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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-11-10 Subsequent Town Meeting Minutes COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETT Middlesex, ss. Officer' s Return, Reading: By virtue of this Warrant, I , on October 23, 1975, notified and warned the inhabitants of the Town of Reading, qualified to vote in elections and town affairs, to meet at the place and at the time speci- fied by posting attested copies of this Warrant in the following pub- lic places within the Town of Reading: Precinct 1. First National Stores , 275 Salem Street JOAnn' s Variety Store, 143 Salem Street Fire Station, 49 Pleasant Street Precinct 2, Dragon Corner Store, 206 West Street Hanson• s Service Station, 4 West Street Hurlburt Datsun, 4 Minot Street Precinct 3. Masonic Building, 604 Main Street Municipal Building, 16 Lowell Street Community Center, 52 Sanborn Street B & M Railroad Station, High Street Precinct 4. Zitzow' s Store, 287 Lowell Street Convenient Food Mart, 1349 Main Street Old Hose House, 1249 Main Street The date of posting being not less than seven days prior to Novem- ber 10, 1975, the date set for the meeting in this Warrant. I also caused an attested copy of this Warrant to be published in the Reading Chronicle in the issue of October 23, 1975, the same being more than seven days prior to the date of said meeting. (S ) Sally M. Hoyt Constable of Reading SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School Auditorium November 10, 1975 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Kenneth C. Latham, at 8:00 P. M. The invocation was given by Rev. Robert A. Walter of the Church of the Nazarene, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. The Warrant was partially read by the Town Clerk, when on motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted to dispense with further reading of the Warrant, except the Constable' s Return, which was then read by the Town Clerk. ARTICLE 1. A_ verbal presentation+ was made by Robert S. Cummings, for the Board of Selectmen, on the condition of the present Police Sta- tion, which was accepted as a report of progress. ARTICLE 1. The following report was read by George A. Theophanis, Chairman of the Reading Charter Commission: This is a brief report of the status of the Charter Commission' s efforts to draft a charter for the town. The commission has met weekly since April 23. We are working toward a deadline of December 12, when we must submit a preliminary draft of the charter to the Attorney Gen- eral for review. Following this there will be a two-month period dur- ing which changes can still be made in the draft. A public hearing will be held prior to the issuance of the final draft. Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 j :t "�. '. To date the commission has completed first drafts of articles per- taining to: Powers of the town Town Meeting Board of Selectmen '.. Chief Administrative Office Other Elective Offices Remaining to be completed are the articles pertaining to: Elections Recall Fiscal Procedure General Provisions Transitional Provisions These latter articles will be completed in the next two weeks with the remaining two weeks given to review of the entire charter draft. As the charter presently stands, it establishes a Selectmen-town meeting form of government with a town administrator supervising all de- partments under the Selectmen. The Town Meeting is strengthened through a system of standing committees acting similarly to the Finance Committee on articles not normally acted on by the Finance Committee. The Select- men' s role as chief policy formulaters is considerably strengthened. This is done partly by increasing their appointive power and partly through their control of the executive budget. The charter makes the greatest use of the home rule powers by plac- ing in the hands of several government bodies , mainly the Selectmen, with the approval of the town meeting, broad powers to reorganize the government both administratively and on the policy board level. This action exemplified the charter commission' s philosophy that the charter must provide to the town the means of reforming in an orderly fashion, but with an incentive to act in a decisive manner to accomplish those re- forms. The weeks ahead are extremely important since the entire charter 5 draft will be in review. Our meetings have been attended by various repre- sentatives of government bodies, private groups and by individuals, al- most all of whom have made contributions to the drafting process. The op- portunity to observe and contribute to this effort still exists, and as chairman of the commission I urge everyone who has an interest in town government to attend bur meetings. George A. Theophanis, Chairman Reading Charter Commission Thi-9 report was accepted as a report of progress. ARTICLE 1 . The following report was read by Charles W. Hewitt, of the Finance Committee for the Town Accounting Computer Committee: FINAL REPORT OF PROGRESS to TOWN MEETING REGARDING THE ACCOUNTING COMPUTER The 'last Annual Town Meeting directed a committee, consisting of the Treasurer, the Town Accountant, and a member of the Finance Committee, to purchase an accounting computer and related systems design work for the Town. A sum of $16 ,000. was appropriated for this purpose. The Town Accounting Computer Committee was subsequently organized in June. The Finance Committee appointed Charles W. Hewitt to serve with the Treasurer, James N. Boyd, Jr. , and the Town Accountant, Richard E. Gould. The first task for the Committee was to obtain the systems design. The Committee issued a request for proposal in the middle of July. The work was awarded to Price Waterhouse and Co. on the basis of their clear under- standing of our needs and their low bid quotation. The next task of the Committee was to prepare a comprehensive request for proposal to cover the accounting computer. Richard C. Andersen of Price Waterhouse joined with Mssrs. Gould and Boyd to do the systems design work. The results of this work were incorporated in the request for pro- posal package. Mr.. Andersen also gave helpful advice to the Committee re- garding the format and content of other parts of the package. Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 During this same period the School Department proceeded with its plan to acquire its own accounting computer. In early September the Committee and the School Department agreed to include both machines under a single request for proposal. There ap- peared to be a number of advantages for the Town by following this course of action. Therefore the Committee' s request for proposal was revised to include the School Department ' s needs. At this time Ronald A. Win- slow, Assistant Superintendent of the School Department, joined the Com- mittee in order to represent the interests of the School Department. The final task for the Committee was to issue the request for pro- posal and award the contracts for the machines. Four major vendors re- sponded to the request for proposal. The Committee screened each re- sponse in detail and found that the proposal from the Burroughs Corpora- tion was the best. Their proposal was the most economical of those that satisfied the criteria in the request for proposal . At the present time work is progressing on schedule towards getting the machines installed and running. The machines and software are to be delivered by the end of November. During December they will be thoroughly tested. By January the systems will be in regular operation. The Committee regrets to report that the sum appropriated for this project was insufficient. Because of higher than anticipated costs for the hardware and supplies, an additional $4,000. for the Town Account- ant ' s machine and an additional $3,420. for the School Department' s machine was necessary. Also, because expenses for site preparation were not anticipated in the Building Maintenance Department budget, an addi- tional $1,970. was necessary. The Finance Committee reviewed these re- quirements and approved transfers from the Reserve Fund to cover them. Charles W. Hewitt, Finance Committee Town Accounting Computer Committee This report was accepted as a report of progress. ARTICLE 1. The following report was read by Raymond R. Couture: REPORT OF STUDY COMMITTEE UNDER ARTICLE 20 , ANNUAL TOWN MEETING, 1975 This is the report of the Study Committee appointed by the Moder- ator under Article 20 of the Annual Town Meeting, 1975, relating to the appropriation of funds to place on the Veterans Memorial , opposite the Town Hall , additional names of Veterans, who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The Committee observed that the monument was not lighted at night, was partially hidden by overgrown bushes and that it was inscribed to generally honor the men and women of Reading who served in World War I , 1917-1918. The names of individual Veterans were not listed. After consideration, the Committee recommends that: 1. The monument be illuminated by installing a light to an existing Fmle or to an aluminum standard in- stalled for that purpose. 2. The bushes around the monument be trimmed or relo- cated to enhance the view of the site. 3. The monument be cleaned and painted. 4. The monument be further inscribed as follows: WORLD WAR II 1941-1946 KOREA 1950-1954 VIETNAM 1964-1973 5. A re-dedication ceremony be hid after the work has been completed. It is estimated that the cost would be $1200. Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 19751. 1' The Committee wishes to thank Russell Winam, Director of Veterans Services, J. Henry Vik, Superintendent, Cemetery Department, and Nor- bert Rhinerson, Manager, Municipal Light Department , for their assist- ance. Raymond R. Couture, Chmn Jean M. MacKilligan John J. Watson Dorothy M. Anderson This report was accepted as a final report and placed on file. ARTICLE 1. The following report was read by Harry F. MCRell , Jr. , Chairman of the Investigative Committee on services provided the town by the Eastern Middlesex Mental Health Association and by "735 Inc. " : REPORT OF INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE Appointed under Art. 3 Town Meeting June 5, 1975 "Article 3. On motion of Ara A. Karakashian it was voted that the Moderator appoint a Committee of five Town Meeting Members to investigate the services being provided to the Town by the Eastern Middlesex Mental Health Association and by "735 Inc. " and to report its findings to the next Annual Meeting. This Committee should determine the nature and extent of specific services being provided to school .age children and also the nature and extent of services being provided to adults. Statis- tics, indicating the number of residents being served in each service category, should be included in the report of the Committee. " INTRODUCTION The Committee has met several times during the late summer and fall , has attended an EMMHA board meeting and has interviewed various citizens, town and state officials , and representatives of EMMHA and 735 Inc. A considerable amount of descriptive and statistical material has been accu- mulated, and is appended to this report. One of our committee members, attempting to make comparisons of services offered in this and similar regions of the metropolitan area, found that the records in the State Re- habilitation Office are not available without written permission of each of the numerous organizations to be surveyed. EASTERN MIDDLESEX MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION, INC. This organization, serving the five towns of Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham and Wakefield, is an affiliate of the National and Mass- achusetts Mental Health Associations. It operates the Eastern Middlesex Guidance Center in Melrose in partnership with the Mass. Dept. of Mental Health. It is a private non-profit agency, incorporated as such in 1962, whose board of twenty-five is drawn equally from the five communities. The Mass. Dept. of Mental Health has assigned six staff positions to the Guidance Center, and the Association, through local tax support, has pro- vided additional staff positions as well as administrative and support costs. The staff of fourteen professionals is divided into two teams, one serving Melrose and Wakefield, and the other, Reading, North Reading and Stoneham. In Reading, the services of the Guidance Center come un- der the Board of Health (see P. 144 of the 1974 Annual Report) , and monthly statistical reports are submitted to the Board and to the State. Not in- cluded in these reports are the activities of approximately 100 volunteers, trained and supervised by the professional staff, who during the 12 months period ending June 30 , 1975 , provided over 9000 hours of direct service. The great bulk of the Guidance Center' s work is in the area of coun- seling and therapy - individual , couple, group, and family - with the last predominant. Included in these family services are play therapy, crisis intervention, psychological testing, chemotherapy, and referral for hos- pitalization, as needed. All ages from preschool to the elderly are in- cluded. During the fiscal year from July 1 , 1974 to June 30, 1975 there were 554 new cases logged at the Guidance Center, 38 reopened cases, and 806 cases closed. Of a total of 784 active cases during. the year 150 were from Reading. The total number of volunteer patient visits during this period, in Reading, was 1223, and the total units of family service at the Guidance Center were 3985. (A "unit" is a standard method of re- porting and is based on an hour of time; i.e, an individual interview is 1 unit, a complete testing procedure is 5 units, etc. ) . Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 In addition there are a considerable number of community services in which the Guidance Center staff is involved to a greater or lesser extent. Located in the various towns, many serve the whole Eastern Middlesex area. There are Community Nursery Schools in Reading and Wakefield to prepare retarded children 3 - 7 years old for public school. Of 7 children enrolled in the Reading school , 2 are from Reading. The Activity Centers in Melrose and Stoneham use "mind and body" therapy to improve youngsters ' self image. Here, 16 of the 92 parents and children enrolled are from Reading. "Our Place" in Stoneham, a drop in center for all ages, is becoming a model for other communities in a more in- formal approach to problem solving. Approximately 150 - 175 persons per week use the Center, and 600 - 700 hours of volunteer time per month are contributed to it. There is a Student Training Program in affilia- tion with Tufts, Northeastern University, Boston University, and Boston College, a Bridge Program for patients in the area being discharged from Danvers State Hospital , and Advocacy for the Elderly, an assessment and referral service. In all , Reading used only 78 units in this community service field. The third category of service is consultation in which Reading is shown to have used 420 units. Besides the school system of the five towns, consultation-liaison is offered to St. Patrick's Parochial School , the Combined Visiting Nurses Association, Melrose Visiting Nurses Associ- ation, Melrose Day Care Center, and the Council for the Aging in Melrose. The frequency and type of consultation provided the School Departments in each community is negotiated with them based on their specific needs. During the school year, 4 staff members of the Guidance Center provi-hd 5 hours of consultation on a scheduled weekly basis to the Reading School Dept. In September, the Guidance Center sponsored a one day Workshop for Reading teachers in values clarification and teacher effectiveness. Volunteer services where there is a one to one relationship with clients or where help is provided in a socialization group, all on a re- ferral basis, were provided to 531 clients for a total of 8927 client hours. The newest such socialization group is just getting under was at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Reading. For more detailed description of services and staff organization see Appendix 1 (4 pages ) . For breakdown of service statistics of the Guidance Center, see Appendix 2 (1 page) . For data on volunteer direct client service, see Appendix 3 ( 2 pages) . SEVEN THIRTY FIVE INC. Seven Thirty Five Incorporated is under the jurisdiction of the Division of Drug Rehabilitation in the Department of Mental Health of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Commonwealth is partitioned into seven regions and 735, Inc. , which serves 5 towns, i.e. Reading, N. Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield and Melrose, is situated in Region IV. 735, Inc. is one of the twelve institutions serving the towns in this region. Attempts have been made to carry out a study of the effectiveness of 735, Inc. in comparison with other institutions in and out of Region IV. However, due to the fact that a written permission is required to get access into each file and that the time is limited, it is not possi- ble to carry out the study as originally envisioned. Neverless, we have obtained some pertinent information on regional statistics and funding levels. Furthermore, the cooperation of 735, Inc. enables us to obtain the overall case load information of 735 (total services to all 5 towns ) . Since the size and the population density is not very much different be- tween these five towns, this information can shed some light on the case load distributions for the town of Reading. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the monthly case load and the case load distribution according to age for various regions are presented. The statistics suggest that Region IV is not different from other regions in need of services rendered by institutions such as 735, Inc. Figure 3 shows the funding levels for various regions from the State of Massa- chusetts. For the Fiscal Year 1974, 735, Inc. had a total budget of $145, 606. The State of Massachusetts provided $43,000. , approximately 30%. The rest came from the local governments , namely Reading, N. Read- ing, Stoneham, Wakefield and Melrose. The similar types of statistics on the overall services provided by 735, Inc. are shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In terms of age, the case load decreases with increasing age. For the age group less than 14, there are 10 cases while the number is 83 for the age group older than 24. Now, we will concentrate on the services delivered to the Town of Reading by 735, Inc. Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 157 Service No. of Reading Residents Served 1 . Long term individual counseling consisting of 1 - 1�j sessions 16 students per week. 2. Group for females who had shown statistics unavailable sexual identity problems. 3. Crisis intervention for students 10 students whose needs are immediate. (referrals from teachers, guidance counselors , etc. ) 4. Rick Riesenberg (735, Inc. staff statistics unavailable member) spent time in the after- noon "hanging out" with students in the back parking lot of the high school to remain close to Reading youths in hopes of head- off problems before they become full blown. 5. Individual counseling with one (of 6 persons per month two) of the outreach counselors. 6. Outreach Center 300 contacts per month with Reading youth 7. Crisis intervention of young persons statistics unavailable in immediate trouble with drugs, police or themselves. 6.. Family counseling 4 families 9. Counseling to persons over the age 5 persons of twenty-five. 10. 735 House - a long term residen- 1-1-74 to 12-31-74 tial therapeutic community for 9 Reading residents adolescents. (free to residents of used facility. Reading) 1-1-75 to 6-30-75 4 Reading residents 11. Outservice Counseling - a staff of counselors separate from the Outreach 7-1-74 to 6-38-75 counselors who can be called in in 13 Reading adolescents appropriate cases. 12. 735 Hotline - a 24 hour-a-day, 1-1-74 to 12-31-74 7 day per week hotline which acts as 860 calls from Reading a non-threatening method for people residents in trouble to make contact with an- 1-1-75 to 6-30-75 other person. 408 Reading calls 13. Crash Pad - a 3 bed overnight "crash 1-1-74 to 6=30-75 'pad whose primary purpose is to pro- 12 Reading adolescents vide a place where a young person can sleep for one night while he and 735 counselors work out a solution to whatever his problem may be. 14. Expedition 735 - a 5 to 7 day over- 7-1-74 to 12-31-74 night camping program to build con- 5 Reading residents fidence and cooperation. 7-1-75 to present 4 Reading residents /* For further details on 735, Inc. see Appendices 4 and 4A. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS We have available to us in Reading in these two organizations, EMMHA and 735, Inc. , facilities and persons trained to deal with a broad spec- trum of social problems. If difficulties have arisen in achieving maxi- mum utilization of the services offered, perhaps one solution is in re- vitalization of interested citizen and volunteer groups. These groups have traditionally initiated needed activities and provided the public- ity necessary to arouse public awareness. Another problem area lies in an occasional inability to match the needs of an agency with the services provided by these organizations. Such unresolved problems should be re- ferred to the Board of Health, and/or to Theodore Nalwalk of Reading, currently President of the EMMHA Board, or Thomas Wilton, President of 735 , Inc. Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 Our appreciation for their unstinted cooperation is extended to: Dr. A. J. Alexanian, Director of Pupil Services, Reading Schools Lawrence Jacobs, former Executive Director of 735, Inc. Phillip Klein, former Asst. Executive Director of 735, Inc. James Nugent, Health Officer, Town of Reading Mary Polychrones, member Reading Board of Health James O 'Malley, Executive Director, EMMHA, Inc. Harry F. McRell , Jr. , Chairman Shirley A. King Robert A. Pelosi Sumner H. Weston Peter K. S. Wu APPENDIX I Eastern Middlesex Guidance Center provides the following services to the communities of Melrose, Reading, North Reading, Wakefield, Stoneham. Although a program may be in one community, the program is for all com- munities. Out Patient Clinic Services 549-553 Lebanon Street, Melrose 662-6400 211 Summer Ave. , Reading 944-7225 N. Reading Public Library, N. Reading 664-6770 Our Place, Stoneham 438-1776 Staff: The staff is divided into two diagnostic-therapeutic geograph- ical teams; One team covering Melrose and Wakefield, the other covering Stoneham, Reading and N. Reading. Melrose-Wakefield Team Benjamin L. Chiampa, A.C.S.W. (Team Coordinator) (Psychiatric Social Worker) Clifford Cassidy, Ph.D. (Psychologist) Virginia Carlyn, M.S .W. (Psychiatric Social Worker) Pearl Janszen, Ed.M. (Psychologist) Paul Luchini , M.A. (Activity Center) (Psychologist) ] Patricia Greelish, M.A. (Crisis Intervention Team) (Psycholigist) J Stephanie Mizo, M.S.W. (Psychiatric Social Worker) Reading-No. Reading, Stoneham Team Esther Weissman, Ed.D. (Team Coordinator) (Psychologist) Richard Price, A.C.S.W. (Psychiatric Social Worker) Kenneth Rosenthal , Ed.M. (Psychologist) Lynn Cooper, Ed.D. (Psychologist) Constance Rosenberger, M.S. (Psychiatric Nurse) Kathleen Infeld, M.N.S . (Crisis Intervention Team) Anthony Ferrara, B.S. (Director of Activity Center) In addition to the above, Marjorie McDonald, M.D. (Clinic Director) , Robert Chatfield-Taylor, M.D. (Psychiatrist) and Geraldine Naidus, Ed.M. (Director of Volunteers) service both teams. General Services: Individual therapy, couple, group therapy, family therapy, play therapy, crisis intervention,psyhological testing, chemotherapy and referral for hospitalization as needed. Approximately 600-700 new cases are seen annually. In addition approximately 500 old cases are seen annually. There is no waiting list and a family is contacted by the Intake Secretary within twenty-four hours of the initial call and is seen as soon as possible and practical both for the therapist and patient. The patieiit is seen in one of the satellite offices when it is more convenient. Reading Community Nursery School : For approximately 12 children with retardation. Ages range from 3-7 years old. Goal is to help these youngsters enroll in a com- munity public school. Wakefield Community Nursery School: Same as Reading Community Nursery School, Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 151 Crisis Intervention Team: An outreach program to help families where a family member has been removed from the home because of psychiatric problems, incarcera- tion in a penal institution or there is an alcoholic problem. Our Place - (Holly Baylis, Director) - Unitarian Church, Stoneham Our place is designed to help take the sense of stigma out of prob- lem solving and to offer an informal community drop-in center which played down the "therapy" aspect of helping but approached this problem from a more social, educational , and personal growth modal- ity - hopefully a cheerful environment where dedicated, trained vol- unteers and professionals, working together, could provide a rein- forcing climate of trust and caring and where people in trouble, and healthy people could each come to interrelate and learn - each growing in the process. Our Place is becoming the model for other communities who can see the value of helping people become more competent and healthy through supportive, educational approaches such as workshops, seminars, group social programs, and sharing. It is seen as a bold new program for directly involving community persons as "helpers" in the mental health system. Also to train teachers, parents and others in child develop- ment problems. Activity Center: Located in the Nazarene Church, Melrose, and the Boys Club in Stoneham. Through "mind and body therapy" a youngster becomes aware of his po- tential and improves his or her self-image. Volunteer Program: Approximately 90 volunteers giving direct and/or indirect service to about 250 children and adults of the five communities. Volunteers, under Mrs. Naidus ' training and supervision, are "friendly visitors" to patients ' homes, carry on a social group with patients known as the Monday Morning Sunshine Group and the Night Owls. Volunteers visit Danvers State Hospital and become acquainted with patients of the five communities who are to be discharged to the community. This is to in- sure that these outgoing patients will not feel isolated or alone - they will have a friend. Volunteers have given 600-700 hours per month of their time to Our Place. Bridge Program with Danvers State Hospital: All discharged patients of the Eastern Middlesex area are referred to the Guidance Center for follow-up care and medication when neces- sary. Families of the discharged patients are involved in therapy as needed. Melrose Mini-School : Funded by the State Department of Education on contract with the Eastern Middlesex Mental Health Association. The director of the Activity Center in cooperation with personnel of the Melrose Schools is directing three "Activity Centers" in the Melrose Schools. Seven school personnel are being trained in this modality of treatment. Consultation is given to principals, guidance people, and teachers. In addition counselling is offered to the parents of the children involved. Student Training Program: Affiliation with Tufts University, Northeastern University, Boston University, and Boston College. Student training program and super- vision of master degree students in counseling, psychiatric nursing and social work. Approximately 12 students involved. Advocacy for the Elderly: (June Hall , B.S. - R.N. ) A program to provide direct services such as assessment of individual needs of the elderly and referral to appropriate community agencies. To work with the families of the elderly in getting