HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-06-09 Select Board Minutes - Executive Session REC
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Select Board
Date: 2021-06-09 Time: PM
Building: Location:
Address: Session: Executive Session
Purpose: General Business Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
Karen Herrick, Anne Landry, Carlo Bacci, Mark Docsker, Chris Haley
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Town Manager Bob LeLacheur, Executive Assistant Caitlin Nocella, Counsel
Ivria Fried
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By:
Topics of Discussion:
Documents used at the meeting: May 24 OML Complaint filed by W. Tuvell
All members in the meeting confirmed they were in a location that could not be overheard.
The first part of this Executive Session was to approve two more union contracts that have finished
negotiating. Facilities and Public Works Supervisors have come to agreements.Town Manager Bob
LeLacheur briefly went over their agreed to terms.
Mark Dockser moved to approve the Reading Facilities Maintenance Workers and Town Custodians-
AFSCME Council 93,Local 1703 and the Public Works Supervisory Union,AFSCME Council 93,Local
1703 contracts as proposed. Karen Herrick seconded the motion and the motion passed with a
unanimous roll call vote.
The second part of Executive Session this evening was to continue a discussion about an Open Meeting
Law complaint that was filed against the board by resident Walt Tuvell.The board started discussing this
at their last meeting when a fourth member noted he also had conversation with the Chair about the
same topic, leading Counsel to want to see the conversation exchanges and the board to postpone the
discussion.
[REDACTED`]
The fans are,the Chair Karen Herrick texted with Mark Dockser about not including an allegedly fake
email in a packet and then,after the packet was published,with Anne Landry and Town Counsel about
removing the email from the packet based on new information received.Anne Landry wanted it noted
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that she was not aware Karen had already tented with Mark about the email when they spoke;nor was
she aware Walt made the request to have the email removed.
Last week, member Chris Haley noted he also had a text conversation followed by a phone regarding
Walt Tuvell and the email in the packet came up.The conversation was not supposed to be about the
email but more regarding things that Walt has put on his website targeting Mr.Haley and his daughter,
however,the email and topic of the open meeting law did come up in their conversation and he felt it
was important to let the board know that before they decided which way to respond to the complaint.
Mr. Haley reached out to Karen regarding this because Walt Tuvell had noted in previous emails he is
friends with Karen so he was hoping to get some help from Karen with things on Walt's website.
Karen Herrick felt while most of Chris'statement is true,she feels their conversation was more personal.
Karen noted that she received a text request from Chris for a conversation five minutes after the Board
received another separate email from the complainant Walt Tuvell. Karen texted a live conversation
would be OK if Chris understood that if she had already spoken to another SB member about the same
topic that would violate Open Meeting Law.Chris texted back that he understood,and that his subject
was more of a personal matter. Karen disagrees that the topic of the allegedly fake email was discussed
in the conversation with Chris laterthat same day.
[REDACTED-]
The board had a conversation about a significant number of emails from Walt.The board also discussed
looking at their communication policy again.
The Board agreed that they should use option p3,and that it should recommit itself to the Open
meeting law, publish their response in the next meeting packet,and revisit their communications policy.
Mark Dackser moved to instruct Town Counsel to respond to the Open Meeting Law Complaint filed
by Walt Tuvell on May 20,2021;subject to approval by the Chair in time to meet the deadline.Carlo
Bacci seconded the motion and it as approved with a unanimous roll call vote.
I
Mark Dockser moved to adjourn Executive Session and return to Open Session at 10:16 PM.The
motion was seconded by Karen Herrick and approved with a unanimous roll call vote.
`Minutes are narrowly redacted in accordance with the Attorney Client privilege
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