Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-01-30 Board of Selectmen Minutes Board of Selectmen Meeting January 30; 2001 For ease of archiving, the order that items appear in these Minutes reflects the order in which the items appeared on the agenda for that meeting, and are not necessarily the order in which any item was taken up by the Board. The meeting convened at 7:09 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, Massachusetts. Present were Chairman Ben Tafoya, Secretary Stephen Goldy" Selectmen Camille Anthony and Richard Schubert, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner (arrived at 7.:30 p.m.), Assistant Town Manager/Finance Director Bob LeLacheur, Paula Schena and the following list of interested persons: Bill Brown, Everett Blodgett, Christopher Vaccaro, Adele Blunt, Manuel German,Naomi Kaufinan, Tom Quintal. Reports and Comments Selectmen's Liaison Reports and Comments— Selectman Camille Anthony noted that the Board received correspondence on the Status of Women, and suggested that the Board follow up on that. She also noted that Representative Brad Jones needs to know the initiatives of the Town. She came up with the brilliant,idea that people who drive low emission vehicles should receive rebates. Selectman Stephen Goldy noted that he will be meeting this Thursday with representatives from the Reading Municipal Light Department regarding the earnings distribution. Selectman Camille Anthony noted that the formula needs to be changed. Public Comment.— Bill Brown noted that the 1955 Town Report gives the whole layout of the Birch Meadow Area. Tom Quintal. of 64 Woburn Street asked about the new proposed Article 5 on the Warrant.. Chairman Ben Tafoya noted that the Article is.to amend the z'oning map to include Parcel 21 in the Business B and mixed"use zoning districts. This is an alternative to.the overlay use. Selectman Richard Schubert noted that the real decision is with Town Meeting, and this Article will give them two choices. Chris Vaccaro of 57 Woburn Street expressed his objection to this Article being put on the Warrant. Everett Blodgett of 99 Prescott Street asked if the Selectmen will vote on this before Town Meeting, and it was indicated that they will. Adele Blunt of 22 Linden Street noted that the overlay article cuts property in half with one half being residential and the other half commercial. This will reduce the value of her home. Board of Selectmen Meeting—January 30,.2007—Page 2 Town Manager's,Report The Assistant Town Manager gave the following report: • We have begun the demolition of Imagination Station. The Recreation Administrator has overseen the removal of plaques and other art work that can be removed. The site will then be secured by boulders so that encroachment by other uses does not occur until a master plan for the area can be completed. • Members of the Board of Selectmen, ATM/Finance Director Bob LeLacheur and I attended the MMA Annual Meeting on January 12th and 13th. Attached is a summary of sessions attended. • Boards/Committees/Commissions training including ethics training will take place on January 31 st. • We have received our Affordable Housing inventory from DHCD. When you adjust for the change in Longwood from a 40B to the current development, the Town's Affordable Housing status is as anticipated — approximately 7.5%. There is one unit left off the inventory, and I am working with the RHA to get it put on. • The Downtown Improvements Project bid date has been moved back to March. Discus s ion/Action.items Close Warrant for Special Town Meeting — The Town Manager reviewed the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting. He noted that Article 1 is Reports, Article 2 is Instructional Motions, Article 3 is to amend the Capital Improvements Program, Article 4 is to amend the current year's budget, Article 5 is to amend the zoning map to include Parcel 21 in the Business B and mixed- use zoning districts, Article 6 is to amend the Zoning By-Laws to establish Employee Parking Overlay District, Article 7 is to amend the zoning map to apply Employee Parking Overlay District, Article 8 is to amend the PUD-B zoning on South Main Street, Article 9 is to amend the zoning map regarding the PUD-B zoning on South Main Street,Article 10 is to amend the PUD- R zoning for Johnson Woods, Article 11 will permit a Finance Committee Member to be a member on an ad hoc body, and Article 12 is a bylaw amendment to change the hours of retail sales. The Town Manager noted that.the Article regarding the Downtown project was removed because the project has been moved back to March. That will goon the Annual Town Meeting Warrant. Selectman Richard Schubert noted that the residents feel that Article 5 is a last minute change. He also noted that this has been under discussion for almost one year. This Article will expand the discussion at Town Meeting, and will allow discussion to include another option. If this is not on the Warrant,then it can't be discussed. Selectman Camille Anthony indicated that she would like to see mixed-use on that lot, and would like to have wording added to the Article that requires a building to be constructed on that lot. Chairman Ben Tafoya noted that the Historical Commission wrote a letter regarding concerns with the overlay. He also noted that CPDC has a chance to discuss Article 5 before Town Meeting,then it will move forward. If not,then it won't be discussed at Town Meeting. Board of Selectmen Meeting January 30, 2007—Page..3 Anthony moved and Goldy seconded to close the Warrant consistiniz of 12 articles for the Special Town MeetinLy to take place on February 26, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. at the Reading Memorial High School Auditorium, 62 Oakland Road in Reading. A motion by Goldy seconded by Anthony to strike Article 5 failed by a vote of 1-3-0 with Anthony, Schubert and Tafoya opposed The main motion was approved by a vote of 4-0-0. A motion by Goldy seconded by Schubert to go into Executive Session for the purpose of discussion of security issues, not to come back into Open Session was approved on a roll call vote with all members voting in.the affirmative. Respectfull submitted, ecretary I