Thank you everybody. I will call the March 10th, 2026 select board meeting to order. The first item on the agenda is the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. So, I will go over the agenda for this evening. Um the first item at 7:05 is for public comment for any items not included on the agenda. That means
is if you want to speak for anything, you can at any point, but if um you speak on a topic, hypothetically RCTV, if we had an agenda item that dealt with RCTV, um you wouldn't be allowed to speak the second team on that topic. Um
7:25 report 7:30 community spotlights. 35 is discuss and vote to approve the first amendments to Burbank Ice Arena lease agreement and pastoral license agreement master license agreement for the Burbank
Ice Arena and Reading Center for Active Living parking lots drafts of both agreements in the original lease available in the board packet and from the south board's office. 805 vote to close warrant for annual town election and town meeting.
9:05 discuss 2026 select board retreat date. 920 discuss and vote on letter regarding legislative audit. 9:35 discuss and vote on volunteer board and committee appointments. 9:45 discuss and vote to authorize acting town manager to execute certain
contracts relating to the Hawaii street construction project and the writing center for active laboring project including contracts valued in excess of $500,000. 950 discussion vote to amend the acting town manager's contract. 95 town manager
search process discussing potential votes regarding the town manager search hiring process including an update on conversations with Jane Wellman regarding interest in the position of town manager as well as discussion and potential votes on next steps in the search process which may include scheduling an interview with Miss
Wellman creating a town manager screening committee and or engaging a consultant to assist with the hiring process 10:15 layers on reports 10 20 future agendas is 10:25 approving to set the meeting minutes.
So after all that uh public comment anybody in the room that would like to speak Maril >> two minutes and address >> haven't been here. >> Okay. >> And just make sure you ask when you're up there too
>> buttons right in front of you on the face. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Um thank all of you. Just want to really say that one. >> I really mean it. Marilyn Shappley 11 John Carver wrote um member of the council on aging but here on my own
behalf tonight uh I'm speaking tonight to draw your attention to really important proposals that are before the permanent building committee. First, la at last week's PBC meeting, Ron Powell, our leaison to the PBC, requested that
the PBC reconsider a proposal to include an automated retractable divider in the thousand square foot program room. This would be very similar to the divider that's in the library's comparably sized community room and would have comparable benefits. It's a good thing. Many of the
programs that read offers to its 60 plus population a do not require a thousand square feet and b are actually better suited to smaller rooms. Shine book club uh more than five support groups intergenerational programs on and on and
on and on. With the divider, we can double the number of programs offered in that space and eliminate the situation in which 500 square feet of the room are being wasted when it's a small group activity, which is a lot. Uh because the recal bids came in under budget, there
is money budgeted that could cover the expense. And we say that respectively. We know respectively. We know there are a lot of expenses, but this one really is really valuable. Research indicates that there are options too. The very bulky and obstructive divider that was
first proposed and the increased flexibility to choose between using two rooms versus one would benefit the entire community, all ages. Uh please give this request serious consideration is all I'm asking. Uh it's
kind of stalled at the moment pending hearing something from the town. Secondly, the PBC commissioned an independent review of the recal design's compliance with ADA standards. Did you all receive a copy? >> No. Um Jane, could we get someone to get
copies to them all? >> Yeah, if we can. >> Okay. >> The two minutes is up, Marilyn, but we'll make sure we get a copy. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> The kitchen, I'll send you an email. >> Thank you. Anyone else from ahead?
>> You just have to give your name. That's it. >> When you speak up there, Arthur. Thank you. >> All right. What's he Can I like microphone? >> Good evening. You know what? Good evening. My name is Arthur Pereira. I am
13 years old and I am currently in the seventh grade at Koolage Middle School. When I was younger, I started talking and forming sentences later than other kids. I I only began speaking when I was like six years old. While other children
my age were playing sports and going to the playground, I was going to the going to therapy. It was not always easy, but my parents and siblings always supported me. I started at college last year and something very
special happened. For the first time, I was able to participate in activities at school with my classmates. I started playing botchi. Then I went to the gym and later I joined basketball. Being part of a team is amazing. I can make
friends, exercise, and learn new things. Because of unified, I am part of a team. And today, I can proudly say I am belong to a team. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Oh, and an additional thing I I would like to add. I also did do sports when I
was like six years old because of karate and stuff. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else in the room? >> Carl. >> Two minutes. Name and address. >> Uh Carl McFan, 33 Wakefield Street. I'm
speaking as a resident, not as a board board member of a bank Arena. Um, it's I've gotten to the point where enough's enough. And what I mean by that is leadership is very important. Leadership says, "Hey, I was wrong." And I've been
accused of being an extortionist, a blackmailer, which is comical. Um we've had there are members on the select board um who had been flat out lying in ter and no I I let me
retract. I'm not going to say lying in terms of they've been proven wrong and they haven't shown the leadership to say I was wrong. We outlined that the roof was going to cost us $250,000. Um this city was going to cost a million dollars because that's equivalent of
park. It actually came in below our bid our bid. was that said, "Oh, we're wrong." No. Um, we said it was a waste of time. We looked at doing um solar panels on the rink, wasting everybody's time. It came back. Didn't it make sense?
