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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-08-25 Volunteer Appointment Committee MinutesOWN QFRi N fs39 +1NC0RO��� Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Board - Committee - Commission - Council: REL'�:iVi�D !OWN CLERK READING, Ml SS. 23 PL.3i Volunteer Appointment Committee Xi Date: 2015 -08 -25 Time: 6:00 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Conference Room Address: 16 Lowell Street Purpose: General Business Session: General Session Attendees: Members - Present: Chairman Kevin Sexton, John Halsey Members - Not Present: Others Present: Paula Schena, Town Moderator Alan Foulds, Bylaw Committee Chairman Stephen Crook, Board of Selectmen Chairman Daniel Ensminger, David Zeek, Albert Couillard, Brian Lindmark, Emily Sisson, Christopher O'Donoghue, Joyce Guild Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Secretary Paula Schena Topics of Discussion: Climate Advisory Committee David Zeek was interviewed for a position on the Climate Advisory Committee. He noted he is a retired Engineer from Raytheon. He did mostly proposal writing and management at Raytheon. He volunteers at the Sierra Club and serves on the Energy Committee which will be proposing a resolution for the Board of Selectmen to approve in the near future. John Halsey asked if he has attended any meetings and if he is familiar with the cardboard recycling. Mr. Zeek indicated he has attended meetings and attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the cardboard recycling container in the CVS parking lot. He is also in favor of community solar. John Halsey noted that the only problem with solar is you can only sell back so much. Mr. Zeek noted that as a town, we would never generate enough to sell back. Only enough to reduce rates. Conservation Commission Albert Couillard was interviewed for one position on the Conservation Commission. He noted he has been a contractor for 26 years and 9 of that in Reading. He is building a house in Reading and has appeared before Committees of the Town. Kevin Sexton asked about a conflict of interest and Mr. Couillard noted that he would have to abstain from anything he was involved in. John Halsey asked how his appearance before the Conservation Commission went and Mr. Couillard noted he received what he asked for. Kevin Sexton asked him about correspondence he had seen regarding trees that were mistakenly removed on one of his projects. Mr. Couillard noted that he appeared before CPDC last night and he will plant more trees. He did not know how many trees or what type to plant. There was a staff or committee omission about the ratio of trees and he also had Page 1 1 Volunteer Appointment Subcommittee Minutes - August 25, 2015 - page 2 to speak with the Tree Warden on what type of trees he wanted. Kevin Sexton asked why he is interested in Conservation Commission and Mr. Couillard noted he just wants to volunteer on what he knows about. John Halsey asked which term he would be interested in and Mr. Couillard noted the 2017 term. Kevin Sexton asked if he had attended any Conservation Commission meetings and he indicated no. Conservation Commission member Jamie Maughan noted that the Commission meets four times a month including site visits and Mr. Couillard noted that should not be a problem. Community Planning and Development Commission The Committee interviewed Brian Lindmark for an associate position on the Community Planning and Development Commission. Mr. Lindmark noted that he is looking to get involved in some way. Kevin Sexton explained the bylaw change for associate members. John Halsey asked if he was interested in any other Boards of Committees and Mr. Lindmark noted his main interest is in real estate. Recreation Committee The Committee interviewed Emily Sisson for a position on the Recreation Committee. Ms. Sisson noted that she grew up in Reading and took advantage of the Recreation programs then. She then moved out of Reading and now she is back. Her daughter is participating in the Recreation programs. Kevin Sexton asked if she was aware of the time commitment and she indicated she was. Bylaw Committee Bylaw Committee Appointment Committee members Alan Foulds, Stephen Crook and Daniel Ensminger joined the meeting at 7:40 p.m. Kevin Sexton noted that Christopher O'Donoghue had applied for multiple committees with the