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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-10-21 Board of Selectmen HandoutTOWN MANAGER'S REPORT Tuesday, October 21, 2008 • Election - November 4 - 7 am to 8 PM. Since the September 16 Primary: o We have registered 583 voters o We have deleted 186 voters o We have made 1400 changes to voters addresses, names, parties, etc. Since we received the ballots on 10/9/08: o We have processed 656 absentee ballots o Trying to get most people to vote over the counter to save the Town money when we can - it also saves us administrative work Our new population counts with these changes is 23,886. Our voter total is 16,960 • On Thursday, October 30th at 7:00 p.m. at the Reading Memorial High School Performing Arts Center, the community is invited to a powerful session with parents and community leaders on Rachel's Challenge. Rachel's Challenge is named for Rachel Scott, the first student killed at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Her acts of kindness and compassion coupled with the contents of her six diaries have become the foundation for one of the most life-changing school programs in America. Powerful video/audio footage of Rachel's life and the Columbine tragedy will be presented. Everyone is welcome! • Downtown Parking Study kick-off meeting 2 - Please see the following link for details about an upcoming October 30t", 7:00 PM Senior Center meeting on downtown parking: httr)://www.readinama.aov/Paces/ReadinaMA WebDocs/Downtown%20Parkina%20Meetina • Town of Reading's Veterans Day ceremonies - This year's ceremonies will be on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 11:00 AM at The Reading Memorial High School. We will be Meeting at the High School at 10:45 am. • Parker MS - fields grading ongoing. Project completion estimated mid/late October. • Birch Meadow tennis courts • Gould St. -reclamation and binder course has been done, and the curbing and sidewalk contractor will be in this week to start their work. • High Street - binder is in • Franklin Street - binder is in today • Curbside leaf collection this fall and next spring. Please see the following link for more details about the upcoming leaf collections in the Town of Reading: httr)://www.readinama.aov/Paaes/ReadinaMA PublicWorks/Fall Leaf Coll.odf Schedule: Weeks of on normal collection day • November 3; • November 17; • December 1; • Flu Clinic - PUBLIC FLU CLINIC FOR READING RESIDENTS - The first annual Emergency Dispensing Site Drill / Flu Clinic - Saturday, November 15 - RNIHS Field House - llam - 3PM Open to all Readini4 residents - ales 9 and u-v Flu vaccine $10.00 fee Pneumonia $ 10.00 fee Tetanus $ 5.00 fee Residents 65 or older, Free - Bring your Medicare Card E Dates and Events: • October 30 - Downtown Parking stakeholders meeting • November 4 - Election Day • November 10 - Subsequent Town Meeting • November 11 - Veterans Day Holiday • November 15 - Flu Clinic • November 30 - Tree lighting and events beginning at 1 - come on downtown - it's great. • December 4-7 - "Shop the Block" 0 a~5 7 co 0) SAFE ID CHECKg Training in ® o Reading 11116/08 Best Practices for the Safe Sale of Alcoholic Beverages j Training and Certification for Section 15 On Premises ~ Q lU o U JBS provides a three year certification for owners, managers and sales staff for on premise operations. The class is two hours followed by a brief test. aD W The SAFE ID CHECK Program provides training to assist you in preventing m the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors, intoxicated persons and numerous U o other violations of Chapter 138 Massachusetts General Laws, ABCC o regulations 204 CMR and local licensing regulations. W U ! Purpose: Compliance with Federal, State and Local requirements. Compliance by staff of all company policies. A E Focus of SAFE ID CHECK program: O { C-5 Sting Operations SAFE ID CHECK program prevents failure! (if STAFF follows the program and your policy) 4- Sale to Minors Acceptable forms of identification The ABCC standard "Reasonable Reliance" How to prevent sales to minors - directly or 