HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-05-23 Select Board Packet
Town of Reading
Meeting Posting with Agenda
This Agenda has been prepared in advance and represents a listing of topics that the chair reasonably anticipates will be discussed
at the meeting. However the agenda does not necessarily include all matters which may be taken up at this meeting.
Page | 1
2018-07-16 LAG Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Select Board
Date: 2023-05-23 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Select Board Meeting Room
Address: 16 Lowell Street Agenda:
Purpose: General Business
Meeting Called By: Caitlin Nocella on behalf of Chair Jackie McCarthy
Notices and agendas are to be posted 48 hours in advance of the meetings excluding
Saturdays, Sundays and Legal Holidays. Please keep in mind the Town Clerk’s hours of
operation and make necessary arrangements to be sure your posting is made in an
adequate amount of time. A listing of topics that the chair reaso nably anticipates will be
discussed at the meeting must be on the agenda.
All Meeting Postings must be submitted in typed format; handwritten notices will not be accepted.
Topics of Discussion:
This Meeting will be held in-person in the Select Board
Meeting Room at Town Hall and remotely on Zoom. It will
also be streamed live on RCTV as usual.
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PAGE #
7:00 Overview of Meeting
7:05 Public Comment
7:15 SB Liaison & Town Manager Reports 3
7:30 National Public Works Week Proclamation 4
7:35 Arbor Day Proclamation 5
Town of Reading
Meeting Posting with Agenda
This Agenda has been prepared in advance and represents a listing of topics that the chair reasonably anticipates will be discussed
at the meeting. However the agenda does not necessarily include all matters which may be taken up at this meeting.
Page | 2
7:40 HEARING – Discuss/Vote on FY24 Non-Union
Classification and Compensation Schedules 6
8:00 HEARING – Continue Discussion on FY24 Water and
Sewer Rates 9
8:30 Committee Report from CPDC 16
8:55 Vote on Letter of Support for MBTA Communities Grant 26
9:00 Discussion on Next Steps on Town Wide Masterplan
9:15
Vote on Local option to increase the Cost o f Living
Adjustment (“COLA”) for Fiscal Year 2023 to up to 5
percent on the base amount specified pursuant to G.L. c.
32, § 103, for retirees.
29
9:20 Vote on Select Board Liaison Assignments 39
9:30 Vote on Potential Changes to ReCalc Charge and Sunset
Date
9:40 Vote on Clarification of SWEC Charge, as Requested by
Committee 40
9:45 Vote on Issuing RFP for Feasibility Study for New Senior
Center 44
9:55 Pride Month Resolution 58
10:00 Juneteenth Resolution 59
10:05 Discuss Future Agendas 60
10:10 Approve Meeting Minutes
Office of the Town Manager 781-942-9043
16 Lowell Street townmanager@ci.reading.ma.us
Reading, MA 01867 www.readingma.gov/town-manager
To: Select Board
From: Fidel A. Maltez
Date: May 18, 2023
RE: Town Manager Memo for May 23rd, 2023 Meeting
We have an exciting agenda for the Select Board. The Select Board will be asked to vote on four
celebratory proclamations. The first is related to National Public Works Week, which takes place from May
22 to May 26. Our Public Works employees are fantastic; they provide incredible work to our Town every
day. We are planning a small celebration on Thursday May 25 to thank our DPW team for their work. The
Select Board will be asked to sign our Annual Arbor Day Proclamation. This is a requirement to maintain
our designation as Tree City USA. The remaining proclamations are related to Pride Month celebrated
every June, and Juneteenth which will be celebrated in Reading on June 24 on the Town Common.
We are excited to ask the Select Board for a letter of support for a newly created grant by the Governor’s
office. This grant would provide up to $100,000 for community outreach and technical assistance to
achieve compliance of the MBTA Communities Legislation. Our planning staff and CPDC are engaged in
this important process; having these additional financial resources will ensure a robust community
process.
At your meeting on June 6, the Board will receive an update from our Economic Development Director on
the progress we are making towards the Kiosk rollout in our downtown parking lots. Our Economic
Development Director and I will share the hurdles we are facing about accepting coins on the kiosks. The
concerns are auditing in nature and will require additional steps to ensure we are handling this
appropriately.
Finally, I wanted to report that our Killam School Building Committee process is going extremely well. The
committee is well underway in the process of selecting an Owner’s Project Manager. The committee will
select a firm at their meeting on May 22 to move on to contracting. This is a critical step in the MSBA
process.
FAM
SELECT BOARD OF READING
_________________________ _________________________
Jacqueline McCarthy, Chair Mark L. Dockser, Vice Chair
_________________________ _________________________
Karen Gately Herrick, Secretary Carlo Bacci
_________________________
Christopher Haley
PROCLAMATION
NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK
Whereas, Public Works services provided in our community are an integral (but often unnoticed) part of our resident’s everyday
lives; and Whereas, the support of understanding and informed residents is vital to the efficient operation of the Public Works Department
in the areas of Administrative Services; Engineering; Highway and Equipment Maintenance; Stormwater; Parks and
Cemetery; Forestry; Water; and Sewer; and
Whereas, the health, safety and comfort of residents of this community depends on these facilities and services; and
Whereas, the quality and effectiveness of these services is vitally dependent upon the efforts and skill of Public Works officials
and employees; and
Whereas, the efficiency of the qualified and dedicated first responder personnel who staff our Public Works Department is
materially influenced by the resident’s attitude and understanding of the importance of the work they perform; and
Now, therefore, we, the Select Board of the Town of Reading, Massachusetts do hereby proclaim the week of May 21 to May 27, 2023
as Public Works Week in the Town of Reading and we call upon all residents and civic organizations to acquaint
themselves with the issues involved in providing quality Public Works services to this community and to recognize
the contributions which Public Works officials and employees make every day to our health, safety, comfort, and
quality of life.
SELECT BOARD OF READING
_________________________ _________________________
Jacqueline McCarthy, Chair Mark L. Dockser, Vice Chair
_________________________ _________________________
Karen Gately Herrick, Secretary Carlo Bacci
_________________________
Christopher Haley
PROCLAMATION
ARBOR DAY
Whereas, In 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the
planting of trees; and Whereas, This holiday, called Arbor Day, was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska,
and Arbor Day is now observed throughout the nation and the world; and
Whereas, Trees reduce the erosion of our precious topsoil by wind and water, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the
temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen and provide habitat for wildlife; and
Whereas, Trees are a renewable resource giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires and countless other wood
products; and
Whereas, Trees in our Town increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, beautify our
community, and wherever they are planted are a source of joy and spiritual renewal; and
Whereas, Reading has been recognized as a Tree City, U.S.A. by the National Arbor Day Foundation for the
37th consecutive year, and desires to continue its tree-planting ways.
Now, therefore, we, The Select Board of the Town of Reading, Massachusetts do hereby proclaim April 28, 2023 as Arbor Day
in the Town of Reading and urge all citizens to celebrate Arbor Day and to support efforts to protect our trees
and woodlands, and plant trees to gladden the heart and promote the well being of this and future generations.
Legal Notice
(Seal)
Town of Reading
To the Inhabitants of the Town of Reading:
Please take notice that the Select Board of the Town of Reading will hold a series of public
hearings on May 23rd, 2023 in the Select Board Meeting Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading,
Massachusetts, and remotely via Zoom, to:
• Approve the FY24 Non-Union Classification (Schedule A-1) and Compensation
(Schedule B-1) Plans at 7:30 PM
• Approve Water, Sewer, and Storm Water rates for FY24 at 8:00 PM
A copy of the proposed documents regarding these topics will be in the Select Board packet
on the website at www.readingma.gov
All interested parties are invited to attend the hearing, or may submit their comments in
writing or by email prior to 4:00 p.m. on May 23rd, 2023 to townmanager@ci.reading.ma.us
By order of
Fidel Maltez
Town Manager
To the Chronicle: Please publish on May 9th and again on May 16th, 2023
Send the bill and tear sheet to: Town Manager, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, MA 01867
Schedule A-1
A
B Clerk Library Associate Parking Enfocement Officer Transportation Coordinator
