HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-03-03 Board of Selectmen Packet~.,OF RE9
-~c Town of Reading
16 Lowell Street
w~
Reading, MA 01867-2685
~f s39lNCOR4~~P~ _ _
FAX: (781) 942-9071
Email: townmanager@ci.reading.ma.us TOWN MANAGER
Website: www. readingma.gov (781) 942-9043
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of Selectmen
FROM: Peter I. Hechenbleikner
DATE: February 27, 2009
RE: March 3, 2009 Meeting
Ben Tafoya has office hours beginning at 6:30 p.m. Ben has been a little bit under the weather,
so if you can't make it then let me know and either I'll cover it or get one of the other members
to cover it. Also, the Board should know that there will only be three members there on Tuesday
night.
1) Executive Session - Please see the attached material from Brackett and Lucas. They will
be looking for a vote by the Board of Selectmen on this matter.
2) Reports and Comments -,The Chairman has asked to have only Public Comment.
3) Personnel and Appointments - We have two new Police Officers who just graduated
from the Academy and they will be doing their badge pinning. We wanted to have it
done on March 3, because one of the Police Officers, Justin Martel, is a former aide to
Representative Brad Jones.
4a) Senator Tisei and Representatives Jones and Dwyer will be present. I have copied to you
the email asking them to focus on the three areas of the budget, federal stimulus money,
and the Commonwealth's Partnership Act. In your packet you will see some information
on the Partnership Act as well as an MMA Alert.
4b) The Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting is included. The only item that is not in this
draft but will be available on Tuesday night is Article 18. Town Counsel and the Town
Planner are working on the final language of this. I will also point out to you proposed
Article 16 which the Board has not seen before, but is placed on the Warrant at the
request of Town Counsel.
4c) The Historical Commission will be in to discuss the demolition delay, and particularly
their plans to expand the inventory of properties. They have submitted a grant
application which I will sign and which if successful will allow the Historical
Commission to commission a consultant to look at new properties to be included in the
inventory.
4d) I have developed a draft Code of Conduct which I borrowed from the Town of Sudbury.
They find the use of this Code of Conduct very effective. This is a continuation of
discussions that we have had as a community previously regarding civil behavior and
also following up on the training that the Board of Selectmen had with their appointed
Boards, Committees and Commissions last fall. If appropriate, this Code of Conduct
could also be recommended to the School Committee and the Reading Municipal Light
Board as well as the Library Board and the Board of Assessors.
4e) We had talked about having a retreat which would include Department Heads and the
Board of Selectmen. The retreat would probably be a Saturday in June, and we have
arranged to have an unpaid, but experienced facilitator. The retreat would be in Reading,
but off of the municipal property. I recommend that the Board of Selectmen designate
two of its members to work with two of the Department Heads to set up the framework
and agenda for the retreat.
4f) The staff had recommended to the Board of Selectmen as part of the FY2010 budget
process that we consider "unbundling" the community access fees. The Board did not
recommend using that to balance the FY2010 budget and it is not utilized for that
purpose. However, if the Board is going to consider taking such a move for future years,
it will be appropriate to discuss it now so that we could arrange for whatever
administrative changes and for community education looking towards next December
when the current Community Access Sticker system expires. We will have some
additional statistical information on the Community Access Sticker for your meeting on
March 3.
Page 1 of 1
Schena, Paula
From: Hechenbleikner, Peter
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 11:53 AM
To: Jones, Bradley - Rep. (HOU); (albert.turco@state.ma.us); Jim Dwyer (jjdwyerw4@yahoo.com)
Cc: Schena, Paula; Reading - Department Heads
Subject: Meeting with the BOS - 3-3-09
Brad, Richard, Jim,
We're looking forward to seeing you Tuesday night, March 3 at the Board of Selectmen meeting at Town Hall.
We have you scheduled for 7:35, immediately following the swearing in of 2 new Police Officers - Brad, one is
your former aide - Justin Martel.
There is so much to talk about, but in speaking with Chairman Steve Goldy, we thought a focus on the following
items would be helpful:
• FY 2010 state budget
• Accessing Federal Stimulus money for the Town of Reading - what can we do?
• Your opinion of the likelihood of passage of the major elements of the "Act strengthening the
Commonwealth's partnership with its municipalities"
There will be 3 selectmen present - Chairman Steve Goldy, Vice Chairman Ben Tafoya, and Selectman Rick
Schubert.
I would suggest that at a later date we might host a coffee for you and your aides with the Department heads to
talk about more specifics of actions that might affect Reading.
Thanks and we'll see you on the 3ra
Pete
2/27/2009
L, G
Page I of 3
Hechenbleikner, Peter
From:
Hechenbleikner, Peter
Sent:
Friday, February 27, 2009 11:29 AM
To:
Reading - Selectmen
Subject: FW: MMA Action Alert on Municipal Relief Legislation
From: Geoff Beckwith [mailto:gbeckwith@mma.org]
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 5:03 PM
To: Geoffrey Beckwith
Subject: MMA Action Alert on Municipal Relief Legislation
Special MMA Action Alert
February 26, 2009
Cities and Towns Need Meaningful Reforms and Revenues
Please Call Your Legislators TODAY and Tell Them to Act
Now
to Pass a Powerful Municipal Relief Package
Confronting the most serious economic and fiscal crisis since the Great Depression, cities and towns are
facing massive budget deficits. Triggered by deep local aid' cuts and sagging local revenues due to the
recession, communities across the state are cutting services, laying off teachers, police officers and
firefighters, increasing fees, and relying more and more on overburdened property taxes.
Now more than ever, cities and towns need powerful management tools and more revenue choices in
order to balance their budgets and keep services afloat. This means that Beacon Hill insist act
immediately to pass vital reform and revenue measures to provide relief to all communities.
The MMA filed its sweeping reform package in December, the Governor submitted his Municipal Relief
Package in January, and the Legislature is poised to release a plan within the next two weeks.
Without new comprehensive reform and new revenues cities and towns will be forced to slash core
services, lay off thousands of municipal employees, and the impact of the recession will be even greater
in every community.
In order to avoid this catastrophic scenario, cities and towns need immediate action by the Legislature to
pass meaningful refonn that will make a difference. There are many components of the relief packages
that are up for consideration, and the MMA is actively supporting all of the provisions that will be
helpful to cities and towns.
However, in order for any final package to be strong enough to help all communities
during this economic crisis, please tell your legislators that the following four
2/27/2009
Page 2 of 3
provisions must be included:
1 - Giving Cities & Towns Control Over Health Insurance Plans
2 - Allowing Local Option Meals and Lodging Taxes
3 - Closing the Telecommunications Property Tax Loopholes
4 - Fixing the Flaws in the Way Charter Schools are Financed
Please use the talking points below when you speak with your Representatives and
Senators:
- Real Reform Means Giving Cities & Towns Control Over Health Insurance Plans
• Please ask your legislators to support freeing cities and towns of the requirement to bargain
health insurance plan design;
• Cities and towns are way behind both the state and private employers in terms of co-pays,
deductibles, and tiered networks (this is the so-called plan design);
• As a result, health insurance costs for cities and towns are much higher than for the state or
private employers;
• This is because cites and towns are required to receive approval from all of their unions before
they can make any changes to municipal health plan design;
• The state has exempted itself from collective bargaining requirements and therefore has co-
pays, deductibles, and tiered networks that are much closer to the private sector;
• The MMA plan would give cities and towns the same power the state has, so they can quickly
modernize their health plans to incorporate realistic co-payments and deductibles similar or
identical to what state employees and legislators have, and this would save cities and towns and
their employees as much as 5% to 15% of their current health insurance premiums;
• The Legislature and the Governor must remove plan design from collective bargaining for
cities and towns in order to allow cities and towns to save millions of dollars in health insurance
costs beginning on July 1, 2009;
• This reform proposal would save more money, more quickly and more efficiently than any
other option, including joining the state GIC plan, which doesn't work for many municipalities.
2 - It is Time to Allow Local Option Meals & Lodging Taxes
• Please ask your legislators to support legislation to allow cities and towns to adopt a local
option sales tax on meals and to increase the local option room occupancy excise;
• Cities and town are highly reliant on the regressive and overburdened property tax - new local
option taxes would provide a more diversified and fairer municipal revenue base;
• Local option taxes would provide additional revenues to help balance local budgets next year
and avoid layoffs;
• The MMA municipal relief bill [House docket 1073] would allow cities and towns to adopt a
local option sales tax on meals of up to 3 points and to add up to an additional 2 points to the
room occupancy excise;
• Each point on the meals tax would provide an estimated $125 million statewide, and each
point on the room occupancy would provide an estimated $20 million.
3 - We Must Close the Telecommunications Property Tax Loopholes
• Please ask your legislators to support legislation that would modernize the taxation of property
owned by telephone and other telecommunication companies;
• These outdated and antiquated loopholes are being abused by the telephone companies to
2/27/2009
4G -3
Page 3 of 3
avoid paying their fair share of local taxes, shifting this burden onto homeowners and other local
businesses.
• Legislators need to codify last year's Appellate Tax Board (ATB) decision that "poles and
wires" over public ways should be taxed, and legislators need to eliminate the loopholes that
exempt machinery and switching equipment;
• These provisions, included in the MMA relief bill and the Governor's Municipal Partnership
Act, would provide an estimated $50 million or more statewide to help balance municipal
budgets.
4 - We Must Fix the Flawed Charter School Funding System
• The funding system for charter schools takes away resources from public school districts,
draining $273 million in Chapter 70 funds from 199 communities this year (fiscal 2009), and $20
million more in fiscal 2010 under the current scheme;
• Please ask your legislators to support the provisions in the MMA's relief bill to halt the
expansion of charter schools in fiscal 2010 and prevent any further loss of Chapter 70 money
until the funding system is fixed;
• New and expanded charter schools would result in a real loss in Chapter 70 school aid next
year as tuition payments to charter schools from municipal revenues exceed state
reimbursements;
• Without reform of how charter schools are financed, this loss of aid will result in fewer public
school teachers and other school staff and diminished programs.
Time is of the essence. Unless these reforms are enacted prior to April 1, cities and
towns will be forced to make tens of thousands of layoffs and drastically reduce
services. Both actions will deepen the state's recession and push any recovery further
into the future.
Please call your Legislators today and tell them how important each of these items is
and why they need to act now.
Thank you very much.
Geoffrey C. Beckwith
Executive Director, Massachusetts Municipal Association
President, Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association
One Winthrop Square, Boston, MA 02110
tel617-426-7272 fax 617-695-1314
web www.nuna.org
EMAIL DISCLAIMER: This message is a private communication.
If you are not the intended recipient, please do not read, copy,
use, or disclose this message or any attachments to others.
Please notify the sender of the delivery error by replying to this
message, and then delete it from your system. Any unauthorized
disclosure, copying, or distribution of this message, including the
attaclunents, is prohibited. Email transmission may not be secure or
error free. Information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost,
destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or contain viruses. The sender
does not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of
this message that arise as a result of email transmission. Thank you.
a~
2/27/2009
.,auuaiy _1o, %VVY
http://ww w. instatrac. com/teatBeta i 1 s.php? i d=217224&pHntabl e=
Bill Text for HB104 (HD3962) of 2009-2010 Session Print this document
An act strengthening the Commonwealth's partnership with its municipali
Prime sponsor: Governor
January 28, 2009
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives:
I am filing for your consideration a bill entitled "An Act Strengthening the Commonwealth's Partnership with its
Municipalities."
This legislation provides cities and towns with the tools they need to respond to the present fiscal emergency by
managing limited resources more efficiently. It enables municipal officials to control their employee health care costs by
easing the requirements for entry into .the state Group Insurance Commission and holding municipalities financially
accountable for providing cost-efficient health care. It requires each community to move all its eligible retirees to
Medicare coverage, and provides some pension funding relief within fiscally responsible parameters. Several provisions
encourage and facilitate regionalization of municipal services and reform municipal procurement and advertising
requirements, thus providing cost efficiencies without jeopardizing transparency or quality. Finally, this legislation allows
municipalities more legal flexibility in such.areas as the permissible number of alcoholic beverage licenses, the maximum
age of police officers and firefighters, and fixing inadvertent procedural mistakes in calling town elections and town
meetings, thus dramatically reducing the need for special legislative exemptions.
Together with the additional municipal revenues proposed in the Emergency Recovery Bill that I am also filing today
these measures can help cities and towns weather the present fiscal downturn, save hundreds of millions of dollars over
time, and take significant pressure off orooerty taxes now and in the future. I am especially grateful to Lieutenant
Governor Murray and to the municipal officials who spoke up during his municipal listening tour, the source of many of
the ideas in this proposal.
