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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-12-12 Board of Selectmen Minutes Off, OFRi F c Town of Reading Meeting Minutes i��:CL1Vk:iJ TOWN CLERK s39=,N�aR4�� R,E t,D I N G. M„S S. Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Board of Selectmen 1018 JAN 10 A 1V 381 Date: 2017-12-12 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Reading Public Library Location: Conference Room. Address: 64 Middlesex Avenue Session: Purpose: Budget Meeting Version: Attendees: Members - Present: Chair John Arena, Barry Berman, Dan Ensminger, John Halsey, Andrew Friedmann Members - Not Present: Others Present: Town Manager Bob LeLacheur, Assistant Town Manager Jean Delios, Administrative Services Director Matt Kraunelis, Finance Director/Town Accountant Sharon Angstrom, Assistant Finance Director/Treasurer Endri Kume, Administrative Assistant to the Town Manager Brendan Sweeney, Network Administrator Kevin Furilla, Police Chief Mark Segalla, Deputy Police Chief David Clark, Fire Chief Greg Burns, Deputy Fire Chief Paul Jackson, Health Agent Laura Vlasuk, Veteran's Agent Kevin Bohmiller, Assistant Director of Facilities Kevin Cabuzzi, Elder and Human Service Administrator Jane Burns, DPW Director Jeff Zager, Assistant DPW Director Jane Kinsella, Conservation Administrator Chuck Tirone, Bill Brown, Barbara Melanson, Virginia Adams, Erin Gallen, George Kachen, Amy Cole, Sherri Vanderakker, Linda Phillips, Peter Lydecker, Mark Dockser, Vanessa Alvarado, Paula Perry, Anne Landry, David Neshat, Bob Holmes Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Brendan Sweeney Topics of Discussion: Chair John Arena called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Mr. Arena began the meeting by wishing everyone a happy start of Hanukah, and then began to outline the night's agenda. He specified how this meeting would revolve around budget discussion and would feature presentations from the Public Services, Administrative Services, and Finance Department Heads. Mr. Berman then spoke of the recent Human Relations Advisory Committee event with Dr. Anna Ornstein and noted how she did a tremendous job as a speaker. Specifically he cited her quote "never make the unacceptable acceptable". Mr. Friedmann noted that he was at the event as well and affirmed the speaker's fantastic performance. Mr. Berman additionally reflected on the recent Community Planning and Development Commission- meeting and cited-the impending projects and how the challenges are being addressed as to traffic and parking. Mr. Berman moved his focus then to a brief reflection on the results of the recent Selectmen's survey, placing an emphasis on how the public feels as though more Page 1 1 accountability and better communication are needed from the Town. As a practical solution to this issue Mr. Berman proposed that a Selectman be made available for office hours prior to every meeting, an idea which Mr. Friedmann agreed would be helpful. Mr. Arena then asked if there was any public comment. Police Chief Segalla and Fire Chief Burns both spoke and thanked Austin Prep for their recent event honoring the service of Local Police and Fire departments. Peter Lydecker then called the Finance Committee meeting to order at this time. FY19 Budget Review Town Manager Bob LeLacheur began by explaining the differences in the budget formation process this year as compared to years past, specifically citing how the town has begun the process a month earlier than normal. The reasoning behind this is to involve the public earlier in the process so that they can better understand what goes into the creation of the budget. Mr. LeLacheur highlighted that this meeting specifically was NOT presenting a balanced budget, but rather was a chance for Department Heads to present to the Selectmen what they would need in order to achieve level services. Mr. LeLacheur noted how the Department Heads themselves are always wary of the Town's ability to spend money to cover certain departmental needs, and commended the exceptional teamwork of the Department Heads in working with what they have been given recently. In going into further detail in the changes of the budget formation process Mr. LeLacheur noted that the town had taken a focus more on.staffing levels and specific employee numbers in the past rather than service levels themselves, an approach that the Schools use and one that Mr. LeLacheur decided to employ with these December budget meetings. After these December discussions Mr. LeLacheur noted that he will then create a Town Manager's balanced budget that will be available towards.theend of January. The reasoning for this approach is to allow for•public.input on budget requests before the Town Manager creates the first draft budget. Mr. Berman specifically cited how much more input he feels he has in the budget process this year as a Selectman when compared.to years past. Elaborating on this he noted how the budget formation process had normally been a private process with Town staff, and is now being opened so that the public can truly explore the costs behind running the town. Mr. Arena built off of this point, referencing the Selectmen's survey, and citing how this was one step that the town has taken to improve communication. The Selectmen then asked a few clarification questions, to which Mr. LeLacheur reiterated that the December budget meetings are strictly outlining what we need as a town to provide level services, and are not presenting a balanced budget. Public Services Assistant Town Manager Jean Delios gave an introduction of her role and her department, . outlining the many volunteer boards, committees, and commissions that work directly with public services. She noted how the planning/zoning boards - Community Planning and Development Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals - take a significant amount of work- by orkby staff to make sure that the necessary actions by those boards are all addressed. She outlined the roles of the other public services boards as well as the miscellaneous working groups that are tasked with addressing needs such as wayfinding. Ms. Delios then brought up the department's organizational chart and began to explain how it has changed over the years. Using a color-coded system Ms. Delios noted how the department has morphed to accommodate losing positions, but highlighted certain positions that need to be brought back, such as an assistant department head role as well as a full- time building inspector, among others. When questioned by the Selectmen about how the loss of these positions has affected her department Ms. Delios explained that she has had to personally cover many of the responsibilities that these positions held, leaving her less time to focus on the long-term planning of the town and managing her department. The Page 1 2 Selectmen additionally asked Ms. Delios.if she could line up current salary allocations to the organizational chart and summarize this data in a concise memo, which she said that she would work on. One specific position that was focused on in this discussion was the Economic Development Director. Andrew Corona, who had been the Economic Development for the last year or so, had recently left due to an opportunity for his family elsewhere. The Selectmen noted the great work that Mr. Corona did and how huge of an impact the position has had for Reading's long-term economic development goals. Ms. Delios addressed additional positions on the organizational chart as well, explaining the changes among the administrative staff and inspectors, and why various sub-departments need additional staff to cover their expanding roles. Moving from personnel to the services themselves, Ms. Delios focused on how the department has recently been able to adapt to tough circumstances. She outlined how various forms of collaboration between sub-departments help bridge the gap made from unfilled positions. She did however note areas where services have been directly affected, such as Elder Services (who do great work now but have a large amount of programs and senior center repairs that they have been unable to enact). Ms. Delios then noted the high efficiency rate in the permitting department, specifically that the department issues 73% of their permits either the same or the next day, and how if cuts coupled with the high number of expected permits to be issued in coming years comes to fruition then that is a service that will most likely suffer. There was a discussion between the Selectmen and Ms. Delios regarding the role of fees in resolving this issue. Mark Dockser, 110 Beaver Road, specifically was hoping to see what the potential impact of any fee changes would like. However, Ms. Delios felt it would be prudent to hold off on raising any permitting fees'this budget cycle. Continuing with-her presentation Ms. Delios highlighted recent improvements in the way that the public services department operates, from streamlining permitting to increasing their technological usage to finding innovative ways to collaborate with other towns in the region. She then addressed the 40B concerns at the urging of the Selectmen, noting that the town is close to meeting the state mandated 10% affordable housing number and has a two year safe harbor from the provisions of the state's 40B law that will run into 2019. Moving along she noted the great work of Chuck Tirone in conservation, the work of the historical volunteers, the work of the health department, and especially the work of elder and human services. With elder and human services specifically Ms. Delios commended the programs, such as the Memory Cafe, that her department has worked tireless to implement. George Katchen, 66 Colburn Road, noted the importance of these programs and alerted Ms. Delios that when he recently talked to seniors in town about a potential override that they were hesitant to fully support the town as they feel that their needs are overlooked.' Ms. Delios continued providing updates on the various sub-departments and concluded .by looking at a line-by-line analysis of what the costs for the department would be to reach level services. .As Ms. Delios went through her line-by-line analysis'Mr. Dockser asked about a more in- depth look at the FTEs (Full-Time Equivalents) for the department. Mr. Halsey agreed that this data could be valuable, but is tough to pinpoint those numbers in relation to the true value and equivalence of service provided by the department. Mr. Friedmann agreed.with Mr. Dockser, however, and additionally voiced a request to incorporate the FTE numbers into the equation. Vanessa Alvarado, 5 Grand Street, echoed Mr. Dockser and Mr. Friedmann's request with regards to the FTEs. Mr. LeLacheur interjected to explain that the FTE numbers do not paint as black and white a picture as one may think, and that looking at the needs with regards to service level rather than solely FTE numbers gives one a better understanding of the impact that various cuts would have on a_ department. At this time Mr. Arena called for a brief recess. Mr. Arena called the meeting back into session at 9:16 PM. Page 1 3 Administrative Services Administrative Services Director Matt Kraunelis then began the presentation on his department, noting all of its subdivisions - Town Clerk's office, Human Resources, Town Manager's office, Operations, and Technology. Mr. Kraunelis cited that although some offices are short-staffed, particularly the Town Clerk, the staffing needs are not too extreme. The specific position that was referenced was additional help in the Clerk's office, as there are administrative employees that are shared by the many subdivisions, creating a need in the Clerk's office when those employees are elsewhere. Additionally Mr. Kraunelis noted the recently created HR Generalist position that has been shared with the Schools, as both he and Mr. LeLacheur clarified to the Selectmen the divide in this employee's time between these two departments and how the salary burden is divided. Ideally Mr. Kraunelis noted that he'd like to be able to bring in another HR Generalist so that one could be dedicated solely to the Schools and other solely to the Town. 