HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987-04-13 Annual Town Meeting Minutes102
ADJOURNED ANNUAL,TOWN'MEETING
FIRST BUSINESS SESSION
W.S. Parker Middle School April' 13, 1987
The meeting was called to order by the Moderator; Paul C: Dustin at 7:45 P.M., there
being a quorum present.
The invocation was given by the Rev. Dr. Dayl Hufford of the First Congregational
Church, followed by the Pledge of..Allegiance to the Flag and the Town Meeting Members
Pledge.
The warrant was partially read by the Town Clerk, Doris M. Fantasia, when on motion
of John H. Russell, it was voted to dispense with further reading of the warrant, except for
the officer's return, which was then read by the Town Clerk.
On a point of personal privilege, Paul E. Landers presented the following Resolution
for Lawrence Drew. The Resolution was adopted by a unanimous vote of the Town Meeting
body.
RESOLUTION
Honoring
LAWRENCE DREW
Be it Resolved By This Annual Town Meeting, April 13, 1987, that:
WHEREAS, Lawrence Drew has well and faithfully served the Town of
Reading for more than thirty-three years, first as a member of
the Board of Selectmen and as its Chairman for 5 years; then as -
a member of the Finance Committee and as its Chairman for 5
years; and finally as Town Clerk since March 1970, and j
WHEREAS, Lawrence Drew has served these 33 years with competence and
skill, earning the respect and thanks of all Towns people and
municipal officials in Reading and throughout the
Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Lawrence Drew bearing the responsibility of numerous
obligations, administered his office with great awareness of
humanitarian concerns for our beloved community while guiding
his office in developing a standard of excellence unmatched in
the annals of the office in quality of service, and
WHEREAS, Lawrence Drew, with his wealth of knowledge about our Town
and its government provided excellent counsel and background
to Town Meeting, various Town Boards and Committees, and to
staff;
NOW THEREFORE, WE, the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Reading, ask Town
Meeting Members to join us in saluting Lawrence Drew for his
dedicated stewardship on the occasion of his retirement from
service, to wish him health and success in the years ahead
carrying with him the thanks and appreciation of this
Community. We further move that a copy of this resolution be
spread upon the record of this meeting and that a copy of it,
suitably embossed with the Town Seal be presented to him.
On a point of personal privilege, Clifford Allen presented the following resolution for
Robert S. Wells, Ed.D. The Resolution was adopted by a unanimous vote of the Town
Meeting body.
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting
RESOLUTION
Honoring
ROBERT S. WELLS, ED.D
Superintentendent of Schools
Be It Resolved By This Annual Town Meeting, April 13, 1987, that:
April 13, 1987 1 03
WHEREAS, Robert S. Wells has well and faithfully served the Town of
Reading for the past twenty-two years; and
WHEREAS, Robert S. Wells has served on many townwide committees, and
has recently retired after many years as an elected Town
Meeting Member; and
WHEREAS, Robert S. Wells has honorably and successfully borne the
responsibility and obligations of administering to the Reading
Public Schools from 1965 to 1987, always with a deep concern
for the youth of Reading, while implementing a myriad of
State, Federal, and local programs;
NOW THEREFORE, WE, the School Committee of the Town of Reading, ask Town
Meeting Members to join us in saluting Robert S. Wells for his
very dedicated stewardship, and on the occasion of his
retirement from service, to wish him much success in the years
ahead, carrying with him the thanks and appreciation of this
community. We further move a copy of this Resolution be
spread upon the records of this Meeting, and that a copy of it,
suitably embossed with the Town Seal be presented to him.
On a point of personal privilege John Fallon presented the following Resolution for
John B. Pacino. The Resolution was adopted by a unanimous vote of the Town Meeting body.
RESOLUTION
Honoring
JOHN B. PACING
WHEREAS, John B. Pacino has served the Town of Reading as
Superintendent of Recreation, Town Meeting Member,
Representative to the Northeast Vocational School Board, and in
numerous other capacities; and
WHEREAS, John B. Pacino has given generously and unselfishly of his time
and efforts to the Town of Reading not only in Town
Government but in a number of other community activities; and
WHEREAS, John B. Pacino's faithful, patient, and gentlemanly service to
the Town of Reading has been invaluable;
THEREFORE, Let it be Resolved that the elected officials, Town Meeting
Members, and citizens of Reading acting through this Town
Meeting held April 13, 1987, do hereby record their deep
gratitude and appreciation of the dedicatedservices rendered
by John B. Pacino and do further record their recognition of the
great benefits to the Town which have resulted from his years
of service; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be spread upon the records and a
copy, ` signed by the Moderator, Town Clerk, and the Recreation Committee, be
delivered to John B. Pacino.