2"d party 00 Hands on use of equipment to find fake ID o Techniques to best check identification Review current fakes being used Sale to Intoxicated c9 L16 (n ° How to prevent such sales to intoxicated customers How to deal with these customers after refusal U) 00 13 N Pricing requirements ° E Keg sales - required registration forms and tags m Advertising restrictions Deliveries and the ABCC transportation permit and invoice requirements Q SAFE ID CHECK TRAINING Presented by JBS Professional Services Sponsored by Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse Date of free training: November 16, 2008 Location: Reading Police Department, 15 Union St., Reading Time: Sunday 9-11 a.m. Safe ID Check Trainina Reaistration Form for 11/16/08 Name: Title: Store/Restaurant: Address: Phone: Email: Other staff that will attend: Name: Title: Name: Title: Name: Title: Name: Title: Name: Title: Return this form by fax or email to Erica McNamara by Wed. Nov. 12, 2008 Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse 15 Union Street Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781.942-6793 Fax: 781.944-2893 (9 TRUSTWORTHY LOYAL HELPFUL FRIENDLY COURTEOUS KIND OBEDIENT CHEERFUL THRIFTY VE 'LEA You are invited to REVERENT Colin Domigan Baillie's Eagle Scout Court of Honor Saturday October 25, 2008 2 p.m. Reading Senior Center 49 Pleasant Street Reading, MA 01867 R.S.V.P. by Wed. Oct 22nd to 781-944-2767 or tcbaillie@gmail.com Page 1 of 1 Hechenbleikner, Peter From: LeLacheur, Bob Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 1:22 PM To: Hechenbleikner, Peter Subject: For the BOS Town Mgr notes tonight SACRAMENTO, Calif. - State Treasurer Bill Lockyer says California has raised enough money to avert an immediate cash crisis. Lockyer announced Thursday (10/16) the state had sold $5 billion in short-term notes that will be used to keep education, health care and other state services running. The state will pay interest rates between 3.75 percent and 4.25 percent on the notes, Bob LeLacheur Assistant Town Manager/Finance Director Town of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867 (P) 781-942-6636 (F) 781-942-9037 (E) finance@ci.reading. ma. its 10/21/2008 cc) Invitations, eCards, Party Ideas, Party Themes from Evite Page 1 of 2 Welcome back to Sundays at the Reading Public Library pschena@ci.reading.ma.us you're invitedl Print Invitation Details welcome. a GUEST OPTIONS GUEST LIST > Invite More People CREATE YOUR PARTY PERSONALITY > Send a Message to Guests Learn More > Email me when Guests Who's Coming? Reply 2 [Q 0 0(6 > Print Invitation As of October 21, 2008, 2:24 pm. > Remove me from Guest List > Send a free Evite eCard YES (2) > Add to my Outlook Reading Public Library (The Organizer) Calendar > Create Party Personality selectmen NOT YET REPLIED (6) rplf96 ly nnefree pschena Register With Evite finance blelacheur urell View: Date Alphabetically View All Host: Reading Public Library Location: Reading Public Library 64 Middlesex Ave, Reading, MA 01867 US View Map ( d NE ' SEN D TO..PHONE -.I When: Sunday, October 26, 3:30PM Phone: 781-944-0840 You asked for it. You got it! The Reading Public Library is n us at the Reading Public Library on Sunday October 26 at Sunday hours. We will also be having our grand opening of by the Reading Public Library Foundation. There will be a ri at 3:30 followed by cake cutting and cake eating! Hope t! REPLY HERE Will You Attend? C Yes C. No Maybe Click here if you are not: pschena a0ci.readina.ma.us Add a Comment (optional) Spell Check Total Guests 11 (incl. you) r- Email Me when Guests Reply (options) PLAN YOUR NEXT EVENT Party Ideas > Recipes > Easy Planning Tools :REPLY NOW FREE EVITE ECARDS http://www.evite. comlpages/Invitelviewlnvite.j sp?inviteId=DJLUKQTNXGIWPXEROJSJ&li=iq&src= 0 10/21/2008 October 21, 2008 Town of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867-2683 Mr. Stephen A. Goldy, Chairman Board of Selectmen 16 Lowell St. Town Hall Reading MA. 01867 Louis Cimaglia Director VETERAN'S SERVICES Phone: (781) 942-6652 Fax: (781) 942-9070 Dear Mr. Chairman, I would like to invite you and the entire Board of Selectmen to the Town of Reading's Veterans Day ceremonies. This year's ceremonies will be on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 11:00 AM at The Reading Memorial High School We will be Meeting at the High Scholl at 10:45 am. I hope you will join us this year and help make this Veterans' Day a very special day. Thank you. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Frank Driscoll Dept. of Veterans Services Director Town Meeting Approved FY09 Budgets FY09 FY09 FY08-FY09 Municipal Operating $ 13,603,975 30.5% 4.58% School Department Operating $ 28,527,291 63.9% 4.78% includes $75,000 of one-time free cash School Building Operating $ 2,117,543 4.7% 8.01% Town Building Operating $ 390,778 0.9% -1.82% , TOTAL Operating Budgets $ 44,639,587 100.0% 4.81% Massachusetts Taxpavers Foundation Reading - non-education aid $ 4,456,633 Reading - 71.1% reduction $ 3,168,666 "full impact' Reading - new figure $ 1,287,967 Commonwealth (billions) Readinq projected impact - FY09 $ 3.00 $ 760,480 projected impact - FYI 0 $ 9.00 $ 2,281,440 projected impact - FYI 1 $ 12.50 $ 3,168,666 "full impact" by FYI 1 FY09 FY10 FYI 1 If 9C cuts to local aid of $ 760,480 $ 2,281,440 $ 3,168,666 Municipal Operating $ 231,757 $ 695,272 $ 965,655 School Department Operating $ 485,991 $ 1,457,973 $ 2,024,962 School Building Operating $ 36,074 $ 108,223 $ 150,310 Town Building Operating $ 6,657 $ 19,972 $ 27,739 TOTAL Operating Budgets $ 760,480 $ 2,281,440 $ 3,168,666 FY09 wages % total largest expenses Accounting $ 122,917 99.0% Finance $ 848,496 61.8% FINCOM Reserves & audit $200,000, MUNIS license & computers $50,000 each Library $ 944,055 78.4% Materials $176,500, NOBLE $46,500 Town Manager's Office $ 180,643 26.1% P&C Insurance $385,000, Law $96,000 Community Services $ 777,956 83.9% Health $66,000; Vets assistance $60,000 Public Works $ 1,981,924 41.2% Rubbish $1.47 million; Highway $585,000, Snow & Ice $376,000; Street Lights $226,000 Public Safety $ 7,264,027 95.3% Police $213,000, Fire $104,000, Dispatch $42,000 $ 12,120,018 72.4% )V) Backqround - Article 20 Demand Fees In recent history, about 15% of all tax bills that are the direct responsibility of residents to pay are late. This excludes real estate payments made by escrow accounts. Excise R/E & PP Current year 14.2% 13.4% Two years ago 16.0% 15.5% Three years ago 14.4% 14.9% Recent attempts at communicating with late payers has improved collections (see Real Estate graph) This winter/spring we would like to communicate before the official late date. Those that pay before early May would NOT be subject to a late (demand) fee. Those that continue to pay late will help pay for the cost of additional communication. Based on data from water & sewer payments, where the 10% discount clearly encourages payments, we believe we can cut late tax payments by as much as 50%. Example - Real Estate Current Proposed Proposed Demand (late) fees $ 5.00 $ 20.00 $ 25.00 Additional cost of one extra $ - $ 3,620 $ 3,620 communication.before the late date based upon 5 hrs staff time plus postage for 8,000 notices If No Imp rovement Late Payments (3yr avg) 623 623 623 Late fees collected $ 3,115 $ 12,460 $ 15,575 New costs incurred $ - $ 3,620 $ 3,620 New surplus in fees $ - $ 5,725 $ 8,840 If 50% Improvement Late Payments (3yr avg) 623 312 312 Late fees collected $ 3,115 $ 6,230 $ 7,788 New costs incurred $ - $ 3,620 $ 3,620 New surplus in fees $ - $ (505) $ 1,053 When one factors in the high interest charges for late payments, from a purely financial standpoint the Town earns more by NOT communicating with residents. This proposal for more communication with residents is unanimously supported by the entire Finance Department as 'the right thing to do'. In 1986 the Legislature increased the demand fee from $2 to $5 (Ch. 297 of Acts of 1986 approved July 21, 1986). James F. Crowley, Tax Counsel Bureau of Municipal Finance Law Division of Local Services Mass. Department of Revenue ►3 Real state Collections -6c-08,000 Original Bills ,5q '0 off' (40% paid by escrow) 700 FYI 3M~ t~ 600 i=yo ?