HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-07-20 Select Board Minutes Isr
Town of Reading RECEIVED
Meeting Minutes TOWN CLERK
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council: 2021 AUG I I PM 1: 39
Select Board
Date: 2021-07-20 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: Reading Public Library Location: Conference Room
Address: 64 Middlesex Avenue Session: Open Session
Purpose: General Business Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
Mark Dockser, Karen Herrick, Carlo Bacci, Chris Haley, Anne Landry
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Town Manager Bob LeLacheur, Executive Assistant Caitlin Nocella,
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By:
Topics of Discussion:
This meeting was held in person and remotely on zoom.
All Select Board members were in person.
Documents used:Select Board Meeting Packet
Public Comment
Nancy Docktor thanked the Chair for clarification on an earlier question regarding the CVS parking lot.
She then referenced an email she sent the board recently regarding questions about social media and
interviewing volunteers.She would like those questions answered.
Dan Ensminger noted the board is slated to review changes to the Select Board packet tonight at 9:40
PM and he would really like the board to rethink this or come up with a new idea. He feels only including
emails that correspond to the agenda would leave it impossible for anyone to write an email for the
packet because they won't know what is on the agenda.
Mary Anne Downing wanted to echo some of Ms. Docktor's thoughts previously.She feels the board
needs a consistent policy in regards to social media criteria for volunteers.She noted a couple years ago,
her social media use was brought into question during her interviews and no one said anything about it;
however,now there are people upset it was used recently to question a different volunteer.
Chris Haley wanted to thank our staff for their hard work during the past year.
John Halsey had a question for the chair about their last meeting. He noted they entered into executive
session with only 2 of 3 votes which is against the Charter.They must have a quorum of 3 votes to go
into ES so he would like to know why they continued into Executive Session with only 2 votes.
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Amanda Popovitch Haley wanted to address her name being in the Select Board packet surrounding the
social media/alias profiles discussion.She wanted to explain that her name on social media is Amanda
Pop.Which is short for Popovitch and a common nickname people use for her maiden name. Her profile
is not fake and not an alias.She noted an employee can be fired for bad social media use but we
currently have no policy in regards to volunteers and that should be changed.
Bill Brown echoed Mr. Halsey's comments and noted the board violated the charter last meeting by
going into executive session with not enough votes.
Steve Leahy is calling for a third-party investigation surrounding volunteer involvement in the website
surrounding current controversy.
Liaison Reports
Anne Landry echoed Chris Haley's comments about staff noting she mentioned potentially doing an
'unsung heroes 'event for staff recognizing their efforts during the pandemic.
Carlo Bacci noted the BOH adopted a risk based inspection model.There is only 1 active covid case in
Reading and over 65%of community members aged 12+have been vaccinated.
Mark Dockser explained the town forest committee is discussing management issues in the forest.There
are red pine trees dying posing risk to users and they need to be removed. He also attended a trust fund
meeting to which they are working on a Reading Response contract.
Chris Haley welcomed the new superintendent who recently started.The HDC is still working on 186
Summer Ave which has seen no activity still. PARC will be having their first meeting on August P at
7pm.
Karen Herrick reported that she,RCAC Chair David Zeek and RMLD General Manager Colleen O'Brien all
provided oral and written testimony during the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and
Energy hearing on July 6th,2021 to update the Green Communities regulations to facilitate Reading
joining. She shared that Select Board Dockser also provided written testimony in support of the
proposed changes.
Town Manager Report
Bob LeLacheur noted Meadow Brook will be visiting the board soon with regards to some land they
want to sell and the board has right of first refusal.August 319,the boards meeting will be a financial
forum instead. Main Street paving of the northern section will start tonight.The apartment building at
625 Main Street had ground water in the building that hit an electrical service creating steam in the
building.The building has been vacated and tenant are expected to be out of the building for 90 days.
The town is working on ways to help the displaced and will put out a press release with final details
soon.
Eagle Scout Proclamations
Some members of the Board expressed a desire to have a ceremony later in the year with the 2021
Eagle scouts.