104 Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 13, 1987
ARTICLE 2. The following report of the By-Law Committee, presented by
Edward F. Murphy, was accepted as a Report of Progress.
BY-LAW COMMITTEE
REPORT OF PROGRESS
Mr. Moderator:
The By-Law Committee, in accordance with Section 8-9 of the Reading Home Rule
Charter, is in the process of revising and restructuring the By-Laws in the light of the new
organization of Reading's government. The complete report will be presented to Fall Town
Meeting for its consideration and action.
The Committee has devoted some 19 or 20 meetings to this task since its preliminary
discussion last May. It has interviewed such authorities as former Charter Commissioners,
the Board of Selectmen, our Town Manager and Town Counsel who provided insight and
clarification as to the powers, duties and responsibilities of certain of the Town's new
executive and administrative functions. Because of the time-frame required the Committee
has not attempted to do a complete recodification of the By-Laws (this will come at a later
date) but rather has reviewed and considered each By-Law Article only in the light of the
effect mandated by the related sections of the Charter. Certain By-Law Articles (such as
that pertaining to the term and responsibilities of the Executive Secretary) were, obviously,
deleted entirely; in others, only certain segments were eliminated or revised; other Articles
of the By-Laws (such as that dealing with the responsibilities of the Town Clerk) were not
touched at all or modified only slightly. In one or two cases the Committee may recommend
that a Charter provision be eliminated in favor of the related By-Law Article.
As charged by the Charter, the Committee must, at least four months prior to the
Town Meeting at which approval of the proposed revisions is to be requested, publish in a
local newspaper a report summarizing its recommendations and noting the times and places
where copies of the report shall be available for inspection by the public and the time, date
and place not less than two weeks following such publication when a public hearing will be
held by the Committee on the preliminary report. Thus, under this timetable, the
Committee will publish in early May the date of the public hearing to be held in late May.
Complete copies of the recommended revisions will be available for public inspection in
July. The Committee will formally present its proposed recommendations to Fall Town
Meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Edward F. Murphy, Chairman
Nils L. Nordberg, Clerk
George A. Theophanis
Philip B. Pacino
ARTICLE 2. The following "State of The Town" report presented by John H.
Russell was accepted as a Report of Progress.
STATE OF THE TOWN
1987 Annual Town Meeting
April 13, 1987
As we once again begin our Annual Town Meeting, I would like to share with you, on
behalf of the Board of Selectmen, a review of our activities and our view of the state of the
Town.
In March of 1986, the citizens of Reading voted to change its form of government
through adoption of a home rule charter. The charter, to varying degrees, affected all areas
of Town government with the exception of the school department. Making the transition to
the new Town Manager form of government was the primary objective of the Board of
Selectmen during the last year.
A Town Manager Selection Committee chaired by George Hines was appointed in April
and, after three months of dedicated activity, presented three very qualified candidates to
the Board of Selectmen in late June. The Board selected Peter I. Hechenbleikner to be
Reading's first Town Manager. Pete started work in late September and since then, has
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting . April 13, 1987
dedicated himself to implementing the new form of government.
A special note of thanks here to Tony Fletcher who served as Acting Executive
Secretary for the four months between John Agnew's retirement and Peter's arrival. This
was in addition to being Director of Public Works and a member of the executive board of
the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. When Tony went back to his orange trucks in
October, he (and, it is rumored, the rest of Town Hall) sighed in relief.
The new Community Planning and Development Commission, which combined the
functions of the Planning Board, Board of Survey, and Industrial Development Commission,
was established under the chairmanship of Dick Howard. At last Fall's Town Meeting, they
were authorized to hire a planner, and a state grant was received to defray part of the cost.
The C.P.D.C. will be presenting a progress report later on this evening.
The last six to nine months have been a period of learning for Peter, for the
department heads, for the C.P.D.C., and for the Board of Selectmen. This period of learning
will continue for some time to come. To aid in this process, the -services of a municipal
management consultant was obtained through a grant from the Executive Office of
Communities and Development. Seminars with the Selectmen, Finance Committee, Town
Manager, department heads and other Town employees have been held to define and explain
everyone's responsibilities and relationships under the new charter.
