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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-02-23 Board of Selectmen Minutes Minutes of the Board of Selectmen Meeting February 23 , 1993 The meeting was convened at 8: 05 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, MA. Present were Chairman Dan Ensminger, Vice Chairman George Hines, Secretary Sally Hoyt, Selectmen Eugene Nigro and Bill Burditt, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner and the following list of interested parties: Tom Stohlman, Tim Twomey, Matt Cummings, Richard Radville, Rachel & Steve Baumgartner, Elia Marnick, Jim Biller, Barbara Philbrick, Mary J. Andreola, Annette Flanagan, Richard Coco. The Town Manager presented a package of proposed items which are being included in a $2 . 5 million Proposition 2 1/2 Override. They included elimination of the Rubbish Fee for $1, 002 , 000; level service for the schools, including salary increases, for $1, 009, 000; capital improvements $204, 000; and various municipal expenses for $285, 000. Bill Burditt reviewed a chart outlining how these items broke down, and what the taxpayers were getting for an additional $60 per year net effect. Burditt indicated that one of the major benefits of the override is it would eliminate the Trash Fee and that he would never vote for Trash Fee again if the override is voted. Matt Cummings, Chairman of the School Committee, indicated that the School Committee met yesterday before the Finance Committee meeting. They looked at the Education Reform Bill and the over- ride., and suggested the following was a consensus of the School Committee: 1) Out of the $1,009, 000 proposed in the override for the schools, the School Department would fund the athletic fees and music fees - ie. separate fees would be eliminated. 2) Out of the school override amount, the School Department would fund the $60, 000 for the portable classroom at Birch Meadow School. 3) If the Education Reform Bill passes, they would use ap- proximately $150, 000 for items that would have been cut to accom- modate the athletic fees, music fees, and portable classroom. 4) Out of Ed Reform money, if passed, they would agree to fund the track improvements and the roof at the Reading Memorial High School, rather than bond for them. 5) They would look to utilize the Educational Reform Bill to offset the use of free cash and reduce the levy limit. George Hines indicated that he missed the meeting last week and the Town owes acknowledgment to the Reading Taxpayers Associa- tion, the Selectmen, and the School Committee for putting this package together. The current circumstances are part of the natural progression over the last three years as budgets have declined. These have been difficult years both nationally and locally. People who have lost jobs have particular difficulty, but it is time for us to put parochial concerns aside. The over- ride package shows firmly the support for the schools. Hines has some concerns about the proposed expenditures on the municipal side. He feels we should not just be using up all of the money to get to the $2 . 5 million, we still owe it to the community to reduce as much as we possibly can. Specifically, with regard to Board of Selectmen Minutes - 2/23/93 - page 2 salary increases, he feels that we should stay within a 2 .5% in- crease now and see what we can do the next fiscal year. He recommends that the schools abide by that guideline also. He feels that we should retain the Fire Department training as proposed, add one Dispatcher instead of two, eliminate the tax lien work since we've already agreed to that cut, and reduce the legal budget. He does not feel that we should touch the $1, 009, 000 available for the schools. He suggests that with regard to the Library that we should not increase the Sunday hours. Elia Marnick from the Library Board indicated that she was very agreeable to shifting the Library Board's priorities to reflect what the Town Manager has outlined. Hines asked about the capital improvements. The boiler replace- ment at the West Side Station has gone up in priority. The Town Manager indicated the situation is worse than initially an- ticipated. Hines indicated that to demonstrate concern for the taxpayer he would support a lower amount than the $2.5 million. Bill Burditt indicated that he would not be agreeable to Hines' proposed 2 . 5% salary increase for municipal employees when they haven't had a raise in two years. The money provided is actually 3 .4% of the salary budget. He congratulated staff at doing an outstanding job in refining what they would do if $2 . 5 million was available. He would make no major adjustments with those proposed items. All items have previously been discussed by the Board of Selectmen. He indicated that you could really add a lot more to the list but the list proposed was concerned about the ability to pay and was a responsible list. Sally Hoyt feels that it is a responsible list and would support it. She feels badly that we can't afford more than 3 .4%. George Hines doesn't feel that the list developed by the Town Manager represents the tightest possible reductions. Burditt indicated that if we thought 2. 5% was an appropriate salary increase, then we should actually be budgeting 7.5% this year to make up for the two years without salary increases. Ensminger indicated that he would support Hines' 2 . 