Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-01-30 Board of Selectmen Minutes O� OFR y k Town of Reading e Meeting Minutes _ " E CE I V � o G B�9.INCOR40�'lt' R E A i N 3 7 M_A. Board - Committee - Commission - Council: 2010 nAY 16 AN 9: 10 Board of Selectmen Date: 2018-01-30 Time: 7:00 PM Building: School - Memorial High Location: RMHS Schettini Library Address: 62 Oakland Road Session: Purpose: General Business Version: Attendees: Members - Present: Chair John Arena, Barry Berman, Dan Ensminger, John Halsey, Andrew Friedmann Members - Not Present: Others Present: Town Manager Bob LeLacheur, Executive Assistant Caitlin Saunders, Facilities Director Joe Huggins, Assistant Facilities Director Kevin Cabuzzi, School Committee, Finance Committee, Adam Clark, Christopher Rogers, Jared Casalinuovo, Geoffrey Coram, Autumn Hendrickson, Bob Hayes, Karl Weld, Kaitlyn Mercurio, Diedre Riley, Steve Dion, Mark Beckley, Eileen Litterio, Michelle Sanphy, Erin Gaffen, Gary Phillips, Mary Grimm, Michael DiGiorgio, Daniel Ross, Mark Dockser, Bryn Burkhart, Linda Phillips, Amy Cole, Matthew McClod, John Sullivan, Bill Brown, Rebecca Liberman, Josh Goldlust, Phil Logsdon, Kevin Cignitti, Steve Austin, Jennifer Hillery Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Topics of Discussion: Chair John Arena called the meeting to order. The School Committee called to order. Before the discussion of an override, the board had 3 new Eagle Scouts here to receive their proclamations. The 3 gentlemen Adam Clark, Christopher Rogers and Jared Casalinuovo put in a lot of work for their service projects to receive their Eagle Award. The Finance Committee called to order. The first speaker of the night, Vanessa Alvarado stood up to say we need an override that will be adequate and sustainable. She noted she will be looking forward to learning what each member of the Selectmen will be doing in the next couple weeks. Geoffrey Coram expressed that the override needs to restore all teaching positions and he would support a higher override number if justified. Autumn Hendrickson, a high school student at Reading Memorial, stood up to say she doesn't know a lot about numbers but she cares a lot about this town and these teachers. These teachers deserve this; they are a huge impact in a lot of students' lives. Bob Hayes hopes this number is enough and he hopes it passes for the town. Page 1 1 Karl Weld expressed his worries that some sort of number needs to pass; however, the growing population in town is the 50+ age bracket and most are on fixed incomes. He urged the Selectmen to keep them in mind. Kaitlyn Mercurio wanted to express her concern of putting too low of a number on the ballot just so it will pass. She feels we need a number that will give us measurable improvements. John.Russo noted the State Aid shortfall is a big problem and a part of the reason why we are here today. He noted his tax bill has already gone up significantly in the past three months. Diedre Riley noted we lose a lot of mid-lifers and seniors because they cannot see a future here. We need to value our seniors as well and consider them when putting forth this number. Steve Dion moved here specifically for the school system. If we don't get an override he has concerns his children will not be able to excel here. Mark Beckley felt the gap in transparency is on the school's side. The town has a ton of information out for everyone to view but the schools are lacking with sharing information. Eileen Litterio feels the `pyramid approach' where voters can better allocate where the money gets spent will give voters a sense of transparency. Erin Gaffen and Michelle Sanphy are the Chairs for the Yes for Reading group. Over the past months and numerous meetings they have heard over and over that we financially cannot continue like this. Public safety is not adequate, the school budget is not recommended and town staff are stretched thin. We urge you to please put the full asking number for the override on the ballot. It is the number we need. Gary Phillips feels an override that is moderate, perhaps 2-3 million, would be best to put forward. He feels the greater the number the more risk it has to fail. Mary Grimm noted this override is long overdue and completely necessary. Mike Digiorgio urged the Selectmen to please vote for the full override number. We need to take care of our residents. Daniel Ross is asking the Selectmen to give the voters some options. He is concerned with asking for 5 million. Mark Dockser explained the need for this override has been for the past 5 years. We need the full 4.75 million. Bryn Burkhart expressed the