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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-01-11 Board of Selectmen Minutes Board of Selectmen Meeting January ll, 2005 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 7:30 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, Massachusetts. Present were Vice Chairman Camille Anthony, Secretary Gail Wood, Selectmen Joseph Duffy and George Hines, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner and the following list of interested parties: Robert Brown, Arnold Rubin, Paul Duffy, Marlene Wolfe. Reports and Comments Selectmen's Liaison kpports and Comments — Selectman Joseph Duffy reported that he received information about the Eaton School District, and feels that Cross Street, Ash Street and related areas should be "grandfathered" into the Joshua Eaton School District. Selectman George Hines reported that he, Vice Chairman Camille Anthony and Chairman Richard Schubert attended the MMA Annual Meeting, and he felt that the meeting was better than average. The Governor gave indications of what would happen in local revenues and the expectation that State aid would increase 4%. Selectman Hines also expressed his thanks to Dan Ensminger for his service on the Reading Municipal Light Board. Dan is leaving the Board effective with this coming election. .Vice Chairman Camille Anthony received a call on Sunday morning regarding snow plowing. She noted that the Board of Selectmen met on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. regarding the budget. Town Manager's Report The Town Manager gave the following report: ♦ Dan Ensminger has announced his resignation from the RMLB. That will leave a one year term to be filed in April. * Nomination papers are now available for Town Officers. Fifty Signatures for Officers and 10 in their precinct for Town Meeting Members are required. Nomination papers are due back in the Town Clerk's Office by 5:00 p.m. on February 15, 2005. ♦ An update of the flu vaccine distribution/immunization: • Two public clinics—728 immunized • Homebound immunized—90 • Police and Fire—22 • Special Immunizations— 105 • Total immunized at the present time—945 ♦ The Board of Selectmen will be meeting on the budget on Saturday, January 15th at 9:00 a.m. at Town Hall. Board of Selectmen Meeting—January 11, 2005—Page 2 ♦ This week on Wednesday and Thursday, five of our Police Superior Officers will be participating in the Police Chief's Assessment Center as candidates for the Police Chief's position. Current Chief Bob Silva is retiring this Spring. This process will take place here in I Town Hall. ♦ Plans are underway for the second annual "Friends and Family Day." The venue will be changed to the Reading Common, and the organizers are coordinating this with a merchant's event -- perhaps a sidewalk sale. The date is June 25th. I would hope that we would have good participation by Town and School Departments, and I would expect a considerably larger turnout than last year-- the change in time of year and venue should help considerably. ♦ The Reading Clergy Association is sponsoring a performance by an African American dance troupe in celebration of Martin Luther King Day. The performance will be at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, January 17th at St. Agnes Church in Reading. All are welcome to attend and to bring their families. ♦ Sarah List has informed us.that she is resigning as a Registrar, and she will be forwarding a letter. She is a Democrat. Her term was to expire this year. She is going to let the Democratic Committee know so they can find someone else. ♦ The Town has just received notice that we have received a recycling grant in the amount of $1,702 which will be spent on educational mailers to residents. ♦ The Town has received the RF Exposure Report on the Sprint cell phone site on the water tower. Discussion/Action Items Change in Policy—Master Plan Advisory Committee—The Town Manager referred the Board of Selectmen to the memo from the Town Planner. The Town Manager thought that this change in policy can be done administratively by the Board of Selectmen without need for a public hearing. The change in policy would be to add a member from the Historical Commission and a member from the Recreation Committee. On motion by Hines seconded by Wood, the Board of Selectmen voted to waive the policy requiring a hearing by a vote of 4-0-0. On motion by Hines seconded by Wood, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve a change in the policy establishing the Ad Hoc Master Plan Advisory Committee, as presented, by a vote of 4-0-0. Vice Chairman Camille Anthony asked for an update on the progress of the Master Plan generally, and specifically on the Park and Recreation elements. Wood End School Working Group — The Town Manager outlined his intention to establish a Wood End Working Group that will be made up of representatives from the neighborhood as well as a member of the Board of Selectmen and a member of the School Department. The consensus of the