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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-01-12 Board of Selectmen Minutes F Town of Reading Meeting Minutes a� eECElVED , WN CLERK �® 639+1 Board - Committee - Commission - Council: �ING. MfiSS. Board of Selectmen ltlil JAN ?b A II: 31 F Date: 2017-01-12 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Pleasant Street Senior Center Location: Great Room Address: 49 Pleasant Street Session: Open Session Purpose: General Business Version: Attendees: Members - Present: Chairman John Halsey, Vice Chairman Kevin Sexton, Secretary Barry Berman, John Arena and Daniel Ensminger Members - Not Present: Others Present: Town Manager Bob LeLacheur, Town Accountant Sharon Angstrom, Library Director Amy Lannon, Library Trustees Vicki Yablonsky, Alice Collins, David Hutchinson, Public Works Director Jeff Zager, Assistant Town Manager Jean Delios, Assistant Public Works Director Jane Kinsells, Deputy Police Chief David Clark, Police Chief Mark Segalla, Facilities Director Joe Huggins, Deputy Fire Chief Paula Jackson, Bill Brown, Will Finch, Executive Assistant Paula Schena. Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Secretary Topics of Discussion: Public Comment - Bill Brown handed out a fact sheet from 1967 - 2017. He noted that the Town should go to the City form of government to cut back on night time government. FY18 Budget Public Library - Library Director Amy Lannon reviewed the Core Library Mission and Master Plan. She noted they host a homework center, maker programs, memory cafe and entrepreneurs series. In FY16 they were open 3063 hours; had 51,000+ reference and research, 22 volunteer hours/week and they provide home bound services to 25 residents. They have reading collections at Sanborn Place and other places. Over 400,000 items were checked out; 28,953 items were received from other libraries and 27,343 items were sent to other libraries. Some items go out and don't come back. Downloads do not come back. Their virtual library includes digital magazines, audiobooks, Ebooks, music tracks, ancestry, tutor and mago languages. Ebooks are leased and we have to renew every year. Their licensing is in flux with Ebooks. The library values in books, CD's, movies, etc. total $5,069,852. Amy Lannon noted that the building is complete. They have an increase of everything including patrons, room use, programs, research and reference and museum passes. She hopes to increase staffing. The budget has been increased 1.8% for salaries. They are eliminating Sunday hours, decreasing expenses 1% and decreasing material budget to 14%. The municipal appropriation has to be at least 1.25% of the average of the last three years. Page 1 1 Board of Selectmen Minutes - January 12, 2017 - page 2 Amy Lannon noted that the meeting room policy was updated in August 2016. They charge $10 for four hours for non-profits and $20 for Reading residents. The room use from October - December was 357 and they do not charge fees for Town departments. John Arena asked where the fees go to and Amy Lannon noted in the general fund. Jen Hillary asked if late fees are charged for late books and Amy Lannon noted they do not have late fees. John Arena asked about the loss ratio and Amy Lannon noted that they get everything back. John Halsey asked about historic documents and Amy Lannon noted that they like to digitize. We need to do a study to catalog and index. The Town Manager noted that we need to do an inventory. Department of Public Works - Public Works Director Jeff Zager noted that there are not a lot of changes. There is a 1.38% increase in wages. Cemetery Director Bob Keating attends Cemetery Board meetings. They are losing one long-term seasonal in Highway. They planned on asking for one full time person in Highway but the override did not pass. It's like losing two people. Expenses are down 2.49%. John Arena asked why street lighting has increased when we are using more LED lights. The Town Manager noted that was due to the pricing change. We have decreased this budget three times over the past three years. Snow has a 0% change. Jeff Zager noted that equipment maintenance is okay. They outsource some repairs and parts are increasing 5 - 7% per year. We have additional vehicles and equipment is more specialized. Plows are being added to the pickup trucks. Capital projects include: Phase B water improvements on Salem and Linden Streets; MWRA pipeline; West Street is 90% complete; west Batchelder Road pump station replacement; the Bond Street drainage is under design; Grove Street water main and drainage; Main Street and Mille Street water main cleaning; and Phase 9 sewer I/I. The 2017 road improvements include 14 streets. Other projects include the Auburn Street water tank improvements; UN1 Directional flushing program and GIS implementation and integration. Jeff Zager noted that rubbish recycling is approximately 30% annually. We have the highest percentage of recycling of any non PAYT community. Expense cuts that are being thought about include: • Discontinue snow removal in downtown which costs $24,250 per 6 - 8" storm - he suggests looking at each individual storm. • Elimination of the Shade Tree Program - $5000. • Discontinue Saturday recycling - $8875. • Downtown Street Sweeping Program - $9153. • Holiday tree lighting - $15,174. • Friends and Family Day - $8550. Enterprise Funds - The Town Manager noted that the MWRA assessment is 1/3 of the budget and there is an 8.9% increase in FY18 which will be offset with reserves. Local costs include wages which are up 2.7%; maintenance, capital and debt. The second phase of water main improvements needs to wait. We have a bottleneck on how much we can do. It is difficult to forecast water rates. Sewer - The MWRA is 81% assessment and 4 - 4.5% is the target. Wages and expenses remain the same. Charles Street is half done. Big projects coming up include Sturges, , Joseph Way, Brewer Lane and Collins Avenue. Page 1 2 Board of Selectmen Minutes - January 12 2017 - page 3 John Arena noted that the second water meters is a topic for discussion. The Town Manager noted that some communities give a senior discount. Rates are lower with higher use. Stormwater - Remains unchanged at $40 per household. Budget Summary - John Arena asked where are we now? The Board is receiving emails to have an override in April. There is also a trust problem. We need to discuss gives and takes and the fact that schools are 70% of the budget. The Town Manager noted that the school department is not done with their budget yet. John Halsey noted that the Board 'of Selectmen has no control over how the Library and Schools spend their money. We need to consider what the money will go to. Kevin Sexton noted that he would ask for a lower amount but not specify what for. The Town Manager noted that we do not have the authority to tell the School Department what to do with their money. We can say it is for schools but not specifics. John Arena noted that if we specify what it is for and it doesn't get done that is not good. John Halsey noted that he and Kevin Sexton will meet with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the School Committee to discuss what to do. A motion by Sexton seconded by Berman to adiourn the meeting at 9.50 p.m. was approved by a vote of 5-0-0. Respectfully submitted, Setary Page 1 3