C Administrative
Assistant
Senior Center Coordinator Senior Library Associate Veteran's Service Officer
D Administrative Specialist Assistant Assessor Benefits Specialist Coalition Outreach Coordinator Computer Technician Librarian I Library Communications Specialist Recreation Coordinator
Accounting Specialist Assistant Collector Assistant Town Clerk Assistant Treasurer Financial Analyst Health Inspector Nurse Advocate Permits Coordinator Public Health Nurse
Senior Case Manager
F Assistant Town Accountant Executive Assistant Plumbing/Gas Inspector Public Safety Clinician Water Quality Safety Administrator Wiring Inspector
G GIS Administrator Librarian II Senior Computer Technician Software Coordinator
H Conservation Administrator Procurement Officer Recreation Administrator Senior Planner
I Assistant Human Resources
Director
Collector Economic Development
Director
Elder/Human Services Administrator Head Public Safety Dispatcher
J Assessor Building Inspector Coalition Director Director of Equity and Social Justice Library Collection Services Division
Head
Library Public Services Division
Head
K Assistant Facilities Director Assistant Library Director Building Commissioner Community Development Director Community Services Director Town Clerk
L Assistant Chief Financial
Officer/Treasurer
Assistant DPW Director Director of Operations Human Resources Director
M Assistant Fire Chief Deputy Police Chief Health Director Library Director
N Assistant Town Manager Chief Financial Officer/Town
Accountant
Chief Technology Officer DPW Director Facilities Director Fire Chief Police Chief
TOWN OF READING CLASSIFICATION PLAN effective July 1, 2023
E
ANNUAL (based on a 37.5 hr workweek) Salaries are rounded to the nearest dollarGrade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10 Step 11 Step 12 Step 13 Step 14 A37,967$ 38,864$ 39,780$ 40,716$ 41,672$ 42,647$ 43,641$ 44,675$ 45,728$ 46,800$ 47,892$ 49,023$ 50,174$ 51,363$ B45,572$ 46,625$ 47,736$ 48,848$ 49,998$ 51,168$ 52,377$ 53,606$ 54,873$ 56,160$ 57,467$ 58,832$ 60,216$ 61,620$ C54,678$ 55,965$ 57,272$ 58,617$ 60,002$ 61,406$ 62,849$ 64,331$ 65,832$ 67,392$ 68,972$ 70,590$ 72,248$ 73,944$ D60,236$ 61,659$ 63,102$ 64,584$ 66,105$ 67,665$ 69,245$ 70,883$ 72,540$ 74,256$ 75,992$ 77,786$ 79,619$ 81,471$ E63,258$ 64,740$ 66,261$ 67,821$ 69,420$ 71,039$ 72,716$ 74,432$ 76,167$ 77,961$ 79,794$ 81,666$ 83,597$ 85,547$ F66,417$ 67,977$ 69,576$ 71,214$ 72,891$ 74,607$ 76,343$ 78,137$ 79,989$ 81,861$ 83,792$ 85,761$ 87,770$ 89,837$ G69,732$ 71,370$ 73,047$ 74,783$ 76,538$ 78,332$ 80,165$ 82,056$ 83,987$ 85,956$ 87,984$ 90,051$ 92,157$ 94,322$ H73,223$ 74,939$ 76,713$ 78,507$ 80,360$ 82,251$ 84,182$ 86,151$ 88,179$ 90,246$ 92,372$ 94,536$ 96,759$ 99,041$ I76,889$ 78,702$ 80,535$ 82,446$ 84,377$ 86,366$ 88,394$ 90,461$ 92,586$ 94,770$ 96,993$ 99,275$ 101,595$ 103,994$ J80,730$ 82,622$ 84,572$ 86,561$ 88,589$ 90,675$ 92,801$ 94,985$ 97,227$ 99,509$ 101,849$ 104,228$ 106,685$ 109,200$ K86,054$ 88,218$ 90,422$ 92,684$ 95,004$ 97,364$ 99,801$ 102,297$ 104,852$ 107,484$ 110,175$ 112,925$ 115,752$ 120,374$ L94,673$ 97,032$ 99,470$ 101,946$ 104,501$ 107,114$ 109,785$ 112,535$ 115,343$ 118,229$ 121,193$ 124,215$ 127,316$ 132,405$ M104,130$ 106,743$ 109,415$ 112,145$ 114,953$ 117,819$ 120,764$ 123,786$ 126,887$ 130,046$ 133,302$ 136,637$ 140,049$ 145,646$ N114,543$ 117,410$ 120,354$ 123,357$ 126,438$ 129,597$ 132,834$ 136,169$ 139,562$ 143,052$ 146,640$ 150,306$ 154,050$ 160,212$ Grade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10 Step 11 Step 12 Step 13 Step 14A19.47$ 19.93$ 20.40$ 20.88$ 21.37$ 21.87$ 22.38$ 22.91$ 23.45$ 24.00$ 24.56$ 25.14$ 25.73$ 26.34$ B23.37$ 23.91$ 24.48$ 25.05$ 25.64$ 26.24$ 26.86$ 27.49$ 28.14$ 28.80$ 29.47$ 30.17$ 30.88$ 31.60$ C28.04$ 28.70$ 29.37$ 30.06$ 30.77$ 31.49$ 32.23$ 32.99$ 33.76$ 34.56$ 35.37$ 36.20$ 37.05$ 37.92$ D30.89$ 31.62$ 32.36$ 33.12$ 33.90$ 34.70$ 35.51$ 36.35$ 37.20$ 38.08$ 38.97$ 39.89$ 40.83$ 41.78$ E32.44$ 33.20$ 33.98$ 34.78$ 35.60$ 36.43$ 37.29$ 38.17$ 39.06$ 39.98$ 40.92$ 41.88$ 42.87$ 43.87$ F34.06$ 34.86$ 35.68$ 36.52$ 37.38$ 38.26$ 39.15$ 40.07$ 41.02$ 41.98$ 42.97$ 43.98$ 45.01$ 46.07$ G35.76$ 36.60$ 37.46$ 38.35$ 39.25$ 40.17$ 41.11$ 42.08$ 43.07$ 44.08$ 45.12$ 46.18$ 47.26$ 48.37$ H37.55$ 38.43$ 39.34$ 40.26$ 41.21$ 42.18$ 43.17$ 44.18$ 45.22$ 46.28$ 47.37$ 48.48$ 49.62$ 50.79$ I39.43$ 40.36$ 41.30$ 42.28$ 43.27$ 44.29$ 45.33$ 46.39$ 47.48$ 48.60$ 49.74$ 50.91$ 52.10$ 53.33$ J41.40$ 42.37$ 43.37$ 44.39$ 45.43$ 46.50$ 47.59$ 48.71$ 49.86$ 51.03$ 52.23$ 53.45$ 54.71$ 56.00$ K44.13$ 45.24$ 46.37$ 47.53$ 48.72$ 49.93$ 51.18$ 52.46$ 53.77$ 55.12$ 56.50$ 57.91$ 59.36$ 61.73$ L48.55$ 49.76$ 51.01$ 52.28$ 53.59$ 54.93$ 56.30$ 57.71$ 59.15$ 60.63$ 62.15$ 63.70$ 65.29$ 67.90$ M53.40$ 54.74$ 56.11$ 57.51$ 58.95$ 60.42$ 61.93$ 63.48$ 65.07$ 66.69$ 68.36$ 70.07$ 71.82$ 74.69$ N58.74$ 60.21$ 61.72$ 63.26$ 64.84$ 66.46$ 68.12$ 69.83$ 71.57$ 73.36$ 75.20$ 77.08$ 79.00$ 82.16$ FY2024 TOWN OF READING COMPENSATION PLANSchedule B-1HOURLY RATES
Town of Reading
Select Board Water & Sewer Rate Discussion
May 23, 2023
FY24 Rates –Slight Change to Tiers
•After our last Select Board Meeting, the Chair asked to see slight
adjustments:
–Combined Tier 1 & Tier 2: Same rate from 0 to 1000 cubic feet of
usage
–We are targeting similar revenue expectations as presented at the last
meeting
–Result is a smaller distribution between Tier 1 and Tier 5
–Figures on the next slide
FY23 Rates
Water Sewer
11.41$ 10.86$
Rate per 100 cubic feet of usage
Rates
Proposed FY24 Tiered Rates
•Big change: modified Tier 1 & Tier 2: from 0 to 1,000 cubic feet charged
the same rate. Reduces the distribution between Tier 1 & Tier 5
•Water: With this plan, billings are projected to go up $195,848 (or 2.6%) if
the new structure is in place for a full year and $36,252 (0.5%) if the new
structure is in place for ¾ of a year.
•Sewer: With this plan, billings are projected to go up $53,245 (or 0.7%) if
the new structure is in place for a full year and $25,059 (0.3%) if the new
structure is in place for ¾ of a year.
Tiers 1 2 3 4 5
Start - 501 1,001 2,501 4,001
End 500 1,000 2,500 4,000 +
Rate 10.75$ 10.75$ 11.70$ 12.00$ 12.50$
% Difference -6%-6%3%5%10%
Water
Tiers 1 2 3 4 5
Start - 501 1,001 2,501 4,001
End 500 1,000 2,500 4,000 +
Rate 10.20$ 10.20$ 11.15$ 11.50$ 12.00$
% Difference -6%-6%3%6%10%
Sewer
Projected Billing for Water
Projected Billing for Sewer
User Type Usage Current Bill FY 2024 - TIERS FY 2024 - NO TIERS
Low-End User 500 57.05$ 53.75$ 58.90$
Avg. Residential User (45 gpd)1,500 171.15$ 166.00$ 176.71$
Avg. Residential User (65 gpd)2,200 251.02$ 247.90$ 259.18$
Large Residential User 4,500 513.45$ 525.50$ 530.14$
Large Commercial User 10,000 1,141.00$ 1,213.00$ 1,178.08$
Very Large Commercial User 100,000 11,410.00$ 12,463.00$ 11,780.83$
User Impact (per Bill) - Water Bills Only
User Type Usage Current Bill FY 2024 - TIERS FY 2024 - NO TIERS
Low-End User 500 54.30$ 51.00$ 55.93$
Avg. Residential User (45 gpd)1,500 162.90$ 157.75$ 167.79$
Avg. Residential User (65 gpd)2,200 238.92$ 235.80$ 246.09$
Large Residential User 4,500 488.70$ 501.75$ 503.36$
Large Commercial User 10,000 1,086.00$ 1,161.75$ 1,118.58$
Very Large Commercial User 100,000 10,860.00$ 11,961.75$ 11,185.80$
User Impact (per Bill) - Sewer Bills Only
Recommendation for Water & Sewer
Rates for FY24
Tiers 1 2 3 4 5
Water Rate 10.75$ 10.75$ 11.70$ 12.00$ 12.50$
Sewer Rate 10.20$ 10.20$ 11.15$ 11.50$ 12.00$
FY24 Combined Rate 20.95$ 20.95$ 22.85$ 23.50$ 24.50$
FY23 Combined Rate 22.27$ 22.27$ 22.27$ 22.27$ 22.27$
% Difference -6%-6%3%6%10%
Avg. Residential User (45 gpd)Usage Current Bill New Bill
Quarterly Water Bill 1500 171.15$ 166.00$
Quarterly Sewer Bill 1500 162.90$ 157.75$
Combined Bill 1500 334.05$ 323.75$
Usage in cubic feet
Next Steps
•The Board asked that we hold a
Public Forum for residents.
This is scheduled for May 31
•We developed a tool to project
Residents’ Water & Sewer bill
by inputting their usage. We
will demonstrate that tool on
our public forum on May 31
•The Board will be asked to vote
on Water & Sewer rates on
June 6, following the public
hearing
Use this sheet to determine a projected bill with the new tier structure, based on a quarterly usage amount.
Simply type the quarterly usage amount into the cell in orange below to see the impact.
The usage amount should be in cubic feet. Bills for negative (or credit) usage amounts will not calculate properly.
Water Sewer
11.41$ 10.86$
Tiers Start End Water Sewer
1 - 500 10.75$ 10.20$
2 501 1,000 10.75$ 10.20$
3 1,001 2,500 11.70$ 11.15$
4 2,501 4,000 12.00$ 11.50$
5 4,001 +12.50$ 12.00$
Tier breaks in cubic feet
Rates per 100 cubic feet of usage/flow
Input quarterly usage (in cubic feet) into the cell in orange.
-
-$ Water Usage Charge Water Charge $:-$
-$ Tier 1 - -$ Water Charge %:0.0%
-$ Tier 2 - -$
Tier 3 - -$ Sewer Charge $:-$
Tier 4 - -$ Sewer Charge %:0.0%
Tier 5 - -$
Totals - -$ Total Charge $:-$
Total Charge %:0.0%
Sewer Usage Charge
Tier 1 - -$
Tier 2 - -$
Tier 3 - -$
Tier 4 - -$
Tier 5 - -$
Totals - -$
Total Charge
Tier 1 -$
Tier 2 -$
Tier 3 -$
Tier 4 -$
Tier 5 -$
Totals -$
Water Charge:
Sewer Charge:
Total Charge:
Current Bill DifferenceNew Bill
Current Rates
Recommended New Tiers and Rates
Quarterly Usage:
S E L E C T B O A R D - M A Y 2 3 , 2 0 2 3SELECT B O A R D - M A Y 2 3 , 2 0 2 3
WHAT IS THE CPDC?
