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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-12-08 Select Board Minutes-ra RECEIVED °� �ej� Town of Reading TOWN CLER� Meeting Minutes READING, MA. y rl�o a'P,.,; op o,: 2022 JAN 12 PM 5: 21 Board - Committee - commission - Council: Select Board Date: 2021-12-08 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Address: 16 Lowell Street Purpose: General Business Attendees: Members - Present: Location: Select Board Meeting Room Session: Open Session Version: Final Chair Karen Herrick, Chris Haley - in person; Vice Chair Anne Landry - via zoom; Members not present: Secretary Mark Dockser, Carlo Bacci Members - Not Present: Others Present: FINCOM members present: Chair Ed Ross, Vice Chair Jeanne Borawski (remote), Eric Burkhart (remote), Geoffrey Coram (remote), Joseph McDonagh (remote), Marianne McLaughlin -Downing (remote), Mark Zarmw, (remote), Jacqueline McCarthy (remote, joined 7:30pm). Others present via zoom: Bob LeLacheur, Sharon Angstrom, Jean Delios, Amy Lannon, Joe Huggins, Ade Solarin, David Clark, Jane Kinsella, Matt Kraunelis, Greg Bums, Endri Kume, Sean Donahue, Chris Cole, Paul Jackson, Christine Amendola Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Bob LeLacheur Topics of Discussion: Documents Used FY23 Finance Budget Presentation Administrative Services FY23 SB PDF FY 23 Budget Select Board Presentation Fire Department B FY23 Police budget FY -23 PUBLIC HEALTH BUDGET PRESENTATION FY23 REQUESTED FACILITIES BUDGET Select Board called to order at 7:05pm; FINCOM called to order at 7:11 pm FY23 Budgets Town Manager Bob LeLacheur gave a brief overview that the Board would hear from the nine Town department heads over the next two meetings and see their requested FY23 budgets. In addition, the Board would hear about Shared Costs, such as benefits, capital and debt. The guidance from FINCOM to balance FY23 budgets included enough Free Cash to support +3+85%, and there was an additional $50,000 from late breaking New Growth to support results of a Pay 8 Class study. The budgets reviewed over the next two weeks did not meet the target +3.85% level, and the Board would be asked in early January 2022 their priorities to balance the budgets. Finance Department: Town Accountant/Finance Director Sharon Angstrom and Treasurer/Assistant Finance Director Endri Kume Sharon Angstrom presented the Finance budget by reviewing the Ong Chart showing Treasury, Collections, Accounting and Assessing. She noted the ongoing regional IMA with Wakefield to share the Chief Assessor Page 1 1 Position. There are 12.9 FTEs in the department, and she requested a modest increase of 5 hours/week added to a part time support position. She reviewed the key responsibilities and how the department has responded to meet the challenges of Covid- 19. The overall budget request is +3.9% which is about in line with FINCOM guidance. Wages are +4.2%and driven by the requested additional hours, and expenses are +2.2%. The Board thanked Sharon for her presentation but did not have any substantial questions. Administrative Services Department: Administrative Services Director/Ombudsman Matt Kraunelis and HR Director Sean Donahue Matt Kraunelis presented the Administrative Services budget by reviewing the Ong Chart showing the Town Clerk Office, Human Resources, Town Manager Office, Operations and Technology. Currently there are 17.5 FTEs but he is requesting an increase to 19 FTEs in FY23. He reviewed the support the department provides to the entire organization including volunteer boards. He projected a small increase to the legal budget and to increases in property & casualty insurance. For the Town Clerk/Elections he noted the increase from one to three scheduled elections and a significant budget impact. He also requested a part-time support position to help with Public Records requests. He discussed Operations and noted that a redesigned website would be launched approximately by March 2022. For Human Resources he requested a full time Assistant HR Director position due to the large responsibilities related to Covid-19 and general workload which includes a substantial impact from school operations. He noted the $50,000 funding for the results of the Pay & Class study. For Technology, he noted requests for Office 365 licenses and work on the Town's fiber optic cable, that supports Town and School communication. Matt noted the overall budget request was +11.3%, driven by additional elections and 1.5 new FTEs. Select Board member Haley noted that the Office 365 licenses would pay for themselves based on improved productivity from his experience. He asked about a wireless point-to-point network. Select Board member Landry asked for detail about public records requests, and if the growth was driven by commercial inquiries or residents? Laura Gemme replied that the split was about 50/50 in new requests. In 2017 there had been an initial heavy commercial inquiry but that has stabilized. Landry thanked staff especially Technology for their support for remote and hybrid meetings. She also noted the $20,000 increase in the legal budget, and Matt replied that it was a broad increase that included Board