As you might expect, problems with the new charter have arisen; none very basic, but
all requiring correction through various means. The Law Committee was finally eliminated
through a by-law change at last Fall's Town Meeting. The size of the School Committee,
Library Trustees, Cemetery Trustees, and Council on Aging was legally established by
Special Act of theLegislature, and a streamlining of the hiring and appointment process was
passed in the recent town-wide election. More problems may arise in the future as you have
heard. The By-Law Committee is working on a package of general by-law changes needed to
bring the general by-laws into conformity with the charter. These will be presented to next
Fall's Town Meeting.
As with all learning processes, some mistakes have been made, some feelings have
I'1 been hurt, and probably some injustices inadvertently done. But progress has been made and
with -continued cooperation, dedication and, above all else, tolerance on the part of Town
Meeting, volunteer boards and committees, and town employees, progress will continue.
It has also been a very active year for the Town in the real estate market.
The relocation of the D.P.W. and the sale of the landfill to Homart is proceeding on
schedule and within the overall dollar constraints. The land acquisitions on both sides of the
tracks have been completed, and the Town now owns both the new D.P.W. site and the
access road. Ground preparation of both areas started last Fall. The contract for the
facility has been let and work has just started. Official ground-breaking of the site is
planned for `April 25th, weather permitting. The facility should be ready for occupancy in
September of this year. There will be more on this subject later in this Town Meeting
associated with Article 24,. which redistributes some of the previous appropriations but does
not require any new money.
The design of the railroad crossing and the materials for construction have been
approved by the M.B.T.A. The one question to be resolved is who builds it-Amtrak or an
outside contractor. In any case, construction is scheduled for July and should be completed
by early October.
Last week we reached a "handshake" agreement with Homart Development Co. for
development of the landfill. Town Counsel and Homart's lawyers are currently hammering
out a purchase and sale agreement. The next step is final negotiations with a hotel
developer whom Homart has tentatively selected.
Modifications to the Zoning By-Laws will be needed to control this development. The
C.P.D.C. and their planner will be working on these changes over the summer, and we plan
to call a Special Town Meeting in September for you to consider them.
If only the name of lower John Street was as certain as the development on either side
of it! Responding to a petition of all but one of the abutting industries, the Board of
Selectmen authorized changing the name of John Street from Lakeview Avenue to the
Wakefield line to "Walker's Brook Drive." This did not sit well with a relatively small, but
very determined, group of citizens. The State D.P.W. was petitioned to decide the matter.
It has now been over six weeks since the State's hearing, and they have not yet rendered a
verdict. Whatever the name, if all goes according to plan, we can look forward to
occupancy of our new D.P.W. facility and start of the landfill development in the Fall of this
~O
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 13, 1987
106 year.
The sale of the Community Center to Rivers Development was not concluded. Rivers
withdrew as a result of being reduced from 44 to 40 units by the Zoning Board of Appeals
during the Special Permit process. The Selectmen solicited new proposals and, from the
eight proposals received, selected the high bidder, Fafard Co., for further negotiations,
which will begin soon.
We have had a lot of interest in the ten-acre Bear Hill land which was authorized for
sale at last year's Annual Town Meeting. We will solicit proposals as soon as the Community
Planning and Development Commission has completed its evaluation of what is the best use
of the site.
This past year was relatively quiet from a labor negotiation standpoint. All of our
employee bargaining units were in the second year of three-year contracts which extend
through fiscal year 1988. Negotiations for follow-on agreements will begin next winter.
However, the clerical contract has yearly re-openers for specific items, and a job
classification study by an outside consultant is underway to aid these negotiations. The
Police Study Committee, established by Town Meeting last April, has completed their study
of what is needed to reduce police turnover and to provide appropriate educational benefits
to the police force. They will make their report later this evening. Their conculsions and
recommendations will be considered during the upcoming negotiations. The Selectmen plan
to establish a similar committee to address educational benefits for our firefighters.
We view the financial state of the Town with cautious optimism as we approach the
end of fiscal year 1987. The funds that we have received and will receive from the sale of
real estate will help fund capital projects in the near term, and the interest from this money
plus the taxes from the resultant development will certainly help in the long term. The
Finance Committee will present a detailed report on the state of our finances following my
remarks.
Finally, I would like to comment on the state of Town Meeting itself. This year almost
one-third of you are new members. We have a new Moderator, and we have a new Town
Manager. Now is a good time to form some new habits.
Town Meeting is a legislative body, and as such is concerned with setting broad policy,
enacting by-laws, and setting the budget. We should not get bogged down in details which
should be left to the town boards, town committees, and the Town Manager.
We should all come prepared--both town officials and Town Meeting members.
