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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-09-14 Select Board PacketTOWN OF READING Town Manager Evaluation FY 2021 Combined Reports from Select Board Members: Karen Herrick, Chair Anne Landry, Vice Chair Mark Dockser, Secretary Carlo Bacci, Member Christopher Haley, Member 1 Town Manager’s FY’2021 Goals Reviewer: Karen Herrick Provide comments for each goal and in total for Area. (Refer to appendix) Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Community Goal #1 Community Conversations Library led PULSE series was excellent and well attended. The community was not included initially in the water tower and cell tower planning project and this led to much concern about transparency, trust and neighborhood preservation. Consistent with the values of reading as outlined in the Town’s mission statement- major decisions must involve a wide range of stakeholders from the beginning. This will ultimately lead to the most effective Town Government and efficient use of scarce resources i.e. staff and BCC time and taxpayer funds. Goal #2 Social Justice Town Manager and Library Director shepherded and advocated the new DESJ through the budget and Town Meeting process in coordination with HRAC.. This was a major accomplishment. Community Goal Comments: Much work remains to be done to incorporate public safety staff into Social Justice, HRAC and PULSE community conversations. Small changes like the Pride Month Flag ceremony and the gender neutral bathroom can have a strong impact especially when publicized on the Town website, and through media and Town controlled social media. Continued active participation of public safety with the HRAC, CATO and other existing community groups will support social justice efforts - and also go a long way toward bolstering diversity recruiting. 2 Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Policy Goal #1 Sustainability Successfully addressed the bulk of the work required to meet submission requirements for Green Communities including facilitating a meeting with legislators to advocate for regulatory changes that would benefit the Town. As of August 2021, Reading does not yet have any public EV charger or a firm timeline aside from the one installed years ago at RMLD. As noted, RMLD with staff support has successfully earned grant funding for 2 chargers.. The goal of meeting requirements of the 2021 Climate Law in conjunction with RMLD via a long term electrification and transition to green building and energy usage remains a high priority goal. Goal #2 HR Policy Update Town Manager was able to rehire an HR department head during a pandemic which in and of itself is significant. The Select Board received an updated on overall hiring planning improvements - but a Diversity recruiting plan has yet to be presented. Goal #3 Charter and By Law Updates Health Department should be expanded ASAP as requested by Town Meeting. Policy Goals Comments The 2021 Climate Law now mandates that towns like Reading revisit Zoning, Building and Planning to create an infrastructure t hat will minimize climate impact. Policy changes will be needed to help direct Town, School, Residents, Developers and business owners to plan and execute projects with a high priority on solutions that recognize the significant MVP and clean energy goals ahead of us. As RMLD h as now set a priority to invest in solar in the 4 town territory - this should facilitate greater adoption in Reading. 3 Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Operations Goal #1 Economic Development Staff collaborated with local businesses on a number of initiatives from grants to streamlined outdoor dining permitting to the extensive planning and groundwork needed for a BID. Work should continue on plan to connect extended downtown - Walker’s Brook Drive/Ash Street for pedestrians and bikes. Goal #2 Health Department Restructure Interim health director hired and positive collaborative relations restored with BOH. Burnout of BOH volunteers and turnover has slowed. Excellent progress in restoring the appropriate staffing levels in this department. Goal #3 Capital Capital plan updated. Goal #4 Land Use BCC meeting to discuss needs completed spring 2021. Extensive analysis done to determine feasibility of Camp Curtis guild for a single or regional DPW. Operations Goals Comments FY23 Capital Plan should incorporate capital goals that align with community and open space goals as outlined in Community Presentations/Planning sessions from FY21-22 including Birch Meadow Master Plan, Open Space including Mattera Cabin and Town Forest, and General Space planning including Community Garden. 4 Town Manager’s FY’2021 Goals Reviewer: Anne Landry Provide comments for each goal and in total for Area. (Refer to appendix) Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Community Goal #1 Community Conversations A great series of conversations led by the library. I would have liked to see additional programs/conversations dedicated to “building relationships in Reading” as outlined in the goals. Goal #2 Social Justice I’m grateful for Bob’s leadership in working to bring the equity position to fruition. I would have liked to see more proactive outreach to HRAC and other stakeholder groups to coordinate social justice programming and initiatives as contemplated in the goals- a goal that can be built upon for next year in developing a community calendar of events. Community Goal Comments: I was pleased to see lots of work in this space by Bob and Town staff this year. There were particular metrics/concepts delin eated in the goals that were not met or achieved, although I was grateful to see other efforts that went beyond the goals and were in service to the community. 5 Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Policy Goal #1 Sustainability More work went into this goal than I have seen in any year since becoming involved in service to the Town. Julie Mercier’s expertise has been welcome and appreciated with respect to Green Communities. The Select Board Chair has ensured that we do not lose sight of this goal as a community, and I appreciate Town staff’s support of this effort. Goal #2 HR Policy Update I am grateful to see a comprehensive review of HR policies, including a focus on diverse recruiting and retention. Goal #3 Charter and By Law Updates I understand that Matt Kraunelis has overseen this work. I do not have a strong sense of where this goal stands and suspect an update by our Town Ombudsman would be helpful, although I appreciated Bob’s update to the Board. Policy Goals Comments Strong work on sustainability and updating HR policies. 