toxic environment we are in. The contentiousness on the Reading Parents Facebook page is out of hand; all the parents are arguing like children. We deserve this whole override and"it is necessary. Linda Phillips thanked the Selectmen for all their hard work over the past couple months. What has to pass has to be affordable to the majority of our population. She urged the Selectmen to please remember the information the survey revealed about the last failed override. Amy Cole urged the Selectmen to please put forth the full 4.7 number. Now is the time. Matthew McCloud feels we need to advocate for what we know we need; and we need this. Page 1 2 John Sullivan noted he moved back here for the school system, please put forth the entire amount. Bill Brown noted every year we say we need money but the sky has not fallen yet. He put three kids thru the school and now three grandkids. People on social security don't get a raise. Rebecca Liberman implored the Selectmen to preserve all the teachers at any expense. She suggested cutting athletics until we can save all of the teachers. The teachers are the most important thing and she knows there is a way to save them all. Josh Goldlust chose to move here and he is concerned with funding changes that he stay here may be short lived. Please put the full asking number on the ballot. Phil Logsdon, a teacher, is worried about the schools we are falling below. Do the right thing and put the full amount on the ballot. Kevin Cignetti wants to know where the money is going. Steve Austin asked the Selectmen to please consider putting the full amount on the ballot. Jennifer Hillery noted the evidence in front of you is clear; the 4.7 million is what we need. Belmont and Shrewsbury recently passed similarly priced overrides. She is concerned about the long term impact if a lower number is picked. George Kachen expressed his love for this town and he is glad the Selectmen want what is best for the.town. We need to vote for the full amount on the ballot. Katie Pulson noted the teachers in town are amazing but they need appropriate resources to do their jobs. Please put forth the full.number. Carl McFadden urged the Selectmen to consider our biggest asset, RMLD. They are worth 100 Million to the town;.they have more free cash than the whole town does. We don't need to own them. Selling the light department needs to be seriously considered. It would be a huge help to our financial burden right now. Alisha Williams noted she is in favor of an override of any amount because it is clear we need something. Getting people to the polls is extremely important; we need to urge people to come and support the town and vote. Michelle Greenwalt noted her daughter is in 7th grade and will be directly affected and devastated by the loss of the foreign language program. Logan Greenwalt, son of Michelle, feels the schools need our support to continue. Town Manager Bob LeLacheur explained how the Selectmen ranked the '30 prioritized items' list. He noted they generally agreed on the top priorities. Mr. Arena noted he struggled.with this list because some things are more expensive than others. Mr. Berman agreed with Mr. Arena also noting they all agree the 30 things are a priority so just because we ranked one thing last, doesn't mean it isn't a priority at all. They still think it is an important and necessary item. Mr. Friedmann agreed with Mr. Berman stating this list wasn't pulled out of thin air, it is a list of all important things that we need to work towards. Page 1 3 Mr. Halsey noted this town needs an override and we needed it last time. We have heard a lot from our town officials and the voters. Their job is to try and satisfy the most people they can. He feels the voters need to have options. Public safety and education are clearly on everyone's mind. He intends to put forth a motion for a `menu' override question. This will give the voters the option to pick and choose what they want to vote for and where they want their money going. It will have six questions totaling the 4.14 million. Mr. Ensminger explained his approach is similar. He would put forth a `tiered' question. It would be two questions. One question will ask for the full amount and one asking for a smaller amount to fall back on. Mr. Arena noted we cannot risk another failed override; it will cripple this town..We need something over nothing. Mr. Berman felt these two approaches put forth so far will tear this town apart. It will divide us so much further. The voters need to trust us and we need to put forth one number for one Reading. Mr. Halsey felt that is wrong. People want to have choices