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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-10-09 Finance Committee Packet 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 2019A NNUAL T OWN M EETING Instructional Motion 1 – Parcel of Land Motion made by John Lippitt, Precinct 7 Direct the Select Board, School Committee and any other bodies or individuals considering the use of the parcel of land near the Burbank Ice Arena recently authorized for purchase by the Town of Reading by Article 22 of the 2019 Annual Town Meeting to include as an option for its use the construction of an Early Childhood Center or any other approach that would allow the school system to expand kindergarten and pre-kindergarten enrollment and to reduce or eliminate the use of temporary classrooms at the elementary schools. In addition, the school space study should incorporate these possibilities. Instructional Motion 1 Carried ________________________________ Instructional Motion 2 – Reading Security Committee Motion made by John Lippitt, Precinct 7 Direct the Select Board, School Committee and any other relevant bodies to consider and make recommendations on the membership of a Reading Security Committee that would review and make recommendations on the ways to achieve appropriate, cost-effective security at the Town’s schools and school facilities (e.g. athletic fields) as well as town government buildings and facilities. Said Reading Security Committee should include maximum feasible participation by elected officials in town and Town Meeting Members, as well as members of the public, especially school security teams and parents of school-aged children. Furthermore, a goal of the Committee should be to share as much information and assessment of progress on town security with elected bodies and the public as is prudent and possible. Motion made by Ian Charles Brown, Precinct 8 to move the question 2/3rd Vote Required 87 in the affirmative 24 in the negative 151 Town Meeting Members in Attendance Motion to Move the Question Carried ________________________________ Instructional Motion 2 Does Not Carry ________________________________ Instructional Motion 3 – Authorized Debt Policy Motion made by Angela Binda, Precinct 5 Move that Town Meeting instruct the Finance Committee to examine authorized but unused debt and to develop a policy regarding if and when it should be reviewed by Town Meeting, 43 2019A NNUAL T OWN M EETING and revoked or replaced by a new vote and a new authorization. Such a policy should be presented to Town Meeting in a warrant article at the November 2019 Town Meeting. Instructional Motion 3 Carried ________________________________ Instructional Motion 4 – Authorized Debt Birch Meadow Motion made by Angela Binda, Precinct 5 Move that Town Meeting instruct the Select Board to present a warrant article at the April 2020 Town Meeting which revokes the Birch Meadow field lighting debt authorization, OR reauthorizes the debt for the remaining four fields, OR authorizes the use of the debt for general Birch Meadow Masterplan improvements. Such a warrant article will be developed by the Select Board, working with the Recreation Committee and the Birch Meadow Master Plan Subcommittee. Instructional Motion 4 Carried ________________________________ Instructional Motion 5 – Charter Change Motion made by Dan Ensminger, Precinct 7 Move to instruct the By-Law Committee to consider for approval the following Amendment to the Reading Home Rule Charter. Said Amendment shall be presented first to the November 2019 Subsequent Town Meeting for approval, then to the Reading voters at the 2020 Town Election: Amend Section 2.6 “Vacancies” to delete the following language: “If any person elected as a Town Meeting Member fails to attend one-half or more of the total Town Meeting sessions within one year preceding the most recent Annual Town Election, his seat may be declared vacant by a majority vote of the Town Meeting. The Board of Selectmen shall place an Article on the Annual Town Meeting Warrant to remove any such Town Meeting Member from office. At least seven (7) days prior to the Annual Town Meeting, the Town Clerk shall notify any such Town Meeting Member that he may be removed from office, provided, however, that such notice shall be deemed adequate if mailed postage prepaid to the Town Meeting Member’s last known address.” Instructional Motion 5 Does Not Carry 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 2016-09-22 LAG Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Finance Committee Date: 2019-09-11 Time: 7:30 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Conference Room Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session Purpose: General Business Version: Draft Attendees: Members - Present: Andrew Mclauchlan, Dan Dewar, Paula Perry, Shawn Brandt, Karen Herrick, Chair Eric Burkhart Members - Not Present: Mark Moll, Sean Jacobs, Ed Ross Others Present: Town Manager Bob LeLacheur, Town Accountant Sharon Angstrom, School Superintendent John Doherty, School Chief Financial Officer Gail Dowd, Facilities Director Joe Huggins, Assistant Facilities Director Kevin Cabuzzi, Linda Snow Dockser, Tom Wise; Select Board Members: Anne Landry, Mark Dockser, Vanessa Alvarado Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jacquelyn LaVerde Topics of Discussion: Ms. Perry called the meeting to order at 7:33pm. Retirement Board Warrant Article: Ms. Angstrom stated that the presentation would have to be postponed. As a future retiree who may benefit