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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAppendix B-2 2018-04 ATM Minutes ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center The Precincts listed below met at 7:00 PM to conduct the following business: Precinct 1 - With a Quorum present elected Sheila Mulroy as Precinct Chair and W Megan Fidler-Carey as Precinct Clerk and voted on Article 18, Town Meeting Member list of removal, see Article 18 for results. Precinct 2 - With a Quorum present elected Anthony D'Arezzo as Precinct Chair and John Sasso as Precinct Clerk and voted on Article 18, Town Meeting Member list of removal, see Article 18 for results. Precinct 3 - With a Quorum present elected John D Breslin as Precinct Chair and Michelle R Greenwalt as Precinct Clerk and voted on Article 18, Town Meeting Member list of removal, see Article 18 for results. Precinct 4 - With a Quorum present elected Russell Graham as Precinct Chair and Mary Ellen O'Neill as Precinct Clerk and voted on Article 18, Town Meeting Member list of removal, see Article 18 for results. Precinct 5 - With a Quorum present elected Edward J Ross as Precinct Chair and Anne DJ Landry as Precinct Clerk and voted on Article 18, Town Meeting Member list of removal, see Article 18 for results. Precinct 6 - With a Quorum present elected Michele Sanphy as Precinct Chair and Kelly Malone as Precinct Clerk and voted on Article 18, Town Meeting Member list of removal, see Article 18 for results. Precinct 7 - With a Quorum present elected John A Lippitt as Precinct Chair and Jeffery W Struble as Precinct Clerk and voted on Article 18, Town Meeting Member list of removal, see Article 18 for results. Precinct 8 - With a Quorum present elected Damien Morinon as Precinct Chair and Pamela E Daskalakis as Precinct Clerk and voted on Article 18, Town Meeting Member list of removal, see Article 18 for results. The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Alan E. Foulds, at 7:34 PM, there being a quorum present. The Invocation was given by Philip Pacino, Precinct 5 followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. All new members of Town Meeting were sworn-in and the Constables return of the Warrant was read by the Town Clerk. The following announcements were made by the Moderator: As is our tradition at the beginning of the Annual Town Meeting every April, the Chair reminds Town Meeting Members and informs newly elected members about some of the basic rules, and how we will proceed: When you are recognized please wait until you have the microphone before speaking. In addition to being heard in the hall we want you to be heard on RCTV, as well. The tapes from the cablecast may be used in verifying the official report. Before speaking, please state your name and precinct. Members are limited to no more than 10 minutes. The Chair will call on people roughly in the order that they raise their hands ... taking those that have not yet spoken, first. Non-members may speak, but only after members have first had the opportunity to do so. Non- member proponents of a motion may speak with permission of the body. Remember to stay away from personal attacks or, for the most part, personal references. We are here to discuss issues and NOT personalities. A couple of years ago we instituted a new practice. We no longer read the motions, as all of you have a printed copy. The only time we read it is if there is a change from what you have. The 218 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center moderator, instead, declares that the motion has been made. We then call on the main proponent to open discussion. Then we hear relevant reports; Financial articles are reported on by the Finance Committee, bylaw changes by the Bylaw Committee, and so forth. Then we open debate to all members. After debate has proceeded for a while, we may have someone "move the previous question", or simply "move the question". That is a call for debate to end. That motion itself is non-debatable, and we will proceed directly to the issue of stopping debate. It takes a 2/3 vote. The Chair will not recognize that motion from a person who has just spoken. In other words, if you want to move the question and stop debate, that must be the only thing you have risen for. Amendments: We may have people offer amendments to motions on the floor. These will be accepted. Once an amendment is proposed and seconded, we debate only the merits of the proposed amendment - not the main motion. When ready, we vote on the proposed amendment, then we return to debating the main motion, either as is stood before the proposed amendment or, as amended - depending on how the vote to amend went. When proposing amendments please provide them to the Town Clerk on an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet in order to get your wording correct. Town Meeting Members must be sitting in the lower portion of the hall if they want to be recognized as Town Meeting Members, and have their votes counted. Instructional Motions: Article 3 is placed in the warrant by the Board of Selectmen, and calls for "Instructional Motions". These motions "instruct" various boards or individuals to do whatever the motion calls for. Technically State Law does not allow motions to be made when the subject matter does not first appear in the Warrant. They have traditionally been allowed here because they are completely "non-binding". Our bylaws stipulate that all Main Motions (which these are) must be made in writing. Additionally, I ask that they be written on an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet, containing nothing but the motion. Otherwise they are likely to be lost. The Chair will enforce that rule tonight. In addition I would ask that whenever practical all such motions be presented to the Moderator at the beginning of each night's session. At some convenient point the Chair will inform the body what intended Instructional Motions have been presented. This is being done in fairness to those being "Instructed", and deserve some semblance of notice, and to Town Meeting Members who, when making a decision as to whether or not to adjourn for the evening, should know what business is still before them. Unlike all the regular articles, members have no idea what type of Instructional Motions will be made. There is often confusion with two particular motions, Indefinite Postponement and tabling. Let me give you a brief explanation of the difference: Indefinite Postponement is a motion asking that the body not vote for a particular motion during the life of this town meeting. Although it is thought of not so much as a vote against a particular issue, but rather a postponement, the result is the same. Voting in favor of indefinite postponement has the same result as voting against the main motion. If indefinite postponement carries, the main motion is defeated. A motion to indefinitely postpone is debatable. Tabling is used for another purpose altogether. Tabling temporarily puts a motion aside. It can be brought up again by anyone moving to take it from the table, at any time before the meeting adjourns sine die. This motion is non-debatable, although the Chair will allow a brief explanation as to why the motion to table has been made. Adjournment: There are two types of adjournment. At the end of an evening we adjourn to a time certain. Tonight, for instance, when we are done for the evening, we, presumably, will adjourn until Thursday. When we are done with the business of town meeting we adjourn Sine Die, which translates to "without day." In other words, the meeting is complete. Please use non-audible alarms for your phones and other gadgets. 219 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center Finally, I would like to explain how things are likely to proceed over the next few hours, and next few days. Tonight we lay article 2 and 3 on the table and begin with article 4, and we will proceed as far as we can. We'll start Thursday evening by going back to article 2 so that we can hear the State of the Town Address, then we will proceed with the budget (Article _). Once completed, we'll go back and work on whatever is left. Motion made by Barry Berman, Board of Selectmen to dispense of the reading of the warrant and all motions in their entirety. Motion Carried ARTICLE 2: To hear and act on the reports of the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Library Trustees, Municipal Light Board, Finance Committee, Bylaw Committee, Town Manager, Town Accountant and any other Town Official, Board or Committee. Reports given by: Dan Ensminger, Acting Vice Chair Board of Selectmen Instructional Motion Update At the May 1, 2017 Adjourned Session of the 2017 Annual Town Meeting, the following Instructional Motion was passed: "Instruct the Board of Selectmen, in light of the town's difficult financial situation, to study the Reading Municipal Light Department with an objective of increasing annual revenues to the Town of Reading." Since 1997, the annual RMLD "below-the-line" payment to Reading (currently over $2.4 million) has been indexed to the Boston area Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI index increased 2-4% annually from 1997 to 2006, but has increased less than 2% per year since 2007. Town Meeting's goal was to come up with a more steady and predictable formula for this increase, ideally more in line with Reading Town Government's annual run rate of 2.5-3% per year, but also consistent with RMLD's projected earnings and capital needs requirements. During the debate on this instructional motion, Chairman Pacino of the RMLD Board of Commissioners suggested that the Subcommittee for Payments to the Town of Reading, which had been created in 1998 by the RMLD's Citizens Advisory Board but never activated, be used to negotiate such an agreement. The members subsequently appointed to this Subcommittee were: Phil Pacino and John Stempeck from the RMLD Board, George Hooper and Neil Cohen, Wilmington and Reading members of the CAB, and Dan Ensminger of the Reading BOS. The subcommittee met once in September 2017 and again in February, March, and April of 2018. Initial proposals for the indexing of payments were exchanged at the subcommittee between the RMLD and the Town. Presentations were then given by RMLD Board Chair Pacino and the RMLD General Manager. The sum of the below-the-line amount that can be paid to Reading, plus RMLD capital funding, is limited to 8% of the RMLD's net plant value. Additional RMLD concerns include the need to rehabilitate large portions of its physical plant, and the recently observed decline of power revenues year over year, ironically due to shave-the-peak conservation measures and buyback of excess renewable power generated by homes and businesses. The General Manager suggested that the RMLD commission a study 220 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center of future power revenues under a variety of economic growth scenarios before any new indexing formula for payments to Reading is agreed to by the Subcommittee. At its April 11 meeting, the Subcommittee voted unanimously to keep the CPI index in place until such a study is completed. This study should be completed in the next 6 months, at which time the Subcommittee can take the matter up again. In the meantime, Reading is making out well in calendar year 2018 with a 2.5% CPI increase, the highest in five years. Paul Sylvester, Chair Bylaw Committee Instructional Motion Update Bylaw Committee has met twice this year on this topic. Bylaw Committee has determined that it does not have the authority to change the wording in the Charter and that it requires a Charter Committee or a Charter Commission to make such changes. At our first meeting, ByLaw took the eight sections of the General Bylaws and assigned two sections to each active member to be reviewed. At our second meeting, we reviewed the changes. Each member was assigned two different sections to review in order to act as a check against the first review. These sections will be reviewed again at our meeting in May. The plan is to present two articles to Fall Town Meeting. One will cover all of the gender changes we are proposing and a second one will cover any minor grammatical or typographical errors found. Motion made by Vanessa Alvarado, Board of Selectmen to table Article 2 Motion Carried to Table ARTICLE 3: Move to choose all other necessary Town Officers and Special Committees and determine what instructions shall be given Town Officers and Special Committees, and to see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the purpose of funding Town Officers and Special Committees to carry out the instructions given to them, or take any other action with respect thereto. Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: No report Motion made by Andrew Friedmann, Board of Selectmen to table Article 3 Motion to Table Carried ARTICLE 4: Motion by the Board of Selectmen that the Town vote to amend the FY2018 - FY2028 Capital Improvements Program as provided for in Section 7-7 of the Reading Home Rule Charter and as previously amended, by making these changes: General Fund 221 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center FY2018: no changes +$33,000 School Technology (District-Wide Technology Network projects) -$33,000 School Technology (Wireless Access Points) FY2019: +207,500 +$500,000 Facilities/Town Buildings (Dispatch Center - moved up from FY2021) +$207,500 Facilities - Permanent Building Committee (total now $357,500 - addition from Override) -$450,000 Facilities CORE (Building Security - defer all to two part project) -$50,000 DPW Parks (-$25,000 fence replacement; -$25,000 parking lot improvements) FY2020: no net chanaes +$800,000 Replace Pumper Engine #4 (2001; move up from FY2021) -$475,000 Facilities CORE Parker Roof (defer to FY2021) -$200,000 DPW Front End Loader (2009; defer to FY2021) -$125,000 Facilities Town Hall Generator (defer to FY2021) FY2021+ Various other changes made Enterprise Funds - Water FY2018: no chanaes FY2019: -$50,000 +$100,000 Downtown Infrastructure Assessment -$150,000 Truck #6 (defer to FY20) FY2020: -$70,000 +$155,000 Truck #6 (moved from FY19 and increased by $5,000) -$225,000 Well abandonment (moved out to FY23) FY20 debt increased +$240,000 for possible downtown infrastructure improvements FY20 debt decreased -$490,000 as Auburn Water tank moved out one year to FY21 FY2021+ Various changes made Enterprise Funds - Sewer FY2018: no chanaes FY2018 MWRA debt increased +$63,000 FY2019: +$58,000 +$100,000 Downtown Infrastructure Assessment -$42,000 Pickup #6 (2011; deferred to FY2021) FY2019 MWRA debt increased +$39,000 FY2020: +$150,000 +$150,000 Sturges Sewer Station Design (advanced from project debt in FY2021) FY2020 debt increased +$240,000 for possible downtown infrastructure improvements FY2021+ Various changes made Enterprise Funds - Storm Water FY2018: no changes 222 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center FY2019: +$350,000 +$250,000 Sturges Park project +$100,000 Downtown Infrastructure Assessment FY2019 debt decreased -$411,250 by splitting up Sturges, Main Street, Minot Street projects FY2020: no chances FY2020 debt increased +$240,000 for possible downtown infrastructure improvements FY2020 debt decreased -$399,000 by splitting up Sturges, Main Street, Minot Street projects FY2021+ Various changes made Finance Committee Report - given by Paula Perry: The Finance Committee recommends the proposed amendments to the FY 2018 - FY 2028 Capital Improvements Program by a vote of 7-0-0 at their meeting on March 7, 2018. Placing items in the Capital Improvement Program is a prerequisite but in itself does not authorize spending funds towards these items. Bylaw Committee Report: No report Presentation given by: • Bob LeLacheur - See Attached Motion Carried ARTICLE 5: Motion made by the Finance Committee that the Town vote to amend the Town's Operating Budget for the Fiscal Year commencing July 1, 2017, as adopted under Article 16 of the Annual Town Meeting of April 4, 2017 and amended under Article 4 of the Subsequent Town Meeting of November 13, 2017; and to raise and appropriate, borrow or transfer from available funds, or otherwise provide a sum or sums of money to be added to the amounts appropriated under said Article, as amended, for the operation of the Town and its government: General Fund - Waces and Expenses Account Line Description Decrease Increase B91 - Benefits 111F Retirement $47,500 wages B99 - Benefits Retirement Actuarial Services -$25,000 $200,000 expenses Health Insurance Premiums -$175,000 C99-Capital Excess available from capital items $83,500 (often due to high trade-in values): DPW: $19,500 screener; $7,500 car; $6,000 roller; $6,000 sanding truck; $5,500 mower; $3,000 dump truck; $1,500 leaf vacuum Facilities: $17,000 Killam Flooring; West Side Fire roof $14,000; RMHS carpet $2,500; Pickup $1,000 E99 - Vocational NEMRVS +$27,000 $5,000 Education Essex