The Community Planning & Development
Commission is Reading's Planning Board as
defined in M.G.L. Chapter 41 Section 81.
CPDC, as mandated by the state, handles:
Development applications including
Residential Subdivisions, Special Permits, Site
Plan Review, Stormwater Permits, and Signs
Planning processes including Plan updates
like the Housing Production Plan, MBTA
Communities Process, & Master Plan
Changes to the Zoning Bylaws
PROJECT PIPELINE
2022 TO PRESENT
HOUSING
PRODUCTION PLAN
2023 UPDATE - COMPLETE
A s t a t e -r e g u l a t e d p l a n , u p d a t e d e v e r y 5 y e a r s , f o c u s e d o n
a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g s t r a t e g i e s t o b u i l d a n d m a i n t a i n
S u b s i d i z e d H o u s i n g I n v e n t o r y (S H I ) o f 1 0 % (o f a l l u n i t s i n
t o w n )
R e a d i n g 's S H I i s 1 0 .4 % f o r n o w
9 -m o n t h p l a n u p d a t e p r o c e s s c u l m i n a t e d i n a p p r o v a l b y t h e
D H C D i n M a r c h 2 0 2 3
T a k e a w a y : H o u s i n g p r i c e i n c r e a s e s h a v e v a s t l y o u t p a c e d
i n c o m e g r o w t h i n r e c e n t y e a r s , c r e a t i n g a l a r g e a f f o r d a b i l i t y
g a p f o r b o t h h o m e o w n e r s a n d r e n t e r s i n R e a d i n g
MBTA COMMUNITIES & READING
The MBTA Communities law (3A) requires the 177
municipalities in the Boston metro to confirm that they
have a district of reasonable size where multifamily
housing (3+ units) is zoned for by-right.
Reading does NOT currently comply with the law and
although we do have multifamily zoning, we will have to
make changes to our zoning to comply.
If we do not comply, we lose access to grant
funding, our Housing Authority could lose funding,
and the state may take legal action against
municipalities.
2 0 2 1
L A W P A S S E S
2 0 2 2 2 0 2 3
J a n
O u r d e s i g n a t i o n a s a
C o m m u t e r R a i l
C o m m u n i t y w a s
f i n a l i z e d a n d o u r
s p e c i f i c u n i t a n d
a c r e a g e r e q u i r e m e n t s
w e r e d e t e r m i n e d .
W e r e c e i v e d e a r l y
T e c h n i c a l A s s i s t a n c e
f r o m M H P , t h e y
a n a l y z e d o u r
e x i s t i n g z o n e s t o
d e t e r m i n e t h a t n o n e
o f t h e m c u r r e n t l y
m e e t t h e r e q 's .
E A R L Y T A
W e s u b m i t t e d o u r
A c t i o n P l a n w h i c h
k e e p s u s i n
c o m p l i a n c e w h i l e w e
m o v e f o r w a r d w i t h
o u r e n g a g e m e n t a n d
z o n i n g c h a n g e s .
A C T I O N P L A N
M B T A C O M M U N I T I E S - T I M E L I N E T O D A T E
R E C 'D R E Q 'S
2 0 2 32022
D e c
W e e k 1May W e e k 3 J a n
2 0 2 4
R e s e a r c h P h a s e 1
E n g a g e m e n t P h a s e 1
R e s e a r c h P h a s e 2
E n g a g e m e n t P h a s e 2
E n g a g e m e n t P h a s e 3
F i n a l i z i n g P r o p o s a l (s )
R e a d i n g 's M B T A C o m m u n i t i e s
2 0 2 3 E n g a g e m e n t & R e s e a r c h T i m e l i n e
J u n J u l A u g S e p O c t N o v D e c
ENGAGEMENT
B oa rd & C o m m i s s i o n M e e t i n g s
P u b l i c E v e n t Ta b l i n g
L a u n c h o f w e b s i t e , f l y e r s
S u r v e y - s h o r t & v i s u a l
M e e t p eo p l e w h e r e th e y ar e:
S p e c i f i c o u t r e a c h t o D o w n t o w n
P h a s e 1 P h a s e 2
R e s u l t s f r o m o u r s u r v e y a n d p u b l i c e v e n t s i n P h a s e 1 w i l l p r o v i d e a c t i o n a b l e d i r e c t i o n f r o m
r e s i d e n t s a s t o t h e p r e f e r r e d t y p e s a n d l o c a t i o n s o f f u t u r e m u l t i -f a m i l y d e v e l o p m e n t i n R e a d i n g
w h i l e b u i l d i n g b r o a d a w a r e n e s s o f t h e p r o c e s s .
I n P h a s e 2 w e 'l l p r e s e n t a s e r i e s o f i n t e r a c t i v e p u b l i c f o r u m s w h e r e t h e p u b l i c i s e n c o u r a g e d t o d i g
i n t o t h e d e t a i l s . R e s u l t s o f t h o s e f o r u m s w i l l d e t e r m i n e o u r f i n a l p r o p o s e d z o n i n g c h a n g e s .
S e r i e s o f f o r u m s w i l l c o v e r l a w ,
P h a s e 1 , a n d d e t a i l p r o p o s a l s f o r
d i s c u s s i o n .
I t e r a t i v e p r o c e s s t o d e t e r m i n e d e t a i l s
o f f i n a l z o n i n g c h a n g e s .
A c t i v a t i o n o f s t a k e h o l d e r s .
MASTER PLAN UPDATE
C P D C s u p p o r t s b e g i n n i n g t h e p r o c e s s t o
u p d a t e R e a d i n g 's M a s t e r P l a n
L a s t M a s t e r P l a n U p d a t e w a s i n 2 0 0 6
C o n s i d e r a t i o n s :
S c o p e - h i g h l e v e l v i s i o n , a c t i o n a b l e g o a l s ,
r e a s o n a b l e d e t a i l s i n p r e s c r i b e d c a t e g o r i e s +
o t h e r s w e d e t e r m i n e
T i m i n g - e a r l i e s t k i c k -o f f t o t h e a c t u a l p r o c e s s
w o u l d b e i n 2 0 2 4 ; l i k e l y a 2 -y e a r p l a n n i n g
p r o c e s s
C o s t - d e p e n d s o n s c o p e
F u n d i n g - p u r s u e g r a n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s
TOWN OF READING, MA
16 Lowell Street, Reading MA 01867
Select Board
Secretary Yvonne Hao
Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development
1 Ashburton Place, Unit 2101
Boston, MA 02108
Dear Secretary Hao,
We are writing as the Town of Reading’s Select Board in support of an application for a Community
Planning Grant under the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development’s Community One
Stop for Growth initiative. We applaud the additional allocation of funding under the Healey-Driscoll
Administration and look forward to a funding opportunity which may complement the community
engagement and technical needs of the local MBTA Communities Action Plan we are implementing.
The suggested initiatives and programs to ensure MBTA Communities compliance will require a robust
and inclusive community engagement effort, as well as technical support to ascertain that our community-
led plan will meet the requirements. The development opportunities within a half mile of the Reading
Commuter Rail Station will have significant impacts on our community and will be most successful if
adequate understanding and a consensus around our strategy is achieved.
Reading recognizes the necessity for additional housing adjacent to the Reading Commuter Rail Depot
and within walkable neighborhoods. Our recently completed Housing Production Plan highlights the
importance of producing additional housing in order to maintain statewide compliance for affordable
housing stock as well as the new guidelines set forth under Section 3A.
Therefore, we support this application and look forward to the opportunities it will provide to successfully
steward this important effort.
Sincerely,
Town of Reading Select Board
16 Lowell Street
Reading, MA, 01867
SELECT BOARD OF READING
Jacqueline McCarthy, Chair Mark L. Dockser, Vice Chair
Karen Gately Herrick, Secretary Carlo Bacci
Christopher Haley
Retirement Board 5% Local
COLA Option
SHARON ANGSTROM
MAY 9, 2023
Background
On November 16, 2022, the Governor signed Chapter 269 of
the Acts of 2022 into Law.
This act provides local retirement systems with a local option
to increase the Cost-of-Living Adjustment for FY23 to up to
5% of the base amount.
The approval of the increase can occur at any time during the
fiscal year and will be retroactive back to July 1, 2022
Additional
Background
In a Town, the chief executive officer –the Select Board in
nearly all cases must vote in favor to accept the increase
rather than Town Meeting as is the case for COLA base .
Approval of this option will provide retirees with an
additional 2% or an additional $280 for FY23.
The local approval option is different than traditional COLA
increases and COLA base increases.
Additional
Background
Retirees typically receive a COLA
increase of up to 3% of the base amount.
Reading maintains a $14,000 COLA
base.
The COLA increase is typically up to
$420 annually.
Retiree Pay Data
Description Number of
Retirees Result
Pensions under
$14,000 77 Increase of up to
$280 per retiree
Pensions $14,000
to $29,999 107 Increase of $280
per retiree
Pensions
$30,000 to
$49,999
111 Increase of $280
per retiree
Pensions greater
than $50,000 107
Increase of $280
per retiree
•73.4% of retirees have pensions less than
$50,000 (298 out of 402)
•26.6% have pensions greater than $50,000
(107 of 402)
•The average Reading pension is $36,670,
which is a very modest amount.
•This option was adopted to assist retirees
with increased costs caused by inflation.
•This option is for FY23 only, FY24 will
return to a COLA of up to 3% of the
$14,000 COLA base amount.
Key Data to Consider Relative to Adoption of
this one-time COLA Local Option
Increases Pension Liability by
$842,400
Fy25 Pension Assessment
will increase by $147,300
Reading’s Pension Liability is
scheduled to be fully funded by
2031.
Reading Retiree Pensions
Under $14k $14,000 to$29,999 $30,000 to $49,999 Greater than $50k
Questions?