I urge your prompt and favorable consideration of this legislation.
Respectfully submitted,
Deval L. Patrick
Governor
AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE COMMONWEALTH'S PARTNERSHIP WITH MUNICIPALITIES.
Whereas, the deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is forthwith to strengthen the
commonwealth's partnership with its municipalities in the present fiscal emergency, therefore it is hereby declared to be
an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
INTERNET ADVERTISING OF PROCUREMENTS - 1
SECTION 1. Chapter 7 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 22N the following.
section:-
Section 220. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the. contrary, whenever a law requires a state agency,
department, office, commission, authority or governmental body, as defined in section 2 of chapter 30B,.to publish in a
newspaper a notice of a public procurement or solicitation; it shall be sufficient instead to post that notice on a public
government internet website, including the commonwealth's electronic solicitation and bidding.website.
REVERSE AUCTIONS - 1
SECTION 2. Section 2 of chapter 30B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby
mended by inserting after the definition of "Responsible bidder or offeror" the following definition:-
"Reverse auction", an internet-based process used to buy supplies and services, whereby sellers.of the supply or
service being auctioned anonymously bid against each other until time expires and until the governmental body r
ti ( U`
f 14
.January 28, 2009
http://v+ww.instatrac.com/textdetails.php?id=217224&,printable=l '
determines from which sellers it will buy based on the pricing obtained as a result of the reverse auction.
SUBMISSION OF ELECTRONIC BIDS - 1
SECTION 3. Said section 2 of chapter 30B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the
definition of "Services" the following definition:- "Submission requirements", those requirements which set forth, in either
the invitation for bids or the request for proposals, whether the bids or proposals are to be delivered to a specific office
address'and, if online/electronic bids or proposals will be accepted, to a specified publicly-accessible website or system
sponsored by a governmental body or the commonwealth, which includes encryption, lockbox, date/time stamp, audit
trail and secure access features, as may be required by law. Electronic bids or proposals are only permitted if the
governmental body has the electronic capability to maintain the confidentiality of the bids until the bid opening time and
the proposals until the evaluation process is complete.
INCREASED BIDDING THRESHOLDS UNDER 30B
SECTION 4. Section 4 of said chapter 30B, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 3, the
words 15,000 or greater, but less than $25,000" and inserting in place thereof the following words:- $10,000 or
greater, but less than $25,000.
SECTION 5. Said section 4 of chapter 30B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 14,
the figure "$5,000" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $10,000.
SECTION 6. Section 5 of said chapter 30B, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 1 to 2, the
words "Except as permitted under section six or section eight" and inserting in place thereof the following words:-
Except as permitted under section 6, section.6A or section 8.
SUBMISSION OF ELECTRONIC BIDS - 2
SECTION 7. Said section 5 of chapter 30B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 7
to 8, the words: "the address of the office to which bids are to be delivered" and inserting in place thereof the following
words:- the bid's submission requirements as defined in section 2.
INTERNET ADVERTISING OF PROCUREMENTS - 2
SECTION 8. Said section 5 of chapter 30B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word
"body", in line 32, the following words:- or on a public internet website of either the governmental body of the
commonwealth.
SUBMISSION OF ELECTRONIC BIDS- 3
SECTION 9. Section 6 of said chapter 30B, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 10 to 11,
the words: "the address of the office to which the proposals are to be delivered" and inserting in place thereof the'
following words:- the proposal's submission requirements as defined in section 2.
REVERSE AUCTIONS - 2
SECTION 10. Said chapter 30B is hereby amended by inserting after section 6 the following section:-
Section 6A. (a) A procurement officer may enter into procurement contracts in the amount of $50,000 or more
utilizing reverse auctions for the acquisition of supplies and services. The reverse auction process shall include a
specification of an opening date and time when real-al-time bids may be accepted electronically via the internet, and
provide that the procedures shall remain open until the designated closing date and time.
(b) All bids on reverse auctions shall be posted electronically on the internet, updated on a real time basis, and shall
allow registered bidders to lower the price of their bid below the lowest bid on the internet.
. (c) The procurement officer shall require vendors to register before the reverse auction opening date and time, and
as part of the registration, agree to any terms and conditions and other requirements of the solicitation.
(d) Reverse auctions shall not be subject to subsections (b), (d) and (f) of section 5 but shall be subject to all other
provisions of that section.
2 of 14 2/19/2009 1034 AM
January 28, 2009
thttp://w w w .instatrac.com/textdetai 1 s.php? i d=2 l 7224&printabl e= l
(e) The chief procurement officer shall unconditionally accept a bid without alteration or correction, except as
provided in this paragraph. After the bidding period closes, a bidder may not change the price or any other provision of
the bid in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the governmental body or fair competition. The procurement officer
shall waive minor informalities or allow the bidder to correct them. If a mistake in the intended bid is clearly evident on
the face of the bid, the procurement officer shall correct the mistake to reflect the intended correct bid and so notify the
bidder in writing, and the bidder may not withdraw the bid. A bidder may withdraw the bid if a mistake is clearly evident
on the face of the bid but the intended correct bid is not similarly evident.
CIVIL SERVICE MAXIMUM AGE
SECTION 11. Section 58 of chapter 31 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting
after the first sentence the following sentences:- Appointing authorities that seek to waive the maximum aae
requirement for certain individuals shall submit a written application to the administrator. The administrator may waive
this requirement based on extenuating circumstances, consistent with the fundamental purposes of the requirement. The
administrator may adopt regulations for reviewing these applications.
SECTION 12. Section 58A of said chapter 31, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following
3 sentences:- Appointing authorities that seek to waive the maximum aae reauirement for certain individuals shall submit
a written application to the administrator. The administrator may waive this requirement based on extenuating
circumstances, consistent with the fundamental purposes of the requirement: The administrator may adapt regulations
for reviewing these applications.
REVISED PROVISIONS FOR TRANSFER OF MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT SYSTEMS INTO PRIT
. SECTION 13. Paragraph (c1/2) of subdivision (8) of section 22 of chapter 32 of the General Laws, as inserted by
section 2 of chapter 68 of the acts of 2007, is hereby amended by inserting after the word "perpetuity", in the first
paragraph, the following words:- , but a system that has voluntarily transferred ownership and control of all of its assets
to the PRIM board before receiving a notice from the commission that the system is underperforming, as determined
under this section, shall not be subject to the requirement that the transfer be in perpetuity.
SECTION 14. Said paragraph (c1/2) of subdivision (8) of section 22 of chapter 32, as so inserted, is hereby further
amended by striking out the fourth paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-
A system ordered by the commission to transfer its assets under this paragraph may appeal to the commission for
an exemption by filing written notice of its appeal with the commission not later than 30 days after receiving the
commission's order to transfer its assets. The commission may grant an exemption from the transfer requirement of
this paragraph if the system's rate of return has exceeded the PRIT Fund rate of return for the previous 2 years or if the
system's rate of return was affected by other extenuating circumstances. The commission may also consider the
system's management costs, its risk return ratio and any other factors it considers appropriate. A system may seek
judicial review of the commission's decision to deny an exemption in the manner provided in section 14 of chapter 30A.
An exemption granted by the commission under this paragraph shall take effect only upon the approval of a majority of
the local governing body as follows: in a.county, by the county commissioners, in a city having a Plan D or Plan E
charter, by the city council and the manager, in any other city the city council and the mayor, in a town shall, by the
board of selectmen, in a regional retirement system by the regional retirement board advisorv council and in all other
districts, by the governing board. The local governing body shall vote whether or not to approve the commission's grant
of exemption within 30 days after the commission's decision to provide an exemption.
PRO-RATING OF INSURANCE FOR PART-TIME EMPLOYEES
SECTION 15 . Section 3 of chapter 32B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby
amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph:-
For an employee regularly employed for fewer than 37.5 hours per week, the governmental unit may contribute an
amount of that employee's premium that is the same proportion of the amount paid for a full-time employee's premium
as that employee's regular weekly hours is of 37.5 hours.
RANSFER OF ELIGIBLE MUNICIPAL RETIREES INTO MEDICARE
3v
SECTION 16. Section 18 of chapter 32B is hereby repealed. j y
of 14
January 28, 2009
http://www . i nstati-ac.coiiVtextdetai ts.php? id=217224&,printabl e=l
SECTION 17. Said chapter 32B of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 18A, as inserted
by chapter 374 of the acts of 2008, and inserting in place thereof
Section 18B. (a) All retirees, their spouses and dependents insured or eligible to be insured under this chapter, if
enrolled in Medicare Part A at no cost to the retiree, spouse or dependents or eligible for coverage thereunder at no
cost to the retiree, spouse or dependents, shall be required to transfer to a Medicare health plan offered by the
governmental unit under section 11C or section 16, if the benefits. under the plan and Medicare Part A and Part B
together shall be of comparable actuarial value to those under the retiree's existing coverage, but a retiree or spouse
who has a dependent who is not enrolled or eligible to be enrolled in Medicare Part A at no cost shall not be required to
transfer to a Medicare health plan if a transfer requires the retiree or spouse to continue the existing family coverage for
the dependent in a plan other than a Medicare health plan offered by the governmental unit.
(b) Each retiree shall provide the governmental unit, in such form as the governmental unit shall prescribe, such
information as is necessary to transfer to a Medicare health plan. If a retiree does not submit the information required,
he shall no longer be eligible for his existing health coverage. The governmental unit may from time to time request from
a retiree, a retiree's spouse or a retiree's dependent, proof; certified by the federal government, of eligibility or
ineligibility for Medicare Part A and Part B coverage.
(c) The governmental unit shall pay any Medicare Part B premium penalty assessed by the federal government on
the retiree, spouse or dependent as a result of enrollment in Medicare Part B at the time of transfer.
PROVISION OF GiC COMPARABLE HEALTH INSURANCE
SECTION 18. The fourth paragraph of subsection (a) of section 19 of chapter 32B of the General Laws, as inserted
by section 4 of chapter 67 of the acts of 2007, is hereby amended by striking out, in the eighth and twelfth sentences,
the figure "70" and inserting in place thereof, in both instances, the following figure:- 50.
SECTION 19. Said section 19 of chapter 32B, as so inserted, is hereby further amended by adding the following
subsection:-
(j) (1),A political subdivision which does not elect to transfer its subscribers to the arouo insurance commission .
under subsection (e) or revokes its acceptance or withdraws from the commission under subsection (h) shall be subject
to regulations adopted by the secretary of administration and finance creating a process by which to evaluate the
subdivision's cost of health care to its employees.
(2) Within 7 days after the regulations specified in paragraph (1) have been adopted, and in subsequent years as
determined by the regulations, the commission shall submit to the secretary a determination of the average cost per
member of the insurance provided by the commission.
(3) Within 30 days after these regulations have been adopted, and in subsequent years ass determined by the
regulations, each political subdivision subject to this subsection shall submit to the secretary of administration and
finance documentation of the cost of the health insurance it provides to its members, including the average cost of
insurance per member.
(4) If the secretary of administration and finance determines within 30 days of receiving this information that a
political subdivision is paying an average cost per member that exceeds the amount paid by the commission by more
than .a percentage determined in the regulations, the secretary shall notify the political subdivision that it shall
demonstrate within 90 days that it will take action to reduce its cost to an average cost per member comparable to that
paid by the commission.
(5) If the political subdivision does not demonstrate within 90 days after it receives this notice that it will adjust its
health insurance cost to comply with this section, the secretary shall notify the political subdivision that its aeneral
aovernment aid for the following fiscal year shall be adjusted to reflect the difference between the political subdivision's
cost of health insurance per employee and the commission's cost of health insurance per employee.
VALIDATION OF LOCAL ELECTIONS BY SECRETARY OF STATE
SECTION 20. Section 10 of chapter 39 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby
amended by adding the following paragraph:-
After written application by the board of selectmen, the state secretary may validate or ratify a town meeting, town
election and actions taken pursuant to the town meeting or town election, if the secretary determines that inadvertent
i
4 of 14 2/19/2009 10:34 AM
January 26, 2U09
littp: //www. instatrac.com/textdetai 1 s.php? i d=2 l 7224&printable=
failure to comply with the procedural requirements of this chapter or of a town by-law or charter did not contradict the
fundamental purposes of those procedural requirements and was unlikely to affect the outcome of the town election or
town meeting. The state secretary may adopt regulations to carry out this paragraph.
LONG-TERM MUNICIPAL LEASES
SECTION 21. Section 3 of chapter 40 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby
amended by striking out, in line 4, the word "ten" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- 99.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND REGIONAL ENTITIES
SECTION 22. The second paragraph of section 4A of chapter 40 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006
Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:- A decision to enter into an intermunicipal
agreement. under this section, or to join any regional entity, shall not be subject to collective bargaining under chapter
150E.
