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Home My WebLink About2020-04-29 Select Board Minutes Town of Reading , RECEIVED 3 x Meeting Minutes 01NN CLERK Board - committee - commission - council: t''=� � -� PN 4: IS Select Board Date: 2020-04-29 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Location: Address: Session: Purpose: General Business Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Mark Dockser, Anne Landry, Karen Herrick, Carlo Bacci, Vanessa Alvarado Members - Not Present: Others Present: Town Manager Bob LeLacheur, Assistant Town Manager Jean Cellos, Superintendent of Schools John Doherty, Emmy Dove, Senator Jason Lewis, Representative Brad Jones, Representative Rich Haggerty, Executive Assistant Caitlin Saunders Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Topics of Discussion: This meeting was held remotely on Zoom. Mark Dockser called the meeting to order at 7 PM. He began by thanking all the nurses on National Nurses Day which is coming up. Senator Lewis and State Representatives Jones and Haggerty then gave the board an update at the state level on all things COVID. They mentioned the steps their implementing to contain the virus and save lives. They talked about the programs and things they are doing to mitigate the economic effect i.e. expanding unemployment and small business help. They noted the legislative help for local governments i.e. extending deadlines, postponing Town Meetings, voting by mail and fall election safety. They spoke about budgets and also noted there won't be any 9C budget cuts for FY20 although FY21 looks gloomy. Board of Health Chair Emmy Dove then gave the board an update on the Town's cases. There are 219 active cases at the moment. The face covering policy will go into effect this week. If anyone has any concerns regarding people in public not wearing masks, please call Health Agent Laura Vlasuk and refrain from engaging in confrontations. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Doherty gave a shutout too all the nurses working for the schools and town, along with all our facilities and custodial staff who have been working non-stop to keep the town going. He explained how the School side is handling students nutritional and fundamental needs while being at home. They are working on how to better and deepen virtual learning. They are also still discussing summer programs and how to proceed or not. Page 1 1 Town Manager Bob LeLacheur noted on the Town side, they are preparing and planning for a safe re-open when the Governor lifts the stay at home order. It will be a phased reopening when it does happen with limited staff and public in the building at one time. He noted it seems Recreation will most likely have to be closed for the summer. At the moment he doesn't see how any programs can be run. Friends and Family day has been cancelled. Fire Chief Burns noted they have been visiting facilities with high elderly populations to check in on them and tend to any needs. They are putting a plan in place to hand out masks to residents. He then went over some of the accomplishments of the command team to date. The board then discussed public comment guidelines again and any information members have gathered from other communities. It seems some communities are not allowing any public comment and some are allowing it in various ways including letting residents join the zoom meetings. The board then discussed RMLD and the payment to the town again. John Stempeck, Chair of the RMLD Board of Commissioners explained their thoughts and reasoning behind the proposed changes to the payment to the town. He noted the last couple years the RMLD usage has been declining with costs increasing and a lot of maintenance costs to do, they simply cannot afford to keep making the same payment. They discussed many approaches and options for a new formula for the payment. They think they have come up with the appropriate methodology for a plan which the Commissioners are set to hear tomorrow night. The board then discussed their liaison assignments and the document Dockser put together after the last meetings discussion. The board finalized their assignments. The board then discussed minutes. It was proposed to do more a summary version of the minutes for February llt^ due to the amount of edits board members had. They also talked about doing more of a summary version with all minutes going forward. There was some discussion about a correction to the minutes verse taking out certain comments. The issue of editing the minutes has increased and consumes a lot of the boards time during meetings. The board decided to try a summary version for the next set of minutes and see if the board likes it better. Carlo Bacci moved to adjourn at 10:39 PM. With a second by Karen Herrick the board adjourned with the following roll call vote: Herrick —yes, Baccl — yes, Landry — Yes, Alvarado — yes, Dockser — yes. Gage 1 2 2020 Select Board Liaison Assignments Anne Landry Mark Dockser Ad Hoc Human Rights Command/Public Safety Board of Health Council on Aging Human Relations Advisory School Committee Public Safety Audit Library Trustees RCN Communications [Reading Coalition[ Board of Registrars Economic Development Bylaw Committee Commissioners of Trust Funds Permanent Building Committee Carlo Bacci Community Development CPDC Recreation Vanessa Alvarado Ad Hoc Human Rights RMLD VASC School Committee ZBA ZBA Board of Cemetery Trustees Climate Advisory Constables Communications Historic District Commission Board of Assessors Historical Commission Cultural Council Reading Ice Arena Housing Authority Public Works RMLD CAB MWRA Advisory Karen Herrick Finance Committee RMLD VASC Climate Advisory Economic Development Animal Control/Appeals Celebration Committee Conservation Commission MAPC Town Forest Committee Trails Committee