Unfortunately, when leaders make comments and don't clarify it, it becomes our staff at the Burbank Group have had a hostile work environment. People come in and say, "You're doing this, you're doing that, and it's enough's enough." Um, you got
to be held accountable for your actions. We've been repeatedly spoken to about uh the lease payment. The lease specifies exactly that we got to have the rainy day fund uh fully funded before we can um turn it back to the town. Miss Hyrick
has repeatedly stand well. We haven't made a police payment. It's there. And the other thing that you when they talk about money, I looked at a police officer here for detail for one of for a public meeting. How much is that costing us? Everything adds up. I looked today.
I was shocked when I looked at the RMLD the uh you guys ordered a revised agreement with RMLD. They do they've gone from 103 to $112 million. The ATM on Ashley and the payment cost to the town is the same.
>> Thank you. >> And it's costing the town $600,000. >> Anybody else? Anybody on Zoom? M. Sorry, I didn't see you. Jake, just just your name. That's it. Thank you, Jake.
>> Hi, my name is Jake and I'm 16 years old. I go to RHS and I'm here to tell you how much unified means to me. I like being able to play after school. Gives me something to do. Most days I go home and just play video
games and hang around my dog. Unified helps me make friends and everyone knows my name. As a unified kid, I love playing and being on the team. It's the only organized team sport I get
to play. Unified is one of my favorite things at high school and I will and I hope you will come to watch us play. Thank you. Anybody else in the room? Anyone online? Maddie, right?
>> I don't see any hands raised. >> I'll just give it a moment. Then we will move on. All right. So, we will move on to our next agenda item, which is town manager report. Jane, take it away. >> Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, all right. All right. So, I'm going to go through this fairly quickly. Um, some great news. We were notified recently from Congressman Seth Molton's office that the town will be the recipient of a $250,000 earmark for the lower downtown streetscape enhancement project. That's
the high street uh contract that will be coming up later in the meeting. Um, we are grateful to Congressman Molton's office. Um, as you may have seen announced, Reading is a partner in a regional microtransit service including Uburn, Burlington, and Wakefield. Uh
Wuben received a $1 million um grant from the state from Mass Dot to fund this pilot program and we are very excited about working with our neighboring communities to help provide metro transit services. Um we'll have more to offer at a later date. This just came through this week or late last
week. And so Andrew is still working out the details, but it looks like we'll have um a van and two sedans that we'll be able to deploy for microtransit purposes in town, which will be really interesting to see how that rolls out. Um, that's great news. Um, Eastern
Gateway, uh, as CPDC continues to discuss Eastern Gateway, our community development director, Andrew, would like to take some time to fully brief each of you. We'll be reaching out to you, uh, later to schedule those meetings um, so that the board is fully briefed and we could or you can do a briefing here if
you would prefer to use meeting time. So, um, whatever you prefer, we'll just reach out to you. Okay. Um, Mera Caven. So, I just want to take uh thank the board for their support for Mater in our last meeting. Um we were able to work with the permanent building committee
which approved $15,000 of their annual $50,000 budget to fund the study. Um part of the scope of that study will be to develop a budget for the repairs that need to be done to the building um to bring it up to code. We are not
recommending a specific amount of money to be allocated for improvements for this summer, which was a conversation that the board had we talked about last time, because um we don't want to find out that it's not enough. So maybe the building needs $200,000 worth of work
and we allocate 50,000 and the appetite isn't there to do $200,000 worth of work. So we want to bring that back with a full understanding of what the project uh would be. We think that's probably a more responsible use. Um, but all of the volunteer boards have access to get
their tools out to work in a community garden this summer. The applications are available and so they can all the volunteers can still, you know, get their things out and use the community garden and all of that over there in the pavilion. Okay. Um, we want to say congratulations to the
town clerk's office. Um today they finalized their printing and um preparing for mailing the town charter which will be a ballot question coming up in the April election. Um they had help from 22 volunteers in the community and town staff from every department and
division helped with envelope stuffing you know an hour here an hour there. I did an hour this morning um between 9 and 10 and labeling and everything out. So that was um many hands make light work sort of thing, but the town clerk's office really did yman's work, too. And that saved the town over $10,000 um
doing that work in house. Um and if folks haven't already, we ask that they complete the Pleasant Street Center survey. It's available on our website or in paper, at town hall, at the library, and at the Pleasant Street Center. We will be bringing the results of that survey and our uh road show um that
Katie and I did um to the next select board meeting. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. >> Tara, on how long it will take to do the study for Mater. >> So, that's a that's a great question. I'm really glad you asked that question.
