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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-08-09 Select Board Minutes/� 0rRFg0 Town of Reading Meeting Minutes 'RECEIVED i.. i TOWN CLERK oa.>` R[AMNG, MA. lZk- Board - Committee - Commission - Council: 2022 DEC 14 AM II: 02 Select Board Date: 2022-08-09 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Select Board Meeting Room Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session Purpose: General Business Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Mark Dockser, Carlo Bacci, Chris Haley, Jackie McCarthy, Karen Herrick Members - Not Present: Others Present: Town Manager Fidel Maltez, E.A. Caitlin Nocella, Karen Janowski, Veteran's Agent William Valliere, Coalition Director Erica McNamara, Outreach Coordinator Krystal Mellonakos-Garay and Public Safety Clinician Taunya Jarzyniecki, Town Clerk Laura Gemme, Lt. Jones, Treasurer Endri Kume, Attorney Josh Latham, Conservation Administrator Chuck Tirone Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Executive Assistant Caitlin Nocella Topics of Discussion: This meeting was held in person and remote via Zoom. Mark Dockser called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Public Comment Karen Janowski noted there is a library event being held that she feels is offensive and not very inclusive. She believes the board should be looking over events carefully before allowing our public buildings to hold such events. Liaison Reports McCarthy and Herrick went to a new member training by MMA. FINCOM recently reorganized and will co -host Financial Forums on September 21" and October 26'h. The Board of Health added information about monkey pox on their website. She also noted there are free Zumba classes being put on by the YMCA, Thursday nights on the town common at bpm, until Labor Day. Herrick noted RMLD is holding an electric car show on Sunday in Wilmington next to the farmer's market. RMLD has added new rebates for electric items to move away from fossil fuels. Conservation and Trails Committee are finishing painting Matera Cabin. She attended a Climate Advisory Committee meeting and noted they will be coming to the board soon regarding polystyrene bylaw. Council on Aging was excited to hear we received a response to the RFP for a senior center. Haley attended the RMLD CAB meeting who are reactivating all their social media accounts. He will be at the electric car show. He thanked RCN for their theatre camp this summer his daughter attended and Page I 1 loved. Dunk the Readings is coming back to the Fall Street Faire this year with proceeds going to the Rotary and to Ruff N' Rowdy, a local business that is going through a rough time. Bacci attended CPDC and noted Public Kitchen is doing work and head their sign approved last night; they will hopefully open in September. Julie Mercier and staff along with CPDC are going to creating brewery/distillery and winery zoning bylaws. Dockser noted the Mailet Sommes project. RECALL is meeting tomorrow. A number of groups have come before RAAC and the committee may need more time for deliberations. Town Managers Report Maher noted that capital costs are thru the roof. The next beer garden on the common will be August 201h. Veterans Agent Introduction William Valliere was recently hired as our new Veteran's Agent in town. He introduced himself and gave the board his background. The board welcomed him and wished him well here. Reading Coalition Staff Report Coalition Director Erica McNamara, Outreach Coordinator Krystal Mellonakos-Garay and Public Safety Clinician Taunya Jarzyniecki gave the board a presentation on the coalition, their staff and their work. The presentation can be found on the town website in the Select Board meeting packet. VOTES Legislation Town Clerk Laura Gemme was present to explain to the board that recently passed legislation changed the VOTES Act giving power to the Select Board to delegate how many and which Police Officers work the elections. Chief Clark and herself are asking the board to delegate back the power to the Town Clerk and Police Chief. The town has never had any issues with officers at the polls and their current process works very well. The board discussed their thoughts while Herrick asked if there was a reason why this legislation passed giving the board the power to do this. She is hesitant to delegate this back if there is a reason for it being given to them in the first place. The board discussed delegating it on a yearly basis instead of permanently. Gemme suggested delegating every election cycle instead. Herrick moved to designate the Town Clerk while working with the Police Chief to determine and approve a sufficient number of police officers at the polling location at every election in 2022 and 2023 therein to preserve order and to protect the election officers from any interference with their duties and to aid in enforcing the laws relating to elections, as required by Section 72 of the Chapter 92 of the Acts of 2022, and to designate the Police Chief the authority to assign police officers following all bargaining agreements and to have the Select Board review and approve this authority every January of even years to follow the election cycle. The motion was seconded by Bacci and approved with