North +$38,000 Minuteman -$60,000 223 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center G92 - Administrative Prop & Casualty Ins Premiums +$31,000 $41,000 Services Expenses Rugged laptops 2 for DPW $10,000 H91 - Public Services Vacant positions -$25,000 $65,000 Wages *Vacant Economic Development positions -$40,000 H91 - Public Services 40R Plan Review(s) $25,000 $12,500 Expenses Veteran's Benefits -$25,000 *Ec Dev expenses -$12,500 I91 - Finance Wages Overlap for transition to new Treasurer $7,500 391 - Public Safety Fire Alarm Technicians +$5,000 $268,000 Wages Fire Sick/Vacation buyback $40,500 Police Sick/Vacation Buyback $17,500 Fire OT +$180,000 Police OT +$25,000 392 - Public Safety Animal Control -$50,000 $30,000 expenses Uniforms/equipment +$10,000 Training +$10,000 K91 - Public Works Civil Engineer vacancy -$40,000 $40,000 Wages K92 - Public Works Trailer for Cemetery mowers $9,500 $9,500 Expenses K93 - Public Works Snow & Ice $300,000 $300,000 Snow & Ice Subtotals $431,000 $678,500 Net Operating Expenses $52,500 *From Inspections Revolving Fund $52,500 Reduce the Planning wage offset previously budgeted - $40,000; Reduce the Planning expense offset -$12,500 From Free Cash $300,000 Enterprise Funds - Wages and Expenses Account Line Description Decrease Increase X99 - Sewer MWRA debt +$63,000 $135,000 Expenses MWRA Assessment +$72,000 Subtotals $135,000 Net Operating Expenses $135,000 From Sewer Reserves $135,000 Y99 - Storm Drainage work in the Haven Street area $100,000 Water Expenses $100,000 Subtotals $100,000 Net Operating Expenses $100,000 From Storm Water Reserves $100,000 Finance Committee Report - given by Anne Landry: At their meeting on March 7, 2018 the Finance Committee voted 7-0-0 to recommend this Article to Town Meeting and at their meeting on April 23, 2018 the Finance Committee voted 5-0-0 to recommend the $300,000 allocation of free cash for snow and ice. Bylaw Committee Report: No report 224 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center Presentation given by: • Bob LeLacheur - See Attached After some discussion a vote was taken Motion Carried ARTICLE 6: Motion made by Board of Selectmen to table the subject matter of Article 6 Motion to Table Carried ARTICLE 7: Motion was made by Board of Selectmen that the Town vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell, exchange, or dispose of, various items of Town tangible property, upon such terms and conditions as they may determine. Division Year Make Model Estimated Value$ Water 2011 Ford 350 6,000 Highway 1989 Trail King Trailer 11000 GVW 2,500 Highway 1990 Baker 11 foot 500 Highway 1990 Baker 10 foot 500 Highway 1990 Baker 10 foot 500 Engineering 2005 Ford Taurus 1,200 Forestry 1989 Morbark I Eager Beaverl 500 Finance Committee Report - given by Mark Dockser: At their meeting on March 7, 2018 the Finance Committee voted 7-0-0 to recommend this Article to Town Meeting. Bylaw Committee Report: No report Presentation given by: • Sharon Angstrom - See Attached Motion Carried ARTICLE 8: Motion made by the Board of Selectmen that the Town vote to appropriate the sum of Five hundred and seventy six thousand ($576,000) dollars to the irrevocable trust for "Other Post- Employment Benefits Liabilities" Backciround: Last year, Town Meeting took advantage of recent state legislation and adopted the provisions of Section 20 of Chapter 32B of the Massachusetts General Laws, as amended by Section 15 of the Chapter 218 of the Acts of 2016, placing the Town's OPEB Trust Fund under this new legal structure. This year Town Meeting is only requested to make the annual transfers of funds previously budgeted and held for the OPEB Trust Fund. This practice is followed each year in case health insurance costs are higher 225 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center than budgeted, and therefore may be needed to fund a deficit. In FY18, as demonstrated under Article 5, a small surplus exists in that account so the annual OPEB transfers should be completed as originally designed: $500,000 in the general fund, $50,000 in the water fund, $20,000 in the sewer fund and $6,000 in the storm water fund. This Article will therefore move the total $576,000 of all these OPEB contributions to the trust for Other Post Employment Benefit liabilities. The most recent OPEB valuation shows the Town's OPEB liability at $67.2 million, though this figure will be updated before June 30, 2018. The three Enterprise Funds and the Light Department are on an aggressive twenty year funding schedule, and the General Fund is on a partial funding schedule projected over thirty years. The latter will transition to a full funding schedule as soon as possible, as is required by law or after the Pension Fund is fully funded. Finance Committee Report - given by Marc Moll: At their meeting on March 7, 2018 the Finance Committee voted 7-0-0 to recommend this Article to Town Meeting. Bylaw Committee Report: No report Presentation given by: • Sharon Angstrom - See Attached Motion Carried ARTICLE 9: Motion made by the Board of Selectmen that the Town vote to amend Section 6.6.2 of the General Bylaw, establishing the Inspection Revolving Fund as shown below, with additions being shown in bold and deletions being struck through: 6.6.2 Inspection Revolving Fund Funds held in the Inspection Revolving Fund shall be used for legal costs, oversight and inspection, plan review, property appraisals and appeals, public services general management, pedestrian safety improvements, records archiving, and other costs related to building, plumbing, wiring, gas and other permits required for large construction projects and shall be expended by the Town Manager. Receipts credited to this fund shall include building, plumbing, wiring, afi4 gas and other permit fees for the Schoolhouse Commons, Reading Village, Postmark Square, 20-24 Gould Street, 467 Main Street, Oaktree, Addison-Wesley/Pearson and Johnson Woods developments. Background: This revolving fund was established by Town Meeting in 2002 to accept permit fees associated with the development of the landfill at Walker's Brook Crossing', and a few larger projects (Johnson Farms/Woods and Archstone in 2004; Addison Wesley/Pearson in 2008; and Oaktree in 2010) have been added by Town Meeting since then. Previous to the state's recent Municipal Modernization Act (MMA), Town Meeting annually voted revolving funds in the format shown below: Revolving Spending Revenue Allowed Expenditure Year End Account Authority Source Expenses Limits Balance Building, Legal, oversight and Available Inspection Plumbing, inspection, plan review, for Revolving Town Wiring, Gas and initial property expenditure Fund Manager other permits appraisals and appeals, $200,000 next year 226 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center for Oaktree, Public Services Addison- planning and general Wesley/ Pearson management, curb, and Johnson sidewalks and Woods pedestrian safety developments improvements, records archiving and other project related costs. Under MMA, Town Meeting now annually only adopts the Expenditure Limits, which will be the subject matter of Article 11 of this Annual Town Meeting. Because Town Meeting could previously change any element of that table shown above, the accompanying General Bylaw was not specific, for example for the Inspection Revolving Fund: 6.6.2 Inspection Revolving Fund Funds held in the Inspection Revolving Fund shall be used for legal costs, oversight and inspection, plan review, property appraisals and appeals, public services general management, pedestrian safety improvements, records archiving, and other costs related to building, plumbing, wiring, gas and other permits required for large construction projects and shall be expended by the Town Manager. Receipts credited to this fund shall include building, plumbing, wiring, and gas fees. In order to add new projects to that list, first the older projects must be added to the General Bylaw. These include Oaktree, Addison-Wesley/Pearson and the Johnson Woods projects. Then five new projects are requested to be added, and will be described below. They include Schoolhouse Commons, Reading Village, Postmark Square, 20-24 Gould Street, and 467 Main Street. Schoolhouse Commons: a 20-unit multifamily residential rental housing project at 172 Woburn Street (next to St. Agnes Catholic Church) to be built under MGL Chapter 40B was approved by the Reading Zoning Board of Appeals during the summer 2017 after about a six month public process. Full project details may be found on the Town's website under the Planning division, at this link: https://www.readinyma.gov/public-services/planning-division/pages/schoolhouse-commons-40b Reading Village: a 68-unit multifamily residential rental project at 31-41 Lincoln Street and 2-12 Prescott Street (near the train depot) to be built under MGL Chapter 40B was approved by the Reading Zoning Board of Appeals during the winter 2017 also after about a one year public process. Full project details may be found here: https://www.readingma.gov/planning-division/pages/reading-village Postmark Square: a mixed use project to be built under MGL Chapter 40R, consisting of 50 condominium (for sale) units and approximately 8,500 square feet of commercial space at 136 Haven Street and 0 Sanborn Street (the former Post Office site) was approved by the Reading Community Planning and Development Commission during the early Fall 2017 after a public process that took the better part of one year because of federal historic requirements. Full project details may be found here: https://www.readingma.gov/planning-division/community-planning-and-development- commission/pages/postmark-square-136-haven-st 20-24 Gould Street: a mixed use project built under MGL Chapter 40R, consisting of a 55 rental units and approximately 3,500 square feet of commercial space at 20 and 24 Gould Street (the former EMARC building) was approved by the Reading Community Planning and Development Commission during the late fall 2017 after a public process that required about 4 months because of historic requirements. Full project details may be found here: https://www.readingma.gov/planning-division/community-planning-and-development- commission/panes/20-24-gouId-street 227 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center 467 Main Street: a mixed use project to be built under MGL Chapter 40R, consisting of 31 rental units and approximately 2,500 square feet of commercial space at 467 Main Street (the former Sunoco gas station) was approved by the Reading Community Planning and Development Commission during the winter 2018 after a public process that took 4 months. Full project details may be found here: https://www.readingma.gov/planning-division/community-planning-and-development- commission/panes/467-main-street Town Meeting established this revolving fund many years ago, based on the fact that large building projects bring significant but temporary costs for the Town in the planning and implementation phases, that then lead to new growth revenues for the Town and Schools. It should be noted that the last three of these projects above are a direct consequence of Town Meeting's 2009 adoption of the Downtown Smart Growth 40R zoning (overlay) district and 2017 adoption of the expanded district. The extensive efforts of town staff to facilitate economic development and streamlined permitting have played an important role in promoting growth in "Priority Development Areas" such as Downtown. As was shown by a budget transfer request in Article 5, Plan Review funds allow the Town to protect the interests of abutters and neighbors, and at the same time move these large building projects forward efficiently. The use of the Inspection Revolving Funds ensures that a bi-annual Town Meeting schedule does not cause bottlenecks in the process, and allows town staff and volunteer boards to react flexibly as new projects arrive. The Assessors estimate that there is about $90 million of construction underway in Reading, which will lead to over $1.0 million of new growth revenues when the projects are completed. These five projects above are just over $50 million of this total. Finance Committee Report-given by Paula Perry: At their meeting on March 7, 2018 the Finance Committee voted 7-0-0 to recommend this Article to Town Meeting. Bylaw Committee Report- given by Paul Sylvester: At their meeting on March 12, 2018 the Bylaw Committee voted 4-0-0 to recommend this Article to Town Meeting. Presentation given by: • Sharon Angstrom - See Attached After some discussion a vote was taken Motion Carried ARTICLE 10: Motion made by Board of Selectmen to table the subject matter of Article 10 Motion to Table Carried ARTICLE 11: Motion made by the Board of Selectmen that the Town vote to establish the limit on the total amount that may be expended from each revolving fund established by Article 9 of the Town of Reading General Bylaw pursuant to Section 53E1h of Chapter 44 of the Massachusetts General Laws for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018. 228 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center Revolving Spending Revenue Allowed Expenditure Year End Account Authority Source Expenses Limits Balance Fees as provided for in Reading Consulting and Conservation General Bylaws engineering services for Commission Section 5.7, the review of designs and Available for Consulting Conservation Wetlands engineering work for the expenditure Fees Commission Protection protection of wetlands. $25,000 next year Building, Plumbing, Wiring, Gas and other permits for Schoolhouse Legal, oversight and Commons, inspection, plan review, Reading Village, initial property appraisals Postmark Square, and appeals, Public 20-24 Gould Services planning and Street, 467 Main general management, Street, Oaktree, curb, sidewalks and Addison-Wesley/ pedestrian safety Inspection Pearson and improvements, records Available for Revolving Johnson Woods archiving and other expenditure Fund Town Manager developments project related costs. $200,000 next year Clinic fees, Public Health charges and third Materials and costs Available for Clinics and Board of party associated with clinics and expenditure Services Health reimbursements public health programs $25,000 next year Charges for lost or damaged Library materials and fees from printing, faxing or similar Library supplementary Acquire Library materials Available for Library Fines Director and fee-based to replace lost or expenditure and Fees Trustees services. damaged items $15,000 next year Utilities and all other Available for Mattera Cabin Facilities maintenance and expenditure Operating Director Rental Fees operating expenses $10,000 next year Director of Public Works upon the recommendati on of the Sale of timber; Planning and Available for Town Forest fees for use of the Improvements to the expenditure Town Forest Committee Town Forest Town Forest $10,000 next year Background: • Conservation Consulting Revolving Fund - These funds are used to receive payments from applicants, hire expert consultants where required, and return the balance to the applicant. The balance in the Conservation Consulting Revolving Fund as of February 2018 is $14. • Inspections Revolving Fund - Please see Article 9 of this Annual Town Meeting Warrant Report for more details. The balance available as of February 2018 in this fund is $781,351 and of that total 229 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center $180,000 is proposed by the Town Manager as part of the FY19 budget {$130,000 to support Economic Development wages and expenses; and $50,000 to offset Building division wages}. • Health Clinic Revolvinq Fund - The Reading Health Division contracts for third party payments for a number of immunizations. The funds are used to augment the influenza vaccine supply from the State Department of Public Health to insure vaccine for the homebound clients and first responders. The Division also uses these funds for materials for other screening clinics. Clinic client fees are also deposited into this fund to offset vaccine and clinical supply costs. The balance available as of February 2018 in this fund is $82,711. The State has been cutting back on the free flu and other vaccines to be distributed to cities and towns, and the Town therefore needs to purchase extra doses. The necessary amounts used for clinic vaccine, supplies and staff salaries related to the clinics each year directly from the revolving fund is therefore approximately $25,000. • Library Fines and Fees Materials Replacement Fund - Please see Article 10 of this Annual Town Meeting Warrant Report for more details. The balance available as of February 2018 in this fund is $15,740. • Mattera Cabin Operatinq Fund - The log cabin on the Mattera conservation land was purchased several years ago, and was renovated by the Vocational School. Some of the use is revenue generating, and it is anticipated that over time the site will generate enough funding to pay the operating costs of the cabin - primarily utilities. This Article allows those revenues that are generated to be used directly for the operating expenses of the cabin. The balance available as of February 2018 in this fund is $848. In response to an instructional motion by Town Meeting, the Town Manager has moved the responsibility for both the Mattera Cabin and Cemetery garages to be moved to the Facilities department. • Town Forest Revolvinq Fund was created in 2011 - The purpose is to allow revenues from controlled timber harvesting and permit fees to then be spent by the DPW Director upon the recommendation of the Town Forest Committee, on improvements to the Town Forest, including planning efforts. The Town Forest Committee has had a forest stewardship plan created (through a grant) to make recommendations on forest management including controlled timber harvesting. The balance available as of February 2018 in this fund is $0. It is anticipated that timber harvesting on a limited basis could begin at any time, and therefore there will be future proceeds which can be used for the purposes of the revolving fund. Finance Committee Report - given by Mark Dockser: At their meeting on March 7, 2018 the Finance Committee voted 7-0-0 to recommend this Article to Town Meeting. Bylaw Committee Report: No report Presentation given by: • Sharon Angstrom - See Attached After some discussion a vote was taken Motion Carried ARTICLE 12: Move that the Town vote to approve an Affordable Housing Trust Fund Allocation Plan pursuant to Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2001 entitled "AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF READING TO ESTABLISH AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND". 