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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-06-01 Adjourned Annual Town Meeting MinutesADJOURNED ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School June 1, 1981 3.27 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, John W. Faria, at 8:00 P.M., there being a quorum present. The invocation was given by the Moderator, John W. Faria, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. ARTICLE 12. Motion by Barry J. Mitchell for reconsideration of Article 12 as voted at the Adjourned Annual Town Meeting on April 23, 1981, was voted in the affirmative by a vote of 99 in the affirmative, 16 in the negative, two - thirds vote required. ARTICLE 12. On motion of Barry J. Mitchel it was voted that the Town amend the Zoning By -laws by deleting the existing paragraph 6.3.2.4. and inserting in place thereof the following: 6.3.2.4 When a non - conforming use is not used for a period of two (2) or more years, its non - conforming status shall lapse and any future use shall be in conformance with this By -law. 115 voted in the affirmative 13 voted in the negative 2/3 vote required ARTICLE 2. On motion of Mary S. Ziegler it was voted to take Article 2 from the table. ARTICLE 2. The following report presented by Mary S. Ziegler was accepted as an amendment to the Finance Committee report. Addendum to FINCOM Warrant Retort. In December the Finance Committee sent a letter to all Boards, Committees, and Departments asking that FY 82 budgets be submitted at the FY 81 Dollar level, less any onetime items. Some areas could not be level funded as you can see by our recommendations. The selectmen grouped their budgets so as to achieve level funding. By and large we had excellent compliance with the request. 4% cap years were bad enough—but the restraints of 2%z and its limitations make the 4% cap look like icing on the cake. Under 2%z there is NO town meeting override. In fact, the limit cannot be overridden next fall unless the legislature calls a special election. We have a definite amount of money to vote to run this town. As 2%z is now interpreted the tax levy limit is set at 102.5% of the tax levy of the previous year. There are those here who say if we don't tax to the limit this year it will hurt us next Fiscal Year. Others say let's give the taxpayer a break—don't be spending to keep the tax levy to the legal limit. As it now stands the FinCom's concept of level funding can be a reality if Town Meeting concurs with the FinCom's recommendations on the budgets and special articles. The Assessor's job to bring the town up to actual cash value is moving along smoothly. The Bureau of Local Assessments has approved their plan. There is one big unknown in predicting the tax levy right now - - -THE CHERRY SHEET. Are we going to receive enough aid from the State that will more than offset the increases in assessments on the Cherry Sheet? A preliminary Cherry Sheet was issued by the Executive Branch at the end of March. Mr. Palmunen and I do not put any faith in it. In our opinion it isn't worth the paper it is printed on. I feel as do others that additional aid will be weighted heavily in favor of the cities. How much Reading will get is the question. We will have to wait and see. Reading will need a net gain of $50,308 over last year's Cherry Sheet to meet the recommendations of the FinCom without using any free cash. We, the FINCOM feel that it is worth taking the risk that the net gain will be more than sufficient. If a gain does not materialize we will have to fall back on free cash. As you see on the addendum, Reading had certified free cash on July 1, 1980 of $890,508. $191,019 was spent at the Fall Town Meeting and the Special within the Annual in April, heaving a balance of $699,489. The $246,128 is the net collections from July 1, 1980 to March 31, 1981 of prior years taxes and tax title redemptions. The state will allow this sum of $246,128 to be used as free cash to offset the tax rate for the next Fiscal Year. Traditionally Reading has not used this March 31 figure. Only that amount left of