Presentations should be clear, complete, and to the point. Town Meeting members should
make brief, clear, and thoughtful statements of their views. We should not limit debate but
restrict the debate to the real issue at hand.
And lastly, we should all remember that everyone here is doing his or her best to serve
the Town. We should approach the issues in a friendly, cooperative and businesslike manner.
We should maintain a sense of purpose, a sense of neighborliness, and above all, a sense of
humor.
Let's have a good Town Meeting! Thank you.
Respectfully submitted,
John H. Russell
Board of Selectmen
ARTICLE 2. The following report of the Finance Committee, presented by
James L. O'Leary, was accepted as a Report of Progress.
REMARKS TO ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
At this Annual Town Meeting you will be asked to appropriate $29,879,851 for fiscal
ear 1988. This is comprised of $29,633,191 for the operational budget of the Town and
y$246,660 for related special articles. The Finance Committee has completed its review of
the budget and presents its recommendations within warrant Article 19. The Committee has
focused on several areas during the budget review.
First, the need for realistic departmental budgets, based upon what can reasonably be
expected during the next fiscal year. The departmental budget requests which we,review,
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 13, 1987
effectively, met this benchmark. However, there were occasions in which the Fincom
recommended reductions in FY88 budgets because in its estimation theexpenditure amounts
could not be specifically identified or reasonably justified. The Committee did recognize
that the expenditure may be anticipated but was unable to determine a proper amount. In
these instances an amount equal to the amount of reduction within the departmental budget
was added to the reserve fund appropriation. The purpose of the reserve fund is to
accommodate any unanticipated, extraordinary or emergency expenditure which cannot be
absorbed within an existing appropriated budget. This action was applied to three budgets,
CPA audit fee, veterans benefits and special needs education. After discussing the rationale
with the specific department heads the agreement was reached and the adjustment made.
A second area of concern is the Town's unfunded pension liability. This item was a
matter highlighted in the Towns most recent audit. The Finance Committee believes now is
the time to begin to address the issue. So in this budget the Committee recommends that
the Town initiate a contract to have an actuarial study performed to determine the amount
of unfunded liability and to suggest methods of funding the debt.
Municipal indebtedness was another area that the Finance Committee feels needs
careful monitoring. A stabilized debt service is essential to the fiscal health of Reading. It
is important that each item that is to be financed by borrowing be scrutinized, and possible
alternatives for funding be considered. Presently, and over the next few years Reading will
be undertaking several capital construction projects, the D.P.W. site, Town Hall Complex
and a central Fire Station. It has been and it continues to be the policy of the Committee
that the sale of real estate funds be utilized to offset the cost of these major projects. But
what about smaller projects, those which are too large to be handled within a department
budget and too small to bond. One solution is the development of a Capital Projects Fund or
Stabilization Fund.
The Finance Committee has adopted a policy in which the goal is to achieve a balance
in current year reserves (free cash, reserve fund, stabilization fund) equal to 5% of the
annual operational budget within the next five years. This would provide the fiscal
flexibility to fund certain projects without having to borrow.
Finally, departmental personnel and overtime cost were closely reviewed by the
Committee. What became evident was the need to have a personnel classification study to
evaluate and address the job descriptions and compensation of all municipal employees. This
point was highlighted in the consolidation of the Treasurer's and Collector's functions which
was mandated by the Charter.
These were the perspectives that the Finance Committee utilized in the budget review
process and we hope Town Meeting will weigh in making its decisions.
TAX CALCULATION
APPROPRIATIONS
BUDGET $ 29,633,191"
SPECIAL ARTICLES 246,660
$29,879,851
OTHER LOCAL APPROPRIATIONS:
OFFSETS 462,895
COUNTY CHARGES 252,627
STATE CHARGES 595,753
OVERLAY RESERVE 500,000
1,811,275
GROSS AMOUNT TO BE RAISED 31, 691,126
LESS RECEIPTS AND REVENUES:
BORROWING
160,000
FREE CASH
620,941
AVAILABLE FUNDS
187,190
REVENUE SHARING
148,936
LOCAL RECEIPTS
6,549,000
STATE AID
6,926,177
$14,592,244
107
NET AMOUNT TO BE RAISED FROM TAXATION $17,098,882
108 Adjourned Annual Town Meeting
MAXIMUM LEVY LIMIT
FY87 TAX LEVY
PLUS 2.5%
NEW CONSTRUCTION
FY88 LEVY LIMIT
$ 16,486,716
412,168
200,000
$ 17,098,882
April 13, 1987
Respectfully submitted,
James L. O'Leary
Finance Committee
ARTICLE 2. The attached report of the Community Planning & Development
Commission, presented by Daniel A. Ensminger, was accepted as a Report of Progress.
