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Home My WebLink About2023-01-24 Select Board Minutes� Fq� Town of Reading RECEIVED �:� Meeting Minutes TOWN CLERK � ' tf�s READING, JM!�A. '6�6�IMCOPr� irk Board -Committee -Commission -Council: 2023 FEB -B AH 9:21 Select Board Date: 2023-01-24 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, Town Accountant Sharon Angstrom, Town Treasurer Diane Morabito, Town Planner Andrew MacNichol, Ivria Fried Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Executive Assistant Caitlin Nocella Topics of Discussion: This meeting was held in person and remote via Zoom. Liaison Reports McCarthy thanked DPW staff for all their hard work during the recent snow storms. She also thanked Jean Delios for all her hard work as she is retiring next week. She also noted a very inspirational MLK Day event. The Board of Health started discussion about a vendor to complete a community needs assessment. They are also updating tobacco regulations to comply with new state laws. She attended the MMA Annual Conference last week. RMLD announced a 9% rate increase. There are upcoming covid and flu vaccines as well as a Narcan training. Herrick noted that the RMLD fuel stabilization fund is at $6.9M and suggests the BOC consider its use in the future to stabilize rates after announcing a 9.3% increase. Conservation commission is reviewing the design of lot 5 parking area tomorrow. The Climate Advisory Committee needs members. She also attended the MMA conference and supported the fiscal polity resolution on behalf of the town. Haley reminded everyone of the public forum to discuss the senior center on January 3V. Bacci echoed McCarthys comments about a great MILK Day celebration. He noted SWEC met last week and got a presentation by Weston and Sampson in which they informed the committee there is about 2 acres of usable land to build on. Winterfest will be held again on March 91h this year. The pickleball community is putting together a nonprofit to raise money. They will hold an event at the fieldhouse on the 11'h and they will be advertising more soon. Dockser echoed previous comments about MILK Day. The Office of Social Justice and Equity holds open meetings with a committee called PAIR; great opportunity to get involved to help Reading become more Page I I inclusive. The Pleasant Street Center held a lunch and learn and talked about the survey that was held in regards to the senior center. Dockser will be holding office hours on February 8" at 10-11 am at the Pleasant Street Center and February 14t' at 10:30-11:30 am at the Reading Public Library. Town Manager Report Fidel noted they have signed off on all documents in regards to the feasibility study for the MSBA program. School Committee is voting on their budget on the 26'h and FINCOM will see the town budget in February. He noted Town Meeting is at 17 articles at the moment. He noted DPW will be coming to the board soon about trash barrels. M W RA Debt Authorization Town Treasurer Diane Morabito noted this borrowing was approved at Town Meeting and is needed to complete Phase I of the downtown water main project. It is a 10 -year, interest free loan. Bond Counsel has reviewed the articles and provided their approval, the board must now vote and approve the water bond and the closing certificate. Haley moved: I, the Clerk of the Select Board of the Town Of Reading, Massachusetts, certify, that at a meeting of the board held January 24, 2023, of which meeting all members of the board were duly notified and at which a quorum was present, the following votes were unanimously passed, all of which appear upon the official record of the board in my custody... Bacci moved to suspend the reading of the motion; with a second from McCarthy the vote passed with a 5-0 vote. Herrick moved to authorize Haley to sign on behalf of the board. McCarthy seconded the motion and the vote passed 5-0. Housing Production Plan Maltez noted the final version of the housing production plan was in the packet. This version includes all comments and suggestions made by the board at the last meeting. Haley moved to approve the Town of Reading Housing Production Plan as presented. The motion was seconded by Herrick and approved with a 5-0 vote. Town Manager Annual Review All board members and town staff provided a review of the past year for the Town Manager. Their comments and ratings are in the Select Board packet on the town website for viewing. Each board member took a minute to summarize their review for the Town Manager with the consensus of the board being very positive about Maltei s first year here. All members expressed that the Town Manager has done a great job so far, being very present in the community and accomplishing many things. Executive Session Haley moved to enter executive session under Purpose 2 to conduct strategy session in preparation for contract negotiations with Town Manager Fidel Maltez and conduct contract negotiations with Town Manager Fidel Maltez, to invite Town Counsel Ivria Fried and Executive Assistant Caitlin Nocella to attend the session, and to return to open session for purposes of continuing on with the meeting after the conclusion of the executive session. The motion was seconded by Herrick and approved with a unanimous roll call vote. Town Manager Fidel Maltez left the meeting. The board returned to open session at 8:45PM Page 1 2 Discuss Responses to RFP Fidel showed the board the presentation that was given at the lunch and learn which outlines some options for different spaces for a new senior center. The board discussed the different options and some of the responses they have heard from the seniors. The least expensive option by far is buying and renovating the Walgreens building. At 9:05 PM Haley moved to enter under Purpose 6 to consider the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of 25 Haven Street and 17 Hamden Street, as the Chair declares that an open meeting could have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the body, to invite Town Counsel Ivria Fried, and Jennie Merrill, Town Manager Fidel Maltez and Executive Assistant Caitlin Nocella to attend the executive session, and to return to open session for purposes of continuing on with the meeting after the conclusion of the executive session, including potential continuation of the open session agenda topic on the RFP responses. The motion was seconded by Herrick and approved with a unanimous roll call vote. The board returned to open session again at 10:00 PM. Future Agendas The board discussed future agenda items. Minutes The board edited past meeting minutes. Haley moved to approve the meeting minutes from December 13'h, 2022 as amended. The motion was seconded by Herrick and approved with a 5-0 vote. Haley moved to approve the meeting minutes from January 10'h, 2023 as written. The motion was seconded by McCarthy and approved with a 5-0 vote. Haley moved to adjourn at 10:10 PM. The motion was seconded by Herrick and approved with a 5-0 vote. Documents Used: 2023-01-24 Select Board Packet Page 1 3