the certified free cash of July 1 has been used. The Finance Committee is reluctant to use free cash. We feel Reading is going to be hit harder in FY 83 than in FY 82...as 2Yi now stands. Our original estimate made the middle 328 Adjourned Annual Town Meeting June 1, 1981 of March used only $275,000 of this free cash, leaving a balance of $425,000 to be carried over. At this time we recommend that no free cash be used for FY 82 budgets. We have several reasons for carrying free cash over. The Light Department's in lieu of taxes payment includes a bonus for FY 82. We can expect this to drop several hundred thousand dollars for FY 83. We just received notice last week that Revenue Sharing for FY 83 will decrease at least 110,000. Several of the Transfers from available funds (135,000) are one time items. FY 83 will include a 53rd pay week. This 53rd payweek cannot be put off any longer. The town payroll for one week excluding the school employees in FY 82 is approximately $76,000. One must add a % for raises to this to get the correct amount needed for FY 83. And finally a real big unknown. The full impact of the FY 81 excise deficit. The Town Accountant assures us that the deficits in the excise tax revenue for this FY will be covered by the increases in other revenues. Will we have any EXTRA ?? The Finance Committee has been very concerned for several years about the capital projects that have been cut and /or delayed because of constraints on spending, especially those cuts in maintenance. It looks like we might have some funds to spend in this area. Thus the Finance Committee makes the following recommendation to Town Meeting. Vote the Finance Committee's recommendations as presented. Do not use any free cash at this annual Town Meeting. Instead, at the Fall Town Meeting use some of the free cash to fund some of the things that have been delayed and /or cut due to funding constraints. This will give the Departments, Boards and Committees time to develop capital projects in an orderly and thoughtful fashion. It is too late to do this now. Money should not be added to budgets here and there without careful thought and analysis. This will create utter chaos and each department will want their share. In fact, we do not know how much money we have to work with. By next fall we will know what excesses in revenue (if any) we had in FY 81. Hopefully by then some positive changes will be made in 2'/i, and we will also have a better idea of income for FY 83. ADDENDUM TO FINCOM WARRANT REPORT FOR FY'82 Correction Old New p. 6 Add under FIRE DEPARTMENT for FY182 - Refurbish ladder truck 90,000 p.12 Light - In Lieu of Taxes FY182 1,000,000 1,087,146 SUBTOTAL - Local Receipts 4,059,835 4,146,981 TOTAL Est. State & Local Receipts 7,459,835 7,546,981 p.23 Line 16 - Tax Collector Clerical Sal. 55,750 45,750 Tax Coll.. Total Sal 65,250 55,250 Tax Coll. TOTAL 82,500 72,500 p.24 Line 23 - Assessors Salaries 7,600 17,600 Assessors Total Salaries 68,456 78,456 Subtotal (above line 26) 75,956 85,956 Line 26 - Article 31, Revaluation (9 -0 -1) 200,000 250,000 TOTAL (Assessors) 275,956 335,956 Line 39 - Bldg. Maint. Salaries (9 -2 -0) 58,991 59,891 SUBTOTAL 141,784 142,684 Line 41a - Highland School (was 135) please add this line (9 -0 -3) 16,825 p.25 Total after line 48 141,784 159,509 GENERAL GOVERNMENT - SUBTOTAL 874,689 942,414 Line 48a - Article 39 please add 8,500 SPECIAL ARTICLES - SUBTOTAL 350 8,850 GENERAL GOVERNMENT - TOTAL 875,039 951,264 p.26 Line 79 - Fire Dept. Equ;ip. Art. 36 & 37 (8 -2 -1) 90,000 Total of ter line 81 1,131, 916 1,221,916 PROTECTION - - TOTAL 2,554,053 2,644,053 p.28 Line 135 - Highland School - Delete see line item 41a 12,000 Delete total below line 135 EDUCATION - TOTAL 10,130, 666 10,118, 666 p.30 Delete line between lines 189 and 190 Reserve for unvoted special articles 92,905 TOTAL TO BE RAISED AND NET RAISED FROM CURRENT INCOME 20,941,913 21,003,233 Replace page 7 by new page 7 p.31 Article 31 - Recommend $ 250,000 9 -0 -1 Article 36 - To be indefinitely postponed 329, Adjourned Annual Town Meeting June 1, 1981 Article 37 - Recommend $ 