HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-11-01 Finance Committee MinutesM I N U T E S O F T H E
R E A D I N G F I N A N C E C O M M I T T E E
N O V E M B E R 1, 1 9 8 9
This meeting of the Reading Finance Committee was held at Old South
Church and was called to order by Chairman Bill Burditt at 7:30 PM.
Members Present: Bill Burditt, Chairman
Liz Greene, Vice Chairman
Nick Agneta
Don Allen
Dick Coco.
Charlie Catalfamo
Paul Devlin
Jerry MacDonald
Nate White
Others Present: Town Manager, Peter Hechenbleikner
Town Treasurer, Beth Klepeis
Town Accountant, Richard Foley
Superintendent of Schools Munnelly
Chairman of School Committee Nissan
Members of School Building Committee
Holly Spousta, Reporter, READING CHRONICLE
I. BUSINESS
A. Reports from the Chairman
• Bill Burditt informed the Finance Committee that he had received
a final audit bill from Peat Marwick for $9,000.00. Awaiting a report
from the Audit Committee.
* Richard Foley plans to go out to bid regarding the audit. Hope-
fully bidders would meet with the Audit Committee.
e Bill Burditt got a telephone call from Kendra Cooper regarding
school revolving funds. The Finance Committee is going to investigate
this matter.
B. Article 32/Pension Reform
p Contributory Retirement Pension Assessment informational figures
were reviewed by the Finance Committee with Peter Hechenbleikner,
Beth Klepeis, Richard Foley. Members and speakers shared questions
and answers.
e Article 32 is to see if the Town will vote to accept the
provisions of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 32, Section 22D,
which provides for a certain retirement system funding schedule
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Minutes of Reading Finance Committee, November 1, 1989
all as described in the "Notice of Option To Accept The Provisions
of M.G.L. Chapter 32, Section 22D And Became A Funding System" ,
from the Commissioner, Public Employee Retirement Administration,
and in the accompanying "Description of Rights And Duties of
Governmental Units Electing To Accept M.G.L. Chapter 32, Section 22D
And Become A Funding System", copies of which notice and description
have-been distributed to all Town Meeting Members and made avail-
able for public inspection at the Office of the Town Clerk, the
Office of the Town Manager, the Library, and at this meeting,
or take any other action with respect thereto. The By-Law Committee
feels that the acceptance of Section 22D of Chapter 32 of the General
Laws, regarding the Pension Reform Bill, will effectively deal with
the inequities that now exist in the Contributory Retirement System
for Town employees.
Motion: Jerry MacDonald moved to accept Article 32
and Liz Greene seconded this motion.
Vote: 7 - O - 2 accepted, with Mr. Coco and
Mr. Agneta voting against this Article.
C. Presentation by School Building Committee
• Introductions were made of the School Building Committee and
Mr. Nessan, the School Committee Chairman, took the floor in explanation
of the Building Proposal that was exposed at this meeting. Reasons
for renovation/building were cited by all those who were chosen to
give their presentation. The School Building Committee Members
consist of the following: Donald Farnham, Chairman, Margaret Cowell,
Robin D'Antona, Robert Grasso, Marthanne Pressey, Roger Sanstad.
e Additions and Renovations to the Joshua Eaton and Birch
Meadow Elementary Schools were thusly presented in proposal.
• Fact sheet from the School Building Committee was presented.
• Beth Klepeis explained d-indepth the Town's ability to enter
into a Bond.
• Chairman Burditt responds to the proposal. He questions
the State of Massachusetts dependency in the process of funding
for this proposal.
• Beth Klepeis gave explanation of the payback plan and limits
and guidelines to this payback.
j e Nate White brought to discussion the fact that the sale of
Pearl Street may be problematic in its own right, due to the
current status of real estate market.
• More explanation from Mr. Nessan:
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Minutes of Reading Finance Committee, November 1, 1989
e Liz Greene suggested "what if" information be available to
the Finance Committee and Bill Burditt asked Beth Klepeis for some
spreadsheet information so as to accomplish what each scenario
realistically is to be for the Town of Reading.
