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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-10-04 Finance Committee MinutesFR O r Town of Reading Meeting Minutes RECFIVED r s (C ! K ,.,NCO ^ 639KP�� , ✓ 17 �.1 • 1 1 H S S . Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Finance Committee jail JAN Q I A c� 38 Date: 2016-10-04 Time: 8:00 PM Building: Pleasant Street Senior Center Location: Great Room Address: 49 Pleasant Street Session: Open Session Purpose: General Business Version: Attendees: Members - Present: Finance Committee members Mark Dockser, Paul McNeice, Marc Moll, Anne Landry, David Nashat, Vanessa Alvarado, Eric Burkhart and Peter Lydecker Members - Not Present: Paula Perry Others Present: Chairman John Halsey, Vice Chairman Kevin Sexton, Secretary Barry Berman, John Arena (remotely) and Daniel EnsmingerTown Manager Bob LeLacheur, Executive Assistant Paula Schena, Facilities Director Joe Huggins, Assistant DPW Director Jane Kinsella, Permanent Building Committee members Gregory Stepler, Patrick Tompkins, John Coote, Bradford Congdon, Michael Bean and David Traniello; Board of Cemetery Trustee members Elise Ciregna, Bill Brown, Ronald Stortz, Janet Baronian, Olive Hecht and Mary Vincent; Stephen Crook, Al Sylvia, Joseph Zucchero, Rosemary Murphy, Brian O'Mara, and Rick Nazzaro Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Secretary Topics of Discussion: Cemetery Building Project - Joint Meeting with the Board of Selectmen Permanent Building Committee, and the Board of Cemetery Trustees - The Permanent Building Committee, Finance Committee and Board of Cemetery Trustees all called to order at 8:00 p.m. The Town Manager noted that the Permanent Building Committee has been in to see the Selectmen a couple of times. They have worked on the cemetery building and drafted Bylaw revisions. The biggest change in the Bylaw is defining the Permanent Building Committee and at what point do other members join them. They feel a project needs to get further into the process before bringing in other members. They recommend that only three elected Boards can bring a project to the Permanent Building Committee. The elected Boards need to be the gatekeepers of the money. The instructional motion by Mark Dockser was for the Permanent Building Committee to review and determine a solution to resolve the physical space needs of the cemetery department. Since Town Meeting, the Facilities Department has taken control and has made the building safer so the urgency is not as great as it was then. Permanent Building Committee Chairman Gregory Stepler noted that the committee was formed in October 2015. Their immediate task was to evaluate the cemetery building and establish guidelines for the committee. They developed a flowchart to be used. They started the process of what they needed, developed a matrix regarding the site selection with two cemeteries as possible locations and created an OPM request for services. Page 1 1 Finance Committee Minutes - October 4, 2016 - Daae 2 John Halsey noted that it sounds like there was no intention of going beyond outside of the cemeteries. Greg Stepler noted that was correct because the data that was available to them said there were no opportunities outside of cemeteries and they didn't have the instructional motion. John Halsey noted that the instructional motion had a different path than what they were doing. In addition, the Permanent Building Committee has dealt with unfavorable opposition that wasn't deserving and the data they were given was not the best information. Greg Stepler noted that the Permanent Building Committee should evaluate every option not just what one group wants to hear. Barry Berman noted that the Permanent Building Committee was formed and Town Meeting asked them to solve the cemetery building problem. They figured out a way and a process but it wasn't a project yet. He feels a good value came out of the process. Greg Stepler noted that the instructional motion short circuited the first half of the process. John Halsey noted that some of the material that was provided was flawed i.e. no other Town property to use. Greg Stepler noted that was correct because otherwise they would have asked for a list of Town owned land. John Halsey noted that the Board of Selectmen owes the Permanent Building Committee an apology. John Arena noted that the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee were against this but the Town Meeting instructional motion bypassed that so what do we do now? John Halsey noted that nothing can be done until there is funding. We have two Warrant Articles that have money going to the design. The Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee can vote on them and then Town Meeting. Greg Stepler reviewed the Committee's Bylaw revisions. The process includes taking input, evaluate and then make a recommendation. There is no project at this point. They would then make a report to Town Meeting. Town Meeting then approves the project and gives the Permanent Building Committee temporary members. Greg Stepler noted that the sponsoring agency is the gatekeeper so they won't have advisory committees going to Permanent Building Committee. The application process includes a statement of interest to feed the Permanent Building Committee information. Bill Brown noted that this circumvents the Charter because anybody can put an Article on