6 Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Operations Goal #1 Economic Development I appreciate all the work Erin Schaeffer has undertaken and the creative thinking she has brought to her work during the pandemic. Goal #2 Health Department Restructure I was pleased that the Town hired an Interim Health Director to meet the public health demands of the community and the pandemic and that Bob has undertaken extensive work in collaboration with and with the support of the Board of Health to restructure the Health Department. Goal #3 Capital Nice work by FinCom and the staff who support them. Goal #4 Land Use I appreciate the update from Bob on this goal. I do not have a sense whether Conservation Commission members feel that their level of involvement is adequate. Operations Goals Comments The Health Department Restructure was and has been a huge undertaking, and I appreciate Bob’s leadership in getting us to whe re we are today. We are in a much better place than we were a year ago. 7 Town Manager’s FY’2021 Goals Reviewer: Mark Dockser Provide comments for each goal and in total for Area. (Refer to appendix) Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Community Goal #1 Community Conversations Limited by pandemic. Repurposed. Goal #2 Social Justice Good support to development of Social Justice position. Community Goal Comments: The pandemic was a game changer for FY’21. The focus was to keep the community safe, aware and “ok”. Though community conversations had to move to Zoom, there was still some opportunity for listening sessions. Bob moved ahead thoughtfully and appropriately with supporting the establishment of the Director of Social Justice position u nder the library. This goal needs to continue to establish and support the role of the new Director and integrate them with other members of town staff t o build for success. RCASA formed in a similar way and it was the support of staff and the community that aided in establishing a nd supporting the role as a key part of the support system in our town. 8 Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Policy Goal #1 Sustainability Progress working with Climate Advisory Committee, Facilities department, performance contracting. Goal #2 HR Policy Update Challenges from Covid-19 made these more complex and retention focused. New challenges to attract more diverse talent pool. Goal #3 Charter and By Law Updates Focus on supporting committees and forming committee for next updates. Board of Health at top of agenda. Policy Goals Comments The town is in a good position to get involved with Green Communities through strong staff and volunteer support. Next steps should include looking at more sustainable options for infrastructure (heating systems in particular and perhaps rooftop solar), adding electric vehicles and charging infrastructure to town facilities. HR policies are rightly focused on retention and support of employees. Next steps should be to take recommendations made on improving diversity and implementing them strongly in the upcoming fiscal year. Need to support charter and bylaw committees in top priorities for next review. Expanding the Board of Health from 3 to 5 should be at the top of the agenda. 9 Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Operations Goal #1 Economic Development Strong support of existing businesses during pandemic exactly right. Goal #2 Health Department Restructure The health department long needed strengthening and it was shredding our wonderful Board of Health volunteers. The creation of the health director role and bringing in an acting leader was great and important during the pandemic, and now beyond. Challenges exist in hiring but this is priority. Goal #3 Capital Good work in outlining potential projects and FinComm, Select Board and Town meeting taking action to implement. Important to work more on this in FY22 to make decisions about priorities and achieve community goals with town owned funds and pandemic one-time funds. Goal #4 Land Use Initiated studies to learn about former Zanni property and Camp Curtis Guild. Still need to review top opportunities and compare with community needs to see if/where we can use some of our property for needs, green space or disposal. Operations Goals Comments The pandemic hit us everywhere, but community health and business health were very high priorities. Bob worked well himself , and with staff and volunteer resources to keep us safe, improve the health department at a critical time, and guide the use of capital to achieve additional community priorities where we could leverage our funds. 10 Town Manager’s FY’2021 Goals Reviewer: Carlo Bacci Provide comments for each goal and in total for Area. (Refer to appendix) Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Community Goal #1 Community Conversations Covid did slow things a bit, but Bob exceeded my expectations. Goal #2 Social Justice Bob listened and advocated for the Social Justice Director and help guide the process through the ad hoc committee. Bob committed to a more a hiring process that would seek candidates from all backgrounds and walks of life. Community Goal Comments: Dealing with the pandemic has been a challenge and unfortunately will continue. The TM and staff had to deal with a lot of uncertainty. There were many hours spent in meetings to protect the public and some goals have been pushed further out that I would like. Bob has always advocated for community and staff involvement for projects that affect the whole community. Understanding that our future is still uncertain, Bob and staff have done a great job with Covid 19. Our TM had gone above and beyond to support our residents and staff through Co vid. I would like to see some movement on Capital projects that were delayed due to Covid, such discussions about a senior/community center, the Burbank/Zanni property, water and sewer infrastructure. 11 Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Policy Goal #1 Sustainability Great progress has been made and happy to see that working with RMLD has been more productive. Goal #2 HR Policy Update Some good meetings took place and input was given to Bob and HR. Finding and retaining good employees has and will continue to be a challenge. We need to be more competitive with pay and diversity. Bob has welcomed the challenge and has navigated some tough union negotiations. Goal #3 Charter and By Law Updates Note much to say here other than I am looking forward to the next meeting as the liaison. Policy Goals Comments Bob has a very good understanding of what is needed and always willing to listen and give alternative feedback. His years of experience goes a long way to formulate thoughtful and insightful guidance. 12 Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Operations Goal #1 Economic Development Many grants were applied for and were put to good use. Our Town is growing at a fast pace and balancing our needs is always a challenge. We have many new buildings in downtown that should help support out local businesses. Our ED dept., led by Erin has been a great resource through the pandemic. Goal #2 Health Department Restructure Great progress has been made and it was nice to see that the need was met and we are on the right path as our town grows with new businesses and residents. Goal #3 Capital Always a work in progress. Covid has slowed things down and hopefully some federal grant money will be put to good use. Water tower project has moved forward with community input and feedback. Road diet is near completion. Need to set more realistic goals during Covid and keep our reserves at a healthy level. Goal #4 Land Use A work in progress and finding the best way to utilize our existing land is needed. A proposed sub-committee might be a good tool to find highest and best use for our dormant land in town. Operations Goals Comments I would like to see more outdoor events on the common. We