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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-05-06 Appointment Committee - Finance Committee Minutes Town of Reading 3 r Meeting Minutes `;k{ tutJ hliiY 14 Fai Board - Committee - Commission - Council: 10: 39 Appointment Committee -Finance Committee Date: 2020-05-06 Time: 6:00 PM Building: Location: Conference Room Address: Session: Open Session Purpose: General Business Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Town Moderator Alan FOUIdS, Finance Committee Chair Enc Burkhart, Select Board Chair Mark Dockser Members - Not Present: Others Present: Town Manager Bob LeLacheur Candidates: John Arena, Andrew Mclauchlan, William Noonan, Linda Phillips, William McIsaac, Marianne McLaughlin-Downing, Mark Zarrow, Jeanne Borawski, Nick Boivin Public Viewers: Angela Binda, John Halsey, Lori Conway, Kern Perry, lack, Alicia Williams, Dan Ensminger, Carla Nazzaro, Jim Reichardt, Phil Rushworth, Kevin Vendt, Shawn Brandt Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jacquelyn LaVerde Topics of Discussion: The meeting was held remotely via Zoom. Chair Alan Foulds called the meeting to order at 7:04pm. The Committee convened to interview nine candidates for two current vacancies and three vacancies effective July 1, 2020 on the Finance Committee. John Arena was the first candidate. He has a strong history in Reading Town government having served as a Finance Committee member, a Town Meeting member, and a two-term Select Board member. He stated that he would like to help navigate through the impacts on the budget, participate in the process, and help explain the finance component to tax payers so they can make informed decisions. Andrew Mclauchlan is a current Finance Committee member seeking reappointment having just completed his first year on the Committee. His professional background includes serving in the military and general contracting. He is interested in staying on the Committee as he would like to ensure long-term financial security for the Town. William Noonan has lived in Reading for eight years and was recently elected to Town Meeting. He plans to live in the community for a long time and is looking to become more Involved. His professional experience includes work in accounting and finance. He currently works for the IRS conducting Criminal Investigations. He sees the role of the Finance Committee as making sure the budgets make sense and steering the Town in the right Page 1 1 direction financially. He is interested in helping the Town solve problems that may arise from reductions in state aid due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Linda Phillips has lived in Reading for over 23 years, and has been a Town Meeting member for over 20 years. She has gained familiarity with the budget process by observing the Finance Committee and attending School Committee meetings. She is interested in the numbers and likes to research things. She noted ways she helped in the past by discovering a grant for school sidewalks and raising budget concerns at Town Meeting. William Mclsaac is a long-time Reading resident who previously served on the Housing Authority for fourteen years. He is a retired CPA with no time constraints and is available to make the commitment to the Committee. He has worked with budgets larger than the Town's and believes his experience could be helpful. He wants to give back to the community and could bring measures to help the Town better understand how it provides services for the community. Marianne Downing has lived in Reading for almost 20 years and has been a Town Meeting member for five years. Her professional background is in electrical engineering and patent law. She has volunteered in different ways in Town including serving on the School Council for the Parker Middle School and RMHS and on the Joshua Eaton Elementary School Task Force. She has been involved in Town issues and has followed Select Board, School Committee, CPDC, and Finance Committee meetings. After following the budget process the last few years, she feels she has a good balance of knowledge and getting to know people in the Town. Mark Zarrow has lived in Reading for 31 years. He received his undergraduate degree in Accounting from UMass Amherst and a Master's degree from Babson. He has worked for multiple startups, then started his own firm that has provided outsourced CFO and Controller services for the last 17 years. He believes his years of experience of being involved with budgets, managing around crises, and being fiscally responsible could be an asset to the Finance Committee. Jeanne Borawski has been a Town Meeting member for 10 years, and served on the School Committee for 61/z years. Prior to her service on the School Committee, she served on the Finance Committee and misses the experience. As a School Committee member, she performed as liaison to the Audit Committee, Recreation Committee, and Select Board. She also volunteered with schools in many capacities and on the Reading 375 Committee. She believes her background and experience with the budget process will enable her to"hit the ground running." She believes that how the Town spends money reflects its values and goals, and believes that if there is faith in the process, the outcome will be right. Nick Boivin previously served on the School Committee and briefly on the Audit Committee. Professionally he is a patent attorney and has worked for managing budgets for legal departments. He believes there is a lot the Finance Committee can learn and provide to the Town in a team format. He is Interested in trends and would like to analyze how following trends can best serve the Town strategically in the long term. Following the interviews, the Appointment Committee discussed whom to appoint. Mr. Burkhart stated that he made his decisions using three criteria: qualifications, experience, and past engagement with the Town; open-mindedness and absence of agenda; and diversity in background, age, and gender. Mr. Dockser stated that he based his decisions on eight criteria: a balanced perspective; rational; a good listener; a team player; has no agenda; solid financial analysis skills; a "big-picture"thinker; and what they can add to the Committee and the Town. Mr. Foulds stated that his three criteria were: open-mindedness, listening ability, and rational qualities. Mr. LeLacheur noted that with the modified budget that will be presented next week, the Finance Committee could benefit from having flexible, creative thinkers. The Appointment Committee agreed to vote which five candidates would be best suited to serve on the Finance Committee, then vote which of the five would have the most immediate impact to fill the two current vacancies. Page 1 2 On a motion by Mr. Dockser to add all nine candidates to the nomination, seconded by Mr. Burkhart, the Finance Committee Appointment Committee voted as follows: John Arena 1-2* Andrew Mclauchlan (Reappointment) 3-0 William Noonan 0-3 Linda Phillips 0-3 William McIsaac 1-2* Marianne Downing 3-0 Mark Zarrow 1-2- Jeanne Borawski 3-0 Nick Boivin 3-0 *Following two tie breaker votes among the Appointment Committee, Mark Zarrow was selected as the final appointee by a vote of 2-1. The Finance Committee Appointment Committee voted 3-0 to reappoint Andrew Mclauchlan to a three-year term beginning July 1, 2020 and expiring June 30, 2023. The Committee discussed which appointees would be best suited to fill the immediate vacancies. Mr. Burkhart advocated for Nick Boivin citing his deliberate thought process and knowledge of the budget process. The Finance Committee Appointment Committee voted 3-0 to appoint Nick Boivin to a one-year term beginning immediately and expiring June 30, 2021. To fill the second current vacancy, Mr. Dockser advocated for Jeanne Borawski citing her strong background working with budgets. The Finance Committee Appointment Committee voted 3-0 to appoint Jeanne Borawski to a one-year term beginning immediately and expiring June 30, 2021. The Finance Committee Appointment Committee voted 3-0 to appoint Marianne Downing and Mark Zarrow to three-year terms beginning July 1, 2020 and expiring June 30, 2023. Mr. LeLacheur thanked the Committee for making the appointments this evening. With uncertain times ahead, having a full Finance Committee moving forward is needed. Mr. Dockser thanked the candidates and noted how fortunate the Town is to have a number of candidates step forward. On a motion by Mr. Dockser, seconded by Mr. Burkhart, the Finance Committee Appointment Committee voted to adjourn at 8:10pm by a vote of 3-0. Page 1 3