So, we think it'll take about six to eight weeks once it starts, which should be pretty soon. If we had waited to the um the uh town meeting, we would have gotten the results of that study very close to the time we would have had to
close town meeting, close the warrant for November. So, this gives us actually more runway to say, okay, here's the results and now what do we want to do? So, we'll bring the results of that work back to this board and you can take a look at it and see what you have an appetite for and what you'd like to
bring forward in November for a subsequent town meeting. So, we think it gives us a little more runway. >> Um, the a budget for the permanent building committee, can they only use it on studies and master plans and things like that? Or could if if it comes back that it doesn't need that much work,
like could they allocate the rest of their $50,000 budget this year? >> Um, procedurally, I think so, but maybe that would be a decision of Department of Building Committee for sure. Yeah, they have that 50,000 annually and that's usually something that's expended in conjunction with the facilities
department. So, >> thank you. Thank you. >> Anyone else? All right. Community spotlight. Jamie. >> Um, so first I'd like to congratulate uh Jake Chavez and his family for the grand
opening of Virginia's Cafe and Market on Saturday. Um, it was great in the former Pomal Moose um site on Haven Street. It was fantastic to see lines out the door, lines down the down the street. Um, and to have so much support in the community
for a new business. Um, I got to be the first customer. So, I thought that was cool for me. Um, and it was, uh, it was a perfect antecedent to spring to celebrate this new business. And then secondly, there he is. Um, I'm going to
ask Chief Nelson to come up really briefly, but I want to highlight our fire department and their roll out yesterday of the new Zol X U monitor defibrillators. Um, Reading is the first in New England to have these and the fourth in the nation to deploy these
state-of-the-art monitors. So, take it away, Chief. >> I just have a couple points. I know that uh we're tight tonight, but I thought it'd be really quick to stop this quick history of medical services in Reading. Do you know who used to run it prior to 1970? Please.
So back in the days old Cadillac ambulance and they would just pile in and just drive. There was no actual treatment of the people in the ambulance. Um so interesting back in October 197 uh 1970 the firefighters started to request to take over the ambulance. It was September 29th in 1971
the wedding took over. The ring fire took over the ambulance. We're one of the first in the area. Okay. They were so early the heard ENT didn't exist. They they took a class at Winchester Hospitals emermergency doctors. Um 2003 November of 2003 we upgraded to our ALS
ambulance service. That's when we went online are transf. And finally finally yesterday March of 2026 we rolled out these new new monitors. the company is old. Um some of the why is this so this is so great. So
first of all this is really new technology. We got an early on this technology and uh that allowed us very good pricing which saved overall budget in the long run which is uh always great news especially nowadays. Uh and then also it's got some really cool features. It has real-time feedback for
compressions and uh and when you're doing ventilation it's really important that that be accurate so the patient has the greatest chance of survivability. It has this thing called C see see through CPR. So as you're doing CPR can still read the heart. With older monitors, you had to stop CPR so they can see what the
heart rhythm once. So now we can be doing two things at once. Um the pads themselves actually measure the patient size and give the appropriate amount of electrical shock, not just a number, which again is better for the treatment. Uh for medical legal stuff, it allows
for better data capture so that we're our paperwork and documentation is better. um you know that helps as far as legal stuff and the actual algorithm that analyzes the heart rhythm is the newest it's the most modern so it's the most accurate which lets my providers give
the best care make the best diagnosis possible so this is a really big step forward for us it's an exciting project and and then just to wrap up here first of all I have to thank my team um this was spearheaded by assistant chief Kio Lieutenant Loftess our coordinator for
EMS system, but really there's a lot of people involved. They all helped. There was a lot of opinions and a lot of work into the project. And then lastly, I'd like to thank this board, county meeting members, and the and the residents of Reading that supported this project. Um, this is going to raise the level of care
another notch beyond what we already have. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Oh, absolutely. Sorry. Sorry. How many do we have? >> Five. Five. >> Five. So each So the two engines and ladder track each have one and the
ambulance carries two. That way we could treat two patients at the same time if we if we had to do that. So five into the community >> and everybody in the flight department will be trained on this or just uh so in two weeks everybody in the fire department except for me, one other
person uh are paramedics. So I am not able to use it. That other person is not. But everybody else in the fight problem will be is trained currently and will be able to use it. That's great. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Was that it, Jane?