COLLECTIVE PURCHASING BY EDUCATIONAL COLLABORATIVES<
SECTION 23. Said chapter 40 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4E the following
section:-
Section 4E1/2.(a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for the benefit of their school
programs, education collaboratives, as defined in section 4E, may make purchases from a vendor's contract that has
been competitively procured by another state or political subdivision or public entity thereof for the item or items being
purchased.
(b) These education collaboratives shall not be subject to subsection (c) of section 1 of chapter 30B or section 22A
of chapter 7 insofar as those laws preclude out-of-state collective purchases by education collaboratives for a period
not to exceed 2 years after the effective date. of this section, but those provisions shall apply to any collective
purchasing by education collaboratives that occurs more than 2 years after that date.
(c) The inspector oeneral shall review the process by which education collaboratives are making out-of-state
collective purchases. Education collaboratives participating in out-of-state collective purchasing must submit biannually
the following summary information to the office of the inspector general: (1) the entity from which the purchase was
made and, if the purchase was from a state, political subdivision or a public entity of another state, what information
informed them that the out-of-state entity was a political subdivision or a public entity, (2) a full and complete description
of the items purchased, and (3) documentation of savings obtained, with relevant Massachusetts cost comparisons.
MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT
SECTION 24. Said chapter 40 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 41 the following
section:-
Section 4J. There shall be a Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement, the purpose of which is to create a framework for
the provision of mutual aid assistance among the parties to the Agreement in the case of any public safety incident. The
assistance to be provided under the Agreement shall include but not be limited to fire service, law enforcement,
emergency medical services, transportation, communications, public works, engineering, building inspection, planning
and information assistance, mass care, resource support, public health, health and medical services, search and
rescue, and any other resource, equipment or personnel that a party to the Agreement may request or provide in
anticipation of, or in response to, a public safety incident.
Article I. DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have-the following meanings:
"Agreement",this Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement established by this section.
"Authorized representative", in the case of a city or town, the mayor, city manager, town manager, town
i -iministrator, executive secretary, police chief or on-duty shift commander of the police department, fire chief or
on-duty shift commander of the fire department, health director or chair person of the board of health, and the
emeraencv manaaement director. In the case of a governmental unit that is not a city or town, the chief executive
officer or on-duty shift supervisor.
r1
of 14
January 28, 2009
6of14
http://www.instatrac.coilVtextdetai ls.php?id=217224&,printable=l
"Emergency Management Assistance Compact" or "EMAC", the interstate compact that provides for mutual
assistance between the commonwealth and certain other states pursuant to chapter 339 of the acts of 2000.
"Employee", a person employed full time or part time by a governmental unit, a volunteer officially operating under a
governmental unit, or a person contractually providing services to a governmental unit.
"Governmental unit", a city, a town, a county, a reaional transit authority established under chapter 161 B, a water or
sewer commission or district established under the provisions of chapter 40N or pursuant to a special law, a fire district,
a regional health district established under the provisions of chapter 111, the Massachusetts Port Authority, a regional
school district, a law enforcement council, or any other political subdivision of the commonwealth.
"Incident command system" or "ICS", the standardized National Incident Management System (NIMS) that
establishes an on-scene management system of procedures for controlling personnel,, facilities, equipment and
communications from different agencies to work together towards a common goal in an effective and efficient manner.
ICS is the chain of leadership and command at the scene of an emergency or other event.for which mutual aid
assistance is provided.
"International Emergency Management Assistance Compact" or "IEMAC", the international compact that provides
for mutual aid between the commonwealth and certain other states and provinces of Canada pursuant to section 58 of
chapter 300 of the acts of 2002.
"Law Enforcement Council", a non-Drofit corporation organized under chapter 180 whose directorate includes
municipal police chiefs and whose membership includes (a) municipalities whose participation in the council has been
authorized by their principal executives, and (b) other law enforcement agencies; and whose purpose is to provide:
(1) mutual aid to its members pursuant to mutual aid agreements;
(2) mutual aid or requisitions for aid to non-members consistent with section 8G of this chapter or section 99 of
chapter 41; and,
(3) enhanced public safety by otherwise sharing resources and personnel.
"MEMA", the Massachusetts emergency management agency.
"Mutual aid assistance", cross-jurisdictional provision of emergency services, materials or facilities by agencies or
organizations to assist each other when, existing resources are or may be inadequate.
"Party", a governmental unit that is a party to the Agreement under this section.
"Public safety incident", an event, emergency or disaster, that threatens or causes harm to public health, safety
and/or welfare and that exceeds, or reasonably may be expected to exceed, the response or recovery capabilities of
any governmental unit. These events include, but are not limited to, natural and manmade disasters, technological
hazards, planned events, civil unrest, health related events and emergencies, acts of terrorism, and trainings and
exercises that test and simulate the ability to manage, respond to or recover from any of these events.
"Requesting party", a party that requests aid or assistance from another party pursuant to the Agreement.
"Sending party", a party that renders aid or assistance to another party under the Agreement.
Article II. PARTIES TO THE AGREEMENT
A. Cities and Towns
If a city or town wishes to join the Agreement, the mayor in the case of a city, the city manager in the case of a
Plan D or E city, or the town manager, town administrator, or chair of the board of selectmen upon approval by a
majority vote of the board of selectmen, may act on behalf of the city or town to join the agreement by notifying the
director of MEMA in writing. The municipality shall be a party to the Agreement 30 days after receipt by MEMA of the
written notification.
If a city or town has joined the Agreement but wishes to opt out of the Agreement, the mayor in the case of a city,
the city manager in the case of a Plan D or E city, or the town manager,. town administrator, or chair of the board of
selectmen upon approval by a majority vote of the board of selectmen in the case of a town, may act on behalf of the
city or town to opt out of the Agreement by notifying MEMA in writing. The removal of the municipality from the
2/19/2009 10:34 AM
January 28, 2009
Imp: //www.i nstatrac.con-i/textdetai I s.pihp? i d=217224&pri ratable- I
Agreement shall take effect 10 days after receipt by MEMA of the written notification.
B. Other Governmental Units
If a governmental unit that is not a city or town wishes to join the Agreement, the chief executive officer of the
governmental unit may act on its behalf to join the agreement by notifying the director of MEMA in writing. The
governmental unit shall be a party to the Agreement 30 days after receipt by MEMA of the written notification.
If a governmental unit has joined the Agreement but wishes to opt out of the Agreement, the chief executive officer
of the governmental unit may act on its behalf to opt out of the Agreement by notifying MEMA in writing. The removal of
the municipality from the Agreementement shall take effect 10 days after receipt by MEMA of the written notification.
C. Cities and Towns in Adjoining States
A city or town that directly borders a city or town of the commonwealth,. but is in another state, may join the
Agreement. A duly authorized officer of such a city or town shall provide written notice to the director of MEMA of its
intent to join the Agreement together with a valid written certification of the lawfulness of his or her action and authority.
The city or town shall be a party to the Agreement 10 days following receipt by MEMA of the written notification.
The officer or successor in office of such a city or town in another state that has joined the Agreement may act on
behalf of the city or town to remove itself as a party by notifying the director of MEMA in writing of its intent. The
removal of the city or town from the Agreement shall take effect 30 days after receipt by MEMA of the written
notification.
Article III. REQUESTS FOR MUTUAL AID ASSISTANCE
A request by a party to receive mutual aid assistance under to the Agreement must be made by an authorized
representative of the requesting party and must be communicated to an authorized representative of the sending party
or to MEMA. Such a request may be communicated orally or in writing. If communicated orally, the requesting party
shall reduce the request to writing and deliver it to the sending party or to MEMA at the earliest possible date, but no
later than 72 hours after making the oral request.
A party. to the Agreement may request mutual aid assistance during, in anticipation of, or as a result of a public
safety incident.
An oral or written request for mutual aid assistance under the Agreement shall include the following information: (1)
a description of the public safety incident; (2) the nature, type and amount of personnel, equipment, materials, supplies
or other resources being requested; (3) the manner in which the resources will be used and deployed; (4) a reasonable
estimate of the length of time the resources will be needed; (5) the location to which the resources should be deployed;
and (6) and-the requesting party's point of contact.
A party that receives a request for mutual aid assistance shall, to the extent reasonable and practicable under the
circumstances, provide and make available the resources requested by the requesting party. However, a party may
withhold requested resources to the extent necessary to provide reasonable protection and coverage. for its own
jurisdiction.
Article IV. SUPERVISION; CONTROL; OPERATION OF EQUIPMENT
The requesting party shall be responsible for the overall operation; assignment and deployment of resources and
personnel provided by a sending party consistent with the NIMS and the Incident Command System. The sending party
shall retain direct supervision and command and control of personnel,rsonnel, equipment and resources provided by the
sending party unless otherwise agreed to by the requesting party and sending party.
. During the course of rendering mutual aid assistance under this Agreement, the sending party shall be responsible
for the operation of its equipment and for any damage thereto unless the sending party and the. requesting party agree
otherwise.
Article V. COSTS AND REIMBURSEMENT
Except as set forth in this Agreement, all expenses incurred by the sending party in rendering mutual aid assistance
pursuant to the Agreement shall be paid by the sending party. But a requesting party may agree to pay the expenses
incurred by a sending party.
:)f14
January 28, 2009
8of14
http: //www. i nstat -ac.coliVtextdetai I s.php? i d=2I 7224&printable= I
A sending party shall document its costs of providing mutual aid assistance under the Agreement, including direct
and indirect payroll and employee benefit costs, travel costs, repair costs, and the costs of materials and supplies. A
sending party also shall document the use of its equipment, and the quantities of materials and supplies used while
providing mutual aid assistance under the Agreement. A sending party shall cooperate with a requesting party in
documenting costs associated with providing mutual aid assistance under the Agreement and seeking reimbursement for
such costs.
Except as set .forth in this Agreement, there shall be no expectation of automatic, necessary or contractual
reimbursement to a sending party for providing mutual aid assistance under the Agreement. But a requesting party and
a sending party may enter into agreements for reimbursement of costs associated with providing mutual aid assistance.
Except as otherwise agreed to by the requesting and sending parties, the requesting party shall seek
reimbursement under any applicable federal and state disaster assistance programs for the costs of responding to and
dealing with the public safety incident, including the mutual aid assistance costs incurred by all sending parties. The
requesting party and each sending party shall receive, based on the documented costs of providing mutual aid
assistance, its pro rata share of the disaster assistance compensation and reimbursement provided to the requesting
party.
Article VI. OTHER MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS
This section shall not affect, supersede or invalidate any other statutory or contractual mutual aid or assistance
agreements involving parties to the Agreement.
A party may enter into supplementary mutual aid agreements with other parties or jurisdictions.
In the event of a conflict between the Agreement and any lawful supplementary or preexisting statutory or
contractual mutual aid assistance agreement, the supplementary or preexisting agreement shall take precedence over
the Agreement.
While providing mutual aid assistance under the Agreement in the geographical jurisdiction or location of a
requesting party, employees of a sending party shall be, afforded the same powers, duties, rights and privileges as they
are afforded in the sending party's geographical jurisdiction or location.
Employees of a sending party who hold a valid license, certificate, or other permit in their geographical jurisdiction
evidencing the meeting of qualifications for professional, mechanical or other skills, shall be considered similarly
licensed, certified or permitted in the requesting party's geographical jurisdiction or location during the time that they are
providing mutual aid assistance under the Agreement.
Article VIII. WAGES & COMPENSATION
Employees of a sending party, while providing mutual aid assistance under this Agreement, shall receive the same
salary, including overtime, that they would be entitled to receive if they were operating in their own geographical .
jurisdiction. In the absence of an agreement to the contrary, the sending party shall be responsible for, and pay, all
such salary expenses, including overtime.
Article IX. LIABILITY
In transit to, returning from, and while providing mutual aid assistance under the Agreement in the requesting party's
jurisdiction or location, employees of a sending party shall have the same rights of defense, immunity and
indemnification that they otherwise would have under the law if they were acting within the scope of their employment
under the direction of their employer. A sending party shall provide to, and maintain for, each of its employees who
provide mutual aid assistance under the Agreement the same indemnification, defense, right to immunity, employee
benefits, death benefits, worker's compensation or similar protection, and insurance coverage that would be provided to
such employees if they were performing similar services in the sending party's jurisdiction.
Each party to the Agreement. waives all claims and causes of action against all other parties that may arise out of
their activities while rendering or receiving mutual aid assistance under this Agreement, including travel outside of its
jurisdiction.