activities. FINCOM member Zarrow asked if Office 365 and Teams might reduce Zoom license costs, and the response was not immediately because of the demand outside the organization (including volunteer boards) to use Zoom. FINCOM member Downing asked if the $80,000 HR position could be part time, and Sean Donahue noted the volume of work was not during predictable hours and gave several examples, inducing interactions with school employees. Select Board member Herrick noted the vacant GIS position and asked when it would be filled, with a response that it already had been filled. She asked if a new Climate Advisory Committee Sustainability Director position could be added to this budget, and the response was this was a department head requested budget and that might belong in Planning. FINCOM member McCarthy joined the meeting (remotely). Public Safety Department: Fire/EMS: Chief Greg Bums, Assistant Chief Paul Jackson; Police/Dispatch: Chief David Clark, Deputy Chief Christine Amendola; Public Health: Health Director Ado Solarin Greg Bums made a presentation showing the major responsibilities of Fire/EMS and that no staffing changes were requested, and he reviewed the Ong Chart including 53 FTEs. The budget is +3.25% and over 90% is wages. He reviewed the causes for wage and expense changes. He also reviewed over $600,000 in grants received recently. Greg reviewed how emergency response levels have change during Covid-19, and the department's equipment. He noted that about $800,000 in ambulance billing revenues flows directly to the general fund, to be shared with Town and School budgets. He finished by reviewing Covid and FEMA reimbursement efforts. SB member Herrick asked if when the SAFER grant was finished, it budgeted wage costs would need to increase. Bob LeLacheur replied that it would not, as the wages were fully budgeted. Grant funds were indirectly assisting Public Safety in any OT needed above budgeted so that would bear watching. SB members Landry and Haley thanked the Chief for their efforts during the pandemic. David Clark made a presentation showing the Org Chart and gave a budget overview. Wages are up 2.6% including a proposed increase in Parking Enforcement Officer hours coupled with a decrease in Animal Control Officer hours due to the regional IMA with Wakefield. Expenses are up 10.8% due to the Animal Control IMA. David explained the Covid-19 induced changes in Community Outreach, but that a number of activities returned in the summer. He reviewed a good detail of Patrol Officer and Detective data, showing increased mental health calls during the pandemic. He noted that public records requests have continued at high levels, and requests for licenses to carry had increased. Page 1 2 The Dispatch budget had no staffing changes at 11 FTEs and a 4.2% increase in wages and +1.3% increase in expenses. Dispatch is fully compliant with state requirements. The Reading Coalition budget was up +1.7%. A position was filled ager the incumbent returned to school, and now the new mental health Clinician position was being advertised to be filled in early 2022. Ade Solarin made a presentation showing the Public Health department and noted the new structure inside Public Safety was a brilliant idea and one that drew him to join Reading. He reviewed the key responsibilities, and showed the new proposed office space. His budget request included the addition of a full-time support staff position, so a change from 3.6 to 4.6 FTEs which drives up wage costs by 10%. In expenses he requested a $29,000 allocation to digitize Public Health records. FINCOM member Downing (and others) welcomed Ads to Reading and asked how far back the Public Health records go. He replied by explaining state records retention requirements, including some that were permanent. Facilities Department Facilities Director Joe Huggins and Assistant Director Kevin Cabuui. Joe Huggins presented the Facilities department budget, that had no proposed changes in staffing. He reminded the Board that both the CORE and Town Facilities budgets were under the Town side, but the School Facilities budget was incorporated into the School budget. CORE wages are up 3.7%, and expenses up+3.0%for a combined +3.1%total. Fire alar code requirements are one of the few changes to the budget. Town Facilities wages are +2.1%and expenses +10.2%, for a combined +4.4%. Expenses are driven by the cost for renewing a contract next fall for outsourced cleaning, as costs have increased during the pandemic. The total for CORE plus Town Facilities is +3.24%. Joe reviewed work orders, which show that in-house staff still managed to do most of the work even during Covid-19. The High School and both Middle Schools dominate in the volume of calls for service. The Board thanked Joe for the department's work. Chris Haley moved and Karen Herrick seconded that the Select Board adjourn at 9:15pm, followed by a roll call vote Landry -yes; Haley -yes; Herrick -yes. Simultaneously Jeanne Bomwski moved and Jackie McCarthy seconded that the FINCOM adjourn at 9:1 Spm followed by a roll call vote Borawski-yes; Burkhart -yes; McCarthy -yes; Coram -yes; McDonagh - yes; Downing -yes; Zarrow-yes and Ross -yes. Page 1 3