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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-03-04 Finance Committee MinutesRECEIVED T0 1'`N CLERK READI"INC.141ASS. MINUTES OF THE READING FINANCE COMMITTEE ou 30 ~ (I~~ Q 1 MARCH 4, 1991 This meeting of the Reading Finance Committee was held on the evening of March 4, 1991 and was held in the Conference Room of Town Hall, Reading. MEMBERS PRESENT: Bill Burdi_tt, Chairman Liz Green, Vice Chairman Pete Dahl Gerry MacDonald Fred Van Magness Nate White OTHERS PRESENT:- Peter Hechenblei_kner, Town Manager Fire Chief, Leonard Redfern Town Clerk: Kathy Quimby Maria Silvaggi, Reporter, READING CHRONICLE Members of the audience I. B U S I N E S S • Bill Burditt opened this meeting of the Reading Finance Committee at 7:30 P.M. with a quorum present. Bill mentioned that Kendra Cooper has been trying to acquire information from the School Committee. • Fred Van Magness referred to the School Committee's lack of levels of detail. The School Committee format should be straightened out, according to Mr. Van Magness. • Pete Dahl indicated that it was his opinion that evening that the School Committee seems reluctant to discuss some information openly. II. BUDGET • Public Safety Account • Fire and Emergency Management • Peter Hechenbleikner distributed the budget package to the Finance Committee at this time. Peter explained that he has tried to make the impact -1- Minutes of Finance Committee, 3/4/91 of the Public Safety budget as beneficially funded as possible. i o Emergency management has been included within the Fire Department budget this year. The budget reflects 3.2% decrease in Personnel and i_n expenses. The cut in Personnel is reflected in overtime. This would . result in a piece of apparatus, Ladder or Engine truck, being out of service all year when assigned Personnel were appointed, due to vacation, sick time, etc. The Fire Department would also need to reduce overtime in the training area as well. o The expense reduction is shown in hose and training. There has been an increase in Metrofire dues of $1,000, so that the overall loss is $3,660. The Department is now pinched in all areas and many lines are inadequately funded in the budget.' o With regard to Capital outley, the Ladder Truck and Bucket Truck still appear. Both have been deferred. Added to this is an ambulance replacement. The fleet is aging in repairs and costs and expensive and parts are not avail- able. Down time is a problem and the public safety is jeopardized. o Chief Redfern took the floor to explain issues and spoke of his Depart- ment in detail. His department is one of the lowest staffed in the Route 128 belt, according to Chief Redfern himself. o Mr. Redfern gave explanation of Metrof ire. o The Chief needs a four inch hose, something that was at one time an accommodating request until these budget days. o Chief cited some requests for the Department. Ladder truck makes work safer. A national testing company has tested the ladder truck now in existence , and age makes it unreliable and unsafe. The Chief feels it has outlives its usefulness. $400,000 is the cost of a new ladder truck. Diminished manpower requires necessary tools for doing the job. o In the Fire Department there have been refurbished vehicles used in the past, but emergency vehicles take a beating, according to the Chief. o Ambulance has over 50,000 miles on it now. The chassis may give us trouble, according to the Chief. o Department averages four ambulance calls a day currently. This am- bulance, also, must pass the state inspection. o Chief Redfern cited a day in the life in the Fire Department where it seemed as if everything that could happen of emergency nature happened last Thursday. A fire at Meadowbrook Country Club, a child was hit by a car, a custodian at one of the buildings in town had a heart attack, and another heart attack victim was called in later in the day, an accident at Main and Washington Streets. Granted this was not an "average day" - but care is necessary, according to Chief, because emergency do arise. -2- Minutes of