Each requesting party shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless each sending party from all claims by third parties
for orooerty damaae or personal injury which may arise out of the activities of the sending party or its employees,
including travel, of providing mutual aid assistance under the Agreement.
2/19/2009 10:34 AM
' .ianuary %Zs, 2UU9 http://www.instatrac.convtextdetaiIs.pllp?id=217224&printable=l
Article X. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE COMPACTS
The director of MEMA or the director's designee shall be the person authorized under EMAC and IEMAC to (i)
receive, coordinate, and answer all requests to the commonwealthalth to provide mutual aid assistance to another state
or country pursuant to EMAC and IEMAC, and (ii) make and coordinate all requests on behalf of the commonwealth to
another state or country to receive mutual aid assistance pursuant to EMAC and IEMAC.
MEMA shall be the agency of the commonwealth authorized to dispatch resources of the commonwealth or of a
governmental unit to another state or country to provide mutual aid assistance pursuant to EMAC and IEMAC.
Employees of a governmental unit who, at the request and with the. approval of MEMA, render mutual aid assistance to
another state or country pursuant to EMAC or IEMAC shall be considered to be emergency forces and officers of the
commonwealth for the limited purpose of effectuating the purposes of EMAC and IEMAC.
'Employees of the commonwealth or a governmental unit who, at the request and with the approval of MEMA,
render mutual aid assistance to another state or country pursuant to EMAC or IEMAC shall, except as.otherwise
provided for in this.Agreement or in EMAC or IEMAC, be provided the same compensation, rights, responsibilities,
benefits and protections that they would be entitled to receive if they were operating in their own geographical
jurisdiction.
The commonwealth shall reimburse each governmental unit for the reasonable expenses incurred in rendering
mutual aid. assistance under EMAC or IEMAC at the request and with the approval of MEMA, including direct and.
indirect payroll costs, overtime costs, travel costs, repair costs,- replacement costs, costs of materials and supplies, and
injury or death benefits.
REVIEW OF ASSESSMENT CERTIFICATION SCHEDULE
SECTION 25. Section 56 of said chapter 40, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following
paragraph:-
Notwithstanding the first paragraph or any other general or special law, the commissioner may, from time to time,
issue a revised schedule for the year in which he shall certify whether the board of assessors is assessing property at
rull and fair cash valuation. After the schedule is issued, a city or town may classify in the manner set forth in this
section for any year before the next year of certification established in the schedule for the city or town. In arranging
the schedule the commissioner shall, so far as practicable and appropriate, consider but not be limited to the following
goals: balancing the number of certification reviews conducted in each year of the triennial period, facilitating and
implementing joint or cooperative assessing agreements or districts, assisting boards of assessors to comply with any
minimum standards of assessment performance established under section 1 of chapter 58 and producing uniformity in
the valuation, classification and assessment of. property within each city or town and throughout the commonwealth.
JOINT OR REGIONAL ASSESSING AGREEMENTS
SECTION 26. Chapter 41 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 30B, as appearing in the
2006 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 30B. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law, or any municipal charter, vote, bylaw,. or ordinance,
any 2.or more cities and towns may by vote of their legislative bodies enter into an agreement for joint or cooperative
assessing, classification and valuation of property. Such agreement shall be for a term not to exceed 25 years and
provide for:
(1) the division, merger or consolidation of administrative functions between or among the parties, or the
performances thereof by one city or town on behalf of all the parties;
(2) the financing of the joint or cooperative undertaking;
(3) the rights and responsibilities of the parties with respect to the direction and supervision of the work to.be
performed and with respect to the administration of the assessing office including the receipt and disbursement of.funds,
the maintenance of accounts and records and the auditing of accounts;
(4) annual reports of the assessor to the constituent parties;
(5) the duration of the agreement and procedures for amendment, withdrawal or termination thereof; and
)f 14
.January 28, 2009
(6) any other necessary or appropriate matter.
http: //www . instatrac.com/textdetai l s.plip? i d=217224&,printabl e=1
(b) An agreement under this section may also provide for the formation of a single assessing department for the
purpose of employing assistant assessors and necessary staff and performing all administrative functions. An
agreement may also vest in 1 person, the board of assessors of 1 of the parties or a regional board of assessors
comprised of at least 1 representative from each of the parties and selected in the manner set forth in the agreement all
the powers and duties of the boards of assessors and assessing departments of the parties. In that case, the existing
boards of assessors of the other parties, or of all the parties if their assessors' powers and duties are vested in,1
person, shall terminate in accordance with section 2 for the duration of the agreement. Unless the agreement provides
for the board of assessors of 1 of the parties to serve as the assessors for all parties, or 1 city or town to act on behalf
of all parties, the agreement shall designate an appointing authority representing all of the parties, which shall be
responsible for the appointment of an assessor, designate to the extent required by the agreement, the appointing
authority for any assistant assessors and other staff, and in the case of withdrawal or termination of the agreement,
determine the employment of any employee of one of the parties that became part of a single assessing department.
Subject to the rules and regulations established by the commissioner of revenue pursuant to section 1 of chapter 58, the
agreement shall provide for qualifications, terms and conditions of employment for the assessor and employees of his
office. The agreement may provide for inclusion of the assessor and said employees in insurance, retirement programs
and other benefit programs of one of the constituent parties, but all parties to the agreement shall be responsible for
paying a proportionate share of the current and future costs of benefits associated with the appointment or employment
of all persons performing services for them during the duration of the agreement. Any city or town party to such an
agreement shall include employeesyees under the joint assessing agreement in such programs in accordance with the
terms of the agreement.
(c) Cities and towns may become parties to any existing agreement with the approval of the other parties.
(d) No agreement or amendment to an agreement for-joint or cooperative assessing made pursuant to this section
shall take effect until it has been approved in writing by the commissioner of revenue.
FLEXIBILITY IN MUNICIPAL BORROWING
SECTION 27. Section 7 of chapter 44 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after
the word "specified", in line 3, the following words: - or, except with respect to clauses (11), (16), (18), (21) and (22),
within such longer period not to exceed 30 years based upon the maximum useful life of the.public work, improvement or
asset being financed, as determined in accordance with guidelines established by the division of local services of the
department of revenue.
SECTION 28. Said section 7 of said chapter 44, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out in lines
50 to 53 the words "or for such maximum term, not exceeding 15 years, based upon the maximum useful life of the
equipment as determined by the board of selectmen or the mayor or city manager of the city or town".
SECTION 29. Said section 7 of said chapter 44, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after
clause (31) the following clause:-
(32) For any other public work, improvement or asset not specified in any of the above clauses, with a maximum useful
life of at least 5 years, determined as provided in the first sentence of this section, 5 years.
SECTION 30. Section 8 of said chapter 44, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word
"specified", in line 3, the following words: - or except with respect to clauses (1), (2), (3A), (5), (6), (7), (9) and (19),
within such longer period not to exceed 30 years based upon the maximum useful life of the public work, improvement or
asset being financed as determined in accordance- with guidelines established by the division of local services of the
department. of revenue.
SECTION 31. Said section 8 of said chapter 44, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines
77 and 78, the words "a board composed of the attorney general, the state treasurer and the director" and inserting in
place thereof the following words: - the municipal finance oversight board.
SECTION 32. Said section 8 of saidaid chapter 44, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after
the word "vote", in line 190, the following words: - , provided, however, that debt under clause (9) of this section may be i
authorized by the treasurer of a city, with the approval of the official whose approval is required by the city charter in the
borrowing of money, the treasurer of a town with a town council form of government, with the approval of the official
whose approval is required'by the town charter in the borrowing of money, the treasurer of a town without a town .
10 of 14 2/19/2009 1034 AM
January LA, LUU`J
http://www. instatrac.com/te,\tdeta i 1 s.plip? i d=217224&printabi e=
council form of government, with the approval of the board of selectmen, and the treasurer of a district, with the
approval of the prudential committee, if any, otherwise of the commissioners.
SECTION 33. Said chapter 44 is hereby further amended by striking out section 19, as so appearing, and inserting
in place thereof the following section:-
Section 19. Cities, towns and districts shall not issue any notes payable on demand, and they shall provide for the
payment of all debts, except temporary loans incurred under sections 4, 6, 6A, 8C, and 17, or under section 3 of
chapter 74 of the acts of 1945, by annual payments that will extinguish the same at maturity, and so that the first of
these annual payments on account of any serial loan shall be made not later than the end of the next complete fiscal
year commencing after the date of the bonds or notes issued for the serial loan, and shall be arranged so that for each
issue the amounts payable in the several years for principal and interest combined shall be as nearly equal as
practicable in the opinion of the officers authorized to issue the bonds or notes, or in the alternative, in accordance with
a schedule providing a more rapid amortization of principal; and these annual amounts, together with the interest on all
debts, shall, without further vote, be assessed until the debt is extinguished.
SECTION 34. Section 21A of said chapter 44, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word
"law", in line 10, the following words: - , and provided further that no order or vote authorizing the issuance of refunding
bonds or notes shall be subject to any referendum provisions contained in any general or special law, any city or town
charter; any city ordinance or town by-law, or other provision.
SECTION 35. Section 22 of said chapter 44, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:
- Notwithstanding the above, the selectmen may delegate to the town treasurer the approval of the rate or rates of
interest with any limitations that the selectmen determine to be in the best interests of the town.
SECTION 36. Section 22A of said chapter 44, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the first
sentence and inserting, in place thereof the following sentence: - Bonds or notes issued by a city may be secured in
whole or in part by insurance or by letters or lines of credit or other credit facilities, provided that the city treasurer and
mayor or city manager, as applicable, determine that issuing bonds or notes on this basis is.in the best interests
SECTION 37. Section 22B of said chapter 44 is hereby repealed.
ELIMINATION OF FEE FOR STATE HOUSE NOTES
SECTION 38. Section 26 of said chapter 44 is hereby repealed.
STREAMLINED ABATEMENT PROCESS
SECTION 39. Section 8 of chapter 58 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out
the second and third paragraphs and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-
The commissioner shall make, and from time to time revise, rules and regulations necessary for establishing an
expedited procedure for granting authority to abate taxes, assessments, rates, charges, costs or interest under this
section in such cases as he determines are in the public interest and shall from time to time for such periods as he
considers appropriate authorize the assessors or the board or officer assessing the tax, assessment, rate or charge, to
grant these abatements. No abatement authorized. by these procedures shall be granted unless the assessors or board
or officer shall certify, in writing, under.pains and penalties. of perjury that the procedures have been followed. The
commissioner shall require yearly reports and audits of these abatements by assessors or boards or officers that the
commissioner considers necessary to ensure that any authority granted under this paragraph has been properly
exercised, and shall withdraw this grant of authority to any particular assessors, board or officer upon his written
determination that the authority has been improperly exercised. The commissioner may make, and from time to time
.revise, reasonable rules and regulations that he considers necessary to carry out this paragraph.
AUDIT OF PERSONAL PROPERTY. RETURNS
SECTION 40. Section 29 of chapter 59 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in
line 20, the words ""thirty days after the mailing of the tax bills" and inserting in place thereof the following words"- the
last day for filing an application for abatement of the tax.
i
SECTION 41. Said chapter 59 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 31 the following section:-
Section 31A. For the purpose of verifying that any person required to file a true list of taxable personal orooertv under
of 14 1 - . . -
January 28, 2009
http://www.i nstatrac.con-i/textdetai 1 s.php? i d=217224&pri ntabl e=1
section 29 has made a complete and accurate accounting of that property, the assessors may at any time within 3
years after the date the list was due, or the date the list was filed, whichever is later, examine the books, papers,
records and other data of the person required to file the list. The assessors may compel production of books, papers,
records andnd other data of the person through issuance of a summons served in the same manner as summonses for
witnesses in criminal cases issued on behalf of the commonwealth, and all provisions of law relative to summonses in
such cases shall, so far as applicable, apply to summonses issued under this section. Any justice of the supreme judicial
court or of the superior court may, upon the application of the assessors, compel the production of books, papers,
records, and other data in the same manner and to the same extent as before the said courts.
SECTION 42. Section 32 of said chapter 59, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the first sentence
and inserting in place thereof the following 2 sentences:-
Lists filed under section 29 and books, papers, records and other data obtained under section 31A, shall be open to
the inspection of the assessors, the commissioner, the deputies, clerks and assistants of either the assessors or the
commissioner and any designated private auditor of the commissioner or the assessors as may have occasion to
inspect the lists, books, papers, records and other data in the performance of their official, contractual or designated
duties, but so much of the lists, books, papers,. records and other data as shows the details of the personal estate shall
not be open to any other person except by order of a court. For purposes of this section, a designated private auditor
shall be an individual, corporation or other legal entity selected by the commissioner or. any city or town to value
personal property or perform an audit which includes the assessing department of a city or town under any legal
authority, including the examination of records under section 31A, an audit under sections 40 or 42A of chapter 44 or an
investigation under section 46A of chapter 44.