needed services for their relatives. To work with those agencies around coordina- tion of services and development of new programs. To provide advocacy for the needs of the elderly. Consultation: The Guidance Center offers convRation-liaison to the following agencies: N. Reading School System - Staff Personnel as needed Reading School System - 11 " h m Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 Stoneham School System - Staff Personnel as needed Wakefield School System - " Melrose School System - " St. Patrick's Parochial - School Frequency of consultation and program formulated to meet the re- quests and needs of the school system. Combined Vusiting Nurses Association: Constance Rosenberger Melrose Day Care Center: Marjorie McDonald, M.D. Self-Help Groups: Consultation to Self-Help Groups by designated staff members. Melrose Visiting Nurses Association: Dr. Lynn Cooper Council for Aging in Melrose: Pearl Janszen APPENDIX 2 (Separate Sheet) APPENDIX 3 The following report summarizes direct client service provided by volunteers in programs sponsored by the Guidance Center. The volunteers have undergone training at the Center and maintain contact through the Director Of Volunteer Services. Program No. of Clients Client Hrs.Provided (1 ) Volunteers in all communities who are involved on a one to one basis 120 1723 with clients (9/71) ( 2) "Monday Morning Sunshine Group" 206 4890 All Saints Church, Stoneham (1/73) Socialization Group ( 3) "Night Owls" 118 1704 All Saints Church, Stoneham (1/73) Socialization Group (4) "Friends of the Round Table" 22 280 Socialization Group at Danvers State Hospital for area patients ( 2/75) ( 5) Medication Groups 65 330 Socialization Group at Guidance Center (1/75) Totals 531 6927 The totals do not include services provided by volunteers at either the "Activity Center" or "Our Place". The "Activity Center" also uses volunteers who usually work in conjunction with a therapist. "Our Place" has a much more flexible structure than any of the pre- vious listed activities and does not require a specific referral to en- ter the program. Volunteers perform a variety of functions (e.g. in- structors in crafts, arts, etc. ) helping to serve the approximately 150 to 175 clients who come on a weekly basis There are two additional services available to Reading residents. A new sohialization program has been started at the Episcopal Church. This program was initiated through efforts of several volunteers who had seen the need for such a program. We have recently revised the satellite office in Reading and it is now open two days a week. The Office is located on Summer Avenue. We have space in a residence which had been the "Loring House" and is owned by the Universalist Unitarian Church APPENDIX 4 In light of the fact that approximately 95% of 735 ' s Direct Services are delivered in school age persons, it will be more appropriate to de- lineate 735 services in the following manner. First, those delivered as a direct result of 735's contact with the School system and second, those services which were sought- by persons -outside of the School set- ting. There will be later sections of this report which will enumerate services delivered to adults and proposed time commitments by 735 Reading for the upcoming School year. In January of 1975 as a result of participation in the Adelphi Teams , discussions with School officials , and involvement with Reading' s youth, the two ( 2) 735 Outreach Counselors established temporary office Appendix 2 EASTERN MIDDLESER MENTAL 11EALT11 ASSOCIATION, INC. SERVICE STAT12aVT - GUIDANCE CENTER July 1, 1974 - June 30, 1975 A. CASE INTAKE 1974-197 1973"1974 New Cases 554 512 Reopened Cases 38 32 Closed Cases 806 341 B. CASE INTAKE DESCRIPTION Age 0-3 T 4-6 7-9 j 10-12 13-1516-18 19-21i 22-34 1 35 plus TOTAL Male 3 . 22 32 '33C) 23 '8 . 57 52 258 Female 1 9 11 9 20 1 19 I 27 112 89 2961 i TOTAL 4 j 31 i 43 I 39 50 4z 35 ' 169 141 i 554 t C. REFERRAL SOURCES Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Laymen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151 Other Agences . . . . . . . . . . .132 Self. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136 Total. . . . . .554 D. UNITS OF SERVICE E IMelrose V. Reading: Readinj Stoneh= Wakefield i TOTAL Family Service u. 6108 ' 2790 1; 3985 5820 4553 23,256 j Consultation U. 353 j 240 420 i 701 443 2,157 Community Service! 130 82 78 168 227 685 6689 6z23 I TOTAL mlT9 6591 3112 14483 i 27,098 Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 space in the Reading Memorial High School with at least one of the workers averaging a minimum of three ( 3) hours a day in the High School. From this time to the end of the School year, the 735 Outreach Counsel- ors were involved in the following direct services: (1) Sixteen (16) students were seen for long term individual counseling. This consisted of one (1 ) to one and one-- half (lg) sessions once a week. ( 2) Eileen Wiegand co-led a group with Franklin Burke. The group was for females who had expressed or displayed sexual identity problems. ( 3) Referrals from Teachers, Guidance Counselors , and Vice Princi- pals resulted in seeing ten (10) students who were in crisis. This type of crisis intervention usually involves a student whose needs are immediate. It could range from drug overdose to a major blowup at home that needs to be handled immediately. (4) Both Counselors, as mentioned before, were trained with and worked with the Adelphi Team. ( 5) Rick Riesenberg spends time in the afternoons "hanging out" with students in the back parking lot of the High School. This type of contact enabled Rick and 735 to remain close to and in touch with "what' s happening" in Reading with the intention of being able to anticipate problems and hopefully head them off before they become fullblown. Further services to school aged persons which were delivered directly at the 735 Reading Outreach Center on Chute Street included: (1 ) An average of six (6) persons a month in individual counseling with one (1 ) of the Outreach Counselors. ( 2) The Outreach Center averaged three hundred ( 300) contacts per month with Reading youth. A contact consists of anytime a young person enters the Center to see a Counselor for whatever the reason may be, even to stop by and say hello. ( 3) Further crisis interventions were required during the past year. These generally consisted of kids in immediate trouble with drugs or police or themselves. This is a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week service and 735 Counselors respond to these crises when- ever they occur (which usually seems to be on a Saturday or Sunday at 3:00 A. M. ) (4) Four (4) families were seen in the past year for counseling. ( 5) Five (5) persons over the age of twenty-five ( 25) were seen for counseling. Further services which were offered to Reading residents in the past year were as follows: (It is important to note here that these services are offered as a part of 735 "Core" programming and are not delivered directly in Reading. ) (1 ) 735 House - a long term Residential Therapeutic Community for adolescents - located in Melrose. At the present time, the State Rate Setting Commission has established a rate of $95.00/wk for one (1) person' s care in this Residency. It is free to Read- ing residents due to their contribution in the Town Budget to 735 Core programming. For the period January 1 , 1974 to Decem- ber 31 , 1974, nine (9) Reading adolescents °=a--re�,.ma were in residence at 735 House. The length of stay-ranged^from one (1 ) week up to six (6) months. From January 1 , 1975 to June 30, 1975, there have been four (4) Reading adolescents in residence at 735 House. (2) Outservice Counseling - This is a staff of Counselors separate from the Outreach Counselors who can be called in, in appropriate cases. This program saw thirteen ( 13) Reading adolescents from July 1 , 1974 to June 30, 1975. This staff is also used as Supervisors for the Outreach Counselors on Clinical questions. ( 3) 735 Hotline - This is a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week Hotline which acts as a non-threatening modality for people in trouble to make contact with another person. From January 1 , 1974 to December 31 , 1974, the Hotline received 860 calls from Reading ' subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 residents, From January 1 , 1975 to June 30, 1975 , the Hot- line has received 408 calls from Reading residents. (4) Crash Pad - As an adjunct service to the Hotline, 735 oper- ates a three ( 3) bed overnight "crash pad" . This is in the same building as our Hotline and is supervised by Hotline staff. Its primary purpose is to provide a place where a kid in crisis can sleep for one (1 ) night while he and Counselors from 735 work out a solution to whatever the pre- senting problem may be. From January 1, 1974 to June 30, 1975, twelve (12 ) Reading adolescents had need for this ser- vice. A final program service offered by 735 is "Expedition 735" . This is a five ( 5) to seven ( 7) day overnight camping program based on the "Outward Bound" model of confidence and cooperation building through camping and direct contact with the environment. For the period of July 1 , 1974 to December 31 , 1974, five ( 5) Reading adolescents participated in this program. Program operation was severely curtailed January 1 , 1975 due to end of State Funding. The program was refunded as of July 1 , 1975 and to date, four (4) Reading adolescents have participated in the pro- gram. The total cost of all of the above described services to the Town of Reading for the Fiscal 1975 period was $26,000.00. This can be broken down to cost for direct services (i.e. ; those delivered by 735 Outreach Counselors in Reading at both the High School and the Chute Street Center) $16, 680.00 and cost for Core programs ( i.e. ; Residency, Outservice Counsel- ing, Program Administration, Hotline, Expedition 735, Crash Pad) $9, 320.00. Using the 1974 Town Census Tigure of 23,850, that is a per capita cost of $1.09. The monthly billing rate during FY 1975 was $2, 166.66. For Fiscal 1976, 735 is maintaining a profile similar to Fiscal 1975, offering group, individual and family counseling, crisis intervention, drug education, activities , including planned leather workshop and a movie night with both informative and entertaining films; along with the full range Core programming described above which has been expanded to include an Alternative Home Placement program. This program, funded by the Office for Children, will enable 735 to license and make placements of youth in appropriate Foster Homes. Although it is still in the planning stage, a tentative figure of at least thirty ( 30) hours per week will be committed to the High School, This will probably break down to three ( 3) hours per day for each Out- reach Counselor five (5) days a week. For the Fiscal 1976 period, an annual funding voted was $28, 419.00. This breaks down to $18, 633.00 for direct services , and $9, 786.00 for Core Programming services. Again, using the 1974 Town Census figure of 23, 850, this gives a per capita cost of $1 .19. The monthly billing rate for FY 1976 is $2 , 366.66. See Appendix for Summary of Cost and Program Usage Figures. (Separate Sheets ) This report was accepted as a final report and placed on file. ARTICLE 1. The following report was read by Edward F. Fuller, Chairman of the Board of Library Trustees: At the last Town Meeting the Board of Library Trustees reported on its need for new facilities. The need is still there. In its search for more space, the Board of Trustees has been mindful not only of the physical needs of the Library, but of the potential cost to the town. Problems to be faced include the fact that if the site is not already owned by the town, it must be purchased at a fair market price. There is little open space in the down town area, and property large enough to accommodate a library becomes a costly proposition. Although several sites were considered, the Board felt that the one most suitable in terms of location and cost was the Community Center. This Board met with the Selectmen in June to ask them their plans for that building. In September we were told that no changes were contem- plated for that structure. APPENDIX (yA COST ITEMS FY 75 FY 76 Arnreal. Rate $ 26, 000.00 $ 28,419.00 MonLlily Rale 2,166.GG 2,355.56 Direct Service Cost 16,680.00 18 633.00 Core Pro-ramming Cost 9,320.00 9,785.00 Per Capra Cost 1.09 1.20 NUMBER OF READING RESIDENTS. RCCEIVING SERVICE Januaiy 1, .1974- Je.ruaty 1,. :L975- Decemner 31. 19,4 .June 36'1913 Individual Counseling A - - 16 o Group Counseling A 6 Core Evaluations A - 2 Crisis Intervention A - 10 (recorded) Individual Counseling . 6 per mo: average 6 per mo. average Family Counseling 4 I 2 o u w Counseling/ Persons a G 25 and older 5b 8 Drop In Contacts 300 per mo. average 300 per mo. average Residency 9 4 E Hotline Calls 860 408 ° Crash Pad 12 9 P o ..o Outservice Counseling 13b Expedition 735 5 4c A - Not working in schools b - July 1, 1974 - June 30, 1975 c - July 1, 1975 - Present Date � L .� �} 7-7 3 r -I/ t =.