® School Committee personnel adjourned this meeting-at 10:30 P.M.
D. Articles in Presentation by Town Manager
o Article 3
® Article 3 provides for amending the Capital Improvement
Program. There is only one article on the warrant that deals with
capital projects, and that is the School Building Renovation Program -
Article 28. The current Capital Improvement Program already has
that project, and therefore no amending to the Capital Improvement
Program should be needed. A copy of the approved Capital Improvement
Program is was presented.
® Article 7
• To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions
of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40, Section 57, which
authorized the Town to adopt a by-law to deny, revoke or suspend
certain licenses or permits for the neglect or refusal to pay any
local taxes, fees, assessments; betterments or any other municipal
charges, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Motion: Liz Greene moved to accept and Nate White
seconded this motion.
Vote: 9 - 0 - 0 accepted.
• Article-33
• To see if the Town will vote to amend the recodified Bylaws
of the Town by adding to Section 4.9 user fees, or take any other
action with respect thereto.
Motion: Liz Greene moved to accept and Jerry
MacDonald seconded this motion.
Vote: 9 - 0 - 0 accepted.
• Article 10
* To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 4.3.4. of the
recodified Bylaws of the Town by deleting that section in its
entirety and substituting therefor the following, or take any other
action with respect thereto.
Motion: Jerry moved to make no recommendation.
Dick Coco seconded this motion.
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Minutes of Reading Finance Committee, November 1, 1989
Vote: 3 - 6 - 0 defeated.
Motion: Liz Greene moved to accept subject matter of
Article 10 and Don Allen seconded this motion.
Vote: 0-9-0
• Article 15 -
• To see if the Town will vote to accept as a gift from
Mark Conserva, the.parcel of land.described and to determine
what conditions, if any, should be placed upon such acceptance, said
land to be placed under the care, custody, and control of the Board
of Selectaen.of the Town of ;reading, Massachusetts, and held for
general municipal purposes, including conservation and water control
purposes, including taking.-any other action with respect thereto:
Motion: Liz Greene moved to accept and Jerry MacDonald
seconded the motion.
Vote: 9 - 0 - 0 accepted.
• Article 16
y To see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing, or from the
tax levy, by transfer from the following described performance bond
or by transfer from available funds, or otherwise, and appropriate
for the purpose of completion of construction of approved Site Plan
improvements to private property at 156 Main Street, in accordance
with the terms of a certain performance bond executed by Joseph
Laschi to the benefit of the Town of Reading on January 27, 1988 pur-
suant to the Reading Zoning By-Laws and Massachusetts General Laws,
Chapter 40A, such funds to be spent by and under the direction of the
Board of Selectmen, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Motion: Liz Greene moved to accept and Dick Coco
-seconded this motion.
Vote: 9 - 0 - 0 accepted.
• Article 18:
• To see if the Town will vote to amend the Reading Zoning By-
Laws so as to substitute for the words "one hundred ($100.00)
Dollars" the words "three hundred ($300.00) Dollars" in Section
7.2.2. of said Zoning By-Laws, or take any other action with respect
thereto.
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Minutes of Reading Finance Committee, November 1, 1989
Motion: Nate White moved to accept and Jerry
MACDonald seconded this motion.
Vote: 9 - 0 - 0 accepted.
o Article 25 --26
e To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 4.7 of the
Reading Zoning By-Laws, Municipal Building Reuse District. Also,
to see if the Town will vote to amend the Reading Zoning By-Laws
by amending the Reading Zoning Map to include the property
described in the Municipal Building Reuse District, or take any
other action with respect thereto.
Motion: Nate White moved to take no action on this
article and Jerry MacDonald seconded.
Vote: 9 - 0 - 0 accepted no action.
• Article 27
• To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of
Selectmen of the Town of Reading to convey all or any part
of the following described property, with the buildings thereon,
commonly known as the Pearl Street School and to determine the
minimum amount to be paid for such conveyance; to authorize the
Board of Selectmen to convey all or any part of said property for
such amount or a larger amount, and upon such other terms and
conditions as the Board of Selectmen shall consider proper and to
deliver a deed therefor to said purchaser, and to see what sum
the Town will raise by borrowing, or from the tax levy, or
transfer from available funds, or otherwise, and appropriate to
the Board of Selectmen to carry out the purposes of this vote;
or take any other action with respect thereto.
