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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-10-16 Select Board MinutesRECEIVED Town of Reading TOWN CLERK 5 I Meeting Minutes READ!NC MA. 2025 NOV -5 AM 8: 44ot Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Select Board Date: 2025-10-16 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Address: 16 Lowell Street Purpose: General Business Attendees: Members - Present: Location: Select Board Meeting Room Session: Open Session Version: Final Chris Haley, Melissa Murphy, Karen Rose-Glllis (Remote), Carlo Bacci Members - Not Present: Karen Gately Herrick Others Present: Town Manager Matt Kraunelis, Assistant Town Manager Jayne Wellman, Public Works Director Chris Cole, Executive Assistant Joshua Delaune, Samantha Gray, Dan Higgins, Josh Mitchell, Computer Technician Tim Johnson (Remote), Assistant Public Works Director Mike Kessman (Remote), RCN Studios (Remote), Ed Pacek (Remote), Taylor Gregory (Remote) Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Madeleine Baptiste Topics of Discussion: This meeting was held in the Town Hall Select Board Room and Remotely Via Zoom. Chair Chris Haley called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM and provided a brief overview of the evening's agenda. Chair Chris Haley took Roil Call Attendance. Roll Call Attendance: Karen Rose -Gillis - Here, Carlo Bacci - Here, Melissa Murphy - Here, Chris Haley - Here Public Works Director Chris Cole explained that the presentation in the Board's packet included revised pricing from both vendors, Waste Management and Republic Services. Waste Management added a bulk item option and towered the bulk hem pricing to $30, and Republic Services added a pricing option for weekly recycling. He also provided the Board with a few points to consider when choosing the next contract regarding service collection method differences, customer service, and budgetary considerations. The Board focused on clarifying the cost comparisons between Republic Services and Waste Management and confirmed the numbers displayed in Mr. Cole's presentation were accurate and agreed upon by both parties. Town Manager Matt Kraunelis noted that weekly recycling is a workable option, but it would require the use of free cash and stated his belief that the Town is able to handle bi-weekly recycling with the larger bins available. Chris Cote noted that there are roughly 1,000 extra recycling bins in storage currently and funds to purchase more would need to come out of the general fund. Carlo Bacci said that he thinks biweekly is an adjustment but thinks it could work out. Melissa Murphy expressed concern with taking away weekly recycling and a bulk item all. at once and felt strongly that weekly recycling needed to be included in the Board's choice as she seeks to continue to provide services to residents, not reduce them. Page 1 1 Karen Rase -Gillis explained that she spoke with a variety of residents and that her findings revealed a split of people who valued the cheapest pricing and those who valued continuation of services. Chris Haley agreed that he would not want to take away everything at once but said he knows that times are changing and pricing options provided by the vendors are within reason. He said that he is unsure of whether to keep the weekly recycling or bulk item. The Board discussed different options at length and agreed to cut the bulk item from their decision and were split as to wanting weekly or biweekly recycling. Karen Rose -Gillis suggested that if there was a possibility to start with weekly recycling and eventualty go to bi-weekly to ease into the transition, that could be a compromise. Both vendors agreed that they could factor this into their proposals. In discussing the specifics of what each vendor's contract included for trash bins and recycle bins, the Board was informed that when the RFP went out, the contracts were asked to be based on what the Town had for a current count of bins used by residents. Republic Services said that their pricing was inclusive of all current counts based on the RFP. Waste Management said that there pricing was inclusive of one trash bin and one recycling bin, and any other bins used per household were considered extra and would be priced at $10 per month for weekly pickup and $6 per month for biweekly pickup for either type of bin. The Board realized that if they chose to award Waste Management a contract, with this pricing clarified, there would be a significant cost increase seeing as many homes have more than one trash and recycling bin. The Board asked if Republic Services would be willing and able to reduce the cost of the burnable bulky item and small metal item. Republic Services responded that they were willing to lower the burnable bulky item price to $30 to match Waste Management and the small metal item could be reduced to a cost of $40. The Board expressed their appreciation to Republic Services for this reduction in pricing. Town Manager Matt Kraunelis informed the Board that at the Finance Committee meeting it was determined that the Town will use $6.5 million in free cash to balance the budget and picking weekly recycling would add to that number. The Board discussed the balancing act of being conscious of the budget and the potential for an override in the future while trying to maintain the level of services provided to the Town. The Board, through much discussion, agreed to start with weekly recycling and see how a potential override determines it the Town wants to switch to biweekly recycling for the fallowing years of the contract. The Board had agreed on a consensus of choosingweekly trash, weekly recycling, no burnable bulky item with Republic Services specifying the reduced burnable bulky item cost at $30 and small metal item cost at $40, and a 5% annual increase to the contract. As a Public Comment Taylor Gregory of Pleasant Street expressed that they agreed with starting at weekly recycling and transitioning into biweekly with no preference on the service provider and thanked both the Board and Town Staff for at[ the hard work and their thoughtful approach to this process. Karen Rose -Gillis moved to approve the Trash and Recycling Contract with Republic Services for a term of 5 years as presented today for $2,289,279 with weekly trash, weekly recycling, no burnable bulky item, no metal item with a burnable bulk item at $30 and a small metal item at $40, and a 5% increase per year, and authorize the Town Manager to execute said contract. The motion was seconded by Melissa Murphy and approved by a vote of 4.0. Roll Call Vote: Karen Rose -Gillis —Yes, Melissa Murphy —Yes, Carlo Bacci —Yes, Chris Hatay —Yes Carlo Bocci moved to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Melissa Murphy and approved by a vote of 4-0. Roil Call Vote: Karen Rose -Gillis —Yes, Carlo Bacci —Yes, Melissa Murphy —Yes, Chris Haley —Yes The meeting adjourned at 9:19 pm.