. • A large group of students took one or more Advanced Placement Examinations in May of 2011. In total, 145 students took 297 exams. The College Board recognizes the percentage of students who score a "3" or higher as a good indicator of both the equity and the excellence of the AP program at RMHS. The percentage of those students who scored a "3" or better were: Biology 88% French Language 100% Calculus AB 75% Physics (E and M) 71% Calculus BC 81% Physics (Meth.) 100% Chemistry 94% Spanish Language 82% English Literature 94% Statistics 71% English Language 75% Studio Art 100% European History 84% United States History 95% • The Senior Developmental Guidance Program took place in January 2011 in the format of an alumni panel. Fourteen members of the RMHS graduating Classes of 358 2009 and 2010 returned to RMHS to speak with the seniors about their college experiences. Wellness • The Wellness Department planned and executed the 2nd annual Health and Wellness Education Day with over 1000 participants. • Wellness Staff successfully conducted the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey and participated in community presentations of results in partnership with the Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse. • The Wellness Department is currently implementing FitStats Software for enhanced Fitness Assessment reporting. Business and Technology • Students in the Sports and Entertainment Marketing Class won I"' 2 "d, and 3`d place in the Massachusetts High School Division of The Stock Market Game sponsored by SIFMA. Over 950 teams participated in the competition. • Students in the Retail Banking course participated in the Massachusetts School Banking Association's student competition held in the spring at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. A RMHS student won first place in the essay contest with a prize of $100. Special Education • Expansion of the co- teaching initiative provided training to teachers for collaboration designed to provide enhanced inclusive educational opportunities in English, History, Science, Foreign Language, and Math classrooms. • "Assistive technology was introduced for students with learning differences through the piloting of iPad technology in selected classrooms. Social Studies • Four student projects advanced to the National History Day national competition in June 2011. • A successful speaker series continued for the Early Education Field Seminar Program designed to inform aspiring educators on a variety of educational topics. • A WW2 veteran, who was a co -pilot on a B -17, brought history to life as a guest speaker in WW2 courses. 359 • A differentiated approach to the teaching of Psychology was a popular elective choice for RMHS students. • 10 RMHS teachers are participants in the Teaching American History program where the RMHS History Integrated Curriculum: model was highlighted as an innovative curricular approach. Reading educator Kara Gleason has coordinated the Teaching American History Professional Development Program for the past 6 years. • A new laptop set has brought enhanced technological resources into Social Studies classrooms. Mathematics • A new course, Multivariable Calculus, met the needs of advanced learners who had exhausted other RMHS course offerings. • The new Math Resource Center provides ongoing tutorial help for students during the school day. • Excellent performance was realized on the AP Calculus, AP Statistics exams and MCAS exams. English • 100 students in grade eleven attended a performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet. The performance was funded by the Reading Cultural Council and held at Austin Prep. • Grade 9 students' study of the classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird was enhanced by attending a dramatic performance at the Boston Children's Theatre with a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Big Yellow School Bus Program. • For the second consecutive year, two students were recognized as winners of the PEN New England writing competition hosted by the New England Institute of Art. • An evening enrichment class led a group of students in their preparations for the student one -act play competition hosted annually by Boston University. Two students' plays were performed by actors from BU's drama program. • The summer reading program for 2011 included a new means of assessment. Upon returning to school in September, students took part in an interactive, student - driven Socratic seminar. Students were assessed on their participation in the discussion and on their completion of an essay of reflection related to the seminar.' Science • The Young Engineers Club successfully built a working wind turbine. 360 • AP Chemistry students went on a tour of Eisai Pharmaceutical's R & D Lab and met with senior scientists. • Field Biology classes participated in a field trip to the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary which included canoeing along the Ipswich River. • Biology classes participated in the City Lab Biotechnology field trip at BU Medical School • History and Science of Epidemic Disease designed a field trip: Smallpox in Boston Student -led Historical Walking Tour and Smallpox and Colonial Medicine at Adams National Historical Park and hosted a guest speaker addressing HIV Positive Individuals. • Anatomy classes had a dermatology nurse from Beverly hospital present information about skin cancer, prevention and treatment. Kathy Dee, a former Reading High School graduate and student at Northeastern University discussed the field of physical therapy with students. • Girls participated in "A Day of Career Exploration for High School Girls" sponsored by the Engineering Outreach Department at MIT's 100`h Anniversary Celebration. • Four students participated in the Women of Society competition at Bedford High School competing in engineering design and science content events while meeting females with careers in the sciences. • The Science Club participated in the West Suburban Science League competing in monthly meets in the metropolitan Boston area. They also competed in the Mass- achusetts Science Olympiad at Framingham State College competing in science and engineering competitions. Reading students placed in the top six scores out of 41 schools for Chemistry Lab, Disease Detectives, Fossils and Experimental Design. • Students participated in the Massachusetts Envirothon at Great Brook Farm State Park in Carlisle. They learned about wetlands protection issues in Reading formulating a proposal to protect valuable wetlands based on local research which was presented to the Envirothon judging committee. • Brandeis Professor Matthew Headrick spoke to physics classes describing research in string theory. • Junior physics classes went on a field trip to Canobie Lake Park examining the principles of physics demonstrated on rides that illustrate velocity, acceleration, forces, circular motion, conservation of momentum and the conservation of energy. • MIT Electrical Vehicles Team came to RMHS to give a presentation to Chemistry students concerning electric powered vehicles. 361 RMHS Visual Arts • The Art faculty nominated students for Art All State; a 3 day workshop experience in Worcester. MA. • A group of students had their work on display at the Griffin Museum of Photography. • Eleven Art students won awards at the annual Boston Globe Scholastic Art Awards for exemplary photography, sculpture, drawing, and design. RMHS Drama • During the winter of 2011 the Drama Club presented The Grapes of Wrath, an American classic directed by Corey Jackson, and Noises Off, a British Comedy directed by Bill Endslow. • In the spring of 2011 the RMHS Drama Club presented the musical, CHESS! • In the 2011 fall season the RMHS Drama Club presented the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie, Directed by Bill Endslow and Musically Directed by Kristin Killian. • The 5th annual Student Play Writing Festival was held at RMHS in April. • The Shakespeare Society met for the third year and presented performances under the direction of Natalie Cowell. • Improvosaurus, the resident improvisation troupe of the RMHS Drama Club, continued with great success giving two major performances at RMHS under the direction of Brett Bovio. • Two RMHS seniors won the top set design prizes in the state at the Massachusetts Educational Drama Guild's annual set design competition. • The Fine and Performing Arts participated in the annual Artsfest in April 2011. RMHS Music • Several students were accepted to Junior and Senior Districts and All -State concerts; in chorus, band, orchestra, and jazz band. • The Choral Department formed VOICE (Vocal Organization Inspiring Choral Excellence) a parent support organization devoted to vocal music activities. This parent support organization hosted The Cat's Pajamas fundraiser for the second year. • The RMHS Singers and Mixed Choir performed at various events, as well as two school concerts: Festival of Trees, Dickens Holiday Craft Faire, Community Christmas Party, Martin Luther King Day, Future Freshman Night II, District ArtsFest, Baccalaureate and Graduation. 362 • The music faculty continued the "Incoming Freshman" night - an orientation night for 8`h grade chorus and band students /parents. • Select Chorus groups: Fermata Nowhere (girls) and The Crescendudes (boys) perfonned throughout the year. • RMHS Choral groups held successful Winter and Spring Concerts open to the public and always an attraction to Chorus Alumni as well as informal and formal recitals. • The Mixed Choir participated in the MICCA festival and several members performed in the Soloist festival. • The RMHS Marching Band won medals at several competitions throughout the fall marching band season. • RMHS Concert, Jazz and Stage Bands, as well as the Percussion Ensemble held successful Winter and Spring Concerts. • The RMHS Jazz and Stage Bands won individual and group awards during the winter jazz competition season. RMHS hosted the regional middle school and high school jazz competitions. • The RMHS Color Guard and Winter Guards won awards and hosted the winter shows here at RMHS. • The RMHS Percussion Ensemble won several awards during the winter competition season. Foreign Language • Two successful exchange programs continued with partnerships with schools in Rouen, France and Madrid, Spain. • The 2nd annual Hispanic Heritage Festival brought consuls from Spanish speaking countries and professors from local universities to RMHS. • A chapter of the National Spanish Honor Society was launched. Students provided community service to a Hispanic community in Everett, MA. • The annual Saturnalia event involved students of Latin in a daylong celebration of Latin history and culture. • Faculty continues to embrace technology in the Language Lab and in the classroom as an integral instructional tool. 363 Athletics Winter 2011 • League Champions -Girls Basketball and Boys Swimming • Boys Ice Hockey Team - Mulloy Award for Sportsmanship & Boston Bruins Sportsmanship Award • Girls Basketball - Boston Globe & Boston Herald All Scholastic Honors • Ken Holbrook - Boston Globe Coach of the Year Fall 2011 • League Champions - Volleyball, Football, Golf, and Swimming • Volleyball - Boston Globe & Boston Herald All Scholastic Honors • MIAA Community Service Video -I" place award • District B Sportsmanship Award 364 ARTHUR W. COOLIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL: 2011 Craig Martin, Principal Marie Pink, Assistant Principal Introduction The mission of Coolidge Middle School is to create a challenging and respectful environment for all students and to provide the varied experiences necessary for becoming confident, independent learners. The Arthur W. Coolidge Middle School continues to strengthen this mission by fostering a "learning community" for all, including staff, students, and parents. Our school community is characterized by a shared mission and vision, collective inquiry that accompanies a constant striving to improve, an organizational structure of collaborative teams that share a common purpose, a willingness to try new approaches, and annual self - assessment to examine results. As we continue striving to successfully address the social, physical, intellectual, and emotional needs of all our students, we look forward to accomplishing the new goals set forth in our School Improvement Plan - while at the same time we celebrate our successes of the previous year. Below are just a few of the highlights... Student Activities and Programs After School Activities With the support of the PTO, Coolidge continued this year to offer a wide range of before and after school activities for students. In addition to activities such as student council, science team, flag football, chime choir, and newspaper, we also implemented some additional activities, such as chess club, dodge ball, and music /theater workshop. Thanks to all the Coolidge staff members who helped make all the student extracurricular activities possible! And thanks also to the continued support of the Coolidge PTO. "Welcome to Coolidge" for Incoming 6ch Grade In August, we once again offered our acclaimed transition program Welcome to Coolidge for incoming 6`h grade students. This program prepares students for a stress -free start to the school year. Participants get to know some staff members, become comfortable with the building layout, locate their locker (and learn how to open a combination lock), and know what is expected of a sixth grade student. They get to review their middle school schedule, participate in team building activities, and learn important study skills. Over a hundred students were enrolled, and students not only learned useful information... but also (and most importantly) had a great time! 365 "Nature's Classroom" at Prindle Pond Over 100 Coolidge 7`h graders participated in our 19th annual Nature's Classroom program at Prindle Pond during April break. Many thanks to Ms. Anderson and Ms. Krayeski (who coordinated the five day trip) and to all the staff and parent chaperones who helped make this such a wonderful experience for all the students. Trip to Quebec In April, Team Gemini 8th graders travelled to Quebec, Canada. In addition to enriching their study of French, students also had the opportunity to visit such sites as the beautiful Basilique de St. Anne de Beaupr6, the waterfalls at La Chute de Montmorency on the Beaupr6 coast, the tour of Le Chateau Frontenac led by characters of the late 19th century, Les Galeries de la Capitale sound and light show about the history of Quebec at the Mus6e du Fort, and La Sucrerie (Sugar Shack) where everyone learned how they make maple syrup and enjoyed an evening of traditional dancing and folk songs. Thanks to all the students who attended for being wonderful representatives of both our school and country, to Ms. Klein for coordinating the trip, and to Ms. Cuscuna, Mr. Maday, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Maattala for chaperoning! Trip to Washington, D.C. In June, Coolidge 8th graders travelled to Washington, D.C. Everyone had a wonderful time, and students had the opportunity to visit such sites as the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, Arlington Cemetery, the U.S. Capitol, the White House, Smithsonian Museums, the Jefferson Memorial, and much more! Thanks to all the students who attended for being wonderful representatives of our school and community, to Coolidge teachers (Ms. Anderson, Mr. Bernard, Ms. Mandel, and Ms. Oliveira) and parents (Mr. Costello and Mrs. Espinola) for. chaperoning the adventures, and to Ms. LeBow for coordinating the entire trip! Author Ji -Li Jiang Visits Coolidge In October, author Ji -Li Jiang visited Coolidge to discuss her acclaimed novel The Red Scarf Girl. In this memoir (which all Coolidge students read in 7ih grade as. part of our Social Studies curriculum), she describes her experiences growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution. Students found her presentation to be not only informative and educational, but also very moving. During the all- school assembly, she shared slides and told stories of major events that happened in Shanghai while Mao Tse -tung ruled China, and the effects the Cultural Revolution had on her family and on people she knew. Improbable Players Performance In November, the Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse (RCASA) sponsored a live performance by the "Improbable Players" for the students and staff of Coolidge. Improbable Players is a non - profit organization founded in 1984 by actors in recovery who wanted to bring issues with alcohol and drugs out in the open and to encourage people to get the help they need. Their performances explore the themes of substance abuse and decision- making through a 366 theatrical lens; and each year, over 40,000 young people now have the chance to view or participate in the program. At Coolidge, the troupe, comprised of actors in recovery from substance abuse, performed "I'll Never Do That!" (an original production which has an anti - substance abuse message and has now played to over a million people in schools from elementary to college). After the performance, there was a question and answer period with the performers, and then students participated in a brief follow up session in their advisory groups. Thanks to RCASA for sponsoring this great opportunity for our school community! Student Mentors Marie Pink, our Assistant Principal, continued to expand our very successful student mentor program. This program consists of high school students and Coolidge 8m graders who volunteer to mentor younger students. This program has helped many middle school students to attain better organizational skills, achieve at higher academic levels, and make better social connections. Coolidge Volunteers Coolidge has also created a core group of student volunteers who assist with various tasks throughout the school. Tasks include such items as shelving books in the library, organizing various meeting spaces throughout the building, watering plants, cleaning fish tanks, making sure computers are shut down each day, posting announcements on the school sign, and much more. Thanks to Assistant Principal Marie Pink for coordinating this great program! Coolidge Drama Presents Annie Coolidge Drama produced the musical Annie, and it was a great success. Congratulations to Director Lori Mandolese and to all the cast and crew. Their impressive talents brought the story of Annie to life for all of us! Doug Wilhelm Visit In April, Coolidge was again very pleased to welcome author Doug Wilhelm to the school to speak to the 7th grade. His book The Revealers has been used in 7`h grade for several years now as part of our bullying prevention program, and Mr. Wilhelm's annual visit has become an eagerly anticipated tradition each year at Coolidge. On The Revealers website, Doug Wilhelm explains, "Like the main characters in The Revealers, I was bullied a lot in middle school. The idea for the novel grew, in part, out of my own experiences." He goes on to say, "Many schools have used [the book] to open up the subject of bullying.... [and] readers across the country ... nominated The Revealers for the 2004 Teens. Top Ten list of the American Library Association. What has meant the most to me has been hearing how much the book has meant to young people who often feel, as I did, lonely and isolated in their lives. I couldn't ask for a better reward than that." Doug Wilhelm's humor, compassion, and wisdom allow him to easily connect with the 7`h grade students, and we're grateful to the Coolidge PTO for supporting his visit. 367 Annual "Olympiad Day" In February, Coolidge once again held our school -wide Olympiad. This day has become a wonderful tradition at Coolidge for many years, and brings the entire school community together. Thanks to all the parent volunteers, to all the students, to all the staff, and to Mr. McCarthy and his committee for once again coordinating a very successful and enjoyable day! Family Math & Science Night In March, Coolidge presented its 15`h annual Family Math & Science Night for Grades 5, 6, 7, 8 students and their family members. Hundreds of students and parents enjoyed a fun evening of math, science, engineering, and technology activities. It also provided an excellent transition activity for the fall's entering 6th graders. Special thanks to Coolidge teacher Andrea Bruno for coordinating this night, and to all the parents who volunteered their time and efforts to make the evening a success. Coolidge Wordmasters Coolidge participated this year in the WordMasters Challenge —a national Language Arts competition entered by approximately 220,000 students annually, which consists of three separate meets held at intervals during the school year. Throughout the year, many Coolidge students achieved high honors in this rigorous competition. Congratulations to all of them! Lego League Competition Coolidge again hosted Reading's annual competition of the FIRST Lego League. Thirteen teams participated in this year's competition, including 10 elementary school teams and 3 middle school teams. According to the FLL website, this year's "Body Forward" theme prompted teams to "explore the cutting -edge world of Biomedical Engineering to discover innovative ways to repair injuries, overcome genetic predispositions, and maximize the body's potential, with the intended purpose of leading happier and healthier lives." The winning middle school team this year was Coolidge's "Blue Aces." Congratulations to these students and to all the students who participated in this year's competition. Special Olympics For the last seven years, students from the Reading Public Schools have participated in the annual Special Olympics, which are held at McDonald Stadium in Malden. This year, Reading sent 39 athletes (the most ever) to participate in the track and field events, and the spirit and enthusiasm by our athletes and their supporters were incredible. Congratulations to the Coolidge medal winners and to all the Reading students who participated this year! Special thanks also go out to Ms. Scaglione for supporting our students that day, and to all the district's staff and students who represented Reading so proudly at this event. 