March 15, 2023
Reading Contributory Retirement Board
16 Lowell Street
Reading, MA 01867
Dear Members of the Board:
As requested, we have prepared an analysis of the impact on the Reading Contributory Retirement System’s
liabilities and funding schedule as a result of a one-time increase in the COLA from 3% to 5% on July 1, 2022,
up to the COLA base of $14,000. We used the data and results of the January 1, 2023 valuation, which is in
progress, to develop the change in the unfunded actuarial accrued liability and the resulting impact on the
FY2025 and later appropriations. The results of our analysis are based on the assumptions selected by the Board
for the January 1, 2021 valuation, including a 7.00% investment return rate assumption.
Cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) may be granted by the retirement board under M.G.L. c. 32, § 103 each
year. If an increase is given, the COLA percentage is applied to a retiree’s retirement allowance up to $14,000.
If the COLA on July 1, 2022 increased from 3% to 5%, a one-time increase that will become a permanent part
of retirees’ current retirement allowance, and as allowed in the recently enacted Chapter 269 of the Acts of 2022,
the accrued liability and FY2025 appropriation are expected to increase as follows:
* replaces 3% on July 1, 2022 up to $420
The increase in the FY2025 appropriation is without regard to any limits on the annual increases in
appropriations. The additional FY2025 appropriation of $147,300 will increase by 4% annually until the system
is expected to be fully funded in 2031.
In closing, we are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding the material we have provided in this
supplemental report.
Sincerely,
Linda L. Bournival, FSA, EA
Consulting Actuary
COLA
Accrued
Liability
Normal Cost
Increase in
FY2025
Appropriation
5% on July 1, 2022 up to $700*
$842,400
$0
$147,300
PERAC MEMO #29/2022
M E M O R A N D U M
TO: All Retirement Boards
FROM: John W. Parsons, Esq., Executive Director
RE: 5% Local COLA option
DATE: November 18, 2022
On November 16, 2022, the Governor signed Chapter 269 of the Acts of 2022 into law.
This act provides the local retirement systems with a local option to increase the Cost of
Living Adjustment (“COLA”) for Fiscal Year 2023 to up to 5 percent on the base amount
specified pursuant to G.L. c. 32, § 103. The approval of the increase can occur at any time
during the fiscal year and will take effect as of July 1, 2022.
The local approval mechanism is different than traditional COLA increases and COLA
base increases. In order for a system to adopt a COLA increase pursuant to this act, the
retirement board must vote for the increased amount and then it must also receive
local approval.
For purposes of this act, local approval means:
•In a city, the mayor must recommend the increase to the city council and the council
must vote in favor.
•In a city having a Plan D or Plan E charter, the city manager must recommend the
increase to the city council and the council must vote in favor.
•In a town, the chief executive officer1 - the select board in nearly all cases - must
vote in favor to accept the increase rather than the town meeting as is the case for
COLA base increases.
•In a district, or other political subdivision, the governing board, commission or
committee must vote in favor to accept the COLA increase.
1 As defined in G.L. c. 4, § 7, ''chief executive officer'', when used in connection with the operation of municipal
governments shall include the mayor in a city and the select board in a town unless some other municipal office is
designated to be the chief executive officer under the provisions of a local charter.
PERAC
Auditor SUZANNE M. BUMP | KATHLEEN M. FALLON | KATE FITZPATRICK | JAMES J. GUIDO | RICHARD MACKINNON, JR. | JENNIFER F. SULLIVAN, ESQ.
JOHN W. PARSONS, ESQ., Executive Director
FIVE MIDDLESEX AVENUE, SUITE 304 | SOMERVILLE, MA 02145
PH 617 666 4446 | FAX 617 628 4002 | TTY 617 591 8917 | WWW.MASS.GOV/PERAC
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS | PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT ADMINISTRATION COMMISSION
PHILIP Y. BROWN, ESQ., Chair
M E M O R A N D U M - Page Two
TO: All Retirement Boards
FROM: John W. Parsons, Esq., Executive Director
RE: 5% Local COLA option
DATE: November 18, 2022
•In a regional system, two-thirds of the cities and towns within the system must
approve the increase. This is done in the same fashion as stated above for
municipalities: in a city, by the city council upon recommendation by the mayor or,
in a city with a Plan D or Plan E charter, the city manager; or, in a town, by approval
of the chief executive officer (likely the select board) as defined by G.L. c. 4, § 7.
•In a county, the county commissioners, who normally do not have a role in COLAs
nor COLA base increases, must vote to accept and two-thirds of the cities and towns
within the system must approve the increase in the same manner as stated above for
regional systems.
Though many local systems are comprised of multiple units such as housing authorities
and districts, the two-thirds language only applies to regional and county systems as the
approval specified in the statute only refers to cities and towns as voting political
subdivisions.
Section 2 of the act provides that a COLA increase pursuant to this act is retroactive to July
1, 2022. Any COLA increase, in addition to any COLA previously adopted for FY 23, will
become part of the fixed amount of a retirees’ retirement allowance in the same manner as
all COLAs granted pursuant to section 103.
PERAC has already received questions about estimating the cost of the enhanced COLA.
PERAC Actuary John Boorack has provided the following formula for a conservative full-
cost estimate, not a one-year estimate, to assist boards in their planning:
(0.2) x (COLA base) x (# of retirees/beneficiaries)
If you have any questions about this memo, please contact PERAC’s General Counsel,
Judith Corrigan, at (617) 591-8904 or at judith.a.corrigan@mass.gov.
p:\admin\pera & perac memos\perac memo #29-2022.docx
Select Board Liaison Assignments
effective May 2023
Assignments
Projects & Ad Hocs #Public Services #Chris 10
SWEC 1 Carlo Community Services Jackie 11
Killam School 1 Karen Council on Aging & MVES 1 or 2 Karen & Mark Karen 12
ReCalc 1 Mark Board of Health 1 or 2 Jackie & Carlo Carlo 13
Affordable Housing Trust 1 Jackie Recreation Committee 1 or 2 Carlo Mark 10
Cust. of Soldiers & Sailors Graves 1 Carlo
Administrative Services #Community Development
Select Board VASC 2 Chris & Jackie Economic Development 1 or 2 Karen & Carlo
School Committee 2 Karen & Chris MAPC 1 Karen
Regional School District 1 Chris CPDC 1 or 2 Jackie & Carlo
RMLD Commissioners 2 Karen & Jackie Zoning Board of Appeals 1 or 2 Jackie
RMLD CAB 1 Chris Historical 1 or 2 Carlo
Bylaw Committee 1 Carlo Historic District Commissions new Chris
Finance Committee 2 Mark & Karen Conservation Commission 1 Carlo
RCTV Board of Directors 1 Jackie Reading Housing Authority 1 Jackie
Cultural Council 1 Jackie Public Safety
Climate Advisory 1 Karen Public Safety department 1 or 2 Chris & Mark
Reading Ice Arena Authority 2 Carlo & Karen The Coalition 1 Mark
Walkable Reading 1 Chris
Celebration Committee 1 Chris Facilities
Animal Controls Appeal Comm.1 Carlo Permanent Building Committee 1 or 2 Mark
Moderator & TM Rules Committee 1 Carlo Public Library
Board of Registrars 1 Carlo Library Trustees 1 or 2 Karen & Carlo
Finance
(PAIR) Partners and Allies for
Inclusive Reading 1 Mark
Audit Committee 1 Chris Public Works
Board of Assessors 1 Karen Public Works department 1 Karen
Retirement Board 1 Jackie Board of Cemetery Trustees 1 Chris
Commissioners of Trust Funds 1 Mark Trails Committee 1 Jackie
Veterans Memorial Trust Fund Comm.1 Mark Town Forest Committee 1 Mark
Symonds Way Exploratory Committee (SWEC) Charge
Authority The Symonds Way Exploratory Committee (SWEC) is an ad hoc committee
appointed by the Reading Select Board.
Membership The SWEC will have seven (7) members composed as follows:
▪ 1 Select Board Member (ex-officio, appointed by the Select Board)
▪ 1 Recreation Committee Members (ex-officio, appointed by the
Recreation committee)
▪ 1 Community Planning & Development Commission (CPDC) Member
(ex-officio, appointed by the CPDC committee)
▪ 1 Conservation Committee Member (ex-officio, appointed by the
Conservation committee)
▪ 1 Permanent Building Committee Member (ex-officio, appointed by the
Permanent Building Committee)
▪ 1 School Committee Member (ex-officio, appointed by the School
committee)
▪ 1 Council on Aging Member, or Senior Advocate (ex-officio, appointed
by the Council on Aging)
In order to help the Committee carry out its purpose, the Select Board invites the
following staff will lend their professional guidance and advice to the Committee.
▪ Town Manager
▪ Superintendent of Schools
▪ Town Accountant
▪ Assistant Town Manager
▪ Community Development Director
▪ Administrative Services Director
▪ Procurement Officer
▪ Community Services Director
Meetings will be recorded and administrative support will be provided by Town
Hall staff (scheduling and posting meetings, taking minutes, etc.)
Purpose The purpose of this committee is to serve as an advisory committee to the
Reading Select Board for the purpose of recommending the best options for uses
of the land for our community, understanding the needs of the community, located
on Symonds Way, as shown on Exhibit A.
SWEC shall gather input from its members and the Reading residents as to what
the property should look like and its functionality. SWEC will hold regular
meetings and community outreach, SWEC will gather, analyze, and organize
information for future planning decisions related to the best uses for this property.
The Committee shall consider the following:
1. Best uses to serve as many residents as possible
2. Using public funds and grants where possible towards development
3. Private/public partnerships to develop the property
The first task of SWEC will be to define the best use for the property. SWEC will
provide feedback on potential physical layouts on the property developed by SV
Design Architects and funded by Town Meeting on April 2022. If a private/public
partnership is deemed appropriate, the SWEC will work with Reading Town Hall
staff to develop and review a Request for Proposals (RFP) for private developers
to invest in the property. Once proposals are received, and with the help of
Reading Town Hall Staff, SWEC will help review and evaluate the submittals to
the RFP. The Committee will offer recommendations for potential funding
options, if pursuing public development is deemed appropriate,
Deliverable The Committee shall begin its work in December 2022 and shall submit multiple
options for development recommendations using an evaluation scheme to be
determined by the committee to the Select Board no later than August 31, 2023
unless another date is agreed to by the Select Board. If approved by the Select
Board, the Committee shall present its development recommendations to
Subsequent Town Meeting in November 2023.
Sunset The Committee shall sunset on June 30, 2024 but may be extended by a Select
Board vote.
Public Body The meetings and deliberations of the Committee shall be subject to the Open
Meeting Law.