230 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center Backaround: Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2001 authorized the Town of Reading to establish a separate fund known as the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF). The AHTF requires Town Meeting approval of an annual allocation plan submitted by the Board of Selectmen. AHTF expenditures require approval by a majority vote of the full combined membership of the Board of Selectmen and the Reading Housing Authority. AHTF uses include: Create or preserve affordable housing; Maintain or operate affordable housing; ♦ Develop new or rehabilitate existing housing as affordable homeownership or rental units; The purpose of the Affordable Housing Allocation Plan is to provide a framework for the Town to expend funds on affordable housing. The current AHTF balance of $266,222 reflects revenue generated through the actions of the CPDC, as well as proceeds from the loss of an affordable unit. There are no Town tax generated funds in the AHTF. The only expenditure to date from the AHTF, in the amount of $200,000, was to assist Oaktree development with financing affordable housing at 30 Haven Street. In 2017 the Town hired a consultant to assist a staff initiative to update the Town's Housing Production Plan (HPP). This effort is important as a defense against unfriendly 40B developments in the community, and requires the Town to develop a phased plan to produce housing to reach the 10% threshold as required by MGL Ch. 40B. The updated 2018 HPP has been approved by the Board of Selectmen and filed with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, pending approval by the Department of Housing and Community Development. Several years ago, the Town commissioned and received a supplemental report on how the AHTF can best be used to support the 'Planned Production" goals of the Housing Plan. This report was received in late winter 2012, and a presentation was made in April of 2013 to the Board of Selectmen and the Reading Housing Authority. The report recommends a significant restructuring of the Town's AHTF efforts. The Board of Selectmen considered these recommendations, but decided against any changes. Therefore, the current recommendation is to adopt the AHTF Allocation Plan as shown below as the framework for the use of Affordable Housing Trust Fund in FY 2019. Note that Reading as lead community is part of a regional effort (along with North Reading, Wilmington and Saugus) to share a Regional Housing Services Office (RHSO). The RHSO monitors and administers affordable housing requirements including tracking and updating the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) and maintaining ready buyer and ready renter lists, among other responsibilities. Affordable Housing Trust Fund Allocation Plan FY 2019 Pursuant to Article 12 of the 2018 Annual Town Meeting, an Affordable Housing Trust Fund Allocation Plan for the Fiscal Year 2019 in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2001 is as follows: Available Balance - Unrestricted Funds: $266,222 Available Balance - Restricted Funds $ 0 Unrestricted funds shall be used for the following purposes: 5% up to a maximum of $10,000 for administration of Affordable Housing Remainder for constructing affordable housing (including loan and grant programs); or for maintaining and improving affordability of existing housing stock; or for the purchase of existing housing stock to add it to or maintain it as a part of the existing affordable housing inventory 231 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center Finance Committee Report - Given by Paula Perry: At their meeting on March 7, 2018 the Finance Committee voted 7-0-0 to recommend this Article to Town Meeting. Bylaw Committee Report: No report Presentation given by: • Jean Delios - See Attached After some discussion a vote was taken Motion Carried ARTICLE 13: Motion made by Board of Selectmen to table the subject matter of Article 13 Motion to Table Carried ARTICLE 14: Motion made by the Board of Selectmen that the Town vote to amend the General Bylaw as follows: A. By inserting, after Section 1.10.2, the following definition: 1.10.3 Executive Board The Board of Selectmen established by Section 3.2 of the Reading Home Rule Charter. The Executive Board shall have all of the powers and duties granted to Boards of Selectmen by the Constitution and General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and such additional powers and duties as may be provided by the Charter, by this bylaw, by the Zoning Bylaw or by Town Meeting vote. B. By renumbering subsequent provisions of Section 1.10 accordingly; and C. By striking the term "Board of Selectmen," wherever it may currently appear in said Bylaw, and inserting, in place thereof, the term "Executive Board." Background: At November 2017 Town Meeting, the following Instructional Motion was approved: "Direct the Bylaw Committee in Conjunction with the Board of Selectmen to remove gendered language from the General Bylaw and the Charter. Provide progress and projected finish date to Town Meeting in the April 2018 session. By the April 2018 Town Meeting have a motion for changing Board of Selectmen to Select Board or recommended gender neutral title." Several attempts to convene a meeting of the Bylaw Committee as of this writing have not been successful, so in order to fulfill part of this request, the Town Manager and Town Counsel have provided the above Article which will serve as a basis for discussion on the topic for Town Meeting. Select Board is one choice that has been adopted by some communities. Often it works fine, but there have been examples of board members requesting that a reference to them should then be as either a Selectman or a Selectwoman, which is a natural fit, but one that seems to defeat the spirit of the 232 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center Instructional Motion. Thus the terms Executive Board and Executive Board member would seem to be a stronger gender-neutral choice, and it accurately reflects the legal role filled by this board. Neighboring Wakefield has chosen to rename their Board of Selectmen to be Town Council, and members are Town Councilors. While gender neutral, we think this term is too easily confused with Town Counsel. Some communities have changed only the public reference to their Board of Selectmen, without making any changes to their Bylaws or Charter. Again in keeping with the spirit of the request of the Instructional Motion we believed a formal legal change was the best choice, and this suggested Article will make such a change. A more expensive and time consuming process would be to change the Charter, which could not happen in time for April 2018 Town Meeting. Certainly this topic should be placed on the Bylaw Committee's list of things to review for the next scheduled Charter change. The Charter specifies that a formal Charter Review Committee must occur at least every ten years. Note that any local changes must make reference to the term Board of Selectmen, which is the legal term used by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report — given by Paul Sylvester: At their meeting on March 12, 2018 the Bylaw Committee voted 4-0-0 to recommend this Article to Town Meeting. Presentation given by: • Bob LeLacheur — See Attached Motion made by John Lippitt, Precinct 7 to amend the motion as follows: Move to amend Article 14 by changing the words "Executive Board" to 'Select Board" in all its appearances (3) in the Article 1.10.3 Exeeutmve Select Board The Board of Selectmen established by Section 3.2 of the Reading Home Rule Charter. The Exeeutmve Select Board shall have all of the powers and duties granted to Boards of Selectmen by the Constitution and General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and such additional powers and duties as may be provided by the Charter, by this bylaw, by the Zoning Bylaw or by Town Meeting vote. D. By renumbering subsequent provisions of Section 1.10 accordingly; and E. By striking the term 'Board of Selectmen," wherever it may currently appear in said Bylaw, and inserting, in place thereof, the term "Executive Select Board." Motion made by Kevin Briere, Precinct 3 to move the question of the amendment 2/3rd Vote Required 135 Voted in the affirmative 19 Voted in the negative 163 Town Meeting Members in Attendance 233 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center Motion to Move the Ouestion of the amendment Carried Motion to Amend Carried Motion made by Bradford VanMagness, Precinct 6 to move the question 2/3rd Vote Required 113 Voted in the affirmative 28 Voted in the negative 163 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion to Move the Ouestion Carried Motion Carried as Amended ARTICLE IS: Motion made by Board of Selectmen to table the subject matter of Article 15 Motion to Table Carried ARTICLE 16: Motion made by the Board of Selectmen that the Town vote to raise and appropriate, borrow, transfer from available funds, or otherwise provide a sum of money as provided by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (preliminary figure is $593,065) for highway projects in accordance with Chapter 90 of the Massachusetts General Laws. Background: Reading expects about $600,000 in FY19 Chapter 90 funding for local road repairs. The motion made at Town Meeting will be to accept the Chapter 90 state assistance at whatever level is ultimately available, a trend in other communities in order to avoid any uncertainty of the timing of the final state budget process. Finance Committee Report- given by Mark Dockser: At their meeting on March 7, 2018 the Finance Committee voted 7-0-0 to recommend this Article to Town Meeting. Bylaw Committee Report: No report Presentation given by: • Sharon Angstrom - See Attached Motion Carried 234 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 23, 2018 Performing Arts Center On motion by Bill Brown, Precinct 8 it was voted that this Annual Town Meeting stand adjourned to meet at 7:30 PM at the Reading Memorial High School Performing Arts Center, on Thursday, April 26, 2018. Meeting adjourned at 9:07 PM with 163 Town Meeting Members in attendance. Motion Carried A true copy Attest: Laura A Gemme, CMC /CMMC Town Clerk 235 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Alan E. Foulds, at 7:35 PM, there being a quorum present. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was said by all. The following announcements were made by the Moderator: Here is how we will proceed tonight: We'll begin with the annual "State of the Town Address," followed by the Financial Update by the Finance Committee. After that we will proceed to Article 17 - the Budget. Traditionally, we have completed action on the budget during one session, so it is planned that a vote will be taken to take it out of order so we get to it early. We will handle the budget, as we have done in the past. We will take it by groupings. If you have any discussion or proposed amendments, the time to do so is while we are in the midst of that particular grouping. We'll vote on any proposed amendments before moving to the next set of line items. We won't vote on the budget until we have finished all five sets. Next, I expect to go back to the articles we skipped on Monday, beginning with Article 10, followed by 13. Then we will return to articles 15 and 16, and finish with 18. If we have any instructional motions (Article 3) they will be taken up last. ARTICLE 2: Motion made by Barry Berman, Board of Selectmen to take Article 2 off the table Motion Carried ARTICLE 2: To hear and act on the reports of the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Library Trustees, Municipal Light Board, Finance Committee, Bylaw Committee, Town Manager, Town Accountant and any other Town Official, Board or Committee. Reports given by: State of the Town Barry Berman, Acting Chair Board of Selectmen Good Evening and thank you to Town Manager Bob LeLacheur, Superintendent Dr. John Doherty, members of the Reading School Committee, town and school staff, Town Meeting members, my colleagues on the Board, and neighbors here in the hall and watching at home on RCTV. It is my honor to deliver, the first ever State of the Town address as Chair of the Reading Select Board. Before I summarize the events of the past year and outline the challenges and opportunities of this coming year, I want to recognize some new and returning faces to our town government family. Congratulations to Andrew Grimes and Alice Collins who return as Library Trustees. Congratulations also 236 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center to Dave Hennessy and John Stempeck who will continue to serve on the Light Board, and Elaine Webb who is going back to the School Committee. And how can we forget you Mr. Moderator. There is an entire generation in Reading who has never known anyone but Alan Foulds as Town Meeting Moderator. We are also blessed to welcome the energy and talents of those elected for the first time. Monette Verrier will join the Library Trustees, and Sherri VandenAkker, who was appointed in the middle of this past budget season to replace Dr. Gary Nihan, was elected in her own right and will take her seat on the School Committee. I also want to welcome a new colleague to my Board - Vanessa Alvarado. Besides bringing down significantly the average age of this Board, Vanessa brings a unique perspective to this Board. A keen intellect, and a firm understanding of the budget from your service on Fin Com, you represent a large segment of volunteers from this town and the only one on this Board who does school drop-off, hops on the train to work, comes home and makes dinner before coming to the meeting. But more importantly, you listen, you ask questions, and you are open minded. That is a valuable skill set, and I am confident you will make us better. I am delighted to be able to work with you. Welcome, Vanessa. And finally, I want to welcome the new members of this body. Whether you are here the old fashioned way by getting your name on the ballot, or, if you waged a write in campaign, we are thrilled you are here. I hope you know what you signed up for! To all of the women and men who have agreed to serve, I say a heartfelt thank you from a grateful town. Your neighbors have entrusted you to act in good faith, and to work diligently in the best interests of the Town of Reading. I am confident you will do just that. And while we welcome new and returning colleagues, it is also important to acknowledge and thank an old friend. Let me take a moment to say a special thank you to John Arena who graced the Board of Selectmen for two terms. I served with John both here on the Selectmen, and on Finance Committee. He has served this town with distinction for many years in a myriad of volunteer positions, including coaching. He has a first-rate intellect and his ability to synthesize complex data into understandable nuggets was a valuable attribute. We all owe John a debt of gratitude. No one should doubt his commitment and love for the Town of Reading. Thank you, John. Friends, I started thinking about giving this address three weeks ago. If I had to describe then the state of the town in one word, I would say we were fatigued. This has been a long and grueling 12-18 months. Both overrides and the corresponding budget cycles were exhausting endeavors that dominated the body politic since the summer of 2016. But this year we have also endured a major fire which left dozens of our neighbors homeless, two bomb threats, and a natural gas failure which left dozens with no heat on the coldest nights of the year. The recent proliferation of racist and anti-Semitic graffiti has challenged us to engage in community wide discussions as we ponder proper responses and question what it means to be an open and welcoming community. But after some much needed rest and contemplation, I stand before you tonight re-energized and never more confident in our ability to ensure not only our fiscal stability, but our civic pride as a town that is the envy of all who observe. Some may think that the passage of the override was the only significant issue we undertook last year. It certainly seemed like it, especially the last four months. But we were busy elsewhere: 1. We implemented the first year of senior tax relief. 