Reading Finance Committee, 3/4191 • Mr. Van Magness then indicated he sees the overtime fire budget already in trouble. He then asked the legalities in having a fire box. • Mr. Van Magness is looking for additional revenue to help the Reading Fire Department. • Here, Peter Hechenbleikner explained the administrative operation of the Department - the Chief and one secretary. • Van Magness just wants to bring more money into the Department. • Here, Chief Redfern talked about the type of ladder truck he would desire. • Mr. Van Magness asked if anyone would want our old truck - would there be any trade-in value? • Chief asked a salesperson what the old truck would be worth in sale, but he got no response. s Here, Fred Van Magness,asked the Chief where the Chief felt there is a safety issue with the firefighters. • Chief indicated that the staffing levels and overtime are two areas of safety concern. For maximum efficiency, eleven man groups would be the way to go. • Fred Van Magness questioned the enhancement of public safety is a new truck was purchased. • Chief Redfern answered "absolutely". • Fred Van Magness asked which area hospitals Reading services. • Chief answered: Winchester Hospital is most used facility; New England Memorial Hospital, Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, and the Lahey Clinic. o Liz Greene suggested that if there was a money switch and shift, would one other firefighter alone work out. • Chief answered negatively. • Here, the Chief uses a graph chart of 1985 to show comparisons, showing manpower levels to the Finance Committee. • Bill Burdi.tt asked the recommendation of the Town Manager on Capital. • Peter Hechenbleikner answered that the recommendation would be to purchase the ladder truck through bonding ($395,000). Purchase the ambulance through bonding ($85,000). -4- Minutes of the Reading Finance Committee, 3/4/91 • Here, a member of the audience, Bill Brown, spoke in support of a new ladder truck. • A firefighter in the audience mentioned being on the force for two years. This person capsuled the work being done by the firemen in Reading and cited schemes of the times that require emergency aid. Emphasis was given on tools of the trade. • EMT training is mandatory and certain requirements are necessary, according to the Chief. • Van Magness asked about hiring two more men. • Chief responded that in this Department, one never has the luxury of time to waste before making a call - and describes how the job can get done more proficiently with the new ladder truck. • Maximum level of inadequacy at present time. • A firefighter from the audience indicated having to have more than one man on the ladder truck. ( 1 e Peter.Hechenbleikner stated that there is no universal truth to what you need to run the Reading Fire Department. • Here, a fireman from the audience discussed the safety issue, indicating substandard equipment. MOTION: Nate White moved to approve the Pers. Services Fire Department budget in the amount of $1M,724,163 and Mr. MacDonald seconded this motion to approve. AMENDMENT MOTION: Mr. Van Magness moved to approve the Pers. Services Fire Department budget in the amount of $1M,784,163, adding $62,000 for two additional firemen. Liz Greene seconded this motion to approve. DISCUSSION: Pete Dahl is bothered by the financing of this motion to amend. Would two be the number to increase public safety diffe-rence is the question here. Chief Redfern indicated that two more men would balance things nicely in blocks of multiples of four. This would diminish the overtime. Bill Burdi.tt does not know what the Town could get by addition of only two more firefighters. AMENDMENT VOTE: 2 - 4 - 0 failed. -5- Minutes of the Reading Finance Committee, 3/4/91 MAIN MOTION VOTE: 6 - 0 - 0 approved e MOTION: Liz Greene moved to approve non-personal expense Fire Department budget in the amount of $74,144 and Gerry MacDonald seconded this motion. VOTE: 6 - 0 - 0 approved NO VOTE TAKEN THIS EVENING ON ARTICLES 17 and 18. • Town Clerk Account o Peter Hechenblei_kner introduced Kathy Quimby to the Finance Committee