Town of Reading, MA May 16, 2023
Property Information
Property ID 041.0-0000-0056.0
Location 0 E S OF HAVERHILL
Owner TOWN OF READING
MAP FOR REFERENCE ONLY
NOT A LEGAL DOCUMENT
Town of Reading, MA makes no claims and no warranties,
expressed or implied, concerning the validity or accuracy of
the GIS data presented on this map.
Geometry updated 2/22/2023
Data updated 2/22/2023
Print map scale is approximate.
Critical layout or measurement
activities should not be done using
this resource.
1" = 245.7445327182962 ft
SWEC ORIGINAL CHARGE
BASEBALL
FIELD
BUILDABLE
VERNAL
POOLS
BUILDABLE
Ma p T h e me Le ge nds
Natu ral Res ourc e P rote ction
M as sac husetts DCR, Natural Heritage and
Endangered Spec ies Program
DE P We tla nds
M assDEP Wetlands. Wetlands s hown are for
planning purpos es only. Wetlands boundary
determ ination for other purposes , suc h as the
Wetlands Protec tion Ac t M A Act M.G.L. c .
131 or local by-laws, mus t use the relevant
procedures and c riteria.
Re ading We tla n ds
Town of Reading. Actual wetland boundaries
m ust be determ ined on the ground by a
wetlands sc ientis t. Wetlands m ay be m ore
ex tensive than s hown or m ay be m is s ing
from the GIS data.
WETLAND AREA
Project Manual RFQ #18-109 - Newton Center for Active Living Project - Designer Service
Page 1 of 14
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
DESIGNER SERVICES (RFQ) #18-109
May 24, 2018
1. INTRODUCTION
The City of Newton, Massachusetts, (“Owner”), acting through the Designer Selection Committee (DSC), is
seeking the services of a qualified designer (“Designer”) within the meaning of the Massachusetts Designer
Selection Law M.G.L. Chapter 7C, Sections 44 through 58, to provide Designer Services for programming,
feasibility, design, new construction or addition to/renovation of the City’s Senior Center, 345 Walnut Street,
Newton, Massachusetts to establish a new Newton Center For Active Living (the “Project”).
The City is requesting the qualifications of a Designer to provide professional services during one and perhaps
subsequent multiple Project phases.
• First, in Phase 1 the Designer will prepare a Facilities Program Study to identify the interests and needs
of the various stakeholders in order that the Owner may select a Design Program(s). Phase 1 services
shall be referred to herein as the Basic Services.
• Second, subject to the approval of the Project and further subject to continued funding authorized by
the City, the contract between the City and the Designer may be amended to include continued Designer
services for a Feasibility Study to arrive at a Preferred Option based on the program, needs and interests
identified and selected in Phase 1.
• Third, subject to the approval of the Project and further subject to continued funding authorized by the
City, the contract between the City and the Designer may be amended again to include continued
Designer services for Schematic Design Phase plans, specifications and cost estimates for Site Plan
Approval of the Preferred Option.
• Finally, subject to the approval of the Project and further subject to continued funding authorized by
the City, the contract between the City and the Designer may be amended again to include continued
Designer services through the Project’s Design Development, Construction Documents, Bid and
Award, Construction Administration and Final Closeout phases.
A potential Project may include a renovation and addition of the existing Senior Center building or construction
of a new building which may be on an alternate site.. The Fee for services related to the completion of the
Basic Services will be negotiated but will not exceed $30,000. “Extra Services” fees will not be allowed for
Phase 1. Subsequent phases will be negotiated once approved.
2. GENERAL INFORMATION
The Owner believes in a design approach where all Project stakeholders are involved in the design process
from start to finish on a collaborative basis as indicated in the City of Newton – Public Buildings Department
Building Design and Construction Sustainability Guidelines Attachment G. The process recognizes that non-
inclusive and compartmentalized design decisions made unilaterally may have adverse impacts on achieving
sustainable design goals. An integrated design approach is required for the Project.
RUTHANNE FULLER
MAYOR
NEWTON CENTER FOR
ACTIVE LIVING
PROJECT
RFQ #18-109 Newton Center for Active Living Project - Designer Services
Page 2 of 14
The Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) will coordinate the collaborative design team process for options
analysis, criteria development and strategic plan approval.
3. BACKGROUND
City’s History, Profile and Organizational Structure:
Newton was settled in 1639 and incorporated as a City in 1873. The City is located approximately seven miles
from downtown Boston, has a population of approximately 85,146 and occupies a land area of 18.33 square
miles. The City is principally suburban-residential in character and consists of 13 distinct villages –
Auburndale, Chestnut Hill, Newton Centre, Newton Corner, Newton Highlands, Newton Lower Falls, Newton
Upper Falls, Newtonville, Nonantum, Oak Hill, Thompsonville, Waban, and West Newton.
The City is governed under a home-rule charter, which vests executive authority and responsibility in an elected
Mayor, who serves a four-year term. Legislative authority is vested in a 24-member City Council, of which
eight members are elected from the City’s eight wards and sixteen are elected at large. Members of the City
Council are elected every two years.
Approximately 19,000 residents, nearly 22% of the City’s population are age 60 or above. The Newton Council
on Aging through the Newton Senior Center serves approximately 5,000 individuals in the in this age category
per year and Senior Services are approximately 30,000 units of services annually which include social /
recreation programs, support groups, health education, physical activities, cultural programs, Medicare
counseling, help with benefit applications and related social services, and elder law assistance. Newton’s over-
60 population is projected to reach 30% of the general population by the year 2030.
Department of Senior Services
The Department of Senior Services is defined in Chapter 14, Article I of the Newton City Ordinances and as
such is responsible for aiding in the implementation of the Council on Aging’s policies and programs and
coordinates the Council’s functions. The Director of Senior Services is appointed by the Mayor and confirmed
by the City Council Attachment A. In carrying out its responsibilities the Department of Senior Services
operates the Newton Senior Center.
Council on Aging
The Council on Aging (COA) is established under Chapter 14, Article II of the Newton City Ordinances. The
COA consists of nine members appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. The duties of the
COA are to carry out studies, and to initiate and implement programs designed to meet the needs of the aging
population which are in coordination and consistent with Chapter 19A of the Massachusetts General Laws and
applicable legislation. The COA advises and consults with the Director of Senior Services relative to the
Department’s programs and services for senior citizens Attachment A.
Advisory Board
In accordance with Section 14-16 of the Newton City Ordinances, the Mayor shall appoint an Advisory Board
to the COA consisting of not more than twenty members whose duty is to advise the Council and offer
recommendations with respect to the needs of the aging.
The Newton Senior Center
The Senior Center located at 345 Walnut Street was built in 1938 as the Newtonville Branch Library, or the
John R. Prescott Library, named after its largest contributor. The Classical Revival building was designed
by the Boston architecture firm of Robb & Little. It was designed to be larger than the other branch libraries
constructed during the same time period due to its close proximity to the Newton High School. The Newton
Senior Center is a contributing structure within the Newtonville Historic District, a National Register
Historic District. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and is significant under National
Register Criteria A and C.
RFQ #18-109 Newton Center for Active Living Project - Designer Services
Page 3 of 14
In 1981 the Senior Drop-In Center moved into the library. In 1983 an arson fire caused over $100,000 in
damage. The building was renovated in 1993 by the Boston firm of Schwartz/Silver Architects and it re-
opened as the new Senior Center. The renovations made some alterations to the building to accommodate
the new programmatic needs. The two large reading rooms on the main floor became an activities room
and a dining wing. On the lower level, the community room was subdivided to create an art studio and a
games room; the children’s room was subdivided to create a health maintenance suite and library. Traces
of the original configuration of these spaces are visible in the plaster detailing of the ceilings.
The current Senior Center is a 2 ½ story, 2 floor building with a mezzanine level. The building square footage
is 11,298 and is situated on a 25,909 square foot lot. The main heating system was recently converted to
natural gas but the heating distribution system is original from 1938, with a few modifications made in 1993
when the former library building was converted to the current Senior Center. The Boiler is from 1980 and the
roof top unit (RTU) is from 2016. All HVAC distribution systems and equipment have reached their useful
life, with the exception of the 2016 RTU. Electrical and plumbing systems are from 1938 with modifications
made in 1993 and have reached their useful life. The Montgomery elevator is from 1993 and does not meet
current elevator code for size and parts are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain and should be updated.
Exterior painted surfaces were last painted over 8 years ago and currently are in need of repair and re-painting.
Exterior Windows are original to 1938 and have reached their useful life and should be replaced. The roof is
made of both slate and EPDM and along with the copper and bronze/aluminum gutters and downspouts are in
need of repair/replacement.
Parks and Recreation Department
The Department of Parks and Recreation is established under Chapter 21, Article I of the Newton City
Ordinances. The Parks and Recreation Commissioner is charged with the maintenance, care and management
of playgrounds and all recreational lands, except to the extent conferred upon the Parks and Recreation
Commission. The parks and recreation department is responsible for planning, scheduling, organizing and
supervising programs for designated city groups and citizens. Under the direction of the parks and recreation
commissioner the department supervises and patrols activities at swimming ponds and pools, skating areas,
playgrounds and all other recreational areas. The parks and recreation department also conducts all senior
citizens recreation programs Attachment A.
Parks and Recreation Commission
Article III establishes the Parks and Recreation Commission. Among its duti es it advises the mayor and city
council on matters pertaining to sports, recreation, parks, open space and preservation of scenic beauty. The
commission renders decisions concerning parks and recreation programs and the use of lands under its
jurisdiction Attachment A.
Newton Recreational Facilities
The Parks and Recreation Department oversees more than 55 different programs including active and passive
recreation, camps, social programs, dance, organized leagues, trips, wellness programs. The departmen t
manages some 18 different buildings and facilities. Among these are the Lower Falls Community Center, the
Upper Falls Community Center, Gath Pool and Field House, Crystal Lake and Bath House, Hawthorn Field
House and Nahantan Park and Field House.
RFQ #18-109 Newton Center for Active Living Project - Designer Services
Page 4 of 14
4. PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In the process of evaluating facilities programs for senior citizens, the City also seeks to evaluate alternative
facility programming which may provide services and programs that go beyond the traditional thinking when
addressing the needs of the senior community in order to develop a new Center for Active Living which can
serve a broader community base. Programming options may include needs identified by the Parks and
Recreation Department as well.
Overall Project Objectives include:
• Ensuring that the Senior Center and the Parks and Recreation Department’s mission and goals are fully
understood, updated as necessary, and incorporated into the process, while establishing potential goals
for a Center for Active Living;
• Engaging with all stakeholders, in coordination with the OPM, from project outset to ensure a
collaborative approach is maintained throughout the design process, including involvement from multiple
Owner entities;
• Assisting in communicating Project details with the public;
• Reviewing and assessing the existing programs, documentation and conditions;
• Identifying opportunities for new programs and services for senior citizens and opportunities to provide
a broader range of programs and services to a wider population.
