HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-04-22 Select Board Minutes Town of Reading
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Select Board
Date: 2020-04-22 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: Location:
Address: Session:
Purpose: General Business Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
Mark Dockser, Anne Landry, Carlo Bacci, Karen Herrick, Vanessa Alvarado
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Town Manager Bob LeLacheur, Eleanor Shankoff, Executive Assistant Caitlin
Saunders, Veterans Agent Kevin Bohmiller
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By:
Topics of Discussion:
This meeting was held remotely on Zoom.
Chair Dockser called the meeting to order at 7 PM.
He started off the meeting noting how impressed he has been with the command calls he
has been on this week. He noted staff and frontline workers in town are working so hard to
keep us going. He explained the COVID-19 resources page on the website for residents. He
reminded viewers that Town Meeting has been postponed and it is not next week. Lastly, he
noted our three legislators will be joining their meeting next week on the 291M1.
Board of Health Member Eleanor Shankoff then updated the Select Board on the latest
COVID-19 news. She noted command and BOH are working well together and staff is
handling the current case load. As of last night, there are 132 positive cases with 32
recovered and 7 deaths. They are not opting into the state program to help with contract
tracing yet because staff is still able to handle it. They are adopting a face covering policy
for people out in public similar to the one Peabody just passed. They are adopting state
guidelines and language regarding construction and job sites.
Town Manager Bob LeLacheur noted the Town did order a large quantity of masks to give
out to the public but they have not arrived yet. He then updated the Board with the 9 goals
that command is working on.
Kevin Bohmiller noted the Pleasant Street Center staff have made over 3,000 wellness calls.
He also noted if any resident needs help to please call the Pleasant Street Center. The meals
on Wheels program is back up and delivering around 90 meals a day and the Food Pantry is
doing well at the moment too. He noted Memorial Day will look different this year but they
will not forget about our Veterans and they will be honored. Recreation is holding their
breath regarding summer programs as they await more guidance from the State.
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Assistant Town Manager Jean Delios noted the trial road diet that is now going on has
created a huge problem with Bagel World traffic. It is a major safety concern at this point
and DOT is working on a solution and agreed to pay for a police detail until new lanes/ or a
solution is created. Bagel World has always had a traffic problem even before the road diet
and they have worked with them to try and come to a solution but have gotten nowhere.
The COVID situation is also adding to the traffic because only the drive thru is open.
Ms. Alvarado noted herself and Ms. Herrick attended the RMLD Board meeting last night and
they discussed the payment to the town again. She has asked them for the updated
proposal to be sent to Select Board. They plan to vote at their next meeting.
The Board received a public comment email from Dan Ensminger of Oakland Road. He
asked if anyone has asked RMLD why they are not bonding their capital projects through the
Town. He noted it could save them some money thus not having to cut the payment to the
town as much.
The Board then assigned their liaison assignments. To see the full list of each members
assignments please visit the Town Website and the Select Board page.
Carlo Bacci move to adopt the following enabling language to reconstitute and
extend the duration of the ad hoc committee on human rights:
An ad hoc committee is hereby created to help establish a human rights-focused
organization. The following representatives shall be invited to participate as
members in this ad hoc committee:
• Two members of the School Committee;
• Two members of the Select Board, who shall act as co-Chairs; and a
• a member of the Board of Library Trustees.
This ad Hoc Committee has a sunset date of December 31, 2020.
Board Members
Anne Landry
Carlo Bacci
Shawn Brandt
John Parks
Andrew Grimes
The motion was seconded by Karen Herrick and approved with the following roll
call vote:
Alvarado — yes, Bacci — yes, Herrick — yes, Landry — yes, Dockser — yes.
Carlo Bacci moved to appoint Karen Herrick and Carlo Baccl to the Volunteer
Appointment Subcommittee. The motion was seconded by Vanessa Alvarado and
approved with the following roll call vote:
Alvarado — yes, Bacci — yes, Herrick — yes, Landry — yes, Dockser — yes.
The board then discussed public comment and how to better deal with that during these
remote meetings. They noted reading other people's emails is sometimes uncomfortable. It
also takes a lot of time to read every email they have gotten given the amount of public
interest lately. The board decided to reach out to colleagues and see what other Town's are
doing to handle public comment.
The board then moved on to discuss a social media policy draft prepared by Ms. Alvarado.
They resorted back to the question if they even want a Facebook board page. The board felt
this would a good topic for their next retreat.
Carlo Bacci moved to adjourn at 10:39 PM. The motion was seconded by Anne
Landry and approved with the following roll call vote:
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Alvarado - yes, Bacci - yes, Herrick - yes, Landry - yes, Dockser - yes.
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