a 5-0 vote. State Primary Warrant Haley Move to close the warrant for the State Primary to be held on September 6`h, 2022. The motion was seconded by McCarthy and approved with a 5-0 vote. Public Hearing - Parking Regulations Haley read the hearing notice Page 1 2 Lt. Jones was thereto explain the three safety amendments to the parking rules and regulations. Haley moved to close the hearing regarding traffic and parking regulations. The motion was seconded by Bacci and approved with a 5-0 vote. It was noted that PTTTF has already seen and approved these. The board discussed more enforcement at the EV charging stations. Haley moved to approve Safety Amendment 2022-17, 2022-38 and 2022-19 as presented. The motion was seconded by Herrick and approved with a 5-0 vote. Bill Russell Proclamation Haley read the proclamation. McCarthy noted she would like to add a clause at the end of the drafted proclamation. Sherilla Lestrade agreed with McCarthy's insert and thanked her for that. Linda Snow Dockser suggester we celebrate his birthday or something more joyous than the day of his death. Haley moved to approve the Bill Russell proclamation as amended. The motion was seconded by McCarthy and approved with a 5-0 vote. There will be a press release going out along with the signed proclamation. MWRA Borrowing Town Treasurer Endri Kume explained this is a $10Million borrow with no interest in lead mitigation measures. Haley moved that... Docker moved to suspend the reading of the motion. It was seconded by Herrick and approved with a 5.0 vote. Conservation Budget Reauest Conservation Administrator Chuck Tirone is asking for $5,000 budget for the Conservation Commission. Haley moved to approve $5,000 in the FY23 budget for the Conservation Commission as requested. The motion was seconded by Herrick and approved with a 5-0 vote. 269 Main Street Easement Attorney Josh Latham and Conservation Administrator Chuck Throne were present for this agenda item. The board is being asked to approve an easement on 269 Main Street. The documents are all in order. Haley moved to approve the foregoing Access Easement from 269 Main Street, LLC to the Town of Reading acting by and through its Conservation Commission pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40, Section SC and agree to be bound by its terms. The motion was seconded by Herrick and approved with a 5-0 vote. Lilah Lane Easement The board is being asked to approve a drainage easement at 104 Lilah Lane at the request of the homeowner. Town Engineering department is in agreement and the paperwork is in order. Haley Move to approve the drainage easement at 104 Lilah Lane as presented. The motion was seconded by McCarthy and approved with a 5-0 vote. Water Line Easement Page 13 The board is being asked to approve a water line easement at 369 Main Street. The paperwork is in order. Haley Move to approve the foregoing Water Line Easement from Boston Oil Change, LLC to the Town Of Reading and agree to be bound by its terms as presented. The motion was seconded by McCarthy and approved with a 5-0 vote. Affordable Housing Trust Town Counsel Ivria Fried was present to show the board a draft of the Special Act legislation to dissolve its current affordable housing trust fund and convert existing funds to the state -mandated Affordable Housing Trust format. McCarthy worked with Counsel to look at the membership provision after the last meeting's discussion about how many members. After looking at what other surrounding towns have done, they are suggesting 5 members. They also suggest including language about recommended areas of expertise on the board, including backgrounds in affordable housing, law, land use, finance, and real estate development. They do not believe associate members with voting powers are possible. Bacci noted this was presented last night to CPDC and a member on CPDC brought up a concern about the audit of the money. He had concerns about the wording specifically of this part. Counsel noted she would have to look into the history of this but noted it appears it is a statutory obligation. Haley moved to approve the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Special Act and Bylaw as amended and direct the Town Manager to include this in the upcoming Subsequent Town Meeting. Bacci seconded the motion and it was approved with a 5-0 vote. Discuss RFP for Senior Center Space In the packet is the one response they did receive about leased space for the senior center. The board discussed the thought of leaving this RFP open but also issuing another RFP to give them more options other than leasing and to allow other property owners in town to respond as well. Haley move to direct the Town Manager to issue an RFP for Lease -to -Buy Option and/or Buy Option for Space for a Senior Center. The motion was seconded by Herrick and approved with a 5-0 vote. Future Agendas The board discussed future agenda items. Minutes The board edited minutes from their previous meeting. Haley moved to approve the meeting minutes of July 19th, 2022 as amended. The motion was seconded by Herrick and approved with a 5-0 vote. Herrick moved to adjourn the meeting at 10:21 PM. The motion was seconded by Bacci and approved with a 5-0 vote. Documents Used: 2022-08-09 Select Board Packet Page 14