Board was for the Town Manager to proceed with that process. Board of Selectmen Meeting—January 11 2005 —Page 3 Review Atlantic Market Liquor License Plan — Joseph Duffy abstained himself from the meeting. Arnold Rubin and Paul Duffy discussed the issues with the Board of Selectmen. The original approval of the plan for sale of liquor at the Atlantic had it restricted to a single aisle. In December, the Atlantic came back before the Board with a request that additional display areas be permitted in different areas around the store. At its meeting of December 14, 2004, the Board of Selectmen approved the display on a trial basis as the Atlantic had requested. The Board was then going to do individual site visits and determine whether or not to make the approval permanent. The applicant is before the Board tonight to make these display areas permanent. Mr. Rubin noted that there are 17,000 people a week as customers in the Atlantic. They received 12-15 complaints about the liquor and beer wine displays, and the response overwhelmingly has been positive. The Atlantic presented a plan that the Town Manager dated 1/11/05 which showed the areas that the Atlantic wants to make as permanent displays. This includes moving the cold beer location from the end of the aisle near the fruits and egg display to the end of the same aisle where milk is currently displayed. Following questioning, Hines moved and Wood seconded a motion for the Board of Selectmen to approve the plan for locations for display and sale of liquor at the Atlantic Supermarket as presented on January 11, 2005 with the move of the cold beer storage location as indicated on the plan by June 1, 2005; that the applicant shall produce a final drawing of the plan as approved once the relocation of the cold beer location is finalized i The motion was approved by a vote of 3-0-0. Selectman Joseph Duffy rejoined the Selectmen's meeting. Public Input — Beer and Wine Package Store Licenses — The Town Manager noted that during the discussion on the award of the last All Alcoholic Package Store License, there was a sense from members of the Board of Selectmen that they would like to see beer and wine package store licenses permitted in Reading. In order for this to be considered, it would require a vote of Town Meeting, approval of a Home Rule Act by the legislature, and approval on an election ballot. If this is going to be done in the near future, the Board should make a decision now as to whether or not it wants this matter to appear on the Warrant for the 2005 Annual Town Meeting. The Town Manager noted that he sent a memo dated January 4, 2005 to the holders of all Beer and Wine Package Store Licenses, and also to all businesses who hold a Common Victualler's License or are a convenient store in Reading. Bob Brown asked whether the Board of Health should be invited to participate in these discussions. He noted that there is a procedure at liquor stores and the Board of Selectmen checks this. If the Town of Reading increases the licenses, it would be more work for the Board of Health. Mr. Brown suggested that perhaps rather than, increasing the number of total liquor licenses to 10 (five All Alcoholic Licenses and five Beer and Wine Licenses), perhaps the Town could increase by some lesser number and may even decrease the number of all alcoholic licenses. _ I Board of Selectmen Meeting—January 11,2005—Page 4 Selectman Gail Wood felt that the Police Department should be consulted as to whether or not we should increase the number of licenses. Marlene Wolfe, owner of the property at 4 West Street, indicated that people have told her that they would like to have a way to buy beer and/or wine outside of the Downtown. She indicated that they did not get a notice (notice was sent to the owner at 4 West Street). Vice Chairman Camille Anthony noted that she had received a comment from someone expressing an opposite opinion that they would like to contain the business to the Downtown area. Selectman Gail Wood wondered if liquor licenses bring business Downtown. She's not sure that it does and it also adds to traffic. Selectman George Hines noted that there is not much commercial area outside of Downtown and south Main Street. He indicated that even if the number of total licenses available (All Alcoholic and Beer and Wine Package Store Licenses) were allowed, the Board doesn't need to issue all of them. The Town did not issue its fifth All Alcoholic Package Store License until this year. He felt that it is an issue of convenience. They also might change the mix --perhaps the Wine Shop and/or the Atlantic would prefer to have a Beer and Wine Package Store License rather than an All Alcoholic Package Store License. Pei Bob Brown asked how often the number of permitted licenses is reviewed. On motion by Hines seconded by Wood, the Board of Selectmen agreed to place this matter on the Annual Town Meeting Warrant by a vote of 4-0-0. Review Hiring Process—Town Accountant and Finance Director—The Town Manager reviewed the proposed hiring process