need to make Reading a destination. Reading 375 was a great success and Porchfest is a great example of things we can do yearly. We need more of a vibrant downtown. I would like us to have entertainment, like musicians and artists throughout the common and downtown at different times of the year. BOH is going great and will have a new Director soon. We have many financial forums coming up to find the best ways to use our capital and be sustainable at the same time. Land use has been a topic for many years and hopefully we can address many opportunities this coming year. Downtown parking is a big part of economic development. Julie Mercier and staff has done a great job laying the groundw ork and now the PARC committee has been formed to help formalize a presentation to the SB. Parking management is a key element and downtown continues to grow. 13 Town Manager’s FY’2021 Goals Reviewer: Christopher Haley Provide comments for each goal and in total for Area. (Refer to appendix) Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Community Goal #1 Community Conversations Not enough data Goal #2 Social Justice Not enough data but new DESJ position was approved at TM. Community Goal Comments: 14 Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Policy Goal #1 Sustainability Not enough data Goal #2 HR Policy Update Not enough data Goal #3 Charter and By Law Updates Not enough data Policy Goals Comments 15 Area / Goal(s) Description Comments Operations Goal #1 Economic Development Not enough data but downtown underground infrastructure approved by TM. Goal #2 Health Department Restructure Not enough data Goal #3 Capital Not enough data Goal #4 Land Use Not enough data Operations Goals Comments 16 Town Manager’s Performance Rating for Standard I: Leadership and Professional Culture Ratings are from 1 (Exemplary) to 5 (Unsatisfactory). Check one box for each indicator and circle the overall standard rating. 1 2 3 4 5 I-A. Leadership: Demonstrates strong leadership practices in the exercise of executive functions and personnel management. MD (1.5), CB, CH KH, AL, MD (1.5) I-B. Communication: Demonstrates strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills. CH MD, CB KH, AL I-C. Commitment to High Standards: Fosters a shared commitment to high standards of public service delivery by staff, professional interaction with the public, and professional development, with high expectations for achievement for all. MD, CB, CH KH AL I-D. Assessment: Ensures that all department and division heads use a variety of formal and informal methods and assessments to measure employee growth and understanding and make necessary adjustments to their practice when employees are not performing. MD, CB AL KH I-E. Evaluation: Ensures effective and timely supervision and evaluation of all staff in alignment with town policies, state regulations and contract provisions. CB AL, MD KH I-F. Managing Conflict: Employs strategies for responding to disagreement and dissent, constructively resolving conflict and build ing consensus throughout all Town departments. CB KH, MD AL (3.5) Overall Rating for Standard I (Circle one.) The Town Manager demonstrates strong leadership and promotes a strong professional culture. 17 1 2 AL(2.5), MD 3 4 5 Comments and analysis (recommended for all ratings; required for any rating of 4 or 5): Karen Herrick 2.5 The Select Board has heard the Town Manager praise department heads and employees on numerous occasions for their exemplary ability to w ork collaboratively across departments during the on-going COVID crisis. The Select Board & residents have seen a number of depart ments work well together on various projects examples included Green Communities application prep, water tower planning, annual and subsequent Town Meeti ng. The lower ratings on some items above are reflective of a lack of information or updates to the Sel ect Board. The items above 1A -1F require metrics and would benefit from direct feedback from staff across all levels. 2.5 Anne Landry Bob has the respect and admiration of (at least many of) his Department Heads. One Department Head indicated that the y could not have had a better supervisor. Another mentioned to me how devastated they were to learn of Bob’s retirement, explaining that Bob has served as a mentor to them and has been fair, respectful, knowledgeable, and an “outstanding leader.” The Board relies on the knowledge and expertise of Bob and Town staff to inform the Board’s decision -making. As a Board member, it can be a challenge at times to access adequate information to make informed decisions, and we often learn of important Tow n incidents, events, and decisions at the same time as the public, at which time I still am too often largely uninformed as to what has transpired. More complete information and more advance notice would be appreciated. I appreciated Bob taking responsibility for the conflict that arose between the School and Police Departments in the winter and the statements he issued soon after the Superintendent issued one of his own; it meant a lot that Bob offered a personal apology to the schools and community. The reality tha t that conflict has had ripple effects throughout the community accounts for a lower rating for I - F, given that while strategies were in fact “employed to respond to disagreement and dissent,” it is not clear that they “con structively resolved conflict and built consensus throughout all Town departments.” Mark Dockser Bob demonstrated exemplary leadership skills during difficult times, keeping us safe and assuring the operation of essential government functions. The command system and meetings are a model for collaboration and assuring we meet the needs of the community. 18 The relationship between staff and the Select Board is an area that needs improvement and responsibility to do this is shared between town leadership and the Board. Would like to see more done to support this (by the board and staff). Carlo Bacci Nothing but positive comments to the qualities mentioned above. Bob is always available and adapting to new SB members the pas t few years. Provides us with updates when requested. Navigating Covid was not perfect, but Reading faired well with Bob as our TM. There needs to be more protocols put into place to assistant town staff in minimizing mistakes. Bob is well respected among o ur peer communities and is in contact contact with other town leaders to use best practices. Christopher Haley I have requested meetings with department heads to be arranged by Bob. They are currently in process and therefore I -D,E,F cannot be properly evaluated. 19 Town Manager’s Performance Rating for Standard II: Management and Operations Ratings are from 1 (Exemplary) to 5 (Unsatisfactory). Check one box for each indicator and circle the overall standard rating. 