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Home My WebLink About2024-01-09 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: 2024-01-09 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. Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88444701169 Meeting ID: 884 4470 1169 Dial by your location • +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) • +1 646 518 9805 US (New York) Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kbJg5tRQzM PAGE # 7:00 Overview of Meeting 7:05 Public Comment 7:15 Select Board Liaison & Town Manager Reports 7:30 PUBLIC HEARING: New Liquor License Application for an Annual All Alcohol License – POST 1917; 136 Haven Street 3 8:00 Presentation from Edge Sports for Symonds Way 8:30 Presentation from Council on Aging 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 9:00 Discuss Future Agenda Items 40 9:15 Approve Meeting Minutes 42 9:30 EXECUTIVE SESSION: Vote to Approve Collective Bargaining Agreements (Public Works - AFSCME Council 93, Local 1703; Public Works Supervisory Union, AFSCME Council 93, Local 1703) Town of Reading Legal Notice To the Inhabitants of the Town of Reading: Please take notice that the Select Board of the Town of Reading will hold a public hearing on January 9th, 2024 at 7:00 PM in the Select Board Meeting Room at Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, MA or also available remotely on Zoom to act on a new Annual All - Alcohol Restaurant Liquor license for Parc Restaurant Group LLC d/b/a POST 1917 at 136 Haven Street, Reading, MA. A copy of the proposed documents regarding this topic will be in the Select Board packet on the website at www.readingma.gov All interested parties are invited to attend the hearing in person or remotely via Zoom; or may submit their comments in writing to townmanager@ci.reading.ma.us By order of Fidel Maltez Town Manager January 23, 2024 Tuesday Overview of Meeting McCarthy 7:00 Public Comment Board 7:05 SB Liaison & Town Manager Reports Board 7:15 HEARING Change of Officers/Directors - Meadow Brook 7:30 Vote to Accept the Reading - Meadow Brook Trail Easement 8:00 Discuss Future Agendas Board 9:15 Approve Meeting Minutes Board 9:30 February 6, 2024 Tuesday Overview of Meeting McCarthy 7:00 Public Comment Board 7:05 SB Liaison & Town Manager Reports Board 7:15 Preview Warrant for November Town Meeting Board 7:30 Discuss Future Agendas Board 9:15 Approve Meeting Minutes Board 9:30 February 27, 2024 Tuesday Overview of Meeting McCarthy 7:00 Public Comment Board 7:05 SB Liaison & Town Manager Reports Board 7:15 Vote to Close Warrant for November Town Meeting Board 9:00 Discuss Future Agendas Board 9:15 Approve Meeting Minutes Board 9:30 March 5, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY March 12, 2024 Tuesday March 26, 2024 Tuesday April 2, 2024 TOWN ELECTION April 9, 2024 Tuesday April 22, 2024 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING April 25, 2023 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING April 29, 2023 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING May 2, 2024 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING May 7, 2024 Tuesday May 21, 2024 Tuesday June 4, 2024 Tuesday June 18, 2024 Tuesday July 16, 2024 Tuesday August 20, 2024 Tuesday September 10, 2024 STATE PRIMARY September 17, 2024 Tuesday October 8, 2024 Tuesday October 29, 2024 Tuesday November 5, 2024 STATE ELECTION November 12, 2024 SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING November 14, 2024 SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING November 18, 2024 SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING November 19, 2024 Tuesday November 21, 2024 SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING December 3, 2024 Tuesday December 4, 2024 Wednesday December 10, 2024 Tuesday Select Board – Open Session Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 7:00 pm Town Hall Select Board Meeting Room, 16 Lowell Street Members Present: Chair Jackie McCarthy, Vice Chair Mark Dockser, Secretary Karen Gately Herrick (remote), Chris Haley Members Absent: Carlo Bacci Others Present: Town Manager Fidel Maltez, Assistant Town Manager Matt Kraunelis, Facilities Director Joe Huggins, Assistant Facilities Director Kevin Cabuzzi, Library Director Amy Lannon, Chief Financial Officer Sharon Angstrom (remote), Police Chief David Clark, Human Resources Director Sean Donahue (remote – 7:16 pm), Executive Assistant Jackie LaVerde (remote), Marianne Downing (remote), Endri Kume (remote), Mark Zarrow (remote), Joe McDonagh (remote – 7:29 pm). Chair Jackie McCarthy called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm. Roll call attendance: Karen Gately Herrick (remote), Mark Dockser, Chris Haley, Jackie McCarthy Not Present: Carlo Bacci Department Budget Presentations Library Library Director Amy Lannon