182 households received on average a 30% reduction to their property tax bill. This was paid for by homeowners and owners of commercial property. We expect participation to increase next year as the word gets out. We remain committed to do all we can to allow those seniors who helped build this town, age in place if they so choose. 237 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center 2. We completed our housing production plan. We will continue to strive to reach our legal and moral obligation of 10% affordability of our housing stock. No less than five large projects have moved through the permitting stage through CPDC and the ZBA, and are ready to put shovels in the ground this year. Our efforts have been rewarded by the state as we have been given a safe harbor from 40b development until February of 2019. Only a handful of other towns in the Commonwealth have been granted such a waiver. This allows us to control the scope, design, and implementation of high density housing, and increase our leverage over developers who want to build here. 3. In October we hosted an Economic Development summit at the Library with Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash as the featured speaker. There, we introduced Reading to the development community, and let the world know in no uncertain terms that Reading was open for business. Over 75 people attended, including a number of developers, as we showcased the town as a place worthy of investment. 4. We completed our emergency management training and building security study. As we know from recent events we can never prepare or train enough. Building security will be an on-going topic going forward. The schools will be hosting a community-wide school safety forum on May 23rd, and building security will be a major part of our capital budget going forward. 5. We have completed a good chunk of revamping the Selectmen's operating policies. This is important as the public has a right to expect from its highest elected board, predictable and transparent operations, especially in the wake of what some have called a trust gap. So let's talk about the override. What will it do? What won't it do? And what did we learn? You, the voters of Reading, underwent an intense number of months of digesting data, attending community meetings, reading and writing millions of social media posts and letters to the editor, speaking, cajoling, persuading and maybe even arguing, with your neighbors. We undertook individual and collective soul searching about the town we want to live in. We came out in record numbers for a municipal election (43%) and overwhelmingly decided to invest in our town, our schools and ourselves. While relieved, we must be mindful and respectful of our neighbors who did not vote in favor. Living among us are folks who will struggle with this extra burden. We need to help those who need it. We are all by now familiar with what the passage of the override will help us achieve, and later this evening in the budget presentations, we will hear this in great detail. Now that our fiscal health and ability to deliver basic services is assured for the next few years, the town and the schools can focus on a more robust agenda for the future. The tenor of this meeting and this address would be so much different without your efforts. While we all have breathed a collective sigh of relief, the passage of the override is not a panacea. The town is not suddenly flush with cash. As you recall, the Town Manager and the Superintendent together proposed level service budgets that required about $5.OM of additions. These did not include other nice- to-haves. It only included what in their mind was needed to get us to level service. At a marathon meeting on January 30, we settled on $4.15M as the figure that accomplished the most with the best chance of passing. The need for future operating overrides is still here. Nothing about the results on April 3rd makes the annual challenges and structural deficits inherent in Prop 21/2 disappear. When revenue is capped and costs are not, at some point the reset button needs to be hit if you want to avoid drastic cuts. That has not changed. Our budgets will always be stressed. It is important to set these expectations. There are many lessons learned from this endeavor that I believe will have a lasting impact on how government operates-not only on future overrides but on all key decisions facing the town in the future. Here are three: 1. Don't assume. Just ASK! During override 1, we perhaps made decisions in a bubble. After hearing loud and clear that we did it wrong, we went back and asked, what did we do wrong? The Selectmen's survey was a critical component of getting to "yes" in April. There, 2200 respondents laid out the blueprint for success. In it, you told us what was needed to turn the necessary number of"no" voters into "yes" voters, and then more importantly, we listened. You said: make it smaller, 238 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center show us where the money is going, show us where you cut, and tell us about other revenue. We also endured some pointed and perhaps deserved feedback in the comments section. You didn't hold back. Stinging? Perhaps. Necessary? Yes. 2. An Engaged Community is a better community. It was not surprising to me that 43% of the electorate turned out to vote. People never stopped caring about the town they live in. But most times, they are satisfied to relegate the decisions to others. But when a neighbor knocks on your door, or invites you to a coffee, or engages you at the soccer field, you will listen more. We, as the elected leadership, have a limited reach. You, the citizens, are far more adept at telling the story, making the case, and reaching your neighbors. You were clearly invested. 3. Don't make assumptions about your neighbors. Perhaps during Override 1, assumptions may have been made by the voters. "Only the elderly vote" or that "only folks with school age children care about schools," "if you voted no you are selfish." "The newcomers want to drive us out". I heard them all. The biggest takeaway for me as an elected official is that I firmly believe that when you lay bare all the facts for everyone to see, show all the numbers, and tell the whole story, even if you know it is something people don't want to hear, and may generate anger, voters will listen and make the right decisions. It's not for us to tell you what kind of town government you should have. Waiting fifteen years to pass an override because we were fearful of the outcome has had devastating consequences. We have all heard the term "trust gap." Maybe part of that gap is we didn't trust you to make the right decisions. Hopefully this campaign will fundamentally change the way town government interacts with you, the voters, and you with us. So What Now? There are a slew of issues coming before us in the next months which will require action and attention. Among these are: meeting with the housing authority to discuss preserving affordable housing, work with the Board of Health on a pesticides policy, review and adopt town wide personnel policies, discuss a public process for the Oakland Road property, continue contract negotiations with Comcast and Verizon, establishing a new master plan, and town manager goals for the next year, and finalizing plans for the water tower. But I want to focus on a couple of major issues which will fill our agenda this year. Economic Development and New Growth Expansion of the 40R smart growth district to include much of the downtown has and will continue to have a profound impact on the face downtown, and the health of our downtown business community. Thank you to Assistant Town Manager Jean Delios , her staff and volunteer boards for years of planning and now overseeing five major projects that will break ground in around the downtown in the next 12-18 months. The Postmark Square 40R, the Gould Street 40R, the Sunoco 40R in addition to the 40b at Lincoln Street which has broken ground and the 40B reuse at St Agnes collectively will add over $100M of private investment and over 200 new households within walking distance of the commuter rail and our downtown merchants. That's 200 new customers for Nick's Dry Cleaners, the Hitching Post, Pamplemousse, and Professors Market. New wayfinding signs which culminated from a grant that Community Development Director Julie Mercier wrote will help create a sense of place and arrival and make the businesses at Main and Have a destination rather than something you zoom past on your way to Stoneham or North Reading. All of the 40R projects will also include commercial and retail space, including restaurants, and outdoor seating, giving life during the day to downtown, when most of us leave town to go to work. The Sunoco project will also add three on street parking spaces. This growth, while exciting and providing opportunities will not come without its challenges. The impacts of construction, as well as the presence of high density housing spilling into residential neighborhoods, need to be carefully managed. The Select Board is committed to making these new neighbors, good neighbors. Similarly, we are also committed to ensuring the proposed 40B at Lakeview and Eaton is properly sized and that neighbors' concerns and input are heard before the project is approved. We will also engage on a downtown parking study, taking into account the new housing units which will be built. This new growth is imperative if we are to increase the percentage of our commercial tax base, currently the lowest among our peer communities. It will also give the override some legs. Currently we budget 239 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center about $550,000 of new growth annually. With known pipeline projects, our new growth figure will approach $1.OM during the next few years. This will hopefully sustain the override you so generously voted. Not all this growth is net. There will be added costs to service new residents and projects, but the net will be very positive relative to single family housing growth. The lion's share of the new housing is one and two bedrooms, targeted for millennials. We are in the process of hiring a new Economic Development Director to replace Andrew Corona who left when his wife was transferred for a new job. Andrew left us in a good place. Reading is now on the radar of the development community. His replacement will have as task one coordinating all the moving pieces of the potential DPW garage project. Volunteerism, Collaboration and Civic Discourse The last topic I want to touch on addresses not the "what" but the "how," and really defines the essence of how we should operate a modern day local government. Broadly speaking, I call this volunteerism, collaboration and civic discourse. In my travels I am often approached by citizens who say, "The town should do more of this", or the town should do "less of that". What is the town? "Who is the town?" Look up at this podium. There are twenty odd folks sitting up here, and only two draw a salary from the taxpayers. The "town" is us. The "town" is you. Reading has always enjoyed a robust volunteer spirit. There are over 40 volunteer boards or commissions consisting of over 150 volunteers appointed by our Board. There are countless other volunteer organizations working for the benefit of our town. One of the benefits of the override campaign is that it uncovered a new generation of leaders many of whom got involved for the first time. The mom I canvassed with is also an investment banker. The retiree holding a sign was also a former exec at an engineering firm. The point is, there are really talented and invested people living in town who have never been asked, and we are going to need all of you. You don't need an advanced degree, just a commitment and a love of service. I am asking you to consider putting your skills and commitment to work, as we look to fill the myriad positions on town boards. The issues we face in town are complicated and many of our resources are limited. Driving to Boston Saturday night for dinner, I counted no less than 15 construction cranes from the Zakim Bridge to the Seaport. Business is booming in Boston as we enter the eighth year of an economic recovery but our partners in the federal and state government have not shared the largess. Reading's share of the Governor's local aid budget increased a scant 1.8%. While I would welcome Betsy DeVos or Charlie Baker to join us tonight, I would like it better if they brought a check. Not likely. For better or worse, we are on our own. It means we have to do things differently now. Boards and Committees used to working in silos are going to have to come together. We all know the Senior Center and the Killam School need either massive renovations or to be rebuilt. We will be challenged to do both. Is a possible solution one multi-generational facility that serves both populations? If so, the Select Board and the School Committee will need to work together like they never have before. Imagine a campaign where seniors and parents of school age children work hand in hand on the same project. We all are grateful to the RMLD, not only for the reliable, low cost energy delivered in a customer friendly way, but for the almost $2.5M dividend it pays to the town each year. But we heard Monday that RMLD, in an age of conservation, is selling less power, while their fixed costs are increasing. How can the Select Board and the RMLD work together to assist RMLD develop other sources of revenue, thus, not only protecting our dividend, but enhancing our economic development efforts as a town with the lowest electric rates in the region? I think you get the point. To thrive, we are going to have to do business differently. We must pay more than lip service to the notion of working together. We are going to have to think out of the box. The Select Board has no monopoly on how to get this done. The "ideas window" is now open. We will work with each and all of you to come up with innovative and creative ways to move ahead. I know there is tremendous 240 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center talent and commitment within the 01867. Please come forward and apply for one of the many open positions we will advertise shortly, or join one of the dozens of other civic groups working in town. If you don't know exactly what you want to apply for, send in a resume anyway. We will find a spot for you. Some people have suggested that our local civic discourse has deteriorated over the last couple of election cycles, and that we have devolved into factions. Maybe that is true, but I don't think that's who we are. I believe all of us have the best interest of the Town of Reading in our hearts and minds. But maybe we don't trust that our neighbor does also. The override showed us that people who don't always agree will work together on a project that is in the best interest of the town. If we get people working together, trust will slowly build, and we will be better for it. To quote President Kennedy: "Civility is not a weakness." In the meantime, put down your device and talk to your neighbor face to face. You will find you have a lot in common. Thank you all very much for your love and commitment to the Town of Reading. I am tremendously proud and excited about what lays ahead for us. Now let's get to work. Finance Committee Report Peter Lydecker, Chair First, I want to thank the members of Yes for Reading, and especially Erin Gaffen and Michele Sanphy, for their hard work in getting out the vote in the recent override. I also want to thank the employees of the town and the elected boards for all their work in a long, sometimes grueling, budget season. As a result of your efforts, the voters of Reading showed their support for the needs of the town when they voted on April 3rd. I have a tax background, and I think I am pretty safe in saying almost no one wants to pay higher taxes. However, most will admit that local spending is where you see the greatest personal impact from your tax dollars. Local tax dollars are visible to all in the areas of public safety, schools, infrastructure and services provided to residents. One could argue that real estate taxes are unfair or regressive but it is still the primary way the Town of Reading has to raise the funds needed to provide the services to its residents. Property values in Reading and throughout the state have risen, often making it difficult for people that have owned their homes for many years to afford the property tax levied on the value of their home. Last year Reading attempted to decrease the impact on many of our senior citizens in town by reducing their property tax levy if they met the requirements. Though not perfect, it has helped to lessen the tax burden on many of the long term residents of the town. I have served on the Finance Committee for the past 5 budget seasons, I have seen firsthand that because of unfunded mandates at the state and federal levels, a significant portion of the increases in spending are outside of the town's control. With increases in health care cost, the need to fund pensions and other retirement benefits accrued by the town's employees over many years, coupled with a reduction in state aid, the limits on the town's property tax increases within the confines of Prop 2 1/2 constrain the town's ability to provide the services that are expected by our residents. A partial solution might be found at the state level through more state aide, but Massachusetts has its own issues, probably only solvable with an increase in the state income tax rate and a better and more reliable system of sharing with local cities and towns. For the foreseeable future, the town can only look to the property tax to fund the majority of its expenses. The voter's recent approval of an override of more than $4 million will allow the schools to restore teachers and programs that have or would have been cut, as well as increased staffing in public safety, the library and other town services where cuts would have otherwise been required. 