SECTION 43. Said chapter 59 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after
section 42 the following section:-
Section 42A. For the purpose of verifying that any owner of a pipeline or a telephone or telegraph company
required to make a return under section 38A or 41 has made a complete and accurate accounting of the property
required to be returned, the commissioner shall have all the powers and remedies provided by section 31A to assessors
of cities and towns. If the commissioner reasonably believes, as a result of an examination of books, papers, records,
and other data or otherwise, that taxable personal property for a fiscal year was not valued or was incorrectly valued,
the commissioner may, not later than 3 years and 6 months after the date the return was due, or the date the return
was filed, whichever is later, certify an amended valuation to the owner of the pipeline or telephone or telegraph
company and boards of assessors of the cities and towns where the property was subject to taxation for that year. Not
later than 2 months after the date of the amended certification, the assessors shall assess and commit to the collector
with their warrant for collection an additional tax to the owner of the pipeline or telephone or telegraph company. Any
owner or company aggrieved by the assessment of the additional tax may, within 1 month after the bill or notice of the
additional assessment is first sent, appeal the valuation to the appellate tax board. The appeal shall name as appellees
the. commissioner and board of assessors. Except as otherwisewise provided in this section, the hearing and appeal
before the appellate tax board shall proceed in the same manner as an appeal of the valuations originally certified by
the commissioner.
SECTION 44. Section 61 of said chapter 59, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word
"twenty-nine", in line 4, the following words:- , and complied with any requests by the assessors to examine books,
papers, records, and other data under section 31A.
SECTION 45. Said section 61 of chapter 59, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the
word "twenty=nine", in line 6,. the following words:- , or the person has not complied with any requests by the assessors
to examine books, papers, records, and other data under section 31A.
SECTION 46, Section 75 of said chapter 59, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking the first sentence and
inserting in place thereof the following 3 sentences:-
If any parcel of real property or the personal property of a person has been unintentionally omitted from the annual
assessment of taxes due to clerical or data processing error or other good faith reason, or if the personal property of a
person was omitted from the annual assessment of taxes but discovered upon an.examination of books, papers,
records, and other data under section 31A, the assessors shall in accordance-with any rules, regulations and guidelines
as the commissioner may prescribe, assess such person for such property. Except for personal property found after an 1'
examination under section 31A which shall be made no later than 3 years and 6 months after the date the true list in
which such property should have been returned was due, or the date the return was filed, whichever is later, no such .
assessment shall be made later than June 20 of the taxable year, or 90 days after the date on which the tax bills are
lQ .
2/19/2009 10:34 AM
12 of 14
jauuary Ga, .GVVIJ
http:llw ww.instatraa.coinltextdetai I s.php? i d=217224&printable=
mailed, whichever is later. The assessors shall annually, not later than June 30 of the taxable year, or 100 days after
the date on which the tax bills are mailed, if mailed after March 22, return to the commissioner a statement showing the
amounts of additional taxes so assessed.
SECTION 47. Section 76 of said chapter 59, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word
"reason", in line 3, the following words:- , or due to discovery upon an examination of books, papers, records, and
other data under. section 31A that the property was not accurately or properly reported.
FLEXIBILITY IN REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT BORROWING
SECTION 48. Section 16 of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out
the first paragraph of clause (d) and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:
(d.) To incur debt for the purpose of acquiring land and constructing, reconstructing, adding to, and equipping a
school buildino or buildings or for the purpose of remodeling and making extraordinary repairs to a school building or
buildings and for the construction of sewerage systems and sewerage treatment and disposal facilities, or for the
purchase or use of such systems with municipalities, and for the purpose of purchasing department equipment; or for
the purpose of constructing, reconstructing or making improvements to outdoor playground, athletic or recreational
facilities; or for the purpose of constructing, reconstructing or resurfacing roadways and parking lots; or for the purpose
of any other public work or improvement of a permanent nature required by the district; or for the purpose of any
planning, architectural or engineering costs relating to any of the above purposes; provided, however that written notice
of the amount of the debt and of the general purposes for which it was authorized shall be given to the board of
selectmen in each of the towns comprising. the district not later than 7 days after the date on which the debt was
authorized by the district committee; and no debt may be incurred until the expiration of 60 days after the date on which
the debt was authorized; and before the expiration of this period any member town of the regional school district may
hold a town meetina for the purpose of expressing disapproval of the amount of debt authorized by the district
committee, .and if at that meeting a majority of the voters present and voting express disapproval of the amount
authorized by the district committee, the debt shall not be incurred and the district school committee shall prepare
another proposal which may be the same as any prior proposal and an authorization to incur debt therefor. Debt
incurred under this section shall be payable within 30 years, but.no such debt shall be issued for a period longer than
the maximum useful life of the project being financed as determined in accordance with guidelines established by the
division of local services of the department of revenue.
LOCAL LICENSING AUTHORITY DISCRETION TO ESTABLISH QUOTA
SECTION 49. Chapter 138 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 17, as appearing in the
2006 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 17. The legislative body of each city or town that has voted to grant licenses for the sale of alcoholic
beveraaes as provided in section 11 shall determine the number of licenses issued in the city or town under sections 12
and 15 . Cities or towns that have voted. to grant licenses as provided in section-1 I may grant seasonal licenses under
section 12 in a number determined by the legislative body.
SECTION.50. Sections 17A, 7B and 17C of said chapter 138 are hereby repealed.
SECTION 51. The number'of licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages allowed by prior law shall continue in
force until changed by the legislative body under section 17 of chapter 138 of the General Laws.
INCREASED THRESHOLD FOR CONSTRUCTION BONDS
SECTION 52. Section 29 of chapter 149 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out,
in lines 6 to 7, .the words "in the case of the commonwealth is more than five thousand dollars, and in any other case is
more than two thousand dollars" and inserting in place thereof the following words:- is more than $25,000.
SEPARATE TAXATION OF CONDO DEVELOPMENT RIGHTSIOTHER INTERESTS
SECTION 53. Section 14 of chapter 183A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting
!fter the first sentence the following 2 sentences:-
Any reserved development right. or other interest in those areas and facilities that is adverse to the interests of unit .
owners in the areas and facilities shall be separately assessed and taxed to the owner of the adverse interest. The lien
for those taxes shall attach to the interest so assessed and, to the extent the interest expires or is otherwise
LA
of 14
January 28, 2009
http: //www. instatrac.conVtextdetai 1 s.php? i d=217224&pri ntabl e=1
extinguished, to units in the condominium created after the assessment of the interest, but not to units against which
property taxes were separately assessed in the same fiscal year the interest was assessed.
RETIREMENT SYSTEM FUNDING RELIEF
SECTION 54. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the actuary of the public emDlovee
retirement administration commission may establish appropriations in fiscal years 201 b and 2011 that are equal to the
appropriations made in fiscal year 2009. In any system which chooses to conduct an actuarial valuation as of January 1,
2009, the actuary may establish the following appropriations in fiscal years 2010 to 2012: (a) in fiscal year 2010, an
appropriation may be established that is less than the appropriation made in fiscal year 2009 but at least 90 per cent of
the appropriation made in fiscal year 2009; (b) in fiscal year 2011, an appropriation may be established that is less than
the appropriation made in fiscal year 2009 but at least 95 percent of the appropriation made in fiscal year 2009; and
(c) in fiscal year 2012, an appropriation may be established that is equal to the appropriation made in fiscal year 2009.
AMORTIZATION OF FY 09 REVENUE DEFICIT
SECTION 55. Notwithstanding section 23 of chapter 59 of the General Laws, or any other special or general law,
any city or town may amortize over the 3 fiscal years 2010, 2011 and 2012, in equal installments or more rapidly, an
amount of its fiscal year 2009 revenue deficit not to exceed the amount of reductions in local aid made by the governor
under section 9C of chapter 29 of the General Laws. The commissioner of revenue may allow a city or town that have
not yet set its tax rates for fiscal year 2009 to use as an estimated revenue in determining its fiscal year 2009 tax rate
the amount of local aid appropriated in the state budget, withoutout any decrease on account of reductions made by the
governor under section 9C. The local appropriating authority as defined in section 21 C of chapter 59 of the General
Laws shall adopt a deficit amortization schedule before the setting of the municipal tax rate, consistent with the first
sentence of this section. The commissioner of revenue may issue guidelines or instructions for reporting the
amortization of deficits authorized by this section.
CONDO DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS EFFECTIVE DATE
SECTION 56. Section 53 shall take effect on January 1, 2009.
4c, 19
14 of 14 2/19/2009 10:34 AM
JANUARY 2009
GOVERNOR RELEASES HOUSE ONE;
ADVISORY BOARD'S EXPANDED BOTTLE BILL
APPROACH IS FEATURED
Governor Patrick released his $28 billion budget proposal for
the state's FY 10 budget on January 28, 2009, The Governor
championed an MWRA Advisory Board initiative that expands
the existing Bottle Bill to include deposits on bottled water.
The budget proposal includes $20 million in projected revenue
from unclaimed deposits, of which $10 million would be used
for water and sewer rate relief. The other $10 million would be
split between local recycling programs and other project
priorities. The expanded Bottle Bill is one of four new
initiatives supported by the Advisory Board and the MWRA to
generate new sources of funding for water and sewer
infrastructure needs. The Advisory Board thanks the Governor
for including rate relief as a priority in his budget and looks
forward to continuing discussion on this approach and others in
the upcoming budget season.
In the Legislative Branch, the 186"' General Court convened its
first formal session this month, kicking off a new two-year
session. The MWRA Caucus will gain ten new members from
within the service area, The Advisory Board and the MWRA
hosted a joint bill-signing day where Legislators signed onto
eleven pieces of legislation that were filed for this month's bill
filing deadline. Four new initiatives address funding for water
and sewer infi•astrueture; other legislative priorities include
lead service replacement programs, PILOT payments and
Infiltration & Inflow assistance.
Reports of the state's budget outlook continue to be grim.
Governor Patrick recently used expanded 9C powers to cut
$128 million in local aid for FY09. FYI.O revenue is projected
to be $3 billion lower than FY09.
Information on Governor Patrick's proposal for an Expanded
Bottle Bill in House One can be found here:
littp://www.mass.gov/bb/hl/f'vlOhl/execIO/libudbriet27.htm
UPCOMING MEETINGS
FEBRUARY I I : MWRA BOARD OF DIRECTORS/ 10 AM -CHARLES,rOWN
(•EBRUARI'13:ExHCIITIVFCOr<•INIITI'EE/ 8:30AM-BOSTON
FEBRUARY 19: M WRA ADvlsoizY BOARD/ 11:30ANI - BOSTON - TBD
RATEPAYERS THANK DIMASI FOR LEADERSHIP
AND WELCOME SPEAKER DEL.EO
After thirty years serving in the Massachusetts House of
Representatives, Speaker Salvatore DiMasi announced that he
was stepping down from his seat, effective January 27, 2009. On
behalf of the cities and towns in the MWRA service area, the
Advisory Board extends its sincere appreciation to Speaker
DiMasi for his leadership during his time in office. From his
role as Representative to Majority Leader to Speaker of the
House, DiMasi has been a strong advocate for ratepayers.
Chairman Robert DeLeo of Winthrop was elected to replace
DiMasi as Speaker of the House. DeLeo is the former
Chairman of the MWRA Caucus and former Chairman of
House Ways & Means Committee. He has worked tirelessly
on behalf of ratepayers throughout his career on Beacon Hill.
Ratepayers welcome Speaker DeLeo and look forward to
continued work with him in the fixture.
ADVISORY BOARD ASKS FOR RATES MEETING
In a recent letter to MWRA Board Chairman Ian Bowles and
Fred Laskey, Executive Director of the MWRA, Katherine
Dunphy, Chairwoman of the MWRA Advisory Board, called
for a meeting to address the pressing concerns of the fiscal
climate and the development of the FYI 0 budget. The meeting
of the MWRA Board of Directors, the Advisory Board's
Executive Committee, and both staffs would address key
topics including capital financing, interest rate assumptions,
non-rate revenues and investment income, use of rate
stabilization funds, and assumptions for Authority operations.