Motion: Liz Greene moved to accept and Don Allen
seconded this motion.
Vote: 9 - 0 - 0 accepted.
• Article 29
• To see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing, or from
the tax levy, or transfer from available funds, or otherwise and
appropriate to fund the feasibility and design for a relocated Senior
Citizen Center, all monies to be expended under the direction of the
Board of Selectmen, or take any other action with respect thereto.
i
Motion: Nate White moved to support and accept in the amount
of $10,000.00, contingent on the sale of Pearl Street
School. Jerry MacDonald seconded this motion.
Voter 9 - 0 - 0accepted.
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Minutes of the Reading Finance Committee, November-1, 1989 -
• Article 30
• To see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or from the
tax levy, or transfer from available funds or otherwise and appro-
priate for the purpose of complying with the provisions of General
Laws Chapter 21E and other applicable laws relating to the removal
of subsurface contamination located at the former BPW Garage; such
appropriation to include all engineering fees, testing, and all
other related costs required to complete the purpose of-this Article, -
all monies to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen,
or take any other action with respect thereto.
Motion: Nate White moved to record Article 30 as "action
pending" and Don Allen seconded this motion.
Vote: 9 - 0 - 0 accepted as action pending.
• Article 31
• To see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing, or from the
tax levyy,or transfer from available funds, or otherwise and appropriate
to the Fire Department Expense Budget to fund the collection of ambulance
billing, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Motion: Liz Greene moved to accept the contents in Article 31
and Don Allen seconded this motion to vote.
Vote: 9 - 0 - 0 accepted..
• Article 32, Article 33, Article 34 (already discussed)
rtic e _
• To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of Massa-
chusetts General Laws, Chapter 32, Section 22D, which provides for a
certain retirement system funding schedule all as described in the
"Notice Of Option To Accept The Provisions of M.G.L: Chapter 32, Sec-
tion 22D And Became A Funding System" from the Commissioner, Public
Employee Retirement Administration, and in the accompanying "Descrip-
tion of Rights And Duties of Governmental Units Electing To Accept M.G.L.
Chapter 32, Section 22D And Become a Funding System", copies of which
Notice and Description have been distributed to all Town Meeting
members and made available for public inspection at the office of the
Town Clerk, the Office of the Town Manager, and the Library and at this
meeting, or take any other action hereto.
Motion: Liz Greene moved to accept and Dick Coco seconded this motion.
Vote: 8 - 0 - 1 (One abstained vote is that of Nick Agneta)
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Minutes-of the Reading Finance Committee, November 1, 1989
• Article 33
• To see if the Town will vote to amend the recodified Bylaws of
the Town by adding the following Section 104.9 User Fees"t or take
any other action with respect thereto.
Motion: Liz Greene moved to accept and Dick Coco seconded.
Vote: 9 - 0
- 1 (One abstained vote is that of Nick Agneta)
• Article 34
• To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of
General Laws Chapter 41, Section 41B, permitting the direct deposit
of payroll, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Motion: Liz Greene moved to accept and Dick Coco seconded.
Vote: 9 _ O - 1
(One abstained vote is that of Nick Agneta)
• Article 35
• To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of General
Laws Chapter 60, Section 23B, establishing fees for certificate of liens,
or take any other action with respect thereto.
Motion: Liz Greene moved to accept and Dick Coco seconded.
Vote: 9 - 0 - 0 accepted.
II. NEXT MEETING DATE
• The next scheduled meeting of the Reading Finance Committee is
on Wednesday, November 8, 1989 at Joshua Eaton School. Time is 7:30 PM.
III. ADJOURNMENT
ZZZ
• This meeting of the Finance Committee adjourned at 11:30 PM
R s full bmitted,,
Sue Finn, Secretary
Reading Finance Committee
/sf
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