and know exactly what they are voting for and what they will get with their money. Mr. Friedmann felt the residents were very well spoken tonight. The transparency for this budget is there. We have gotten probably 75 emails that have all advocated for the full 4.7 million number. He noted he thinks Mr. Halsey and Mr. Ensminger's approaches are.divisive and we need one number to put forth. Mr. Arena noted he too was thinking of a two-tiered approach. He thinks a single request is very risky and he would be nervous to just flat out ask for 4.7 million dollars. He explained he would rather have something smaller over nothing and perhaps breaking it down into choices for the voters would give them great clarity to what they are voting for. Mr. Berman felt last time we learned the asking number was.just too big and it wasn't clear where the money was going. The voters felt they weren't convinced it was necessary. Mr. Berman feels we have clearly cleared up all those issues this time. He trusts the Town Manager and Superintendent that what they say they need, is a true need. Mr. Ensminger noted that the voters want the Selectmen to be clear so giving them more options on the ballot would do that. Mr. Friedmann felt if they.all come out strong with one number together, it will pass. Mr. Arena felt Mr. Halsey's approach is as clear and precise as you can give the voters. Mr. Berman feels we have been nothing but clear through this whole process. Mr. Halsey noted trusting the voters is giving them a choice to pick what they want. He also noted he is happy to join hands with the YES for Reading group and advocate for all 6 of the questions to pass. Mr. Ensminger doesn't feel giving the voter options is divisive. Mr. Arena gathered the boards preference on putting forth a single number or doing a menu approach. Mr. Friedmann and Mr. Berman were for a single number while the rest, Mr. Arena, Mr. Halsey and Mr. Ensminger, would prefer the menu approach. The board then started discussing what number they would put forth if they choose to do a single ballot question. Page 14 Chuck Robinson from the School Committee noted we are advocating for one Reading so we need one number. He truly feels the October vote last year was just bad timing. Jeanne Borawski also from the School Committee agreed, firmly advocating for one number to be put on the ballot. Mr. Berman felt it was time to make a motion on one number and vote: Mr. Ensminger asked if he had the details prepared for the exact question he would make a motion to put on the ballot. Mr. Arena reminded the board this is what they tried to do last time and it failed. Mr. Berman's suggested one number question at 4.1 million would not actually give the schools everything they need. Mr. Halsey explained his approach would give the schools their whole asking number. Elaine Webb from the School Committee noted they want the whole number they asked for but does not want the menu approach. We need to be.one Reading with one question. Mr. Berman made a motion to put an override request of 4.15 million dollars on the Annual Town Meeting ballot in April 2018. Mr. Friedmann seconded the motion. Michelle Sanphy asked if the board is prepared for what would happen if the school question did not pass on the menu approach. Mr. Berman noted we don't want to send a message to people that they can support one thing over another. You either support the whole town or not. Mr. Arena explained the risk in just putting a number without telling them what they are getting. Mr. Ensminger's 2 tier approach is a safe net. Something over nothing. Erin Gallen noted she and the YES for Reading group will only advocate for one number and that number is the full asking amount of the schools. Todd Merkle agreed with Ms. Gallen noted if people see a smaller option they will automatically vote for the smaller amount and we need more. Town Manager Bob LeLacheur explained he supports the schools but if the Selectmen choose to put one number on the ballot, he would like to keep the split how we have always done it. Mr. Halsey explained his approach is a try to mitigate the risk by giving people options. One number is much more risky. In the late hours of the evening the board felt the need to come to a decision and vote on what everyone is waiting for. Mr. Berman made a motion to put a $4.15 M override question on the Annual Town Meeting ballot in April 2018, to be split 1.5M to the Town and 2.6M to the Schools. Mr. Halsey seconded the motion and the board voted 5-0-0. Mr. Ensminger made a motion to adjourn at 11:33 PM, second by Mr. Halsey and approved with a 5-0-0 vote. Page 1 5