>> That was it, sir. >> Thank you. >> All right. So, moving on. Section 35, page seven on the packet. Discuss and vote to approve the first amendment to Burbank Ice Arena lease agreement and master license uh agreement. Burbank ice arena and writing center for active
living parking lots. the drafts of the packet and then Maddie is going to bring some up right now. And this amendment is semi inextricably intertwined to the warrant article as well per se. So just be cognizant for
any public comment on this one that pertains to the next one as well. >> So did you want to go over some changes? >> Sure. So um so this is the first one is the amendment to lease agreement. We're looking for the board to approve this
and each member will sign it um if approved and then we're looking for um the board to direct me to sign the master license agreement. Um so we can go through the lease briefly. First it talks about how the rent is calculated. The important thing here to look at is
that the contingency reserve has been raised to $500,000. um and that is to address um to recognize the higher cost of replacement of materials and capital costs uh due to inflation. So that um that's it. Oh, and
before I get started, I really I want to let everybody know that um we have been notified by council that the Burbank um arena authority that the board members are prepared to agree this agreement is acceptable to them. So any changes we make we can we have to bring back to
their board. that they're as it is, they're prepared to sign it once this board signs it. >> Okay. Um so that's the rent. Um moving to section 16, amend section 16, town's access 16.1. Um they have a gate at the
back of their parking lot. They want to keep that gate there for the ability to close it, but there'll be a pedestrian access that will be constructed there by the town as part of our project. Um that will remain open. So there will be a gate across that and they feel they need that for security purposes. Um and so
that is we've discussed that with project leaders and the town engineer and they're accepted that's acceptable. Um okay we have all the parking information here. Um, and this is to allow so we
discuss we discussed that we're putting up football courts in adjacent to the center for active living and that there is nonexclusive use of the 28 spots um in the rear parking lot that will be available for um users of the pickle
ball courts to access. Okay. >> Newly created 28 spots is that >> well there there are spots that it's already space that exists in the the back of the parking lot. So, it's for us to use. It's non-exclusive use. So, you know, the the arena authority if they're running a big game or whatever, people
don't usually park there, but we're not excluding them that when they have their their big events. Okay. Um there's some detail in here about how it will be improved. The town as part of our project is going to put in a paved handicap spot. um where from the
original drawings we've moved it to another place, you know, through conversations between um Burbank and the town to make that the best location for both projects um and not be right on top of where they're doing access to the rear of their building. So, that's
great. We're happy with that. Um we released them from liability if our people using ball are walking over there. That was the first part. Um, let's see. Any any um amendment relative, it needs to go with
who we're sending it to. And then um if there's signage, the tenant that's Burbank um may replace existing signage. We're also offering to do some signage um as part of the project for the whole campus. Um and so
we will work that out with them. Um and that is Elise. And there's an estite plan that's there most of you seen. And then the um the original lease is here as well for
reference purposes with the amendments inserted. So you can see how that works. And let's see. And then there's the master license agreement. So, the reason we have a license agreement is so that the arena authority can um use the parking at
recal um when they we don't want to have we're not leasing our property out to the arena authority to use because under Massachusetts state law we would have to take that to town meeting and it complicates the process. So, we're using
a license agreement. a license agreement um can be um uh terminated by either party with you know notice uh with minimum notice. That's just state law. We don't intend to do
that. Um but this talks about again the town having non-exclusive use of 28 parking spots on the rear lot and overflow parking from recal to the rear lot of the arena authority. We understand that they don't want the front lot being used. That's their
primary lot for their customers to use. And so it wouldn't be fair to crowd out their regular customers um for the over with recal overflow for for certain events. And then they have the right to um come and use the recal for certain
overflow events that they might need. And all of these are coordinated in advance with staff. That is kind of the crux of it without getting into the minutia. Thank you, Jane. Board members, any questions? Melissa, >> I just have one quick question. Um 16.3
is the um we just talked about we're going to add the um handicap spot. >> Yes, >> that's like in the back where that gate is just for the pickle ball courts. Correct. >> Correct. Yeah, it's on it's in the pickle ball area. It will be paved because it needs to be paved for access. >> Yes.
>> And it will just be for pickle ball. Um, >> yeah, it'll be in that 28 spot area. Exactly. And it'll be very adj it'll be adjacent to the pathway we the crosswalk across Range Road. >> Yep. That's the only question I had. >> Okay, >> Carla.
