HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-12-20 Finance Committee MinutesN OFq
Town of Reading
p Meeting Minutes
TOWN CLERK
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council: 2018 FEB 12 'AN 9:3.4
Finance Committee
Date: 2017-12-20. Time:, 7:00 PM
Building: Reading. Public Library. Location: Conference Room
Address: 64 Middlesex Avenue Session:
Purpose: Attend Selectmen Budget Meeting Version:
Attendees: Members - Present:
Chair Peter Lydecker, Mark Dockser, Vanessa Alvarado, Paula Perry, Erik
Burkhart
Members - Not Present:
Paul McNeice, David Neshat, Marc Moll, Anne Landry
Others Present:
John Arena, Barry Berman, Dan Ensminger, John Halsey, Andrew
Friedmann, Town Manager Bob LeLacheur, Town Accountant Sharon
Angstrom, Administrative Services Director Matt Kraunelis, Assistant Town
Manager Jean Delios; Facilities Director Joe Huggins, Deputy Police Chief
David Clark; Fire Chief Burns, Executive Assistant Caitlin Saunders, Erin
Gaffen, Linda Phillips, Todd Merkle, George Kachen, Denise McCarthy,
Michele Sanphy
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Caitlin Saunders
Topics of Discussion:
Chair John .Arena' called the meeting to order.
FY19 Budget Review
Department of Public Works
DPW Director Jeff Zager and Town .Engineer Ryan Percival were present.
The DPW budget.is up 5.7% and includes the addition of one full time clerk for the office.
Peter Lydecker called the Finance Committee to order at 7:05 PM.
Engineering salaries are.up 11.9% with the addition of an aide position. Highway. division
salaries are up 5.2% with the addition of a long term seasonal worker. Storm water had a
decrease in salaries 11:9% because of turnover. Cemetery salaries are 'up 10.3% and .
expenses.are up 12.9%. Parks and forestry salaries are up'5.9% and expenses.are up
9.8%. Snow and ice costs are up 4% while street lighting. costs have been reduced 11.1%.
Our recycling costs are up 3% due.to our contract increase..
The department has a number of capital projects proposed for 2018. Some_of those projects
include Joshua Eaton site renovation, Sturges park bank stabilization, Main Street and Mill
Street water main cleaning,and lining, Charles Street sewer pump station. replacement,
Auburn Street water tank replacement, Emerald Drive water booster station replacement,
MWRA Phase,9 and 10 Sewer I/I, pavement marking and road resurfacing.
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The group then discussed See, Click, Fix. This is the department that uses this app the most
however it still can be used more widely and should be advertised more.
Complete Budget Summary
Mr. LeLacheur gave his overview and how he plans to proceed. His Town Manager principles
include recognizing risk and strong labor markets. The FY20 .budget by necessity will back .
away from some `optional' services.
Mr. LeLacheur showed a chart that held all the FTE's. He noted the total amount of cuts that
are needed are $1,495,524.
The final Town Manager budget will be released early January 2018.
January 9th will review the.budget in public with the prioritized list of `,add backs'.
He then showed the calendar of upcoming meetings regarding the budget.
Mr. Berman. wanted to note the process in which the departments and budgets were
presented this year gave him a better understanding of what we do and who does them. He
noted his deeper appreciation for people who work for the town.
Mr. Arena noted the tone of the comments in the survey about communication implied we
needed to do better and hopefully this process did that.
Mr. Halsey noted the timing the way it was done this year was far superior than in the past.
Mr. Friedmann felt it was extremely helpful to get the departments full asking list and he
thought it is a good idea to have.the add back list but maybe also have, a list of what the
community won't get depending on the number.
Mr. Ensminger mentioned the sustainability costs for the future of overtime and how many
years will it last.
George Kachen suggested the board really talk about the'risk of not doing the `add ons'.
Mark Dockser suggested doing a'zero base' budget and felt it is important to remember a
lot of these things the departments are asking for are things_ that were previously cut in
years prior.
Mr. Ensminger noted they have to be tax payer focused going forward on how we discuss
this.
Reading Fire Department/ Wyson Trucking Settlement
Chief Burns briefly explained a tanker rolled over and the department responded to the
incident costing us money. We are entitled to collect from costs and this is the settlement
agreement.
Mr. Ensminger moved that the Board of Selectmen accept the settlement. and
release form for the Wyson Trucking Settlement as presented. The motion was
seconded by Mr. Berman and approved with a 5-0-0 vote.
Mr. Burkhart made a motion to adjourn at 9:23 PM. The motion was seconded by
Ms. Alvarado and approved with a 5-0-0 vote.
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