-.rte ---- 4444 EEOey �1 { --L, 4— t V-� -I-- 14 trr� . - - - l 1 I Ct-�- ! t t f . a LL iT Lq ` err =f = 4> r 40 {— t i I I _ - T ;"' 'PAFRb fjlV _0` - t F + _ o 17_-_ iL L2 l I � I Til FN I ju�i 3 -1-STirfE- FUNDtrtl �fi F��r�lfi K& �br�s� —� -- __E --- - An =-' "' M — � of {- 04 - FE HL _ zt -r —� I 43 -i. 71 7 7 -- i tt LL QL it AziI ow = --- Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 Our need for space is still a serious problem. Indeed Reading faces a hard choice - more space or reduced level of library service. Every effort has been made to make the best possible use of present facilities, and to insure that service keep pace with skyrocketing use. We cannot continue with the same facilities without seriously curtaining services. The most startling fact that I can report to you is that from 1950 when the last addition was added to the library building to this date, circulation has increaded 198%, and use continues to grow each year. This report was accepted as a report of progress. On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted to lay Article 1 on the table. ARTICLE 2. On motion of Carl H. Amon, Jr. , it was voted that the Finance Committee be instructed to furnish the following report: "All transfers from the Reserve Fund from July 1 , 1975 to date, in- cluding: Date of Transfer Department Involved Purpose of Transfer The reason why each transfer was for an extraordinary or unforeseen expenditure. Current balance in the Surplus Revenue Account. Unexpended balances at the end of the last fiscal year for School De- partment, Board of Public Works, Fire Department, Police Department and any other department in which there was more than $5,000. unexpended. Current status of negotiations with employees of Fire Department, Board of Public Works, School Custodians and Police Department. Whether or not there have been any changes in funds received from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or from the Federal government for any purpose since the last Town Meeting. " Elizabeth W. Klepeis, Chairman of the Finance Committee, reported on the above request as follows: TRANSFERS MADE FROM RESERVE FUND - 7/1/75-6/30/76 Original $175,000.00 Date 7/1 Repair of Boiler - Town Hall $2 , 500.00 172, 500.00 4/9 School Construction ACC ' t - Arbitration with Frasca 2, 000.00 170, 500.00 9/9 Town Hall Boiler & Town Clerk' s Radiators 3,875.00 166,625.00 9/18 Selectmen' s Clerical Salary - Switch- board Op. 10/1-11/30/75 1, 246. 50 165, 378. 50 9/16 Bldg Insp. Clerical Salary - 3 ,453.06 161 ,925.44 1/1-6/30/76 9/18 Town Acdtt Clerical Salary - 3, 453.06 158, 472. 38 1/1-6/30/76 9/18 Personnel Bd. Admin. Asst Salary 4,602.00 153,870. 36 1/1-6/30/76 9/16 Bldg. Maint. Police Custodian Salary 1 , 000.00 152, 870. 38 10/1-11/30/75 9/25 Acc 'ting Machine - 3 yr Lease - Print- 4, 000.00 148, 870. 38 Costs & Supplies 10/14 School Acc'ting Machine (add to 3,420.00 145,450. 38 $6,000, budgeted) 11/4 Bldg. Maint. - Moving Treas. , Acct. , 1 , 970.00 143, 480. 38 Cemetery Dept. REASONS UNFORSEEN OR EMERGENCY 7/1 Boiler broke down - unforseen - money voted so that Selectmen could go out to bid. 9/9 Unforseen - to try to win arbitrationandfinancial settlement from Frasca to correct spalling con at RMHS. 9/18 Unforseen - CETA Employees - funds ran out - Selectmen' s Clerical (Switchboard Operator) and Police Custodian - new positions which were being kept going until Town Meet- ing could approve or disapprove positions - transfer for 2 months salaries - other three positions were approved at Annual Town Meeting but not funded completely as CETA funds were expected. Transfer for 6 months salaries for these three positions. Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 9/25 Unforseen that supplies would be more than estimated at Annual Town Meeting. $3, 000. of this will be reimbursed by Middlesex Bank as payment for payroll checks 10/14 Unforseen that school accounting machine would be more than $6,000. budgeted. 11/4 Unforseen that moving costs for new accounting machine would be more than Building Maintenance Expense Budget could absorb. CURRENT BALANCE SURPLUS REVENUE 77i Surplus Revenue minus outstanding taxes equals Free Cash. The Free Cash figure is certified by the State Bureau of Accounts at the closing of a fiscal year (i.e. June 30th) and is thus available for Town Meeting use throughout the ensuing fiscal year. In this case until July 1 , 1976 - the certified figure: $373,908.00. The main reasons for this higher Free Cash figure: $154, 542. 33 Unexpended balances returned 56, 748.87 Higher than Est. receipts from Fed. Gov' t. 160, 932.00 Last year's Free Cash unexpended $372, 223. 20 Free Cash in FY 74-75 was $180,932. ; $20, 000. was expended. The $160, 932. was carried forward because of uncertainty whether State estimated receipts would be forthcoming at end of fiscal year. $440,000. came to Town from State on June 30, or we would have had a deficit. UNEXPENDED BALANCES School $38, 381.40 Public Works 45, 727.99 Police 3, 795.08 Fire 24,872. 22 Board of Health 5, 794. 79 Recreation 7, 068. 23 CURRENT STATUS OF NEGOTIATIONS Fire: Still in negotiation BPW: Settled for 11. 7% package; 9% retroactive to June 1st; 2% increase Jan. 1 • package also includes longevity, etc. Article 6 is financial need to fulfil settlement ($76,405. ) Schl Cust. :Contract settled - 10. 7% package. Article 13 for $44, 540. fulfills settlement. Police: Settled last spring and included in Annual Town Meeting budget - 11/7% package. ANY CHANGES IN FUNDS FROM STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT At Annual Town Meeting we committed and voted $254, 000. of Federal Revenue Sharing (Police and Firefighters Salaries) . At that time we estimated $330,000. would be coming in. The first quarterly payment was $94, 556. or a projected $378, 224. for the year. Thus the town would have $124, 224. uncommitted money under Federal Revenue Sharing. State receipts to Reading have been $1 , 300,000. through September. This leaves $3, 500, 000. left to come in over the course of the year. - estimated receipts: $4,800,000. At this time last year, we had $3, 726, 000. yet to come in, so we are somewhat ahead of last year in State payments for a corresponding time period. This report was accepted as a report of progress. Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 ARTICLE 2. On motion of Paul T. Metcalf, as amended by John B. Harker, it was voted that the Moderator appoint a committee of five Town Meeting Members to be known as the Site Selection and Police Sta- tion Building Study Committee to work with the Board of Selectmen. It shall be the duty of this committee to study the need of a new building, the means of funding and the cost of same; and to study the feasibility of remodeling the existing building to make it more accept- able for Police Department use. Further, that the Selectmen be and they hereby are instructed to turn over to this committee all reports, studies and plans having to do with the police station building and site locations. A report of the committee shall be brought to the next Special or Annual Town Meeting and the necessary article or articles shall be in- serted in the warrant as time allows. On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted to lay Article 2 on the table. ARTICLE 3. On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted that the Town authorize the payment during the year 1976 of bills remaining un- paid for previous fiscal yearsi for goods and services actually rendered to the Town, and transfer from available funds and appropriate the sum of Nine Hundred Seventy Six and 55/100 Dollars ($976. 55) for payment of: City of Boston, Tuition $19.80 City of Boston, Tuition, Adult 255.50 Massachusetts Gen eral Hospital 130.00 Ca Ps 'PUl 1On for 180.00 Handicapped Children Carroll School , Tuition for 180.00 Handicapped Children Town of North Reading, Tuition, 12.00 Evening, Practical Arts Vincent Perlo, Psychological 25.00 Testing Winchester Cab, Handicapped 42.00 Child Woburn Street X-Ray, Inc. , 33.00 Psychological Testing Dr. Anthony Nigro, Psychological 15.00 Testing Aid to Agriculture 84.25 157 voted in the affirmative 0 voted in the negative (9/10th vote required) ARTICLE 4. On motion of Maurice C. Proctor, Jr. , it was voted that the Town transfer from available funds and appropriate the sum of Eighteen Hundred Dollars ($1 ,800.00) for the financing of projects sponsored by the Reading Bicentennial Commission. ARTICLE 5. To see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, and appropriate to fund the Fire Department Collective Bargaining Agreement, or take any other action with respect thereto. On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted that Article 5 be indef- initely postponed. ( ARTICLE 6. On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted that the sum of Seventy Six Thousand Four Hundred and Five Dollars ($76,405.00) be transferred from available funds and appropriated for the Board of Public Works as follows, each item being considered a separate appro- priation: Salaries for the Public Works Department $61.155.00 Salaries for Construction, Maintenance and Operation of Water Works 15 , 250.00 Subsequent Town Meeting November 10, 1975 On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted that this meeting stand adjourned until Thursday, November 13, 1975, at 8:00 P. M. , to meet in the Memorial High School Auditorium. Meeting adjourned at 11 : 25 P. M. 170 Town Meeting Members were present. A true copy. Attest: �j - -- i L wrence Drew, Town Clerk ADJOURNED SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School Auditorium November 13, 1975 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Kenneth C. Latham, at 8:00 P. M. The invocation was given by Rabbi Mordecai Scharf of Temple Eman- uel , Wakefieldti followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. ARTICLE 7. On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted that the Town create the position of Switchboard Operator in Town Hall at Grade V and the position of Police Custodian at Grade VIII and transfer from available funds and appropriate the sum of Seven Thousand Eighty Five and 10/100 Dollars ($7, 085.10) for the purpose of funding these posi- tions. On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted to take Article 1 from the table. ARTICLE 1. A verbal report was given by Robert S. Cummings, which was accepted as a report of progress, regarding the Police Station. ARTICLE 1. The following report was read by Ruth E. Johnson for the Conservation Commission: REPORT OF PROGRESS CONCERNING HOPKINS FARM In accordance with the instruction under Article 70 of the Adjourned Annual Town Meeting of May 22, 1975, the Conservation Commission has been investigating the possibility of the purchase by the Town of Reading of the twenty-four acres of land off Walnut Street commonly known as "Hop- kins Farm" , or of any portion of this land. We have met with the prospective developer of this tract of land in regard to the purchase of all or part of it. He has been proceeding with the planning and engineering for development of forty-nine house lots and with the necessary subdivision and wetlands approvals, but he has indicated to us a willingness to negotiate a sale of a portion of the land. At this time no final decisions have been made on what por- tion or portions may be offered for sale to the Town. It is our intention to continue these discussions and to come to the Annual Town Meeting with a constructive proposal for purchase of a part of Hopkins Farm for conservation and/or recreation purposes. This report was accepted as a report of progress. ARTICLE 1. The following report was read by Frank E. Graupner of the Municipal Light Department: In the spring, 1975 Town Meeting, a specific question was asked relative to the general Birch Meadow and High School Area relative to street lighting. Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 jn� Following Town Meeting, our Engineering Department reviewed street lighting on public streets around all town public schools and have made the following changes: PEARL STREET SCHOOL Changed one 100 watt mercury fixture to 175 watt on Pearl Street. LOWELL STREET SCHOOL Installed two new 175 watt mercury fix- tures, one on Lowell Street and one on Hartshorn Street. HIGHLAND SCHOOL Changed two 189 watt incandescent fix- tures to 100 watt mercury on Dudley Street. Changed three 189 watt incan- descent fixtures to 100 watt mercury and added one 100 watt mercury on School Street. Installed one new 100 mercury fixture-on Deering Street. READING HIGH SCHOOL Changed six 175 watt mercury fixtures to 400 watt mercury on Oakland Road and changed one 175 watt mercury fixture to 400 watt mercury on Parkview Road. PARKER JR. HIGH Changed four 189 watt incandescent fix- tures to 100 watt mercury on King Street. In addition, we installed new brackets on three of fixtures. JOSHUA EATON SCHOOL Changed one 100 watt mercury fixture to 175 watt mercury on Oak Street. Replaced glassware on two existing fixtures on Summer Avenue to improve light distribution. PROSPECT STREET SCHOOL Installed one new 100 watt mercury fix- ture on Prospect Street. BARROWS , BIRCHMEADOW,KILLAM Existing lighting was determined to be ade- AND COOLIDGE JR. HIGH SCHOOL quate. In addition to those changes, we have requested the Board of Public Works to have their tree trimming crew trim around street lights on Temple Street , Middlesex Ave. , and the entrance to Parker Junior High so the street lights can properly illuminate the streets in those areas. Our crews have also replaced parts of the floodlights at the Birch- meadow Drive basketball courts damaged by vandals. The work above required material and labor expenditures of $1 ,811.94, which includes repair to the Birchmeadow floodlights of $530.10. Vandalism is our most serious problem in maintaining street and area lighting equipment. There are no street or area light fixtures being man- ufactured which are not fairly easy to damage and continue to give ade- quate light. Our situation is much the same as other utilities through- out the country. We are advised manufacturers are working on a better street light fixture which will be able to sustain a reasonable amount of abuse without breaking, and, at the same time, give the needed illumi- nation that we require. When these are available, we will utilize them where it is necessary. The cost of vandalism is high; for example, in May and June of this year fixtures in the area of the High School cost $1 , 172.00, which again includes the floodlighting of the basketball courts. This report was accepted as a report of progress. On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted to lay Article 1 on the table. ARTICLE B. To see if the Town will vote to create a Historical. Com- mission pursuant to the provisions of Section BD of Chapter 40, and vote to accept the provisions of said Statute, or take any other action with respect thereto. On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted that Article 8 be indef- initely postponed. Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 ARTICLE 9. On motion of John B. Pacino it was voted that the Town transfer from available funds and appropriate the sum of Six Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($6, 500.00) for the maintenance and repair of the Swimming Pool. ARTICLE 10. On motion of John H. Russell it was voted that the Town accept the layout, relocation and alteration of the public highway known as Grove Street from Mark Avenue to Henzie Street as laid out, altered and relocated by the Board of Public Works by instrument dated October 27, 1975, and as shown on a plan entitled "Relocation and Alter- ation of a Portion of the Sidelines of Grove Street" , E. Roger Louanis, Superintendent, dated July 1975 , both of which are filed in the Office of the Town Clerk, and that the Town authorize the Board of Public Works to acquire by purchase, gift, eminent domain or otherwise, the fee or rights of easement in the land which is necessary to alter and relocate Grove Street according to said instrument and plan and that the sum of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) be transferred from the previously appro- priated funds under Article 46 of the Adjourned Annual Town Meeting May 8, 1975, for the cost of such acquisition, such sum to be expended by and under the direction of the Board of Public Works. REPORT OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS ON THE RELOCATION AND ALTER- ATION OF A PORTION OF THE SIDELINES OF GROVE STREET The Board of Public Works of the Town of Reading having determined and adjudged that common convenience and necessity require that the pub- lic highways be laid out relocated or altered as and in the locations hereinafter described, having complied with all requirements of law relating to notice to the owners of land thereof and of a hearing thereon, and having met at the time and place appointed for such hear- ing and then and there heard all persons present who desired to be heard have laid out, relocated or altered as public highway, for the use of the Town, a section of Grove Street between two previously accepted portions of the 1935 Street Acceptance of Grove Street boundaries and measurements of said way as so laid out are as follows: Beginning at a point, said point being on the Northeasterly termi- nus of a portion of the 1935 Street Acceptance of Grove Street; Thence N 410 24' 00" E, a distance of 77. 76 feet to a point, said point being a point of curvature; Thence by a curved line to the right having a radius of 30100 feet, a distance of 34. 24 feet to a point; Thence N 540 54 ' 40" E, a distance of 50.84 feet to a point, said point being a point of curvature; Thence by a curved line to the right having a radius of 21. 39 feet, a distance of 40.95 feet to a point, said point being a point of curva- ture; Thence by a curved line to the left having a radius of 226.00 feet, a distance of 116.92 feet to a point, said point being a point of curva- ture. Thence by a curved line to the right having a radius of 22. 27 feet, a distance of 30.40 feet to a point; Thence N 850 05 ' 35" E, a distance of 5. 61 feet to a point; Thence N 20 45 ' 12" E, a distance of 40. 35 feet to a point; Thence S 850 05 ' 35W, a distance of 1 .46 feet to a point , said point being a point of curvature; Thence by a curved line to the right having a radius of 29.97 feet, a distance of 42.19 feet to a point; said point being a point of curva- ture; Thence by a curved line to the left having a radius of 226.00 feet, a distance of 19. 31 feet to a point, said point being on the Southeast- erly terminus of a portion of the 1935 Street Acceptance of Grove Street; Thence S 700 43 ' 10" W, a distance of 40.00 feet to a point, said point being a point of curvature on the Southwesterly terminus of a por- tion of the 1935 Street Acceptance of Grove Street; Thence by a curved line to the right having a radius of 186.00 feet, a distance of 196.99 feet to a point; Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13 , 1975 169 Thence S 410 24' 00" W, a distance of 152.88 feet to a point, said point being on the Northwesterly terminus of a portion of the 1935 Street Acceptance of Grove Street; Thence S 480 36' 00" E, a distance of 40.00 feet to the point of beginning of this description. The above described lines being more fully described on a plan en- titled "Relocation and Alteration of a Portion of the Sidelines of Grove Street" , dated July 1975, E. Roger Louanis , Superintendent and filed in the office of the Town Clerk of said Town on the twenty-eighth day of October 1975 and said Plan being a part of this description. The names of the owners of the land taken or affected are as follows: Supposed Owners as of Plat Lot Area of Taking July 1 , 1975 No. No. Robert B. Coombs and Irene V. Coombs 122 39 84 Sq. ft. More or Less Robert J. Buttery and Agnes L. Buttery 122 25 223 " " Ralph B. Davis and Charlene R. Davis 122 22 415 " " Ralph B. Davis and Charlene R. Davis 122 23 111 " Ronald S. Terciak and Carole A. Terciak 122 24 5 " John J. Meehan and Marjorie L. Meehan 128 16 151 " Harold E. Tinney and Suzann M. Tinney 121 62 230 " " A. Andrew Kiezulas and Mary E. Kiezulas 121 61 430 " " This laying out, relocation or alteration so made by us we hereby report to the Town for acceptance and recommend that when this report is accepted and adopted by the Town, that said public Highway shall there- after be laid out , relocated or altered in accordance with said Plan. No betterments are to be assessed for this improvement. Witness our hands at Reading this 27th day of October, 1975. (s) John H. Russell , Chairman Paul C. Dustin, Secretary Lawrence R. Blood John W. Price Alexander T. Botka Board of Public Works 151 voted in the affirmative 1 voted in the negative ( 2/3rd vote required) ARTICLE 11. On motion of David F. Ham it was voted that the Town amend Article XXIV of the By-Laws of the Town by adopting in its entirety the revision and recodification of the provisions of that By-Law, as con- tained in a 16-page document entitled "Town of Reading Personnel By-Law, Article XXIV of General By-Laws" and dated November, 1975, and substit- uting the provisions contained in that document for those of Article XXIV as currently in effect. TOWN OF READING PERSONNEL BY-LAW ARTICLE XXIV of GENERAL BY-LAWS Personnel Board Members: David F. Ham, Chairman Leo R. Campbell David W. Kruger James J. Fandel John C. Newman James H. Morley, Personnel Admin. Asst. ' Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 CONTENTS Page SECTION 1 - DEFINITIONS 1 SECTION 2 - APPLICABILITY 1 SECTION 3 - PERSONNEL BOARD 2 SECTION 4 - CLASSIFICATION and COMPENSATION PLANS A. Classification Plan 3 B. Compensation Plan - Adminis- tration of Overtime Compen- sation 4 SECTION 5 - EMPLOYMENT, TRANSFER, PROMOTION A. Employment 6 B. Transfer and Promotion 7 SECTION 6 - SERVICE CREDIT 7 SECTION 7 - BENEFITS AND WORKING CONDITIONS A. Sick Leave 7 B. Funeral Leave 8 C. Military Leave 8 D. Juxy Service 8 E. Maternity Leave 9 F. Leave of Absence 9 G. Holidays 9 H. Vacations 9 SECTION 8 - COMPLAINT PROCEDURE 10 SECTION 9 - Appeals 10 SECTION 10 - CIVIL SERVICE 10 ■■ SECTION 11 - EFFECT OF INVALIDITY 10 SECTION 12 - AMENDMENTS 10 SECTION 1 - DEFINITIONS (Page 1 ) Board - The Personnel Board Department - Any department, board, committee, commission or other agency of the Town subject to this By-Law. Department Head - The officer, board chairman or other authority having immediate supervision and control of a depart- ment. Exempt Employee - An employee normally not entitled to receive overtime compensation. Non-Exempt Employee - An employee entitled to receive overtime compensation. Full-Time Employment--Employment for not less than seven and one- half hours for five days a week for fifty-two weeks, minus legal holidays, paid vacations and other auth-- orized leaves of absence. Part-Time Employment - Employment for less than full-time as de- fined above. Position - An office or post of employment in the Town' s service with duties and responsibilities calling for full- time or part-time employment of one person in the p=er- formance and exercise thereof. Permanent Position - Any position in the Town service which is in- tended by the Town to require the services of an em- ployee without interruption, for an indefinite period of time, which shall in no event be less than one (1 ) year, either on a full or part-time basis. Temporary Position - Any position in the Town service which is in- tended by the Town to require the services of an em- ployee for a fixed term of less than one (1 ) year. Town - The Town of Reading. Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13 , 1975 171 SECTION 2 - APPLICABILITY This By-Law shall apply to all Town Departments , except the School Department and Municipal Light Department, and to the positions of all employees in the service of the Town except those under jurisdiction of said School and Municipal Light Departments, those filled by popular elec- tion and certain positions the incumbents of which render intermittent or casual service; unless specifically and otherwise excepted, wholly or in part, by statute, collective bargaining agreement or other by-law or regulation superior to this. All provisions of this By-law shall apply to all covered Departments and positions unless excepted as stated above. Specifically, the Class- ification and Compensation Plans included hereunder as Schedules A and B respectively shall apply only to positions definitely included therein. (Page 2) If the School Committee or Municipal Light Board shall vote to have certain of its employees come under the provisions of this By-law, they shall be included under the terms. In order that the best interest of the Town shall be served, it is urged that the School Committee and the Municipal Light Department confer, at regular intervals , with the Personnel Board at least twice a year and exchange information on wages, salaries, hours and conditions of employ- ment of Town and School Department employees , other than professional em- ployees under the School Committee, to minimize inequalities which could prove detrimental to the interests of the Town. This By-law recognizes the Towns moral and legal obligations to establish personnel policies and administer personnel practices without regard to race, creed, sex, age or national origin. SECTION 3 - PERSONNEL BOARD To administer this By-law, there shall be a Personnel Board, herein- after called the Board, consisting of five members as follows: One member of the Finance Committee, such member to be chosen by the Finance Commit- tee; and four members to be appointed by the Board of Selectmen. All members shall be citizens of the Town, but shall not be Town Officers, nor employees of the Town, nor members of any standing board, commission or committee of the Town, except for the aforementioned Finance Committee member and except that any or all may be Town Meeting Members. All members shall serve without compensation. (A) Appointments to the Board. The term of appointment for all members shall be for three years. To preserve continuity among the membership, the beginning and ending of terms shall be staggered, insofar as is practical , over a three year period. If any member of the Board shall resign or otherwise vacate his of- fice before the expiration of his term, a successor shall be appointed as provided above, to serve for the balance of the unexpired term. Each member of the Board shall serve until his syccessor has been appointed. All members may be re-appointed to successive three year terms. (B) Organization of the Board The Board shall meet and organize as soon as passible after July 1st of each year. At said meeting it shall elect its own Chairman and any other officers it may deem necessary to conduct its business. In the event a vacancy occurs in the Office of Chairman or any other office, the Board shall elect a successor from its membership. (C) Voting A majority of the total membership of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the vote of a majority of the members attending and voting shall be necessary for any official act of the Board. (D) Employing Assistance and Other Expenses The Board may employ assistance and incur expenses as it deems neces- sary, subject to appropriation by the Town of funds therefore. (E) Workspace The Selectmen shall furnish the Board with such meeting room it may require for the performance of its duties and adequate space and facili- ties for the storage of its property. (F) Authority of the Board The Board shall have all the powers and duties specified in Section 108c of (Page 3) Chapter 41 of the General Laws. `! Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 The Board is hereby authorized to administer the provisions of this By-law except for such duties as may be specifically assigned by statute or other by-]a to other town officers, boards, commissions or committees. The Board may, as it deems necessary, issue, amend or revoke ad- ministrative orders to insure compliance with the provisions of this By-law, votes of the Town and such State and Federal statutes and ad- ministrative and executive orders pertaining to personnel administra- tion as the Board may be responsible for administering and/or enforcing. Appeals from decisions of the Board may be taken to the Board of Select- men and/or the Town at the next Annual or Special Town Meeting. 