>> Yes, thanks. Uh, just curious where the $500,000 came from. >> It's my understanding that that was um Burbank being responsive to um previous requests from the select board. All right. Uh for me
>> during conversations that were, you know, happened um over the past >> Yeah. My my recollection was that we talked about the 300,000 has been at that threshold for a long time in inflation and cost, but um until this
packet came out, that was the first time I saw 500. So I think it's really excessive because we only get lease payments uh >> correct over and above that. So, I'd like to do an amendment to that. Um, but I'll let other board members um discuss.
>> And just to clarify, Jane, when you mentioned conversations, you mean at the select? >> Yes. Not in any other conversations that people have alluded to that have magically not happened. >> No, no, no. Public conversations here at these at these meetings. >> Okay.
>> That's my understanding. >> Anybody else? Karen. >> So on that, so let's say they're at 300 right now. >> Yeah. >> So they would technically not be responsible for paying any rent until they get to 500.
>> If with this change, they would have to restore their reserve fund to $500,000. And and then they could because of the formula that which they pay rent, they are required to fill that uh that reserve first before and then after that
the rent payments they made because they're entirely responsible for the upkeep of their building, >> right? And then let's hypothetically let's say they get to 500 and then next year they're going to replace windows or something or or a room. Um I guess it's
tying into well let me take a step back. So once they reach that level and they don't spend any money for two years because they don't need any money, that's when the rent to us becomes available. >> That's because it would be none of that flow would go into there. Yep.
>> So I guess my um I just have nitpicky little comments or questions or clarifications. Um the sentences um in the rent paragraph three the third section which says income then
remaining shall be remitted to the town as rent and conditioned upon approval by town meeting if such approval is legally required. Is it not required now? >> No. Then it would go to the unified sports stabilization fund. That's what
that's saying. So no they pay their their payments now. What this is saying is if it's approved by town meeting article 14. >> Yes. >> Okay. And we establish this fund which we've changed the
wording in article 14 to adaptive sports for recreation and for schools right um if that is approved at town meeting. we have this fund now the language is is kept into the lease that they would have to disperse you know the first you know
25% or up to 50% would then be designated to that fund. So now the town meeting action is tied to lease. >> Okay. >> So that ensures that that money would go in that direction and if it doesn't if it's not approved then the town is held
harmless. Which page would you want, Karen? Just for I'm trying to just have page one of the first amendment to the leasing. >> Sure. >> Seven paragraph three. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I was interested. Um,
I guess I just need to dumb it down a little bit and I think it's on a lot of people's minds as far as how it proceeds. So, um, let's say they have no rent one year. Let's say they're at 450,000 in the profit that they they're refurbishing
their their account to bring it up to 500. So there's nothing that goes anywhere at that point, >> right? Their money goes back into their fund. >> Okay. So I guess I'm jumping all over the place because 14 and this are combined and I'm trying
to talk separately. >> It's okay. >> Which has become very hard. It made sense to me earlier today when I was writing my notes. Um >> I guess I'm going to wait till we get to 14. I think that might >> is the question about article 14 or is the question about
>> so that's what I'm not even sure if it's about 14 or if it's about so it's not um I think what's confusing in 14 is that this just talks about one stabilization fund and then we've got two and 14 >> I actually asked that and I forgot when
I spoke earlier that we need to amend that to match the article 14 so instead of saying um the town shall create a unified sports stabilization fund it's going to match the wording for article for article 14. >> Okay. >> And I I apologize. I told every I'd say
that here. And um so it will say um adaptive sports programming through rec department. I think adaptive sports program through the school. I may not be exact on that wording, but it should match. >> It does. >> I guess that's where I was confused. >> Yeah. So the packet that went out, I'm
looking at the 35 packet. Um it's adaptive and therapeutic programs through recreation and adaptive programs through the school department. And adaptive programs in the school department includes the unified sports program. Um that's the only adaptive
program that's available to the school department right now. But we based on community feedback and board feedback um and public comment um I asked um council to change the language of article 14 to
create two stabilization funds for equal aortionment. All right. So 25% in one 20% in the other not more than 50%. and um and that language there is a version of the lease that includes includes that
language. >> Okay. So that was came by yesterday and I believe the council email >> okay >> with all that information. My other question is let's say we get somebody incredibly wealthy who leaves us a ton of money and um I've talked to a lot of
people about making unified sports bigger here and I think we could probably do that through writing wreck you know the rec department kind of making it all-encompassing. So until we get to that point, which may never come, but it might, are we able to remove that from this at that time if we're fully
funding um unified sports in another way so that this >> so in the future if we were to fully fund adaptive programs in both organizations and we had we were just entirely flush. >> Imagine that. I love that for us. Um