368 Korean Culture Celebration As part of our Korean student exchange program, Coolidge was proud to host a Korean Culture Day to highlight our visiting elementary and middle school students' exhibits, Korean music, and a sampling of Korean food. The visiting Korean students enjoyed their experiences here in Reading; and thanks go out to our teachers, administrators, host families, and students for warmly welcoming them to our schools and community. Memorial Day Ceremony This year, Coolidge students learned more about the meaning and significance of the Memorial Day holiday by preparing and participating in a special ceremony with the entire student body. (Special thanks go to the Team Polaris teachers and students for coordinating this year's Memorial Day activities). After several days of morning announcements by Polaris students and then a homeroom- advisory activity, each Coolidge student had the opportunity to place a small American flag around the school property to honor the memory of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. And in doing so, students not only expressed their gratitude, but also dedicated themselves to ensuring that those who have died are never forgotten. As we came together as one school community, we humbly honored all those who had given so much to make our dreams for the future possible. As Coolidge musicians played taps in the morning sunshine almost five hundred students walked in silent procession around the school property. Each flag was placed in memory ...for all of the individuals who have sacrificed their lives for all of us, both the recently fallen —and those throughout our nation's entire history. Student Honors Coolidge was proud that many students were again recognized for their talents in various programs and /or competitions throughout the year. Just a few examples include... Science Olympiad Team: State Champs At the annual state Science Olympiad tournament in March, the Coolidge Science Team earned First Place and successfully defended their title as Massachusetts State Champion. As a result, the Coolidge Science Team earned the honor of representing Massachusetts in May at the National Science Olympiad competition at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin. At the National Tournament, the Coolidge team earned the rank of 35`h, and finished in the top half in 12 of the 23 tournament events. In one event ( "Road Scholar "), the Coolidge team earned the gold medal for top performance among all the teams at the competition. The team also received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, signed by Congressman John F. Tierney and presented to the Coolidge Science Olympiad Team "on the occasion of their having placed first among teams from across the Commonwealth for the 18'h year in the Massachusetts Science Olympiad." Congratulations to Head Coach Karawan Meade and assistant John McCarthy, to all the event coaches, to all the parents, and to every student on the team for once again representing the state of Massachusetts at this annual event. 369 MATH TEAM EARNS FIRST PLACE (December 2011) Coolidge's 7 & 8 grade Math Team continued this year to do very well, and a highlight of the year was their First Place finish at the December meet. At this meet, the team also received their first ever perfect "team question" score of 36! Congratulations to Coach Irene Martinoli and to all the students! Jazz Band Receives Gold Medal Congratulations to the Middle School Jazz Band for receiving a gold medal at the Massachusetts Association for Jazz Education Northeast District Jr. Jazz Band Festival, which was held at Reading Memorial High School in May. Three students, Jenna Choi, Catherine Newell, and Griffin Killian were also recognized for outstanding musicianship, and Ryley Coleman was awarded the Most Valuable Player of the Festival by the judges. Members of the Reading Middle School Jazz Band were: Catherine Newell, Kyra Connelly, Gabrielle Xu, Ian Tucker, Chirag Patel, Erica Jessen, Will Politano, Noah Singer (saxophone), Alex Sahagian, Diana Le (guitar), Jenna Choi, Ada Li (piano), Andrew Costello, Ryan Freidmann, Griffin Killian, Grant Maitland (trumpets), Tim Kane, Scott Dumas, Alex May, Jake Rhodes, Julia Lorenzetti, Claire Walsh (trombones), Kevin Shannon, James Bezreh (bass), Ryley Coleman, Megan Mahoney (drums). Congratulations to all the students and to director, Mr. Mulligan! Junior District Music Festival After January auditions from more than 90 public and private schools, 32 Reading students (including eleven from Coolidge) were selected to participate in the Northeast Massachusetts District Junior Music Festival, a prestigious Massachusetts Music Educators' Association event. The program, for students in grades six through nine, is offered by the M.M.E.A. as an enrichment opportunity, providing a musical experience to talented young people. The students were selected to perform in the Junior District Concert Band, Orchestra, Boys' Chorus, and Girls' Chorus. They rehearsed with guest conductors and then performed in a concert at Lowell High School in Lowell, MA March 16 -19th. Coolidge participants were: Isabel Azevedo (7`h- chorus), Shannon Bell (8`h- chorus), Emily Benjamin (8`h- chorus), Hannah Campbell (7`h- chorus), Andrew Costello (8`h- band), Colson Kuliopulos (61h- chorus), Catherine Newell (8`h- band), Katie O'Donoghue (8`.h- chorus), Alex Percy (7`h- chorus), Paul Sanford (8`h- chorus), and Sydney Willwerth (8lh- chorus). Congratulations to everyone on this great achievement! Boston Globe "Scholastic Art Award" Winners Coolidge had six students submit artwork to the Boston Globe Scholastic Art Award competition. It was an extremely competitive year with almost 12,000 pieces of work that were judged. All six students, however, received recognition for their work. Isabel Azevedo, Becky Wandel and Sydney Willwerth received Honorable Mention. Melanie Dwyer and Juliann LeBlanc received a Silver Key award. Samantha Kramer received a Gold Key award. Gold and Silver Key winners also had their artwork exhibited at the State Transportation Building in Boston. Congratulations to all the participants for their creativity and hard work! 370 Student "Agenda Book" Cover Contest Congratulations to Isabel Azevedo, whose artwork was selected as the winning entry in this year's Agenda Book Cover contest! Isabel received an iTunes gift card, and her design appeared as the cover on the 2011 -2012 Student Agenda books. Thanks to all the students who participated! Geography Bee Ten students qualified to participate in the 2011 Coolidge Geography Bee (Sovay Anderberg, Tyler D'Ambrosio, Mike Dente, Andrew Grottkau, Cameron Hannabury, Jason Kwan, James Marcucella, Catherine Newell, and Nat Talbot), and Coolidge Geography Bee champion, Matthew Baynes, also qualified for the 2011 Massachusetts State Geography Bee (sponsored by the National Geographic Society). "Make a Difference" Award Coolidge 8`h grader, Becky Wandel and Clare Bishop were recipients of the "Make A Difference Award" from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library for their work in Coolidge's peer inclusion mentorship program. The Kennedy Library recognized middle school students this year for making a difference in their communities, and each student received a personalized certificate recognizing their work on the project for which they were nominated. Online Art Museum Coolidge students regularly had their artwork displayed on Artsonia.com, the world's largest online student art museum; and several students throughout the year were even featured as nominees for Artist of the Week. In late 2011, Coolidge also was recognized as the overall #1 ranked middle school in the state, and Coolidge Art Teacher, Sarah Doane, was the recipient of an Artsonia "Leadership Award." Artsonia manages school art galleries in a safe and educational manner, developing students' pride and self - esteem, and involving parents and relatives in student arts education and accomplishments. Everyone can visit Artsonia by going to: http: / /www.artsonia.com/ ... and continue to support the artwork of Coolidge students! Thanks to Ms. Doane, and to all the students and their families for supporting the arts at Coolidge. Letters about Literature, Semi - Finalist Congratulations to Coolidge student, Cynthia Yang, who was a semi - finalist in the 2011 Letters About Literature program, ranking among the top five percent of letters written in Massa- chusetts! Letters About Literature is a national reading promotion program of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress; and last year, 70,000 students nationwide participated in the LAL program. The LAL website describes the writing competition this way: "How has an author's work — novel, nonfiction, poetry changed your view of the world or yourself? What did you learn about yourself that you didn't realize before reading the author's work? Don't write a book .report. The author already wrote the book and knows what happened. What the author doesn't know is how you reacted while reading the book. Write about that —your response in a 371 reflective, personal letter to the author! That is the LAL writing challenge. Each year, LAL awards thousands of dollars through state and national prizes, as well as LAL library grants." This year, nearly 4300 students from Massachusetts wrote wonderful letters about books that have made an impact on them. Judges read each letter with great interest and from those 4,300 entries developed a group of semi - finalists that represented the top five percent of letters written in our commonwealth this year. Those semi - finalists were then read by a new panel of judges and from them emerged the students who were named Honorable Mentions and those that will receive Honors or Top Honors commendations at the State House. Congratulations to Cynthia Yang on her well- written letter ... and thanks to her English teacher, Ms. Warren, for promoting participation in the program! Middle Level Scholar Awards Coolidge 8`h graders Andrew Costello and Caitlin Mahoney were honored at the 12`h Annual Middle Level Scholar Leader Awards Banquet, held at the DCU Center in Worcester on May 25`h. The Middle Level Scholar Leaders Award is organized annually by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Middle Level Educators (COMMLE) and the New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS), with supporting sponsorship from Lifetouch National School Studios. Each student was presented with an award recognizing his or her achievements. The criteria for being chosen to receive the Middle Level Scholar Leader Award include demonstrating academic initiative and scholarship, providing service to classmates and school, exemplifying positive attitudes, and demonstrating leadership in the classroom and school activities. Over five hundred guests, including students, educators, and parents, attended this year's banquet, which celebrated the achievements of middle school students who are representative of the many outstanding young adolescents in the middle level schools in Massachusetts. The event honored one hundred students from fifty schools from all over the state. Charity and Community Awareness Coolidge students again participated in many charitable and humanitarian efforts, benefiting a variety of organizations. Below are just a few examples from the year... "Hoops for Heart" In March, Coolidge held its 3rd annual "Hoops for Heart" event and raised over $14,000 for the American Heart Association! Thanks to the many students who participated in the basketball tournament and to everyone who made the Coolidge day such a tremendous success! Special thanks as well to Mr. Huizenga who coordinated the event and to all the staff who helped make this a day full of school spirit. While encouraging community service, the "Hoops for Heart" day is also an educational program, with messages of staying tobacco free, eating right, and exercising regularly all while raising dollars critical to the development of lifesaving research. Thanksgiving Food Drive The Coolidge family once again supported the Reading Food Pantry as part of our annual Thanksgiving Assembly. Coolidge "Team Explorer" coordinated the food drive and assembly 372 this year, and dozens of boxes of food and necessities were again donated_ to the Reading Food Pantry. Thanks to all the staff and students who made the assembly and food drive so successful, and especially for giving so many people something to be thankful for during the holiday season. "Mission of Deeds" Thanks Coolidge Coolidge received a letter of thanks from the Reading "Mission of Deeds." The Mission of Deeds expressed their appreciation to Chorus Director, Jenny DiMuzio, and to the entire Coolidge community for the linens drive which was held at the Coolidge Winter Concert. As a result of the drive, the Mission of Deeds received seven large boxes of assorted linens, many of them new. For each new bed that is given to a client, the Mission of Deeds also provides a comforter, blanket, and set of sheets, along with other assorted linens for the home. The Coolidge linens drive was a great help to this effort. Thanks to all the Coolidge students, staff, and parents for making this drive successful. Walk for Hunger Again this year, the Coolidge community participated in the annual "Walk for Hunger" in Boston on Sunday, May 2 "d. Congratulations to the Student Council (who coordinated Coolidge's participation) for raising over $900 for Project Bread. Approximately 42,000 people came to the Boston Common that day, and according to the Project Bread press release, raised "$3.6 million to provide food for over 400 emergency food programs in 130 Massachusetts cities and towns. These funds will provide a hot meal or a bag of groceries for out -of -work families next winter." We at Coolidge commend all who participated! Peer Leaders Celebrate "Daffodil Days" The Coolidge Peer Leaders celebrated "Daffodil Days" by accepting donations for the American Cancer Society to fund cancer research, educational programs, and services for patients. Daffodil Days is one of the American Cancer Society's oldest and most beloved fundraising programs that celebrate the Society's mission to eliminate cancer as a life - threatening disease. Professional Development and School Improvement Efforts The Coolidge community again coordinated and/or participated in many initiatives and events in order to build school spirit, to assess our current programs, and to sustain our continuous improvement efforts. Below are just a few examples from the year... Coolidge's 501h Anniversary On March 10, 1961, Arthur W. Coolidge Junior High first opened its doors to students; and so on March 10, 2011 Coolidge celebrated its 50`h anniversary year! On the occasion of Coolidge's 25'h anniversary, John Copithome, Coolidge's first principal, remembered the school's beginning when he wrote the following passage for the 1986 yearbook: `I watched the old peat bog that was the head waters of the Aberjona River dug out, filled with gravel and become the school grounds. During the summer of 1960, the foundation was poured, the steel structure and roof 373 completed.... While the school was being built, the students for Coolidge were on the first session at Parker. During February vacation, Mr. Serrentino [school custodian] and crew moved in to clean the building and set. up the classrooms ... Finally everything was ready for the opening to take place on March 9`h. The students brought big brown bags to Parker, packed their books and gym suits to report to Coolidge. But, nature interfered and it snowed during the night. NO SCHOOL. So on March 10, 1961, our school opened with Mr. Serrentino at the front door 'clean your shoes!' The teachers and students reported to their new homerooms, given new schedules and were off to class.... " Throughout the year, the school community held events to celebrate Coolidge's fifty years of dedication to Reading's young adolescents. During the week which led up to March 10`h, morning announcements each day provided students with some historical background and information about Coolidge's fifty years; and on the anniversary date itself, the student body celebrated "Spirit Day" with school colors, the Coolidge PTO decorated the school, and they provided anniversary cakes and other treats during each of the student lunch periods. In September, the Coolidge community then celebrated with a Family Day at Canobie Lake Park, complete with an all -you- can-eat picnic. Thanks to everyone who helped make 2011 a special year for Coolidge! Campus Evacuation Drill In October, as part of our continuing commitment to provide a safe leaming environment and to prepare for unexpected emergencies, Coolidge conducted a full scale evacuation drill of the Birch Meadow area. As part of this exercise, students and staff from each of the neighboring schools were bused to pre - determined locations, where attendance was taken, and then students returned to school. This drill simulated a situation where there has been some environmental emergency or some other threat in the general Birch Meadow campus area, and it is determined that an evacuation of the students from all three schools is necessary. Thanks to everyone, including the Reading Police and Fire departments, for their tremendous efforts toward this successful and efficient drill. RTEF Grants Awarded to Coolidge Coolidge was very pleased to be the recipient of three grants from the Reading Technology and Education Foundation (RTEF). Our gratitude is extended to RTEF for funding the purchase of 6 copies of 6 audio books, 30 Telex Discovery headsets, and a Green Screen Video Lighting Kit. Many thanks to RTEF, as students will definitely benefit from having this technology available to enhance their lessons! Ms. Krayeski Nominated for Educator Award The Asperger's Association of New England (AANE) announced that Coolidge teacher Shay Krayeski was nominated for their annual "A+ Award" for educators. Ms. Krayeski is a special educator who coordinates the district's Developmental Learning Center (DLC) at Coolidge, and we are so proud that she is receiving this well - deserved recognition. AANE's mission is "to foster awareness, respect, acceptance, and support for individuals with AS and related conditions and their families," and their educator award is designed to honor exceptional teachers who have touched the lives of their students and who promote learning and understanding in schools. Ms. 374 Krayeski was nominated by a student's parent, and AANE states in their letter that Ms. Krayeski "has gone the extra mile in reaching out and touching the life" of her student. Ms. Krayeski received an AANE Certificate of Recognition as well as complimentary membership privileges for one year. The AANE Educators' Advisory Group will choose the top nominees for the award, which will then be presented at their annual conference in the fall of 2012. Congratulations, Ms. Krayeski, and thanks for all you do for the students of Coolidge! Ms. Doane Receives Art Leadership Award Congratulations to Coolidge Art teacher, Sarah Doane, who was selected to receive Artsonia's Annual Leadership Award, an honor extended to teachers from only ten schools per state across the United States. The Leadership Award honors teachers who go beyond their classroom walls to encourage family and community involvement in arts education. The award also recognizes significant achievement in the area of technology integration within a school arts program. Artsonia showcases over 12 million pieces of artwork from thousands of schools, and thanks to Ms. Doane's efforts, the Coolidge online gallery is one of the highest ranking in the region. Thanks to Ms. Doane for all her work in coordinating the display of Coolidge artwork on Artsonia! Ms. Steinhauser Contributes to National Database The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) recognized Coolidge Librarian, Christine Steinhauser,. for having a lesson plan (titled Web Evaluation) published in AASL's Standards for the 215` Century Learner Lesson Plan Database. The Lesson Plan Database is an interactive resource supporting librarians and other educators in teaching the learning skills defined in the AASL's Standards for the 21s` Century Learner. It provides school librarians a user - friendly way to create and share exemplary lessons with their peers, and the database aligns plans to the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards. All submissions are vetted by AASL reviewers to ensure lesson plans published are of the highest quality. We're proud to recognize Ms. Steinhauser for her contribution to this exemplary educational resource. Mr. Smith Honored with "Make a Difference" Award Coolidge Math teacher, Charlie Smith, was a recipient of the Positive Promotions 2011 Make -A- Difference award for teachers. The award recognizes Mr. Smith for his "dedication to teaching, his students, his school, and his community." In addition, Positive Promotions made a $250 contribution to the Coolidge PTO in honor of Mr. Smith. Congratulations, Mr. Smith! Blue Ribbon National Institute The Reading Public Schools was proud to again partner with Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence to present our annual Blueprint for Educational Excellence National Institute on April 14`h and 15` . The Institute featured local and national educators attending high quality professional development opportunities and visiting classrooms throughout the district. Many Coolidge teachers were also presenters at the Institute. Along with the 500 staff members of the Reading Public Schools, approximately 200 other educators from around the country attended. Thanks to 375 everyone who helped make the Institute so successful! All of us can take great pride that through such innovation and commitment to excellence, the Reading Public Schools not only provides such first class professional development opportunities, but also can inspire such an effective professional network of fellow educators from around the nation! Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Coolidge Middle School was proud to again be featured at the 2011 Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence national conference. As a national "Lighthouse School," Coolidge gave three presentations at the conference, and Principal Craig Martin was honored to be a Keynote Speaker and the Master of Ceremonies for the conference. Coolidge staff members also had the opportunity to attend numerous workshops, visit area schools, and to connect with professional colleagues from outstanding schools across the nation. Professional Conferences Coolidge staff members also attended and /or presented at other professional conference throughout the year, such as the New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS) annual conference, the New England Social Studies conference, the National Middle School Association (NMSA) conference, and others. Walter S. Parker Middle School Principal Douglas Lyons Assistant Principal Beth Beaulieu Introduction The Walter S. Parker Middle School continually works to improve through a process which addresses three main areas of need; curriculum, instruction and assessment, school climate, and shared leadership. Staff, parents, students and community members are working together to build a school community which focuses on the needs of pre - adolescents and adolescents, educationally, socially and emotionally. Part of this process is to reach out to the Reading Community and beyond as we continue the Parker tradition of being a school which values life- long learning, and service to the community. School Accomplishments School Improvement Plan The 2010 -2011 School Improvement Plan (SIP) was written by the Principal and the School Site Council in the spring and fall of 2011. The School Site Council is comprised of five parents, two teachers, one community representative and the assistant principal and the principal. The plan correlates directly to the District Improvement Goals and the new district vision statement, "...Preparing Reading's Youth to Be Respectful and Productive Citizens of a Global 376 Society..." The focus of the 2010 -2011 Parker School Improvement Plans is: Improving Teaching, Learning and the Demonstration of 21" Century Skills; Communication, School Culture and Shared Leadership; including student's social/emotional safety and development. The School Improvement Goals are SMART Goals and are a product of the collaborative work completed with the Administrative Council and teacher leaders and the School Site Council. The goals are as follows: School Improvement Goal 1: Teachers will collaborate to expand, share and teach- engaging lessons.that require students to develop and practice their creativity and innovation skills; their critical thinking and problem solving skills; as well as their communication and literacy skills. (Instructional Goal, the demonstration of 21s` Century Skills) School Improvement Goal 2: We will continue to create and refine ways that demonstrate and communicate in a given interval of time, indicators, artifacts, student work and performances that exhibit student progress in all content areas. (Communication, School Culture/PLC /Shared Leadership) School Improvement Goal 3: We will ensure a safe, healthy, and sustainable learning environment where all members are expected to be respectful and socially responsible. (Social /Emotional and Physical Safety of Students) The administration reviews and reports out monthly to the school site council on the achievement and the progress toward our school goals. Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Parker Middle School is a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, Lighthouse School. The award is given to schools that have scored in the distinguished category in all nine of the BR `Categories for Improvement.' The nine areas are: Student Focus and Support; School Organization and Culture; Challenging Standards and Curriculum; Active Teaching and Learning; Technology Integration; Professional Community; Leadership and Educational Vitality; School, Family, and Community Partnerships; Indicators of Success. The Walter S. Parker Middle School administration and teacher leaders continue to use the Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Principles as a primary document to review and assess programs and structures annually. Parker teachers and administrators also continue to attend the Blue Ribbon National Conference. In addition, Parker teachers and administrators attend and present annually at the Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence National Institute hosted in Reading in the spring. In the spring of 2011 Parker hosted a visiting team of approximately 30 teachers and administrators attending the national conference where we shared lessons, professional development ideas and were able to demonstrate how our teachers and students use technology in and out of the classrooms. To demonstrate and share our work, students and teachers in our Documentary Film elective wrote and produced a short 24 minute video to show what adult and student leaming looks like at Parker Middle School. Additionally, two teacher leaders and the 377 principal presented on the topic of Professional Learning and Teachers Teaching Teachers at the National Blue Ribbon Conference in Florida in December. Turning Points and School Reform Initiative The Turing Points report from the Carnegie Foundation is a result of over fifteen years of research done in middle schools on how pre - adolescents and adolescents learn best. The report has a list of principles and practices that middle schools should adhere to if they are to address the educational, social, and emotional needs, of students who are "in the middle" between elementary school and high school. Parker Middle School is in its eighth year of membership in the National Turning Points Network located at the Center for Collaborative Education in Boston, MA. Some of the changes that resulted from our collaborative work with SRI and the TP Network address the needs of student achievement, student assessment, school climate, classroom culture, shared leadership, collaboration, communication, and staff development. New England League of Middle Schools — NELMS As a member of the New England League of Middle Schools - NELMS, the Parker community has had many opportunities to go to conferences and workshops to increase the knowledge in our building around research pertaining to middle schools, and teaching and learning. In the fall of 2008, Parker was again determined to be a NELMS Spotlight School. As a result of this distinction, we continue to host visiting teams of teachers and administrators who hope to replicate some of the structures and professional learning practices to improve student learning in their home schools. In the spring two teams from Parker will again be presenting at the NELMS Conference in Rhode Island. Professional Development and Adult Learning A fundamental part of the professional development and the success that Parker Middle School has had, and will continue to have, is directly due to teacher learning, and teachers teaching one another. Professional Development and Adult Learning (continued) There are numerous opportunities for teachers to learn about Facilitative leadership, Critical Friends Groups, inquiry math, classroom discourse, differentiated instruction, project based learning, engaged learning, data analysis, literacy models, numeracy, Smartboard technology, blogs, wikis, podcasting, Moodle, Excel, Inspiration, MassOne, Kurzweil, United Steaming, health and wellness, pragmatics, Glogster, alternative assessment, Lab Classrooms, Edline, Gradequick, drug awareness, curriculum mapping, restraint, safety, as well as Bullying Training. The offerings listed above are professional development offerings at the school and district level. In addition, the district has stream -lined professional development to be completed during the school day when possible and to follow the cohort model to best utilize and support teachers while teaming and incorporating new methodologies into curricula areas. 378 A significant learning opportunity that has impacted technology integration into classrooms at Parker is the Expanding the Boundaries to Teaching and Learning Course taught by the Superintendent and teacher leaders. This is a year long course where teachers and administrators learn and experience new technologies together. The Instructional Leadership Team comprised of teacher leaders and administrators has continued to lead, coordinate and plan opportunities for teachers to learn with one another. A focus for us this year continues to be helping students and teachers make their work and their practice public. Specifically in regard to student work we use the phrase "...creating work for an audience greater than one..." As students and teachers share their work with others they get feedback and gain a sense of clarity and confidence through the process. We have widened the focus to include common language and opportunities for students to give and share feedback and also post the changes to the work that they are publishing or making public. In addition we have continued, developing in -house experts and opportunities for teachers to teach and learn from one another. We have developed a Professional Development Model called `Open Space' where teachers, during early release time, faculty meetings and in- service days attend sessions or presentations to learn more about a topic they can incorporate into their lessons, or use to better engage or assess students. The concept of teachers teaching and learning from one another is invaluable because it allows teachers to make relationships and continually share and receive feedback as they work to integrate technology and make changes in their pedagogy. This professional learning model has had a profoundly positive impact on our school culture. Middle Schools and School Based Committee Work (Parker and Coolidge) The district committees worked together throughout the spring and although the meeting schedules have changed in the fall the middle schools continue to collaborate, learn and plan about Data, Safety, Bullying and Wellness Lessons, Math and ELA. This year we have worked collaboratively with members of the community, including police, town officials and school leaders to focus on the behavioral health of our students. In addition, academic departments from both middle schools have met regularly with elementary and high school teachers in vertical teams, to increase their knowledge -base in pedagogy. On- line learning continues with the use of Moodle as our on -line learning platform for the Advanced Problem Solving Mathematics Course offered to eighth graders with teachers from each middle school communicating and collaborating to refine the course. The 61h grade English Language Arts teachers and the District Instructional Specialist continue to share best practices to teach and support. struggling readers at the middle level. In addition, the teachers have fully incorporated Guided Reading, Wordly Wise and part of the new grammar program. The Instructional Leadership Team and Critical Friends Groups -CFG's The Parker Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) is in its eighth year advising the school in areas of curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional development and collaborative leadership. 379 Every working team in the school has a representative on the ILT. Teacher Leaders, and both principals, are on the team which meets monthly to plan professional learning opportunities for staff. We work to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the Blue Ribbon Standards for School Improvement and TP Principles as well as come to consensus on school change. The ILT has created opportunities for teachers to look at their assignments, student work and assessments and to share their work to better engage students in their learning. The ILT has helped us reach our goal of increasing leadership capacity within the building. In addition to the ILT, we have a Team Leader for every team and department in the building. An off -shoot of the ILT are the Critical Friends Groups (or PLC's) facilitated by teacher leaders who are trained CFG Coaches /Facilitators. The CFG's meet monthly to help members of the groups increase their knowledge of educational theory and research, and use protocols to help put what they know into best practices. Additionally, Team Leaders meet monthly, and as needed, to address issues of school and team management. Students are put into leadership roles by becoming Student council Members, Peer Leaders and Core Value advisors. Core Values We are in our seventh year focusing on our Core Values of Kindness, Community and Persona[ Best. We met and exceeded our SMART Goals specified on our SIP, planning seven school wide Core Value Activities, training Teacher Leaders and Teachers in the new Bullying Law and the District Anti - Bullying Plan which includes the ability to report incidents on -line and also anonymously via text. Under the guidance of the Assistant Superintendent, we have collaborated with Wellness Teachers to implement a new research based curriculum, Second Step which includes lessons at grades 6 -8. Additionally we have completed on -Line Safety Training as well as the Let's Get Real Curriculum. These lessons are implemented during monthly, school -wide sessions where we discuss and practice our Core Values as a community. Students and the Core Value Committee members meet monthly to analyze data, make suggestions for speakers, and reflect and revise activities as needed. Special Education and Guidance Procedures and Services Special Education continues to be a major area of focus for us at Parker. Currently, 20% of our student - population are on Individual Education Programs. The Language Based Learning Disabilities Program (the LLD Program) for the district is at Parker Middle School. Students in the Special Education sub -group did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2011 in ELA and Mathematics. We continue to individualize teaching and academic support in the LLD Program and Learning Centers for students with disabilities. To better meet the needs of students, the master schedule was changed in September 2010, moving math teacher's off -team to decrease teacher to student ratios and to also allow math teachers to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Additionally, we created opportunities for students to receive additional math and ELA support within the regular school day. i 111 Special Education Teachers have worked with regular education teachers to best create accommodations and modifications for students to allow them to access the curriculum. Based on data analysis and progress monitoring, additional classes and electives, teachers have been able to work more closely with students with disabilities. Student Goals, Measured Benchmarks and Service grids on Individual Education Programs are being revised to further meet the needs of each student. All 6`h grade Special Education faculty met with their counterparts at the elementary level several times to assure a smooth transition for incoming 5 1 graders. And finally, a plan was created and implemented to train educational assistants in Special Education research and strategies, and the use of technology in the classroom. The Guidance Department continues to test and support students with disabilities. We are piloting a new plan this year to limit testing for one of our psychologists to do more counseling due to the increased number of students that need counseling and behavioral health support. Additionally, our School Psychologists continue to collaborate with teachers and parents to create and devise individualized plans for students to access the curriculum. The counselors also schedule individual and group sessions for students with special issues such as recently divorced families, school avoidance, anxiety, sickness, death, and social issues /pressures. Technology Integration and Planning A balanced, District Technology Plan that supports hardware, software and learning opportunities for teachers and students has been the key to teachers learning new technologies and integrating them into the curriculum. A school -wide technology committee led by the school's technology Integration Specialist and the Principal makes key decisions about the purchase and use of technology at Parker. A prioritized list of needs was developed and shared with the district and the PTO. Faculty have been integrating iPods, cell phones, Smartboards, Edline, Web -Based Grade Quick, document cameras, Wiki's, Blogs, Quia, Moodle, Edmodo, Glogster and other video and media into the school day at Parker. Additional support from the district has allowed us to add one more mobile lab, and Special Education has added assistive technology to support Learning Centers and the LLD Programs. We have obtained through the regular school budget, Special Education, REF grants, and money from the PTO, new Smartboards, several document cameras, an iPod Learning Lab, Flip Cameras, and a dozen net books. Our Parker News Live Studio has been upgraded and is now using video streaming to broadcast daily notices and upcoming events to our school every morning. Teachers continue to take the Expanding the Boundaries Course and we continue to use the Open Space Model to train each other and students in the use of these new technologies. Staff and students have learned skills including computer research, databases, Microsoft Office, Inspiration, Kurzweil, VHS, Glogster, blogs, wikis, podcasting, United Streaming, Advanced Smartboard, etc. 381 Improved Home /School Communication With the help of the Team Leaders, School Council and the PTO, we have improved communication within the school and with community as large. For the sixth year, all teams held parent coffees, a chance for teachers to talk informally with parents. Student schedules were mailed to all homes and uploaded onto Edline in August. The PTO and School Council worked together to communicate safety issues to parents, particularly in the areas Bullying and the development of the new District Bullying Plan. Improved Home /School Communication (continued) Edline, the Weekly Update to Teachers and Parents, the Parker PTO Facebook Page, the Principal's Blog have all expanded this year. We currently communicate with more than 96% of our parents electronically. Students all receive a school e -mail address and are trained on Edline, the Library page, databases to do research as well as teacher and class pages to access class information daily. Increased Educational and Enrichment Activities Summer programs were held at Parker this summer, some created and implemented by Parker staff, others as part of the Reading Enrichment Summer Academy. The Welcome to Parker Course, an activity based program where incoming 6`h grade students learned about the school and its programs. Also, staff and parents met regularly to provide enrichment and health assemblies for students, and to plan and revise the annual field trips. The