presented the Library’s FY25 Level 1 requested budget. Ms. Lannon reviewed key points of the Strategic Plan, and mission, vision, core values, and overview of services of the library. The overall budget increases 3.6%, or $2,181,150. Salaries increase 3.3% and include a step plus a 1.25% cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA). All expenses increase 4.9%, and includes a general expenses increase of 7.4%, and materials increase of 3.7%. The library programs expense line increases 163% because more money was made for library programs based on FY23 numbers. The estimated Library Value Measurable Return for FY23 was $8,001,906, considering the value of the number of books borrowed, programs offered, and services provided. Facilities Facilities Director Joe Huggins presented the requested FY25 Facilities budget. Wages for Core Facilities increase 4.9%, which represents increases for non-union staff in steps and COLA, and negotiated licensed maintenance staff which is COLA & collective bargaining. Core Facilities expenses increase 9.6% largely due to an increase in energy expenses. The Town Facilities Budget increases 2.4% overall, which includes a 3.8% increase for the custodians. Outsourced cleaners are level-funded, as it is the final year of a contract. The total Core and Town Facilities budget increases 8.1%, or $323,780. Mr. Huggins provided a summary of workorders by location comparing FY22 and FY23, preventative maintenance program, and department organizational chart. Technology Chief Technology Officer Kevin Furilla presented the proposed Technology Department FY25 budget, a summary of the department’s responsibilities, staff team members, and services provided. Salaries increase 3.48% to $511,800, and expenses increase 3.86% to $654,700, for an overall increase of 3.69% to $1,166,500. Increases to expenses are driven by software licenses and subscriptions; communication services and equipment including internet, landlines; professional services and maintenance for things that cannot be done in-house, such as maintaining the fiber-optic network and printer repair; hardware including PCs, scanners, and printers; and miscellaneous parts such as toner and other consumables. Finance Chief Financial Officer Sharon Angstrom reviewed the Finance Department proposed budget for FY25, and provided an overview of the department organization and divisions, and each division’s key responsibilities. The overall FY25 budget increase is 3.9%, which includes a 3.2% increase in Accounting, 3.5% increase in Assessing, and 4.4% increase in General Finance. Salaries increase 4.2%. All Finance staff are non-union employees and are receiving a 1.25% COLA plus a step. Expenses increase 2.1%, due to the Regional Assessor contract with Wakefield going up 5%. Reductions were made in other expense line items. Shared Costs Ms. Angstrom continued with the budget summary for Shared Costs, which increase 2.4%. Benefits increase 8.1%, which includes: Retirement Assessment increase 16.8%, Medicare increase 2.0%, health insurance increase 4.6%, workers comp increase 2.6%, indemnification increase 3.7%, and unemployment 60% from $75,000 to $120,000. Proposed capital spending is $3,035,000, an increase of 3.5%. Debt service is at $4,818,738, a decrease of 20.6%. Debt within the levy is at $3,539,038. Debt excluded from the levy is at $1,279,700. The last excluded debt payment will be made in 2025, and there will be no more excluded debt until the Town needs to borrow for the new Killam School. The Vocational Education estimate is $1,100,992, and includes $155,000 for the capital cost for the Northeast Regional Vocational School Building Project. Finance Committee Reserves are level-funded. Budget Summary Town Manager Fidel Maltez reviewed the FY25 budget summary and timeline. He stated that he will work with staff to add sound and audio improvements to the budget for meeting spaces, as requested by the Select Board. A consultant has been hired to help with water and sewer rates. Executive Session On a motion by Karen Gately Herrick, seconded by Mark Dockser, the Select Board voted 4-0 to enter into Executive Session including staff members Fidel Maltez, David Clark, Matt Kraunelis, Sharon Angstrom, Sean Donahue, and Jackie LaVerde to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining and approve contracts for the Reading Patrol Officers Association – MassCop, Local 191, AFL-CIO; followed by an Executive Session to discuss details related to the appointment of Acting Town Manager. Further the Chair declares that an open meeting could have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the body; and the board will NOT reconvene in open session. Roll call vote: Karen Gately Herrick – Yes, Mark Dockser – Yes, Chris Haley – Yes, Jackie McCarthy – Yes. Open session adjourned at 8:50 pm.