• Providing a Facilities Program Study which will allow the Owner to determine which program
option(s) is /are appropriate for the City.
Coordinating with the City in identifying other approvals required by any governing agency and
coordinating submittal materials for such approvals;
• Investigating the most appropriate design options and phasing plans; including temporary operational
space, if required;
• Identifying any community, traffic, or neighbor concerns that may impact study options;
• Developing accurate and complete cost estimates, including Life Cycle Costs as requested, at the
Feasibility Phase and during all subsequent stages of Design. Reconcile all estimates with the estimates
provided by the OPM;
• Collaborating with the OPM to develop a detailed comprehensive Project Schedule that incorporates
the City’s approval process, to achieve specified start and completion milestones;
Completing a Schematic Design for the preferred option, including a cost estimate;
• Supporting a design that is of high quality, efficient, cost effective, and conforms to Newton Energy
Initiative program and the Massachusetts High Performance Building Guidelines and LEED for
Municipal Buildings at a minimum, and complies with all applicable regulatory requirements including
the Massachusetts Stretch Code which has been adopted by the City. In addition design teams are
directed to the City of Newton - Building Design and Construction Sustainability Guidelines
Attachment G for additional requirements;
• Developing and evaluating creative energy efficiency solutions over and above the stretch code and
innovative alternative sustainable design solutions, including but not limited to active/passive solar,
geothermal, etc., and identifying alternate funding sources, first costs and paybacks;
• Provisioning of EQuest or similar energy modeling services;
• Collaborating with the OPM to help the Owner determine the appropriateness of a CM-at-Risk or
Chapter 149 construction delivery method for the Project;
• Coordinating with the City as required for submittals, documentation and LEED On-Line for certification
of the Project;
• Coordinating the structural peer review in accordance with the requirements of the Massachusetts State
Building Code;
• Assisting the OPM in coordinating materials testing in accordance with the requirements of the
Massachusetts State Building Code; and other materials and systems tests as may be identified or required
by the City.
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• Assisting the City, in collaboration with the OPM, in procuring the services of a Hazardous Materials
Consultant, Traffic Engineer, Geotechnical Engineering, Commissioning Agent, Surveyor and any other
consultant or consulting services as may be required for this Project.
To accomplish this, the selected Designer will be working in partnership with various City departments,
committees, and sub-committees, as well as the OPM. The local committees will include at a minimum:
• City Council, Advisory Building Committee, Working Group, Senior Services, COA, Parks and
Recreation Department, and the Mayor.
• Design Review Committee (DRC) – A standing committee appointed by the City Council and Mayor,
established to coordinate the design review process for any public City facility.
• Planning and Development Department, Development Review Team (DRT) - Prior to construction at
any municipal building, the Director of Planning reviews projects for consistency and compatibility
with the Newton Comprehensive Plan and other applicable planning and analytical studies.
• Public Facilities Committee of the City Council – For required local reviews.
• Programs and Services Committees of the City Council – For required local reviews.
• Finance Committee of the City Council – For required local reviews.
• Public Buildings Department (PBD) – The Public Buildings Commissioner is responsible for the
construction, alteration, repair and maintenance of all public buildings. PBD will provide direction to
the OPM and/or Designer. The Public Buildings Commissioner also serves as the Secretary of the
DSC and DRC and will be supported by the OPM for those tasks.
• Public Meetings at other City Committees – As may be required for local reviews.
• Other committees including the Committee on Disabilities, Conservation Commission, Fire
Department, Department of Public Works, etc. – As may be required for local reviews.
The Designer will assist the Owner in identifying other approvals required by the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and coordinate submittal materials with the OPM for such approvals. Such approvals may
include:
• Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA)
• Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (MAAB)
• Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC)
Needs and building conditions assessments and other background documents shall be available for informational
purposes and include:
• City of Newton Capital Improvements Program
http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/executive/cip/
• City of Newton City Historic Building Survey by BCA, dated September 2011
http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/building/
• City of Newton Senior Services: newsletter, descriptions of programs, and other data.
www.newtonseniors.org
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5. PROJECT PHASING DESCRIPTION
Phase I: Facilities Program Study 3-4 months
The City will embark on a Facilities Program Study to evaluate facility programming options to address senior
citizens’ needs as well as alternatives which may provide services and programs that go beyond traditional
thinking for the development of an Active Center for Living. Programming options may include needs
identified by the Parks and Recreation Department as well. Phase I tasks should include but are not limited
to:
• Discussions with current user groups, all stakeholders, Senior Services department staff, Council on
Aging, Parks & Recreation Dept. the Newton Center for Active Living Advisory Building Committee
(NCAL ABC), the Working Group, Design Review Committee, City Council and the general public;
• Information gathering of interests of the greater community using a variety of tools not limited to
review of the existing senior center and programs, developing community and user surveys, facilitated
public meetings and/or focus group interviews.
• The process should consider the space and programming needs of the COA and P&R, as well as the
needs and desires of City residents.
• The Facilities Program Study will include optional programs for each group and options to
accommodate both groups combined. The study will identify program space needs, approximate
building sizes and square foot costs, and corresponding site area and access requirements to support
each program option. The study will also identify what program options are viable for an addition /
renovation project of the existing senior center.
If the City decides to proceed with the Project beyond the Facilities Program Study Phase, the Contract between
the City and the Designer will be amended accordingly. The total estimated duration of such Contract is
estimated as follows.
Phase II: Feasibility Study 4-6 months
Phase III: Schematic Design Phase/Site Plan Approval 6-8 months
Phase IV: Design Development/Construction Documents/Bidding Phases: 14-16 months
Phase V: Construction Administration and Close-Out Phases: 20-24 months
The anticipated initial Contract period will be from July 16, 2018 or the date of contract execution, whichever
is later, through the completion of the Facilities Program Study Phase. The City reserves the right to terminate
the services provided by the selected firm/individual at the end of this phase and re-solicit Designer services
or to continue with the selected Designer beyond this phase in accordance with the Contract for Designer
Services at Attachment B below.
6. SCOPE OF SERVICES
The Designer will be required to execute the City of Newton’s standard Contract for Designer Services
(Contract), a copy of which is attached hereto as Attachment B which is incorporated herein by reference. The
required scope of services is set forth in the Contract. If the Owner decides to proceed with the Project beyond
the Facilities Programing Phase the Contract will be amended accordingly. Should the contract be amended to
include the Schematic Design Phase, and when the project delivery method is decided (Design/Bid/Build or CM-
at-Risk), the Contract will be amended to include such delivery methods. Copies of Designer Services Contract
Amendments for Design/Bid/Build and CM-at-Risk are also attached hereto in Attachment B and incorporated
herein by reference. Unless specifically excluded and agreed to by the Owner, the Designer’s Basic Services
consist of the tasks described in the Contract for Designer Services and as amended by this RFQ including all
investigative work (to the extent provided for in the Contract), feasibility study, schematic design,
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and, at the Owner’s option, design work, preparation of construction documents, bidding period administration,
construction administration, and other related work reasonably inferred in the opinion of the Owner as being
necessary to meet the project’s stated scope and goals.
During the feasibility, schematic design and design development phases of the project, the Owner will require
interactive working group sessions to explore site strategy options, design concepts, evaluation criteria,
programming requirements, sustainability goals and potential solutions.
The anticipated scope of the Feasibility Study includes but is not limited to: Investigating the existing building
and site and potential alternate sites providing conceptual plans and elevations that meet the program and space
requirements of the Owner for and addition / renovation project, new construction on the existing site, and
evaluation of potential alternate sites with new construction. The Feasibility Study will be based on the
Facility Program(s) selected by the Owner as a result of the Phase I study.
The use of Building Information Modeling (BIM)1 is seen as advantageous to delivering project goals. The
Designer shall advise the Owner on their use of BIM and, at no additional cost, shall prepare all Instruments
of Services in a form suitable for use in a BIM model for design, construction, commissioning, and building
operations and maintenance. The Designer shall provide the Owner with options on how to apply BIM on the
Project and shall make recommendations on alternative methods of BIM implementation. The Designer shall
indicate their ability to utilize a BIM model if created by another party such as the General Contractor (GC)
or Construction Manager at Risk (CM) for use in, but not limited to, mechanical coordination and construction
administration.
This RFQ will be appended to and become part of the Contract for Designer Services. Any Designer selected as
a result of this RFQ will be required to execute the Contract for Designer Services and any applicable
amendments that are attached hereto.
The Designer will review the proposed project as specified in the RFQ. The Designer will meet as required
with the City, Building Committee, OPM and other officials (elected or volunteer) to develop a thorough
understanding of the project and the needs of the City of Newton.
Designer Services include, but are not limited to, verification of existing record information including building
dimensions, details and general existing conditions, cost estimating, all architecture as well as traffic, civil, site
development, sanitary, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, structural, site planning and landscape
architecture, basic environmental permitting, graphics, lighting design, acoustics, data and communication;
any specialty consultants; code consultants, accessibility, energy evaluations including the coordination of
energy rebates, detailed cost estimates, LEED or sustainable design consultants; Furniture, Fixtures &
Equipment (FF&E) including programming, specifications, procurement and coordination of installation;
assessments of geotechnical and geo-environmental information; preparation of construction documents;
developing and issuing of early bid packages, if needed; bidding and administering the construction contract
documents and other design and consulting services incidental and required to fulfill the project goals. Please
refer to Article 8 of the Contract and any amendment for a complete summary of Basic Services.
3 Building Information Modeling is a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. A
BIM is a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its
life-cycle; defined as existing from earliest conception to demolition
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Extra and reimbursable expenses are defined in Article 10 of the Contract in Attachment B. Any extra or
reimbursable expenses will not be allowed in Phase 1 any subsequent Phase extra or reimbursable expenses
must be approved in writing in advance,
7. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS
Each Designer submitting a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) must certify in its cover letter that it is a qualified
Designer within the meaning of the Massachusetts Designer Selection Law, M.G.L. Chapter 7C, Sections 44
through 58, employing a Massachusetts registered architect responsible for and being in control of the services
to be provided pursuant to the Contract. Any Designer that fails to include such certification in its response,
demonstrating that these criteria have been met, will be rejected without further consideration.