The difficult financial circumstances on the federal level are
impacting the local level and ratepayers; a rate summit would
allow early collaboration in the budget process to strengthen
the Authority's budget proposals. Read the Advisory Board's
letter here: www.mwraadvisorvboard.eom
!f you have any questions regarding topics raised in this newsletter- or any other MIVRA issue, please contact: `
Christine Hevelone-Byler, Government & Media Coordinator • Phone: 617.742.7561 • Fax: 617.742.461.4 • ' \
Email: christine.hevelone-byle•@nnwra.state.ma.us
Web Site: www.mwraadvisorvboard.com
Hechenbleikner, Peter
From:
McIntire, Ted
Sent:
Friday, February 27, 2009 11:58 AM
To:
LaPointe, Gail; LeLacheur, Bob
Cc:
Kinsella, Jane; Hechenbleikner, Peter
Subject:
Dennis K. Burke
Gail/Bob,
We have 3 invoices from Burke for materials purchased in FY08, which were submitted in FY09. They are adjustments
from FY08 invoices,.and are due to their mistakes. Jane has checked with Ellen Doucette and we are responsible to pay
them. The total amount is $9,277.34 and need to be included in Article 6 ATM Warrant.
Ted
Edward D. "Ted" McIntire, Jr.
Director of Public Works
Town of Reading
16 Lowell Street
Reading. MA 01867-2683
781-942-6680
781-942-9081 fax
emcintire@ci.reading.ma.us
qb i
DRAFT - 2009 Annual Town Meeting - April 27, 2009
WARRANT OUTLINE 02/27/2009
Art. Mover/ Moderator
# Article Description Sponsor Comment Notes
4
lch~~rr~ l>oard of Selectmen
• State ofthe Tom -
Goldy
3
Insti-uction,S Cu u~l ul Sclcctincn
• „1. ,
4
Amend Capital Irnprovement Program Board of Selectmen
* Motion -Bonazoli
FY 2009 - FY 2018
♦ Presentation -
LeLacheur
♦ FINCOM report -
Grimes
5
Amend FY 2009 Budget FINCOM
♦ Motion - Hines
♦ Presentation -
LeLacheur
♦ FINCOM report -
Hines
~
'
~
I
1
+
(
I'I CII~ ~ll~lilll~
h11171~111 l~l I
CCt111C11
~C
I~hll~
U
7
Approve FY 2010 - 2019 Capital FINCOM
hnprovements Program
~8
j0i tj)~cj 91) 13u~u~l cal cl~cnncil
9
Authorize the disposition of surplus Board of Selectmen
tangible property
10
Article requesting funding for Cemetery Board of
designing a Cemetery Garage Trustees
~
I
[ S
d
~
~
-
l I
~~~ll~u1
u
~
un~l~
l:~~ ol~ nl I
I
12
Establishing stabilization fund for Board of Selectmen
•
Sick Leave and Vacation Leave Buy-
back for Municipal Employees
1.
x
13
Transfer funds from -MTBE legal Board of Selectmen
settlement to the Water Fund
N63
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Middlesex, ss. Officer's Return, Reading:
By virtue of this Warrant, I, on notified and warned the
inhabitants of the Town of Reading, qualified to vote on Town affairs, to meet at the
place and at the time specified by posting attested copies of this Town Meeting Warrant
in the following public places within the Town of Reading:
Precinct 1 J. Warren Killam School, 333 Charles Street
Precinct 2 Peter Sanborn Place, 50 Bay State Road
Precinct 3 Reading Police Station, 15 Union Street
Precinct 4 Joshua Eaton School, 365 Summer Avenue
Precinct 5 Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street
Precinct 6 Austin Preparatory School, 101 Willow Street
Precinct 7 Reading Library, Local History Room, 64 Middlesex Avenue
Precinct 8 Wood End School, 85 Sunset Rock Lane
The date of posting being not less than fourteen (14) days prior to April 7, 2009, the date
set for the Local Election in this Warrant.
I also caused an attested copy of this Warrant to be published in the Reading
Chronicle in the issue of
Alan W. Ulrich, Constable
A true copy. Attest:
Cheryl A. Johnson, Town Clerk
NON
TOWN WARRANT
(Seal)
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Middlesex, ss.
To any of the Constables of the Town of Reading, Greetings:
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to
notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Reading, qualified to vote in the
Presidential Primary and Local Elections and Town affairs, to meet in the following place
designated for the eight precincts in said Town, namely:
Precincts 1. 2, 3, 4,5, 6, 7 and 8
RMHS Hawkes Field House. Oakland Road
TUESDAY, the SEVENTH DAY OF APRIL, A.D., 2009
from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to act on the following Articles, viz:
ARTICLE 1 To elect by ballot the following Town Officers:
A Moderator for one year;
One member of the Board of Selectmen for three years;
One member of the Board of Assessors for three years;
Two members of the Board of Library Trustees for three years;
Two members of the Municipal Light Board for three years;
Two members of the School Committee for three years; and
Sixty five Town Meeting Members shall be elected to represent each
of the following precincts:
Precinct 1
Eight members for three years;
Precinct 2
Eight members for three years; one member for one year;
Precinct 3
Eight members for three years;
Precinct 4
Eight members for three years;
Precinct 5
Eight members for three years;
Precinct 6
Eight members for three years;
Precinct 7
Eight members for three years; and
Precinct 8
Eight members for three years.
and to meet at the Reading Memorial High School, 62 Oakland Road, in said Reading
on
MONDAY, the TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY OF APRIL A.D., 2009
at seven-thirty o'clock in the evening, at which time and place the following Articles are
to be acted upon and determined exclusively by Town Meeting Members in accordance
with the provisions of the Reading Home Rule Charter.
NbS
ARTICLE 2 To hear and act on the reports of the Board of Selectmen, Town
Accountant, Treasurer-Collector, Board of Assessors, Director of Public Works, Town
Clerk, Tree Warden, Board of Health, School Committee, Contributory Retirement
Board, Library Trustees, Municipal Light Board, Finance Committee, Cemetery Trustees,
Community Planning & Development Commission, Town Manager and any other
Official, Board or Special Committee.
Board of Selectmen
ARTICLE 3 To choose all other necessary Town Officers and Special
Committees and determine what instructions shall be given Town Officers and Special
Committees, and to see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing or
transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the purpose of funding Town Officers and
Special Committees to carry out the instructions given to them, or take any other action
with respect thereto.
Board of Selectmen
ARTICLE 4 To see if the Town will vote to amend the FY 2009 - FY 2018
Capital Improvements Program as provided for in Section 7-7 of the Reading Home Rule
Charter and as previously amended, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Board of Selectmen
ARTICLE 5 To see if the Town will vote to amend one or more of the votes
taken under Article 11 of the Warrant of the Annual Town Meeting of April 28, 2008, as
amended under Article 4 of the November 10, 2009 Subsequent Town Meeting; and to
see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing or transfer from available
funds, or otherwise, as the result of any such amended votes for the operation of the
Town'and its government, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Finance Committee
ARTICLE 6 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the payment during Fiscal
Year 2009 of bills remaining unpaid for previous fiscal years for goods and services
actually rendered to the Town, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Board of Selectmen
ARTICLE 7 To see if the Town will vote to approve the FY 2010 - FY 2019
Capital Improvements Program as provided for in Section 7-7 of the Reading Home Rule
Charter, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Board of Selectmen
ARTICLE 8 To see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing,
whether in anticipation of reimbursement from the State under Chapter 44, Section 6,
Massachusetts General Laws, or pursuant to any other enabling authority or from the tax
levy, or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for highway projects in accordance
with Chapter 90, Massachusetts General Laws, or take any other action with respect
thereto.
Board of Selectmen
ebb
ARTICLE 9 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to
sell, or exchange, or dispose of, upon such terms and conditions as they may determine,
various items of Town tangible property, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Board of Selectmen
ARTICLE 10 To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of One Hundred
and Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($125,000) from the sale of real estate fund for the
purpose of designing a building or buildings to replace the present service building in the
laurel Hill Cemetery including but not limited to design specifications, test borings,
surveying and any other items incidental thereto, said funds to be expended by and
under the direction of the Town Manager, and that the Town Treasurer be and hereby is
authorized and instructed to transfer said sum to carry out the purpose of this vote, or
take any other action with respect thereto.
Board of Cemetery Trustees
ARTICLE 11 To see if the Town will vote to authorize revolving funds for certain
Town Departments under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 53E "/2 for
the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009 with the receipts, as specified, credited to each
fund, the purposes, as listed, for which each fund may be spent, the maximum amount
that may be spent from each fund for the fiscal year, and the disposition of the balance
of each fund at fiscal year end.
Revolving
Spending
Revenue
Allowed Expenditure Year End
Account
Authority
Source
Expenses Limits
Balance
Consulting and
engineering
Fees As
services for the
provided for in
review of designs $25
000
Conservation
Reading General
,
and engineering
Available
Commission
Bylaws Section
work for the
for
Consulting
Conservation
5.7, Wetlands
protection of
expenditure
Fees
Commission
Protection
wetlands.
next year
Legal, oversight
and inspection,
plan review,
initial property
appraisals and
appeals,
Building
Community
Plumbing,
Services general $200,000
Wiring, Gas and
management,
other permits for
landfill monitoring
the Walkers
costs, curb
Brook Crossing,
sidewalks and
Available
Inspection
Archstone and
pedestrian safety
for
Revolving
Town
Johnson Woods
improvements,
expenditure
Fund
Manager
developments
records archiving
next year
L ~j?
and other project
related costs.
Vaccines,
materials for
screening clinics
and clinical
supply costs,
medical
$25,000
equipment and
supplies,
Available
Public Health
Clinic fees and
immunizations,
for
Clinics and
Board of
third party
educational
expenditure
Services
Health
reimbursements
materials
next year
Acquire Library
Available
Library
Library
Charges for lost
materials to
000 for
$15
Materials
Director and
or damaged
replace lost or
,
expenditure
Replacement
Trustees
Library materials
damaged items
next year
Utilities and all
other
Available
Mattera
maintenance and
$10,000 for
Cabin
Recreation
operating
expenditure
Operating
Administrator Rental Fees
expenses
next year
or take any other action with respect thereto.
Board of Selectmen
ARTICLE 12 To see if the Town will vote to establish a stabilization fund, or
take any other action with respect thereto.
Board of Selectmen
ARTICLE 13 To see what sum the Town will vote to transfer to the Water
Enterprise Fund, sums of money received during FY 2009 and which may be received in
subsequent years as a result of the settlement of the so-called MTBE litigation, or take
any other action with respect thereto.
Board of Selectmen
ARTICLE 14 To see if the Town will vote to determine how much money the
Town will appropriate by borrowing, or from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds,
or otherwise, for the operation of the Town and its government for Fiscal Year 2010
beginning July 1, 2009, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Finance Committee
ARTICLE 15 To see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or transfer from
available funds, or otherwise, and appropriate for the purpose of making energy and
water conservation and similar improvements to Town owned properties, including the
costs of consulting services, audits, plans, documents, cost estimates, bidding services
and all related expenses incidental thereto and necessary in connection therewith, said
sum to be expended by and under the direction of the Superintendent of Schools and
b g
the Town Manager; and to see if the Town will authorize the School Committee, Board of
Selectmen, Superintendent of Schools, Town Manager, or any other agency of the
Town, to apply for a grant or grants, to be used to defray the cost of all, or any part of,
said energy and water conservation improvements; and to authorize the Superintendent
of Schools and/or the Town Manager to enter into any and all contracts and agreements
as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Article, or take any other action
with respect thereto.
School Committee
ARTICLE 16 To see if the Town will vote to amend the Town of Reading
General. Bylaws, Article 3, Section 3.1 Board of Selectmen, by adding a new section as
follows:
3.1.2 Whenever a decision of the Community Development and Planning
Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals or Conservation Commission provides for the
conveyance of land, or any interest therein, including but not limited to easements, to the
Town for nominal consideration, the Board of Selectmen is authorized to accept said
conveyance on behalf of the Town
or take any other action with respect thereto.
Board of Selectmen
ARTICLE 17 To see if the Town will vote to adopt the following bylaw as
Section 5.5.10 of the Reading General Bylaws:
Section 5.5.10 - Public Consumotion of Mariiuana or Tetrahvdrocannabinol
No person shall smoke, ingest or otherwise use or consume marijuana or
tetrahydrocannabinol (as defined in G.L. c. 94C, 1, as amended) while in or upon any
street, sidewalk, public way, footway, passageway, stairs, bridge, park, playground,
beach, recreation area, boat.landing, public building, school house, school grounds,
cemetery, parking lot or any area. owned by or under the control of the Town; or in or
upon any bus or other passenger conveyance operated by a common carrier, or in any
place accessible to the public.
