5 Things You Missed at Monday's Selectmen Meeting

Did you miss Monday night's Board of Selectmen meeting at ? If you did, here are five things to catch up on:

1. Committee appointments. Selectmen unanimously approved the appointments of Assessing Manager Debbie Carbone and Treasurer Maryann MacKay to the Taxation Aid Committee. This committee was established to assist people in need with tax relief, but it has not made a distribution for some time, board Chairman Robert Mauceri said. Selectmen Stephen O'Leary said the fund has about $14,000. There are two other positions on the committee that need to be filled, O'Leary said.
2. Ambulance service bids. The town is working on an invitation for bids for private ambulance service, Town Administrator Greg Balukonis said. The proposal will specify certain response times that providers must meet, including six minutes for 85 percent of all calls, Balukonis said. Many on the board said they hoped that the North Reading Fire Department would be able to continue to provide ambulance service. O'Leary said the bid process is part of a fact-finding mission to determine how the town can provide the best possible services at less cost, but he added that during contract discussions with firefighters that it has been "everyone's stated intent to continue to have the provide ambulance service."
3. Rising fuel costs. The fire department and Department of Public Works face a shortfall of $18,500 in fuel costs, Balukonis said. Much of that can be attributed to rising prices, he said. The police department does not appear to be in the red at this point, Balukonis added, noting that shortfalls likely will be addressed with a transfer from the reserve fund.
4. Reviewing health insurance. The town is actively soliciting bids from other health insurance providers for the next fiscal year, Balukonis said. Remaining with the status quo would result in about a 10 percent increase in cost, Balukonis said. The town also determined that there would be around $500,000 in savings if it were to transition to the state Group Insurance Commission, although there could be some higher payments associated with the GIC, Balukonis said.
5. New license approvals. The Thomson Club and Hillview Snacks were granted seasonal licenses Monday night.