then we would have to go back to town meeting and just >> redo this. >> That's correct. >> Okay. >> Y >> Carl, did you have a clarification? >> Just thanks Carl. >> Back again. Uh Carl McD now is the bank
board member. Carlo, right now that original lease, the 300,000 was x amount of years ago. um it goes up tied into the CPI index which is 52 and a half percent. The actual rainy day fund is like 47 it's like 416,092
roughly. So it keeps going up. When the original discussion started with the previous town manager, I had proposed tearing it up because we want the money to get back to you guys as quick as possible in terms of next year it goes to 425 whatever and then the following
year goes up to 440 instead of jumping all the way to 500,000 and his response was I think it's just cleaner we say 500,000 typically if you look we've over our existence we've given 2.62 $2.6 6 billion which you do the division
roughly 80,000 a year this year June 30th we believe we're going to be up to 417,000 maybe a little bit extra so we'll be there personally and this is just my personal opinion I would love for it to be tiered
because we again this is my personal opinion uh I see Tyra in the audience we started the middle school um well she started the middle school unified program and she's up 80% she didn't have kids participating. There's a need um
and I don't understand not understand but I would love to see kids in the elementary school be able to benefit from from and that this is all this is about for us is Nelson and his family love this wanted this this was the original agreement way back 30 years ago to the money would go to recreational
private programs which this would fall under but we're already at 417 on most likely by June 30th. So to jump to 500,000 isn't like night and day. But if you guys want to tear it, you know, 425,
450, 475 and get there in four years so the town will get money right away. I I can't speak to the board, but I feel like I can speak to the board. We'll sign with it. We don't really care how you get there. But that's something you guys figure out, but we did propose a tier. The previous town manager said, "No, let's just make it easy. Make
$500,000." Okay. So, just so I understand it, it's $3,000 in black and white. It's $300,000 in black and white >> way back when. >> Way back when, but you've you've uh
counted CPI for all those years. >> Correct. >> So, even though it's not in writing, your threshold now is above 17. >> No, it it's in the least original national where it's tied into the CPI. >> Okay. Sorry. Sorry. Okay. Thank you. So thank you.
>> Which over time has accumulated the 417 mark. >> Thank you for that clarification. Yeah, I I think even 417 to 500 is a is a big jump in my opinion given that we've been doing CPI. Um I know there's inflationary factors and there's been
supply chain cost factors every so many years past five or six. Horrible. Uh no end in sight. So I like that approach. I wish I wish that was presented to us. It wasn't. So, I'm speaking for myself. I
would like that language amended to so much percent. Even if we keep it at CPI or 5%, whatever it is, but >> I mean, you can keep it as is and just only make 500,000, >> right? Yeah. >> CPI usually increase on average maybe 12
to 15,000 a year. >> Yeah. So I'm I'm okay with that. I don't know about everyone else. I think that discussion needs to be had. >> And just quickly, the board doesn't care. You know, we want you guys to do it the whole nine yards already there.
We just want to see kids gain more opportunities as quick as possible. >> Right. Thank you. >> So, so we can go over the amendments towards the end, but did you have a clarification for Karen or did you need anything else? Good. >> Okay.
Anybody else? Karen, >> are we gonna There's two documents. Um, so and it's a little confusing with all the things we have prepared for this evening. Microphone. >> So, are we going to talk about this document and then the the amendment to the lease or are we is it really just
the first amendment lease agreement? >> It's it's the um the amendment to lease agreement and that you all would sign that and then the master parking license agreement. you would um direct me to sign >> only you would go. Yeah. Why uh
>> based on your vote? >> Why would the town manager sign part of the lease and we sign the other? >> Nope. Just the license agreement. The license agreement is something that the manager can sign but not the lease agreement. Only the stock board can sign the lease amendment. >> Okay. >> So, this contract, these are 10-year
contracts. So, we signed this in 2023 and and we were unable to uh have any conversations about changing the terms back then. So, >> that's the lease extension. Pardon my interruption. >> So, this doesn't change that seven years less on this lease. We're mending the current lease, which is good for seven
more years. >> Correct. It doesn't extend the lease. >> It's 10 year leases. 10 year leases. Yeah. It's supposed to be mutually agreeable that we talk about this stuff. It really hasn't worked that way. So, um I have um looked at the CPI calculations
um and I had brought that up to our designate a number of times that I'm looking at your financials every year. Did you know your CPI would go up every year? Because that's a that's a great strategy to assume that the cost of maintaining the building and the
equipment would go up. So, um did the CPI amendment come out of this lease that we're going to sign tonight? That's what I'm wondering. I didn't see that anywhere. CPI is not in the lease amendment. >> There was a factor calculating how much their reserve account would be, their contingency account would be. Did you guys mess with that or is it still in
there? >> No. In the lease amendment, it just sets it at 500,000. So, and it changes the original >> No, it amends the original document. So, it doesn't continue the CPI. >> Okay. All right. Well, that that's I