following enrichment activities and trips are planned and have taken or will take place in the 2010 -2011 school year. • The French Trip - 8`h Grade • Nature's Classroom - 7`h Grade • Eco -Club to Costa Rica - 81h Grade • Little Farm Trip — 6`h Grade • Challenger Trip — 6`h Grade • Merrimack Valley Repertoire Theatre — 81h Grade • North Shore Music Theatre — 7`h Grade • Plum Island Trip — 6`h Grade • Washington D.C. — 81h Grade Peer leaders and Student Council continued to work as key members of the school community who work to improve school climate and do community service. The after - school enrichment program expanded this year and includes Anime Art, Art Studio, Basketball, Board Games, Clay Club, Color Guard, Knitting and Crocheting Basics, Dodge Ball, Field Hockey, Flag Football, Flash Animation, Floor Hockey, French Club, Gymnastics, Hip Hop, Jazz Club, Homework Club, Knitting, Math Team, Science Creativity Club, Scholastic Art Preparation, Eco- Science Club, SIMCity Science, Spanish Club, Stamping & Scrapbooking, the Talent Show, the on -line student newspaper (the Quill) and Whiffleball. [ti;I� New Staff We welcome seven new Teachers and a new Assistant Principal to Parker this year. We welcome Rebecca Lord — 6`h Grade Math/Special Education to the Lockwood Team, Kim Boote — 8`h Grade Science to the Goldstein Team, Lauren Luskin — 6`h Grade Social Studies to the Walsh Team, Jake Barnett — 7`h Grade Science to the Martinson Team, specialist Jenny DiMuzio — Grade 6 -8 Music /Chorus, Taylor Pelletier — 6`h Grade ELA to the Lockwood Team, Adam Amster — 6`h Grade Social Studies to the Lockwood Team and finally our new Assistant Principal, Beth Beaulieu. A.M. Barrows Elementary School Principal Karen Callan As we've moved into the second decade of the twenty -first century, our students have definitely acclimated to the twenty -first century. They learn in a very different way than previous generations. As we look at the evolving curriculums and technologies, incorporating the new MA state frameworks including the Common Core, our `Shining Star' students will be prepared for the careers that are yet to be invented. Demographics Barrows' population remains steady with approximately 400 students ranging from kindergarten through grade five. There are three classrooms of each grade level, including one full -day kindergarten classroom. Additionally, Barrows has a sub - separate classroom of K -3 students on the autism spectrum. All Barrows classrooms and additional spaces are fully utilized daily for teaching assignments. Staffing The fall of 2011 brought a staff change at every grade level in the building due to resignations or leaves of absences. Joining the Barrows community is Mrs. Maryellen Mauriello, Ms. Jaclyn Gerrin, Ms. Maureen Spalluto, and Ms. Meredith Grindrod. Additionally, Ms. Ashley Nagle and Mrs. Melissa Padera joined the Developmental Learning Center. Programming Barrows is very excited to change its Developmental Learning Center to an inclusive environment by assigning a special needs educator to work within the regular education classroom. Through a model of co- teaching, both educators are able to work with the children in the same physical space and draw on each other's strengths, .expertise and energy. They are also able to address differentiated needs, as well as educational plan needs throughout the day. The advantages of having two highly qualified educators working with students on educational plans throughout the school day has been extremely advantageous for the students in the DLC program. 383 Technology A donation of $25,000 from the Barrows PTO in June 2011 has helped to move the technology integration forward for the students in the building. An additional twenty -five Writers and cart were purchased to provide instruction on keyboarding skills. Licenses were obtained for school - wide and classroom applications for Brain Pop, Weeblies and Wikis. Additional laptops and netbooks were purchased for classroom use. Ten ipads were purchased by the Special Needs department to be used by the DLC students. As these are at the foundational level of instruction, we know the upcoming years will prove how valuable they will be to instruction and learning. Smart Boards are another vital instructional tool of the classroom. 2011 marked the sixth year since our first Smart Board was purchased and we are now beginning a replacement of the arm /lightning portion of the boards. As these boards are so vital to twenty -first century learning, the investment is extremely worthwhile. Report Cards November, 2011 marked the launch of the elementary standards -based report card. This report card is based on the MA state standards and was developed by a committee of elementary teachers, co- chaired by Karen Callan and Richard Davidson. The committee worked for two years studying, researching and developing the report card. The report card will be adjusted over the next three years to reflect the addition of the Common Core. Safety and Security Barrows, like the other schools, continued to emphasize the safety on daily activities. In the fall we completed our first evacuation drill. The staff and students were to be commended for the orderly and well -run way that they conducted themselves as they moved to and from the Parker Middle School. In addition, lock -down drills, shelter -in -place and fire drills took place on scheduled and unscheduled basis. Community Outreach Barrows continues to keep Community Outreach as a primary focus for our all children. Our young students are learning to be future leaders through the Student Council. The advisors; Mrs. Ellen Stevens and Ms. Mary Dempsey guide the students in many outreach projects including, food drives, coat collections, and mitten drives. The major project of the Student Council was the Pajama Drive in January. Over 100+ pairs of pajamas and many books were donated to be given to the Pajama Program for children in need. The excitement of the Barrows children of wearing pajamas to school on this special day was displayed on every child's face. The new event Season's Seating raised over $300.00 for Reading's Adopt -A- Family Program. Outreach is important to all of us at Barrows. In conclusion, Barrows continues to be an enriching and vibrant learning environment. We love the challenge of teaching and working with the children of Reading. As we move through the second decade, we hope to instill the values that are important to the community while still preparing the children to meet the challenges of the world that awaits them. WE Birch Meadow Elementary School Principal Eric Sprung Birch Meadow Elementary School is pleased to present the many achievements from the past school year and certainly have much to look forward to in 2012. According to state testing data, the school has seen many student improvements in the past year. In addition, district testing indicates students in Grades K — 5 are showing solid gains in reading fluency and comprehension. These positive gains are a credit to the Birch Meadow staff. We are pleased to have many new instructional staff in the areas of special education, classroom teachers, and tutors. New Staff Birch Meadow would like to welcome the following new staff to Birch Meadow for the 2011- 2012 school year: Vicki Bell (Kindergarten), Carole Casavant (special education teacher), Melissa Steiger (music), Patrick McCracken (health/wellness), Julie Jeffery (psychologist), Amy Hatzigiannis (psychologist), Samantha Prindiville (music), Ann Visconti (secretary), Heather Boudreau (paraprofessional), Judi Devaney (paraprofessional), Christina Gentile (team chairperson). Blue Ribbon School The 2010 — 2011 school year was very successful in many ways at Birch Meadow. Teachers, students, and parents spent time together strategizing and working together to meet the nine(9) Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence standards. After completing the assessment in the fall of 2010, we worked hard to continuously improve our practices as a community. With the help of parents and students, the teachers refined and modified our school practices. This dedication was recognized by Blue Ribbon Schools. Due to this hard work, Birch Meadow was awarded the Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School Award at the Blue Ribbon National conference in December 2011.This was a great honor for the Birch Meadow community. MCAS The 2010 — 2011 school year also proved to be academically successful for Birch Meadow students. The state MCAS scores showed that Birch Meadow made great strides in the areas of English Language Arts and Math. The report, which came out in the summer of 2011, showed that Birch Meadow met Adequate Yearly Progress in all areas assessed by the state. This designation had not happened at Birch Meadow since the 2006. We hope to keep up this academic success for the 2011 -2012 school year. New windows Following the arrival of our new unit ventilation system installed last year, Birch Meadow was fortunate to receive new windows in many of our classrooms. The new windows are more energy efficient and more aesthetically aligned with the rest of the building. We are thankful to the town and school department for supporting this improvement effort. tl31 Character education with guest speakers Birch Meadow continues to focus our character education program based around the themes of honesty, respect, responsibility, friendship, caring and leadership. This year we are inviting guest speakers from our community to share their experience in these areas. We are thankful for Superintendent Dr. John Doherty, school committee member Lisa Gibbs, and school resource officer Corey Santasky who have helped teach Birch Meadow students about these values. Students are praised for displaying these character traits with `Birchie Bears" and honored at our monthly assemblies. In addition, each student at Birch Meadow is awarded a "principal superstar" when they exhibit strong academic or effort skills in the classroom. Technology This year Birch Meadow expanded its use of technology by adding wireless access points throughout the building. Along with the wireless access, we have two full sets of laptop computers which teachers can bring into classrooms for student work stations. Teachers and students can use these computers to access the network wirelessly working on projects, creating shared content, and working in the classrooms. Students can be seen creating blogs, developing typing skills, writing stories, making videos, and researching throughout the building. Parent Support Birch Meadow parents continue to positively influence the school community. With regular events such as spooky fun fair, auction, Intercultural Pot Luck, and Ice Cream Social the students and parents are part of wonderful community events. These events along with regular committee participation on the WASH (Wellness, Allergies, Safety, and Health) Committee, School Council, volunteers, and PTO parents are a big part of Birch Meadow greatness. These groups of parents all contribute to the success of the Birch Meadow community. Student Council The student council is made up of 4th and 5th grade students who lead us in programming and school initiatives. The council has sponsored movie nights, sponsored coats for kids' drives, run the school store, raised funds for charities, and created a video describing Birch Meadow School. This group is supervised by the assistant principal meeting weekly to advocate for the student community. Joshua Eaton School Principal Karen Feeney The Joshua Eaton School is proud of its accomplishments during 2011. There has been a continuous focus on promoting excellence in all areas from academics to extracurricular activities to school community involvement. W-10 Curriculum and Instruction All teachers participated in a variety of professional development opportunities that supported school goals. This summer Tricia Stodden attended a writing workshop presented by Lucy Calkins. Tricia brought back many great ideas to assist teachers with teaching writing instruction. This year we continue to focus on the technology in the classrooms. Teachers have attended trainings and participated in courses and workshops to learn how to implement new technology such as blogs and wikis for instruction. This year a new reading assessment program was adopted. Teachers are using the reading assessment too] of Fountas and Pinnel Benchmark Assessments. This new program allows teachers to get a closer look at the developmental growth of students. The April Blue Ribbon Institute was held in Reading when over 350 educators from Massachusetts, and as far away as California, attended. This year Joshua Eaton was selected to be a site visit for the visitors. Some of our fifth grade students served as tour guides. The visitors were able to visit the classrooms to see best teaching practice in action. Members of our student council and school chorus greeted visitors with songs, including our school song. Educators who took part in this institute visited district schools and attended learning workshops that were taught by Reading teachers, including many from Joshua Eaton. Community Outreach Our 13`h Annual Veterans Day Assembly was a wonderful tribute to our special guests. Over 75 veterans enjoyed the performances of the Joshua Eaton students and the now retired "Singing State Trooper" Dan Clark. The students sang several songs and recited poems in honor of the veterans. Students Lucie D'Entremont and Nathan Stelluto served as emcees for our program. Over 200 grandparents and local senior citizens attended the 14`h annual Senior Tea and enjoyed the performance of more than 100 students with an entertaining selection of songs as directed by music teacher Alicia McKenney. The entire school community is proud of the wonderful spirit of giving at Eaton. Through the efforts of our PTO and Student Council, students supported the less fortunate in the community through contributions for Thanksgiving food baskets and other drives such as the coat drive. Over $1,000 was donated to the Northeast Veterans Outreach Center in Haverhill from the student penny drive and a family donation. Parental Involvement Joshua Eaton is most fortunate to have many dedicated parent volunteers. The PTO, under the leadership of President Kysa Lovvoll, raised thousands of dollars to support enrichment activities for student learning and provided many fun social events for families. Annual activities such as 387 the Back to School Picnic, Halloween Howl, Ice Cream Social, and Movie Night were all big hits with parents and children alike. The School Advisory Council (SAC), comprised of the Principal and parent and teacher representatives, focused on the School Improvement Plan goals, particularly for parental support. SAC sponsored a parent program to educate parents on Bullying. The District Attorney's office presented a workshop which included an overview on the anti - bullying law as well as the different forms of bullying. The members of the Council for 2010 were parent representatives Brian Snell, Leslie Raymond, and Heather Tenney. The teacher representatives were Maureen Lynch and Linda Lydecker. A Playground Committee was formed to work with the Town of Reading to design the new playground. The playground committee hosted an auction that raised additional funds for equipment for the playground. In September of 2011 the playground was successfully installed. Students Joshua Eaton students showed great school spirit through their involvement in classroom and extracurricular activities. School community and student recognition were incorporated into all - school assemblies which featured monthly character goals. The Math Olympiad program took place again this year at Joshua Eaton. Over 60 3`d, 4`h, and 5`h graders participated in the weekly team meetings and competitions. Students Jill Delessio and Michael Presho finished in the top 20% of all schools participating in the country. Teachers Lauren Fusco and Linda Lydecker served as coaches. Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 also had the opportunity to participate in the weekly school chorus conducted by Mrs. McKenney. In March the students were invited for a second year to perform at a Boston Blazers Lacrosse game at the TD Garden. Teachers Jaime Quinn, Alicia McKenney, and Nichole Fir mani oversaw the Student Council. Our students were involved in school wide projects such as buddy reading, spirit days, fundraising and taking on leadership roles within the school. A large number of students participated in the Lego Robotics program that was coordinated by Parent David Ventola. They enjoyed designing projects to meet the team challenge they received and participating in the first annual district -wide competition with students from other local elementary schools. Faculty and Staff All teachers participated in building committees that address various aspects of school improvement such as school culture, technology, and challenging standards and curriculum. c:: Joshua Eaton teachers attended the Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence National Conference. The National Conference was held in Orlando, Florida. Teachers Jaime Quinn and Michelle Callan presented a workshop for teachers from across the country. Joshua Eaton School is proud of its students, teachers and staff, and parent community. Together we have created a wonderful learning environment for our students as we prepare them for their futures in today's global society. This year Joshua Eaton had several staff members move on to new roles. Karen Feeney will appointed to the role of principal of the Joshua Eaton School. Anne Manna, kindergarten teacher, continues in the role of Assistant Principal. Kelly Stroh joined our staff as our half day kindergarten teacher. Kathleen Ammandolia welcomed her second child Dylan in February, and Nichole Firmani welcomed her first child Rocco in July. Marian McGrath and Alicia McKenney both retired at the end of the 2011 school year. We wish everyone great success in their new roles. J.W. Killam Elementary School Principal Catherine A Giles The J.W. Killam Elementary School has enjoyed a very exciting and successful 2011 year. As the year comes to a close, we reflect on the year's highlights and all of our wonderful accomplishments. The J.W. Killam Elementary School is a T.R.R.F.C.C. (trustworthy, responsible, respectful, fair, caring, and citizenship) learning community for all students, staff, and families. Our school is a place where all members have a sense of belonging, achieve at their personal best and highest level, and their accomplishments are celebrated! T.R.R.F.C.C. New Staff Members The additions to this year's staff include Mark Nacht, SPED Chair, Daniela Galdo, PE teacher; Alison McLellan, Music teacher; Alison Ockerbloom, Gr. K -2 Literacy Title 1 teacher; Robin Irwin and Susan O'Leary, papareducators; and Bill Hill our new custodian. Curriculum Night This year's Welcome Back/Curriculum Night was scheduled for September 7th for all grades. This night was very informative and will help to get parents and students back into the swing of school routines! PTO The following are all new PTO officers this year: Carolyn Johnson and Jaime Jones, Co- Presidents; Gina O'Connor, secretary; and Meredith Miller, Treasurer. L:' In September parents welcomed teachers back to school with a Welcome Back Luncheon and in May a Teacher Appreciation Week was celebrated by a luncheon. The PTO continues to work with TEAM T.R.R.F.C.C., ten teams and grouped PTO events /activities together that share similar characteristics. When we work as a TEAM, Together Everyone Achieves More! The PTO meets five times throughout the year to discuss important topics and host guest speakers. The PTO continues to fund enrichment programs that correspond to the K -5 grade level curriculum to the enjoyment of all students. ABCD Forms We continue to implement our ABCD forms that our staff previously developed for school wide positive behavior plan for all staff members to use when students make choices that are unacceptable. This plan helps students to learn to be responsible for their actions and be proactive in an attempt to make a better choice or solving the problem. The document was created in the form of a letter that students will complete with the staff member who witnessed the unacceptable behavior. The letter A represents antecedent, the B represents the behavior, the C represents the logical consequence, and the D represents the do- about -it to fix the problem. Awards Three students, one in each of the Grade 3 classes, were winners in the annual Epilepsy Art and Essay Contest for Benjamin and were awarded Savings Bond at a School Committee Meeting. Two students from Killam were honored as winners for their artwork encouraging students not to smoke in the Anti - Tobacco Poster Contest by the Massachusetts Medical Society at the State House in Boston. Career Day, Multiple Intelligence & Beautification Day These were all held on May 13th with over 30 parents teaching students about their careers and ending the day cleaning up the exterior grounds of the school. Bucket