for the Town Accountant. The Town M a*nager is recommending establishing a screening committee which would review the job description, advise the Human Resource Administrator on the advertising and recruitment process, and would screen applicants with the goal of providing between one and three finalists to the Board of Selectmen. There was discussion about the timing, and the anticipation would be to have somebody in place by about September 1, 2005 to provide some overlap with the existing Town Accountant. The Town Manager outlined a screening committee that would be made up of one or two members of the Board of Selectmen, a member of the Finance Committee, a member•of the School Committee or their designee and the Town Manager. Selectman Gail Wood felt that the committee should be opened up somewhat so that it would not be a "closed government screening committee." She would like to have someone not directly related to government on the committee, but it would need to be someone who has knowledge, perhaps someone from the Audit Committee or perhaps a former Selectmen. Board of Selectmen Meeting—January 11, 2005—Page 5 Vice Chairman Camille Anthony expressed the same interest. The consensus was to have a member of the Board of Selectmen, a member of the Finance Committee, a member of the School Committde, the Town Manager, a current or former Audit Committee member, and two residents at large. Advertisement should take place in May. The Town Manager will come back with a specific policy and schedule for recruitment and hiring. The Town Manager presented to the Board of Selectmen some options related to the Finance Director's position. These were detailed in a memo dated 1/11105. The three options are: 1. To fill the position by promoting or hiring a Treasurer/Collector/Finance Director. The key positions of the Finance Department would consist-of 8.5 full time equivalent personnel the same as current. 2. Fill the position by promoting one of the other experienced Division Heads to become the Division Head/Finance Director. This could be the Appraiser, the Technology Coordinator or the Human Resources Administrator. This would maintain an FTE of 8.5 full time equivalent personnel in the key positions. 3. Create a position of Assistant Town Manager/Finaince Director with approximately half the time devoted to the Finance Director position and one half to the Assistant Town Manager's position. This would require and increase in key staff in the Finance Department to 9.0 fall time equivalent. The Town Manager reviewed the advantages and disadvantages to each. Selectman Gail Wood noted that she liked option three but it could be a situation where we are putting a position in the budget when things may need to be cut. Selectman George Hines noted that the State financial picture appears to be improving and felt that the position is important. He also noted that the position requires more of a general administrative function. Trying to combine the positions as the current Finance Director has is not a common fit. Having a numbers person and a people persondocsn't always go together. The consensus of all four members of the Selectmen present was to move forward budgetarily and administratively on the combined Assistant Town Manager/Finance Director position. Update on West Street Traffic Enforcement The Police Safety Officer was expected but since this item has come up more quickly than anticipated, we will go ahead and proceed with discussion. The e-mail from Chief Silva and from Tom Murphy via Chief Silva was reviewed. Selectman George Hines suggested that we provide guidance to enforcement officials that when a truck is not legitimately there, that the drivers should be advised of the alternate routes. Even if the truck can be on West Street, drivers should be advised to seek alternate routes. The consensus was to let abutters on West Street know what the enforcement issues are so that they have knowledge of what can and cannot be done. Board of Selectmen Meeting—January 11 2005 —Page 6 Approval of Minutes On motion by Hines seconded by Duffy, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the Minutes of January 3, 2005 by a vote of 4-0-0. On motion by Hines seconded by Wood, the Board of Selectmen voted to go into Executive Session for the purpose of strategy with respect to labor negotiations to come back into Open Session at approximately 10.00 p.m. Ona roll call vote, all four members of the Selectmen present voted in the affirmative and the motion was carried At approximately 10:00 p.m.,the Board came back into Open Session. On motion by Hines seconded by Wood the Board of Selectmen voted to accept Section 19 of Chapter 32b of the Massachusetts General Laws to continue the coalition bargaining process in place since 1990 relative to health insurance The motion was approved by a vote of 4-0-0. On motion by Hines seconded by Duffv, the Board of Selectmen voted to adiourn their meeting of January 11, 2005 at 10.05 p.m. on a vote of 4-0-0. Respectfully submitted, Secretary