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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-03-21 Board of Selectmen Minutes Board of Selectmen Meeting March 21,2000 The meeting convened at 7:35 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, Massachusetts. Present were Vice Chairman Matthew Nestor, Secretary George Hines, Selectmen Camille Anthony and Matthew Cummings, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, Assistant Town Manager Russell Dean, Public Works Director Ted McIntire, Finance Director Beth Klepeis, Acting Library Director Diane Young and Members of the Board of Library Trustees Donna Indelicato, Steven Conner and Richard Ogden. Discussion/Action Items Review Budget - The budget was discussed. The Town Manager presented a sheet of information outlining where we are with the budget. The municipal budget needs to be cut by $419,774 according to FINCOM's proposal from last week's Financial Forum. Selectman George Hines questioned whether FINCOM has had a vote on the scenario presented by the Town Manager. The Town Manager noted that he was presenting this as a worst case scenario. Selectman George Hines also questioned cutting the fuel expense in Building Maintenance. The FINCOM has asked for truth in budgeting, and reducing the energy budget does not seem wise. Selectman Matthew Cummings asked for a printout on fuel and energy expenses to date. Selectman George Hines mentioned he had attended a seminar on education finance. Maintenance is going to be evaluated. We may be penalized for not keeping buildings properly. The Town Manager mentioned that it was likely maintenance will be tied to spending levels, and it is his understanding from the Superintendent of Schools that we meet those levels with our current budget. Selectman Camille Anthony stated we need to know what the building maintenance legislation is saying. Review Capital Improvements Program - The Town Manager reviewed the capital budget. He recommends the GIS mapping system, and deferring one dump truck for a year. We need $70,000 to complete the base mapping which can be used on its own, and is usable as the foundation map for the GIS system. We have a consultant and he feels we need this amount of money to get our base map in place. Selectman Camille Anthony asked if this will give us GIS capability. The Town Manager stated that it would. We will be able to utilize the base map immediately. It is easily updated. We will overlay data on the base map. Public Works Director Ted McIntire stated that the dump truck to be replaced is #16, a 1981 vehicle. It is parked and has had a major engine problem. We won't trade #9 because we still use it heavily for the sanding operation. Having GIS will save the survey crew time in the field, and having new base maps will increase the efficiency of the Engineering Division. Selectman Matthew Cummings asked what the dollar savings would be. Ted McIntire stated the staff is straight out now and has a large backlog. This will help reduce that backlog. Finance Director Beth Klepeis stated that $110,000 was originally thought to be enough to do mapping. The consultant checked and we could only do 3/4 of that. Board of Selectmen Meeting—March 21, 2000—Page 2 Selectman George Hines asked Ted McIntire if he were prioritizing, would he agree with the Town Manager. Ted McIntire stated absolutely. Selectman Camille Anthony stated that the GIS will allow us to be more efficient. The Town Manager noted on the capital, there were no reductions in school capital other than the maintenance vehicle. Town government is taking all the reductions. If the schools took a similar percentage of reduction, it would be about $20,000. Selectman Matthew Cummings stated that we originally set up the School technology allocation for $500,000 in debt, then $100,000 per year every year after that. Selectman Camille Anthony asked about the actual FY 1999 and FY 2000 expense in that area. The Town Manager stated that he thought the money was encumbered to be used for Coolidge — it was under construction at the time, and the money could not be used but he will check. Selectman Matthew Cummings asked the Town Manager to explain the playground upgrade. The Town Manager stated that this is on a cycle and we have done three of nine so far. New materials go into playground refurbishing. We are working with parent groups and do monthly inspections. Selectman Matthew Cummings asked about the fire pumper and when was it last replaced? The Town Manager stated that engine #4 is to be replaced. It is slightly ahead of the 20 year replacement schedule but needs to be replaced due to wear and tear. Selectman Matthew Cummings asked about the ambulance. The Town Manager stated that we try to replace an ambulance every five years. The last ambulance went to the fire auxiliary and they use it to refill oxygen bottles at fire scenes like the recent fire on Woburn Street. Rescue#2 would be traded in or auctioned, whichever got the Town the best deal. Selectman George Hines stated that it was nice we are supplementing services with volunteers. Selectman Matthew Cummings asked about Town Hall major maintenance. The Town Manager stated that it was for carpet in the Library and window replacement. He would get the rest of the items for the Selectmen. Selectman Camille Anthony asked what is an optical imaging device? The Town Manager explained this item was for the records management program and will automate our records. Selectman Camille Anthony asked if we are really putting $2 million in the High School? The Town Manager stated that we structure the financing plan according to the year projects are authorized, and the $2 million in the plan is for the architectural work for the High School prof ect. The Town Manager mentioned the Saugus River Drainage project should stay in the capital plan because it needs to be done. We are looking for grants to offset some of the project cost. We have also sought RMLD's assistance to fund the DPW vehicle maintenance study since they will get a benefit from it. Board of Selectmen Meeting—March 21, 2000—Page 3 Selectman Matthew Cummings asked when we were going to deal with the revolving fund issues. The Town Manager stated that the Chairman of the FINCOM presents it as part of the total revenue package. Maybe we should revisit the neighborhood improvement program after the budget process. Selectman George Hines suggested we simply eliminate the revolving fund and fund the neighborhood improvement