1 2 3 4 5 II-A. Environment: Develops and executes effective plans, procedures, routines, and operational systems to address a full range of financial, safety, health, and social needs. AL, MD, CB KH II-B. Human Resources Management and Development: Implements a cohesive approach to recruiting, hiring, development, and career growth that promotes high-quality and effective organization. CB KH, AL, MD II-C. Scheduling and Management Information Systems: Uses appropriate systems to ensure optimal use of data and time for staff productivity and collaboration, while minimizing staff disruption and distraction. AL, MD, CB KH II-D. Law, Ethics, and Policies: Understands and complies with state and federal laws and mandates, Select Board policies, collective bargaining agreements, and ethical guidelines. KH, MD, CB, CH AL II-E. Fiscal Systems: Develops a budget that supports the Town’s vision, mission, and goals; allocates and manages expenditures to balance goals vs. available resources. KH, AL, MD, CB, CH Overall Rating for Standard II (Circle one.) The Town Manager uses resources to implement appropriate staff operations and facility management. 1 AL (1.5), MD 2 3 4 5 20 Comments and analysis (recommended for all ratings; required for any rating of 4 or 5): Karen Herrick 2 The Select Board had hoped that a recruitment plan focusing on diversity and inclusiveness would have been completed. This remains. A top priority with metrics showing progress. Town Manager has working extremely well with School Department, Town Accountant and Financial Commi ttee to develop and deliver strong fiscal systems leading to consistently high bond ratings and predictable cash regeneration and a growing free cash balance. Anne Landry I extend my most sincere appreciation for Bob’s development and execution of operational systems to see the community through this pandemic, particularly the restructuring of the Health Department and work with Command. Mark Dockser The pandemic was a trying time and Bob’s leadership was exemplary. We are talking about the right things in HR development and now must put them in place in FY22 and beyond. The pan demic has made employee retention and attraction different and higher (if that is possible) priority. Bob has been and continues to be a very strong fiscal manager. His skills have made a great financial difference to the town and has established an effective and transparent process that we can continue to use and improve upon. I hope that he will be willing to share his knowledge and command of the budget with his successor. Carlo Bacci There needs to be more protocols put into place to assistant t own staff in minimizing mistakes. Financial acumen is Bob’s biggest strengths and our excellent bond rating reflect that. Our reserves are in good shape and Bo b has given FinComm some more ability to allocate resources where needed. Bob and staff continue to navigate Covid and its challenges. Human and Elder Services has done a great job with outreach and taking care of our seni ors and vulnerable in Town. Public Safety continues to improve and keep up with all current practices and procedures. 21 Town Manager’s Performance Rating for Standard III: Community Engagement Ratings are from 1 (Exemplary) to 5 (Unsatisfactory). Check one box for each indicator and circle the overall standard rating. 1 2 3 4 5 III-A. Sharing Responsibility: Collaborates with citizens and community stakeholders to formulate and support the Town’s goals. CB KH, MD AL III-B. Communication: Engages in regular, two-way, proficient communication with citizens and community stakeholders about Town government performance. MD, CB KH, AL III-C. Community Concerns: Addresses community problems and concerns in an equitable, effective, and efficient manner. CB AL KH, MD Overall Rating for Standard III (Circle one.) The Town Manager forms effective partnerships among town employees, citizens, community organizations, and other stakeholders that address citizen concerns and build support for the mission of Town. 1 2 AL (2.5), MD (2.5) 3 4 5 22 Comments and analysis (recommended for all ratings; required for any rating of 4 or 5): Karen Herrick 2 A number of conversations and requests have been made for more use of the Town Website and Social Media as a significant meth od of regular and timely communication with citizens and stakeholders. Progress has been made and should continue to be a priority. Insufficient water tower project communication and community engagement this year presented a major challenge for the community and town staff. On the positive side, once this communication and engagement was reset - rapid & significant progress was made including the elimination of a proposed $300k cell tower, decontamination of the site, and expansion of open green space for the neighborhood. Feedback from citizens has significantly improved to reflect the more transparent and collaborative approach. Community Concerns: The Select Board as a whole requires more direct & timely briefing on complex issues impacting the commun ity and requiring significant staff attention. Mark Dockser Community engagement was very different during the pandemic. Much less in person engagement was possible so we had to use virtual me etings which are good but not quite the same as in person activities. Bob navigated these waters well. The world, the country and Reading are very divided. It is important to steer the ship toward our goals and to be able to listen to and process the mai nstream currents and those not quite as mainstream. The board should and does set the tone as the group that the town manager rep orts to. Bob does a good job in balancing this for the most part. I think his responsiveness to the need to make Reading more welcoming with the Equity and Social Justice role is a real testament to this. With other community concerns, I would like to see a more shared and open mode of communication, while understanding that some areas of communication are limited by laws and regulations. How the message is communicated is often just as important as what the me ssage is. Carlo Bacci Community outreach is always a challenge. Our website needs to be updated and refreshed and Bob acknowledges that. Community engagement is a goa l that is shared by all our residents and businesses. How to maximize that engagement by involving more residents, is always the c hallenge. We have to recognize as a community, that our seniors should be a priority. More resources with community involvement can help facilitate many big pr ojects that we need to get done. Christopher Haley Due to being on the tail end of Covid, it’s hard to rate any community engagement as most of us weren’t engaging with the community. 