8 EVALUATION & SELECTION CRITERIA
In evaluating proposals, the Owner and DSC will consider the members of the proposed design team. Identify
those member(s) of the proposed design team who will be responsible for the following categories of work:
(Firm’s name, individual’s name and professional registration or license number, as applicable, must be listed in
the application for each category of work).
a. Architecture
b. Environmental Permitting
c. Geotechnical Engineering
d. Geo-Environmental
e. Site Survey
f. Archeological Survey
g. Hazardous Materials
h. Civil Engineering
i. Structural Engineering
j. Landscape Architecture
k. Fire Protection Engineering
l. Plumbing Engineering
m. HVAC Engineering
n. Electrical Engineering
o. Lighting Consultant
p. Energy Modeling
q. Data/Communications Consultant
r. Specifications Consultant
s. Sustainable/Green Design/Renewable Energy Consultant
t. Cost Estimating
u. Accessibility Consultant
v. Traffic Consultant
w. Interior Design, Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment Consultant
x. Code Consultant
y. Security Consultant
z. Acoustical Consultant
Applicants must address each category of work listed above in their application whether it is to be performed
by in-house staff or by sub-consultant(s).
Failure to address each category may result in the elimination of the applicant from consideration on this
project.
Applicants should not list any consultants other than those for the categories of work listed above.
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The Owner and DSC will consider the following additional criteria in evaluating proposals:
a. Prior Senior Center / Community Center or closely related experience best illustrating current
qualifications for the project. Firms / teams demonstrating significant experience with Facilities
Programming for these particular project types as documented on Attachment C are deemed to be
highly desirable.
b. Past performance of the firm, if any with regard to public or private projects across the Commonwealth,
with respect to:
i. Quality of project design.
ii. Quality, clarity, completeness and accuracy of plans and contract documents.
iii. Ability to meet established program requirements within allotted budget and to design to budget.
iv. Ability to meet schedules including submission of design and contract documents, processing of
shop drawings, contractor requisitions and change orders.
v. Coordination and management of consultants.
vi. Working relationship with contractors, subcontractors, local awarding authority, staff and local
officials.
c. Current workload and ability to undertake the contract based on the number and scope of projects for
which the firm is currently under contract.
d. The identity and qualifications of the consultants who will work on the project.
e. Demonstrated ability to lead a collaborative team approach to the project.
f. Demonstrated ability to provide documents for CM-at-Risk, M.G.L. c. 149A, delivery method for
the project, including ability to provide early bid packages for fast-track project.
g. The financial stability of the firm.
h. The qualifications of the personnel to be assigned to the project.
i. Geographical proximity of the firm to the project site or willingness of the firm to make site visits
and attend local meetings as required by the client.
j. Prior experience using BIM on projects of similar type and scope.
k. Additional criteria that the DSC considers relevant to the project.
9. SELECTION PROCESS & SELECTION SCHEDULE
Selection will be made by the City of Newton Designer Selection Committee in accordance with Newton’s
Designer Selection Ordinance (Section 5-35 through 5-37) and Procedures, attached hereto as Attachments E
& F.
Process:
a. The Owner acting through the DSC will perform a review of all responses as follows:
i. The City has appointed the DSC, in accordance with Chapter 5, Article IV of the Owner’s
Ordinance, for the selection of the Designer.
ii. The DSC will be responsible for reviewing each Respondent’s proposal to determine if they have
met the minimum criteria established in the RFQ. Respondents who do not meet the minimum
criteria will not be further considered.
iii. The DSC will review the Respondents’ applications and check the necessary references.
b. The DSC members will score each proposal that has met the minimum criteria based on the weighted
evaluation criteria identified in Section 4 of the RFQ.
c. Based on the initial scores the DSC will rank the Respondents and short -list a minimum of three (3)
Respondents.
d. The DSC will schedule interviews with the short-listed Respondents. Each short-listed Respondent
will be given an opportunity to make a brief presentation on their experience and capabilities to
successfully provide the required project management services. DSC members will have an
opportunity to discuss the responses and ask questions.
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e. Following the interviews, the DSC members will develop final rankings based, in part on, the weighted
Evaluation Criteria in the RFQ and on additional information obtained during the interviews.
f. In accordance with the City’s Designer Selection Procedures, the DSC will transmit a list of ranked
finalists to the Mayor. The submitted list shall be accompanied by a written explanation.
g. As more fully described in Attachment E, City of Newton Designer Selection Committee Designer
Selection Procedures, the Owner, through the OPM, will commence fee negotiations with the first-
ranked Respondent.
h. If the Owner is unable to negotiate a contract with the first-ranked selection, the Owner will then
commence negotiations with its second-ranked selection and so on, until a contract is successfully
negotiated and approved by the Owner. If fee negotiations fail the Mayor may request three (3)
additional recommendations from which he may select, or the City may re-advertise the RFQ.
i. The Owner may re-advertise the RFQ if fewer than three responses are received.
Schedule:
The following is a tentative schedule of the selection process, subject to change at the Owner’s discretion.
May 20, 2018 Advertise in the Boston Globe.
May 23, 2018 Advertise in the Central Register of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
May 24, 2018 RFQ available on City’s website: www.newtonma.gov/bids
May 31, 2018 Project briefing and facility tour 11:00 AM 345 Walnut Street, Newton
June 1, 2018 Last day for questions 12 noon
June 4, 2018 Responses to Questions issued by Purchasing Department
June 7, 2018 SOQs due to Purchasing Department 11:00 AM
June 20, 2018 Respondents short-listed
June 21, 2018 Notify Respondents for interviews
June 27, 2018 Interview short-listed Respondents
July 9, 2018 Start negotiations with selected Respondent
July 16, 2018 Execute contract
This RFQ may be obtained after 10:00 a.m. on May 24, 2018 from:
Purchasing Department
Newton City Hall
1000 Commonwealth Avenue
Room 201
Newton, Massachusetts 02459
Email: purchasing@newtonma.gov
Phone # 617 796 1220
or at
www.newtonma.gov/bids
Proposers requiring clarification or interpretation of the RFQ shall make a written request to the Purchasing
Department as indicated above, by noon on Friday, June 1, 2018. Proposers contacting ANY CITY
EMPLOYEE or any other person regarding this RFQ outside of the Purchasing Department, once the RFQ
has been released, may be disqualified from the procurement process.
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The City will make best efforts to give written Responses to the Questions no later than June 4, 2018 to all
individuals or firms requesting a copy of this RFQ by an email Addendum.
A Project briefing will be held at:
The Senior Center, 345 Walnut Street, Newtonville, MA 02460 May 31, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.
Attendance at the briefing is not mandatory.
Sealed responses to the RFQ from qualified persons or firms must be clearly labeled “RFQ #18-109 Designer
Services for Newton Center for Active Living” and delivered to the Purchasing Department at its address above
no later than 11:00 AM on Thursday, June 7, 2018. The sealed responses must include eleven (11) hard
copies and a CD copy of the response. SOQs may be delivered in person, by courier or by mail. SOQs
submitted by fax or electronic mail will not be considered.
SOQs will not be accepted nor may submitted SOQs be corrected, modified or withdrawn after the deadline.
There will be no public opening of the SOQs, though on the deadline date a list of all persons who submitted
an SOQ will be published. Proposers are responsible for downloading the specifications from the City’s web
site, and are requested to email the Purchasing Department (purchasing@newtonma.gov) their company
name, address, email address, phone & facsimile number and what bid # (i.e. #18-109) they have downloaded.
The City of Newton, operating through the DSC, reserves the right to reject any and all SOQs, to waive any
defects, informalities, and minor irregularities; and to award contracts or cancel this RFQ if it is in the City’s
best interest to do so. The City of Newton is an AA/EEO employer, and encourages MBE and WBE firms to
apply.
10. SOQ REQUIREMENTS
Persons or firms submitting an SOQ must meet the following requirements:
a. Submit eleven (11) hard copies, and one (1) digital copy in PDF format on separate compact disc.
Reponses should be printed double-side and bound in such a manner that the pages lie and remain flat
when opened. The specific organization and orientation of the proposal is at the applicant’s discretion,
but it is recommended that the proposal be laid out in such a manner that the reader doesn’t need to be
constantly rotating the proposal. Proposals should not be provided with acetate covers.
The Owner will only accept hard original copies of SOQs. Responses submitted by fax or electronic
mail will not be considered.
The Owner assumes no responsibility or liability for late delivery or receipt of Responses. All
Responses received after the stated submittal date and time will be judged to be unacceptable and will
be returned unopened to the sender.
b. Applications must be accompanied by a concise cover letter that is a maximum of two pages in length.
A copy of the cover letter should be attached to each copy of the application. The cover letter must
include the certifications as noted in Section 7 of this RFQ.
c. Applicants may supplement this proposal with graphic materials and photographs that best demonstrate
design capabilities of the team proposed for this project subject to the page limitations as set forth in
the Standard Designer Application Form.
11. REQUIREMENTS FOR SOQ CONTENT
All copies of SOQs shall be:
• Presented in an organized and clear manner;
• Must include the required forms in Attachment C;
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• Must include all required certifications;
• Must include the following information:
A. Cover letter shall be a maximum of two pages in length and include:
1. An acknowledgement of any addendum issued to the RFQ.
2. An acknowledgement that the Respondent has read the RFQ. Respondent shall note any
exceptions to the RFQ in its cover letter.
3. An acknowledgement that the Respondent has read the Standard Contract and Standard
Amendments. Respondent shall note any exceptions to the Standard Contract and/or Standard
Amendments in its cover letter.
4. A specific statement regarding compliance with the minimum requirements identified in Item 7
of this Request for Services to include identification of registration, number of years of
experience and where obtained (as supported by the resume section of Attachment C).
5. A description of the Respondent’s organization and its history.
6. The signature of an individual authorized to negotiate and execute the Contract for Designer
Services, in the form that is attached to the RFQ, on behalf of the Respondent.
7. The name, title, address, e-mail and telephone number of the contact person who can respond to
requests for additional information.
B. Selection Criteria: The response shall address the Respondent’s ability to meet the “Selection Criteria”
Section.
C. Certifications: Respondents will be required to submit certifications required in M.G.L. c. 7C, §51(d)(1)-
(iv).
12. PAYMENT SCHEDULE & FEE EXPLANATION
The Owner in conjunction with OPM will negotiate the fee for services dependent upon an evaluation of
the level of effort required, job complexity, specialized knowledge required, estimated construction cost,
comparison with past project fees, and other considerations. As construction cost is but one of several
factors, a final construction figure in excess of the initial construction estimate will not, in and of itself,
constitute a justification for an increased in fee.