Filling Recognition Last year we are excited to share a few new bucket filling recognition programs at Killam. The Golden Dustpan Award is presented to the classroom that demonstrated TRRFCC bucket filling behaviors by helping to keep their classroom extra clean. This year we have included The Golden Paintbrush for art; The Golden Cone for PE; and The Golden Triangle for music. Classrooms strive to earn these awards for each month. MY Blue Ribbon Conference In December, two of our T.R.R.F.C.C. Killam teachers, Nina Balfe and Alison Ockerbloom, and our school psychologist, Jessica Ostuni, attended the Blue Ribbon Conference and came with back with many interesting ideas to implement in our school. Book Fair Our annual Book Fair was held in November with a theme. Conferences Parent /Teacher Conference Day was held on Friday, November 18`h. The new Standards -Based report cards were implemented in the first marking period with a smooth transition from our prior marking system. Dr. Seuss /Read Across America Day We celebrated Read Across America Day in many ways on March 2151. In honor of this special day, staff and students were invited to dress up as a favorite book character or genre. We had Seussical assembly with Mrs. Giles and Ms. Simopoulos that included answering some Seuss trivia, watching a short Sneeches video clip, singing Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss, and making giant Dr. Seuss floor puzzles. EXCHANGE STUDENTS In January, Grades 4 & 5 welcomed Korean exchange students. There are no words to describe the interactions and the acceptance Killam students gave these students. Killam News Today Again this year, the Killam News Live morning segments will be run through Ms, Simopoulos in the media center. Using a web -based program called UStream, all teachers will be able to log on and see the mini news show each morning. Fifth graders will begin by being our newscasters and we will move down through the grades during the course of the school year. Our news segments will include (depending on the day of the week) reciting our school pledge and the pledge of allegiance, singing a patriotic song, saying a T.R.R.F.C.C. piece of advice, announcing student birthdays, and sometimes, a "how -to" clip of a brain -based exercise for students to do in class! We hope that we will be able to share some of our newscasts with parents who are activated on Edline, as all news shows will be set on private. KOALA: We continued to host KOALA after school enrichment programs with three separate sessions being held during the school year. 391 Learning Fair Our annual Learning Fair was held on April IP for students to share with families all of the great things that happen during the school day. Since April is also National Poetry month, we set an all school incentive to read at least 1000 poems as a school. Additionally, we listened to short poems each morning on Killam News Live written by famous authors as well as some of very own Killam authors. Safety Drills In November we held our annual lockdown drill and shelter in place drill. These drills help to prepare staff and students for an emergency in the building that would require us to "lock down" the building by securing all classrooms and offices. MCAS Testing started in March for Grades 3 -5 in Reading and English Language Arts (ELA). This year staff members offered prep classes in the Language Arts Before School session that were so well attended and also offered the Math Before School session to help students prepare for MCAS testing. In May students in Grades 3 -5 continued with this year's MCAS assessments in the areas of Social Studies and Science. T.R.R.F.F.C. Monthly Assemblies Each month a different grade level hosted an all school assembly discussing and teaching all they have learned about Citizenship, Responsibility, Fairness, Respect, Trustworthiness, and Caring. There were invited guests in the community who were honored each month for contributing to society, essays written, video presentations, and songs. Recycling Students will continue to recycle paper, plastic and books again this year to keep Killam green. School Council Our School Council held its first meeting in October. It is the goal of this committee to work closely with the Killam staff to be sure that we work towards accomplishing all of the goals in our School Improvement Plan. We are proud to say we achieved approximately 90% of the goals we had set in our School Improvement Plan. 392 School Store The School Store was re- opened in November after it had lapsed for a number of years. It is open once a month during regular scheduled lunches for students to purchase school appropriate items such as pencils, rulers, erasers, books, etc. and was welcomed by all students. Student Service Squad We continue into our third year of our Student Service Squad Killam student program to our 3`d 4'h, and 5t° grade students. Our Service Squad replaced the existing Student Council as it allows for many students to participate in this program rather than just six per grade level. Killam Service Squad members must be very responsible. As a member of our T.R.R.F:C.C. Service Squad students will be assigned a "job" (which best suits their learning style) and be required to report as this job requires and carry out their specific responsibilities. Service Squad members are also required to attend monthly meetings, which will be held on the second Thursday of the month. Understanding Disabilities The Understanding Disabilities program continued this year with volunteers working with students in Grades 1 -5 to help children see beyond people's disabilities and focus on the ways that we are all the same inside. Through the use of books, videos, and hands on activities, the program helps children gain a grater understanding of what it might be like to do things in a different way. The program stresses all that people with disabilities can do and promotes a culture of inclusion and acceptance. Understanding Disabilities will introduce a new Autism Unit to Grade 5. Walk- for - Character a Sucess! In September we held our annual Walk- for - Character. The kids participated in six stations including TRRFCC Walk, Obstacle course, "Multiple Intelligences" Hopscotch, Finger printing, TRRFCC time with Simon and topped off by a refreshing popsicle snack! As noted, many excited learning opportunities and events occurred during the 2011 calendar year at the J.W. Killam Elementary School. We are looking forward to 2012 to continue our journey on the Road to Excellence! Wood End Elementary School Principal Richard E. Davidson Wood End Elementary School "officially" opened its doors in September 2005 for the first time as the fifth elementary school in Reading. It is hard to believe that we are now well into the middle of our seventh year as new elementary school. 393 Blue Ribbon Light House School Recognition It was a pleasure and privilege two years ago to be recognized as a Blue Ribbon Light House School of distinction. It is a recognition that goes to a school that has exhibited programming excellence in providing student focus and support, organization and culture, providing challenging standards and curriculum, active teaching and learning, technology integration, leadership, professional development, and school community and family partnership: Wood End was one of four schools in the country to receive the recognition. High Level of Parent Involvement We continue to be very thankful for the very high level of parent involvement throughout the school and while not wanting to offend anyone, I would be remiss if I didn't recognize our PTO and the support they have shown for our three year technology plan. This year, thanks to the generosity of our PTO all of our Special Needs programs have access to the latest instructional SMARTBoard technology by purchasing the board for our Learning Center in the summer of 2010 and this past summer they purchased a SMARTBoard for our Reading Center Room. They clearly recognize the importance of technology as a tool for learning. They continue to support outstanding enrichment programs and fund field trips for all out grade levels. Most importantly, they clearly understand that their sole purpose is to do what is best for the children and families of Wood End and it shows every day. This winter we will re- establish a building based technology plan made of staff and parents with the goal to create a new three to five year technology plan for the school. I want to recognize our school based Safety Committee, who have continued to support our Walk to School Wednesday's, now in its fifth year. They also were instrumental in planning and helping to implement and launch our very successful Placard Pick -up System which greatly enhanced safety for everyone at the busiest time of day. They have been essential in helping us to keep safety our first priority at Wood End through their newsletters, bulletins, and simply through daily conversations. It is an understatement to say that one of the major strengths of Wood End, as it is with all the schools in Reading is the extremely high level of parent involvement and support. Our PTO is an outstanding organization, which contributes to the quality of live in so many ways here at Wood End. While they do raise significant funds for enrichment programs, field trips, library enhancements, and technology, they also enhance our instructional program by their involvement in their children's classrooms and by volunteering to be a part of our School Council and other important school based committees. They readily offer support to teachers whenever the need arises. Host Family Program A school wide initiative was established last year with the goal being to increase METCO family and student participation at all school related events. We also set a goal to increase our Wood End resident participation in METCO's Boston sponsored events. Four different night meetings were held both in Reading and in Boston to explain the program to parents. A survey /letter was 394 sent out last January to all Boston and Wood End resident families asking if they were interested in becoming a Host Family member and be "matched" with another family whose children were at the same grade levels and/or based on relationships that had already been established during the year. The result has been that all of our Boston students are "matched" with Wood End resident students and there has been a very positive increase in attendance by our Boston students as school -wide PTO sponsored events such as our ice cream social, 5`h grade vs. faculty basket game, Harvest Fair, and family centered events such as our annual ice cream social. Another important benefit of the Host Family Program was that the METCO grant allowed for our Boston students to stay until 2:45 on Wednesdays. This allowed for our Boston students to participate in after school play -dates with their Reading classmates. In several cases the play -date was extended when there was a school event and the Boston children stayed with their host family until their parents joined them at the evening event. The program has allowed for the extension and deepening of relationships between Boston families and their children with our Wood End resident classmates. Bullying Prevention Program As a school we continue to be committed to enhancing the physical and mental health of all children, which includes the prevention of any type of bullying and teasing. Our responsibility is to keep the focus fresh and meaningful regarding bullying prevention for all who work and learn here at Wood End. This year we have continued to expand our use of the Open Circle program in all of the classrooms. With the support of our PTO every teacher has now been trained in the Open Circle curriculum. We continue to meet our goal of providing training for all classroom teachers. The program continues to provide a common language and a common set of expectations for all students and adults. We have expanded our All School Meetings so that every Friday there is time to meet with smaller groups or individual grade levels to focus on trust building activities, and to further connect with the Open Circle curriculum which is being taught in each classroom through regular class meetings. This year will continue that focus but will also expand student leadership opportunities and provide increased experiences involving community service. A good example of this expanding student leadership is the start-up last year of a new program call Playground Pals. This program was initiated at all grade levels where students were "trained" to "look out" for fellow students who may be sitting alone or looking withdrawn or sad. When such a situation is observed the Playground Pal engages with the other student asking if they want to play or sometimes asking if they want someone to sit with them. Feedback from parents has been very positive for the students who volunteer to take on this added responsibility and for the students that were encouraged to join in on an activity. 395 Curriculum As a district and as a school we continue to be pleased about our continuing curriculum enhancements. This year we are entering our fifth year of the Wilson's Fundation Phonics Program which has proven to be helpful to beginning readers as well improve students writing and spelling skills. Further, the John Collins Writing Program continues to provide consistency in terms of expectations and a common language and common framework for writing. In support of current research regarding the development of reading skills we have continued the Response. To Intervention program (RTI) at the first grade level where struggling students are identified through assessments and a focused direct method of delivering needed skills is taught to them everyday and expanded it to the Kindergarten level. Last year we have continued a flexible grouping model for first graders where all first graders at taught reading skills and engaged at their instructional level. We also have expanded the flexible group Reading model to grades two and three. Our math program continues to provide appropriate challenges for all students. It encourages students to think mathematically and recognize applications of math concepts to everyday life. It is also closely aligned with the Massachusetts State Frameworks. The large majority of our fifth graders score in the 901h percentile as it relates to the MCAS state formula for student growth profiles Specialty Teaching at Grade 4 This year we have re- structured our 4th grade program from the more traditional model to a specialty teaching model where one teacher is responsible for math, another teacher responsible for the teaching writing skills, and one teacher responsible for social studies and science. All three teachers are responsible for the teaching of reading skills. Students rotate between classrooms four days a week. Teachers report they are much better able to go deeper into the curriculum specialty; instruct - tional practices are more consistent in their content area, and getting to know all the grade level students. Students are benefiting more enhanced lessons, increased organizational skills, working with three different classroom teachers and from appropriate and timely movement breaks by changing classes. Informal feedback from parents and students has been very supportive and positive. Seven years ago we implemented 'a new Social Studies Program from Harcourt School Publishers called Horizons at the fourth and fifth grade level. It is a text -based program for these grade levels and is rich with resources and supplemental materials that strongly recognize the importance of technology in everyday learning. Our Science program is a hands -on "kit" based curriculum which teaches important concepts of physical, earth, and life sciences. The program, at all levels, stresses, observations, measurement, journal writing, teaming, and hands on experimentation. 396 In an effort to continually review and improve our curriculum four years ago we began a system of review through a mapping of our math program and have now completed a similar effort with language arts program. The district has also continued its K -12 Vertical Science Team that has reviewed current science program and instructional practices and has developed the essential standards for K -12 science instruction. Two years ago we adopted an "Engineering is Elementary" module at the fourth and fifth grades with emphasis on exploration and application of fundamental engineering concepts. Library Media As a new school we continue to be very excited about our library media facility. It is beautiful in its design and located in a central place in the school. Indeed, the library media center is seen as the hub and heart of our school setting. Reading is fortunate in that each school has its own full - time library media specialist and at Wood End we have continued the use of flexible scheduling, which allows all students and faculty access to the library when they have the need. At any time of the day, upon entering the library you will see students, library staff, teaching staff, or parent volunteers interacting and supporting each other in various research projects, reading a story to children, completing supervised internet searches, children reading books, or simply checking books in or out. It is a very busy place and quickly has become a central hub of learning at our school. We are also very proud of the technology that has been added to the Library Media Center. We currently have a very up -to -date computer lab and have added a SMARTBoard as a central focal point for integration of technology into the curriculum. Technology In April of 2006, Wood End received a very generous donation from The Pfizer Corporation of over twenty -five used computers, monitors, and related peripherals. The computers were used to establish a much needed computer lab for students in our Library Media Center. In addition we received a small grant from the Reading Technology Foundation which allowed us to purchase a digital camera and one Smart Board, which was placed in a fifth grade classroom. Four years ago we also received funding from the district for technology which allowed us to add additional computer systems to the fourth and fifth grade classrooms. Three years ago our PTO rose funding to support the purchase for three additional SMARTBoards and dedicated computers to be used in the two remaining fifth grades and one to be placed in the Library Media Center. Two years ago, funding was provided by the school district to purchase three additional SMARTBoards that were placed in our fourth grades and the PTO funded the purchase of three dedicated laptops for each of the new SMARTBoards. We are very excited the continued support of technology by the central office and our very generous PTO. Last year, the PTO purchased two additional SMARTBoards and a very generous donation from a parent allowed us to provide SMARTBoards for all our second grade classrooms. Last year funding was provided by both our PTO and district to purchase three additional boards for our first grades next year. This means that currently all regular education classrooms have SMARTBoard technology available to them. This year the district and PTO purchased three additional SMARTBoards for our three special education programs. This past summer the PTO purchased a SMARTBoard for our Reading Learning Center and this summer funding was provided for the purchased of a SMARTBoard for 397 our Art Specialist. Our goal next year is to provide the same level of technology to our Music program specialist. Professional Development As a district and as a school we are committed to the concept of continued learning. We are also committed to supporting our professional staff at all levels. Consequently, an enormous amount of energy, planning, and in- service is provided for teachers in Reading. The mentor program, for example, provides support for new teachers and is an essential requirement if new teachers are to succeed in Reading. In- service is also provided in all areas of the curriculum to all teachers on a regular basis throughout the year and as well as during the summer months. In December of last year and this year over twenty K -12 members of the teaching staff and administration attended the Blue Ribbon Schools Conference in Orlando Florida. The purpose of participating in the conference was to meet and talk with teachers from many different parts of the country. At this conference over twenty two states were represented and teachers from as far away as China also attended. In 2009 Wood End was honored at the conference by being named a school of distinction and selected as one out of four schools across the country to be a 2009 Blue Ribbon Light House School of Excellence. A Celebration of the Arts Last May, Wood End celebrated our fifth annual art and music night. Together, over three hundred children, staff, parents, and school committee enjoyed an evening of program, song, and a display of student artwork that represented all the students in the school. Mr. Mosier and Ms. Papanikolaou and a small