HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-09-10 School Committee Minutes - Financial Forum Ot`yOPR
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
School Committee
Date: 2014-09-10 Time: 7:30 PM
Building: School - Coolidge Location: Meeting Room
Address: 89 Birch Meadow Drive
Purpose: Financial Forum
Attendees: Members - Present:
Linda Snow Dockser, Gary Nihan, Elaine Webb, Chuck Robinson, Chris
Caruso, Jeanne Borawski
Members - Not Present:
Superintendent John Doherty
Others Present:
State Representitives Brad Jones and Jim Dwyer, Senator Jason Lewis, Town
Manager Bob LeLacheur, Assistant Town Manager Jean Delios, Police Chief
Jim Cormier, Town Accountant Sharon Angstrom, Board of Selectmen
members John Halsey, Dan Ensminger, Marsie West, Kevin Sexton,
Chairman Mark Dockser, Vice Chair Paula Perry, FINCOM members Marc
Moll, Anne Landry, Karen Herrick, Peter Lydecker, Craig Merry, and Paul
McNeice.
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By:
Topics of Discussion:
Chairman Chris Caruso called the meeting to order and the discussion started off with a
recap of the last financial forum.
Mr. Dockser explained at the last forum the group voted on services divided up into
categories of: what we do well, focus areas, services not being provided but should be, and
services getting too much funding.
Mr. LeLacheur quickly explained the four working groups the Board of Selectmen and
Department Heads created to reach towards Reading 2020.
He also explained the Economic Self-Assessment Tool that was used to assess Reading
recently. Mr. LeLacheur then gave a very brief overview of the budget.
State Senator Lewis started us off with a brief background on himself stating he got his
start on the Financial Committee over in Winchester and that he believes his role is being
our partner in helping better the people of Reading's lives. Senator Lewis then went and
stated some of the success we have had in Reading recently including the Franklin and Main
project, the energy efficiency grant, the cultural council was awarded money, and the Civil
War preservation grant. He then went on to speak about Health Insurance costs and how
that is a concern for us at the moment because we are going out to bid soon. He stated the
state has the same budget problems as the local level does with health care.
Senator Lewis then wanted to talk about some potential opportunities Reading could take
advantage of. He mentioned the complete streets or active streets program. He said there
is a transportation bond bill that gives extra Chapter 90 money for communities who take
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School Committee Minutes - September 10, 2014 - page 2
steps to be "active streets". Senator Lewis talked about the Green Communities program
that could make us qualify for grants and would help lower our operating costs. He also
talked about the Mass in Motion program which supports initiatives like healthy and active
living. He said Wakefield and Melrose are both a part of the program and since we share a
Health Director with them, it might be something Reading should take a look at.
Senator Dwyer introduced himself and gave a brief overview of what he hopes to
accomplish. He mentioned his main priority being public safety. He said he also believes in
getting every bang for our dollar and will try to push through any bills that would help get
more money back to the town.
Representative Brad Jones then spoke to the room. He mentioned that he is diligently trying
to pass the municipal gas tax bill and we will keep trying to get it passed. He talked about
the hopes of the Chapter 9 program giving back more money to the town. Representative
Jones also mentioned he is trying to work out a way to get more money back to the towns
from the lottery. He ended with noting the good partnerships with local and state money.
Mr. Dockser then opened it up for questions.
Mr. LeLacheur asked if we should care if the casinos pass or fail? Representative Jones
answered with potentially.
There was a request for an update on the Community Preservation Act. Senator Lewis
explained the state used to match the money 100% but it has dropped as more
communities joined. It is currently matching around 20-30 cents per dollar now. However
the money received can now be used to update old parks where as before it was only for
new parks to be established. There are other sources of revenue that Towns can put into
the CPA fund and the state will match, however voters would have to approve a 1%
surcharge on property tax.
A resident asked how we can keep up with updates on the Chapter 70 program? Senator
Lewis said there will be four public meetings that will all be advertised beforehand and
anyone can come and listen and even participate in some of the discussion.
Mr. Dockser stated that Reading has always been a very proactive town but has noticed that
sometimes, other towns that are less proactive get rewarded as well. Mr. Dockser would
like to know what we can do to be noticed and rewarded for being as proactive as we are?
Representative Jones stated to continue being proactive and that is something the state
needs to take a look at and be aware of what towns are doing what when it comes to
handing out rewards. He stated it's not going unnoticed that Reading is proactive but maybe
the state needs to be more aware of who they are rewarding.
Mr. LeLacheur thanked the Legislators for coming tonight and welcomed them to stay for
the rest of the meeting if they would like.
Mr. LeLacheur stated our cash reserves are adequate but our operating budget cannot be
sustained. He said we need to start coming up with new sources of revenue like real estate,
grants, state aid, and an override. The Town Manager noted we will be $3 million in the hole
if health insurance premiums go up 14% but the health insurance is our biggest unknown
factor right now.
The room then generated a list of potential ideas to create more revenue that included
joining some of the programs mentioned by the Legislators, sale and use of public land,
private partnerships, parking fees, facilities rentals, and sponsorships.
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School Committee Minutes - September 10, 2014 - page 3
David Hutchinson gave an update on the Library project. He said we are in complete design
and all contractors have prequalified. The library relocation will happen in October and they
hope to close the library for around 2-3 weeks for the move. We are on budget and
expecting about $5 Million from the state, $2 Million has already been given to us and we
are expecting another $1 Million soon.
Elaine Webb thought it would be helpful to see some numbers from the budget from last
time the town had an override. She wanted to know if we are at the same level we were
before the 1993 override.
Selectmen member Marsie West indicated we are not but we can't wait until it gets that low
this time because of other factors in our budget now.
Mr. LeLacheur said we need to look at the past history with our budgets and overrides and
learn from them.
Chuck Robinson said we can use them as an example but everything was different back
then, the projects were different, the costs were different, and it would be hard to say if the
level we are at right now compares to what we were at last time because of all the factors
that are different.
Mr. Robinson made a motion to adjourn at 10pm, second by Mrs. Borawski and
approved by a vote of 6-0.
Respectfully submitted,
j;*
oh F. Doherty, Ed.D.
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