and explained what goes on in this Department. MOTION: Liz Greene moved to approve Pers. Services budget of Town Clerk in the amount of $31,270 and Gerry MacDonald seconded her motion. VOTE: 6 - 0 - 0 approved MOTION: Liz Greene moved to approve the non-pers. services budget of Town Clerk in the.amount of $1,675 and Mr. MacDonald seconded this motion to approve. VOTE: 6 - 0 - 0 approved • Election/Registration • Town Manager took the floor in explanation of this budget with the help of the Town Clerk, Ms Quimby MOTION: Liz Greene moved to approve Election/Registration pers. serv. budget in the amount of $14,550.00 and Gerry MacDonald seconded this motion to approve. VOTE: 6 - 0 - O.approved. MOTION: Liz Greene moved to approve Election/Registration non-pers. expense budget in the amount of $152900 and Mr. MacDonald seconded her motion to approve. VOTE: 6 - 0 - 0 approved -6- Minutes of the Reading Finance Committe, 3/4/91 • Selectmen A Peter Hechenbleikner explained each line of this budget. He and Mr. Van Magness discussed the Town Report and Fred has questions on the printing charges and the laws behind the printing. e Mr. VanMagness suggests collecting information and have the information bound-so that money can be saved in this area. e Questions and comments followed by all Committeemen on this printing of the Town Reports. MOTION: Liz Greene moved to approve the non-pers. services Selectmen budget in the amount of $3,850 and Gerry MacDonald seconded her motion to approve. AMENDMENT MOTION: Mr. Van Magness moved to approve the non-pers..servi.ces Selectmen budget in the amount of $1600 and Gerry MacDonald seconded his motion to approve. AMENDMENT VOTE: 1 - 5 - 0 failed in the amount of $1600. AMENDMENT MOTION: Mr. Dahl moved to approve the non-pers. expenses Selectmen budget in reduction to $360.00 and Gerry MacDonald seconded his motion to approve. AMENDMENT VOTE: .3 - 3 - 0 failed. MAIN MOTION VOTE: 4 - 2 - 0 approved a Town Manager • Peter Hechenbleikner again explained to the Committee and discussed each line item. MOTION: Liz Greene moved to approve pers. services for Town Manager budget in the amount of $64,730 and Gerry MacDonald seconded. VOTE: 6 - 0 - 0 approved _ MOTION: Liz Greene moved to approve non-pers. expenses for Town l i Manager budget in the amount of $4,000 and Mr. MacDonald seconded her motion to approve. VOTE: 6 - 0 - 0 approved -7- i Minutes of the Reading Finance Commi_ttee,3/4/91 • Law Division • The Town Manager took the floor to explain this budget to the Finance Committee. MOTION: Liz Greene moved to approve pers. serv. Law Division budget in the amount of $95,000 and Mr. MacDonald seconds. VOTE: 6 - 0 - 0 approved MOTION: Liz Greene moved to approve Labor Counsel in the amount of $15,000 and Mr. MacDonald seconded her motion to approve. VOTE: 5 - 1 - 0 approved MOTION: Liz Greene moved to approve Other Expenses, Law Division in the amount of $3500 and Mr. MacDonalded seconded. AMENDMENT MOTION: Gerry MacDonald moved to approve other expenses in Law Division budget in the amount of $2500 and Fred Van Magness seconded this motion to approve. VOTE: 2 - 4 - 0 failed MAIN MOTION VOTE: 5 - 1 - 0 approved • PERSONNEL • Peter Hechenblei.kner explained items that make up this budget. • Here, Mr. Van Magness indicated our funds are tight. Does not disagree with items, but ticktening down the hatches and cutting out some of the items until such time as the picture does get appreciably better. ® Nate White indicated keeping up to speed and up to date here. • Peter indicated that we are all dealing with multi-faceted complex State and Federal Regulations (200 full-time Personnel in Municipal government). • The Committee and Town Manager had discussion on this for a little while. _g Minutes of the Reading Finance Committee, 3/4/91 III. A D J O U R N M E N T MOTION: Mr. Van Magness moved to adjourn this meeting at 11:07 P.M. and Mr. MacDonald seconded this motion to adjourn. VOTE: 6 - 0 - O approved • This meeting was then adjournmed t :07 P. Resp fully bmitted, Sue F~, Recording Secretary Reading Finance Committee /sf 1 -9-