241 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center There will still be issues with the budget going forward, and the town's capital budget has several large items that will be needed in the near future. Everyone hopes that the recent override, coupled with new growth, will enable the town to provide the funds to support the necessary town services for several years before another override will be needed. For now at least, we can continue to fund the services and needs of the residents. Motion made by Vanessa Alvarado, Board of Selectmen to table Article 2 Motion Carried to Table ARTICLE 17: Motion made by the Finance Committee that the Town raise by borrowing, or from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds, and appropriate the sum of: $112,490,193 for the operation of the Town and its Government for Fiscal Year 2019, beginning July 1, 2018. Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item B99 (Benefits): $18,207,600 to be provided as follows: Line B99 - $1,200,000 from Free Cash; $ 400,000 from Overlay and the balance from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item C99 (Capital): $3,133,100 to be provided as follows: Line C99 - from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts. Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item D99 (Debt): $4,471,158 to be provided as follows: Line D99 - from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item E99 (Vocational Education): $415,000 to be provided as follows: Line E99 - from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item F99 (FINCOM Reserve Fund): $150,000 to be provided as follows: Line F99 - from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts 242 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item G91 (Administration Services Wages): $1,428,725 and Line Item G92 (Administration Services Expenses): $1,491,350 to be provided as follows: Lines G91 and G92 - from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item H91 (Public Services Wages): $1,417,725 and Line Item H92 (Public Services Expenses): $355,700 to be provided as follows: Lines H91 and H92 - from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item I91 (Finance Wages): $721,250 and Line Item I92 (Finance Expenses): $152,950 to be provided as follows: Lines I91 and I92 - from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item 391 (Public Safety Wages): $10,724,775 and Line Item 392 (Public Safety Expenses): $527,200 to be provided as follows: Lines 391 and 392 - from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item K91 (Public Works Wages): $2,660,850 and Line Item K92 (Public Works Expenses): $829,100 to be provided as follows: K92 - $25,000 from the Sale of Cemetery lots to support Cemetery expenses; and the balance of Lines K91 and K92 from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item K93 (Public Works - Snow & Ice Expenses): $650,000; Line Item K94 (Public Works - Street Lighting Expenses): $160,000 and Line Item K95 (Public Works - Rubbish Collection & Disposal Expenses): $1,644,395 to be provided as follows: Lines K93, K94 and K95 - from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts 243 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item L91 (Library Wages): $1,328,550 and Line Item L92 (Library Expenses): $365,965 to be provided as follows: Lines L91 and L92 - from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item M91 (Core Facilities): $2,999,275 to be provided as follows: Line M91 - $100,000 from School Rental Revolving Fund; and the balance of line M91 from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item M92 (Town Buildings): $314,400 to be provided as follows: Line M92 - from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item U99 (School Department): $44,860,275 to be provided as follows: Line U99 - from property taxes, State aid and non-property tax local receipts Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item W99 (Water Enterprise Fund): $6,356,475 to be provided as follows: Lines W99 - $550,000 from Water Reserves and the balance from user fees and other charges Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item X99 (Sewer Enterprise Fund): $6,502,150 to be provided as follows: Line X99 - $475,000 from Sewer Reserves and the balance from user fees and other charges Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget as presented for Line Item Y99 (Storm Water Enterprise Fund): $622,225 to be provided as follows: Line Y99 - $175,000 from Storm Water Reserves and the balance from user fees and other charges Move that the Town approve and appropriate the proposed FY 2019 Budget, exclusive of State and county assessments: $112,490,193 • Representing the total of all motions made under ARTICLE 17 as amended 244 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center • Funds are to be provided as set forth in said motions as amended Background: Please see the budget pages of this document for the full details of the FY 2019 Finance Committee Budget. Finance Committee Report - given by Peter Lydecker: Please see Spending Scorecard of this document for the votes of the Finance Committee on line items in the FY19 budget. The Finance Committee recommends the subject matter of Article 17 as explained by these votes at their meeting on February 27, 2018. Bylaw Committee Report: No report Presentation given by: • Bob LeLacheur - See Attached • John Doherty - See Attached After some discussion a vote was taken Motion Carried as proposed Motion by Barry Berman, Board of Selectmen to take Article 10 off the table Motion Carried ARTICLE 10: Motion made by the Board of Selectmen that the Town vote to amend Section 6.6.4 of the General Bylaw, establishing the Library Materials Replacement Revolving Fund as shown below, with additions being shown in bold and deletions being struck through: Library Materials Replacengent Fines and Fees Revolving Fund Funds held in the Library Matei=ials Replaeengent Fines and Fees Revolving Fund shall be used for the acquisition of library materials to replace lost and damaged materials, or for the maintenance, upkeep and supplies for supplementary fee-based services. a+�d Funds shall be expended by the Library Director under the supervision of the Library Trustees. Receipts credited to this fund shall include charges for lost and damaged library materials, and fees from printing, faxing or similar supplementary fee- based services. Background: During the course of a year, the Library recovers funds from patrons who have lost or damaged books or other materials. Previously, those funds went into the Town's General Fund and at the end of the year went into Free Cash. Once this Revolving Fund was adopted (beginning in FY 2010), those funds recovered from patrons for lost or damaged materials were available directly to the Library for expenditure to purchase replacement materials and processing supplies. The Library currently offers printing as a supplemental service and natural extension of our public computer and wifi services. The fees, $0.20 pp for black/white and $0.25 pp for color are minimal and necessary to maintain the printers, replace toner, and purchase paper so the Library can continue to offer this service. The print fees have averaged $3800 per year. However FY18 has seen over a 50% increase of use and, consequently, an increased need for toner and equipment service. 245 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center Similarly, the Library provides a regularly used fax service that incurs both equipment and communications costs: therefore patrons are currently charged a fee of $1.00 pp. This service averages $1400 in fees. To more easily manage the collection and use of these fees, the Board of Library Trustees and the Library Director recommend rename and amend the current Materials Replacement revolving account to accommodate receipt and expenditure of fees from these current or future supplemental services such as printing and faxing. Finance Committee Report - aiven by Peter Lydecker: At their meeting on March 7, 2018 the Finance Committee voted 7-0-0 to recommend this Article to Town Meeting. Bylaw Committee Report - aiven by Paul Sylvester: At their meeting on March 12, 2018 the Bylaw Committee voted 4-0-0 to recommend this Article to Town Meeting. Presentation given by: • Sharon Angstrom - See Attached Motion Carried Motion by Barry Berman, Board of Selectmen to take Article 13 off the table Motion Carried ARTICLE 13: Motion made by the Board of Selectmen that the Town vote to authorize the Superintendent of Schools, or a designee thereof, to enter into a contract or contracts for Digital Curriculum for a term in excess of three years but not to exceed six years, including any extension or renewal thereof or option under an existing contract, upon such terms and conditions determined by the Superintendent or designee to be in the best interests of the Town; provided, however, that, prior to executing a contract for a term in excess of three years, the Superintendent or designee shall certify in writing to the School Committee that such longer term will enable the Town to secure more favorable terms, considering price, expected useful life of the technology and any other relevant factors, that would otherwise be available under a contract with a three-year term; and provided further that any such contract with a total value in excess of $25,000 shall require the concurrence of the Town Manager. Background: In accordance with Chapter 30B of the Massachusetts General Laws, there is a three- year restriction on the length of leases or agreements that can be entered into by the School Department. Given the recent trend toward digital curriculum and the market pricing for three-year terms of service being high and longer terms (up to six-years) contracts being more reasonable, this Article is being brought forth to allow the Superintendent, or designee, to enter into leases for digital curriculum for up to six-years in length. Finance Committee Report - aiven by Anne Landry: At their meeting on March 7, 2018 the Finance Committee voted 7-0-0 to recommend this Article to Town Meeting. Bylaw Committee Report: No report Presentation given by: • John Doherty - See Attached 246 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center After some discussion a vote was taken Motion Carried Motion by Barry Berman, Board of Selectmen to take Article 15 off the table Motion Carried ARTICLE IS: Motion made by Community Planning and Development Committee that the Town vote to amend Section 6.0 Intensity Regulations of the Zoning Bylaw as shown below, with additions being shown in bold and deletions being struck through: 6.0 INTENSITY REGULATIONS No use shall be established, nor building or structure erected in any district unless it conforms to the dimensional regulations of the Zoning Bylaw. No existing lot, building or structure shall be changed in size or shape so that the height, area, yard or coverage provisions herein prescribed are exceeded. 6.1 General Requirements 6.1.1 Dimensional Requirements Dimensional requirements for all uses and buildings shall be as set forth in Section 6.3, the "Table of Dimensional Controls." The letters "NA" in this table denote that specific dimensional controls are not applicable to a particular use. Additional requirements shall be as set forth in Sections 6.2 and 6.3. 6.2 Supplementary Requirements All buildings, structures and uses shall be subject to the following additional requirements: 6.2.1 Lot Shape 6.2.1.1 Minimum Lot Width Specified Any newly created lot in a Residential District for which a minimum lot width is specified shall satisfy the following requirements: a Each lot shall have, in addition to the required frontage, the required minimum lot width at all points between the required frontage and the nearest point on the front wall of any dwelling on such lot; and b The angles formed by the intersection of the side lot lines and the right-of-way providing the minimum frontage shall not be less than 45 degrees. 6.2.1.2 Minimum Lot Width Not Specified Any newly created lot in any Zoning District for which a minimum lot width is not specified shall satisfy the following requirement: The angles formed by the intersection of the side lot lines and the right-of-way providing the minimum frontage shall not be less than 45 degrees. 6.2.2 Let Frenta#e in a Single Family 20 DiStFiet, the FeqtjmFeEl fF6ntage shall be FeElueed te net less than eighty (80) feet the StFeet "ne ig a eUFve haVmHg a FadiUS ef Het FHeFe than twe hundi=ed (290) feet, and the !E)t hag a Width ef net less than ene hundred twenty (120) feet, ngeasuFed at the FeaF ef the F F t . 6.2.32 Yards Zening Bylaw, the FeEluiFed fF6Ht yaFd fat= any building ethei= than a F19ulti fangily ElWelliFig shall be ten (i-e� 247 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center 6.2.32.21 In Residence Districts, yard requirements shall not apply to projecting eaves, cornices, chimneys, steps, bow or bay windows, windowsills and belt courses that do not increase the gross floor area of the building. 6.2.3.3 in Busoness A and G DistFiets, the FeqHmFed yaFEl en a street en whieh the building Elees net, have fFentage shall be twenty (20) feet feF any building etheF than a FHUlti fafflily ElWel"Hg. 6.2.3.4 1H an 1HElUStFial DiStFiet, FeqtliFed fFE)FA YaFEIS Shall be five (S) feet feF eanepies eveF any 6.2.34 Height tanks,6.2.4.1 Maxingung height Fegulatiens shall net apply te ehingneys, elevateFs, Peles, SP,Fes, 6.2.34.1-2 In the Industrial District, a hotel or motel may have a maximum height of eighty-four (84) feet if the following conditions are satisfied: a , Ntto hotel or motel building may cast an unacceptable shadow as determined by the CPDC based on stamped and sealed shadow studies submitted by the Applicant, on any building containing a dwelling unit in existence at the time of the building permit application; b Along a major street, the hotel or motel building shall be set back seventy five a minimum of {7§} fifty (50) feet eF the height ef the building, whieheveF 05 gFeater, and a landscaped or naturally vegetated buffer at least X50) twenty (20) feet wide shall be provided along the major street, except where there are curb cuts.;—artd e The hete' er rnetel building shall be leeated on a lot of at least twenty five (25) acres. 