army of volunteers began in February to collect and organize student artwork from across the school. It was a wonderful celebration and tribute to the importance the arts play in the education of young children. This past June, Mr. Mosier retired after 21 years of service to children in Reading and was very fortunate to hire Ms. Melissa Steiger as his replacement. Fifth Young Authors' Day Our sixth annual Young Authors' Day was held last June where students from all grade levels shared their original stories and poems that they had written during the year. Parents joined staff to create small groups of primary and intermediate age children in which the children shared their original and creative writings with peers. It was an outstanding to the importance of writing and creativity. Open Invitation In closing, I would like to extend an open invitation to members of the Reading Community to visit our /your school. Please feel free to call me, Principal Richard E. Davidson at 781 - 942 -5420 or email me at Richard. Davidson a reading.kl2.ma.us with any questions, comments or to arrange a visit. Thank you for this wonderful school and for your continued support. c': Changes in Staff Last Name First Name Location Description Job Class Description Other Reason for Leaving Popken Margo Barrows Elementary School Reg Ed Tutor Stack Cheryl Barrows Elementary School Para Professional Sped Sched Leave of Absence Allison Caroline Reading Memorial High School High School Teacher Black Brienne Parker Middle School Middle School Teacher Harbour Tricia Barrows Elementary School Elementary Teacher Kurchian Michelle Barrows Elementary School Elementary Teacher Miles Brenda Barrows Elementary School Elementary Teacher Roberts Kristen Birch Meadow Elementary School Elementary Teacher Spang Elise Birch Meadow Elementary School Elementary Teacher Springer Michael Reading Memorial High School High School Teacher New Hires Amster Adam Parker Middle School Long Term Sub Teacher Andrews Diane School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Angelou Catarina Reading Memorial High School Para Professional Sped Sched Apse Kathryn . Reading Memorial High School Short Term Sub Teacher Arington Richard School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Ashworth Haley School Central Office Ext Day Aide Audette Marsha School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Barnett Jacob Parker Middle School Middle School Teacher Bauer Susan School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Beaulieu Elizabeth Parker Middle School Secondary Assistant Principal Beckman Caitlin School Substitutes Ms Technical Assistant Bedingfield Kelly School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Bell Victoria Birch Meadow Elementary School Elementary Teacher Benassi Josephine School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Berlin Melissa School Food Service Food Service Substitute Bhattacharya Alokendu School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Blandino Cheryl School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Boote Kimberly Parker Middle School Middle School Teacher Boudreau Heather Birch Meadow Elementary School Para Professional Reg Ed Schd Boumenna Tahani School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Bridenbecker Alysse School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Burd Sara Pupil Services Other Related Sped Staff Byrne Marie Birch Meadow Elementary School Reg Ed Tutor 9 'S Caiazza Nicholas Coach Non Employee Other Teacher Coach - Fall Calandrella Sandra School Central Office Director Of Comm. Education Callahan Laura Reading Memorial High School Speech Pathologist Callahan Jeffrey School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Candelario Anita Pupil Services Extended Yr Prog Teacher Canniff Ann School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Carman Holly School Substitutes Substitute Sp Ed Assistant Carroll Richard School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Champigny Zachary Coach Non Employee Non- Teacher Coach - Spring Clogston Ruth School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Cohen Dorothy School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Collins Sean Coach Non Employee Non - Teacher Coach - Winter Conneely Melissa School Central Office Ext Day Aft/Sch Head Teacher Connors Edward School Central Office Ext Day Teacher Assistant Cory Annemarie Reading Memorial High School Teacher Support Instruction Costa Rachel Coach Non Employee Non - Teacher Coach - Spring Craig Victoria School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Craig James School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Cremens Kimberly School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Cuff Kate Barrows Elementary School Reg Ed Tutor Daly Annie School Food Service Food Service Substitute Dambrosio Susan School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Day Monique Reading Memorial High School High School Teacher Decoff Jennifer Reading Memorial High School High School Teacher Defronzo Sara School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Delaney Jennifer School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Dellorusso Jeanelle School Substitutes Substitute Sp Ed Assistant Demattia Robert School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Dileo Rebecca School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Dinkel Linda School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Doherty Eileen School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Dolaher Kathryn School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Downey Christina School Food Service Food Service Substitute Doyle Pamela Birch Meadow Elementary School Reg Ed Tutor Duhamel Leslie School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Elmer Alison Pupil Services Director Of Pupil Services Fabiano Heather Coach Non Employee Other Teacher Coach - 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Para Professional Sped Sched Caruso Maria School Food Service Cafeteria Worker Cianciolo Judy Reading Memorial High School Para Professional Sped Sched Clark Aaron Parker Middle School Middle School Teacher Conneely Melissa School Central Office Ext Day Aft/Sch Head Teacher Curran Kate Killam Elementary School Short Term Sub Teacher Davis Jeffrey Reading Memorial High School Speech Pathologist Decologero Adele School Central Office Ext Day Site Supervisor Delpriore Sara Birch Meadow Elementary School Reg Ed Tutor Deluca Susan School Substitutes Ext Day Teacher Assistant Demoura Kevin School Facilities Custodian Dipillo Audrey School Central Office Ell Instructor Disanto Pamela School Food Service Food Service Substitute Eberly Jacob Barrows Elementary School Elementary Teacher Feinberg Jaimee Coolidge Middle School Middle School Teacher Geiger Sheila Joshua Eaton Elementary School Reg Ed Tutor Girouard Pamela Pupil Services Other School Admin Coord Goran April Reading Memorial High School High School Teacher Grimaldi Jennifer Reading Memorial High School High School Teacher Hart Meaghan Barrows Elementary School Elementary Teacher Hayes Lorraine School Food Service Food Service Substitute Iennaco Fay Wood End Elementary School Teacher Support Instruction Johnson Kristin Coach Non Employee Coach - Fall Kellogg Michael School Facilities Temp Custodian Kendall Jane Pupil Services Extended Yr Prog Therapist Kerrigan Nancy Joshua Eaton Elementary School Secretary King Christine Pupil Services Other Related Sped Staff Lane Bonnie School Central Office Info Services Tech Support Lanigan Jillene School Central Office Ext Day Teacher Assistant Leccese Deborah School Food Service Cafeteria Worker Maccurtain Erin Coach Non Employee Non - Teacher Coach - Spring Mackinnon Thomas School Facilities Custodian Marsden Barbara Reading Memorial High School Para Professional Sped Sched i Mauro Kara Pupil Services Sped Team Chair Mavropoulos Sheila School Food Service Cafeteria Worker Maziarz Malgorzata School Food Service Cafeteria Worker Mccarthy Julie Parker Middle School Middle School Teacher Mcconnell Christina Coach Non Employee Non- Teacher Coach - Fall Mcdermott Kelly School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Mcgrath Marian Joshua Eaton Elementary School Para Professional Sped Sched Mckee Ryan School Facilities Temp Custodian Meagher Margaret Coach Non Employee Other Teacher Coach - Spring Mooney Christine Birch Meadow Elementary School Para Professional Reg Ed Schd Murphy Elaine Barrows Elementary School Reg Ed Tutor Musselman Sean Parker Middle School Middle School Teacher Nazzaro Laura Killam Elementary School Reg Ed Tutor Obrien Diane School Food Service Cafeteria Worker Oconnell Cathy Parker Middle School Secondary Assistant Principal Oliveira Kimberlee Pupil Services Director Of Pupil Services Peledge Lynne School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Pelosi Lisa Birch Meadow Elementary School Reg Ed Tutor Pierce Krista Coach Non Employee Non - Teacher Coach - Fall Pilla Nicole Joshua Eaton Elementary School Para Professional Sped Sched Ploch Margaret School Central Office Adult Education Coordinator Prensky Joshua Reading Memorial High School Para Professional Sped Sched Quinlan Courtney Birch Meadow Elementary School Elementary Teacher Rawlins Elizabeth Reading Memorial High School Para Professional Sped Sched Roache Marjorie Birch Meadow Elementary School Para Professional Sped Sched Rogers Stephanie Reading Memorial High School Short Term Sub Teacher Sciamanna Julie Killam Elementary School Short Term Sub Teacher Sheedy Michael Coach Non Employee Other Teacher Coach - Fall Sigsbury Duane Coach Non Employee Non- Teacher Coach - Fall Silva Jessica Coach Non Employee Other Teacher Coach - Fall Smallwood Jillian Coach Non Employee Non - Teacher Coach - Fall Sorabella Michele School Food Service Food Service Substitute Spinosa Joanna Barrows Elementary School Elementary Teacher Stibolt Martin Reading Memorial High School High School Teacher Tracy Eules School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Tyler David School Facilities Temp Custodian Ventura Robert School Central Office Info Services Tech Support Walsh Stacey Killam Elementary School Elementary Teacher Wells Joseph Coach Non Employee Other Teacher Coach - Fall 406 Wendel Dana Coolidge Middle School Middle School Teacher Wilcox Kathleen School Food Service Cafeteria Worker Wood Ryan School Substitutes Daily Substitute Teacher Zaya Allison Pupil Services Extend. Yr Prog Class Helper Zechmann Deanna Reading Memorial High School High School Teacher Zilch Jeffrey Parker Middle School Middle School Teacher Retirements Begonis Mary School Central Office Co Admin Assist Flatley Cheryl Birch Meadow Elementary School Secretary Georges Rita Birch Meadow Elementary School Elementary Teacher Hines Rose Reading Memorial High School Secretary Jacobitz Katherine Parker Middle School Middle School Teacher Low Anne Parker Middle School Middle School Teacher Mccain Joan Barrows Elementary School Reg Ed Tutor Mosier Alan School Substitutes Elementary Teacher OBrien Elise Killam Elementary School Elementary Teacher Raucci Elena Killam Elementary School Elementary Teacher Withum Elizabeth Coolidge Middle School Middle School Teacher 407 2011 ANNUAL REPORT NORTHEAST METROPOLITAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Outstanding Student Award Daniel Coss from Winchester, a student in the Drafting and Design program, was chosen as Northeast's nominee at the State Awards Dinner for Outstanding Vocational Technical Students. The event is co- sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators and the Massachusetts Vocational Association. National Technical Honor Society The Northeast Chapter of the National Technical Honor Society held its annual Induction Ceremony in March. At the ceremony, 7 seniors and 46 juniors were inducted. These students joined the previously inducted members to bring the Technical Honor Society Chapter to 101 members for the 2010 -2011 school year. National Honor Society The Annual Induction Ceremony to the Northeast Chapter of the National Honor Society "Artisans" was held in March. At the ceremony, 4 seniors, l2 juniors, and 11 sophomores were inducted for the 2010 -2011 school year bringing the total membership to 66. Student and Parent Advisory Representatives to the School Committee Camilla Salazar, a senior from Malden, was elected as the Student Representative for Racial or Linguistic Minorities to the School Committee for the 2010 -11 school year. Shaun Everton, a sophomore from Revere, was elected as the Student Representative, and her mother, Pam Everton, was elected as.the Parent Representative for the Community to the School Committee for the 2010- 11 school year. Scholarship Committee The Northeast Awards and Scholarship Committee presented awards and scholarships to 62 deserving students at the Ninth Annual Senior Recognition Night. A total of $30,750 was presented to Northeast students who will be working in their vocational field, entering trade apprentice programs, or going on to one, two, or four -year programs at accredited colleges, universities, and trade schools. These awards and scholarships provide the students the opportunities to purchase tools and equipment, as well as to assist in offsetting the expenses of educational institutions. Peer Mediation Program Our Northeast Peer Mediation Center continues to help reduce problems at Northeast. The mediation process is successful in resolving conflicts concerning rumors, threats, name- calling, teasing, harassment, hazing, and physical fights. Northeast has a full -time coordinator and 33 trained junior and senior peer mediators. A trained mediator is a neutral person not involved in the dispute and through the mediation process, helps people come to their own agreement about how they want to resolve their conflict. HIN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Plan Development District administration, in conjunction with faculty, staff, students, families, and community members, including but not limited to the Student Council, Program Advisory Committee, the Parent Advisory Council, and the Northeast School Committee, contribute to the coordination and evaluation of these activities, aligning available professional development resources with district goals. Priority was given to professional development activities that address the needs identified by the core indicator data. Plan development priorities include: Coordinating a professional development program that meets the needs of both beginning and veteran teachers and emphasizes content -based offerings while addressing the topics of teaching to your strengths, parental concerns, special education issues, English language learner strategies, classroom management techniques, and other effective practices that improve student learning and achievement; • Pursuing models for delivering professional development to best accomplish plan priorities; • Fostering professional learning communities that facilitate faculty collaboration, thereby encouraging educators to solicit feedback from each other to improve their practices and minimizing barriers to common planning time. During School Year 2011, professional development initiatives were also supported by the Greater Boston District and School Assistance Center (DSAC). The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education established six regional DSACs to help districts and their schools strategically access and use professional development and targeted assistance to improve instruction and raise achievement for all students. In collaboration with partner organizations, DSACs use a regional approach that leverages the knowledge, skills, and expertise of local educators to address shared needs through an emphasis on expanding district and school capacity for sustained improvement. 2010 -2011 Goals • Provide strategies to improve student learning and achievement; • Increase the technology skill level of the faculty. • Promote the 21" century skills necessary to prepare college and career ready students. 2010 -2011 Objectives included Data - driven review and revision of Numeracy and Literacy.goals for improving student achievement, including but not limited to annual revision of Northeast's Common Course syllabi, aligned with the current academic and career technical frameworks. • Enhanced training of all staff for accessing IEP and 504 data via the school wide, online "X- 2" electronic grade book program. Continued "X -2" training for enhanced on -line rank ![II: book, attendance, and conduct entries supporting the opening the Student and Family Portals during Term 1 of School Year 2011. • Increased access to and training for utilizing interactive technology in the classrooms including but not limited to mobile technology systems ( "Sympoidum ") and student response and assessment systems ( "Mobi "), as well as "TI Inspire" Math technology and interactive electronic smart boards. • Trainings supporting faculty with meeting the diverse needs of 2151 century learners, including but not limited to on -site staff development for integrating and supporting English language learners in the academic and career technical classrooms. • Policy and program development consistent with legal and ethical mandates including but not limited to development and implementation of the Northeast Bullying Prevention and Intervention Policy. 2011 Summer Transition Program Over 200 members of the Class of 2015 participated in the 11th season of the Summer Transition Program staffed by over 30 Northeast academic and career technical faculty and staff. Incoming 9h grade students participated in English Language Arts and Mathematics academic programs daily as well as two career /technical programs per week. English Language Arts programming introduced students to career technical writing assignments as well as writing assignments aligned to their Summer Reading requirements. Students were exposed to the "Writing with Colors" Program to further inform and develop their writing samples. Mathematics curriculum also included project based lessons where students accessed graphing calculators, motion detectors, and surveying equipment to modify and complete assignments. As in the past, an English Immersion Program was also offered to assist English language learners with transitioning from middle school to our career /technical high school. Career /technical areas explored by incoming 9`h grade students included: Automotive Technology, Automotive Collision Repair, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Design & Visual, Drafting & Design, Graphic Communications, Electrical, & Plumbing. Funding for this program was provided through Title 1, IDEA, and the Carl D. Perkins Occupational Education Act Federal grants. Summer Enrichment Program Approximately 40 enrolled Northeast students from Grades 10, 11, and 12 participated in the 2011 Summer Enrichment Program. This program offers supplemental preparation for the MCAS State assessments. Students were actively engaged in Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Science curricula. A Team Building component also allowed students to enhance cooperative learning and communication skills necessary for negotiating secondary and post - secondary college and /or career experiences. Funding for this program was provided by the Academic Support Grant sponsored by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. 410 SUPPORT SERVICES The Northeast Student Services staff offers support and counseling to all students through individual and group counseling, specialized workshops and presentations, health services, and mediation services. All faculty guidance counselors are certified as School Adjustment Counselors and are qualified to handle a wide range of student issues. One School Adjustment Counselor is bilingual (Spanish- speaking). The School Psychologist provides psychological testing and maintains a small individual and /or group caseload. The Career Counselor and Career Teacher provide career awareness and career development services to all students. The Career Counselor and Guidance Counselors provide specialized support to students enrolled in non - traditional vocational areas. Two School Nurses provide health services and a Peer Mediation Coordinator implements a Peer Mediation Program. Support groups are established each year based on student needs. A support group for pregnant and parenting teens, social skills groups for freshmen, and non - traditional support groups are currently being offered. Anger management support is offered by the School Psychologist in an effort to provide students with the ability to understand and manage anger appropriately. The School Adjustment Counselors provide individual counseling support and crisis intervention to all students as needed. They will provide support to homeless students, assessing their special needs and coordinating with the Homeless Liaison (Administrator of Student Services). They also are responsible for developing and monitoring Section 504 Accommodation Plans in conjunction with the Administrator of Student'Services. School Adjustment Counselors collaborate with school personnel, family members, doctors, psychiatrists, outside therapists, social workers, police, court personnel, and others. A specific linkage is established with Riverside Community Care in Wakefield to refer families seeking outside counseling services for their students. In addition, Tri -City Mental Health Services of Malden serves as our crisis intervention linkage for emergency mental health services in the community. The Bilingual School Adjustment Counselor provides native language support (Spanish) as needed to limited English proficient students and families across all grades. She provides specific support to the English Language Education program at Northeast, but supports other Northeast Latino students and families as needed. Translation services (oral and written) and interpreting services are often required for parent communication throughout the building, and as needed, this counselor coordinates with all departments to assist. Referrals are made to a Spanish- speaking Psychologist for testing for Special Education evaluation. The School Psychologist supports the counseling staff on a consultation basis and works directly with the Special Education Department to assess all students in need of evaluation. The Psychologist also serves as a consultant to the Administration and to the teaching faculty regarding at -risk students, assists with crisis intervention services and offers individual and /or group counseling and ' support on an as needed basis. 