HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-12-07 Select Board Minuteso� Town of Reading '13ECEtVED
Meeting Minutes
ir" TOWN CLERK
READING, MA.
Board - Committee - Commission - Council: 2823 JAN I I PN 1200
Select Board
Date: 2022-12-07 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, Executive Assistant Caitlin Nocella, Assistant
Town Manager Jean Delos, Director of Administrative Services Matt
Kraunelis, Technology Director Kevin Furilla, Chief Burns, Deputy Chief
DelSignore, Chief Clark, Deputy Chief Amendola, Health Director Ade
Solarin, DPW Director Jane Kinsella, Assistant DPW Director Chris Cole
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Executive Assistant Caitlin Nocella
Topics of Discussion:
This meeting was held in person and remote via Zoom.
Dockser called the meeting to order at 7 PM. This meeting was to hear various departments' budget
requests.
Assistant Town Manager lean Delos was up first to review the budget for Public Services. She gave the
board a presentation that can be found in the Select Board packet on the town website. She noted she is
requesting funds to extend programming at the senior center and for administrative assistance for the
Veterans Department. ARPA funds will be funding a senior center coordinator and program coordinator
for the Recreation Department.
The board discussed some specific items the ARPA money was already being used for in this
department.
Director of Administrative Services Matt Kraunelis presented the Administrative Services budget. His
presentation can be found in the packet on the town website. His FY24 budget is a level services budget
with a small increase to the legal services line based on current trends. He also noted a projected 14%
increase in Property & Casualty Insurance. He noted the Technology Department used to fall under this
budget but with recent changes, they will now be their awn department.
Technology Director Kevin Furilla gave the board his presentation on the technology budget which can
be found on the town website as well. He noted they currently have a vacant position of Computer
Technician which they are trying to fill. He noted salaries are up 13% compared to last year and
expenses are up 4%.
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Chief Burns and Deputy Chief DelSignore gave the board a presentation about the Fire Department
budget. This presentation can be found in the board packet on the town website. Chief Burns noted this
is a level services budget with a 4% increase to salaries and a less than 1% increase to expenses. He
noted some future needs would be putting the Shift Commander in their own car.
Chief Clark and Deputy Chief Amendola gave the board a presentation about the Police Department
budget. This presentation can also be found in the packet on the town website. He is a requesting a
4.41% increase to his budget compared to FY23 with increases in wages and expenses.
He also spoke about the Dispatch budget. The FY24 budget for dispatch is being requested with a 3.85%
increase due to wages increases mostly and a slight increase in expenses for uniforms.
Lastly, under Chief Clark is the Coalition budget. The Coalition budget request includes a 4.45% increase
due to an increase in wages.
Next up was Health Director Ade Solarin with the Health Department budget. His presentation can be
found in the packet on the town website. His budget is decrease of 5.1% compared to FY23. This is due
to a decrease in salaries with the elimination of one position.
Finally, DPW Director Jane Kinsella gave the board a presentation on the Public Works budget. Assistant
Director Chris Cole was also present for the presentation which can be found on our town website in the
Select Board Packet. The total budget for FY24 includes a 3.3% increase due to increases in salaries and
expenses. She also spoke to the budget for water/sewer and storm water enterprises which included no
new staffing but some increases in expenses for water and sewer based on the MWRA Draft
assessment.
Haley moved to adjourn at 10:43PM. The vote was seconded by Herrick and approved with a 5-0 vote.
Documents Used:
2022-12-07Select Board Packet
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