13. OTHER PROVISIONS
A. Public Record Law
All responses and information submitted in response to this RFQ are subject to the Massachusetts Public
Records Law, M.G.L. c. 66, § 10 and c. 4, § 7(26). Any statements in submitted responses that are
inconsistent with the provisions of these statutes shall be disregarded.
B. Waiver/Cure of Minor Informalities, Errors and Omissions
The Owner reserves the right to waive or permit cure of minor informalities, errors or omissions prior to
the selection of a Respondent, and to conduct discussions with any qualified Respondents and to take
any other measures with respect to this RFQ in any manner necessary to serve the best interest of the
Owner and its beneficiaries.
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D. Communications with the Owner
The City’s Purchasing Department:
Purchasing Department Newton City Hall
1000 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, Massachusetts 02459
Phone # 617.796.1220
Email: purchasing@newtonma.gov
Fax # 617.796.1227
Respondents that intend to submit a SOQ are prohibited from contacting any of the City’s staff other than
the City Purchasing Department. An exception to this rule applies to Respondents that currently do business
with the City, but any contact made with persons other than the Purchasing Department must be limited to
that business, and must not relate to this RFQ. In addition, such respondents shall not discuss this RFQ with
any of the City’s consultants, legal counsel or other advisors. FAILURE TO OBSERVE THIS RULE MAY
BE GROUNDS FOR DISQUALIFICATION.
E. Costs
The Owner is not liable for any costs incurred by any Respondent in preparing its SOQ or for any other
costs incurred prior to entering into and only in accordance with a Contract between the Respondent
and the Owner.
F. Withdrawn/Irrevocability of Responses
Applicants may withdraw an SOQ as long as the written request to withdraw is received by the City of
Newton Purchasing Department prior to the time and date of the SOQ opening.
G. Rejection of Responses, Modification of RFQ
The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all responses if the Owner determines, within its own
discretion, that it is in the Owner’s best interests to do so. This RFQ does not commit the Owner to
select any Respondent, award any contract, pay any costs in preparing a response, or procure a contract
for any services. The Owner also reserves the right to cancel or modify this RFQ in part or in its
entirety, or to change the RFQ guidelines. A Respondent may not alter the RFQ or its components.
H. Subcontracting and Joint Ventures
Respondent’s intention to subcontract or partner or joint venture with other firm(s), individual or entity
must be clearly described in the response.
H. Validity of Response
Submitted responses must be valid in all respects for a minimum period of ninety (90) days after the
submission deadline.
CITY OF NEWTON
Nicholas Read
Chief Procurement Officer
May 24, 2018
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ATTACHMENTS:
RFQ Attachment A:
City of Newton Ordinances
Chapter 14 - Senior Services
Chapter 21 Parks and Recreation, Public Grounds and Trees
RFQ Attachment B:
Base Contract for Designer Services;
Base Designer Contract Amendment for Design/Bid/Build;
Base Designer Contract Amendment for CM-at-Risk
RFQ Attachment C:
Standard Designer Application Form for Municipalities and Public Agencies not within DSB Jurisdiction
(Updated July 2011) (http://www.mass.gov/anf/docs/dcam/dlforms/dsb/designer-municp-app-11-7-11.doc)
RFQ Attachment D:
Required Certifications
▪ Satisfaction of State Tax Requirements
▪ Certificate of Authority
▪ Certificate of Non-Collusion
▪ Certificate of Tax Compliance
▪ Proof of Registration by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts an architect or
professional engineer (if applicable)
▪ Demonstrated ability to secure general liability insurance, worker’s compensation,
and automobile insurance for all proposed staff that will be involved in the project
▪ List all claims, including insurance claims and claims in litigation or adjudicatory
process or settled, brought by or against the firm/individual in the past three (3)
years. Including for each the reason for the claim, name (s) of claimant(s) and
outcomes.
RFQ Attachment D.1:
Certificate of Good Standing and/or Tax Compliance
RFQ Attachment D.2:
Certificate of Authority – Business Corporations
RFQ Attachment D.3:
Certificate of Non-Collusion
RFQ Attachment D.4:
Certificate of Tax Compliance
RFQ Attachment E:
City of Newton Designer Selection Committee,
Designer Selection Procedures
RFQ Attachment F:
City of Newton Ordinances
Design Review Committee Ordinance
RFQ Attachment G
City of Newton – Public Buildings Department
Building Design and Construction Sustainability Guidelines
Reading Select Board
A Resolution for Pride Month
Whereas, the Reading Select Board believes in the inherent dignity of everyone
who helps to form our community;
Whereas, Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall uprising of June 1969 and
elevates the pursuit of equal justice and opportunity for LGBTQ+
Americans; and
Whereas, the Reading Select Board values diversity, equity, and inclusion, is
committed to equal rights and opportunities for Reading’s LGBTQ+
residents, and is dedicated to fostering the acceptance of all members
of the Reading community; and
Whereas, the Reading Select Board recognizes the important contributions of its
LGBTQ+ residents to the Town’s history, culture, economy, and civic
life; and
Whereas, it is imperative that residents of all sexual orientations and gender
identities and expressions feel valued, safe, empowered, and
supported by their peers, educators, and community leaders; and
Whereas, we affirm our support for our LGBTQ+ residents and stand with them
to protect their civil rights and ability to live openly without fear.
Now, therefore, be it resolved, that we, the Reading Select Board, do hereby
resolve that June 2023 be recognized as Pride Month in the Town of Reading and
urge members of the Reading community to recognize the contributions made by
members of the LGBTQ+ community and the importance of this month;
SELECT BOARD OF READING
Jacqueline McCarthy, Chair Mark L. Dockser, Vice Chair
Christopher Haley, Secretary Carlo Bacci
Karen Gately Herrick
June 2023
Juneteenth in United States
Whereas, News of the end of slavery did not reach the frontier areas of the United States, in particular the State of Texas and the ot her Southwestern States, until
months after the conclusion of the Civil War, more than 2 ½ years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863; and
Whereas, On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and the
enslaved were free; and
Whereas, Juneteenth became a holiday within southwestern states commonly known as “Juneteenth Independence Day.’ The word “Juneteenth” resulted from
words June-nineteen merged together in speech; and
Whereas, This day is an opportunity for people to celebrate freedom and equal rights in the United States, these celebrations range from religious events, rodeos,
barbecues/cookouts, neighborhood block parties, etc.; and
Whereas, On Juneteenth, certain foods became popular and subsequently synonymous at celebrations such as strawberry soda-pop. At barbecues, special dishes
were prepared such as collard greens, cornbread, and meats including lamb, pork and beef; meats were not so ea sily accessible; and
Whereas, The Juneteenth flag was created by Ben Haith, founder of National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation, in 1997 and later revised in 2000 to what we
know now. The star represents Texas and the star burst represents all 50 states, the arc represents a new horizon, and finally the colors represent the American flag,
a reminder that slaves were and are American; and
Whereas, Juneteenth is celebrated all over the world including but not limited to Ghana, Honduras, Japan, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago; and
Whereas, On July 24, 2020 the Governor of Massachusetts signed a bill recognizing Juneteenth as a state holiday;
Now Therefore Be It Resolved, that the Town of Reading and the Reading Select Board recognize June 19, 2023 as “Juneteenth” and continue to support the
nationwide celebration of Juneteenth Independence Day throughout the United States of America.
SELECT BOARD OF READING
_________________________ _________________________
Jacqueline McCarthy, Chair Mark L. Dockser, Vice Chair
_________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________
Christopher Haley Carlo Bacci Karen Herrick
June 6, 2023 Tuesday
Overview of Meeting Dockser 7:00
Public Comment Board 7:05
SB Liaison & Town Manager Reports Board 7:15
Update from Economic Development
Director on Kiosk Roll-Out Board 7:30
Discussion on Improving
Communication with Small Businesses Board 7:45
Discussion on Funding Request from
Boards, Committees and Commissions Board 8:00
Discussion on the Development and
Planning Process for a Dog Park in
Reading Board 8:30
Discussion on Emails for Boards and
Committees Board 8:45
Discuss Exploration of Town Counsel Board 9:00
Discuss Future Agendas Board 9:30
Approve Meeting Minutes Board 9:45
June 20, 2023 Tuesday
Overview of Meeting Dockser 7:00
Public Comment Board 7:05
SB Liaison & Town Manager Reports Board 7:15
Vote to Accept Easement from Meadow
Brook Golf Course to Conservation
Commission, Lot 5 Board 8:00
Discuss Future Agendas Board 9:30
Approve Meeting Minutes Board 9:45
July 18, 2023 Tuesday
August 1, 2023 Tuesday
August 22, 2023 Tuesday
September 12, 2023 Tuesday
September 26, 2023 Tuesday
October 10, 2023 Tuesday
October 24, 2023 Tuesday
November 7, 2023 Tuesday
November 13, 2023 SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING
November 16, 2023 SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING
November 20, 2023 SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING
November 21, 2023 Tuesday
Novmeber 27, 2023 SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING
December 5, 2023 Tuesday
Vote to approve annual licenses
(delegated to TM Office)
Vote to approve Liquor Licenses
December 6, 2023 Wednesday
Department Budget Presentations
December 12, 2023 Tuesday
Department Budget Presentations
Future Meetings - Agenda Items
VASC Policy Changes and
Recommendations VASC
Discuss Early Sunday Hours at
Recreational Fields & Parks Rec Comm
Public Safety Quarterly updates Board
Air BnB update CPDC
Update on 186 Summer Ave / Review of
Select Board role (consult with Town
Counsel) Town Counsel
Discuss Police Department Policies with
respect to Police Reform Legislation &
Department Accreditation Board
Discuss and Approve Flag Policy Board
Recurring Agenda Items
Close Warrant: Annual Town Meeting March 3/1/2022
Close Warrant: Subsequent Town September 9/27/2022
Appoint Town Accountant March Annual
HEARING Approve Classification & Compensation May Annual
Appointments of Boards & Committees May/June Annual
HEARING Approve Tax Classification October Annual
HEARING Approve Licenses December Annual
Liaison: RCTV members Report Annual
Liaison: CAB (RMLD) member Report Annual
Liaison: MAPC member Report Annual
Liaison: Reading Housing Authority Annual
Liaison: Reading Ice Arena Report Annual
Town Accountant Report Qtrly
Economic Development Director Semi-ann
Parking/Traffic/Transportation Task
Town Board & Committee visits
Town Department visits
Review Select Board Goals
Review Town Manager Goals February/March