ARTICLE 2. The following report of the Police Study Committee, presented by Mary
S. Ziegler, was accepted as a-Report of Progress.
POLICE STUDY COMMITTEE
MARCH 30, 1987
At the Annual Town Meeting under Article 3 on April 24, 1986 the following motion
was adopted: that Town Meeting instruct the Board of Selectmen to establish a study
committee consisting of two selectmen appointed by its chairman, two police officers
appointed by the Chief of Police, and one member-at-large to be appointed by the
Selectmen, to study issues of police turnover and police education needs and submit a report
with recommendations as to steps that can be taken to decrease turnover and provide an
equitable educational incentive and assistance program.
The Committee was established late this past summer. The Police Chief appointed
Sgt. Patrick O'Brien and Ptl. Det. William Pacunas. The Selectmen appointed John Price as
a member-at-large and the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen appointed Selectmen =
Eugene Nigro and Mollie Ziegler as the other 2 members of this Committee. The Chairman
of the Board of Selectmen also designated Mollie Ziegler as the Chairman of this
Committee.
In order to collect the data needed for our report, letters were sent late in October to
13 police chiefs of cities and towns in the-area, requesting for example, copies of union
contracts, information on retention of officers, breakdowns of different levels of degrees,
questions on the Quinn Bill or other-educational incentive programs.
Early in our deliberations the Quinn Bill was discussed and was not seen as a viable
solution because of the Town Meeting vote of April 17, 1986. Our discussions seemed to
focus on pay scale, educational benefits, and longevity.
I. Problems Identified:
The following subjects emerged as possible reasons for personnel turnover in the
Reading Police Department:
1) Pay Level - Reading Patrolmen used to be in the middle pay level of surrounding
towns and are now on the lower end of the pay scale. The superior officers base pay
currently is in the upper range for surrounding towns. The difference between the
base pay of a patrolman and a Sgt. in Reading is 34%. The State average seems to be
about 15%.
2) Educational Incentive - No Quinn education payment. Our educational incentive is
not compatible or comparable with the Quinn Bill. No extra amounts are awarded at
the Patrolman level for a masters degree. Our educational program does not
compensate patrolmen for useful non-law enforcement degrees.
3) Longevity - There is an obvious problem in the retention of officers in the 6-10
years of service category. 16 officers have 4 or less years of experience and only 2
officers have 6-10 years of experience.
4) Lack of Overtime Opportunities for Patrolmen - Several other issues emerged from
our discussions that did not seem to be definite reasons for turnover but may be seen
by some to contribute to turnovers. Some feel the is a dick of
o rttu
advancement due to the young age of the senior 0 icers. so ~►e P~h~Io i
oo.
7
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TOWN c:P-F READING
COMMUNITY PUANNING
i
DEVEUOPMENT COMMISSION
Rip c:~a- -t -t c~ Tc:pwn Mietc-t-tI n g
Apr-11 13, 1987
Richard D. Howard, Chairman
Daniel A. Ensminger, Secretary
William J. Griset, Jr.
George V. Hines
Molly B. Jenks
The Community Planning & Development Commission came into
existence on July 1, 1?86. The Charter provides that the Commission shall
have all the powers and duties formerly given to the planning Board, Board
of Survey and the Industrial Development Commission. The Commission has
also been given the power to regulate the subdivision of land within the
Town and to make studies and prepare plans concerning the resources,
development potential and needs of the Town.
Since taking office, the Commission has held 26 meetings,
including the following.
15 site plan hearings,
4 zoning by-law hearings,
b definitive subdivision hearings,
5 preliminary subdivision hearings,
4 subdivision bond reductions.
Also, the Commission is assisting the Board of Selectmen in their
negotiations with Homart Development Company.
To obtain insight into the issues facing the Town, the Commission
invited various Town officers and officials to attend Commmission
meetings. To date, the Commission has had the benefit of learning the
concerns of and receiving recommendations from the Town Manager,
Conservation Administrator, the Building Inspector and members of the.
Historical Commission, the Conservation Commission, the Zoning Board of
Appeals, the former planning Board, and the former Board of Survey. The
Commission appreciates the input it received and wishes to thank all who
participated.