7 Except as otherwise provided by law, the Board shall have access i to all facts, figures, records and other information relative to the J personnel of Town Departments subject to the provisions of the By-law, and the same shall be promptly furnished by such department whenever so requested by the Personnel Board, and in such form as the Board may re- quire. (G) Meetings The Personeh Board shall meet regularly (once each month in at least ten (10) months of every year) for the transaction of business , and it shall'.hold such special meetings as may be called by the Chairman, or directed by vote of the Board. The Board shall keep a record of its official proceedings which shall be available on reasonable notice for public inspection. SECTION 4 - CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION PLANS (A) Classification Plan The Personnel Board shall establish an official Classification Plan which is hereby designated Schedule A and made a part hereof, classify- ing by Occupational Class and spe ifi Sob Title and assign' n to Pa t hlpo�ni In the se vice o g,, Toga other �ili$f gc5 &@�'�@dPnI@ `e@2i�R°�- ifit{afifi g4n ,F§lpse -e see are spe�yf iT y ex- above. Such Plan shall cons ti u e as ification Plan of the Town within the meaning of Section 108A of Chapter 41 of the General Laws. The Job Title of each position as established by the Classification Plan shall be the official title of such position and of the incumbent of such position and shall be used to the exclusion of all others for all purposes relating to the position, including but not limited to payrolls and official records. Before any individual may be hired, transferred or promoted into any newly established position, the Personnel Board shall approve the class- ification by Job Title and Pay Grade. Requesting departments shall seek such classification approval in advance of any request for funds. The Personnel Board may from time to time, as it deems appropriate, investigate and review the work of any position subject to the provisions of this By-law and reclassify such position as required. The Board shall maintain and may require of department heads, written job definitions for positions classified under the Classification Plan, including statements describing the kind of work, the distinguishing feature of the work and such illustrative examples of duties as may be deemed appropriate. The Board may from time to time cause such written definitions to be amended. Job definitions for any job shall be inter- preted as descriptive only and not restrictive. That is , they shall be construed solely as a means of classifying said job and not as prescrib- ing what the duties or responsibilities any job shall be, nor as modify- ing Oq'in any way affecting the power of any administrative authority to assign duties to or direct and control the work of any employee un- der the jurisdiction of such authority. (Page 4) 1 Whenever a new position is established or when the duties of an ex- ■ isting position are so changed as, in effect, to create a new position, J the Board may amend a job classification or add a new classification ten- tatively to the Classification Plan, subject to the subsequent ratifica- tion of its action by formal amendment of the Plan by vote at the next Special or Annual Town Meeting_ . (B) Compensation Plan The Personnel Board shall establish a Compensation Plan which is hereby designated Schedule B and made a part hereof, establishing quali- fication point ranges and minimum and maximum compensation rates for each Pay Grade. Such Plan shall provide for rate progression from min- imum to maximum through the rate ranges. In no case shall the maximum rate be exceeded. The Compensation range established for any Pay Grade shall be the range for all positions assigned by Job Title to that Pay Grade. Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 111M The rates set forth in Schedule B shall constitute the Compensation Plan of the Town within the meaning of Section 108A of Chapter 41 of the General Laws. ADMINISTRATION OF COMPENSATION PLAN 1. Policy Statement It is the policy of the Town of Reading to pay its employees fairly and equitably. Such rates of pay shall reflect both experience and performance levels of individuals within the various salary grades. 2. Responsidlity Applicable managers of town departments are responsible for the implementation of this policy and for adhering to the guidelines set forth. The Personnel Board is responsible for monitoring this policy. No exceptions to this policy will be allowed without prior approval of the Personnel Board. 3. Starting Pay Rates A: Individuals must be paid no less than the minimum pay rate of the applicable labor grade. B: A manager may approve a starting salary up to the midpoint of the applicable salary range. Consideration of a start- ing salary above the minimum must be based on skill and experience. C: Starting pay rates which exceed Para. 3-13 above must have prior approval of the Personnel Board. 4. Mandatory Reviews - Non-Exempt Employees A) All new, promoted, or transferred employees will be re- viewed for performance purposes no more than six months after assuming their assignment. B: All new, non-exempt employees must be reviewed for compen- sation purposes no later than six months after date of hira. If an employee is retained, based on his/her performance review (Para 4-A) , such employee must be granted a salary increase of no less than 5%. The same procedure shall be repeated on an employee's first anniversary. (Page 5) C: All salary increases in excess of that recommended for "Good" performance under Schedule B which are proposed under this section are subject to prior approval of the Personnel Board. 5. Mandatory Reviews - Exempt A: All new, promoted, or transferred employees will be reviewed for performance purposes no more than twelve months after assuming their assignment. B: All new, exempt salaried employees must be reviewed for com- pensation purposes no later than twelve months after date of hire. If an employee is retained, based on his/her perform- ance review (Para. 5-A) , such employee must be granted a sal- ary increase of no less than 5%. Subsequent reviews shall be subject to Section 6, Merit Salary Reviews. C: All salary increases in excess of that recommended for "Good" performance under Schedule B which are proposed under this section are subject-to prior approval of the Personnel Board. 6. Merit Salary Reviews A: All Town employees shall be reviewed for compensation pur- poses, based on merit, at least annually. B: Merit Salary Increases, except as provided in 4-B and 5-B above, shall be granted by Merit Ratings according to the information as shown in Schedule B. C: All Merit Salary Increases shall be apart from adjustments which may be recommended by the Personnel Board and approved by Town Meeting. Part-time employees shall receive pro-rated compensation at the hourly rate applicable to the job on a full-time basis. Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 The rates shown in Schedule B shall constitute the total remunera- tion for anyjosition, including pay in any form, unless specific excep- tion is noted. They shall not include actual and authorized expenses necessarily incident to the employment. No employee shall work nor re- ceive compensation in any form from more than one department at one and the same time, for full or part-time work. All employing authorities are charged with these responsibilities. Temporary employees shall be paid at a rate established by the de- partment head after approval by the Personnel Board, Individuals temporarily serving the Town who are funded by state or federal programs shall be compensated at rates set by such programs or, � if no such rate is set, at a rate recommended by the Personnel Board which is nearest to the appropriate Job Title and Pay Grade in which the employee is to perform. Temporary employees whose pay may be funded in part by state or fed- eral programs, subject to approval by Town Meeting, may be supplemented in an amount recommended by the Personnel Board, which is necessary to prop- erly relate them to the appropriate Job Title and Pay Grade in which they are to perform. Cooperative or placement training college students serving the Town shall be compensated at rates recommended by the Personnel Board. (Page 6) OVERTIME COMPENSATION Non-exempt employees whose customary work week is thirty-seven and one half hours shall be paid overtime at the rate of straight time for hours worked in excess of thirty-seven and one half in any given work week through forty hours, thereafter at time and one half the basic hourly rate. For non-exempt employees whose customary work week is forty hours, over- time at the rate of one and one-half times the regular rate shall be paid for hours worked, in excess of forty in any work week. Exempt employees normally are not to be paid overtime. Under condi- tions which shall be defined by the Superintendent of Public Works, as those wherein, the work cannot be postponed, certain employees may be paid overtime if hours actually worked in any regular work week exceeds forty (40) . They shall be paid for all hours worked in excess of forty in any work week at an hourly rate which shall be computed on their J weekly salary divided by forty. SECTION 5 - EMPLOYMHN,T, TRANSFER AND PROMOTION (A) - Employment All applicants for employment with the Town departments cov- ered by this law, will fill out and sign an Application For Employment form. Exceptions will be made only for emergency, temporary employment of not over ten (10) days duration. This form will contain pertinent informa- tion relative to the employee and his employment record for the last three places of employment. - If the Department Head considers the application as satisfact- ory for employment, he will make an appointment for a physical examina- tion at the Town' s expense, in accordance with Article XXV of the By-Laws of the Town. If upon successful completion of the examination, a Depart- ment Head reaches a decision to hire an applicant, he will initiate a Personnel Action Form and forward same to the Personnel Board. If the position being filled is an existing one the Depart- ment Head will indicate the Job Title, Pay Grade and starting rate of pay as arrived at according to the Compensation Plan. Such action if it does not exceed the provisions of sub-section 3-B under Administration Of Compensation Plan, requires concurrence only by the Personnel Board. If the position being filled is a new one requiring classification or if J the starting rate exceeds the starting salary provision stated in sub- section 3-B under Administration of Compensation Plan the Department Head will follow the same procedure, but such action shall require prior appro- val by the Personnel Board. (B) - Transfers and Promotions (1) The Town encourages a policy of promoting from within. The decision as to selection for transfer rests with the department where the vacancy occurs subject to approval of the Personnel Board. When a vacancy is filled by transfer consideration shall be given to employees according to performance and length of service. h(2)Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 ! -' 1- (2) When an employee is permanently promoted to a higher job class- ification, he will receive no less than the minimum of the rate range for the new job and no less than his present rate of pay. (Page 7) ( 3) when an employee is transferred to a lower job classifica- tion, he will receive the maximum of the job classification to which he is transferred or his existing rate, whichever is lower. A person filling a higher job classification temporarily while the incumbent is absent on vacation or sick leave will not be paid at the higher rate. Pay for longer term temporary transfers or promotions will be considered on an individual basis upon recommendation of the Department Head to the Personnel Board. SECTION 6 - SERVICE CREDIT Service to the Town shall be determined as the service accrued by a permanent employee, commencing from the date of employment, which is un- interrupted except by military service or other authorized leave of absence. Termination for any reason shall constitute a break in service. If a former employee of the Town returns to the service of the Town and completes at least five years of continuous full-time service following such return, the amount of continuous full-time service immediately preceding the in- terruption of his work for the Town shall be added to the five years of current full-time service to compute a new Service Credit date. SECTION 7 - BENEFITS AND WORKING CONDITIONS The following benefits apply to all permanent employees of the Town subject to this by-law whose regular work week is twenty ( 20) hours or more. Any monetary payment to part-time employees resulting from appli- cation of any of these benefits shall be made on a pro-rata basis , based on the average hours worked for the four pay periods immediately preceding the period in which such payment falls. (A) Sick Leave All permanent full or part-time employees who have completed thirty ( 30) continuous weeks of employment shall be eligible for payment from accrued sick leave for days absent due to illness or injury. Sick leave shall be accrued on the basis of 14 days per month of service, beginning on the first day of the month of employment and the total sick leave may be allowed to accumulate, if unused in any year, un- til such accumulated days reach ninety. When absence by reason of sickness or injury is for a period of five consecutive days or more, the Department Head shall require the em- ployee to submit a letter from a regularly licensed practicing physician giving the diagnosis and prognosis before the employee shall be entitled to leave with pay. The Town reserves the right to send a physician at its expense to examine the employee. If an employee' s accumulated leave with pay is about to be ex- hausted and he has no remaining vacation, holiday or other leave days, he or she may make application for up to an additional thirty days of leave with pay. The Department Head shall require the employee to submit a letter from a regularly licensed practicing physician giving the diagnosis, prognosis and expected date of return to work. Determination of eligibil- ity for pay will be made upon the recommendation of the Department Head to the Personnel Board which is authorized to grant such allowance as it may determine is equitable after reviewing recommendations of the Depart- ment Head and all other circumstances, including the employee' s attendance and performance records supporting his request for the additional allowance. (Page 8) When absence is compensable under Workmen's Compensa- tion Law, an employee shall be paid the difference between Workmen' s Com- pensation benefits and his regular base salary until part, or all of his accumulated sick leave credits have been used up. One-half day shall be charged against accumulated sick leave for each day of absence under these conditions. Employees whose services are terminated for any reason shall not be entitled to compensation in lieu of sick leave not taken. A complete and accurate record shall be maintained, by the Depart- ment Head, of each employee, setting forth the dates used from his sick leave and the number of his sick leave days remaining. Such record shall be available for inspection by the individual employee upon reasonable request. Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 (B) Funeral Leave In case of death in the immediate family, a permanent full or part-time employee may be granted leave of abse ce with pay for the workdays following within the period between the time of death and the day of the funeral . Such paid leave shall not normally exceed three ( 3) days. Immediate family is defined as spouse, parent, son, daughter, brother, sister. One (1 ) day leave with pay shall be granted to any regular employee upon the death of other members of the family as follows: aunt , uncle, graarent, grandchild, sister-in-law, brother-in=law, parent-in-law, so -in-law and daughter-in-law. Any exception to the above may be made only upon formal recom- mendation of the Department Head and approval of the Personnel Board. (C) Military Leave Employees who serve in the Armed Forces of the Commonwealth, or as members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States, under orders, will be allowed the difference between the base pay they may receive for such service and their regular rate of compensation from the Town, for a period of not more than seventeen (17) calendar days of military leave attributable to their annual tour of military duty. Employees shall be entitled, during times of service in the Armed Forces of the Commonwealth or during tours of duty as members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States , to be released from work, without compensation, in order to attend assigned weekly and week-end drills which require absence from normally scheduled work hours. Such releases from work shall not affect leaves of absence or vacations with pay, and employees shall receive the same leave of absence or vaca- tion with pay given to other like employees or officials. (D) Jury Service A full-time employee shall be allowed leave to fulfill jury duty. If the jury fees, exclusive of travel allowances, received by said employee for such jury duty shall be less than the regular pay re- ceived by him from the Town, the difference between said fees and regu- lar pay shall be paid to such employee by the Town. However, as a con- dition to receiving such payment, the employee agrees that if during such jury duty he is discharged for the day or major portion whereof during regular work hours, he will report to his supervisor for such work as may be assigned. An employee performing such jury duty and who desires the benefit of this article shall be required to present weekly to his department head a certificate by the court or any duly authorized repre- sentative as to the time spent by the employee in such jury duty during such week. Gage 9) (E) Maternity Leave A permanent employee is entitled to at least eight weeks ma- ternity leave provided she has been employed for at least three consec- utive months and provided she gives two weeks notice of her expected de- parture date and notice that she intends to return to her job. She is entitled to return to the same or a similar position withoutA oss of benefits for which she was eligible on the date her leave commenced, provided she terminates her maternity leave within eight weeks after the date of confinement. Accrued sick leave benefits shall be provided for maternity leave purposes under the same terms and con- ditions which apply to other temporary medical disabilities. (F) Leave of Absence Unpaid leave of absence for personal reasons may be granted i by the Department Head for periods not to exceed two weeks. Requests ! for longer unpaid leaves of absence require prior approval of the Person- J nel Board. Except for the specific provisions of these regulations, all leaves of absence shall be without compensation. (G) Holidays All permanent Town employees shall be entitled to the follow- ing holidays with pay when they fall within the regular work week: New Year ' s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Washington' s Birthday, Patriot' s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans ' Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 17'1 If a holiday should fall on a Saturday, it will be celebrated on the preceding Friday and if a holiday should fall on a Sunday, it will be celebrated on the foblowing Monday. In order to qualify for holiday credit , an eligible employee shall have worked on the last regularly scheduled work day prior to, and the next regularly scheduled day following such holiday, unless absence is authorized by his Department Head. In the event an employee is required to work on any of these holidays he shall be compensated for the number of hours worked, at his regular hourly wage, in addition to his regular pay. (H) Vacations Two weeks vacation with pay shall be granted to all permanent employees who have actually worked thirty ( 30) weeks during the twelve months preceding June 1st. Vacations shall be granted as computed in the following table. No vacation shall be granted until the completion of thirty ( 30) weeks of employment. Length of Service Amount of Vacation Less than 1 year 5/6 day per month 1 year but less than 5 2 weeks 5 years but less than 10 3 weeks 10 years or more 4 weeks Vacations are scheduled under the direction of the Department Head at the convenience of the Department. Vacations must be taken within the calendar year and cannot be accumulated from year to year, except under emergency conditions brought about by conditions of employment. Such cases shall be approved by the Department Head. (Page 10) If a holiday falls within the vacation period, one day will be added tp the vacation. Whenever the employment of a person is terminated during the year by dismissal through no fault or delinquency oA his part, or by res- ignation, retirement or death, he or his estate shall be paid at the reg- ular rate of compensation payable to him at the termination of his employ- ment, an amount in lieu of his or her unused vacation leave. SECTION 8 - COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE All differences, disputes and complaints that may arise between Town employees and their respective departments shall be taken up at reasonable times during working hours and handled in the following steps: Step 1 - The aggrieved employee will take his complaint to his or her immediate supervisor for resolutiom within 30 days following the incident which gave rise to the complaint. If the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the employee within two working days, the employee may proceed to step 2. Step a - The employee shall meet with his or her immediate supervisor and the appropriate department head to resolve the complaint. If the complaint is not resolved to the satis- faction of the employee within five working days , the employee may Proceed to step 3. Step 3 - The employee shall notify the Personnel Board, in writing, of his or her complaint. The Personnel Board slall act as mediator between the parties involved. If the com- plaint is not resolved to the satisfaction of the employee within twenty working days, the Personnel Board will proceed to step 4. Step 4 - The Personnel Board shall submit a report of its find- ings , together with its recommendations for the resolution of the dispute, to the Board of Selectmen. The decision of the Board of Selectmen shall be binding on all parties concerned in the complaint. SECTION 9 - APPEALS If any request is denied by the Personnel Board, the Agency, Depart- ment or Branch of the Town involved may appeal to the Town for a final de- cision at the next Town Meeting in a special Article in the Town Warrant. Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 SECTION 10 - CIVIL SERVICE Nothing in this By-Law shall be construed to conflict with Chap- ter 31 of the General Laws. SECTION 11 - EFFECT OF INVALIDITY The invalidity of any section or provision of this By-law shall not invalidate any other section or provision thereof. SECTION 12 - AMENDMENT TO THE PERSONNEL BY-LAW The Personnel By-Law may be amended in the same manner in which the Town by-laws may be amended; provided, however, that no amendment to the By-law shall be made until it has been presented by signed petition addressed to and submitted to the Personnel Board. Upon receipt of such a written petition, the Board, after giving the petitioners, the heads of the departments and employees affected at least three ( 3) days writ- ten notice, shall hold a hearing of the parties interested to consider the proposed amendment. If the Personnel Board shall fail to act on an issue eo presented within fifteen (15) days after the hearing thereon, the Personnel Board shall be deemed to have disapproved the petition. The petition may then be presented to the Town Meeting for consideration and action, if so desired. The Personnel Board may of its own motion after a similar hearing of or conference with the parties interested pro- pose an amendment to the By-law. FISCAL YEAR 1976 SCHEDULE A - CLASSIFICATION PLAN Classification of position by occupational classes, description by specific job title and assignment of non-union positions to pay grades. 1. EXEMPT POSITIONS JOB TITLE A. PUBLIC WORKS CLASSES PAY GRADE Superintendent of Public Works 27 Asst. Superintendent of Public Works-Operations 23 Asst. Superintendent of Public Works-Engineering 23 Superintendent of Cemetery Department 20 Supervisor of Forestry Department 19 Supervisor 20 Senior Civil Engineer 20 Pumping Station Engineer 19 Sanitary Division Engineer 18 Assistant Civil Engineer 17 B. PUBLIC SAFETY CLASS Police Chief Fire Chief 26 C. INSPECTION CLASS Appraiser 24 Building Inspector 18 Health Agent 18 D. GENERAL GOVERNMENT CLASS Executive Secretary 25 Town Accountant 20 E. LIBRARY CLASS Director 21 * Conforms to M.G.L. Ch48, S57G ] 2. NON-EXEMPT POSITIONS J JOB TITLE A. PUBLIC WORKS CLASSES Assistant Sanitary Division Engineer 14 Land Surveyor 14 Administrative Assistant - Business 14 Senior Draftsman 11 Transitman 11 Administrative Clerk 9 Junior Draftsman 7 Rodman 6 Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 197P-C,. (All other titles in Public Works are included in collective bar- gaining agreements between the Town of Reading and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union, AFL-CIO, Council #4 and Local #1703 and are thereby excluded from the Class- ification Plan) . B. PUBLIC SAFETY CLASS Police Lieutenant 20 Sergeant Detective 19 Police Sergeant 18 Police Matron 5 Fire Department Mechanic 14 y Fire Alarm Lineman 11 Fire Alarm Groundman 7 Dog Officer 9 (All other titles in Public Safety are included in collective bar- gaining agreements between the Town of Reading and the Reading Patrolman' s Association and the International Association of Fire- fighters AFL-CIO Local #1640, and are, thereby, excluded from the Classification Plan) . C. INSPECTION CLASS None D. GENERAL GOVERNMENT CLASS Accountant 12 Conservation Assistant 12 Veterans ' Agent 12 Personnel Admin. Assistant 11 E. LIBRARY CLASS Assistant Director 16 Senior Librarian 14 Librarian 12 Library Associate 10 Library Technician 7 Library Clerk 4 Library Page 1 F. ADMINISTRATIVE. CLASS Collector ' s Administrative Assistant 11 Assessors ' Administrative Assistant 11 Treasurer' s Administrative Assistant 11 Assistant Town Clerk 11 D. P. W. Administrative Secretary 11 G. CUSTODIAL CLASS Superintendent of Buildings 15 Janitor 8 H. CLERICAL CLASS Hearing Reporter 7 secretary 7 Senior Clerk A 6 Senior Clerk B 5 Junior Clerk 2 FISCAL YEAR 1976 SCHEDULE B - COMPENSATION PLAN Full-time positions assigned in Schedule A to specific pay grades shall be compensated within dollar ranges as follows: (Part-time posi- tions shall be compensated at an hourly rate to that of an equivalent full-time position) . I ,, I Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 PAY QUALIFICATION WEEKLY 37� Hr. POSITIONS 40 Hr. Positions GRADE POINTS MIN. MAX. MIN. MAX_ MIN. MAX. 1 159 83. 56 109.02 2. 23 2.91 2.10 2. 73 2 160-174 89.43 116.65 2. 38 3.11 2. 24 2.92 3 175-189 95.69 124.80 2. 55 3. 33 2. 39 3.12 4 190-204 102. 41 133. 56 2. 73 3. 56 2. 56 3. 34 5 205-219 108. 27 141.18 2.89 3. 76 2. 71 3. 53 6 220-234 114.44 149. 27 3.05 3.98 2.86 3. 73 7 235-249 120.98 157.81 3. 23 4. 21 3.02 3.95 8 250-264 127.90 166.81 3.41 4.45 3. 20 4.17 9 265-279 132. 73 176. 35 3. 54 4. 70 3. 32 4.41 10 280-294 139.63 186. 45 3. 72 4.97 3.49 4.66 11 295-309 151 .11 197.08 4.03 5. 26 378 4.93 12 310-324 159. 76 208. 34 4. 26 5. 56 3..99 5. 21 13 325-339 168.90 220. 29 4. 50 5. 87 4. 22 5. 51 14 340-354 178.64 233. 51 4. 76 6. 23 4.47 5.84 15 355-369 188. 76 246. 21 5.03 6. 57 4. 72 6.16 16 370-384 199. 57 260. 28 5. 32 6.94 4.99 6. 51 17 385-399 210.96 276.18 5. 63 7. 36 5. 27 6.90 18 400-414 223.05 290.93 5.95 7. 76 5. 58 7. 27 19 415-429 235. 76 307. 56 6. 29 8. 20 5.89 7.69 20 430-444 249. 28 325. 33 6.65 8. 68 6. 23 8.13 21 445-459 263. 51 343. 70 7.03 9.16 6. 59 8. 59 22 460-474 278.60 363. 