►ma~ _~y~9 tti~~ u.,~ re.m,ndla.r _ 1«~ 500 - E 400 a- 300 e~' o e 200 n Tc y 100 ~a Suty O~~er ~ a~►w~ n y Year Long Process FY06 FY07 FY08 to date 4 Z~oa o Massachusetts Department of Revenue Division of Local Services Na jeet K. Bal, Commissioner RobertG. Nunes, Deputy Commissioner & Director ofMunicipal A(fairs Bulletin 2008-09B DEMAND CHARGES ~Nr oF~ TO: Assessors, Collectors, Finance Directors, Mayors, Selectmen and City/Town Managers FROM: Robert G. Nunes, Deputy Commissioner & Director of Municipal Affairs DATE: August 2008 SUBJECT: Setting Demand Charge for Delinquent Local Taxes This Bulletin explains an outside section of the fiscal year 2009 state budget that relates to the charge imposed on taxpayers when a local tax collector issues them a 'demand for payment of delinquent taxes. St. 2008, c. 182, § 15. This change took effect on July 1, 2008. As you know, the collection costs imposed on delinquent local taxpayers are found in G.L. c. 60, § 15. These charges are fixed amounts that are added to the outstanding tax by law, not at the discretion of local officials. The collector may only waive accrued interest and collection costs where the total amount accrued is $15 or less. Under the amendment made by outside section 15, G.L. c. 60, § 15 now provides that the charge for issuing a demand is "not more than $30." Previously, the charge was $5. However, the amendment does not include any language indicating that the collector is to determine the actual amount to be charged within the $30 limit. Absent that direction, we think the amount must be set by each city or town based on the procedures that govern setting fees and charges in that municipality. As a general rule, the power to set fees and charges resides in the municipality's legislative body unless otherwise provided by statute or charter. Therefore, your town meeting or city or town council will have to fix the amount to be charged for demands issued by the collector unless a general or special law or charter provision authorizes the collector or other officer to set it. The Division oftocal Services is responsible for oversight ofand assistance to cities and towns in achieving equitable property taxation and e>Tclent fiscal management. The Division regularly publishes IGRs Onformational Guideline Releases detailing legal and administrative procedures) and the Bulletin (announcements and useful information) for local officials and others interested in municipalfinance. Post Office Box 9569, Boston, MA 02114-9569, Tel, 617.626-2300, Fax: 617.626.2330 hilp Awww.massgov/dls ( V5 -2- With respect to general laws, if a city or town accepts G.L. c. 40, § 22F, then boards and officers may set certain fees and charges related to their operations instead of the municipality's legislative body. Demand charges, however, do not appear to come within the fees and charges that may be set under that statute. It applies to fees and charges for licenses, permits or certificates issued, or services rendered to or work performed for persons, by municipal boards or officers, i.e., regulatory and user fees and charges paid by members of the public in exchange for receiving a particular privilege, benefit or service from the municipality. Demand charges on the other hand are not paid voluntarily in order to receive a particularized benefit or service. They are imposed as part of the collection process to ensure that the municipality receives the money it is owed. The charge established by the municipality under the applicable local procedure applies until the time another amount is established under that procedure. Where that procedure requires a town meeting or city or town council vote, the following or similar language may be used: VOTED: That the city/town charge for each written demand issued by the collector a fee of $ to be added to and collected as part of the tax, as authorized by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 60, Section 15, effective as of , Any questions you have on this matter should be directed to the Division's legal staff at 617- 626-2400 or DLSLAW(a)dor.state.ma.us.