23 General/Overall Comments/Feedback: Anne Landry I am grateful to Bob for “steering the ship” and keeping it afloat during an unprecedented and difficult time for Reading. His financial acumen has served the community very well over the course of many years. I am grateful to Bob for providing the Board with sufficient notice to plan for his successor, and I wish him much health, happiness, and success in his future endeavors. Mark Dockser I have enjoyed working with Bob over most of his 16 years. He has been a very good leader for the town, a solid and positive representative of the town with our peer communities and t o the world, and a good teacher especially in the fiscal areas. Thank you Bob for all that you have done for the community! This past year was a challenge beyond comprehension and you rose to it and did a great job keeping the residents safe, the staff engaged (and safe!), and keeping government moving despite all of the obstacles faced. A job very well done! Carlo Bacci Bob is an exceptional Town Manager and big shoes will need to be filled. Christopher Haley While I do not have enough data to complete most fields, exacerbated by COVID restrictions, I do want to share the following observations: Bob has been extremely responsive in responding to my calls and emails. Many of my questions have been easily answered without hesitancy. I said during a prior meeting that he works nights and weekends, something myself as an owner of a company does, he does for our town. I see that as a dedicated employee. During Select Board meetings, I see Bob conduct himself in a way that displays his knowledge and expertise f rom having served as town manager for close to a decade. I see the town in great financial shape. Finally, Bob was able to run his portion of town meeting with such fluency and answering a majority of questions without needing time to think. It may seem like a cop out that someone’s able to answer the questions they are supposed to be able to answer but there’s a difference between someone who needs time to think and someone who knows exactly what they are supposed to say or finds the answer immediately. Suggestions/Ideas for the Future: Mark Dockser The world, country and community are working through a tough and divisive time. Reading has perhaps more than its fair share of strong opinions and polarization. The Select Board and the town manager, Bob and his successor, need to continually work and work together to best meet the needs of the community while keeping things “on the rails”. Bob has set a good example and we need to work even harder on this now and during our transition to a new manager. Christopher Haley A plan for a second round of the pandemic. Additionally, the town may be in a housing bubble with all the record sales. Plan accordingly for the funds we currently have and projections for subsequent years may or may not be accurate. 8/18 Edit: Thank you Bob for all your years with the town of Reading. I wish you would reconsider and so do countless others. Town Manager Comments on Review: Appendix Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting FY21 Town Manager Goals – Final Update June 30, 2021 The Select Board identified and approved nine specific goals on October 27, 2020, many with significant related details and milestones. Below is a summary level view of these goals. Note that the original Goal # as vote d by the Board is shown below, but rearranged functionally into Community, Policy and Operations as has been the case traditionally. At the request of Board members, less text and more bullet point summaries are provided herein. Where possible, a timeline is included. Note: These goals were approved at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic was subsiding, and return to in- person meetings was perhaps thought to be just around the corner. However, a resurgence of the pandemic after the winter holidays made such meetings impossible to conduct during the fiscal year. Remote communication efforts supplanted the in-person meetings on a best-efforts basis. Draft Town Manager Goals for FY21 not selected by the Select Board that could be considered for the future include Covid-19 Impacts on Seniors – community/senior center; update Select Board Policy Article 5 - Community Services; Building Security Governance; Covid-19 Response & Long-Term Impacts. Community 1. Community Conversations 2. Social Justice Policy 3. Sustainability 5. HR Policy update 6. Charter and By Law Updates Operations 4. Economic Development 7. Health Department restructure 8. Capital 9. Land Use Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting Community COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS a. Building relationships in Reading b. Service expectations of residents—needs c. Capital priorities d. Timing: Q1 2021 e. Deliverable: summary doc for discussion with SB Q2 FINAL REPORT: This goal is largely complete as only virtual meetings were held through Q2 2021. In-person meetings were delayed by the pandemic from Q1 2021 to Q3 2021, and several are tentatively scheduled (see below). It should also be noted that many Goals hereafter did use a virtual community conversation framework, notably Planning and Economic Development, and those results are described in those sections. - Pulse of Reading completed virtual sessions led by the Public Library o Let’s Talk About Race o What is Privilege and Why Does it Matter? o Continuation of Series since 2018 o New Director of Equity and Social Justice will lead future efforts - Coalition for Prevention & Support monthly virtual meetings – in-person annual meeting planned for September 29 after a one-year gap - Human/Elder Services staff placed thousands of calls to determine service needs during the pandemic, and a slow return to in-person activities was seen in June 2021 - Public Library receives $10,000 LSTA grant for “Civic Hub: Extending Conversations on Civic Engagement” program in conjunction with HRAC, the Coalition for Prevention & Support, and the Reading Police department - Community in-person meetings scheduled for Q3 and Q4 include: o New Resident Open House as part of Fall Street Faire on September 12 o Community engagement meetings led by professional moderator, draft variety of topics to range from Downtown Growth & Housing (targeting 3 meetings); Living as a Senior in Reading; Understanding Your Local Government Services; Community Athletics and Recreation; and Civil Discourse o Tentative dates for some of these sessions are September 21; October 19, 20 & 2 5; November 3 & 17. o Economic Development Summit planned for October 6 o Financial Forums will be held in September and October, dates to be determined by FINCOM. As they did last year, a conversation about long-term planning will be added to the typical annual budget discussion o A summary document of these meetings will be created for the community Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting Community SOCIAL JUSTICE a. Bringing Ad Hoc committee proposal to fruition b. Partner with HRAC (?) and community stakeholders to support and implement initiatives and necessary infrastructure to support a socially just, inclusive and welcoming Reading. c. Regular updates to SB (bimonthly?) FINAL REPORT: This goal is mostly complete, although confusion between the role of HRAC and the new Library Director of Equity and Social Justice (DESJ) hampered some of the discussion. Both before and after Town Meeting approved the DESJ position, Board members openly discussed a sunset of HRAC that sounded imminent, and the phrasing of the goal as stated above may have added to that impression. Respectfully, staff would hope that HRAC can continue throughout the next fiscal year to assist the DESJ transition. Community interest and appointments to vacant HRAC positions in June 2021 were encouraging. o DESJ position ▪ Included in FY22 Town Manager budget and supported by ad hoc Human Rights Committee; Board of Library Trustees; Select Board; Superintendent and School Committee as a shared cost in the budget; Town department heads; FINCOM; HRAC; approved by April 2021 Town Meeting ▪ June 2021 review and finalize job description and position grading ▪ July 2021 Select Board Hearing to add position to Classification Chart ▪ Hiring process designed for July-September 2021 o Welcoming initiatives ▪ HRAC hosted October 2020 ‘Listening to Understand’ in conjunction with Senator Lewis and Representatives Jones and Haggerty ▪ HRAC led discussions/events for MLK Day; March Women’s History month; Pride Month; Juneteenth ▪ Fall 2020 Town Hall gender neutral bathroom ▪ Summer 2021 Select Board Pride flag/ceremony on Town Common o Police Civil Rights Sergeant (CRS) position requested/approved in FY23 budget ▪ Additional liaison support to DESJ and HRAC ▪ Ensure State’s developing CRS regulations are followed ▪ Plan/perform related training for department ▪ Review call log to ensure the proper reporting of hate crimes and hate- based incidents to appropriate agencies o Pulse of Reading (Library series) ▪ Let’s Talk About Race ▪ What is Privilege and Why Does it Matter? o Apply for LSTA grant (described previously) Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting Policy SUSTAINABILITY a. Establish sustainability goals and implementation plan i. Engage Climate Advisory Committee for input and support ii. Provide timeline for initiatives b. Green Communities implementation and updates c. EV charging station in town i. Identify 1-3 viable locations ii. Implementation plan with timeline d. Performance contracting updates i. Look at heat pumps and other initiatives to reduce carbon footprint e. Work with RMLD to support initiatives. Plans in FY21 with goal of starting implementation. i. Community solar ii. EV –vehicles and charging f. Monthly updates to SB—+ TM update i. Written updates and presentations as appropriate g. Implement Town guidance policies for consideration of green alternatives in advance of infrastructure replacement requirements h. Explore appropriate policy and potentially by law changes to support the use of alternative energy sources i. Explore best practices and implementation in other communities FINAL REPORT: This goal is a multi-year effort and the progress made in FY22 satisfied the requests above as Town staff pushed ahead as far as it could on Green Communities and other efforts, receiving input from and providing updates to the CAC Chair along the way. o Green Communities had significant progress: ▪ Of the 5 requirements, we have completed 4 of them (2 await state DOER approval). The 5th is underway with MAPC, staff and NORESCO ▪ Legislation proposed to handle RMLD issue – without it or changes by RMLD we will not receive the designation under existing rules. This was the gating item several years ago when we first pursued the designation o Town staff proposed a few locations to RMLD, who was awarded grant funding to implement dual port Level 2 chargers at two locations in the downtown o Performance contracting fiscal year work completed, project moves to next steps ▪ $13.5 million of improvements identified ▪ $3.0 million are operational priorities (best fit for Green Communities 5th requirement) • $2.0 mil Parker MS and Police station boiler replacements • $0.7 mil upgrades to energy management systems (8 bldgs) ▪ Results presented to Select Board by Facilities Director ▪ Consultant updating pricing for options Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting ▪ Community meeting in Fall 2021 to determine remaining priorities Policy HR POLICY UPDATE a. Recruiting, retention b. Diversity hiring as key element c. Employee listening tour → Best practices → Recommendations →Policy changes d. Presentation to SB Q1; Public hearing and implementation Q2 2021 FINAL REPORT: This goal will be completed Summer/Fall 2021 as the work of a staff committee and the Select Board meeting schedule allows, when a Public Hearing to address updating the Select Board’s 2009 Personnel Polices (PP). A PP committee of employees from a cross -section of departments/union status/job functions was formed to review the current policies, consider the goal items above, and make suggestions. The committee works under the direction of the HR Director. Results will be sent to the Town Manager for further review. o Reading has rehired a large number of employees that have left for higher paying positions, but returned within a few weeks. Only very good workers get that option. We must be doing something right. o April 20, 2021 – broad HR policy review with the Select Board ▪ HR division main functions (Town, Schools) ▪ HR division staffing ▪ Covid-19 challenges ▪ HR accomplishments ▪ HR goals ▪ Personnel committee o Personnel Policy draft scope of work to date is shown below: Major Items considered - Vacation time o Start at 3 weeks; service credit based on time in Retirement system - Holiday Time o Add Holiday bank language & Juneteenth as 12th paid holiday - Probationary period o Earlier limited access to Paid Time Off o Extend from 6 months to 1 year o Annual performance evaluation language - Technology section o Remote work allowance o Point to overall IT best practices Major Items discarded - ICMA Matching – budget concerns - Tuition reimbursement - budget concerns - Incentive to reduce sick use - did not want to change during pandemic Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting Items under discussion - Comp time for exempt employees for night meetings - Drug-free workplace - Progressive Discipline updates - Increase Town Manager hiring range ability (step 10) Diverse Recruitment - Job Description Review o Update and prioritize competencies o Remove genders – already done (Reading is one of the only communities to use “foreperson”) o Rely more on equivalent/preferred for education and experience ▪ Different backgrounds of work can be quite valuable and should be taken into consideration o Include statement about our commitment to diverse hiring practices - Applicant Pool o Cast a wider net ▪ Government-based recruitment websites ▪ National websites o Better local advertising ▪ Houses of worship ▪ Post office ▪ Businesses ▪ Bus/train stops o Social Media ▪ Partner with IT: Video(s) of interviewed employees/officials - Interviewing/Search Committees o Control questions being asked (consistent and legal) ▪ We are already doing this ▪ We can look to improve the quality of our questions to be more open and engaging; better understanding of the candidate’s qualifications o Diverse search committee ▪ Different levels of management ▪ Aim to have different backgrounds o Evaluation of candidates (form to be developed) ▪ Specific reasons as to why a candidate was not moved forward ▪ Get feedback from committee(s) on process - Other ways for retention o Anonymous surveys to employees ▪ Is this the job you thought it would be? ▪ What makes this your favorite job? o Pay & Class Study ▪ Make sure Reading is a competitive employer Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting Policy CHARTER AND BYLAW UPDATES e. Support the process including: i. Community outreach → Committee reflecting variety of viewpoints, needs, wants ii. Presentation on process for Charter and By Law changes iii. Solicit input from boards and committees for By law change ideas f. Timeline and implementation plan FINAL REPORT: The portion of the Town’s responsibility was completed by the Administrative Services Director, who met throughout the year with the Bylaw Committee. A planned June 2021 meeting between the Bylaw Committee a nd the Town Meeting Rules Committee was not able to be held due to a lack of quorum. Rescheduling