understand that. Okay. Um I um I have a a grave concern that we are not getting rent payments out of this agreement. Um and um I'm I'm really glad that the board and yourself and and all staff
were able to work out a parking arrangement. I think it's mutually beneficial and that's the way agreements should be. It should be bilateral, mutually agreeable. I as far as the rent goes, I have I have grave concerns about signing this. I I
the the rink does need maintenance. It needs significant work and we haven't received any rent payments in two years. And there are other years when we received zero rent payments or we received money that we forwarded to the rank for potential morg use during COVID
that was paid back to us. So that was even less. Um, and your point is valid like these the building is from 1994. Correct me if I'm wrong. We got a great tour last summer. A lot of that equipment is really old. Okay. So, I
don't see how we're ever going to get rent out of this. And then and I love unified sports and adaptive sports and I had a great conversation with the superintendent this week to get some clarity on that and I look forward to more conversations at town meeting
and and it's good news that at least there's some funding for unified sports to begin with. Um I really appreciate that and and the superintendent was quick to also agree at how successful and popular the program is. So that's awesome. Um is it enough? Probably not.
Um, another concern is that um I know we're speaking as a public resident uh per a resident tonight, but um when we get into a lease agreement and we make it so specific, it can kind
of create sometimes create the appearance of a conflict of interest in the future. um um you know, kudos for all the work you do with um kids in sports through your SNL business and and I understand that you also have the
capacity to run adaptive sports programs in the elementary school. So, I take you at your word that you're very comfortable with that topic, but uh I just wonder if that's going to create any difficulties for our design if we put this in here. Um,
and I I do not want to hold up any kind of parking agreement. And so if the rest of the board wants to sign this as it is, then I'm going to go along with it. But I I I'm not happy. I know what dire financial straits we're in. Um, and I
know we need free cash. And beyond that, um, just to be clear again, unified sports and adaptive sports are wonderful programs and, um, I would love them to be funded. If that's what our community wants, then I am 100% behind it. Just
don't think that this is going to be the best way to do that. But on the other hand, there's nothing in this agreement that says this is the only way we fund those. So the school is already taking some steps. We can certainly add on to this. So that's all I have to say on this. >> Thank you. Um, I need to add one thing.
I'm sorry. She said that the license agreement was 10 years and I want to clarify it. >> The license the lease. >> Okay. Yeah. The license is three years. >> Oh, thank you. >> That's Thank you, >> Carl. Did you I this whole conflict of interest thing I'm always torn on. So,
if you'd like to respond to it because I normally I wouldn't be doing this kind of stuff, but I I I've been accused myself of things that have never materialized and now Yeah. Look, >> I appreciate Thank you. A couple things. One, in reference, you ask my my private business. We don't run any adaptive
sporting programs in in the town of Reading, even though um you know, we've advocated for the rec to partner with say Andover. Second of all, um words matter. when someone references that there there's a grave concern about um
with the financial rank the whole nine yards I just shake my head in terms of if you have if you have grave concerns you've been our liaison for over four years and you've never attended one meeting
>> you've never shown up one operational >> I need to raise my hand >> yeah moment we have or we have our meetings and I mean Mr. Bachi is attending meetings and you know I work with kids all the time and I sit there and say you don't understand something
ask for extra help. Have you ever scheduled a meeting to come to sit down with the the finance uh excuse me Ed Kadudo our accounting firm that does audited financials? No. And to sit there and say oh we haven't given any rent for
two years. Of course not. We spent a quarter of a million dollars fixing our roof. I mean, everyone knew that. So, we got to replenish that fund. And to act like we're being nefarious, that we haven't given any money to the town in two years, of course not. Because we're
replenishing uh the rainy day fund, which is one of the reasons Nelson put that in there because he didn't want it to be a white elephant to the town because, as you said, possible dire financial times that are coming. Are you gonna sit there and say, "All right, we're gonna spend money on fixing the roof at Burbank or fund teachers or fund
police department." Of course not. So that's why the rainy day fund was set up. And it's just very frustrating because it's kind of these type of brave type of big words being thrown out there and some of the words even the DEI director is like, "Whoa, this is over
the top." That has made statements to us. It's unnecessary. We're all ready people. We're trying to do the best for the town already. And that's that's how we look at things is there was a I was brought up by Eric Gaff in a town meeting had a thought, hey, maybe we
could do something like this, which was the mission of what the Burbank family wanted. If you don't want it, that's fine. But just because one or two people who always complain about everything are against it, doesn't mean that that the whole community is against it. So, as you can tell, I'm frustrated. the
board's very frustrated because we have employees that are being harassed all the time and they're a private company and we don't they don't deserve that. So that's it. >> Thank you. >> Karen, did you have something? And then I'll move on to Melissa. >> I can't remember. That was funny. Okay.
