HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-01-06 Board of Selectmen Minutes Board of Selectmen Meeting
January 6, 1999
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, 16 Lowell
Street, Reading, Massachusetts. Present were Chain-nail Bruce MacDonald, Vice Chairman
Sally Hoyt, Selectmen Camille Anthony and George Hines, Town Manager Peter
Hechenbleikner, Assistant Town Manager Russell Dean and the following list of interested
parties: Joe Connelly, Nancy Eaton, Donald Wood.
George Hines announced that he will be seeking re-election for a fourth three-year tern.
Sally Hoyt announced that she will also be seeking re-election.
Discrission/Action Items
Approval of BANS - On motion by Anthony seconded by Hoyt, the Board approved the
following motion on the award of the Bond Anticipation Notes by a vote of 4-0-0.
Moved that the Board of Selectmen approve the issuance, sale and delivery of$5,610,000 Bond
Anticipation Notes (Municipal Purpose Loan of 1999) of the Town of Reading. Said Bond
Anticipation Notes shall be dated January 14, 1999 and shall mature on January 13, 2000. There
will be one note, issued by means of a book entry system. The Board of Selectmen approves the
acceptance of the bid of Fleet Securities and designates State Street Bank and Trust Company as
Note Registrar, Transfer Agent and Paying Agent. The winning bid to purchase the notes was a
3.25% interest rate with a premium of$13,314.67. The net interest cost (NIC) was 3.012%. The
motion was approved by a vote of 4-0-0.
Review Budget—The Town Manager reviewed the draft FY 2000 Budget for municipal services.
He noted that the revenues are presently estimated to increase by 4.5%. The Town Budget with
everything included as shown would increase by 4.9%. The Town Manager went over the
individual department budgets with any new program requests that were included.
In the Finance budget, the Board wants the School telephone expenses kept in the School budget
1-1
and not shown in the Town budget. The Board had discussion as to whether or not a GIS
Coordinator should be included in the Finance Department as proposed or elsewhere.
In the Department of General Services, the Board asked that the Assistant Town Manager
position be put in the General Services Department not in Human Services in order to keep the
focus on the Assistant Town Manager function of the job. The Board asked to consider adding
Professional Development for the National League of Cities, and the Town Manager will review
the cost.
With regard to the Library budget, there was discussion as to whether or not the minimum
expenditures for materials should come out of the Town budget, or whether it was appropriate to
use State aid or trust fund money for this purpose. The Town Manager noted that it had always
Board of Selectmen Meeting—January 6, 1999—Page 2
been the intent of the Town to use State aid for this purpose. The Library Director was opposed
to this policy of not using Town funds for the expenditure of materials.
In the Department of Public Safety Fire budget, the Board asked for a five-year history of
overtime, the number of fires by type of fire, and what the Chief would recommend in overtime.
In the Public Works budget, questions were raised about where we use calcium chloride for
sanding, the need for filling the engineering position that has been vacant, and the need for
additional tree planting.
In employee benefits, the Town. Manager noted an error in the Worker's Comp budget — the
amount noted in the summary is greater than required and this will be corrected.
The Board of Selectmen will take all of this material into account and come up with a proposed
new program priority list.
On motion by Anthony seconded by Hoyt, the Board voted to adjourn their meeting of January 6,
1999 at 11:00 p.m. by a vote of 3-0-0.
Resp ctfully submitted,
I J,I
Seretary