While the taking of actions on specific matters before the
Commission and having substantive discussions with knowledgeable Town
officials and officers have not been an exhaustive process, it has
provided the Commission with sufficient insight so as to offer the
following tentative conclusions and recommendations for consideration;
1. The Master Flan, developed in 1961, has become outdated.
Although there is only a limited amount of land now
available for development, the decisions facing the Town
over the next few years will be difficult ones and must
be made wisely. An updated master plan is essential in
this regard. The Commission has selected South Main
Street and the Central Business District as the area of
initial focus.
2. The Zoning By-Laws need to be completely reorganized. The
process of periodic amendments has resulted in these
important documents being incomplete, out of date,
confusing to users and in need of considerable clarifica-
tion.
3. The Site Flan Review process adopted at the 1955 Town
Meeting is an excellent concept which has been adopted
by many progressive communities. However, the three
separate site plan ordinances presently in force need to
be consolidated, streamlined and better integrated with
the zoning by-laws. Also, performance standards should
be better defined.
4. The fees and charges for site plan review and subdivision
filings should be increased to allow the review process
to operate on an enterprise basis.
5. The subdivision rules and regulations, while in need of
some housekeeping-type revisions, are essentially in good
condition.
6. The remaining developable land in Reading must be managed
in a thoughtful way to meet the best interests of the entire
community. The Town and its officials must be proactive to
ensure the prudent development of valuable resources such
as the landfill, the Hike Site and Bear Hill.
To affirm, to modify, to better define and to implement these conclusions
and recommendations require two essential ingredients; first, professional
assistance, and second, substantial community involvement. Let us briefly
discuss each of these.
Curing the first several months of its existence, the Commission
has received extensive support from the Department of Public Works,
especially from Tony Fletchery Gill Redford and Cindy Keenan. The
cooperation and professionalism of the Department and these individuals
can be only characterized as outstanding, both in substance and in spirit.
However, to help the Commission address the future needs of the Town, a
professional dedicated and trained in the planning and development field
will be required. The planner position was approved by Fall Town Meeting.
The planner would be hired in the Spring of 1987 and would report to the
Town Manager. In addition to assisting the Commission, the Planner
would provide staff support to the Zoning Board of Appeals as well as
coordinate the development application and review process in the Town. The
Commission, with the advice of the Town Manager, has written a job
description for this position and the Town has received a State Grant to
defray a substantial portion of the cost.
To successfully implement any such program, it will require
substantial community involvement. The Commission certainly does not
intend to act in isolation. Instead, it plans to involve many interested
groups and individuals in defining the program previously discussed while
keeping in mind the fiscal realities facing the Town. In its first venture
of this type, members of the Reading Business Community met with
Commission members in November and discussed their ideas and comments
concerning the future direction of Reading. The Commission plans to
continue its dialogue with the business community and seek their
assistance in identifying and coordinating one or more community issues of
importance to its members. The Commission also plans to meet with
residents in all precincts/school districts to solicit ideas and
- volunteers to address issues of major concern to the Town.
In November, the Commission sent out a questionnaire to determine
what Reading residents like and don't like about their community and to
identify critical issues. Over 400 responses were received which will
provide a data base to guide the Commission and volunteer groups in
serving the needs of the Town.
Since January, the Commission has moved forward to fill the
Planners position approved by the Fall Town Meeting. The Town has received
a State Grant covering a portion of the Planner's salary, advertisements
were placed in March to fill the position. At present, the Commission
expects that a candidate would be selected by the end of April and that
the Planner would be on board by the end of May.
The Commission has used the input received from responses to the
questionnare sent out in late November (see copy of Chronicle's article
attached) to establish its program for the remainder of 1957. The schedule
for this program is shown on the attached chart which also indicates the
anticipated level of effort that the Planner would devote to each task.
The CPDC program for 1987 includes:
ZONING: Zoning alternatives would be evaluated for development
of the landfill. The selected alternative would be presented before a
Special Town Meeting in September. Zoning proposals for signage and for
the Bear Hill development would be prepared for the November Town Meeting.
Finally, the process for the complete overhaul of the zoning ordinances
would be initiated.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT: One or more citizen advisory committees
would be established. The Advisory Committee would formulate the findings
of the questionnaire as well as provide input on the future direction and
look of the central business district. It would also address concerns and
goals within the various geographic areas of the Town.
MASTER PLAN: The Planner would coordinate the data gathering and
preparation of the Master Plan report. Major inputs would be obtained from
the Commission, the Advisory Committee and other interested parties. A
detailed schedule for the preparation and adoption of the revised Master
Flan would be presented to the Fall Town Meeting.