This bylaw may be enforced through any lawful means in law or in equity including but
not limited to enforcement by criminal indictment or complaint pursuant to G.L. c. 40,
§21, or by noncriminal disposition pursuant to G.L. c. 40, §21D,* by the Board of
Selectmen, the Town Manager, or their duly authorized agents or any Police Officer.
The fine for violation of this bylaw shall be Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) for each
offense. Any penalty imposed under this bylaw shall be in addition to any civil penalty
imposed under G.L. c. 94C, §32L,
or take any other action with respect thereto.
Board of Selectmen
yb 1
ARTICLE 18
Community Planning and Development Commission
ARTICLE 19 To see if the Town will vote to amend paragraph a. of Section
4.9.7.2. of the Reading Zoning By-Laws, by inserting the parenthetical words, "(other
than financial institution and/or pharmacy drive-thru uses)", after the words "drive-thru
uses", so that paragraph a. of Section 4.9.7.2 reads as follows:
a. Within a PUD-B Overlay District, any portion of land that is within the
underlying Business A District or within 30 feet of the underlying Business A
District zoning boundary line may be used for those various uses allowed
within the underlying Business A District, excepting that Automotive Uses and
enclosed storage as a primary use as listed in the Table of Uses in Section
4.2.2 (Table of Uses), and fast food restaurant or drive-thru uses (other than
financial institution and/or pharmacy drive-thru uses) shall not be
allowed.
Or take any other action with respect thereto.
Community Planning and Development Commission
ARTICLE 20 To see if the Town will vote, pursuant to Section 2-6 of the
Reading Home Rule Charter, to declare the seats of certain Town Meeting Members to
be vacant and remove certain described persons from their position as Town Meeting
Members for failure to take the oath of office within 30 days following the notice of
election or for failure to attend one half or more of the Town Meeting sessions during the
previous year, or take any other action with respect thereto:
Precinct 1 Mark L. Dockser
Jane M. Spano
Precinct 2
Mary Frances Grimmer
George A. Snow
Precinct 3
David A. Craven
Albert Garbarino
Catherine L. Martin
John Michael O'Leary
Kathleen M. Tibbetts
Precinct 4
Paul J. Baratta
Precinct 5
Frederick S. Shaffer
Precinct 7
Christopher Caruso
C. Ellen Commito
Precinct 8
Andrew Patrick Murphy
Board of Selectmen
qbI 0
and you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting an attested copy thereof in at least
one (1) public place in each precinct of the Town not less than fourteen (14) days prior to
April 7, 2009, the date set for the Election in said Warrant, and to publish this Warrant in
a newspaper published in the Town, or providing in a manner such as electronic
submission, holding for pickup or mailing, an attested copy of said Warrant to each Town
Meeting Member.
Hereof fail not and make due return of this Warrant with your doings thereon to
the Town Clerk at or before the time appointed for said meeting.
Given under our hands this 3rd day of March, 2009.
Stephen A. Goldy, Chairman
Ben Tafoya, Vice Chairman
James E. Bonazoli, Secretary
Camille W. Anthony
Richard W. Schubert
SELECTMEN OF READING
Alan W. Ulrich, Constable
y6il
Page 1 of 1
Hechenbleikner, Peter
From: Ellen Doucette [ecdoucette@brackettlucas.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 12:15 PM
To: Hechenbleikner, Peter
Subject: Warrant article for ATM
Attachments: Warrant Article - acceptance of land interests.doc
I know that I'm 13 minutes late but, attached is a draft article that I would like the Selectmen to consider placing
on the warrant. In certain circumstances, it would eliminate the need for warrant articles to accept small pieces of
land, easements, etc. I thought that Section 3.1.2 made the most sense of all the general bylaw provisions.
Thank you
Ellen
Ellen Callahan Doucette, Esq.
Brackett & Lucas
19 Cedar Street
Worcester, MA 01609
(508) 799-9739
(508) 799-9799 Facsimile
2/26/2009
Page I of 2
Schena, Paula
From: Hechenbleikner, Peter
Sent: Thursday, 'February 26, 2009 3:24 PM
To: Kathryn M. Greenfield
Cc: Kowalski, Carol; Schena, Paula
Subject: RE: BOS meeting
Hi Cathy.
The questions that the Board of Selectmen have (to the extent that I know them) are:
• If properties are proposed to be added to the inventory, how does that happen? Is it just up to the HC?
Is there a public hearing? Notice to the property owners?
• What is the right of appeal to a property being added to the inventory? Who would enjoy that right of
appeal? The owner? An abutter? The Town?
• If a property is added, does it have the same protection and the same potential delay as those that are
currently on the inventory?
• What if any connection is there between the inventory and existing or potential zoning?
• What are the criteria for adding properties on the inventory? Are they as spelled out in the demolition
delay bylaw? Or are there others that could be considered?
The Board of Selectmen has delegated the signing of grant applications to the Town Manager, so I'd rather we
spent the time on the demolition delay bylaw issues.
See You Tuesday night.
Pete
From: Kathryn M. Greenfield [mailto:kgreenfield@comcast.net)
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 2:57 *
To: Hechenbleikner, Peter; Kowalski, Carol
Subject: Re: BOS meeting
Carol and Peter.
I don't understand what the Board's question is with respect. to demolition delay. Any properties
added to the Inventory would be subject to demolition delay. I just want to fully understand what'
they are looking to understand, so we will come prepared.
We are posted for a meeting that night. It is our monthly meeting.
Also the Grant application needs to. be signed by the BOS chairman, so 1 suppose that would be
a good time to get that done. He also has to sign some other certifications, etc. that are in the
packet.
Peter, if you would like to review the certifications that need to be signed, Carol has them as part
of the Full Application packet that was sent electronically from MHC. I'm sure they are pretty
standard. Other pages may not be ready until that night, as RHC will be voting on some items
that will effect the final application.
Thdnks.
Kathy
Original Message
From: Kowalski. Carol
To: kareenfieldBcomcast.net
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 2:22 PM
Subject: FW: BOS meeting
2/27/2009
~G
Page 2 of 2
Kathy, Would you distribute this to the Commission, please, for the Town Manager? (I should get the
Commission members email addresses. Have you asked the Town to make an email distribution link to
members from the website?)
Thanks,
Carol
Historical Commission
The Board of Selectmen has on its agenda for the March 3 meeting the issue of the Demolition Delay bylaw,
and how additions of properties to the inventory would work with respect to this.
This item is scheduled for approximately 8:15.
The Board of Selectmen looks forward to seeing you there. If you are going to have a quorum you should have
this meeting posted.
Pete Hechenbleikner
14 v.
2/27/2009
5.13
Demolition of Structures of Potential Historical Significance
5.13.1 The purpose of this Bylaw is to preserve and protect historically significant
structures within the Town which reflect or constitute distinctive features
of the architectural, cultural, economic, political or social history of the
Town and to encourage owners of such structures to seek out persons who
might be willing to purchase, preserve, rehabilitate or restore such
structures rather than demolish them. To achieve these purposes, the
Reading Historical Commission is empowered to advise the Building
Inspector with respect to the issuance of permits for demolition of such
historically significant structures. The issuance of demolition permits for
such historically significant structures is regulated as provided in this
Bylaw.
5.13.2 Definitions
5.13.2.1 Business Dav: A day which is not a legal municipal holiday,
Saturday or Sunday.
5.13.2.2 Demolition: Any act of pulling down, destroying, removing or
razing a structure or commencing the work of total or
substantial destruction with the intent of completing the same.
5.13.2.3 Emergencv Demolition: In the event of an imminent danger to
the safety of the public, nothing in this Bylaw shall restrict the
Building Inspector from immediately ordering the demolition of
any structure or any part thereof.
5.13.2.4 Potentiallv Significant Structure: Any structure or a portion
of a structure that:
a. Is listed on, or is within an area listed on, the National
Register of Historic Places, the Massachusetts Historical
Register ore Historic Places, or is the subject of a pending
application for listing on said registers or;
b. Is included in the Historical and Architectural Inventory, as
of September 1, 1995, maintained by the Reading .
Historical Commission or structures for which complete
historical and architectural survey forms may be pending as
of that date or;
Has been determined by an affirmative vote of at least four
(4) members of the Commission to be historically or
architecturally significant in terms of period, style, method
of building construction or association with a significant
architect, builder or resident either by itself or as part of a
group of buildings, provided that the owner of such a
structure and the Building Inspector have been notified in
Editor's Note: So in original. Apparently should be, "of."
General Bylaws
66 Amended through July 2007
3
~ C/
hand or by certified mail at least thirty (30) days prior to
such vote.
5.13.2.5 Preferabiv Preserved Historic Structure: Any historically
significant structure which is determined by the Commission to
be in the public interest to preserve because of the important
contribution made by such structure to the historical and/or
cultural resources of the Town.
5.13.2.6 Commission: The Reading Historical Commission.
5.13.2.7 Structure: Materials assembled at a fixed location to give
support or shelter, such as a building, framework, wall, tent,
reviewing stand, platform or the like.
5.13.3 Procedures
5.13.3.1 The Commission will provide a listing of Potentially Significant
Structures to the Building Inspector. This list is subject to the
following criteria and periodic modification:
Criteria for Potentially Significant Structures:
a. The structure is determined to be importantly associated
with one or more historic persons or events, or .
b. Is determined to be associated with the broad architectural,
cultural, economic or social history of the Town or
Commonwealth, or
c.. The structure is defined in Definition 5.13.2.4. as a
Potentially Significant Structure.
5.13.3.2 Upon the receipt of a completed application form for a
Demolition Permit for a Potentially Significant Structure, the
Building Inspector shall immediately forward a copy thereof
to the Commission for review.
5.13.3.3 Within fourteen (14) days of the date upon which the
Commission receives the demolition application, the
Commission shall make an Initial Determination that is:
a. Positive if the structure is historically inventoried, or in
the process of being inventoried or determined by the
Commission to have historic significance, or
b. Negative if the Initial Determination is negative, the
property is no longer subject to this Bylaw, and the
Building Inspector may act on the Demolition Permit.
5.13.3.4 If the Initial Determination is positive, the Commission shall
hold a public hearing on the application within twenty-one
General Bylaws 67 Amended through July 2007
L'
(21) days of the Initial Determination and shall give public
notice of the time, place and purpose of the hearing in a local
newspaper at least fourteen (14) days before said hearing; at
least seven (7) days before said hearing, the Commission shall
mail a copy of said. notice to the applicant, to the owner(s) of
all property deemed by the Commission to be affected thereby
as they appear on the most recent local tax list, and to such
other persons as the Commission shall deem entitled to notice.
The Commission may require that the applicant maintain on the
property, which is the subject of a Demolition Permit
application, a notice in a form designated by the Commission,
visible from the nearest public way, of any hearing on the
subject matter of such application. The applicant shall be
responsible for costs associated with the mailing, posting or
publishing of the required notices.
No less than five (5) business days before the public hearing,
the applicant shall submit three (3) copies of a demolition plan
which shall include the following:
a. An assessor's map or plot plan showing the location of the
structure to be demolished on its property with reference to
the neighboring properties;
b. Photographs of all facade elevations;
c. A description of the structure to be demolished;
d. The reasons for the proposed demolition and data supporting
said reason;
e. A brief description of the proposed reuse of the property on
which the structure to be demolished is located.
5.13.3.5 If, after the close of such hearing, the Commission determines
that the demolition of the Potentially Significant Structure
would not be detrimental to the historical or architectural
heritage or resources of the Town, the Commission shall so
notify the Building Inspector within fifteen (15) business days
of the conclusion of the hearing.
Upon receipt of such notification, or after the expiration of the
fifteen (15) days, the Building Inspector may act on the
Demolition Permit if he has not received notification from the
Commission.
5.13.3.6 If the Commission determines that the demolition of the
Potentially Significant Structure would be detrimental to the
historical or architectural heritage or resources of the Town,
such structure shall be considered a Preferably Preserved
Historic Structure. The Commission shall so advise the
applicant and the Building Inspector, and a Demolition Permit
may be delayed up to twelve (12) months after the conclusion of
General Bylaws 68 Amended through July 2007
"1
the hearing during which time alternatives to demolition shall
be considered. The Commission shall offer the owner
information about options other than demolition, such as
resources in the preservation field, the Massachusetts Historical
Commission, the Town Planner, and other interested parties that
might provide assistance in preservation, funding and/or
adaptive reuse.
5.13.3.7 Responsibilitv of Owner/Applicant
The owner of record shall be responsible for participating in the
investigation of options to demolition by actively seeking
alternatives with the Commission and any interested parties, by
providing any necessary information, by allowing reasonable
access to the property, and by securing the premises.
