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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-12-04 Board of Selectmen Minutes Minutes of the Board of Selectmen Meeting December 4, 1990 The Board of Selectmen convened in the Board of Selectmens' Meet- ing Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, MA at 7: 03 p.m. Present were Chairman Russell Graham, Vice Chairman Daniel Ensminger, Secretary George Hines, Selectmen Eugene Nigro, Sally Hoyt, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, and the following list of residents: Mary Williams, Jim Murphy, Pat Black, Linda Black, Damon Black, Lewis C. Schena, William R. Sigsbury, Pat Cignetti, Madeline Sigsbury, Nathan White, Patricia Driscoll, Robert Zit- zow, Lynn M. Bak, Bob Munnelly, Frank Driscoll, Carol Lyons, Jim Nally, George Shannon, Stanley Nissen, Bill Burditt, Barbara Philbrick, Bruce MacDonald. On motion by Ensminger seconded by Hines the Board voted to go into Executive Session to discuss litigation and labor nego- tiations, to come out into Open Session at 8: 00 p.m. On a voice vote with all members voting in the affirmative, the Board ad- journed to go into Executive Session at 7 : 05 p.m. The Board reconvened in Open Session at 8: 08 p.m. The first or- der of business was to close the Warrant for the Special Town Election on 1/8/91. On motion by Ensminger seconded by Hoyt the Board voted to hold a Special Election on Tuesday, January 8, 1991 for the following purpose: Shall the Town of Reading be al- lowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition two and one- half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the bond issue issued in order to fund renovations and additions to the Birch Meadow School on Arthur B. Lord Drive, and the Joshua Eaton School on Summer Avenue, including the costs of original furnish- ings and equipment, engineering and architectural fees, inspec- tion fees, contingencies and related facilities incidental thereto and necessary in connection therewith. " Said bond to be issued pursuant to Article 26 voted at the Subsequent Town Meet- ing November 26, 1990. The Board wished that a summary or fur- ther explanation could be included in the ballot question, but was assured by the Town Manager and Town Counsel that this was the form that would be accepted by the Department of Revenue. George Hines expressed his willingness to vote for this motion because he feels it is the will of Town Meeting, but also felt that a Special Election was unnecessary and that this election could be held during the Annual Town Election in March. The Board voted 5-0-0 in favor of the motion and the motion was ap- proved. Stan Nissen presented to the Board of Selectmen the School Committee's concerns that trash removal and disposal not be con- sidered a "fixed expense" to be paid prior to all other expenses of the Town. He felt that the budget should be developed in such a manner that trash was the last item to be approved and there- fore the budgets for the operating departments of the Town in- cluding the School Department would be properly funded .and trash may either not be done or may not be fully funded. His concern is that the guidelines developed would cut $800, 000 to $900, 000 out of the School Department budget, most of which would come out of teaching. It is the School Committee's belief that education Board of Selectmen Minutes - 12/4/90 - page 2 and public safety have to have a higher priority than trash dis- posal. The Town Manager reviewed the history of trash expenses for the Town. He indicated that in FY89 the cost was $661, 000, in FY90 $732 , 000, in FY91 $924, 000, and projected that in FY92 expenses would be $1, 630,000. The increasing costs at RESCO are what is driving the cost up. The Town's litigation may serve to diminish these costs somewhat, but it is unlikely that this litigation will be completed in the near future. The Town Manager also reviewed with those assembled, a memo out- lining the areas where the School Department and Municipal Government work together and areas where additional new working relationships could be explored. Dan Ensminger welcomed the School Committee's involvement in this process. He indicated that he thought some of the question marks in the FY92 budget are: the impact of the approval of Question 5 i (40% of revenue to the cities and towns) ; RFSCO litigation; pos- sible changes to Prop 2 1/2 . He reiterated the need to work together on more areas. Stan Nissen presented an overview of the school budget. The $800,000 to $900, 000 reduction would result in the reduction of $550,000 in staff translating to 14 to 20 teachers.. The choices are either to cut programs or to increase class sizes. The specialization areas such as art, music, physical education, reading, media, computers, home economics, and industrial arts are the programs that are most likely to be cut. Increasing class sizes would result in 28 to 32 children per class from a current level of 22 to 27. Possibilities of cuts would be four to six teachers in elementary schools which would result in un- balanced classroom sizes; four teachers in the middle schools in each school or a total of eight teachers -in the middles schools; at the high school, cuts in programs