that meeting and absorbing new Bylaw Committee members may set back their planned work; nonetheless, here are the accomplishments this year: o Solicited views from boards and committees on the General Bylaws o Review Residency Requirement for volunteers o Ongoing Review of the General Bylaws throughout the year (not complete) ▪ 1. General Provisions ▪ 2. Town Meeting ▪ 3. Town Offices and Town Officers ▪ 4. Personnel ▪ 5. Conduct of Town Business ▪ 6. Financial Procedures ▪ 7. Regulation on the Use of Land ▪ 8. Public Order (still in progress) o November 2020 Town Meeting Article 12 (Stretch Code) o April 2021 Town Meeting Article 17 (Maillet Land) o April 2021 Town Meeting Articles 11 & 12 (Veteran’s benefits) o July 2021 – significant change in committee membership Once the Bylaw Committee has completed their review of the General Bylaws, they will discuss next steps including in-person public engagement, which has been difficult remotely under Covid- 19 restrictions. This should include a specific timeline that includes a Charter Review process, which must wait until the review of General Bylaws is complete. The joint meeting with the Rules Committee was specifically designed at Article 2 T own Meeting (shown above) and included remote participation and electronic voting, both new concepts added during the pandemic. This meeting should be rescheduled for the summer 2021. Note: The Bylaw Committee and Town Meeting Rules Committee are not under the direction of the Select Board. Operations ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting a. Help local businesses survive and thrive in Reading b. How to support more outdoor dining, shopping c. Action plan to encourage people to patronize local businesses with regular updates i. Cooler months ii. Warmer months d. Updates bimonthly FINAL REPORT: The pandemic caused a shift from forward-looking planning activities to survival for most area businesses. The Town was exceptionally bus y in this area providing information and assistance. It is difficult to say that this goal can ever be finished, but the amount of new businesses opening in Reading this year have exceeded those closing, which is remarkable. - Help local businesses survive and thrive in Reading • Regular engagement and communication to support for existing, new and prospective businesses • Weekly- in person walkabouts • Weekly meetings with community business organizations • Bi-weekly meetings with regional and state Economic Development partners • Specific short-term and long-term initiatives virtual community meetings: ▪ BID (a private Business Improvement District) Steering Committee ▪ Local Rapid Recovery Plan (LRRP) https://www.readingma.gov/public- services/economic-development/pages/alocal-rapid-recovery-plan-program ▪ Downtown Lighting Safety & Attraction ▪ Several other smaller grant funded programs, planning and initiatives • COVID Recovery Grants • Built out Town website to provide 24/7 information to businesses for both retention and attraction purposes ▪ Small business Grants: https://www.readingma.gov/public- services/economic-development/pages/a-small-business-grant- opportunities-0 ▪ Resources and Incentives: https://www.readingma.gov/economic- development/pages/business-incentives-and-resources ▪ New Downtown Map: https://www.readingma.gov/public- services/economic-development/pages/downtown-business-and-parking- map ▪ Available Opportunities: https://www.readingma.gov/economic- development/pages/available-propertiesland ▪ Shop Local: https://www.readingma.gov/public-services/economic- development/pages/a-love-my-local-ma-shop-local Consideration: Select Board may want to consider hearing from MassDevelopment in a series of listening sessions to learn more about programs and tools that are available to developers and prospective businesses. A specific program that may be a good start would be to learn about the PACE program, which was recently adopted by the Town of Wakefield - https://www.massdevelopment.com/pace Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting - How to support more outdoor dining, shopping o Streamlined policies and permitting process for outdoor dining and commerce, both for public (Select Board) and private (CPDC) locations • https://www.readingma.gov/public-services/economic- development/pages/a-application-outdoor-dining o Purchased and distributed outdoor ‘bistro tables’ in the Downtown area o Several Marketing/Advertising programs described above Consideration: Select Board may want to consider reviewing the existing temporary outdoor dining policy to provide a long-term policy with a streamlined permitting path. Consideration: Select Board may want to consider exploring the possibility of the creation of a downtown cultural placemaking/public art master plan to specifically identify public spaces in the downtown, including roads, sidewalks and parking lots that could be temporarily reused on a regular basis and programmed for a variety of other uses such as pocket parks, outdoor dining, live music programs, public art installations, pop-up artisan markets, farmer’s market among many other opportunities. By identifying specific locations where programming can happen on a regular basis, provides certainty for the public and businesses to thrive – Sample plan: https://artsandplanning.mapc.org/case-study-watertown-public-arts-master-plan/ Sample Programming: https://www.starlightsquare.org/ (Central Square BID) - Action plan to encourage people to patronize local businesses with regular updates o Work with community partners such as the Rotary, Reading-North Reading Chamber, Reading Retailers Collaborative and BID Steering Committee to work in partnership and encourage people to patronize local businesses via “Shop the Readings Campaign” (Spring/Summer), Where’s Waldo (Summer), Fall Street Faire (Fall), Small Business Saturday/Shop the Block (Winter), Holiday Lights and associated marketing to promote downtown businesses (Winter) o BID Steering Committee working to garner property owner support for establishing a new organization with a focus specifically on downtown to actively fund, manage and implement activities that generate more business activity, enhance the district, and make downtown a destination o Downtown underground infrastructure (water, sewer, storm water) improvements approved by Town Meeting. Over $7 million in above ground improvements identified by staff, while $2 million is funded in FY23 in the current capital plan. A community conversation as part of Downtown Growth and Housing should begin this fall. o Anticipated work by the PARC, appointed June 2021. Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting Operations HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESTRUCTURE a. Strengthen department to recognize and handle increased importance of health both with and without Covid i. Health department assessment with BOH b. Remove overburden on BOH c. Implement both short and long-term strategies in collaboration with BOH d. Deliverables: CY2020 assistance (temp?) and longer-term recommendations for the department by end of FY21 e. Monthly updates to SB f. Support BOH membership from 3-5 (Charter change required) i. Target April 2021 if possible FINAL REPORT: This goal will be completed this summer 2021 with hiring of a New Public Health Director position, serving as a ninth Town Department Head. The restructuring took a great deal of conversation both inside and outside the organization, during the pandemic. o Collaborate with largely new Board of Health, appointed July 2020, with Covid-19 and the future of the Health division o September 2020 request to increase BOH membership delivered to Bylaw Committee o October 2020 hire retired and very experienced Interim Health Director Peter Mirandi o December 2020 review with the Select Board the Town Manager FY22 budget proposal to create a ninth Town department with a Public Health Director as part of Public Safety o January 2021 hire additional Public Health Nurse staffing Shuang Shen (part time) o March 2021 Former Health Agent resigns o March 2021 FINCOM adopts budget, in agreement with Town Manager proposal above o April/May 2021 Town Meeting adopts budget as described o May 2021 Director position advertised o June 2021 PHN Shen hired full-time after completing MPH program, duties expand to website o June 2021 funds encumbered for community survey/assessment o July 2021 new Health department launches. Town Manager serves as administrative (only) department head; Peter Mirandi serves as operational department head o Construction ongoing on Police Station/Dispatch Center as first step. Further work to be determined in collaboration with the new Public Health Director o July 2021 Public Health Director interviews scheduled Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting Operations CAPITAL a. Explore priorities with Financial Forum and community input b. Present suggestions on use of Free Cash and/or borrowing to encompass moving things up on capital and/or new projects ▪ “what would we do if it was not Covid?” ▪ Theoretical discussion + presentation Q1 (discuss with Financial Forum audience before) FINAL REPORT: This goal is complete. FINCOM led an effort to do more capital projects funded by Free Cash, including RMHS Stadium Track and Turf upgrades and the Parker MS roof replacement. One-time federal funds that will be made available in t he summer 2021 and thereafter provide another future opportunity to advance some capital projects o July/August 2020 Town and School staff meet several times to discuss capital plan, and priorities o September 2020 met twice with FINCOM to discuss Town’s financial health as well as opportunity to do more capital projects o October 2020 Financial Forum to share ideas and hear from community o October 2020 RMHS Stadium and Parker roof projects identified as priorities o October 2020 FINCOM authorizes additional Free Cash to balance the FY22 budget o November 2020 Town Meeting approves capital plan moving up these two projects o April 2021 Town Meeting approves $250,000 design/OPM funding and under Article 13 debt authorizations for $3.0 million of RMHS Stadium work o April 2021 Town Meeting approves $250,000 design/OPM funding and under Article 14 debt authorizations for $2.7 million of RMHS Stadium work o July-December 2021 design work for each project o January 2022 – bids advertised for each project o June-August 2022 expected construction for each project Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting LAND USE a. Ensure that Conservation Comm involved in all activities b. Conservation studies at Symonds (Q2 21) and Camp Curtis (later in 2021)— what is buildable? FINAL REPORT: This goal is complete. All discussions and decisions involved the Conservation Administrator, who communicated regularly to CONSCOM, and some members joined in on site visits. Next steps: solve the DPW facility need and use of Symonds Way. o Shared DPW garage with Wakefield discussed and designed 2017-2019 o January 2020 – meet with Governor Baker and members of state government, Wakefield, and the National Guard to discuss options. A specific parcel of land at Camp Curtis is identified as for sale and available for a shared DPW garage o March 2020 – state of emergency halts all related discussions o Fall 2020 Symonds way wetlands have been delineated and inspected by the Conservation Administrator and some CONSCOM members o October 2020 – talks are revived with the National Guard, who is still interested in the project o November 2020 – Town Meeting approves $50,000 in funding for these two projects o December 2020 – Wakefield agrees to restart the process o January through June 2021 – biweekly meetings with National Guard, Rep Jones office, Wakefield, our Community Development Director and Conservation Administrator o March/April 2021 – site visits by Conservation Administrator o April 2021– drone flyover by Facilities Director, Economic Development Liaison, and Conservation Administrator o June 9, 2021 decision that the Camp Curtis parcel is too wet t house even a garage for one community, with no reasonable prospects given conservation restrictions to change that o June 2021 $25,000 encumbered for further consulting work on Symonds Way Final Update Presented at July 20, 2021 Select Board Meeting APPENDIX Select Board Policy 1.3.3.2. Process for Setting Town Manager Goals The following guidelines and timetable are hereby established for setting annual and multi-year goals for the Town Manager: • The Town Manager and Select Board are encouraged to collaborate in the goal-setting process during their public meetings, beginning in May and June. • By June 30 of each year the Town Manager will provide to the Select Board draft goals for the following Fiscal Year beginning July 1. • Between 5 and 10 of these goals shall be prioritized by the Town Manager. • If multi-year goals are desired by both parties, they shall be split into multiple sub-goals for each fiscal year, in a manner that allows progress on each year’s sub-goal to be measured. • These draft goals should be accompanied by a suggested set of metrics by which the Select Board can measure progress toward the accomplishment of each goal. • The Select Board shall discuss, modify, and approve the Town Manager’s goals by August 30. • If a situation arises between September through December where the Town Manager or Select Board decide that the approved goals for the current Fiscal Year need to be modified or re - prioritized, o The Select Board Chair will first meet with the Town Manager to discuss the revisions o The Town Manager will revise the goals and re-present them to the Select Board for their approval not later than December 30. o These goals should not be changed again after December 30 except under urgent and unforeseen circumstances. Timeline of Select Board Agenda items for FY21/FY22 Goals: Town Manager Draft Goals presented/discussed 6-16-2020; 6-30-2020; 7-13-2020; 9-8-2020; 9-22-2020; 10-6-2020; 10-27-2020 approved Several updates on many goals were subsequently given during Town Manager Reports of various meetings. Below are meetings that contained related agenda items. Town Manager Goals Update 2-2-2021 – await Board feedback Board Feedback 4-20-2021 Town Manager Goals Update HR Policy (#5) 4-20-21 Town Manager Goals Update Black Earth Composting (#3) 4-20-21 Town Manager Goals Update Land Use (#9) 4-22-21 Town Manager Goal Update Economic Development (#5) 5-18-21 Town Manager FY22 Draft Goals 6-29-21 Town Manager FY21 Final Update & FY22 Draft Goals 7-20-21