411 Career counseling and the college application process are emphasized by all school counselors. The Career Center is the focal area for a well - planned four -year career development program that prepares all Northeast students for their individually chosen career paths. The curriculum focuses on career assessment; career'information and requirements; employability and entrepreneurial skills; interviewing skills; portfolios; and resume preparation. By providing assessments to evaluate skills, interests, and work values, the Career Counselor works with the School Adjustment Counselors to assist freshmen in their vocational selection process and upper class students with linkages to post- secondary education and employment opportunities. The Career and Adjustment Counselors provide directed support to those students who are enrolled in career areas that are considered non - traditional for their gender. Students have the opportunity to participate in support groups, specialized presentations, and field trips that prepare them to understand the benefits of non- traditional choices, to manage challenges in each occupation and to understand the required post- secondary linkages to achieve their goals. The School Nurses have coordinated support services for pregnant and parenting teens with outside providers affiliated with local hospitals. In addition, they provide support to students with chronic medical conditions, coordinating with parents, doctors, nurses, etc. The School Nurses work closely with the School Adjustment Counselors to coordinate assistance when mental health needs arise. They also work closely with the Deans when emergency medical evaluations are required. The Peer Mediation Coordinator at Northeast operates a Peer Mediation Program where upper class students undergo twenty hours of specialized training in mediation skills and implement a program to work out arising conflicts between students. This is a very positive prevention program that contributes to the development of a positive school climate as students learn to come to their own agreements about how to solve conflict., In addition to the support provided by the counseling staff, the Special Education Department offers a TEAM meeting process that promotes monitoring of student progress and educational support. Each Special Education student is assigned a Liaison who is a teacher in the Special Education Department who oversees progress in relation to the Individual Education Program,,communicating with parents, teachers, and counselors to help all students achieve success. The KICK -OFF Mentoring Program is a freshmen transition program that matches junior and senior mentors with small groups of freshmen students. The KICK -OFF Mentors present the Freshmen Orientation day for freshmen and then meet with their groups throughout the year to offer support and to deliver positive lessons that promote a positive school climate. The mentors are trained in a leadership climate by the student services staff, developing a core of approximately 140 peer leaders from 11`h and 12`h grades. The Peer Tutoring Program provides educational assistance to students having difficulty with one or more academic subjects. Students who have been successful in specific subject areas and who have participated in training, volunteer their time to assist others in the library one afternoon per week. The tutoring program is designed to supplement after school assistance provided by the academic 412 and vocational teachers. The program benefits go beyond the student achievement as the relationships formed by the tutors and students help to break down barriers between different grade and age groups and develop friendships that would not have had a chance to form. Academic and vocational teachers offer support and assistance to the Peer Tutoring Program. Special school -wide workshops and presentations are offered through the year for different groups of students. Each year, all freshmen participate in group workshops focusing on harassment and bullying and gender equity issues. Large group assemblies and presentations have been offered focusing on goal setting and acts of kindness, substance abuse, teen dating issues, tolerance, character building, and others. On a larger scale, the student service emphasis is on communication — communication with students and with parents. Mid -term progress reports are sent to parents each quarter and report cards are sent home four times per year. E -mail communication is welcomed and progress update meetings are held as needed. Parents are asked to be involved with all class scheduling activities. Post - graduate planning information is shared through career assessment and planning activities. Career Plans are sent home annually for parent review. Language development is communicated for limited- English proficient students through assessment data and parent meetings. It is our goal to service all students equitably while attending specifically to those who have specific life challenges. GRANTS RECEIVED IN FY 2011 Entitlement and Allocation Grants Title 11, Part A: Improving Educator Quality, Fund Code: 140 The purpose of this federal grant program is to increase student achievement through comprehensive district initiatives that focus on the preparation, training, recruitment, and retention of highly qualified educators. These initiatives should be aligned with Massachusetts' reform efforts and should help districts meet the NCLB goals and requirements for highly qualified teachers, instructional paraprofessionals in Title I targeted assistance and school wide programs, and high - quality professional development. The goal is to improve the overall quality of all educators, including administrators, within the district. Federal Special Education Entitlement, Fund Code: 240 The purpose of this federal entitlement grant program is to provide funds to ensure that eligible students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education that includes special education and related services designed to meet their individual needs. The priority is to serve eligible students with special education services and activities deemed essential for student success in school. Services and activities must ensure compliance with state special education laws and regulations and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - 2004 (IDEA- 2004). Title I, Part A, Fund Code: 305: Title I, as reauthorized under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, provides resources to local school districts to assist low achieving students in high poverty schools to meet the state's CIft3 challenging academic standards. Funds may be used to provide academic, instructional, and support services for eligible students, professional development activities for staff, support for parent involvement activities, and the purchase of appropriate supplies and materials. The priorities of Title I are to strengthen the core programs in schools and provide academic and/or support services to low achieving students at the preschool, elementary, middle, and high school levels in support ofNCLB goals; provide programs based on scientifically -based research that enable participating students to achieve the learning standards of the state curriculum frameworks; elevate significantly the quality of instruction by providing staff with substantial opportunities for professional development; and involve parents in the development of and participation in the program, activities, and procedures for parents and students to improve student achievement. Northeast maintains a School -Wide Title 1 designation. Perkins Act Allocation Grant Program — Secondary, Fund Code: 400 The purpose of this federal grant program is to assist school districts in improving secondary programs that meet the definition of career and technical education under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 P.L. 109-270 (Perkins IV). Perkins IV allocation funds must be used in accordance with Perkins IV and the Massachusetts Perkins IV Manual. Required and permissive allocation fund uses are identified in the Manual. A portion of allocation funds must be used for professional development. Academic Support Services Allocation Grant (summer), Fund Code: 625 The goal of this state - funded grant program is to enhance academic support services needed to meet the Competency Determination required for high school graduation for students in the Classes of 2003 -2014 who have performed in the Level 1: Waming/Failing (Scaled Score = Less than 220) or Level 2: Needs Improvement (Scaled Score = 220 -238) categories on their most recent English language arts and/or mathematics MCAS or re- tests. Summer programs may also serve students in the Class of 2015 transitioning into high school that has scored at Levels 1 and/or 2 on their most recent English language arts and /or mathematics MCAS. These services are to supplement currently funded local, state, and federal programs. Summer Academic Support Enhancement Grant, Fund Code: 625 -B The purpose of this state - funded supplementary summer program is to enhance academic support in English language arts (ELA), mathematics, and science and technology /engineering for students in the classes of 2003 -2014 who are participating in MCAS Academic Support programs, in order to help these students meet the Competency Determination for a high school diploma. Programs will develop and pilot replicable models through Professional Learning Communities and /or additional, increased, or enhanced services. These services are to supplement currently funded local, state, and federal programs. Safe & Drug Free Title IV, Part A Safe & Drug Free Schools and Community, Fund Code: 332 The purpose of this federal grant is to support programs /activities including professional development in evidence -based programs for violence and substance abuse prevention. Priorities for this grant are to provide professional development and training for all school staff members, and parents, to prevent, identify, and respond to bullying. Districts shall use funds to adopt and carry out 414 a comprehensive bullying prevention program. Funds may be used for evidence -based bullying prevention curricula and related training for school staff members and parents. Level 3 District and School Assistance Grant -DSAC Fund Codes: 323 -B- 220 -E -143 The purpose of this grant program is to support improvement in Level 3 and Level 4 districts through participation in regionally -based professional development and assistance initiatives associated with the District and School Assistance Centers (DSACs). DSAC regional assistance is designed to enhance the capacity to plan, implement, and sustain practices to improve student performance and is aligned with the Massachusetts District Accountability and Assistance Framework. Grant funds will provide support to districts for expenses for staff to participate in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) approved professional development courses and/or to access other school and district improvement assistance offered through or approved by the DSACs. Funding is allocated through federal Title I School Improvement funds, federal Title H -A Improving Teacher Quality funds, and state Targeted Assistance funds. Fund use must be consistent with the priorities described above and requirements associated with the following funding sources: Title I School Improvement Funds (Fund Code 323 -13): must be used to support improvement initiatives in Title I schools in federal No Child Left Behind accountability status (in improvement, corrective action, and/or restructuring). Title II -A Improving Teacher Quality (Fund Code 143): may be used to support priority strategic professional development and assistance initiatives designed to raise performance in the eligible districts and any of their schools. State Targeted Assistance Funds (Fund Code 220 -E): may be used to support priority strategic professional development and assistance initiatives designed to raise performance in eligible districts and any of their schools. ARRA and SFSF Allocation Grants The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) —IDEA, Fund Code 760 ARRA Purpose: The overall purposes of the ARRA federal grant programs are to fund activities that will advance ARRA's short-term economic goals by investing quickly to save and create jobs and to fund activities that support ARRA's long -term economic goals by: investing wisely; funding activities designed to strengthen education; drive reforms; and improve results for students. Activities funded through the ARRA -IDEA grant must be designed to help ensure that students with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate education (FAPE) to meet each student's unique needs and to prepare each student for further education, employment, and independent living. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) — Title I, Fund Code 770 ARRA Purpose: The overall purposes of the ARRA federal grant programs are to stimulate the economy in the short term and invest in education and other public services to ensure the long -term economic health of the nation. ARRA funds must be spent quickly to save and create jobs, and at the 415 same time must be invested wisely in activities designed to strengthen education, drive reforms, and improve results for students. Title I, as reauthorized under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), provides supplemental resources to local school districts in order to help improve teaching and learning for students in high poverty schools most at risk of failing to meet the state's academic achievement standards. Activities funded through the ARRA -Title I grants must be designed to help improve education for at -risk students and close achievement gaps. Districts are expected to focus ARRA -Title I funds on strategic investments that will yield outcomes extending beyond the grant period. ARRA State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF), Fund Code: 780 The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) program, which is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, is a one -time appropriation the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is awarding to Governors to help stabilize state and local budgets in order to minimize and avoid reductions in education and other essential services. Education Jobs, Fund Code: 206 The Education Jobs Fund Program (Ed Jobs) is a new, one -time appropriation the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is awarding to Governors to save or create education jobs for the 2010 -2011 school year. Jobs funded under this program include those that provide educational and related services for early childhood, elementary, and secondary education. A school district must use its funds only for compensation and benefits, and other expenses, such as support services, necessary to retain existing employees, to recall or rehire former employees, and to hire new employees, in order to provide early childhood, elementary, or secondary educational and related services. For purposes of this program, the phrase "compensation and benefits, and other expenses; such as support services" includes, among other things, salaries, performance bonuses, health insurance, retirement benefits, incentives for early retirement, pension fund contributions, tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment assistance, transportation subsidies, and reimbursement for childcare expenses. SUMMER PROGRAMS Northeast Metro Tech Summer Programs enjoyed another successful campaign since its inception in 1988. Over the years, both the Summer School and Computer Program have experienced remarkable growth. This year the summer programs serviced approximately 300 students combined. The Northeast Summer School serviced high school students in six different academic areas including Math, Science, English, Social Studies, Language, and Vocational Related. The goals of promoting a positive learning atmosphere, retention, and promotion, as well as providing skills to assist each student at the next grade level are paramount objectives behind the philosophical make- up of our summer school. Our summer program also continued to expand into the vocational enrichment and certification program areas, including Introduction to Dental Assisting, Dental Radiology Preparatory course, and Basic Welding. These programs were not only extremely successful, but gives both students and adults an opportunity to explore and begin new careers. 416 The popular Northeast Summer Computer Program completed a successful 23`d year. Its objective of making learning fun had the counselors teach the participants skills that they can use during their school year while enjoying doing it. These programs can help strengthen reading and math skills, and expand their general knowledge of the computer. Outstanding Power Point presentations and the introduction of "Movie Maker Program" were an exciting part of this year's computer program, along with swimming and diving instruction. COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAM The Community Education Program is a broad base collaborative community initiative assisting learners of all kinds complete their education and achieve economic self - sufficiency through empowerment skills, health care, support services and meaningful employment. . Our vision is to deliver educational experience in a positive environment that will enable Northeast to reach new heights together with our lifelong learning community. The focus of the Community Education Program is to offer programs that meet the demands of our learning populations. In doing this we give people the opportunity to improve employment skills, fulfill life long goals, or enrich their lives with social activities. With the most qualified instructors, and state of the art labs Northeast strives to maintain the highest standards of education. During the summer of 2011, continued emphasis was placed on technology upgrades such as brochure modification, new state of the art web site construction, and the introduction of new programs. 2011 GRADUATES The 2010 -11 school year represents the thirty- eighth class to matriculate at Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School. Northeast graduated 277 students in the class of 2011. Breakdown of graduates' status after graduation is as follows: Employed - 91 Entering Military Service - 7 Other - 10 Attending 4 year college - 78 Attending 2 year college - 81 Apprentice school - 10 * * It should be noted that 61 % of the graduating class went on to further their education either in a two or four year college or in an apprentice program. 272 members of the graduating class either entered military service, are employed, or seeking further education. That figure represents 96.3% of the class of 2011. SPECIAL NEEDS ENROLLMENT Special Needs enrollment for the 2010 -11 school year continued to represent a fair share of the total school enrollment with students. The 331 .Special Needs students represent.26% of the school population. 