program through the general fund. The Town Manager stated that the $48,000 would have covered Wilson and Pleasant Street. The NIP is a good idea because it acknowledges neighborhood impacts of capital projects. Selectman Matthew Cummings stated the FINCOM is recommending cuts from the capital plan but doesn't consider the neighborhood program because it is in a revolving fund. The Town Manager stated that the program has been successful. We need to recognize when Town projects have an impact on local neighborhoods as we did when we constructed curbing and sidewalks around Eaton, Coolidge and the Birch Meadow Schools. The Town Manager reviewed the list of operating reductions. Selectman George Hines asked about zoning enforcement. The Town Manager stated that we would do response on a complaint basis but no proactive zoning enforcement. We would reduce overtime at the Compost Center resulting in longer lines. We will balance off $3,656 from the public safety budget. Animal control will be reduced to 5 hours per week. Police, Fire and Public Works have more than one person performing duties. Each would see a reduction. Selectman Camille Anthony asked if reducing the number of Police Officers through attrition takes us below what the study recommended. The Town Manager stated that it would. Selectman Camille Anthony stated that the firefighter reduction was troublesome because of minimum staffing. The Town Manager stated that a piece of equipment may have to come out of service. This would take our groups to four 10 person groups. Selectman Camille Anthony asked if Chief Wood could do an analysis. The Town Manager stated that this has been done, and the issues are when people are out and for what reason. Selectman Matthew Cummings asked if the Fire Department has ever turned back money to the Town, and he asked about the Assistant Chief's salary. The Town Manager stated that the Assistant Chief makes $62,523 for FY 2001. The Town Manager stated that all the position reductions are vacant except one which will become vacant in June. Vice Chairman Matthew Nestor would look at overtime compared to vacancy savings. Selectman Matthew Cummings stated that we would save $29,000 eliminating the Assistant Chief's position. The Town Manager stated that the Assistant Chief position is specialized work that firefighters don't do. Selectman Camille Anthony stated that we need continuity in the Fire Department with the Chief retiring. The Town Manager stated that we'd look at the community policing grant to pay patrol work. We would offset elections with a grant that we get when we have a State Election for additional polling hours. Selectman Matthew Cummings asked if we get the grant each year there is a State Election? The Town Manager stated that we do. Board of Selectmen Meeting—March 21, 2000—Page 4 The Town Manager reviewed the rest of the expenses including: reducing personnel costs, labor counsel, reducing insurance claims retainage, reducing professional development and out of state travel, eliminating Reading Notes, deferring a Police vehicle 1 year, eliminating street sweeping rental,reducing the snow/ice budget to just a small level of increase. Public Works Director Ted McIntire stated that we have plowed three times this year. We need $53,000 to cover the snow/ice budget. The Town Manager reviewed the rest of the operating cuts: reduce school parking lot maintenance, reduce school grounds maintenance, transfer the senior property tax program to the Burbank Trust, eliminate retreat, recover greater percentage of indirect costs from the Cemetery Department. Selectman Camille Anthony asked if this would totally recover all cemetery related costs. The Town Manager stated that an analysis needs to be done on the cemeteries to see if it can be self- supporting. This would shift some costs to the cemeteries but not 100% of all costs. Selectman Camille Anthony questioned our cost per plot of$1,000. The Town Manager stated that at last review, we were on the high side for municipal cemeteries. The Library materials would be reduced $4,000. Vice Chairman Matthew Nestor deferred to the Library Trustees in attendance and stated that as one of the only elected boards in Town, if we're going to cut $10,000 they should decide where it gets cut. A 25% overhead rate would be charged to water and sewer. The Board discussed having a consistent policy on recovering direct and indirect costs. Selectman Matthew Cummings felt shifting funds to raise revenue was the same as a trash fee. Selectman George Hines agreed with Selectman Camille Anthony that we need a consistent policy. Selectman Camille Anthony asked if the override had passed, would we be doing this? The Town Manager stated that eventually we would. Selectman Camille Anthony asked about changing the zoning enforcement process for fining — we should be getting more fines out of it. Selectman Matthew Cummings stated that the last positions created should be the first discussed when eliminating positions. Selectman Matthew Cummings would layoff new positions before not hiring a firefighter. We need to look at all new positions created in Town Government. Isolate throw away items and itemize things that are going to happen anyway. We need to know what the order of magnitude is on raising recreation fees. Selectman Camille Anthony asked about the hospital trust, and should we be charging overhead to administer these trusts? The Town Manager stated that this is a longer range issue. Selectman George Hines stated that maybe we look at no wage increases above 2.5%. Zoning enforcement is a problem. We're nitpicking at animal control. Spreading the pain is a good approach. The Recreation Administrator was just replaced, and we need to evaluate how positions are funded — this may determine what we eliminate and what we keep. People in positions need to understand where they fall. We may need to look at fuel expenses and come up with more cuts. Board of Selectmen Meeting—March 21 2000—Pnxe5 The Board listed keeping the Zoning Enforcement Officer, maintaining snow/ice and leaving firefighters as priorities. Selectman George Hines mentioned looking at elections to reduce costs. The Town Manager stated that his impression was that we had the minimum amount of staff available by State law. We pay election workers $75 per day. On motion by Cummings seconded by Anthony, the Board voted to adjourn their meeting of March 21, 2000 at 10:03 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Secretary