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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-09-26 Select Board Minutesoss rx Town of Reading L�GLE�K yo� = Meeting Minutes � e t% a 4 RQ23 C3 �'0 ?H �:0 Board - committee - Commission - Council: 0 Select Board Date: 2023-09-26 Building: Reading Town Hall Address: 16 Lowell Street Purpose: General Business Attendees: Members - Present: Time: 7:00 PM Location: Select Board Meeting Room Session: Open Session Version: Final Jackie McCarthy, Mark Dockser, Carlo Bacci, Chris Haley, Karen Herrick Members - Not Present: Others Present: Town Manager Fidel Maltez, Executive Assistant Caitlin Nocella, Nancy Ziemlak, Joe McHugh, Chase Mack Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Executive Assistant Caitlin Nocella Topics of Discussion: This meeting was held in person and remote via Zoom. Chair McCarthy called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Public Comment Nancy Ziemlak noted she was speaking on behalf of herself and Marilyn Shapleigh. They are asking Town Meeting to amend the capital plan to include items that need immediate attention at the current Pleasant Street Center. Joe McHugh from the Pickleball Players Association is asking for the Select Boards support on their citizen's petition. Liaison Reports Herrick noted the first financial forum was last week. She also attended the trash cartforum which had good attendance. She attended a virtual visit with the Black Earth Compost and got an update with surrounding towns and our towns options for encouraging curb side compost. She is trying to follow up with the Ice Arena on their roof status. She attended the Town Forest celebration last weekend. She visited the Pleasant Street Center and got a tour of the mechanicals. Bacci noted an RFI respondent came and walked Symonds Way yesterday with Chuck Tuone. SWEC is meeting next week. Page I 1 Dockser attended Oktoberfest that had a great turnout despite the weather. ReCalc will be meeting this week about best practices in regards to programming. The Financial Forum was very informative. Haley noted the Town Forest Appreciation Day, the Fitness Within 5k, and Oktoberfest over the weekend. The School Committee met and had new staff introductions. McCarthy noted that the Board of Health met and discussed the Community needs assessment survey that went out last week. Town Manager Report Fidel noted we received $25K grant from the Massachusetts Downtown Initiative and a $2.6 Million grant from the State for the MassWorks! That will partially fund roadway improvements on Haven Street. He gave an updated about the Birch Meadow Project noting the contractor lost 30 days of rain days this summer putting them behind but they are still holding the timeline and hope to complete the project by the end of October. He also noted due to delays of the kiosks they will be pushing the implementation date for paid parking until January-ish of 2024. Lastly, he wanted to note there was a lot of concern about the new trash barrels having RFID chips; he would like to make it very clear that if Town Meeting approves this, the barrels will NOT have RFID tags in them. There will be a lunch n learn at the Senior Center on October 0 regarding the trash barrels again. The Charter Review Committee will be kicking off tomorrow night. Community Pmseryation Act Presentation Chase Mack, the communications director from the Community Preservation Coalition gave the board a presentation about the Community Preservation Program from the State. The presentation can be found in the Select Board packet on the town website. Change of Managgr Application -Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza Herrick read the hearing notice opening the public hearing. It was noted the applicant and new proposed manager was not present. The board decided to continue the hearing until the manager could be present. Bacci moved to continue the hearing on the Change of Manager Application for Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza to their next meeting on October 1 V, 2023 at 7:00 PM. The motion was seconded by Dockser and approved with a 5-0 vote. Food Partly Funding Request The Food Pantry explained their request again for $28K in additional funding. Maltez explained some ARPA line items with money that is not needed anymore. Bacci was hesitant to give them more money. Herrick moved to approve $28,000 from previously allocated ARPA Funds for the Reading Food Pantry, as presented. The motion was seconded by Haley and approved with a 5-0 vote. Jim Sullivan Second Position with the Town Maltez explained that Jim Sullivan, who was recently hired as the Recreation Administrator, prior to his hiring here at Town Hall, had been helping out the High School athletics department when they hold events. His work with the Athletic department is outside his Page 12 hours here at Town Hall and would not conflict with his job here. He filled out a disclosure form for the board, as required by State Law, so he can hold his job here at town hall and work events for the high school. It was signed by the Superintendent as well. Herrick moved to approve Jim Sullivan's request to hold a second position with the Town, event support for the Reading High School Athletic Department, pursuant to Section 20(b) of the State Ethics Law and authorize the Town Manager to sign Mr. Sullivan's Section 20(b) exemption form. The motion was seconded by Dockser and approved with a 5-0 vote. Close Town Meeting Warrant Maltez ran through the warrant articles with the board one last time. He gave an update on the Fire Truck purchase agreement and what the town and vendor have agreed upon because of the price increase. Herrick asked about voting to support individual articles. Haley noted that Article 12, the citizens petition, only works if the Ice Rink agrees. Herrick moved to close the Town Meeting Warrant for November Subsequent Town Meeting consisting of 12 Articles to take place on November 13th, 2023. The motion was seconded by Dockser and approved with a 5-0 vote. Designate Town Manager as Town Representative on Designer Selection Panel for Killam Maltez explained the next step in the process is they are expecting packages back from designers to review. The Town will then meet with the designer selection panel which consists of three members, the superintendent, the town manager, and a representative from the building committee. The Select Board needs to officially designate the town manager as a representative. The School Committee will do the same thing for the Superintendent. Herrick moved to designate the Town Manager as the Town Representative on the Designer Selection Panel for the MSBA, Killam School. The motion was seconded by Dockser and approved with a 5-0 vote. Future Agendas The board discussed future agenda items. Minutes The board discussed prior meeting minutes. Herrick moved to approve the meeting minutes of August 22"d as amended. The motion was seconded by Dockser and approved with a 5-0 vote. Herrick moved to approve the meeting minutes of September 12th, as amended. The motion was seconded by Dockser and approved with a 5-0 vote. Dockser moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:32 PM. The motion was seconded by Haley and approved with a 5-0 vote. Pegs 13