5.13.4 Release of Delav Enforcement
Notwithstanding the preceding section of this Bylaw, the Building inspector
may issue .a Demolition Permit for a Preferably Preserved Historic Structure
at any time after receipt of written advice from the Commission to the effect
that either:
a. The Commission is satisfied that there is no reasonable likelihood that
either the owner or some other person or group is willing to purchase,
preserve, rehabilitate or restore such building; or
b. The Commission is satisfied that during the delay period the owner
has made continuing, bona fide and reasonable efforts to locate a
purchaser to preserve, rehabilitate and restore the subject structure,
and that such efforts have been unsuccessful.
As a condition of releasing the delay enforcement, the Commission
may require the applicant to submit measured drawings or other
documentation for the Town's historic records.
5.13.5 Emeruencv Demolition
Nothing in this Section shall be construed to derogate in any way from the
authority of the Building Inspector derived from Chapter 143 of the General
Laws., However, before acting pursuant to that Chapter, the Building
Inspector shall make every reasonable effort to inform the Chairperson of
the Commission of his intentions to cause demolition before he initiates
same.
5.13.6 Enforcement and Remedies
5.13.6.1 In the event a structure governed by this Bylaw is demolished in
violation of this Bylaw, then no building permit shall be issued
for the premises for a period of two (2) years after the date of
such demolition: As used herein "premises" includes the parcel of
land upon which the demolished structure was located and all
adjoining parcels of land under common ownership or control.
General Bylaws 69 Amended through July 2007
1 ~r
V.
ti
Code of Conduct for Town of Reading Committees
Whose Members are Appointed by
the Reading Board of Selectmen or the Reading Town Manager
A member of any Committee who has been appointed by the Board of Selectmen or the
Town Manager to that position is expected to comply with the following Code of Conduct.
1. Realize that his or her function is to follow the mission statement of the Committee.
2. Realize that he or she is one of a team and should abide by all decisions of the Committee
once they are made.
3. Be well informed concerning the duties and responsibilities of the Committee.
4. Remember that he or she represents the entire community at all times.
5. Accepting the role of a Committee member is a means of unselfish service, not to benefit
personally or politically from his or her Committee activities.
6. Abide by the ethics guidelines established by the State.
7. Abide by all policies established by the Board of Selectmen, especially the email
communications policy.
8. Request assistance from Town staff only through the staff person assigned to the
Committee.
9. Not-make statements or promises of how he or she will vote on matters that will come
before the Committee until he or she has had an opportunity to hear the pros and cons of
the issue during a public. meeting of the Committee.
10. Make decisions only after all facts on a question have been presented and discussed.
11. Refrain from communicating the position of the Committee to reporters or state officials
unless the full Committee has previously agreed on both the position and the language of
the statement conveying the statement.
12. Treat with respect all members of the Committee despite differences of opinion.
13. Never publicly criticize an employee of the Town.. Concerns about staff performancc
should only be made to the Town Manager through private conversation.
14. Insure that any materials or information provided to a Committee member from Town
staff should be made available to all Committee members.
15. If circumstances change so that meeting attendance on a regular basis becomes difficult,
the Committee member will offer his or her resignation to the Board, so that someone
who can regularly attend meetings can be selected by the Board.
Adopted by the Board of Selectmen
c(c ~c\
Acccp
.k A
G THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS alp
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF TRANSPORTATION
x
DEVAL L. PATRICK
GOVERNOR
TIMOTHY P. MURRAY
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
1V
JAMES A. ALOISI JR.
SECRETARY
rn
Co
February 17, 2009 ra
w
Peter I. Hechenbleikner
Town Manager Z5
Town Hall t r~
16 Lowell Street 0%
Reading, MA 01867
Dear Mr. Hechenbleikner:
We were sorry to learn'that the Town of Reading is unable to provide the required local
match for the "Reading Rocket" shuttle service, which was approved under the Boston Region
Metropolitan Planning Organization's Suburban Mobility Program.
Unfortunately, we are not able to reserve the funding in case the town revives the project
at a later time, because we must use the money for other projects that have their local match in
place. However, this action will not have an adverse effect on the shuttle service's chances for
future funding if the Town of Reading resubmits an application to the Boston Region
Metropolitan Planning Organization.
If you have any questions, you may contact Cathy Lynds, Manager of Sustainable
Transportation, at (617) 973-7638.
Thank you for your interest in improving transportation services.
Sincerely,
6av-id--J. Mohler
Deputy Secretary for Planning
-5-A- S
TEN PARK PLAZA, BOSTON, MA 02116-3969
TELEPHONE: (617) 973-7000 • TELEFAX: (617) 973-8031 o TDD: (617) 973-7306 0 WWW.MASS.GOV/EOT
February 25, 2009
Town of Reading
16 Lowell Street
Reading, MA 01867
Mark J. Cavanagh
Executive Director
Massachusetts State Lottery Commission
60 Columbian Street
Braintree, MA 02184-1738
Dear Mr. Cavanagh:
LIC
Stephen A. Goldy, Chairman
Ben T.afoya, V. Chairman
James E.•Bonazoli, Secretary
Camille W. Anthony
Richard W. Schubert
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
(781) 942-9043
FAX: (781) 942-9071
Website: www.ci.reading.ma.us
At its meeting on February 24, 2009, the Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to object to the
applicant J K'S Market, 212 Main Street, Reading, Massachusetts to have a monitor to display
the "KENO To Go" game in the store. The Board of Selectmen objects to this provision not only
for this location, but for any other location in the community.
What is especially disturbing about this application is that the ability to have an in store "KENO
To Go" monitor is completely contrary to representations made by the lottery Commission when
the KENO To Go game was introduced. The Town of Reading had a very clear understanding
directly from the Lottery Commission that for the "KENO To Go". game, the players would not be
able to determine whether or not they won the game in.the place where the "KENO To Go"
tickets were sold. They would have to go home; or go to another location to determine this. In
fact, we were also told that there would be no WiFi capability to access the game results from a
PDA or lap top computer in the "KENO To Go" locations. Now, a short time after the Town
agreed to. allow "KENO To Go" games in the community those previous representations appear
to be violated. This is very disappointing to this community, and I'm sure to others who relied on
the same representation.
Thank you for taking the Town's concerns into consideration and we understand that based on
this objection that the in store "KENO To Go" monitor will not be permitted.
SincerelyWA.GoIdy, S epChairman
Board of Selectmen
PIH/ps
cc: Charles McIntyre, General Counsel
Massachusetts State Lottery Commission
60 Corumd ian street
Braintree, Massachusetts 02184-1 W
Licensing Fax (W) 849-5656
8
TIMOTHY P. CAHILL MARK J. CAV: VAGH
Treasurer and 9ceiver General Executive Doctor
February 13, 209
w
o*
Town of Reading
Board of Selectmen
16 Lowell Street
Reading, MA 01867
Dear Sir/Madam:
The Massachusetts State Lottery is offering certain KENO To Go agents in your community,
the opportunity to receive a KENO monitor to display the game. In accordance with M.G.L.
c 10 section 27A, as amended, you are hereby notified that a monitor will be offered to existing
KENO To Go agents as listed below:
J K'S MARKET
212 MAIN ST
READING, MA 01867
If you object, you must do so, in writing, within twenty-one (21) days of receipt of this letter.
Please address your written objection to Charles McIntyre, General Counsel, Massachusetts
State Lottery Commission, 60 Columbian Street, Braintree, ].VIA 02184. Should you have
any questions regarding this program or any other issues relative to the Lottery please call
me at 781-849-5555. I look forward to working with you as the Lottery continues its efforts
to support the 351 cities and towns of the Commonwealth.
G
Certified Mail - Return Receipt Requested:
7007 0220 0002 1754 8498 t 1 V C h rj~
(12-08) Supporting the 351 Cities and Towns of Massachusetts
5
Page 1 of 1
C 30 S-
Schena, Paula
From: Hechenbleikner, Peter
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 10:35 AM
To: Reading - Selectmen
Cc: Schena, Paula; Cormier, Jim; McIntire, Ted; Zambouras, George; Lee, Michael
Subject: signal - Woburn at Lowell
The Parking, Traffic, and Transportation task Force has reviewed the suggestion made by members of the Board
of Selectmen that the old signal at Woburn and Lowell be removed or inactivated immediately.
The Police Department particularly was concerned that if this were done, the safety of the intersection during this
construction phase could be compromised because the definition of parts of the intersection are not completed,
and the temporary stop signs on Lowell street are not well enough located to ensure safety of this intersection at
this time.
We understand the Board of Selectmen interest in having these signals removed as soon as practical.
Pete
I/c Board of Selectmen
5 C'
2/25/2009
Page 1 of 1
Schena, Paula
From:
Hechenbleikner, Peter
Sent:
Thursday, February 26, 2009 10:47 AM
To:
Reading - Selectmen
Cc:
Schena, Paula
Subject: FW: Tux Shop
A question about this issue was asked at the Board of Selectmen meeting.
Pete
I/c Board of Selectmen
From: Kowalski, Carol
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 1:19 PM
To: Hechenbleikner, Peter
Cc: Redmond, Glen
Subject: RE: Tux Shop
Yes. A hearing with the ZBA was opened and is pending (continued) for a Special Permit to tear down and rebuild
a non-conforming structure on the same footprint/location. (The Perfecto's Caf6 site plan that we all wish was
sited better on the lot.)
Carol
Carol Kowalski AICP
Community Services Director/Town Planner
Town Hall
16 Lowell Street
Reading, MA 01867-2683
(781) 942 - 6612
From: Hechenbleikner, Peter
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 10:08 AM
To: Kowalski, Carol
Subject: Tux Shop
Is there a hearing on the demolition of this building?
Pete
2/27/2009
Page 1 of 1
z--/ C C3dS
Schena, Paula
From: Hechenbleikner, Peter
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 2:35 PM
To: Reading - Selectmen
Cc: Schena, Paula
Subject: FW: Volunteer fundraising Seminar
Attachments: invitation letter.doc; Holding a Fundraiser.doc
I/c Board of Selectmen
From: Ramdin, Larry
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 2:31 PM
To: Hechenbleikner, Peter
Cc: Kowalski, Carol; Barbara Meade; Barbara Meade; Colleen Seferian; David Mitchell Singer
Subject: Volunteer fundraising Seminar
The volunteer group fundraising seminar is being held on March 19, in the Community service room.
I will also be participating in Camille Anthony's Cable tv show and will be discussing Food Safety in the home, in
summer we also hope to do an outdoor cooking food safety seminar segment.
Additionally, I am planning a full Food safety seminar for Volunteer groups. The draft agenda and invitation is
attached
Larry
Larry A. Ramdin MA REHS CHO
Health Services Administrator
Reading Health Division
16 Lowell Street
Reading, MA 01867
781-942-9061
781-942-9071-Fax
When writing or responding, please remember that the Secretary of State's Office has determined that email is a public
record.
This communication may contain privileged or other confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, or
believe that you have received this communication in error, please do not print, copy, retransmit, disseminate, or otherwise
use the information. Also, please indicate to the sender that you have received this email in error, and delete the copy you
received.
~Q
2/27/2009
Town of Reading BOARD OF HEALTH
16 Lowell Street Phone: (781) 942-9061
Reading MA01867-2683 Fax: (781) 942-9071
Website: www.ci.readine.ma.us
February 26, 2009
Dear Volunteer Club Leader,
You are invited to attend a seminar entitled:
Holding a ]Fundraiser? How can we help and what do we need?
on
March 19, 2009 at 7:00 pm
in the
Community Meeting Room
Reading Police Station
The Seminar will address the permitting process for holding fundraisers and guidance on
requesting the use of town facilities.
We will address:
- Health Permits
- Use of school buildings and public parks
- Fire regulations for tents and propane use
- Holding raffles
- Police and Fire Details
- Street Closure
Your attendance is requested, if you have specific questions that you would like answered, please
feel free to e-mail them to me, with your RSVP at hramdin(cr,ci.readina.ma.us.
Yours truly
0,-,r~
Larry Ramdin
Health Services Administrator
l~'v
Holding a Fundraiser?
How can we help and what do we need?
Introductions and welcome
Facilities Dept
• Requirements. for using Town Facilities
Recreation Department
• How do we get approval to use fields and other
recreation facilities
Town Clerk
• Raffles
Police
• When is a detail needed and how do I arrange for one?
• Street Closures
• Raffles
Fire
• Fire Safety Permits
• Occupancy requirements
• Fire Details
Health Department
• Temporary Food permits
® Portable toilets/Trash disposal
y3
S