5%. Nigro asked about putting the Snow and Ice Control overruns onto next years budget and the Town Manager indicated that we were al- ready at least $50,000 over budget and we would have to consider that in any case. That doesn't raise more money though. George Hines outlined his concern that if we were going to con- sider capital items on the override, that we should have con- sidered a capital exclusion and they would not have gone into the base. He asked if it was too late and suggests we should get the Secretary of States' opinion. He asked for ruling from Town Counsel in writing. Dick Coco, Chairman of the Finance Committee, indicated that Fin- Com seems to favor an override. He feels that some of the areas of put backs are weak like Dispatchers and training. He feels Board of Selectmen Minutes - 2/23/93 - page 3 - that education, and salary increases are important. If the over- ride does pass, FinCom will still be watching to see that the monies are appropriately used and that the effect of the override is not used up in one or two years. Tim Twomey asked if we talked with Framingham about the way they worded their override question. Jim Biller indicated that he feels that the municipal budgets and school budgets are starting from a low point and that the Proposition 2 1/2 override would not "make them whole" as the Town Manager had indicated. Gene Nigro asked about the probable Rubbish Fee if there is no override; the Town Manager indicated that it would be in the area of $180. Richard Radville indicated that we would need to know what the fee would be. Carroll McMillan outlined a concern that we've not talked about the effect of a Proposition 2 1/2 override redirecting ap- proximately $500, 000 from the federal government to the Town. Burditt moved and Hoyt seconded a motion to approve- an override in the amount $2,500,000. On motion by Hines seconded by Nigro the following amendments were proposed: reduce the tax lien - $4, 000; reduce library hours - $10,549; reduce police salaries - $10, 000; reduce police fuel - $4, 000; reduce fire salaries - $10, 000; reduce dispatching - $20,000; reduce salary adjustments $65, 000; reduce benefits - $4,488. Each of the items was voted separately and the following are the results: Reduce Tax Lien - $4, 000; voted 2-3-0, motion defeated. Reduce Library Hours — $10,549; voted 1-4-0, motion defeated. Reduce Police Salaries - $10, 000; voted 2-3-0, motion defeated. Reduce Police Fuel - $4, 000; voted 2-3-0, motion defeated. Reduce Fire Salaries - $10, 000; voted 1-4-0, motion defeated. Reduce Dispatching - $20, 000; voted 4-1-0, motion approved. Bur- ditt voted against. Reduce Salary Adjustments - $65, 000; voted 4-1-0, motion ap- proved. Burditt voted against. Reduce Benefits - $4 ,488; voted 4-1-0, motion approved. Burditt voted against. The new amount of the main motion was $2,410, 512 . The main mo- tion in that amount was approved by a vote of 5-0-0. Board of Selectmen Minutes 2/23/93 - page 4 On motion by Hines seconded by Burditt the Board voted to go on record as intending to rescind the Rubbish Collection Disposal Fee effective 7/1/93 if the Proposition 2 1/2 Override is ap- proved by the voters at the election on March 23 , 1993 . The mo- tion was approved by a vote of 5-0-0. On motion by Hines seconded by Nigro the Board voted to communi- cate to the School Committee -their intent to hold salary in- creases for FY94 to 2.5%, and hope that the School Committee will follow suit. The motion was approved by a vote of 5-0-0. Rachelle Baumgartner indicated that the Board of Selectmen as an elected body can take a position on the override. George Hines indicated that setting the $2.410 million figure implies support and the Board might want to take a position now or later. Hines indicated he would like to revisit the legal account. On motion by Hines seconded by Nigro the Board voted to reconsider line item D4 by a vote of 5-0-0. On motion by Hines seconded by Burditt the Board approved a `revised amount for line D4 - Town Counsel in the amount of $97,500 by a vote of 5-0-0. The Town Manager indicated that Town Counsel had been level funded for four years and that the proposal submitted as part of the Town legal search process had been increases to $100, 000 a year for FY92 and FY93 , and $102,500 - $105, 000 for FY94. Hines pointed out that the 2 . 5% reflects what was just done for salaries for employees. Nigro indicated that he felt comfortable with the amount and it is in line with what other Town Counsels are paid. The Board of Selectmen individually commented on the override. Nigro indicated he will support and work for the override. He had expected the capital projects to be a separate question and wanted to be able to vote on them separately. He is encouraged that the community is coming together again on this issue. Ensminger indicated that we will have ongoing needs for capital projects. Hines agreed with Nigro's comment. He will personally support the override. He indicated that the proposal from the Reading Taxpayers Association was admirable. He's glad to see the com- munity pulling together. He applauded the School Committee and the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee. Dan Ensminger indicated his unequivocal support for the override and he will work hard for its passage. Things are different this time than the last override request. Sally Hoyt indicated that she will support it. Board of Selectmen Minutes - 2/23/93 - page 5 Bill Burditt indicated that he is very supportive, and with respect to capital, these are only a few of the needs, and there will be more each year. The Board asked that the Minutes reflect that all five members of the Board of Selectmen support the over- ride. Dan Ensminger indicated that the MWRA is holding a meeting next Tuesday morning and asked if anybody will be able to be present. He also indicated that he has been contacted by a Selectmen from Weymouth regarding an MWRA suit that Attorney Delehart has indi- cated that he will take Pro Bono regarding the issue of the failure to meter sewerage from the towns. Ensminger noted that the majority of the MWRA Board is from Boston, and that sewer metering is not in their interests. The sense of the Board of Selectmen was that it was okay to proceed to support this issue, especially if it is not costing us anything. Annette Flanagan addressed the Board. She was disturbed about headlines indicating that the Reading Taxpayers Association is supporting the override. She feels that the majority of the RTpA is not supporting it and is not in favor. She indicated that Carroll McMillan should have talked to more Taxpayer Association Members. Chairman Dan Ensminger indicated that that is an issue that she should take up directly with Mr. McMillan. On motion by Burditt seconded by Hoyt the Board voted to adjourn by a vote of 5-0-0 at 10:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Secretar