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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978-11-16 Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting Minutes110 Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1978 ARTICLE 2. John B. Pacino moved that the sense of this Town Meeting continues to f avor the maintenance of the Northeast Regional Vocational School and Reading's participation therein. On motion of Beverly B. Seavey it was voted that this motion be indefinitely postponed. On motion of Frank S. Smith, Jr. it was voted to lay Article 2 on the table. ARTICLE 3. On motion of Frank A. Smith, Jr. it was voted that the sum of Eight Thousand Dollars ($8,000) be transferred from surplus revenue and appropriated to purchase and equip a new cruiser for the Police Department. ARTICLE 4. On motion of James J. Sullivan, Jr., as amended by Donald E.Trudeau, it was voted that the sum of Three Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($3,500) be transferred from surplus revenue and Five Hundred Dollars ($500.0) from Building Inspector's Expense and appropriated to purchase a new or used motor vehicle for the Building Inspector. ARTICLE 5. On motion of Marvin M. Rosenthal it was voted that the sum of Four Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($4,500) be transferred from surplus revenue and appropriated for a roof for the Woburn Street Fire Station. On motion of Frank A. Smith, Jr. it was voted that this meeting stand adjourned until Thursday, November 16, 1978, to meet in the Reading Memorial High School Auditorium at 8:00 P.M. Meeting adjourned at 10:58 P.M. 163 Town Meeting Member-, wPrP nrPCPnt_ A true copy. Attest: Town Clerk ADJOURNED SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School Auditorium November 16, 1978 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Kenneth C. Latham, at 8:00 P.M. The invocation was given by the Rev. Fr. Johnson of Austin Preparatory School, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. The Town Clerk read the Notice of Proposed Reconsideration of vote under Article 3, voted at the Subsequent Town Meeting on November 13, 1978, and the Officer's Return thereto, in accordance with Article II,Section 4 of the General By -Laws of the Town. It was moved by John Zorabedian, Jr. that the following vote under Article 3 at the Subsequent Town Meeting on November 13, 1978, be reconsidered: Article 3. On motion of Frank A. Smith, Jr. it was voted that the sum of Eight Thousand Dollars ($8,000) be transferred from surplus revenue and appropriated to purchase and equip a new cruiser for the Police Department. The motion to reconsider vote under Article 3 failed to pass. 40 voted in the affirmative 61 voted in the negative 2/3 vote required The Town Clerk read the Notice of Proposed Reconsideration of vote under Article 5 voted at the Subsegent Town Meeting on November 13, 1978, and the Officer's Return thereto, in accordance with Article II, Section 4 of the General By -Laws of the Town. A. AL Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 16, 1978 It was moved by John Zorabedian, Jr. that the following vote under Article 5 at the Subsequent Town Meeting on November 13, 1978, be reconsidered: Article 5. On motion of Marvin M. Rosenthal it was voted that the sum of Four Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($4,500) be transferred from surplus revenue and appro- priated for a roof for the Woburn Street Fire Station. The motion to reconsider vote under Article 5 failed to pass. 31 voted inthe affirmative 65 voted in the negative 2/3 vote required On motion of Carl H. Amon, Jr. it was voted to take Article 2 from the table. ARTICLE 2. On motion of Carl H. Amon, Jr. it was voted that the By- LawCommittee be, and they hereby are, instructed to place an article in the warrant for the next Annual Town Meeting to amend Article II, Section 4 of the Town By -Laws by adding the following at the end of the first sentence of said Section: "Provided, however, that if written notice is given to the Town Clerk within twenty - four hours after the adjournment of such session, then said written notice has to be signed by at least twenty Town Meeting Members." so that Section 4. shall read as follows "A motion to reconsider any vote must be made before the final adjournment of the meeting at which the vote was passed, but such motion to reconsider shall not be made at an adjourned meeting unless the mover has given notice of his intention to make such a motion, either at the session of the meeting at which the vote was passed, or by written notice to the Town Clerk within twenty -four (24) hours after the adjournment of said session, provided, however, that if written notice is given to the Town Clerk within twenty -four hours after the adjournment of such session, then said written notice has to be signed by at least twenty Town Meeting Members. There can be no reconsideration of a vote once reconsidered, or after a vote not to reconsider. No article