90,000 8 -2 -1 Article 39 - Recommend $ 8,500 12 -0 -0 Article 40 - To be indefinitely postponed 2,700 Article 41 - To be indefinitely postponed 30,000 Article 42 - To be indefinitely postponed p.32 Article 43 - No not recommend 9 -2 -0 Article 44 - Do not recommend 9 -2 -0 Article 45 - Do not recommend 6 -3 -1 Article 47 - Do not recommend 10 -0 -1 Article 48 - Do not recommend 10 -0 -1 FREE CASH Certified 7/1/80 $ 890,508 USED Fall Town Meeting & April Special Town Meeting 191,019 AMOUNT LEFT of free cash certified 7/1/80 $ 699,489 NET COLLECTIONS of prior years taxes and tax title redempt- ions up to March 31, 1981 246,128 945,617 ARTICLE 2. On motion of Mary S. Ziegler it was voted to lay Article 2 on the table. ARTICLE 29. On motion of Mary S. Ziegler it was voted that the Capital Outlay Plan, as provided for in Article III, Section 11 of the By -Laws of the Town, as adopted at subsequent Town Meeting of November 1980 be amended by adding in FY 82 under Fire Department - Refurbish Ladder Truck, by deleting in FY 82 the following items: Street betterments, Sidewalk Construction, Acquire Water Resource Lands, Improve RHMS Athletic Facilities, Chapter 504, Fire Station, those items under Library and Water, and by shifting out one year Chapter 504, Fire Station and Microfilm Reader - Printer as shown on page 6 and corrected page 7 of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Annual Warrant and in the addendum issued June 1, 1981. ARTICLE 30. On motion of John W. Price, as amended by Carl H. Amon, Jr., it was voted that the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500) be transferred from Insurance Review and that the sum of Fifty -six Dollars ($56) be transferred from Memorial Day Expense and that the sum of One Thousand One Hundred Dollars ($1,100) be transferred from Free Cash and that the sum of One Hundred Seven Thousand and Sixty -one Dollars ($107,061) be raised from the tax levy and that said sums totalling One Hundred Eight Thousand Seven Hundred Seventeen Dollars ($108,717) be appropriated to the Board of Selectmen as follows: each item being considered a separate appropriation. Salaries $ 62,294 Expense (including out of state travel not to exceed $250) 3,673 Miscellaneous 42,750 Special Committees 50 Town Report 2,700 Telephone 30,000 Memorial Day Observance 1,500 Duplicating Costs 8,500 �- ARTICLE 30. On motion of John W. Price it was voted that the sum of Two Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty -four Dollars ($2,754) be transferred from Receipts Reserved for Appropriation and that the sum of Forty -one Thousand One Hundred Forty Dollars ($41,140) be raised from the tax levy and that said sums totaling Forty -three Thousand Eight Hundred Ninety -four Dollars ($43,894) be appropriated to the Town Accountant as follows each item being considered a separate appropriation. Salaries $ 42,114 Expense (including out of state travel not to exceed $150) 1,780 330 Adjourned Annual Town Meeting June 1, 1981 ARTICLE 30.On motion of Elizabeth W. Klepeis it was voted that the sum of Five Thousand Eight Hundred Ninety -three Dollars ($5,893) be transferred from the Municipal Light Department's Maintenance and Operations Account to the Treasurer's Salary Account and that the sum of Fifty -six Thousand Two Hundred Eighty -nine Dollars ($56,289) be raised from the tax levy and that said sums totaling Sixty -two Thousand One Hundred Eighty -two Dollars ($62,182) be appropriated to the Treasurer as follows each item being considered a separate appropriation: Salaries $ 48,707 Expense (including out of state travel not to exceed $450) 9,475 Tax Title 4,000 and in accordance with Chapter 41 Section 108 of the General Laws of Massachusetts, the Treasurer's salary is hereby set, effective July 1, 1981 at $12,200. ARTICLE 30.On motion of C. Dewey Smith it was voted that the sum of Seventy -two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($72,500) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to the Tax Collector as follows, each item being considered a separate appropriation: Salaries $ 55,250 Expense 12,250 Collection