REGULATORY REVIEW; Site Flan review and coordination of the
development application process would require almost half of the Planner's
available time. The cost of this time would be recovered from new
development fees discussed later in this report.
, Proactive, specific proposals would be sought and evaluated in
the development of the Bear Hill. Options for the best usage of the Mike
Site would also be examined.
Consistent with previous discussions with the Finance Committee
and Fall Town Meeting, the Commission has revised the fee structure for
site plan review and subdivision applications to put these activities on
an enterprise, or pay as you go, basis. Effective April 8, 1987 charges
will be made for the first time for site plan review and for subdivision
inspections. Also, fees for subdivision application review were revised.
The new fee structure also provides that developers make an
advance payment to the Town to cover the cost of review by the planner and
other town staff. The new fees would also cover the cost for any
consultants having specialized expertise needed to protect the Town's
interest, but not possessed by the Town Planner or Engineering staff.
The program adopted by the.Commission provides a balanced
approach which addresses long-term policy issues as well as provides
oversight to the ongoing development application process. We trust the
CFDC's program meets with your approval. We welcome your input.
Respectfully submitted,
Richard D. Howard, Chairman
Daniel A. Ensminger, Secretary
William J. Griset, Jr.
George V. Hines
Molly B. Jenks
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Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 13, 1987 109
receive at least whatever is negotiated with the Patrolman's Association without as
much effort or expenditure of money. Though this probably would help, a Town
Reading's size cannot offer variable job duties to the extent of a larger organization
such as the M.D.C.
II. Recommended Solutions:
The following items were seen as steps that could be taken to decrease the turnover
among Reading police officers.
1) Increase salaries for patrolmen with specific emphasis on officers in the 6-10 years
of service category.
2) Educational Incentives - The Goal - Increase payments for degrees so that the level
of payment equals 10% of maximum patrolman salary for an associate degree, 20% of
such base salary figure for a bachelors degree and 25% of said base pay for a masters
degree. Pay educational incentives at same rate as above for non-law enforcement
degrees to all police officers when recommended by the Police Chief and approved by
the Town Manager. Tuition reimbursement towards a bachelors degree is another
option to be considered to achieve an education incentive.
3) Offer increased longevity or educational payments, but not both to try to keep
officers in the 6-10 year range.
4) Increase the number of senior officers in order to decrease senior officer overtime
and this in turn would afford increased opportunity for advancement in the
department.
5) More aggressive approach to recruiting new patrolmen. Place ads in the local
papers as to when the civil service test is to be given and explain the scope of the test;
participate in high school career days; hold an open house at the police station where
police officers discuss the career of a police officer in Reading.
6) Offer some type of patrolman of the year award.
7) Institute exit interviews with the Town Manager as the interviewer.
Respectfully submitted,
Eugene Nigro
Patrick O'Brien
William Pacunas
John Price
Mollie Ziegler
ARTICLE 2. On motion of John H. Russell, it was voted to lay Article 2 on the table.
ARTICLE 3. On motion of John H. Russell, it was voted to lay Article 3 on the table.
ARTICLE 4. On motion of Elizabeth W. Klepeis, it was unanimously voted that the
Town authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, to borrow
money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning July
1, 1987, in accordance with the provision of General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 4 and to
issue a note or notes therefor, payable within one year and to renew any note or notes as
may be given for a period of less than one year, in accordance with the General Laws,
Chapter 44, Section 17.
ARTICLE 5. On motion of Elizabeth W. Klepeis, it was voted to indefinitely
postpone Article 5.
ARTICLE 6. On motion of Mary S. Ziegler, it was voted to indefinitely postpone
Article 6.
ARTICLE 7. On motion of Eugene R. Nigro it was voted that the Town amend
"Schedule B -Compensation Plan" of Article XXIV of the By-Laws of the Town by deleting
the existing pay schedule and substituting the attached effective July 1, 1987:
ARTICLE 8. On motion of Barry J. Mitchel, it was voted to lay Article 8 on the
table.
110 Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 13, 1987
ARTICLE 9. On motion of Mary S. Ziegler, it was voted that the Town amend
Section 7 (I) of Article XXIV of the Town By-Law of the Town of Reading, by deleting the
existing chart, and substituting the following chart, effective 7/1/87.
Effective Effective
7-1-86 7-1-87
150 200 Annually upon completion of five years service.
250 300 Annually upon completion of ten years service.
350 400 Annually upon completion of fifteen years service.
450 500 Annually upon completion of twenty years service.