from the article if passed, she needed to complete the Conflict of Interest disclosure form and be approved by the Select Board to give the presentation. FY20 Budget Transfers: Mr. LeLacheur explained Article 4 of the w operating budget. There is a surplus in health insurance premiums. Public Services has surplus available due to consolidating some positions and has three requests for expenses: $20,000 for a traffic study for the Eaton Lakeview project (which may be reimbursed as the developer promised $20,000 for it); $20,000 for Birch Meadow design; and $20,000 for an open space consultant. Public Safety expenses include: dispatch use of a Medical Director to review calls to determine if dispatchers responded appropriately; request for three police cruisers; and floor plan updates. The Town Forest Committee is planning a thinning project and though the Committee has a revolving fund, there is currently no money in it. They are requesting a $25,000 transfer from the general fund to pay for the project, and funds from the timber sold will be deposited back into the general fund. There will also be a water transfer request. Capital Plan and FY21 budget discussion: There is approximately a $400,000 surplus in capital. There are a lot of unfunded items that need to be prioritized and the plan is to engage the community in discussion to 62 determine a priority for capital.Mr. Burkhart arrived at 7:53pm.The preference would be to spend money on things that will save money in the long term. Possibilities include performance contracting and HVAC replacements. Other unfunded projects include: athletic and recreation improvements; elementary school space project; community/senior center; and DPW building project. Operating budget and forecasts are is forecast to increase 3.4%. There will be an increased use of free cash to $1.25 million, which will be an increase of 3.6% of revenue plus free cash. The Retirement Board is requesting a 24% increase. If that article does not pass, there will still be a 21% increase, as the actual retirement obligation has not changed. By increasing pension funding, the liability will be diffused more quickly, and the sooner the Town can fully fund Other Post- Employment Benefits (OPEB). The Town is currently 78% funded as of the most recent valuation. Vanessa Alvarado arrived at 8:22pm and called the Select Board to order. Fiscal Sustainability continued discussion: Mr. Brandt reviewed issues that the Finance Committee discussed at the previous meeting. The reserve position is double what the policy calls for and is slated to be approximately $14 million at the end of the year. People think that there is too much free cash and unspent override money. He suggested different ways of utilizing the excess funds, and emphasized starting a fiscal sustainability fund to fund investment projects, which are often omitted from the operating budget to satisfy the short-term need. Examples included: full day kindergarten, additional FTE for counseling, and hiring a grant writer. The Committee discussed the need to establish the structure of such a fund, how to make it sustainable, who would determine how the money is spent, how to create a policy for the fund, and how to measure the return on investment. Mr. LeLacheur noted that Town Meeting would be the approving authority when it comes to spending money. Mr. Dockser recommended sponsoring a warrant article with a specific dollar figure to remain transparent. Mr. Wise noted that Lowell yielded significant savings by in-sourcing some autism and special education programs. Ms. Herrick asked if the Town could fund a Community Preservation fund with free cash and get the matching funds through the state. Mr. LeLacheur noted that free cash can be used and that would be investing to provide more services. Ms. Herrick asked if grant writing would yield results for the Schools. Dr. Doherty answered that the tricky thing about grants is you have to qualify and meet certain criteria. A lot of public grants are entitlement and need based. A lot of publicly funded grants are not available anymore, so you would have to look to private organizations who offer grants. If grant money is used to fund positions, the grant money eventually dries up. If it is important enough to keep, it has to be in the budget and things can get taken out of the budget. Financial Forum: The Committee agreed to start the Financial Forum at 7:00pm and identified topics to be discussed including: review of capital and operating budgets; update on capital projects including Turf 2, the elementary space project, and security update; and review of warrant th articles. They also agreed to schedule a separate meeting after September 28, following the Sand prior to the Forum on th October 16 to discuss the Retirement Board COLA presentation and the Instructional Motion regarding the removal of unused debt authorization. 63 Mr. Burkhart noted that he was asked whether there was a liaison for the Board of Health as there has not been one historically. The Committee agreed that designating one for the Board of Health was not necessary, as there is a liaison for the Public Services department which consists of the Health Division. The Select Board adjourned at 9:39pm. Minutes: On a motion by Mr. Brandt, seconded by Ms. Perry, the Finance Committee voted 6-0-0 to approve the meeting minutes of July 31, 2019. On a motion by Mr. Brandt, seconded by Mr. Dewar, the Finance Committee voted 6-0-0 to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 9:40pm. 64