'Mr. Kraunelis analyzed departmental expenses as well, clarifying the fluctuation in election expenses depending on the year. Finance Finance Director/Town Accountant Sharon Angstrom began by outlining the department and its divisions - Assessing, Accounting, Collections, and Treasury - while noting irregularities such as the fact the town has a shared Assessor with Wakefield whose salary is allocated as a departmental expense, rather than a wage itself. Ms. Angstrom focused primarily on accounting, due to both the pivotal role that the department plays in administering MUNIS software throughout the town as a whole as well as the need for another Accountant to help staff the department. When questioned by the Selectmen Ms. Angstrom explained how she was originally just the Town Accountant but then later took on the role of Finance Director as well, and now finds that she has to commit so much time to accounting duties that she is spread too thin to adequately address all of her responsibilities as Finance Director: After Ms. Angstrom concluded her presentation Mr. LeLacheur noted that hers was the last of the departmental presentations for the night, and at that time Mr. Arena called for another quick recess. Mr. Arena called the meeting back into session at 9:59 PM, and at this time the Finance Committee left the room to deliberate in the hallway outside. Mr. Ensminaer then made a motion as follows: I, the Clerk of the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Reading, Massachusetts (the "Town"), certify that at a meeting of the board held December 12, 2017, of which meeting all members of the board were duly notified and at which a quorum was present, the following votes were unanimously passed, all of which appear upon the official record of the board in my custody: Voted: to approve the sale of a $1,490,000 2.00 percent General Obligation Bond Anticipation Note (the"Note") of the Town dated December 15, 2017 and payable August 17, 2018, to Eastern Bank at par and accrued interest, if any, plus a premium of$6,520:04. Further Voted: that in connection with the marketing and sale of the Notes the preparation and distribution of a Notice of Sale and Preliminary Official Statement dated November 30, 2017, and a final Official Statement dated December 7, 2017, each in such form as may be approved by the Town Treasurer, be and hereby are ratified, confirmed, approved and adopted. Further Voted: that the Town Treasurer and the Board of Selectmen be, and hereby are, authorized to execute and deliver a significant events disclosure undertaking in compliance with SEC Rule 15c2-12 in such form as may be approved Page 14 by bond counsel to the Town, which undertaking shall be incorporated by reference in the Notes for the benefit of the holders of the Notes from time to time. Further Voted: that we authorize and direct the Treasurer to establish post issuance federal tax compliance procedures in such form as the Treasurer and bond counsel deem sufficient, or if such procedures are currently in place, to review and update said procedures, in order to monitor and maintain the tax-exempt status of the Notes. Further Voted: that each member of the Board of Selectmen, the Town Clerk and the Town Treasurer be and hereby are, authorized to take any and all such actions, and execute and deliver such certificates, receipts or other documents as may be determined by them, or any of them, to be necessary or convenient to carry into effect the provisions of the foregoing votes. I further certify that the votes were taken at a meeting open to the public, that no vote was taken by secret ballot, that a notice stating the place, date, time and agenda for the meeting (which agenda included the adoption of the above votes) was filed with the Town Clerk and a copy thereof posted in a manner conspicuously visible to the public at all hours in or on the municipal building that the office of the Town Clerk is located or, if applicable, in accordance with an alternative method of notice prescribed or approved by the Attorney General as set forth in 940 CMR 29.03(2)(b), at least 48 hours, not including Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, prior to the time of the meeting and remained so posted at the time of the meeting, that no deliberations or decision in connection with the sale of the Notes were taken in executive session, all in accordance with G.L. c.30A, §§18- 25 as amended. During this reading a motion was made by Mr. Halsey to suspend the reading of the motion, seconded by Mr. Arena, which passed by a vote of 5-0-0. Mr. Arena then seconded Mr. Ensminger's original motion, which passed by a vote of 5-0-0. Mr. Arena then addressed the correspondence that the Board of Selectmen had been receiving with regards to the train depot parking sticker pricing. Mr. LeLacheur noted that the town is aware of these complaints and has been responding accordingly. Mr.Halsey made a motion to adiourn at 10:06 PM, seconded by Mr. Ensminger, which passed by a vote of 5-0-0. The meeting was adjourned by Mr. Arena at 10:06 PM. Respectfully Submitted, Secretary Page i 5