6.2.54 Gross Floor Area 6.2.54.1 In Apartment 40 and Business A Districts, the gross floor area of a multi-family dwelling shall not exceed forty percent (40%) of the lot area. 6.2.54.2 In the Apartment 80 Districts, the gross floor area of a multi-family dwelling shall not exceed the lot area. 6.2.65 Landscaped Area 6.2.65.1 In Apartment 40 and Business A Districts, not less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the area of a lot containing a multi-family dwelling shall be a landscaped area. 6.2.65.2 In Apartment 80 Districts, not less than thirty-five percent (35%) of the area of a lot containing a multi-family dwelling shall be a landscaped area. 6.2.76 Buildings Per Lot 6.2.76.1 In " diStFietS etheF thar--the Apartment 80, af�d Business C, Industrial and PUD-I Districts, a lot may have more than one principal building. be a ete d en a let 6.2.76.2 Where two or more principal buildings are permitted on the same lot: 248 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center a T4he . minimum distance between the buildings shall be determined, at the discretion of the Building Inspector, as follows: I The total distance between the proposed building(s) and any proposed or existing building(s) on the lot is adequate to meet Building Code and Fire Code requirements, accounting for fire-rating and other fire prevention/suppression features; and 2 The Fire Department has sufficient access between the buildings. b The area between the buildings shall be maintained and kept clear by the property owner. 6.2.87 Upland Requirement Any portion of a lot lying within a delineated wetlands resource area, as determined by the Reading Conservation Commission, may be credited to the minimum lot area requirements set forth in Section 6.3 ef the Zening Bylaw only if the portion outside such wetlands resource area is of at least the following size: Zoning Minimum Area Outside of District Wetlands Resource Area Single Family 15 12,000 square feet Single Family 20 12,000 square feet Single Family 40 20,000 square feet 6.3 Table of Dimensional Controls Minimum Required Maximum Minimum Area Minimum Front Required Required Maximum Building Lot Width (Square Frontage Yard' Side Yard Rear Yard Coverage Height2 Use Feet Feet) (Feet Feet Feet Feet % of Lot Feet One or Two Family Dwelling In S-15 District 60 15,000 100 20 15 20 25 35 In S-20 Districts 80 20,000 1203 20 15 20 25 35 In S-40 Districts 80 40,000 200 20 15 20 25 35 In A-40 Districts 10,000 80 20 15 20 25 40 In Bus-A Districts NA NA 154 104 204 25 45 Multi-Family Dwelling In A-40 Districts 40,000 80 30 30 30 25 40 In A-80 Districts 80,000 NA 60 60 60 12.5 60 In Bus-A Districts 40,000 NA 15 30 30 25 40 In S-15 Districts 100,000+ 100 20 15 20 25 35 In S-20 Districts 100,000+ 120 20 15 20 25 35 In S-40 Districts 100,000+ 200 20 15 20 25 35 In A-40 Districts 100 000+ 80 20 15 20 25 40 In A-80 Districts 100,000+ NA 20 NA NA NA 60 Hotel or Motel In Bus-A Districts NA NA 504 104 204 60 45 In Bus-B Districts NA NA NA NA 20 85 45 In Bus-C Districts NA NA 104 104 104 60 555 In Ind Districts NA NA 506&s 206 206 602-5 60-*' Other Permitted Principal Use In S-15 Districts 15,000 100 20 15 20 25 35 In S-20 Districts 20,000 120 20 15 20 25 35 In S-40 Districts 40,000 200 20 15 20 25 35 In A-40 Districts 10,000 80 20 NA NA NA 40 In A-80 Districts 80,000 NA 20 NA NA NA 60 In Bus-A Districts NA NA 154 104 204 60 45 In Bus-B Districts NA NA NA NA 20 85 45 249 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center Minimum Required Maximum Minimum Area Minimum Front Required Required Maximum Building Lot Width (Square Frontage Yard' Side Yard Rear Yard Coverage Height2 Use Feet Feet) (Feet Feet Feet Feet % of Lot Feet In Bus-C Districts NA NA 104 104 104 60 55-5 In Ind Districts NA NA 206&8§8 206 206 60 60 Exempt Uses - School and Church In S-15 Districts 15,000 100 15 30 30 25 35 In S-20 Districts 20,000 120 15 30 30 25 35 In S-40 Districts 40,000 200 15 30 30 25 35 In A-40 Districts 10,000 80 NA 30 30 NA 40 In A-80 Districts 80,000 NA NA 30 30 NA 60 In BUS-A Districts NA NA 1 104 304 304 1 60 45 In BUS- B Districts NA NANA 30 30 85 45 In BUS-C Districts NA NA 104 304 304 60 55 In Ind Districts NA NA 206&8-5G 2063$ 2063$ 60 60 1. In aH Residence Districts, irrespective of the requirements set forth in Section 6.3 of the Zening Bylawthis Table, the required front yard for any building other than a multi-family dwelling shall be ten (10) feet or the average of the actual front setbacks of the buildings on the adjacent lots on either side, whichever is greater. For the purposes of Section 6.2this requirement, if an adjacent lot is vacant, it shall be deemed to be occupied by a building with a required front yard as specified in this Table. 2. Maximum height regulationslimits shall not apply to appurtenances such as: chimneys, elevators, poles, spires, tanks,towers or similar structures not intended to be used for human occupancy. 3. In a Single Family 20 Districts, the required frontage shall be reduced to not less than eighty (80) feet if the street line is a curve having a radius of not more than two hundred (200) feet, and the lot has a width of not less than one hundred twenty (120) feet, measured a#along the rear of the required front yard. 4. In Business A and C Districts, the required yard measured from err a street which is not designated as the front lot line on which the building does not have frontage shall be twenty (20) feet for any building other than a multi-family dwelling. ** 5. Fifty-five (55) feet, except ninety-five (95) feet if the structure is located within four hundred (400) feet of the property line adjacent to Route 128, as the property line exists on May 1, 2000, including ramps, and south of Jacob Way and excluding areas within two hundred (200) feet of the residential zoning district to the west, all as more specifically shown on a plan entitled: "Plan Showing Height Limitation and Setback Areas, Business C District in Reading, Mass.," dated March 27, 2000, Scale 1" = 60', by Hayes Engineering, Inc., on file with the Reading Town Clerk. 6. Where an Industrial District lot directly adjoins another Industrial District lot,the applicable Required Side Yard or Required Rear Yard where the adjacency occurs can be reduced or eliminated, at the discretion of the Building Inspector, if the following conditions are met: a. The total distance between the proposed building(s) and existing building(s) on adjacent lots is adequate to meet Building Code and Fire Code requirements, accounting for fire-rating and other fire prevention/suppression features; and b. The Fire Department has sufficient access between the proposed building(s) and existing building(s) on adjacent lots. The area(s) between any proposed building(s) and the lot line(s) shall be maintained and kept clear by the property owner. 7. Except as provided in Section 6.2.3.1. 8. In an Industrial District, the Rrequired F#rout Yyards shall be five (5) feet for canopies over any drive-through facility. 6.4 Special Cases 6.4.1 Transitional Areas The following additional requirements shall apply to buildings in Business A; or Business B and 119EIUSt_;,' Districts located within one hundred fifty (150) feet of a Residence District; to buildings in a Business C District located within one hundred (100) feet of a Residence District; and to buildings in Industrial Districts whose lots share a lot line with a Residence District: 250 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center 6.4.1.1 Table of Additional Dimensional Controls for Transitional Areas District Distance From Residence District Required Yards Front Feet Side Feet Rear Feet Business A and B Sharing a lot line with 5 10 NA Within 150 feet 5 NA NA Business C Within 100 feet 5 NA NA Industrial Sharing a lot line with NA 3-GGSO 4$GSO Wothon !SO feet NA 3$G 4$G 6.4.1.2 in an indUStFial DiStFiet, the FeEluiFed side allEI FeaF yard shall be fifty (59) feet wheFe the let 6.4.1.32 In an Industrial District, as part of all new construction of any building, parking lot, structure, or any extension or addition to a preexisting building, parking lot or structure on a lot that +s Ieeated shares a lot line with or is across a street from a within ene hHHEIFed fifty (150) feet ef any Residence District, a buffer strip with a minimum depth and visual screen is required and may include any combination of the following at the discretion of the CPDC: landscaping, fencing, or other structures. . a Said buffelF strop shall have a twelve (12) feet ffliniffluFn Elepth and eentain a el:111=13 te PlFeveI4 parking within the strop, a sox (6) feet high fenee whieh shall be leeated a fflaxifflum ef twe (2) feet fFeng the abutting Residential and/or industFial let line and eentain an eveFgreen hedge en the indust.1-1 Side - the fenee whmeh is te be at least thFee (3) feet on height at the tiffie ef planting and Will PFeViEle a yeaF Feund Elense visual sereen and attain a height ef at least seven (7) feet within five yeaFs ef planting. b Saud btAffer stFip shall be eenstrLieted aleng the fLi" abLitting length of any Residence Distriet lots se 6.4.1.3 In an Industrial District, as part of all new construction of any building or any extension or addition to a preexisting building, on a lot that shares a lot line with a Residence District, any building wall facing a Residence District shall be stepped back such that the maximum building envelope is bounded by a line projected from the property line at a 3 to 5 ratio. \ FwrFP�Fo��.Saas,o�o�oR \ \ '\ 5 \ 3 ..\ v.ovea.v gine ��mroeiry cr-F rowv oa '\ ZIXJING DLSLRICBOItDP0.V FIGURE 6.XXX 6.4.1.4 In the Business C District, all new construction of any building, parking lot, structure, or any extension or addition to a preexisting building, parking lot or structure shall be subject to the following requirements: a No building shall be located within one hundred (100) feet of a Residence District. b There shall be a landscaped buffer strip of a minimum width of twenty-five (25) along the full abutting length of a Residence District. Said buffer shall be a densely planted staggered double row of a seventy/thirty (70/30) mixture of evergreen/deciduous trees. Plant material shall be such that a minimum of seven (7) feet in height is reached within the first five (5) years of planting. Plant material shall be maintained in a healthy condition or replaced to attain previously noted height. Buffer edge shall be planted a minimum of two (2) feet off of the property line abutting residential property. 251 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center c No parking area shall be located within twenty-five (25) feet of the Residence District, and no parking area or building shall be allowed in Restricted Area "A" as shown on the plan entitled: "Plan Showing Height Limitation and Setback Areas, Business C District in Reading, Mass.", dated March 27, 2000, Scale 1" = 60', by Hayes Engineering, Inc., on file with the Reading Town Clerk." d Maximum Allowable Development - Senior Housing and Townhouses. The plan entitled: "Business C Planning Subdistricts", dated October 2, 2007, on file with the Building Inspector and the Town Clerk, and incorporated herein by reference, establishes four (4) Planning Subdistricts within the Business C District. The boundaries of a Planning Subdistrict may be modified by the CPDC based upon Site Plan Review applications submitted by the landowner or its agents for proposed developments within the Business C District. Within such Planning Subdistricts, the following restrictions shall be applicable: 1 Townhouses shall be permitted only within Planning Subdistrict A and shall be limited to no more than sixteen (16) dwelling units. 2 Age-restricted dwellings, assisted living facilities and nursing homes shall be permitted only in Planning Subdistricts B and D; provided, however that (a) no more than one hundred sixty (160) units shall be permitted in any Planning Subdistrict, (b) no more than three hundred ten (310) units shall be permitted within the entire Business C District, and (c) no more than two (2) Planning Subdistricts may contain age-restricted dwellings, assisted living facilities or nursing home units. 3 Within any Planning Subdistrict, an increase of one hundred sixty thousand (160,000) square feet in the total authorized gross floor area of all office or other allowed principal uses shall be permitted; provided, however, that the amount of such increase shall be reduced by one thousand (1000) square feet for each age-restricted dwelling, assisted living or nursing home unit constructed within the Planning Subdistrict. e For purposes of determining compliance with the foregoing requirements and the height limitations set forth in Table 6.3, all yards and buffer areas shall be measured from the boundary line between the Business C District and the adjoining S-20 District and the S-15 District. 6.5 Landscape Standards 6.5.1 Appropriate landscaping and design shall be incorporated into new nonresidential development and redevelopment projects within nonresidential districts and into new multi-family dwelling projects. Landscape design plans shall be prepared by a registered landscape architect; provided, however, that the CPDC may accept a plan prepared by one other than a landscape architect if it believes the plan meets the landscaping standards of this Section and is in concert with the intent thereof. Wherever possible, naturally occurring vegetation shall be incorporated into the landscape plan, which shall show the limits of work, existing tree lines, and all proposed landscape features and improvements including screening, planting areas, size and type of stock for shrubs and trees, and proposed erosion control measures. 6.5.2 Side yards required by the Intensity Regulations set forth in Section 6.0 of the Zoning Bylaw shall be landscaped. Such side yards shall be planted with a combination of grass, shrubs of appropriate height and shade trees. If there is not an adequate amount of side yard area to landscape, a fence may be allowed as an alternative; provided, however, that chain link fencing shall not be permitted. No parking area or driveway shall be allowed within such side yard. 6.5.3 Exposed storage areas, machinery, garbage dumpsters, service areas, truck loading areas, utility buildings, and structures shall be screened from the view of abutting properties and streets using plantings, fences, and other appropriate methods. 6.5.4 A landscaping maintenance plan shall be prepared and submitted as part of the landscape design plan. All landscaped areas shall be properly maintained. Any tree or shrub that dies shall be replaced within one (1) growing season. Replacement trees or shrubs shall be of similar type and size to what was approved as part of the original approval. 6.5.5 Trees are to be planted where necessary, as determined by the CPDC. Trees shall be well- rooted nursery-grown stock, free of injury, harmful insects, and diseases. They shall be well-branched, 252 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center and the branching structure shall be sound. Trees shall be planted only after April 15 and before September 30. The Tree Warden Dii=eeteF ef the FeFestFy Divisien shall approve any planting outside of those dates. 6.5.6 No more than 50 percent (50%) of the trees, approved to be planted, shall be of any one species and no less than 25 percent (25%) of the total trees planted shall be of any one species. Trees shall be chosen from a list provided by the Tree Warden DiFeetei= ef the FeFestFy Divisien, unless an alternative is specifically approved by the CPDC. 6.5.7 Trees along a public way shall be spaced at intervals of fifty (50) feet; provided, however, that no trees shall be planted within fifty (50) feet of an intersection or future intersection. Trees on one (1) side of a street may be set either opposite or diagonally to trees on the opposite side. Trees shall be planted two and a half (21/2 ) feet behind the sidewalk or six (6) feet behind the gutter line and always within the right-of-way. The location of all the proposed trees must be reviewed by the DiFeeter of Tree Warden on site and approved prior to installation. 6.5.8 The minimum acceptable size of tree to be planted along a public way shall be three (3) inch trunk caliper at four (4) feet above the grade. At the time of delivery, the s+v+s+e,RTree Warden must approve the proposed trees. Evergreen trees shall be at least eight (8) feet tall at the time of planting. 