Chair Herrick,on behalf of the Select Board,congratulated all of the Troop 728 Eagle Scouts,announced
their projects and thanked them for their significant community contributions.Mr. Halsey was
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recognized by the Chair, and noted that the troop had an upcoming ceremony and suggested that Select
Board members would be welcome and following tradition if they were able to attend.
Carlo Bacci moved Move to approve the Certificate of Recognition to the following Eagle Scouts:
Cameron Brickett, Drew Anderson,Hugh Lynch,John Godwin,Josh Bedingfield, Logan Greenwalt,
Ryan Brickett,Thomas Cahill,Zachary Galvin.The motion was seconded by Mark Dockser and
approved with a 5-0 vote.
Verizon Cable Contract Hearing
Administrative Services Director Matt Kraunelis along with the team who worked on the contract;
Business Administrator Jayne Wellman,Technology Director Kevin Furilla, CFO of Schools Gail Dowd,
Kathi Crook,Town Counsel Bryan Bertram and Verizon rep Paul Trane.
Matt Kraunelis went thru the highlights of the new contract which is outlined in a memo in the Select
Board packet.The new contract is for 5 years instead of 15;this is the new normal for contract length.
Verizon agreed to supply a new HD PEG access channel.The franchise fee will be 5%.The contract and
further details can be found in the Select Board packet online as well.
Mark Dockser moved to close the hearing regarding the Verizon Cable Contract.The motion was
seconded by Anne Landry and approved with a 5-0 vote.
Mark Dockser moved to approve and execute a Cable Television Renewal License to Verizon New
England Inc.in the form presented to the Select Board.The motion was seconded by Anne Landry and
approved with a 5-0 vote.
Mark Dockser moved to authorize Town staff and Town counsel to issue the following report on Town
Letterhead and furnish it to the Department of Telecommunications and Cable:The Select Board of
the Town of Reading has granted to Verizon New England Inc. a Cable Television Renew License. In
accordance with 207 C.M.R.3.06,and as reasons for that grant,the Select Board found that the
Licensee,among other things,substantially met renewal criteria as set forth in the provisions of 47
U.S.C.s.546(c)(1)and 207 C.M.R.3.06(1)and the Licensee's proposal and renewal license reasonably
meets the cable needs of the Town of Reading.The motion was seconded by Karen Herrick and
approved with a 5-0 vote.
Classification Hearing
Bob LeLachuer noted the purpose of the hearing was to add the Director of Social Justice and Equity
position to the classification chart.
Mark Dockser moved to close the hearing regarding the classification chart.The motion was seconded
by Karen Herrick and approved with a 5-0 vote.
Mark Dockser moved to approve the FY22 Non-Union Classification Chart as presented.The motion
was seconded by Anne Landry and approved with a 5-0 vote.
FY21 Goals Final Update
Town Manager Bob LeLacheur went through his FY21 goals and gave the board a final update on where
they stand.
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FY22 Goals Discussion
The board discussed the goals for next year and decided they should each rank them in order of priority
for the next meeting.At the next meeting they can go through and determine the top goals based on
the members preferences.
Discussed proposed changes to SB Packet
Karen Herrick noted she drafted some changes to the boards policy in regards to what correspondence
gets published in the packet. She noted town counsel has reviewed the changes.The new policy would
change the packet so only emails that are sent to the board that pertain to a specific agenda item get
published.
Select Board Member Haley had some thoughts about if this would look like they are taking a step back
in transparency. Other Board members asked if this would create more records requests or work for
staff. They discussed the email tracking sheet again as a way to keep the board updated with emails
sent to them and responses made.They discussed further reviewing the pros/cons of publishing all
emails.
Anne Landry noted it would be helpful to have the entire policy with a tracked changes version to see
exactly what will be changing and where in the policy.
Minutes
The board edited the last meetings minutes.
Mark Dockser moved to approve the meeting minutes from lune 29,2021 as amended.The motion
was seconded by Carlo Bacci and approved with a 5-0 vote.
Mark Dockser moved to adjourn at 11:04 PM;with a second from Anne Landry,the motion passed
with a 5-0 vote.
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