the Warrant. John Halsey noted that an Article is different than an application to the Permanent Building Committee. Bill Brown asked why the Cemetery Board was invited tonight. He noted there is a critical need to replace that building and they have a brand new truck sitting outside. Putting them down at the DPW Garage is not efficient. John Halsey noted that is a process that not one of the Committees here tonight can decide. We have heard from the abutters and we would be ill advised to put a financial commitment in play. Bill Brown noted that the Weston and Sampson report said there is no room at the DPW site. The Town Manager noted that report is outdated and in his opinion that report was flawed. Kevin Sexton noted that there has not been a full evaluation. We've looked too narrowly at parcels we own right now. The Permanent Building Committee model is phenomenal and he wasn't aware that the Permanent Building Committee didn't have all of the information needed. He recommends pressing the reset button on this. Elise Ciregna, Chairman of the Board of Cemetery Trustees, noted that the idea of reset is okay but what will it take to get the right information. John Halsey noted that a list of everything the Town owns is available but the Permanent Building Committee was told there was none. He also noted that to spend capital without due process in advance is inappropriate. In addition, this committee needs a certain amount of money to do its work. Page 1 2 Finance Committee Minutes - October 4, 2016 - page 3 John Arena departed from the meeting at 8:45 p.m. Finance Committee Chairman Mark Dockser noted that he wrote that instructional motion. He noted that we had a project for many years that needed to be vetted. He's sorry it was a painful process for the Permanent Building Committee. The Town Manager noted that there has been discussion with past and current DPW staff. The study that was done was done cheaply with a predetermined result. If the Permanent Building Committee goes forward then it will be a good process. In FY16 $200,000 was allocated for the process. He kept $50,000 of the $200,000 for an OPM. In April Town Meeting took $150,000 for facilities but the money was not used by June 30th so it went back to free cash. There is a financial mechanism in Article 11 to remove the $150,000. Greg Stepler noted having some money available is critical to get the data they need to make a decision. John Halsey asked if $100,000 in a revolving fund is appropriate and Greg Stepler indicated it is. The Town Manager noted he didn't know if a revolving fund is appropriate, he thinks it would be better to have a budget line. He would like to see an annual funding in facilities and he would add another line in facilities for the cemetery building. David Traniello asked if the $100,000 has been allocated to facilities for the Permanent Building Committee and the Town Manager indicated yes if the Finance Committee approves it tonight. Bill Brown asked if a project over $2.5 million has to go to the voters and the Town Manager noted that $1.5 - $2 million is excluded debt and the policy is not binding. Elise Ciregna noted that the Cemetery Board is satisfied with the discussion tonight and thanked the Board for the invitation. The Cemetery Board voted to adjourn at 9:20 p.m. Barry Berman thanked the Permanent Building Committee and the Permanent Building Committee adjourned at 9:21 p.m. Vote Warrant Articles #3 - #13 for Subsequent Town meeting 11-14-16 - Vanessa Alvarado asked if the $100,000 will be used at the discretion of the Permanent Building Committee and the Town Manager noted that if we don't hire an OPM for $50,000 then the money cannot be used for any other purpose. The $50,000 from last year is iron clad but there can be some leeway for the $150,000 for this process. John Halsey noted this fuels the spirit of the instructional motion. Barry Berman asked if we don't build a cemetery garage is the money lost and the Town Manager noted the money goes back to free cash at the end of the fiscal year. Vanessa Alvarado asked how long the result of the research is valid. The Town Manager noted that none of their work will have a dollar amount so it will be timeless. Mark Dockser asked at what point do we get a cost estimate and the Town Manager noted after the design process. David Neshat asked about the $125,000 budget amendment for the security evaluation. The Town Manager noted this might not be capital it just might be a process. Mark Dockser asked what the total for cleaning services is and the Town Manager noted that we had to change cleaning companies and the Town is $200,000 and the Schools $290,000. Page 1 3 Finance Committee Minutes - October 4, 2016 - Daae 4 The Town Manager noted that these numbers are not final numbers so what they see at Town Meeting might change. Vanessa Alvarado asked if any other buildings are being looked at. The Town Manager noted that Killam and the DPW Garage have been discussed but nobody has asked the Permanent Building Committee to spend any money on those. Vanessa Alvarado asked if there are any concerns regarding the override and the cemetery project and the Town Manager indicated no, that is why the Permanent Building Committee was formed. A motion that the Finance Committee recommends the subiect matter of Article 11 as amended was approved by a vote of 8-0-0. A motion by Berman seconded