550 600 Annually upon completion of twenty-five years service
ARTICLE 10. On motion of James L. O'Leary, it was voted that the Town adopt the
five-year Capital Outlay Plan as follows:
CAPITAL OUTLAY PLAN - FY 1988 thru FY 1992
Department/
Project FY88
FY89 FY90
GENERAL
Gen. Debt Serv. 1,051,963
976,240 807,290
Short Term
Debt Serv. 83,325
123,000 231,000
Debt Serv.
Auth/Not Iss
650,000
1,135,288 1,099,240 1,688,290
New Debt
Capital Exp.
852,930
1,404,970
1,265,670
1,988,218
2,504,210
2,953,960
Less Grant
35,000
Net Exp for
Capital
1,988,218
2,469,210
2,953,690
% exp. Budget
6.7%
7.8%*
8.8%x
Enterprises
men. Debt erv.
523,950
493,985
419,900
Short Term
Debt Serv.
Debt Serv.
Auth/Not Iss
523,950
493,985
419,900
New Debt Serv.
Capital exp.
158,000
274,000
274,000
681,950
767,985
693,900
Less Grant
250,000
250,000
Net Exp. for
Capital
681,950
517,985
443,900
*Assuming 6% growth of budget/year
FY91 FY92
623,290 385,380
133,200
25,000
625,000
600,000
1,381,490
1,010,380
327,200 602,930
1,367,530 1,010,000
3,076,220 2,623,310
3,076,220 2,623,310
8.6%x' 7.0%*
235,600 177,200
90,000 90,000
325,600
267,200
24,000
24,000
349,600
291,200
349,600
291,200
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Adjourned Annual Town Meeting
April 13, 1987 111
ARTICLE 11. On motion of James L. O'Leary, it was voted to lay Article 11 on the
table.
ARTICLE 12. On motion of Elizabeth W. Klepeis, it was unanimously voted that the
Town rescind the remaining bond authorization for the purpose of acquiring land owned by
H. J. Davis Company in the amount of One Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars
($125,000), authorized by Article 7 at the Special Town Meeting on June 19, 1986.
2/3 vote required
ARTICLE 13. On motion of Elizabeth W. Klepeis, it was unanimous voted that the
Town rescind the remaining bond authorization for the purpose o replacing the roof of the
Coolidge Middle School in the amount of Thirty-Six Thousand ($36,000) Dollars, authorized
by Article 26 at the Annual Town Meeting on April 18, 1985.
2/3 vote required
ARTICLE 14. Robert I. Nordstrand moved that the sum of One Thousand Five
Hundred ($1,500) Dollars be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to the Board of
Assessors for the purpose of publishing for general circulation, its 1/1/86, valuation lists for
real estate, in compliance with Article XIII, Section 4 of the Town By-Laws.
This motion was voted in the negative.
table. 15. On motion of Russell T. Graham, it was voted to lay Article 15 on the
ARTICLE 16. On motion of Russell T. Graham, it was voted to lay Article 16 on the
table.
ARTICLE 17. On motion of Barbara B. Philbrick, it was voted that the sum of
$160,000 be raised by borrowing, as provided under Chapter 44 of the General Laws, and
appropriated for the purpose of replacing the roof at Alice M. Barrows Elementary School,
16 Edgemont Avenue, Reading, and a partial roof replacement of 12,000 sq. ft. at Reading
Memorial High School, 62 Oakland Road, Reading. Such appropriation to include all
engineering fees and preparation costs required to complete the purpose of the motion; all
such monies to be expended under the direction of the Reading School Committee.
124 voted in the affirmative
2 voted in the ne a- t ve
2/3 vote required
ARTICLE 18. On motion of Barbara B. Philbrick, it was unanimously voted that the
sum of $60,000 be raised from the tax levy and that said sum be appropriated to the Reading
School Committee for the purpose of remodelling, reconstructing and making repairs to
certain areas of the Reading Memorial High School, 62 Oakland Road, Reading,
Massachusetts, including original equipping and furnishing said remodelled areas, together
with all other costs incidental thereto, including costs of architectural, engineering and
construction services, inspection and costs of financing in connection therewith, and all
other costs necessary and proper to carry out the purposes of this vote.
On motion of Paul C. Dustin, it was voted to name Gerald A. Fiore Moderator pro tem.
On motion of John H. Russell, it was voted that this meeting stand adjourned to meet
at 7:30 P.M. on Thursday, April 23, 1987, at Reading Memorial High School.
Meeting adjourned at 10:37 P.M.
126 Town Meeting Members were present.
A true copy. Attest:
Doris M. Fantasia
Town Clerk