of back taxes 5,000 and in accordance with Chapter 41, Section 108 of the General Laws of Massachusetts, the Tax Collector's salary is hereby set, effective July 1, 1981 at $9,500. ARTICLE 30.On motion of John W. Price it was voted that the sum of Forty -eight Thousand Forty -eight Dollars ($48,048) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to the Town Clerk as follows, each item to be considered a separate appropriation: Salaries $ 39,798 Expense (includes out of state travel not to exceed $200) 4,650 Word Processor 3,600 and in accordance with Chapter 41, Section 108 of the General Laws of Massachusetts the Town Clerk's salary is hereby set effective July 1, 1981 at $9,500. ARTICLE 30.On motion of Robert I. Nordstrand it was voted that the sum of Eighty - five Thousand Nine Hundred Fifty -six Dollars ($85,956.00) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to the Assessors as follows, each item to be considered a separate appropriation: Salaries $ 78,456.00 Expense 7,500.00 and in accordance with Chapter 41 Section 108 of the General Laws of Massachusetts, the Assessors salaries are hereby set effective July 1, 1981 totaling Seventeen Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($17,600.00) to be divided as they choose. ARTICLE 30.On motion of Maureen T. O'Brien it was voted that the sum of One Thousand Twenty Dollars ($1,020) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to the Board of Registrars. ARTICLE 30.On motion of Maureen T. O'Brien it was voted that the sum of Twenty - five Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($25,500) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to Election and Registration Expense. ARTICLE 30.On motion of Maureen T. O'Brien it was voted that the sum of One Thousand Eight Hundred Dollars ($1,800) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to the Board of Appeals for salaries and expense. 3 311; Adjourned Annual Town Meeting June 1, 1981 ARTICLE 30. On motion of Barry J. Mitchel it was voted that the sum of Six Thousand One Hundred Sixty -four Dollars ($6,164) be raised from the tax levy and be appropriated as follows (each line item constituting a separate appropriation): Planning Board Salary $ 4,959 Planning Board Expense 1,205 Planning Board Operations $ 6,164 ARTICLE 30. On motion of Mary S. Ziegler it was voted that the sum of Thirteen Thousand Fifty Dollars ($13,050) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to the Finance Committee as follows, each item to be considered a separate appropriation: Salary $ 1,700 Expense 350 C.P.A. Audit 11,000 ARTICLE 30. On motion of Bayard R. Lincoln it was voted that the sum of Eighteen Thousand One Hundred and Seventy -four Dollars ($18,174) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to the Personnel Board as follows, each item being considered a separate appropriation: Salaries $ 17,874 Expense 300 Total $ 18,174 ARTICLE 30. On motion of John W. Price it was voted that the sum of Forty -seven Thousand Dollars ($47,000) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to the Law Committee as follows, each item being considered a separate appropriation: Legal Services Fees $ 45,000 Legal Services Expense 2,000 ARTICLE 30. On motion of Maureen T. O'Brien as amended by Mary S. Ziegler it was voted that the sum of Two Thousand Six Hundred Twenty -seven Dollars ($2,627.00) be transferred from Heating System Community Center and that the sum of One Hundred Forty Thousand Fifty -seven Dollars ($140,057.00) be raised from the tax levy and that said sums totaling One Hundred Forty -two Thousand Six Hundred Eighty -four Dollars ($142,684.00) be appropriated to Building Maintenance as follows, each item to be considered a separate appropriation: Salaries $ 59,891.00 Energy Expense 63,615.00 Expense - non - energy related 19,178.00 On motion of Carl H. Amon, Jr. it was voted that this meeting stand adjourned to meet at 8:00 P.M. on June 4, 1981 in the Reading Memorial High School auditorium. Meeting adjourned at 10:55 P. M. 153 Town Meeting members were present. A true copy. Attest: Lawrence Drew Town Clerk