or increases in class -size. Other areas being reviewed are the administrative areas - depart- ment heads in the middle schools or department chairs in the high school. Cutting Assistant Principals means a reduction in the area of student discipline. Building maintenance cuts have al- ready been done, and Director's positions have been cut so there are only one and one half positions. Athletics is supported by the Town at the rate of $170,000 per year which is a reduction of $50,00 to $70, 000 from previous years. George Shannon from the School Committee indicated that he felt trash was -an optional service whereas education is not. Bill Burditt, Chairman of the Finance Committee, indicated his support of the School Department and athletics, but stated that we all need to be cognizant of the fact that there is no more revenue available. He also is concerned that a trash fee would be perceived as a way of getting around Proposition 2 1/2 , and considering that the override failed last year, the public may not be receptive to a Proposition 2 1/2 override or trash fee. Russ Graham asked if there were other areas where additional revenues could be secured such as through additional state aid Board of Selectmen Minutes - 12/4/90 - page 3 through the passage of Question 5. Mr. Burditt indicated that he didn't think so. ` Jim Murphy spoke about the need to continue athletics in the schools, and without a potential fee of $200 per sport. Institu- tion of a fee like that would create the haves and the have nots within the school system. Stan Nissen suggested that the trash collection and disposal be set as the lowest priority in the budget, and be funded at the level possible once other needs have been taken care of. He sug- gested a waiver process for those who cannot pay. He also sug- gested an override as an option to fund the current services budget. Russ Graham indicated that the current fiscal difficulties were predictable and were in fact predicted. Whatever is done this year only defers the problem to another year. Damon Black asked whether it was wise to go for a building con- struction program now since we will have less resources to main- tain more buildings. Pat Black expressed concern that the reading programs are being cut. Nate White expressed concern about how we could justify a trash fee which is an avoidance of the Prop 2 1/2 . Bob Zitzow indicated that Town government has as its function broad services that citizens can't provide individually, and he felt that trash was one of those. Pat Cignetti, Jim Nally and Bruce MacDonald also spoke. Dan Ensminger suggested that people talk with their legislators about structural changes to Prop 2 1/2 . The School Committee was advised that the Board of Selectmen is meeting with our representatives on December 18, and they may want to attend that meeting. Public Hearing The hearing on the recommendation to establish the Head Public Safety Dispatcher position was opened. The Town Manager, Chief Redfern, and Frank Driscoll, representing the Firefighters' As- sociation, spoke in favor of the position. The Board of Selectmen had concerns that this was establishing another layer of bureaucracy and that during our fiscal status we might be funding a position that would later have to be laid off. On mo- _ tion by Ensminger seconded by Nigro the Board voted to close the hearing by vote of 5-0-0. Moved by Nigro seconded by Hines that the Pay and Classification Plan of the Town be amended to create the position of Head Public Safety Dispatcher at a Grade 6. The vote being 1-4-0 the motion Board of Selectmen Minutes - 12/4/90 - page 4 was denied and the position was not created. The Chairman of the Board of Selectmen asked that a letter be f sent to Rebecca Longley thanking her for her service to the Con- servation Commission of the Town. Licenses On motion by Nigro seconded by Ensminger the Board voted to grant the following liquor licenses by a vote of 5-0-0: Harrows Poultry Products; Home Building Corporation of Reading Knights of Columbus; Ida's Stationhouse Restaurant; Meadowbrook Country Club; P and B Liquors; Wes Parker's; Reading Liquors Inc. ; Read- ing Overseas Veterans; Reading Veterans' Association Inc. ; Uptown Liquors. On motion by Ensminger seconded by Hoyt the Minutes of November 20, 1990 were approved as submitted by vote of 5-0-0. Liaison Reports Eugene Nigro indicated that he had attended a Chamber of Commerce meeting regarding traffic and parking as their main concern. George Hines indicated that he had attended the same meeting. Russ Graham had attended the lighting ceremony and expressed thanks to Arnold Berger, Bruce Morang and all those who had a part in this event. Dan Ensminger had no report. Sally Hoyt in- dicated that the Reading Housing Authority was meeting with its legislative delegation on 12/10/90 concerned about HUD's denial of Section 8 certification of the Reading Housing Authority. On motion. by Hines seconded by Hoyt the Board voted to go into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing labor nego- tiations and real estate transactions not to come into Open Ses- sion. All members voting in the affirmative, the Board adjourned to Executive Session at 11:17 p.m. Respectfully submitted, 0 /r Secretary