Below is a summarized version of the Select Board (Department Budgets) night 1 meeting, organized by timestamps and speakers, focusing on key points raised during the discussion in Reading, Massachusetts. This summary condenses the discussion into major themes, speaker contributions, and decisions, avoiding excessive detail while retaining the essence of the conversation. Timestamps correspond to the video linked at the bottom.
Contents
December 3, 2025 Select Board Meeting
🕒 Start Time: 7:00 PM
💻 Format: Hybrid (In-person Select Board meeting room & Zoom)
👨⚖️ Chair: Melissa Murphy
👥 Attendees: Chris Haley, Carlo Bacci, Karen Rose-Gillis, Karen Herrick (remote)
📋 Summary: The Select Board held budget presentations for FY27 from the Police Department, Fire Department, Health Department, Technology Department, and Department of Public Works, focusing on staffing, operational costs, community programs, and strategies to manage rising expenses.
📅 Agenda Overview
| Timestamp | Topic |
|---|---|
00:01:19 | Meeting Called to Order & Pledge of Allegiance |
00:02:02 | Overview of Agenda – Department Budget Presentations |
00:02:13 | Police Department Budget Presentation |
00:56:03 | Fire Department Budget Presentation |
01:35:07 | Health Department Budget Presentation |
01:54:48 | Technology Department Budget Presentation |
02:42:17 | Department of Public Works Budget Presentation |
03:18:30 | Motion to Adjourn |
🚔 Police Department Budget Presentation
⏰ 00:02:13
- Mission & Vision: Provide exceptional law enforcement services, maintain rapid response, and build community trust.
- Staffing: 46 sworn officers (fully staffed), 3 admin assistants, 1 parking enforcement officer.
- Divisions: Patrol, Detectives, Support Services, Community Service.
- Community Programs: Youth Academy, RAD classes, helmet citation program, senior engagement events, Special Olympics.
- Key Stats:
- ~20,000 calls for service projected for 2025.
- 362 crashes (down 13% from last year).
- 55 suicide attempts/threats; 21 child abuse reports.
- 302 arrests/criminal complaints.
- 3,013 public records requests (up 45% from last year).
- Budget Highlights:
- Total Increase: 2.59%
- Drivers: $40K increase in overtime for town events, training, and academy costs.
- Operational Needs: Rising ammo costs, cruiser outfitting, technology upgrades.
- Concerns: Public records requests consuming staff time; inability to charge fees due to state law changes.
🚒 Fire Department Budget Presentation
⏰ 00:56:03
- Mission: Protect lives, property, and environment through fire suppression, EMS, prevention, and emergency management.
- Staffing: 51 uniformed personnel; minimum staffing 10 firefighters per shift.
- Challenges: Difficulty maintaining full 12-person shifts; overtime driven by staffing shortages.
- Budget Overview:
- Total: $6.8M
- Increase: 4.01%
- Expense Budget: $247K (EMS program = 64% of expenses).
- Overtime Request: Increase from $530K to $600K to prepare for contractual changes and rising costs.
- Revenue Impact: Ambulance billing changes projected to increase revenue by $250K–$300K.
- Grants: $37K received for equipment and training; future federal grant uncertainty noted.
- Success Story: FEMA grant funded $85K ICS modernization program improving incident command efficiency.
🏥 Health Department Budget Presentation
⏰ 01:35:07
- Mission: Protect and promote health through disease surveillance, vaccinations, permitting, and public education.
- Staffing: 4 full-time employees + contractors for tobacco compliance, animal control, pest control.
- Programs: Mammography van, vision/hearing screenings, blood pressure clinics, vaccine clinics, sharps disposal.
- Budget Highlights:
- Increase: 2.62% ($14,053)
- Drivers: Salary adjustments and $253 mosquito control increase.
- Discussion: Potential use of hospital trust funds for clinic supplies; strong collaboration with community partners.
💻 Technology Department Budget Presentation
⏰ 01:54:48
- Role: Support all town departments with infrastructure, cybersecurity, and operational systems.
- Budget Challenge: Expense increase driven by new Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system subscription (+$78K).
- Total Expense Budget: $852K (up from $760K).
- Key Systems & Costs:
- Financial system (Munis): $115K
- CAD system: $100K
- Email & Office tools: $68K
- Permitting system: $58K
- Document storage: $25K (up from $18K)
- Concerns: Rising subscription costs, future tech needs for ReCAL and Pleasant Street Center, cybersecurity threats.
- Efficiency Gains: Grants for MDR cybersecurity and document management upgrades.
🛠️ Department of Public Works Budget Presentation
⏰ 02:42:17
- Staffing: 60 full-time employees across 9 divisions; 3 vacancies noted.
- Achievements: 4.7 miles of roadway resurfaced, 4,300 ft of sidewalk replaced, 144 hazardous trees removed, 115 new trees planted.
- Budget Highlights:
- General Fund Increase: 1.4%
- Enterprise Funds: Water +3.8%, Sewer +3.3%, Stormwater +73% (due to salary shift from general fund).
- Accommodated Costs:
- Snow & Ice: $675K (level funded)
- Street Lighting: $135K
- Trash/Recycling: $2.29M (+39%) under new Republic contract.
- Recycling Programs: Hazardous waste events, electronics drop-off, mattress recycling, Black Earth composting (519 subscribers).
- Concerns: Rising costs for salt, equipment maintenance, and invasive species management.
✅ Key Summary
- Police: Fully staffed; budget up 2.59% driven by overtime and training; public records requests remain a major burden.
- Fire: Budget up 4.01%; overtime and EMS costs rising; ambulance billing changes expected to boost revenue.
- Health: Minimal increase (2.62%); strong community partnerships; exploring hospital trust fund for future needs.
- Technology: Largest expense increase due to CAD system; cybersecurity and cloud costs continue to climb.
- DPW: General fund increase modest (1.4%); major cost drivers include new trash contract (+39%) and stormwater salary shift.
- Overall Theme: Departments balancing essential services with fiscal constraints, leveraging grants, and exploring creative funding solutions.