417 DISTRICT SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTION OF OFFICERS At the-Annual Organizational Meeting of the District School Committee on January 13, 2011 the following members were re- elected Officers of the Northeast District School Committee: Chairman Michael T. Wall, of Chelsea Vice Chairman Henry S. Hooton, of Melrose Secretary Peter A. Rossetti, Jr. of Saugus Treasurer Larry Means, of Stoneham Assoc. Treasurer Vincent J. Carisella, of Wakefield Stoneham elected Larry Means to the Northeast School Committee, and the Northeast School Committee elected Mr. Means as Treasurer. Northeast was saddened by the passing of retired School Committee member, Paul L. Sweeney after many years of service to his community and the Northeast School Committee. The Northeast Family lost many loved ones over the past year, including one of our own, James H. Shane, with over 20 years of dedicated service to the students and faculty of Northeast. CONCLUSION As Northeast celebrates its forty -first year of career /technical excellence with its twelve member communities, the district continues to offer students the finest career technical education with which to build a successful career supporting curriculum and classrooms with the latest equipment and technology. The Northeast Class of 2011 had a 99% pass rate of the MCAS Test by graduation. Northeast continues to offer school day MCAS Enrichment Classes and after school enrichment programs for those students in need of additional preparation for the MCAS, which includes Science (beginning with the Class of 2010). Northeast also offers a Summer Transition Program for incoming freshmen as well as a Summer Enrichment Program for enrolled at risk students preparing for the MCAS state assessments. The school continues to offer students the finest education with which to build a successful career through the latest in equipment, software, and technology offered in all vocational programs no matter which career path they have chosen. The Career Center facilitates student access to technology to further learn business aspects of their industries, develop career plans, resumes, and comprehensive portfolios, and prepare college and other post secondary documents with the assistance of our faculty including Career and Adjustment Counselors. Evidence of our past success is reflected in the students that have graduated from Northeast Metro Tech. The Alumni's stories of success and their readiness and willingness to help school officials by speaking at recruiting sessions at.the local schools as well as recruiting graduates for employment is proof of their dedication to Northeast. Northeast currently has 20 alumni employed at the school. Testimonials as to the success of our graduates continue to be received which makes us proud to have contributed in some small way to their accomplishments. Once again, I am proud to have represented Reading as a member of the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational District School Committee. I will continue to serve as the guardian of funds allocated from the community to this educational institution and assist in and provide counsel to the school in maintaining the highest standards of educational excellence possible. Jeanne M. Feeley, Committee Member Northeast School Committee Reading Representative °.IK CITY /TOWN DISTRICT Chelsea Malden Melrose North Reading Reading Revere Saugus Stoneham Wakefield Winchester Winthrop Woburn TOTALS: NON DISTRICT GRAND TOTAL: SPECIAL NEEDS NORTHEAST METROPOLITAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOL ENROLLMENT HISTORY S.Y. S.Y. S.Y. S.Y. S.Y. S.Y. .S.Y. S.Y. S.Y. S.Y. S.Y. S.Y. 00 -01 01 -02 02 -03 03 -04 04 -05 05 -06 06 -07 07 -08 08 -09 09 -10 10 -11 11 -12 236 276 240 268 258 221 203 198 206 190 195 199 206 172 150 157 175 215 238 234 222 216 215 198 28 19 30 40 36 56 64 64 48 45 62 61 14 21 27 29 30 28 40 38 37 37 36 35 23 23 22 22 25 19 26 26 26 28 23 16 267 270 277 272 256 241 242 238 244 238 234 225 128 129 139 148 139 146 137 138 161 174 191 204 39 40 36 28 37 34 46 44 46 52 54 59 52 41 39 34 36 59 65 61 84 91 98 79 8 8 9 9 6 7 9 9 7 11 13 15 27 35 40 40 37 41 45 44 55 65 58 60 64 74 87 85 107 99 97 97 70 59 55 65 1092 1108 1096 1132 1142 1166 1212 1191 1206 1206 1234 1216 37 27 40 44 48 43 47 53 39 42 31 35 1129 1135 1136 1176 1190 1209 1259 1244 1245 1248 1265 1251 ENROLLMENT 214 233 273 275 287 320 342 333 323 330 331 326 % SPECIAL NEEDS ENROLLMENT 19% 21% 24% 23% 24% 26% 27% 27% 26% 26% 26% 26% 420 NORTHEAST METROPOLITAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOL COMPARISON OF ASSESSMENTS AS OF MARCH 2010 421 Budget Budget Variance $ Variance % FY 2010 FY 2011 Gross Budget 19,074,606 19,657,886 583,280 3.0579% Less Revenues Chapter 70 Aid 7,611,122 8,270,551 659,429 8.66% Transportation 217,308 419,630 202,322 93.10% Total Revenues Net Assessments 11,246,176 10,967,705 (278,471) -2.48% Chelsea 754,295 583,094 (171,201) - 22.70% - Malden 1,594,353 1,463,718 (130,635) -8.19% Melrose 605,352 563,826 (41,526) -6.86% North Reading 437,455 439,365 1,910 0.44% Reading 312,964 327,946 14,982 4.79% Revere 1,760,044 1,580,723 (179,321) - 10.19% Saugus 2,251,921 2,410,971 159,050 7.06% Stoneham 640,019 698,381 58,362 9.12% Wakefield 1,147,507 1,209,318 61,811 5.39% Winchester 94,799 141,664 46,865 49.44% Winthrop 651,819 748,494 96,675 14.83% Woburn 995,646 800,204 (195,442) - 19.63% Total 11,246,174 10,967,704 (278,470) -2.48% Students Students Variance Variance % FY 2010 FY 2011 Chelsea 206 190 -16 - 7.766990% Malden 222 216 -6 - 2.702703% Melrose 48 46 -2 .-4.166667% North Reading 37 37 0 0.000000% Reading 26 28 2 7.692308% Revere 244 239 -5 - 2.049180% Saugus 161 173 12 7.453416% Stoneham 46 52 6 13.043478% Wakefield 84 91 7 8.333333% Winchester 7 11 4 57.142857% Winthrop 55 65 10 18.181818% 421 Woburn 70 59 -11 - 15.714286% Total 1206 1207 1 100.00% Note: Student counts represent the previous year's count for assessment purposes only Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School District Combined Balance Sheet - All Fund Types and Account Groups June 30, 2011 ASSETS Cash Account Receivable Amount Provided for Long Term Debt Fixed Assets Total Assets LIABILITIES Accounts Payable Claims Incurred Not Reported Deferred Revenue Accrued Salary Accrued Sick and Vacation Other Post Employment Benefit Obligations Capital Lease Obligation Total Liabilities FUND EQUITY Investment in General Fixed Assets Fund Balances: Reserved for Encumbrances Undesigned Total Fund Equity Governmental Fund Fiduciary Account Groups Types Fund Type General Special Trust and Fixed Long Term General Revenue Agency Assets Debt 4,330,844 628,121 51,533 0 0 187,123 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6,244,436 0 0 0 6,733,392 0 $4,517,967 $628,121 $51,533 $6,733,392 $6,244,436 . 289,002 75,100 0 0 0 0 0 464,994 0 0 0 338,894 0 0 0 743,077 127,050 0 0 0 279,404 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6,041,911 0 0 0 0 202,525 $1.311.483 $541,044 $464.99 4 L0 $6,244,436 0 0 0 6,733,392 514,344 0 0 0 2,692,140 87,077 (413,461) 0 $3,206,484 $87.077 41($ 3.4611 $6,733.39 2 A 0 0 $0 Total Liabilities and Fund Equity $4.517,967 62$ 8,121 $51,533 $6,733.3 92 6 244 436 422 423 kgt� 4 Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School District Special Revenue Funds June 30, 2011 Undesienated Fund Balance Amount Adult Education $(207,355) Building Usage 226,518 Athletics 7,852 Cafeteria (30,142) Grants 64,997 School Choice (76,427) Auto Body 4,866 Auto Tech 10,729 Shining Knights 1,914 Day Care 15,645 Culinary 16,622 Cosmetology 12,223 Graphics 35,484 Carpentry 3,899 Metal Fabrication 252 Total: $ 87,077 Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School District Trust and Agency Fund June 30, 2011 Undesienated Fund Balance Amount Student Activity 104,107 Scholarship 37,116 Insurance (554,684) Total: $ (413,416) 424 Title #Positions Term I OriE Date Term APPt'E Auth I Exg Animal Control Appeals Committee 3 3 years BOS Susan Giacalone, Secretary 9 Orchard Park Drive (09) 2012 Tina Ohlson, Chairman 200 Forest Street (08) 2014 John Miles 532 West Street (09) 2013 Audit Committee 7 3 years BOS John Miles David Greenfield 192 Woburn Street (09) 2013 FinCom Marsie West 3 Whitehall Lane (10) 2014 FinCom Stephen Herrick 9 Dividence Road (05) 2012 BOS Chuck Robinson 81 Prospect Street (06) 2014 Sch. Com. Lisa Gibbs 9 Priscilla Road (04) 2012 Sch. Com. Phil Pacino 5 Washington Street (03) 2014 RMLD Camille Anthony 26 Orchard Park Drive (04) 2013 BOS Board of Appeals 5+2 3 years Associates BOS John Miles 532 West Street (08) 2014 Robert A. Redfern, V. Chr. 54 Prospect Street (01) 2012 John A. Jarema 797 Main Street (78) • 2013 Jeffrey D. Perkins, Chairman 1 Coolidge Road (08) 2012 Vacancy (Associate) 538 Summer Ave. ( ) 2014 Kristin Marie Cataldo (Assoc.) 46 Sunset Rock Lane (10) 2013 Damase Caouette 11 Field Pond Drive (09) 2014 Board of Assessors 3 3 years Elected Ralph Colorusso, Chairman 31 Enos Circle (00) April' 13 Fred A. McGrane, Secretary 16 Catherine Avenue (09) April' 14 Robert I. Nordstrand, V. Chr. 384 Franklin Street (69) April' 12 Board of Cemetery Trustees 6 3 years BOS Mary R. Vincent 17 Indiana Avenue (94) 2012 Olive B. Hecht 73 Martin Road (08) 2014 William C. Brown, Sec. 28 Martin Road (96) 2012 Janet Baronian, Chairman 75 Mill Street (99) 2014 Ronald Stortz, V. Chr. 538 Summer Ave. (04) 2013 Elise M. Ciregna 48 Pearl Street (07) 2013 Board of Health 3 3 years BOS Andrew Friedman 27 Hillcrest Road (11) 2014 Barbara A. Meade, Chairman 11 Ash Hill Road (01) 2012 David Singer 66 Prospect St. (03) 2013 ENI Title #Positions Term Orig Date Term Appt'g Auth (02) Ex Board of Library Trustees 6 3 years Elected Victoria V. Yablonsky 93 Grand Street (02) April'14 David P. Hutchinson, Chr. 41 Harvard Street (05) April'14' Jeffrey Doucette 30 Vale Road (09) April'12 Richard H. Curtis, V. Chr. 15 Holly Road (07) April' 13 Cherrie Dubois 9 Meadow Brook Lane (07) April' 13 Karyn Storti, Secretary 31 Green St. (03) A ril'12 Board of Registrars 4 3 years 1 from t.,M1 ma.r .rl BOS Harry Simmons 17 Pine Ridge Road (06) 2014 Gloria R. Hulse 107 Sanborn Lane (92) 2012 Krissandra Holmes 77 Redgate Lane (06) 2013 Laura Gemme 16 Lowell Street (09) Indef. B.V. of 0. Board of Selectmen 5 3 years Elected Stephen Goldy, V. Chair 42 Berkeley Street (06) April' 13 Ben Tafoya, Secretary 40 Oak Street (05) April'14 James E. Bonazoli 100 Grove Street (05) April'14 Camille W. Anthony, Chair 26 Orchard Park Drive (94) April' 12 Richard W. Schubert 119 Winthrop Ave. (01) April'13 Bylaw Committee 5 3 years Appt. Com Philip B. Pacino, Chairman 5 Washington Street (86) 2013 2012 Unit D6 Rita Robertson 9 Elm Street Dolores S. Carroll, Secretary 37 Johanna Drive (87) 2014 John H. Russell 91 Spruce Road (91) 2012 Louise M. Callahan 52 Sanborn St., Apt. 2 (1 l) 2014 Ronald T. O'Keefe, Jr. 44 Batchelder Road (06) 2012 Bylaw Committee Appointment Committee Philip B. Pacino 5 Washington St., Unit D6 Chair Bylaw Com Camille Anthony 26 Orchard Park Drive Chair BOS Alan Foulds 9 Ide Street Town Moderator Celebration Committee 5 3 years Kurt Habel 832 Main Street (99) 2012 BOS Rita Robertson 9 Elm Street (02) 2014 Mod. Mark Cardono, Chairman 26 Boswell Road (99) 2014 Historical Bob McLaughlin 14 Galvin Circle (02) 2010 Library Everett Blodgett 99 Prescott Street 00) 2012 Sch. Com. 426 Title #Positions Term Ori g Term Appt, Auth Date Exg Cities for Climate Protection 5 3 years BOS _ Program Committee 68 Tennyson Road (05) 2014 Tony Capobianco, Secretary 8 Gould Street (10) 2013 Joan Boegel 3 Highland Street (10) 2012 David L. Williams 258 Haverhill Street (08) 2014 Ronald Daddario, Chairman 97 Summer Avenue (10) 2014 Ray Porter 529 Franklin Street (07) 2012 Gina Snyder (Associate) 11 Jadem Terrace (06) 2012 Laurie Ann Sylvia (Associate) 1176 Main Street (11) 2012 Michele Benson (Associate) 128 Eastway (06) 2012 Commissioners of Trust Funds 3 3 years BOS Elizabeth W. Klepeis, Chr. 68 Tennyson Road (05) 2014 Neil L. Cohen 73 Hillcrest Road (07) 2012 John J. Daly, V. Chr. 163 Woburn Street (95) 2013 Stephen Goldy 42 Berkeley Street (11) 2014 Nancy Heffernan 16 Lowell Street (07) Inde£ BVO Community Planning & 5 3 years BOS Development Commission 73 Martin Road (03) 2014 Charles Adams 13 Riverside Drive (11) 2014 Vacancy 145 Lowell Street ( ) 2012 Nicholas Safina 221 South Street (06) 2013 John Weston, Chairman 10 Winthrop Ave. (07) 2013 David B. Tuttle 27 Heather Drive (06) 2014 William Keating (Associate) 42 Intervale (11) 2012 George Katsoufis (Associate) 9 Berkeley Street (06) 2012 Conservation Commission 7 3 yrs BOS William Hecht, Chr. 73 Martin Road (03) 2014 Tom Laughlin 24 Oak Street (11) 2014 Brian F. Sullivan 145 Lowell Street (10) 2012 Jamie Maughan, V. Chr. 263 Woburn Street (10) 2013 Brian J. Tucker 9 Longwood Road (09) 2012 Annika Scanlon 3 Copeland Avenue (06) 2013 Barbara Stewart 52 County Road (06) 2012 Constables Up to 4 3 years BOS Thomas H. Freeman P.O. Box 825 (93) 2012 Sally M. Hoyt 221 West Street (72) 2014 Alan Ulrich 55 Hancock Street (04) 2013 427 Title #Positions Term OriE Date Term Appt'g Auth (06) ExE Contributory Retirement 5 3 years BOS Board 23 Van Norden Road (06) 2012 Frank Driscoll 7 Ordway Terrace 2014 E. by E. Joe Veno, Chairman 11 Rock Street 2013 E. by E. Marguerite Bosnian North Reading (06) 2012 Gail LaPointe, Town Acct. 16 Lowell Street Indef. B.V. of O. Richard Foley 68 Tennyson Road 12/15 BOS Thomas A. Clough 172 Summer Avenue 2012 Board Council on Aging 10 3 years BOS Margaret Havey 23 Van Norden Road (06) 2012 Steve Oston, Chairman 68 Sturges Road (07) 2013 Sally M. Hoyt 221 West Street (04) 2013 Marguerite Bosnian 46 Putnam Road (06) 2012 Erica Lynne Deane, Secretary 124 Franklin Street (09) 2012 Carol Oniskey, V. Chr. 7 Strawberry Hill Ln. (08) 2014 Carole N. Scrima 709 Gazebo Circle (04) 2013 Jean Prato 25 Orchard Park Dr. (11) 2012 Kevin Walsh 44 Roma Lane (11) 2014 Dorothy Derosa 1005 Gazebo Circle (10) 2014 Cultural Council 7 3 years 6 max BOS Lorraine Horn, Co -Chair 99 Beaver Road (06) 2013 Vicky Schubert 119 Winthrop Avenue (06) 2012 Margaret E. Caouette, Treas. 11 Field Pond Drive (08) 2014 Colleen O'Shaughnessy 56 Walnut Street (11) 2014 Lynne A. Cassinari, Co -Chair 78 Hartshorn Street (08) 2012 Vacancy ( ) 2014 Joan Marshman, Secretary 77 Ash Street (10) 2013 Custodian of Soldier's And 1 up to 5 years Sailor's Graves Francis P. Driscoll 7 Ordway Terrace (92) 2013 BOS 428 Title #Positions Term Ori¢ Date Term AI)fIt °g Auth (10) ExU Economic Development 5 3 years BOS Committee 40 Beaver Road (10) 2014 Ben Yoder 94 Oak Street (10) 2014 George A. Rio I 1 Estate Lane (08) 2012 Sheila Clarke, V. Chr. 536 Haverhill St. (06) 2014 Michelle R. Williams 31 Melbourne Avenue (07) 2013 Meghan Young - Tafoya, Chr. 40 Oak Street (06) 2013 Michelle Ferullo (Associate) 46 Howard Street (10) 2012 Maria Higgins (Associate) 57 Avalon Road (10) 2012 Karl Weld (Associate) 60 Highland Street (11) 2012 John Russell (Associate) 91 Spruce Road 06) 2012 Finance Committee 9 3 years 9 years max Appointment Com Paula Perry 40 Beaver Road (10) 2014 Barry Berman 54 Longview (07) 2014 David Greenfield, Vice Chair 192 Woburn Street (05) 2014 Vacancy 47 Batchelder road ( ) 2012 John Arena 26 Francis Drive (11) 2012 Marie Ferrari 20 Crosby Road (11) 2013 Mark Dockser 110 Beaver Road (10) 2013 Harold S. Torman 77 Sunnyside Ave. (03) 2013 Marsie K. West, Chairman 3 Whitehall Lane (03) 2012 Fall Street Faire Committee 5 1 year BOS Ben Tafoya 40 Oak Street (11) 2014 Stephen Goldy 42 Berkeley Street (11) 2012 Leslie M. Leahy 18 Hartshorn Street (11) 2013 Rosemary Murphy 47 Batchelder road (11) 2012 Tina Ohlson 200 Forest Street (11) 2013 Denise Benard (Associate) 33 John Street (11) 2012 FinCom 3 1 year Appointment Committee Alan E. Foulds, Chairman 9 Ide Street Inde£ Moderator Marsie West 3 Whitehall Lane Indef. Fin. Chr. Camille Anthony 26 Orchard Park Drive Indef. Chr. BOS 429 Title #Positions I Term I Orig Date Term Appt'g Auth Ex Historical Commission 5+ 3 years BOS Kevin F. Mulvey, V. Chr. Associates (08) 2013 Janann Ali 206 Woburn Street (11) 2014 Mark Cardono, Chairman 26 Boswell Road (98) 2013 Roberta M. Sullivan, Treasurer 76 Minot Street (96) 2014 Sharlene Reynolds Santo, 46 Wakefield St. (99) 2012 Secretary 84 Woburn Street (96) 2014 Vacancy 873 Main Street ( ) 2013 Virginia M. Adams (Associate) 59 Azalea Circle 78) 2012 Housing Authority 5 5 years BOS Kevin F. Mulvey, V. Chr. 67 Whittier Road (08) 2013 Karen Flammia 19 Vista Ave. (00) 2015 Mary E. Connors, Treasurer 52 Sanborn St. Apt. 103 (96) 2012 Diane Cohen, 51 Redgate Lane (04) 2011 State Charles McDonald (BOS) 41 Canterbury Drive (03) Appts Timothy Kelley, Chairman 84 Woburn Street (96) 2014 Human Relations Advisory 7 3 years BOS Committee Carie Ann Torrence 105 Libby Avenue (11) 2014 Lori Hodin 385 Summer Avenue (07) 2013 Karen Janowski (School) 30 Azalea Circle (11) 2014 Charles McDonald (BOS) 41 Canterbury Drive (03) 2012 James Cormier (Police) 15 Union Street (05) 2013 Monique Pillow Gnanaratnam 873 Main Street (08) 2012 Margaret LeLacheur 47 County Road (09) 2013 Robin I. Decker (Associate) 18 Winter Street (11) 2012 MBTA Advisory Board 1 Indef Town Mgr Bob LeLacheur 16 Lowell Street Metropolitan Area Planning 1 + 3 years BOS Council Alternate Steven Sadwick 138 Prospect Street (05) 2014 Vacancy (Alternate) ( ) 2014 Moderator 1 year Elected Alan Foulds 9 Ide Street April 12 430 Title #Positions I Term I Ori Date Term Appt s Auth (87) Ex Municipal Light Board 5 3 years Elected Philip B. Pacino, Secretary 5 Washington St. Unit (87) April 13 D6 Gina M. Snyder 11 Jadem Terrace (10) April 13 Richard S. Hahn, V. Chr., 29 Buckingham Drive (05) April 12 Robert Soli, Secretary 19 James Road (02) April 14 Mary Ellen O'Neill, Chairman 125 Summer Ave. (06) April 12 Mystic Valley Elder Services, 2 3 years Inc Vacancy 9/30/13 COA Rheta C. McKinley 4 Elderberry Lane 211 9/30/12 BOS North Suburban Planning 4 BOS Council Ben Tafoya 40 Oak Street (07) 2013 George Katsoufis (BOS Alt.) 9 Berkeley Street (08) 2013 Vacancy ( ) 2012 CPDC Vacancy (CPDC Alt.) ( ) 2012 RCTV Board of Directors 2 3 years BOS & Sch Com Edward Smethurst 86 Gleason Road (08) 2014 BOS John Carpenter (10) 2014 Sch. Com. Kevin Walsh 44 Roma Lane (11) 2012 BOS Reading Ice Arena Authority 1 3 years BOS Carl McFadden 33 Wakefield Street (10) 2014 RMLD Citizen Advisory 1 3 years BOS Board Tony Capobianco 8 Gould Street (11) 2014 431 Title #Positions Term I Orig Term Appt'E Exp 24 Smith Avenue (01) I Date Auth Francis P. Driscoll (Precinct 3) 7 Ordway Terrace (08) Nancy Graham (Precinct 4) 26 Holly Road Recreation Committee 8 + 1 Sch. 3 years 22 Mount Vernon St. (08) BOS 8 Palmer Hill Avenue Com. + Alt. Denise D. Wyer (Precinct 7) 228 Forest Street (08) Nancy Linn Swain 35 Minot Street (03) 2012 Michael DiPetro 23 Sanborn Lane (04) 2013 Adam Chase 8 Gardner Road (93) 2014 Richard Hand 20 Meadowbrook Ln. (11) 2014 Francis Driscoll, V. Chr. 7 Ordway Terrace (04) 2013 Karen Janowski 30 Azalea Circle (11) 2014 Sch. Com. Catherine R. Kaminer 37 Warren Avenue (88) 2013 Mary Ellen Stolecki, Chr. 33 Lewis Street (00) 2012 Joseph Rossetti (Associate) 4 Crosby Road (09) 2012 Eric Hughes 18 Small Lane (08) 2012 Regional School District 1 4 years Elected Committee Jeanne Feeley Pine Ridge Road (10) Nov`12 Rules Committee 8 1 year No " ° "` "' "` mn n Precinct Member Ronald T. O'Keefe (Precinct 1) 44 Batchelder Road (08) Peter G. Coumounduros 24 Smith Avenue (01) (Precinct 2) (06) April 12 Francis P. Driscoll (Precinct 3) 7 Ordway Terrace (08) Nancy Graham (Precinct 4) 26 Holly Road (10) Janice Jones (Precinct 5) 22 Mount Vernon St. (08) James Mulvey (Precinct 6) 8 Palmer Hill Avenue (10) Denise D. Wyer (Precinct 7) 228 Forest Street (08) Karen Gately Herrick (Precinct 9 Dividence Road (10) School Committee 6 3 years Elected Karen T. Janowski 30 Azalea Circle (08) April 14 Christopher Caruso, Chairman 77 Hartshorn Street (06) April 12 David Michaud 54 Hanscom Ave. (06) April 12 Charles Robinson, V. Chair 81 Prospect Street (07) April 13 Lisa Gibbs 9 Priscilla Road (04) April 14 Harold A. Croft 27 Linnea Lane (10) Aril 13 432 Title #Positions Term Orig Term Appt'ff Auth 2012 Date Exp Sick Bank Committee 9 3 years BOS Nancy Aberman 64 Middlesex Ave. 2012 T. Mgr. Margaret A. Campbell, Chr. 16 Lowell Street 2013 T. Mgr. Marie Ammer 16 Lowell Street 2014 T. Mgr. Vacancy (Dispatcher) 15 Union Street 2014 Union Peter Garchinsky (Police Sup.) 15 Union Street 2014 Union Tom Ward (DPW) 16 Lowell Street 2012 Union Peter Tassi 16 Lowell Street 2014 T. Mgr. Pat Iapicca (Police Patrol) 15 Union Street 2014 Union James D'Entremont(Eng.) 16 Lowell Street 2013 Union Town Forest Committee 5 3 years BOS Vacancy 182 Franklin Street ( ) 2012 Vacancy 89 Oakland Road ( ) 2014 Patrice A. Todisco 483 Franklin Street (08) 2013 Mark Wetzel 163 County Road (10) 2013 Thomas Gardiner 182 Franklin Street (10) 2012 Louis deBrigard, (Assoc) 37 Auburn Street (02) 2012 Trails Committee 5 3 years BOS Thomas S. Gardiner, Chairman 182 Franklin Street (08) 2012 Joan A. Hoyt, Secretary 89 Oakland Road (08) 2013 Susan Giacalone 9 Orchard Park Drive (08) 2012 David Williams 117 Oak Street (08) 2013 Alan Rosh 20 Dean Road (08) 2014 William Finch (Associate) 51 Mill Street (11) 2012 John E. Parsons (Associate) 3 C Street (08) 2012 Volunteer Appointment BOS Subcommittee Ben Tafoya 40 Oak Street (11) 2012 James Bonazoli 100 Grove Street (11) 2012 West Street Historic District 5 3 years BOS Commission Virginia Adams 59 Azalea Circle (09) 2012 Priscilla Poehler 43 Bancroft Avenue (09) 2012 Vacancy ( ) 2014 Everett Blodgett 99 Prescott Street (09) 2013 Stephen O'Shea 257 West Street (09) 2013 Ilene Bornstein (Alternate) 80 Haystack Road (09) 2012 Sharlene Reynolds Santo(Alt) 46 Wakefield Street 09) 2012 433