in the warrant shall again be taken into consideration after it has been disposed of unless ordered by vote of two - thirds (2/3) of the votes present." On motion of Carl H. Amon, Jr. it was voted to lay Article 2 on the table. ARTICLE 6. On motion of George A. Theophanis it was voted that Article VI of the General By -Laws be amended as follows: Section 1 — delete the first sentence and replace with the following sentence: "The Chairman of the Board of Selectmen and one member of each of the following Boards: Board of Public Works, Municipal Light Board, School Committee, Board of Health, Board of Assessors, Board of Library Trustees, Board of Cemetery Trustees, and Planning Board shall be the Law Committee of the Town, and the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen shall be the Chairman of the Law Committee." 69 voted in the affirmative 40 voted in the negative ARTICLE 7. Moved that the Town amend Article VI of the General By- Laws by striking out Section 1 and inserting in place thereof: Section 1. The Law Committee shall consist of the Board of Selectmen and the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen shall be the Chairman of the Law Committee. The Law Committee shall hereafter annually on or before the thirtieth day of June or whenever a vacancy shall exist, choose a competent law firm or lawyer to act as Town Counsel. Term of this office of said Town Counsel shall begin on the first day of July or the date of his selection by the Law Committee and shall continue until the following thirtieth day of June or until his successor is appointed. On motion of Frank A. Smith, Jr. it was voted that this Article be indefinitely postponed. <`, Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 16, 1978 ARTICLE 8. Moved that all persons appointed by the Board of Selectmen to the Council on Aging, Recreation Committee, Board of Appeals, Associate Member Board of Appeals or Conservation Commission shall be appointed to and serve not more than three consecutive terms on any such committee or board or commission. All such terms shall expire on the thirtieth day of June of the last year of that term. Any person presently appointed who has served more than three consecutive terms or who is in their third term may not be reappointed to the same position when their present term expires. All persons appointed to fill vacancies to these boards, committees or commissions will be appointed for the unexpired term of the member they replace. Persons appointed to fill vacancies may subsequently be appointed to 3 consecutive full terms. On motion of Marvin M.Rosenthal it was voted that this Article be indefinitely postponed. ARTICLE 9. Frank A. Smith, Jr. moved that the Town approve and authorize the Board of Selectmen to file a petition to the Massachusetts General Court for a special act authorizing the Town to rescind its acceptance of Section 42 ofChapter 48 of the General Laws or corresponding provisions of earlier laws and to authorize the Town to accept the provisions of Section 42A of Chapter 48 of the General Laws. The following Finance Committee Minority Report was submitted by Paul T. Metcalf. Mr. Metcalf was the only Finance Committee member who voted in the negative for recommendation of this Article. The original Finance Committee vote was 9:1. MINORITY REPORT Being the only member to vote in the negative on a vote by the Finance Committee of 9 - 1 on a motion to recommend Article 9, I would like to submit the following: Having heard the presentation by the Selectmen on their decision to petition the General Court for a special act authorizing the Town to rescind its acceptance ofSection 42 of Chapter 48 of the General Laws, and accepting in its place Section 42A of Chapter 48, I disagree, and explain below: I. In recent history there has been no administrative or personal conflict between the Fire Chief and the Selectmen, and, if it should develop, then Sec. 42 allows for removal for cause after a hearing. 2. The Fire Chief should make the rules and regulatins governing his department because he is trained in fire fighting procedures and best knows the abilities of his men. 3. I disagree that the firemen should be used for duties other than firefighting. There is enough work for on -duty firemen to do, such as keeping equipment in shape, studying and practicing the latest fire and emergency methods, and, most important of all, just being on hand to move the equipment to whatever emergency requires its use. 4. The Selectmen now have budgetary control over the Fire Department. This concludes the report. Respectfully submitted Paul T. Metcalf On motion of Paul T. Metcalf it was voted that this Article be indefinitely postponed. On motion of Frank A. Smith, Jr. it was voted that this meeting stand adjourned until Monday, November 20, 1978, at 8:00 P.M., to meet in the Reading Memorial High School Auditorium. Meeting adjourned at 11:00 P.M. 142 Town Meeting Members were present. A true copy. Attest: Lawrence Drew Town Clerk