HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-09-17 Board of Selectmen Minutes - Executive Session Board of Selectmen Meeting
Executive Session
September 17, 2009
The meeting convened at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Conference Room, 16 Lowell
Street, Reading, Massachusetts. Present were Chairman Ben Tafoya, Vice Chairman
James Bonazoli, Secretary Camille Anthony, Selectmen Stephen Goldy and Richard
Schubert, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, Assistant Town Manager/Finance
Director Bob LeLacheur.
Labor Negotiations
The Town Manager indicated that there were three issues that he wanted to discuss with
the Board this evening. One was upcoming union negotiations for Fiscal Year 2011 and
beyond; the second was the Quinn Bill and discussion/negotiations with the Police Patrol
Officers and the third is the settlement of a Worker's Comp litigation.
The Town Manager indicated that he had met with all of the Department Heads who are
working with union organizations within their department as well as with the Human
Resources Administrator and the Assistant Town Manager/Finance Director. The
consensus of that group was the following:
1. Negotiate one year contracts which will then get the Town contracts on the same
schedule as the school contracts. The Town Manager had discussed this with the
previous and current Superintendent of Schools.
2. Negotiate a 0% COLA and no step movement for 2011.
3. In addition to the above, for the Engineering Bargaining Unit, negotiate to modify
the language that addresses a requirement to have a five day work week or in the
absence of that, indicate that the Town would reduce the budget for the
Engineering Division by the $20,000 that could be saved by going to a four day
work week.
The Board of Selectmen were in agreement with this approach to collective bargaining.
Quinn Bill
Following up on the previous Executive Session with Labor Counsel, the Town Manager
had sent a letter to both bargaining units indicating that the Quinn Bill decision would be
on the Warrant for the Fall Town Meeting unless a suitable agreement was reached with
the union in advance of the Warrant closing for the Subsequent Town Meeting.
The Police Patrol Officers had responded with a meeting and tentative agreement subject
to the approval by their union that the Town would agree not to put a Warrant Article to
rescind the Quinn Bill on the Town Meeting Warrant for the remainder of FY 2010. The
union members would all agree individually and as a group to pay back to the Town the
Board of Selectmen Meeting—Executive Session—September 17, 2009
overpayment to the Quinn Bill based on the State reduced reimbursement in 2009 for
2008. If an .Article is petitioned on Town Meeting and passed by Town Meeting to
rescind the Quinn Bill,then this agreement is nullified.
Chairman Ben Tafoya expressed concern that this does not deal with FY 2010 and
beyond. The Town Manager noted that the Town had cautioned the union about
potentially much larger re-payments as a result of under funding the Quinn Bill in 2010,
but the union did not want to address this issue at this time. The Board of Selectmen
agreed with the approach to have the Town Manager sign the side letter with the union on
this matter, and would not put the Quinn Bill Article on the Warrant during 2010.
Litigation
Worker's Compensation Settlement—Burns - The Town Manager presented a settlement
in the Worker's Comp case involving Linda Burns. The settlement amount is $10,000.
The payment is from the Town's Worker's Comp insurance but because this is a
settlement of litigation, the Board needs to approve this.
On motion by Schubert seconded by Goldy, the Board approved the settlement of
the Worker's Comp claim in the matter of Linda Burns in the amount of $10,000
and authorized the Town Manager to sign on the Town's behalf. On a roll can
vote, all five members voted in the affirmative and the motion was carried.
On motion by Anthony seconded by Goldy, the Board of Selectmen adjourned their
Executive Session meeting of September 17, 2009 at 7:45 p.m. on a roll can vote with
all five members voting in the affirmative.
Respectfully submitted,
Secretary