Bylaw Committee being his first choice. The Bylaw Appointment Committee appoints members to the Bylaw Committee and asked if they could interview him first. Stephen Crook asked why he is interested in the Bylaw Committee. Mr. O'Donoghue noted that he was an officer in his fraternity in college and he worked with Bylaws. He handed out a set of bylaws that he created. He noted that his major was in history and minor was in political science. Stephen Crook reviewed the schedule and noted that the Bylaw Committee tends to be more reactionary. Mr. O'Donoghue indicated he was familiar with that. He noted that people would go to him and ask him to create a bylaw not vice versa. Stephen Crook asked if he was appointed to the Bylaw Committee would he be willing to take on a leadership role as Chairman and Mr. O'Donoghue indicated he would. Alan Foulds asked if he had any problems speaking at Town Meeting and Mr. O'Donoghue noted he did not. A motion by Ensminger seconded by Crook to appoint Christopher O'Donoghue to the Bylaw Committee with a term expiring June 30, 2018 was approved by a vote of 3 -0 -0. Kevin Sexton asked Mr. O'Donoghue if he was still interested in serving on any other committees and he noted not at this time. A motion by Ensminger seconded by Crook to adiourn the Bylaw Appointment Committee meeting at 6:50 p.m. was approved by a vote of 3 -0 -0. Page 12 Volunteer ADDointment Subcommittee Minutes - Auqust 25, 2015 - page 3 Animal Control Appeals Committee The Committee interviewed Joyce Gould for one position on the Animal Control Appeals Committee. She noted she grew up in Reading, moved away and has been back for 12 years. She wants to make sure that all avenues are available for dog owners. She commended the Town for using canine training in the past as an avenue for problem dogs. She is interesting in serving on a committee that is not very active due to the fact that she sometimes has to travel out of town for a week or two for work and she doesn't receive much notice when this happens. John Halsey noted there is one vacancy and two applicants. He asked if she was interested in an associate position. Ms. Gould indicated it doesn't matter. A motion by Halsey seconded by Sexton to recommend David Zeek to a position on the Climate Advisory Committee with a term expiring June 30, 2017 was approved by a vote of 2 -0 -0. Sexton moved to recommend Albert Couillard to a position on the Conservation Commission with a term expiring June 30, 2018. Kevin Sexton noted he had concerns because Mr. Couillard is a contractor. John Halsey noted that he thought knowledge of building is a good but agreed there is a lot of activity in Reading. Kevin Sexton noted that he feels recusing puts the rest of the Commission on slippery ground. John Halsey asked if his answer to cutting down the trees was satisfactory and Kevin Sexton notes those things worry him. John Halsey noted that his other matters involving the Conservation Commission went smoothly. There being no second on the motion, it was decided to invite Mr. Couillard in to discuss it with the full Board of Selectmen at their next meeting. Stephen Crook noted that he was at last night's CPDC meeting. Mr. Couillard's subcontractor is the one who cut the trees down by mistake and it was a staff omission regarding the two to one ratio. He worked with the Tree Warden and was cooperative. Stephen Crook suggested having him file a conflict of interest form if he is appointed. A motion by Halsey seconded by Seconded to recommend Brian Lindmark to an associate position on the Community Planning and Development Commission with a term expiring June 30, 2016 was approved by a vote of 2 -0 -0. A motion by Halsey seconded by Sexton to recommend Emily Sisson to a position on the Recreation Committee with a term expiring June 30, 2018 was approved by a vote of 2 -0 -0. A motion by Halsey seconded by Sexton to recommend Brian Snell to a position on the Mystic Valley Elder Services Board of Directors with a term expiring September 30 2018 was approved by a vote of 2 -0 -0. Kevin Sexton suggested deferring the appointment to the Animal Control Appeals Committee until after he speaks with Dick Robbins to see if he will consider a position as Constable. A motion by Halsey seconded by Sexton to adiourn the meeting at 7:30 p.m. was approved by a vote of 2 -0 -0. Respectfully submitted, Secretary Page 13