by Ensmincler that the Board of Selectmen recommends the subiect matter of Article 11 as amended was approved by a vote of 4-0-0. Brian O'Mara, Precinct 1, asked what does that mean now since the RFP was put out with a narrow scope. The Town Manager noted that he will talk to the Procurement Officer about redoing it to increase the scope. Rick Nazzaro, Precinct 1, thanked the Board for taking the residents comments in opposition and thank the Permanent Building Committee for them. Daniel Ensminger noted that the Weston and Sampson report is outdated. The issue of a DPW Garage is an issue also. When will they look at that? John Halsey noted that they will hopefully consider that when they are looking at alternatives. The Town Manager noted that Article 3 is changes to the Capital Plan. Mark Dockser noted that the enterprise fund timing is being delayed to future years. A motion by McNeice seconded by Moll that the Finance Committee recommends the subiect matter of Article 3 was approved by a vote of 8-0-0 Peter Lydecker will give the report. The Town Manager noted that Article 4 is to dispose of surplus. A motion by Moll seconded by Neshat that the Finance Committee recommends the subiect matter of Article 4 was approved by a vote of 8-0-0. Marc Moll will give the report. The Town Manager noted that Article 5 is to rescind Library debt authorization. A motion by McNeice seconded by Alvarado that the Finance Committee recommends the subiect matter of Article 5 was approved by a vote of 8-0-0 Vanessa Alvarado will give the report. The Town Manager noted that Article 6 is to clear debt off the books. A motion by Landry seconded by Alvarado that the Finance Committee recommends the subiect matter of Article 6 was approved by a vote of 8-0-0 The Town Manager noted that Article 7 is to transfer previous debt. He noted that previously issued debt in the amount of $140,000 has to be used towards a project and he suggests moving it to the library project. The last estimate shows we are $149,000 over and another $100,000 disputed. If Town Meeting authorizes he can pay. He prefers to close the project out as fast as possible. Page 1 4 Finance Committee Minutes - October 4, 2016 - oace 5 Mark Dockser noted that he was shocked that we have an overage on the Library project. He asked if it was core costs or items such as furniture. The Town Manager noted that there was a lot of ledge in the rear parking lot that we didn't know about. In addition, the condition of the existing building fundamental structure was very poor and it was uncovered when the walls were taken down. We also took three ways to make sure the Library doesn't flood again. Barry Berman noted that there were a number of things including the retaining wall on Deering Street. That was originally not part of the budget but we rebuilt it right at the cost of $100,000. The overage has to be paid and in the overall scheme of things it is not that much over. Mark Dockser asked if anything was done outside of the budget. The Town Manager noted that RCTV built a place for their equipment; the Library Trustees paid $180,000 for the book sorter; and DPW did some site work. The Library Trustees did not do fundraising up front. Daniel Ensminger asked if the $140,000 covers the outside lighting and the Town Manager noted he was not sure and he just found out that the lights cannot be dimmed - they either have to be on or off. Paul McNeice noted he was extremely disappointed that the Library Trustees have not done fundraising. Vanessa Alvarado noted that Friends of the Library have contributed a large amount of money so there are donations coming in. The Town Manager noted that any construction work has to be in the $18.9 million cap. A motion by McNeice seconded by Neshat that the Finance Committee recommends the subiect matter of Article 7 was approved by a vote of 8-0-0 David Neshat will give the report. The Town Manager noted that Article 8 is to transfer debt to water projects. A motion by Moll seconded by Alvarado that the Finance Committee recommends the subiect matter of Article 8 was approved by a vote of 8-0-0. Paul McNeice will give the report. The Town Manager noted that Article 9 authorizes the grant loan program in the sewer enterprise fund. A motion by McNeice seconded by Moll that the Finance Committee recommends the subiect matter of Article 9 was approved by a vote of 8-0-0. Paul McNeice will give the report. The Town Manager noted that Article 10 is to add more Library debt but the odds are less than 2% that we will need this and it can't be approved tonight because we don't have a number. The Town Manager noted that Article 12 is to pay prior year bills. A motion by Moll seconded by Alvarado that the Finance Committee recommends the subiect matter of Article 12 was approved by a vote of 8-0-0. Eric Burkhart will give the report. Page 15 Finance Committee Minutes - October 4 2016 - page 6 The Town Manager noted that Article 13 is for the Retirement Cost of Living increase. There is not enough information to vote on this. A motion by Berman seconded by Ensminger that the Board of Selectmen recommends the subiect matter of Articles 3, 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 12 of the November 14, 2016 Subsequent Town Meeting was approved by a vote of 4-0-0 The Finance Committee adjourned at 10:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Secretary Page 1 6