6.5.9 Specifications for planting operations and for support stakes, guy wire and cable, ground anchors, hose, and strapping material shall be as specified in the American Standard Specifications for Nursery Stock published by the American Association of Nurserymen. or take any other action with respect thereto. Background: This proposed amendment to the Zoning Bylaw is designed to allow more flexibility for development and growth on industrially zoned-lots, especially those that are directly adjacent to other industrially zoned-lots. In addition, some existing regulations were moved to Table 6.3 and clarified for ease of use of the bylaw. Finance Committee Report: No report Bylaw Committee Report: No report Community Planning and Development Committee Report - given by Tony D'Arezzo: On Monday January 22, 2018 the Community Planning and Development Committee convened to hold a public hearing on the purposed Article 15. All documents were made available on the Town website, the public hearing was held to provide an opportunity for comment and to determine whether the provisions of the purposed Zoning Bylaw amendment should be included in the warrant for potential adoption by the Town. The January 22, 2018 public hearing was opened at approximately 7:30 PM Any comments heard at the public hearing was included as part of the record of the hearing. On February 12, 2018 the hearing was closed. The Community Planning and Development Committee voted 5-0-0 to recommend Article 15 to Town Meeting. Presentation given by: • Tony D'Arezzo - See Attached Motion made by Angela Binda, Precinct 5 to amend as follows: 6.2.34.1-2 In the Industrial District, a hotel or motel may have a maximum height of eighty-four (84) feet if the following conditions are satisfied: 253 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center a , Ntto hotel or motel building may cast an unaeeepta any shadow as determined by the CPDC based on stamped and sealed shadow studies submitted by the Applicant, on any building containing a dwelling unit in existence at the time of the building permit application; Motion Does Not Carry Motion made by Tom Grant, Precinct 4 as follows: 6.2.76.2 Where two or more principal buildings are permitted on the same lot: a The . minimum distance between the buildings shall be determined, at the discretion of the Building Inspector, as follows: Motion Carried Motion made by James Maughan, Precinct 4 as follows: 6.2.34.12; In the Industrial District, a hotel or motel may have a maximum height of eighty-four (84) feet if the following conditions are satisfied: a , N-RO hotel or motel building may cast an unacceptable shadow as determined by the CPDC based on stamped and sealed shadow studies submitted by the Applicant, on any building or lot containing a dwelling unit in existence at the time of the building permit application; Motion Carried 2/3rd Vote Required 125 Voted in the affirmative 1 Voted in the negative 153 Town Meeting Members in Attendance After some discussion a vote was taken Motion Carried ARTICLE 18: Motion made by the Board of Selectmen that the Town vote, pursuant to Section 2-6 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, to declare the seats of certain Town Meeting Members to be vacant and remove certain described persons from their position as Town Meeting Members for failure to take the oath of office within 30 days following the notice of election or for failure to attend one-half or more of the Town Meeting sessions during the previous year. Background: The Reading Home Rule Charter provides for the removal of Town Meeting members who attend less than one-half of the sessions through this required Article: 254 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 26, 2018 Performing Arts Center "... If any person elected as a Town Meeting Member fails to attend one-half or more of the total Town Meeting sessions within one year preceding the most recent Annual Town Election, his seat may be declared vacant by a majority vote of the Town Meeting. The Board of Selectmen shall place an Article on the Annual Town Meeting Warrant to remove any such Town Meeting Member from office. At least seven (7) days prior to the Annual Town Meeting, the Town Clerk shall notify any such Town Meeting Member that he may be removed from office, provided, however, that such notice shall be deemed adequate if mailed postage prepaid to the Town Meeting Member's last known address ..." Total of 2 Town Meetings resulting in 6 evenings of attendance Listed below are those who attended less than 3 evenings First �LMiddle ILast uuName Name Term Total Precinct Vote 1 Michelle Grenier Mini 2019 2 Remove from List — Remain a TM Member 2 Sean P Kelly 2019 0 Remain on List - Remove from TM 4 Robert M Connors 2019 1 Remain on List - Remove from TM 6 Michael Allen Mandell 2019 0 Remove from List - Remain a TM Member 82 Town Meeting Members had perfect attendance in 2017 Motion Carried as Amended Barry Berman, Board of Selectmen moved to adjourn the 2018 Annual Town Meeting adjourn sine die at 10:21 PM with 153 Town Meeting Members in attendance. Motion Carried 255 Town of Reading RPS GUEST Y. WiFi password: none Annual Town Meeting April 23, 2018 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 2 — State of the Town Monday 4/23 RMLD Instructional Motion—BOS Secretary Dan Ensminger Gender Neutral Instructional Motion—Bylaw Comm. Chair Paul Sylvester Thursday 4/26 State of the Town—BOS Acting Chair Barry Berman Financial Update—FINCOM Chair Peter Lydecker 256 1 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 3 Instructions Fe � 2018 Annual Town Meeting Pages 4-5 Article 4 Adds, removes or changes items in the FY18-28 Capital Improvements Program—does not authorize any funding for these items: FY18 General Fund-no net changes $33,000 School Technology(DW Technology Network projects) -$33,000 School Technology(wireless access points) FY18 Enterprise Funds-no changes Note:Sewer-FY18 MWRA debt increased by$63,000 257 2 2018 Annual Town Meeting Pages 4-5 Article 4 (continued) FY19 General Fund-no net^hanger +$207,500 $500,000 Facilities/Town Buildings (Dispatch Ctr-moved up from FY21) -$450,000 Facilities CORE(Building Security-defer all to two part project) -$ 50,000 DPW Parks-(-$25k fence replacement&-$25k parking lot improvements ) +$207,500 Facilities-Permanent Building Committee(total now$357,500 -addition from Override, approved by FINCOM 4/11) FY19 Enterprise Funds-$50,000 Wtr; +$58,000 Swr; +$350,000 St Wtr $100,000 Downtown Infrastructure Assessment(water) -$150,000 Truck#6 defer to FY20(water) $100,000 Downtown Infrastructure Assessment(sewer) -$ 42,000 Pickup#6 2011; defer to FY21 (sewer) FY19 MWRA debt increased by$39,000(sewer) $250,000 Sturges Park project(storm water) $100,000 Downtown Infrastructure Assessment(storm water) FY19 debt-$411,250 by splitting up Sturges,Main St&Minot St. projects(storm water) 1111111111111111116 � ;� � 2018 Annual Town Meeting Pages 4-5 Article 4 (continued) FY20 General Fund-no net changes-future changes November 2018 TM $800,000 Replace Pumper Engine#4 (2001; moved up from FY21) -$475,000 Facilities CORE-Parker Roof(defer to FY21) -$200,000 DPW Front End Loader(2009; defer to FY21) -$125,000 Facilities-Town Hall Generator(defer to FY21) FY20 Water Enterprise Fund -$70,000 $155,000 Truck#6 (moved from FY19+$5,000 -$225,000 Well abandonment(moved out to FY23) FY20 debt increased+$240,000—possible downtown infrastructure improvements FY20 debt decreased-$490,000—Auburn water tank moved to FY21 258 3 Fe � 2018 Annual Town Meeting Pages 4-5 Article 4 (continued) FY20 Sewer Enterprise Fund+$150,000 $150,000 Sturges Sewer Station Design (advanced from project debt from FY21) FY20 debt increased+$240,000 possible downtown infrastructure improvements FY20 Storm Water Enterprise Fund—no change FY20 debt increased+$240,000 possible downtown infrastructure improvements FY20 debt decreased $399,000 by splitting up Sturges, Main St, and Minot St projects Fe � 2018 Annual Town Meeting Pages 5-7 Article 5 Authorizes these changes to FY18 General Fund budget: Line Description Decrease Increase B91 111 F Retirement $47,500 B99 Health Insurance Premiums-$175,000 $200,000 Retirement Actuarial Services-$25,000 C99 Net Capital as described-$83,500 $83,500 E99 NEMRVS+$27,000 $5,000 Essex North+$38,000 Minuteman-$60,000 G92 Prop&Casualty Ins Premiums+$31,000 $41,000 Adm Rugged laptops(2)for DPW+$10,000 Svc 259 4 Fe � 2018 Annual Town Meeting Pages 5-7 Article 5 FY18 General Fund budget(continued): Line Description Decrease Increase H91 Vacant positions-$25,000 $65,000 Pub *Vacant Ec. Devel. Postions-$40,000 Sery H92 40R Plan Review(s)$25,000 $12,500 Pub Veteran's Benefits-$25,000 Sery 'Ec.Dev expenses-$12,500 191 Overlap transition to new Treasurer $7,500 Fin $7,500 J91 Fire Alarm Technicians$5,000 $268,000 Pub Fire Sick/Vacation buyback$40,500 Saf Police Sick/Vacation buyback$17,500 Fire OT $180,000 Police OT$25,000 Fe � 2018 Annual Town Meeting Pages 5-7 Article 5 FY18 General Fund budget(continued): Line Description Decrease Increase J92 Animal Control-$50,000 $30,000 Pub Uniform/equip$10,000 Saf Training$10,000 K91 Civil Engineer vacancy-$40,000 $40,000 Pub Works K92 Trailer for Cemetery mowers$9,500 $9,500 Pub Works 260 5 Fe � 2018 Annual Town Meeting Pages 5-7 Article 5 FY18 General Fund budget(continued): Line Description Decrease Increase K93 Snow&Ice(estimate)$300,000 $300,000 Subtotals $431,000 $678,500* Net Operating Expenses $52,500 To Inspections Revolving Fund $52,500 From Free Cash $300,000 *note typo in Warrant Report—total of items was$378,500 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS� Pages 5-7 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 5 FY18 Enterprise Funds: Line Description Decrease Increase X99(Sewer) MWRA debt+$63,000 $135,000 MWRAAssessment+$72,000 Subtotals $0 $135,000 Net Operating Expenses $135,000 From Sewer Reserves $135,000 Y99(Stm Wtr) Drainage work in the Haven St. $100,000 area$100,000 Subtotals $0 $100,000 Net Operating Expenses $100,000 From Storm Water Reserves $100,000 261 6 2018 Annual Town Meeting Page 7 Article 6 Prior Year's Bill: No prior year's bills ' Pages 7-8 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 7 Authorize Surplus Disposal AWN Est.Va f7e Ford 350 2011 $6,000 Trail King 11000 GVW Trailer 1989 $2,500 Baker 11 foot 1990 $500 Baker 10 foot 1990 $500 Baker 10 foot 1990 $500 Ford Taurus 2005 $1,200 Morbark Eager Beaver 1989 $500 262 7 2018 Annual Town Meeting Pages 8 Article 8 Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) $576,000 total Partially fund $500,000 General fund (—$2.5 million required for FY43 funding) Fully fund by FY30 $ 50,000 Water Enterprise Fund $ 20,000 Sewer Enterprise Fund $ 6,000 Storm Water Enterprise Fund 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 9 Pages 8-11 Amend Section 6.6.2 of the General Bylaw 6.6.2 Inspection Revolving Fund: Funds held in the Inspection Revolving Fund shall be used for legal costs, oversight and inspection, plan review, property appraisals and appeals, public services general management, pedestrian safety improvements, records archiving, and other costs related to building, plumbing, wiring, gas, and other permits required for large construction projects and shall be expended by the Town Manager. Receipts credited to this fund shall include building, plumbing,wiring,aed gas and other permit fees for the Schoolhouse Commons, Reading Village, Postmark Square,20-24 Gould Street,467 Main Street, Oaktree,Addison-Wesley/Pearson and Johnson Woods developments. 263 8 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 10 (Thursday) Pages 11-12 Amend Section 6.6.4 of the General Bylaw 6.6.4 Library Materials ReplaGemeRt Fine and Fees Revolving Fund: Funds held in the Library Materials Repla erneRt Fines and Fees Revolving Fund shall be used for acquisition of library materials to replace lost and damaged materials, or for the maintenance, upkeep and supplies for supplementary fee-based services.apd Funds shall be expended by the Library Director under the supervision of the Library Trustees. Receipts credited to this fund shall include charges for lost damaged library materials, and fees from printing,faxing or similar supplementary fee-based services. Pages 12-14 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 11 Authorizes Revolving Funds Conservation Consulting $14 $25,000 Inspections $781,351 $200,000 Public Heath Clinics&Services $82,711 $25,000 Library Fines and Fees $15,740 $15,000 Mattera Cabin Operating $848 $10,000 Town Forest none $10,000 264 9 Pages 14-15 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 12 Affordable Housing Trust Fund Allocation Plan Pursuant to Article 12 of the 2018 Annual Town Meeting, an Affordable Housing Trust Fund Allocation Plan for the Fiscal Year 2019 in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2001 is as follows: Available Balance—Unrestricted Funds: $266,222 Available Balance—Restricted Funds $ 0 Unrestricted funds shall be used for the following purposes: • $10,000 or a maximum of 5%for administration of Affordable Housing • Remainder for constructing affordable housing (including loan and grant programs); or for maintaining and improving affordability of existing housing stock; or Tor the purchase of existing housing stock to add it to or maintain it as a part of the existing affordable housing inventory. Pages 15-16 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 13 (Thursday) Authorize Procurement for Digital Curriculum For Term Greater Than 3 Years Under Chapter 30B of Massachusetts General Laws,there is a three-year restriction on the length of leases or agreements that can be entered into by the School Department. Given the trend toward digital curriculum and the market pricing for three- year term agreements being high, or in some instances non-attainable, and longer term agreements being more favorable in terms of price and terms,the School Department is requesting the Town to allow longer term agreements to be entered into by the School Department(Superintendent or designee), not to exceed six years, in instances in which they are able to secure more favorable terms, considering price, expected useful life of the technology and any other relevant factors,that would otherwise be available under a contract with a three-year term. 265 10 2018 Annual Town Meeting Pages 16-17 Article 14 General Bylaw A. Insert after Section 1.10.2, the following definition: 1.10.3 Executive Board The Board of Selectmen established by Section 3.2 of the Reading Home Rule Charter. The Executive Board shall have all of the powers and duties granted to Boards of Selectmen by the Constitution and General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and such additional powers and duties as may be provided by the Charter, by this bylaw, by the Zoning Bylaw or by Town Meeting vote. Pages 16-17 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 14 General Bylaw(continued) B. By renumbering subsequent provisions of Section 1.10 accordingly; C. By striking the term "Board of Selectmen," wherever it may currently appear in said Bylaw, and inserting, in place thereof, the term "Executive Board" 266 11 7 Pages 17-25 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 15 Zoning Bylaw (Thursday) Page 25 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 16 Chapter 90 Allocation Authorize appropriation by borrowing in anticipation of Ch. 90 and accept Ch.90 at whatever level is ultimately available. • Enables Chapter 90 funds to be used for road improvements • Chapter 90 funding is a reimbursement program • Funds need to appropriated in anticipation of receipt of Chapter 90 funds • No debt has ever been sold in anticipation of Chapter 90 • $593,065 is expected to be received 267 12 Pages 25& 2018 Annual Town Meeting 28-201 Article 17 (Thursday) See FY19 Budget presentation Pages 25-26 2018 Annual Town Meeting Article 18 To remove Town Meeting members that have not attended at least 50% of the six(6)sessions in the past 12 months, as prescribed by the Town Charter Section 2-6. M�M[ 0 Michelle G Mini 2019 2 ©Sean P Kelly 2019 0 0 Robert M Connors 2019 1 0 Michael A Mandell 2019 0 268 13 IIIIIII� „fie:� Town of Reading FY19 Budget yr m � Town Meeting April 23, 2018 FY19 Budget Warrant Report Budget votes (see p.49) Overview pages 30-49 Shared Costs pages 50-54 lines B99 to F99 &203-211 Town Government pages 55-103 lines G91 to M92 School Department pages 104-190 line U99 Enterprise Funds pages 191-201 lines W99 to Y99 269 1 Overview - Reserve Status April 2018 FREE CASH July 1,2017 $ 8,569,349 • April TM (FY 18 transfers) -$ 300,000 • April TM (Proposed for FY19) -$ 1,200,000 $ 7,069,349 GENERAL STABILIZATION FUND $ 1,584,336* FINCOM Reserves $ 150,000 TOTAL $ 8,803,685 is 9.2%of estimated$96 million FY19 net available revenue (revised for Override); FINCOM Policy is 7% minimum *total excludes funds designated for specific purpose Free Cash Ten Year Actual History Projected out 3 Years $10,000 $9,000 FINCOM Polic $8,000 $7,000 $6,000 $5,000 $4,000 $3,000 $2,000 $1,000 $0 FISCal Year 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 est.19 est.20 est. 2018-2020 figures assume$1 million regeneration and$1.5 million in Fy18 uses,then$1.2 million in use in FYI 9-20 270 2 � „ v � Regeneration of Reserves • Receive more revenues than expected — Last six years range from +$1 mil to+$1.8mil; — State Aid, new growth and excise taxes vary widely; — Known one-time variances are ignored in forecast • Spend less expenses than budgeted Average recent sources: -Town Government 63% -Schools 18% -Shared Costs&other 19% • Combination is called `regeneration' $1 million assumed minimum—serves as basis for spending that much Free Cash to balance annual budgets e, Pages 30-34 FY19 Projected General Fund Revenues (millions) Prop $66.51 $68.61 +3.2% $72.76 +9.4% Taxes Local Rev 7.03 7.28 +3.6% State Aid 14.11 14.46 +2.5% Trf&Avail 3.95 4.04 +2.2% Sub Total $91.60 $94.39 +3.0% $98.54 +7.6% Reserves 1.20 1.20 0% TOTAL $92.80 $95.59 +3.0% $99.74 +7.5% 271 3 FY19 Spending Scorecard Pages 48-49 FYI 90 Change p.49 Shared $24,172,362 $25,567,608 +5.8% $26,376,858 +9.1% Town Gov't 25,929,907 $25,568,710 +2.5% 27,772,210 +7.1% Schools 41,401,661 $42,723,025 +3.2% 44,860,275 +8.4% Gen.Fund $91,503,930 $94,859,343 +3.7% $99,009,343 +8.2% *Water 6,199,885 6,345,975 +2.4% 6,356,475 +2.5% *Sewer 6,252,900 6,491,650 +3.8% 6,502,150 +4.0% Storm Water 467,800 622,225 +33.0% 622,225 +33.0% Ent.Funds $12,920,585 $13,480,850 +4.2% $13,480,850 +4.3% TOTAL $104,424,515 $108,319,193 +3.7% $112,490,193 +7.7% *Note FY190 for Water and Sewer reflect shared clerk+$10,500 each e, Pages 49-54 Shared Costs &203-211 B99 *Benefits $16,496,047 $18,207,600 +10.4% C99 *Capital 2,259,400 3,133,100 +38.7% D99 Debt 4,880,915 4,471,158 -8.4% E99 Voke Schools 386,000 415,000 +7.5% F99 FINCOM Reserves 150,000 150,000 0% Shared Costs $24,172,362 $26,376,858 +9.1% *additional funds from Override 272 4 Pages 50-51 Benefits (Line B99) Employee & Retiree Benefits $18,207,600 + 10.4% Retirement $ 4,505,850 + 5.2% Medicare $ 900,000 + 13.9% *Health Insurance $ 12,226,750 + 12.5% Worker Compensation $ 325,000 + 5.2% Indemnification $ 110,000 + 4.8% Unemployment $ 140,000 + 0% *Includes+$601,750 from Override,placed in Health Insurance(for now) Pages 52-54 FY19 Capital (C99) & Debt (D99) Pages 203-211 Proposed Capital spending $3.133.100 +38.7% $ 357.5k *Permanent Building Committee funding $ 680k School Facilities $ 570k Town Facilities $ 255k School&Town technology projects $ 100k Assessment of downtown infrastructure improvements $ 15k Playground improvements $ 96.6k Public Safety vehicles and equipment $ 600k Road and sidewalk repairs $ 200k School site safety improvements $ 50k Parking lot and fence improvements $ 175k Wood chipper $ 34k Engineering vehicle FINCOM Policy:a minimum of 5% to be spent on capital+debt inside the tax levy *includes the$+207,500 increase from the Override 273 5 FY19 Capital (C99) & Debt (1399) Pages 52-54 Pages 203-211 Debt Service $4,471,158 -8.4% debt premiums paid $ 12,325 within levy $1,514,551 School building projects $ 945,988 All buildings-energy $ 408,663 Roadway Improvements $ 159,900 excluded from the levy $2,944,282 Schools(ends 2024) $1,418,182 Library(ends 2025) $1,526,100 er! Page 54 Vocational Education (Line E99) & FINCOM Reserves (Line F99) Vocational Education $415,000 +7.5% This figure annually estimates enrollment, and sometimes needs to be amended at a future Town Meeting. FINCOM Reserves $150,000 unchanged 274 6 Town Government Overview Pages 56-103 Override FY19 after Change Override Admin $2,778,900 +1.3% $106k $2,920,075 +5.1% Services Public 1,660,959 +3.6% 52k 1,773,425 +6.8% Services Finance 805,050 +2.4% 50k 874,200 +8.6% Public 10,074,925 +3.3% 845.5 k 11,251,975 +11.7% Safety Public 5,764,075 +2.3% 47.5k 5,944,345 +3.1% Works Public 1,548,883 +2.8% 102.5k 1,694,515 +9.4% Library Facilities 2,997,180 +0.1% none 2,999,275 +0.1% CORE Facilities 299,935 +4.8% none 314,400 +4.8% Town TOTAL $25,929,907 +2.5% $1,203.5k $27,772,210 +7.1% er Administrative Services +5.1 Pages 56-60 Wages (G91) and Expenses (G92) Wages $1,428,725 (+9.9%) Expenses $1,491,350 (+0.9%) Wages+2.6%run rate;+2.2%elections+5.1%Override • Three scheduled elections compared to one in FYI • New Software Training Coordinator position(0) Expenses-1.8%run rate;+2.7%Override • Additional HR Training for Organization(0) • Additional technology replacement(0) 275 7 ' er Public Services +6.8% Pages 61-68 Wages (H91) and Expenses (H92) Wages $1,417,725 (+10.4%) Expenses $355,700 (-5.5%) Wages+6.3%run rate;+4.1%Override • Full time support staff position in Admin division replaced with full time junior planning position to provide higher level of customer service at the counter • Additional hours added for Building Inspection division • Further additional hours added for Building Inspection division(0) • Additional hours added for Human and Elder Services Admin(0) Expenses-5.5% • Expense reduction is driven by some cost cutting and lower spending on Veteran's Benefits Finance +8.6% Pages 69-70 Wages (191) and Expenses (192) Wages $721,250 (+9.9%) Expenses $152,950 (+2.7%) Wages+2.3%run rate;+7.6%Override • Addition of Assistant Town Accountant position(0) • Senior tax relief program was completed without adding any additional staff • Maintain Regional Assessing arrangement with Wakefield • Fiduciary independence of Accounting,Assessor and Finance functions a challenge because of overlap and shared staff.Many peer communities have deeper staffing and separate these responsibilities. Expenses+2.7%run rate 276 g er Public Safety +11.7% Page 71 Wages (J91) and Expenses (J92) Wages $10,724,775 (+11.8%) Expenses $527,200 (+9.1%) • Police $5,433,650 +13.5% Pages 72-81 • Fire/EMS $5,218,550 +10.7% Pages 82-87 • Dispatch $ 599,775 + 4.2% Page 88-89 Wages+3.4%run rate;+8.4% Override Expenses+0.9%run rate;+8.2% Override Police Pages 72-81 Wages$5,144,950(+13.8%) Expenses$288,700(+8.2%) Wages+4.1% run rate; +9.7%Override • Addition of 5 police officers(0) • Increase Overtime and Training by$30k(0) • SRO will be in place from existing staff by August 2018 Expenses+1.7%run rate; +6.5%Override • Expense increase driven by cost to outfit 5 new officers(0) RCASA grant reduces wage costs,$118,400 grant shown as offset RCASA grant reduces expenses,$6,600 grant shown as offset 277 9 Fire and EMS Pages 82-87 Wages$5,004,050(+10.7%) Expenses$214,500(+12.3%) Wages+2.6% run rate; +8.1% Override • Addition of 4 Firefighters(0) • Overtime increased by$46k(0) Expenses+0.8%run rate+ 11.5%Override • Expense increase driven by cost to outfit 4 new firefighters(0) • Increase in ALS medical supplies related to expansion of treatment options, increase in call volume and complexity and pricing increases • Ambulance revenues have increased to almost$800,000 and 100%flows to the general fund for use by both the School and Town departments Page 88-89 Dispatch Wages$575,775(+4.7%) Expenses$24,000(-5.9%) • Increases to wage line reflect some training time changes under negotiation through collective bargaining • Grant shown as offset to wages and expenses • Previous additions of overnight staffing has reduced OT • No impact from Override 278 10 Public Works +3.1% total Pages 90-95 Division Wages (K91) and Expenses (K92) Wages $2,660,850 (+5.7%) Expenses $829,100 (-1.9%) Wages+3.8%run rate;+1.9%Override • Additional support staff hours(increased by Override) • Addition of$26k for highway temp • Increase in Engineering wages reflects collective bargaining effort and management's need to fill vacant positions in strong local construction economy. Expenses-1.9% • Expenses trimmed,no impact from Override Public Works Page 94-95 Snow& Ice (K93) Snow & Ice funding increased to$650,000 (+4.0%) 1,400,000 '1 1,200,000 1 ' 1,000,000 800,000 Bud et 8 600,000 ---Actual /1 /1 /%1 11� 11 •10yr Avg 400,000 200,000 0 � s "s 'ssss Probably`underfunded'on purpose:why eliminate teachers&public safety in case we have a light winter(FY12&FY16)? 279 11 Page 95 Public Works Street Lights (K94) and Rubbish (K95) Street Lighting $160,000 (-11.1%) Rubbish $1,644,395 (+3.0%) • Ten year Solid Waste Collection/Recycling contract signed just in time (thankfully)as the market is in chaos with a large vendor withdrawing, leaving some communities without the service and others susceptible to high renewal rates.We locked in+3%annually for the ten years. er Public Library +9.4% Pages 96-98 Wages (L91) and Expenses (L92) Wages $1,328,550 (+9.6%) Expenses $365,9650 (+8.9%) Wages+1.8%run rate;+7.8%Override • Restoration/increase for Sunday hours(0) • Addition of part time support staff position(0) • Staff turnover has caused some wage budget savings Expenses+2.2%run rate+6.7% • Revised materials budget(14.1%)complies with 13%Municipal Appropriation Requirement but is below what the Trustees would prefer 15%(0) 280 12 ' er Facilities +4.9% Pages 99-103 CORE Facilities (M91) and Town Buildings (M92) CORE $2,999,275 (+0.1%) Town Bldgs $314,400 (+4.8%) pages 99-103 page 103 No impact from Override • Recall that a third portion of this department is voted as part of the overall School Budget:School Buildings$1,316,122(+7.4%)pages156-157 • CORE no staffing level changes • Maintenance and Custodian staff wages are subject to collective bargaining, and are budgeted as shown because the town intends to discuss changes to PTO benefits received while considered School employees • A new expense line for ice melt drives the 31.2% misc.exp. Increase • Town building cleaning services are outsourced due to lack of in-house resources,this line item is up 16.9%over prior year Pages 116-198 School Department 281 13 Enterprise Funds Pages 191-193 Overview • Current Reserves well over 10%target • Excess Reserves help manage rate increases • MWRA assessments are about 50%of combined W&S budgets • Suggested Reserve usage through FY21 will keep rates—+5%to+6% — FY19 rates set by vote of BOS areas follows: Water+0% • Sewer+0% Storm Water$60/household(up from$40/household) — Significant infrastructure required in 10-year capital plans: Water $29 million • Sewer $13 million Storm Water$6 million er Water Enterprise Fund Pages 194-196 (W99) Rates+0% • Wages+9.1%addition of 0.5 FTE clerk support plus an increase to long term seasonal staff(0.25 FTE related to Override) • Overhead expenses+6.3%(+4.9%pension&health insurance estimate) • Operating expenses-5.4%(successful conservation efforts lowered future requirements) • Support to general fund costs+2.5% • Capital&Debt planned at+4% = Total Local costs+3.9% • MWRA assessment preliminary-0.6% = Gross budget+2.4% • Use$550k Reserves to offset some capital/debt costs = Net budget+1.76% 282 14 Sewer Enterprise Fund Pages 197-199 (X99) Rates+0% • Wages+20%addition of.5 FTE support staff(0.25 FTE related to Override), more OT and promotion of Laborer to Skilled Laborer • Overhead expenses+5.9%(+5%pension&health insurance estimate) • Operating expenses-13.7%(capital expenditures has reduced some operating costs) • Support to general fund costs+2.5% • Capital&Debt planned at-15% = Total Local costs-4.55% • MWRA assessment preliminary+5.3% = Gross budget+2.8% • Use$475k Reserves to offset some capital/debt costs = Net budget+2.6% Storm Water Enterprise Fund Pages 200-201 (Y99) Rates$60/residential SF home($20 increase) • Wages+2.4%no changes in staffing • Overhead expenses+6.34%(+4.8%pension&health insurance estimate) • Operating expenses unchanged • Support to general fund costs+2.5% • Capital&Debt planned at+60% Total Local costs+27.95% • Use$175k Reserves to offset some capital costs = Net budget+43.4% FUTURE _>Federal regulations impact—unknown but forecast very high for state _>Local Infrastructure-3 projects(see Capital Plan on page 201) 283 15 Town Meeting-April 26, 20A FYigSchool Committee Budget Presentation Summary of FY1g School Department Budget igned with goals, mission, and vision of the Reading Public Schools $44,860,275 budget (includes override budget of$2,137,250) Includes retention of 11.o FTE Staff(10.o FTE Teachers) • 7.o FTE Middle School Teachers (Override Budget) 3.o FTE Elementary School Teachers (Override Budget) 1.o FTE Elementary Tutor(Override Budget) ludes the restoration of 6.o FTE Staff from previous years 5.o FTE High School Teachers (Override Budget) • 1.o FTETechnician (Override Budget) 3/14/2019 Summary of • School Department Budget ludes an additional 13.o FTE Staff(New Positions) 2.o FTE Curriculum Coordinators • • - Budge.5 FTE Team Chair t) • - Budge.5 FTE Assistant t) of •- • •n (Override Budget) IFTE RISE Preschoolfor • - •. Classroom 3.0 IFTE RISE Preschool -• • •r new Subseparate Classroom 3.0 IFTE Special • • -• • for •-cial Education Programs 1.0 IFTE Kindergartenbased on •llment increases (partially funded from kindergarten • account) 2.0 IFTE Kindergarten -• • based on •llment increases (partially funded from • -rgarten revolving account) • ditional Expenses Curriculum Updates and Renewals (Override Budget) TeacherTraining (Override i • • Classroom ComputerReplacement (Override i •• Restoration of Athletic Scheduleand Elementary Chorus(Override Budget) • • Department Override Budget chool Wage Expense Total Retain 7.o FTE Middle School Teachers-retains mid E 500,000 L $ - $ 500,000 Restore 5.o FTE High School Teachers 350,000 350,000 Retain 3.o FTE Elementary Teachers-retains cl 24-1,000 241,000 Retain 1.o FTE Regular Education Tutor(retain a L_P,000 - 20,000 Salary Adjustments(retaining and attracting staff) �0,0001-JF 36o,000 Curriculum Updates and Renewals 150,000 eacherTraining for Science, ELA,Math(K-8) -0-ffimv5,000 Add 1.o FTE K-6 Math/Science Curriculum Coordinator E 95,004-5,000 Add 1.o FTE K-6 ELA/Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator -E 95004-�5,000 Restore 1.o FTE Computer Technician -M 57,0 -7,000 lassroom Computer Replacement �M -Mo,000 dd o.5 FTE Special Education Team Chair OW9,2SO 1-_49,250 Restructure 0.5 FTE RISE Preschool Director/Assistant Director for Special Education $ 70,000 I_ 0,000 Restore Athletics Schedule-restore 2 non-league games and Elementary Chorus $ Jm $1,837,=- 285 2 District Priorities for FY19 • Four Focus Areas • Closing the Achievement Gap • Literacy • Mathematics Instruction • Social Emotional Learning • Class sizes in K-2 (18-22 students) • Middle school interdisciplinary model • Ensuring that RMHS Juniors and Seniors have access to coursework for graduation • Joshua Eaton School Improvement Plan Process 5 General Fund Expenditures by Cost Center Administration . : •• .' , •- ' Regular Day Special Education .• ', :•• ..• . :' School Facilities Districtwide •.• ', ' Programs Grand Total 6 3/14/2019 ff f i Fro Un i • • Approved FY'ig FY'ig FY'3.8 Balanced % Override % SchoolBudget Budget Change Budget Change School Expenses(Non-Accommodated) $ 37,367,991 $ 38,202,191 2.2% $ 40,339,441 8.o% School Expenses(Accommodated) 4,o;�t,67o $ 4,52o,8-�4 12.1% $ 4,520,8 4 12.1% Total School Expenses $ 41,401,661 $ 42,723,025 3.2% $ 44,860,275 8.4% Centers as • ofthe OverrideBudget %OF 0 Administration 0 Regular Day 0 Special Education School Facilities 0 District Wide Programs r 287 4 Financial Drivers - FYsg Budget Expenses: • All salary and benefit obligations to represented and non-represented employees. All five collective bargaining agreements are ending this year and the School Committee is negotiating new agreements with each collective bargaining unit. Increases in regular day mandatory transportation (for students in Grades K-6 who live over 2 miles from their school). • Increases in special education out of district tuition and transportation as a result of an increase in the number of students in out of district placements and an increase in the number of students who require specialized transportation. • Restored the following expenses from FYs8 • ssoo,000 in building based budgets • $50,000 in district wide technology replacement • $98,000 in Substitute Teaching line items 9 PFinancial Drivers - FYig Budget (continued) • Increases in athletic expenses, including an increase in contractual coaches salaries, rental fees for pool and ice and athletic transportation. • Increase in third year of contractual cleaning services at RMHS. • Renewal of our anti-virus protection and other technology software services. Grants and Revolving Accounts: • Decrease of$200,000 in the state circuit breaker reimbursement program for special education based upon current projected reimbursement rate of 65%(decrease from historical reimbursement rates of 70%-72%). • Reduction of sioo,000 in the special education tuition offset due to a projected decrease in enrollment of students for the 2o18-19 school year who are tuitioned into our district programs from other school districts. • Reduction of$50,000 in the athletics revolving account offset due to an anticipated decrease in user fee revenue resulting from an increase in the number of students who are on free and reduced lunch and that family caps were not increased when user fees were increased. 10 Items that Impact Budget During Year Not Budgeted • Staff Turnover Change in DESE classification • Unanticipated Special Education Out of District Placement and Associated Transportation • Staff on leave where we have to hire an additional position • Example: Administrator Position • Example: School Psychologist • Changes in State and Federal Aid and Grant Funding Items not Included in FYsg Budget Full funding of special education out of district tuition and transportation ($133,000) • We will continue to monitorthese items. If the state circuit breaker reimbursement percentage does not increase or we do not qualify for extra-ordinary relief, we anticipate requesting funding at NovemberTown Meeting. 12 • Town Meeting 290 April i6, zoz8 Questions a nd Tha n kYou