34 7.43 9. 69 6.97 9.08 23 475-489 294. 53 384.15 7.85 10. 24 7. 36 9.60 24 490-504 311. 37 406.11 8. 30 10.83 7. 78 10.15 25 505-519 329. 18 429. 35 8. 78 11.45 8. 23 10. 73 26 520-534 348.03 452.92 9. 28 12.10 8. 70 11 . 35 27 535-549 368.60 480. 79 9.83 12.82 9. 22 12.02 Merit increases may be granted according to Section 4-B of the By-law (Administration of Compensation Plan) to permanent employees who are below maximum according to the following: Merit Rating Merit Salary Increase Superior Up to 10% Good Up to 7. 5% Acceptable Up to 5% Less than Acceptable 0% J Definitions: SUPERIOR: Performance that far exceeds requirements; or perform- ance that exceeds requirements, and the member takes on responsibilities greater than the content described for that job or other jobs in that grade. The top 5% of the range is reserved for SUPERIOR contribu- tion. GOOD: Performance that exceeds requirements; or performance that meets requirements and the member takes on respon- sibilities greater than the content described for that job or other jobs in that grade. A good performer may receive up to 95% of maximum rate. ACCEPTABLE:Performance that meets requirements; or performance that exceeds requirements, although the job responsibilities are less than the content described for that job or other jobs in that grade. An acceptable performer may receive up to 95% of maximum rate. On motion of Paul T. Metcalf it was voted to take Article 2 from the table. ARTICLE 2. Paul T. Metcalf moved that the Board of Selectmen be and hereby are instructed to give full cooperation to the Site Selection and Police Station Building Committee, authorized at the November 10, 1975, sitting of Town Meeting, to maintain all appropriate contacts with any governmental or private entities, which may be in a position to pro- vide informational , planning or financial assistance to said Committee, and to further instruct and require their Executive Secretary to take such action as may be appropriate to carry out these instructions. On motion of Frank A. Smith, Jr. , it was voted that Article 2 be in- definitely postponed. Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 1181 On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted to lay Article 2 on the table. ARTICLE 12. To see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing, or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, and appropriate for consult- ing engineering services, including preliminary plans , designs, final plans, including the renovation and construction of school facilities to be used in such locations as the School Committee may deem advisable, or take any other action with respect thereto. On motion of Nancy E. Elgart it was voted that Article 12 be indef- initely postponed. ARTICLE 13. On motion of Louis H. Martinage it was voted that the Town transfer from available funds and appropriate the sum of Forty Four Thousand Five Hundred and Forty Dollars ($44, 540.00) for custodial sal- aries. 91 voted in the affirmative 61 voted in the negative On motion of Curt E. Nitzsche it was voted to take Article 1 from the table. ARTICLE 1 . The following report was read by Curt E. Nitzsche, Chair- man of the Planning Board: Pursuant to Chapter 40A, Section 6, of the General Laws, a public hearing was held at the Community Center on Monday, October 27, 1975, at 7: 30 P. M. , regarding a change in the Zoning By-Laws of the area in question from Residence A-1 to Business B. The hearing was long and orderly. The hearing was attended by 34 persons , 15 in favor, 19 opposed. Upon deliberation the Planning Board has foumd that it cannot en- dorse Article 14. The reasons for this decision are based on this Hoard' s reservations on rezoning the lower portions of Woburn Street from Residential A-1 to Business B as this could set a precedent with possible long term im- pacts to the area. It is important to note that this Board does not op- pose the proposed facility per se; the question before the Board was that of rezoning. The Board encourages the proponents to modify their proposal if possible so that the residential and professional character of lower Wo- burn Street can be preserved while still meeting their personal objectives. (S) Curt E. Nitzsche, Chairman Planning Board This report was accepted as a report of progress. On motion of Curt E. Nitzsche it was voted to lay Article 1 on the table. ARTICLE 14. William C. Bliss movedto amend the Zoning By-Laws and Zoning Map, as amended by him, so as to change the zoning of the follow- ing described land from Residence A-1 to Business B: all those lots of land being shown on Town of Reading Assessors' Plat 63 as Lots 8, and 52, said lots being bounded as follows: NORTHERLY: by Woburn Street; EASTERLY: by Town of Reading Private Way to Lot 4 in Business B zone; SOUTHERLY: by the Commercial area zoned Business B, being Lots 4, 9 and 10 on said Assessors ' Plat 63; and WESTERLY: by Chute Street and the Commercial area zoned Business B. This motion did not pass. 89 voted in the affirmative 61 voted in the negative ( 2/3rds vote required) Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 13, 1975 ARTICLE 15. To see if the Town will vote to acquire by purchase, right of eminent domain, deed of gift, dedication, or otherwise for conservation purposes under General Laws, Chapter 40 , Section SC, as amended, the following described parcel of land and to see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or transfer from available funds or other- wise and appropriate for acquisition of said parcel described as fol- lows: The two parcels of land went of North Main Street shown entirely as Lot 6 and Lot 7 on Reading Assessors ' Plat 245, containing 21 , 094 square feet and 21 ,000 square feel respectively, more or less. On motion of James R. Boucher it was voted that Article 15 be indef- initely postponed. ARTICLE 16. To see if the Town will vote to acquire by purchase, right of eminent domain, deed of gift, dedication, or transfer the care, custody and control of or otherwise for conservation purposes under General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 8C , as amended, the following described parcel of land and to see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or transfer from available funds or otherwise and appropriate for acquisi- tion of said parcel described as follows: The ten parcels of land north of Randall Road and west of West Street, and shown entirely as Lots 91 , 92, 93, 94, 95, 96 , 99, 100, 101 , 102 on Reading Assessors ' Plat 37, containing respectivly 9 , 084 square feet; 9, 105 square feet; 9, 127 square feet; 9, 148 square feet; 9, 170 square feet; 9,192 square feet; 9, 257 square feet; 9, 279 square feet• 9 , 295 square feet; and 12, 020 square feet, more or less. On motion of James R. Boucher it was voted that Article 16 be indef- initely postponed. On motion of Douglas A. Cowell it was voted that this meeting stand adjourned until Monday, November 17, 1975 , at 8:00 P. M. , to meet in the Memorial High School Auditorium. Meeting adjourned at 11 : 50 P. M. 162 Town Meeting Members were present. A true copy. Attest: Lawrence Drew Town Clerk ADJOURNED SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School Auditorium November 17, 1975 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Kenneth C.La- tham, at 8:00 P. M. The invocation was given by Rev. Willard C. Arnold, Pastor Emeritus, Old South United Methodist Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. ARTICLE 17. On motion of James R. Boucher it was voted that the Town authorize the Selectmen to acquire for Conservation purposes under General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 8C, as amended, title to the follow- ing described parcel of land in exchange for transfer by the Selectmen, to the owner of the land to be acquired under this Article 17, of the title to the Town-owned land described in Article 18 of this Town Meet- ing Warrant, and upon such other terms and conditions as the Selectmen may determine: A parcel of land West of North Main Street, containing approxi- mately 11 ,909 square feet, and more particularly shown as Lot C on a document entitled "Plan of Land in Reading" , dated Octo- ber 22 , 1975 , and prepared by Hayes Engineering, Inc. for the Conservation Commission of the Town of Reading. Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 17, 1975 ' ! 8; ARTICLE 18. On motion of James R. Boucher it was voted that the Town authorize the Selectmen to transfer title to the following described Town-owned land to the owner of land described in Article 17 of this Town Meeting Warrant, in exchange for a conveyance to the Town for Conservation purposes under General Laws, Chapter 40 , Section 8C , of title to the land described in said Article 17 , and upon such other terms and conditions as the Selectmen may determine: A parcel of land lying Westerly from North Main Street, contain- ing approximately 3 , 175 square feet , and more particularly shown as Lots D and E on a document entitled "Plan of Land in Reading" , dated October 22, 1975, and prepared by Hayes Engineering, Inc. for the Conservation Commission of the Town of Reading. The Moderator, Kenneth C. Latham, vacated his position as Moderator and turned the position of Moderator over to the Town Clerk, Lawrence Drew, for deliberation on Article 19. ARTICLE 19. James R. Boucher moved that the Town acquire the follow- ing described land, or any part thereof, in fee or rights of easement therein, by purchase or otherwise for conservation purposes under Chap- ter 40, Section 8C of the General Laws, and that the Town transfer from available funds and appropriate the sum of Twenty -Five Thousand Dollars ($25 ,000.00) for the purposes of such acquisition: The parcel of land East of Grove Street, North of Intervale Ter-- race, and West of John Carver Road, and shown entirely as Lot 37 on Reading Assessors Plat 122, containing 8. 7 acres , more or less. This motion did not pass. 71 voted in the affirmative 77 voted in the negative On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted to take Article 1 from the table. ARTICLE 1 . The following report was read by John H. Russell , Chair- man of the Board of gublic Works: REPORT ON THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OPERATION OF THE MUNICIPAL RECYCLING CENTER Participation .has been good. From July 1st thru October 31st, 1975, the approximate collection was : 58 tons of glass 8 tons of tin cans 276 lbs, of aluminum cans 51 tons of paper Comparison of the September and October 1975 results versus the same months in 1974 show: An increase in the glass and tin can collections BUT A decrease in the paper and aluminum can collection. Presently the income from sale of recycleables just about offsets the cost of operation, but increased participation is needed to offset the site improvement costs and ultimately turn a profit for the Town. "Return" has prepared a new presentation which they plan to show to the schools and other public groups to achieve increased participation. This report was accepted as a report of progress. ARTICLE 1. The following report was read by Elizabeth W. Klepeis, Chairman of the Finance Committee: STATEMENT BY FINANCE COMMITTEE UNDER ARTICLE 1 We would like to report to Town Meeting that inadvertently $7,000.00 for the Cemetery Department was not included under Article 6. As you will recall under Article 6, this Town Meeting voted $76, 405.00 to the Board of Public Works Salaries and the Water Department Salaries to cover the contracted settlement. This contracted settlement covers union employees of the Cemetery Department as well. This settlement gives a 9% wage in- crease, retroactive to June lst and a 2% increment in January. The Cemetery Trustees have voted to transfer the needed $7,000.00 from the Perpetual Care Fund, which is under their jurisdiction. This report was accepted as a report of progress. Adjourned Subsequent Town Meeting November 17, 1975 On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted that Article 1 be in- definitely postponed. On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted to take Article 2 from the table. ARTICLE 2. On motion of Robert H. Soli it was voted that the Board of Selectmen be instructed to report to the next Annual or Spec- ial Town Meeting on: 1 . State and local statutes concerning littering and their penalties for convictions. 2. Number of arrests and convictions for littering in Read- ing for the years 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1975. 3. Actions taken by the Reading Board of Selectmen to de- crease the incidence of littering in Reading. ARTICLE 2. On motion of William C. Bliss it was voted that the Moderator be requested to conduct at his convenience a short course in Town Meeting procedure for those members who wish instruction in basic motions privileges and responsibilities, provided that a suit- able number of members apply, after public notice, to justify this opportunity. ARTICLE 2. On motion of Carl H. Amon, Jr. , it was voted that the Board of Selectmen be instructed to call a Special Town Meeting within thirty days after the receipt of a grant from the Federal government for the construction of a new police station. Provided, however, that if said thirty days are within a period of time during which a town meeting is prohibited by state law, then the said Special Town Meeting shall be called as soon as possible after the expiration of said thirty days, and that the Selectmen be instructed to place in the warrant for said Special Meeting an article for the construction of a new police station and an article relating to the land on which said new police station shall be constructed. t On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted that Article 2 be in- definitely postponed. On motion of Robert S. Cummings it was voted that this meeting stand adjourned, mine die, at 10:10 P. M. 155 Town Meeting Members were present. A true copy. Attest: Lawrence Drew Town Clerk