So, um I can't even remember that was like too funny. Oh jeez. I have been the liazison for three years. Can I just correct the record? I have asked to be invited to your meetings. I asked politely. We have email chains that I would be happy to print out for this
entire board. So, I'm not even sure you're meeting, but I do ask for meeting minutes regularly and sometimes we get them and and you know, so we don't really need to say things like that. And and I'm so glad you guys fix the roof. And who who brought that up to you as a
select leazison? Me. because I was over there skating and and I could see the drips on the ice and I was like, "Carl, Carl, can you get the roof fixed?" And and you went back to the board and kudos for you, you guys got it done. And I can also say that yeah, I was really
skeptical that your um roof quote was accurate and and and we all got blindsided by the Parker roof and took time meeting another three years to finish spending the money that we authorized. So So sometimes it's I'm glad to be wrong. I was thrilled because I saw the numbers coming in for Parker.
However, >> did you say >> I just did I said I was wrong about the roof. >> All right. >> Wait. >> No, no, I wasn't wrong about the solar panels. >> I for letting the RMLD do the energy audit, which is also my idea. I
appreciate you doing that. >> Thank you. >> Okay. All right. That's it. That's it. >> I would love to be invited to one or eight years. I'm still the liazison. let me know. Carlo is too. I don't mean to hog all. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. Okay,
>> thank you. >> Um, so I just wanted to go back to some of Karen's comments because um I'm a little confused by them. In one sentence, she re, you know, was upset that we haven't received rent payments. Um, although their lease is very clear,
they have their reserve fund. It was what CPI, so it was 300 at one point, moved up to 400. And you know, so it's clear they pay their operating expenses, salaries and expenses of the building and then we get rent. But then in the next sentence, you're clear on saying
that the building needs repairs. So I guess I'm just a little confused what it is that you want from the Burbank considering it's very clear in their lease what their requirements are to the town. Their requirements are extremely clear in this lease. They followed them,
but you're still upset about it. So, I guess I'm I'm a little confused at what it is that you're upset about, >> the lease says that and and Mr. Burbank, who you know, sadly passed away a number of years ago, was a very smart self-made businessman. He did not want this to be
a white elephant, using MC's words, the goal was always to be a win-win to provide an ice arena for hockey and ice skating. And if you've looked at the Burbank financials, you can see they equally bring in almost $500,000. And so that's a million dollars in revenue every year. We're not getting
any rent. And it does say you pay your operational costs, but when your operational costs are maybe too high, like you're spending $300,000 on salaries. >> We don't have a say in that. That they're a private business. We have no say in what >> Okay. So, let me let me They're not a private.
>> So, they're a 501c. No, it's a public 501c. >> This is not this is not disputable. You're a public 501c created for the benefit of a writing residence with a generous startup fund from a very astute
and financially um aware businessman. That's all. >> Do you have anything else? >> No. Okay. Uh my opinion on this um that
I'm under of the similar minds. I don't know what it takes to run a ICE arena nor would I ever you know venture into that opportunity myself. So I don't know if 300,000 I don't do not. What I've stated time and time again at this
meeting uh at the selective is that Ed Padudo the program that he runs over there and whatever this is which I could care less what number it is is visible in the community consistently on Facebook YouTube all the kids after all
the hockey things shut out spices Mark Welch on lawns fixing um anything and everything at the arena plowing for the next day for indoor while all of us are trapped in our houses. All these various things that Burbank does over there. And
I don't care about one nickel of what they're doing because my tax dollars have never gone towards paying a penny towards the Burbank ice arena. Zero. All the things we argue about money and all this, they have no bearing on what gets
done with that. They never have and they never will as long as the current lease is in place. And if we don't like the terms of the lease, we could have potentially done something in 2023, but it was written and um done a town
meeting like a decade before that. Um that it's Burbank's option, not the select board's option. That's what it is in the lease. If we don't like it, oh well. It was the same thing with the RCTD contract. It was our con. It was
our option, not theirs. So, it was reversed. Um, so when you're dealing with contracts, it'd be great to always have the leverage over somebody else because then you would be benefiting every single dime in the contracts. That's not the way it was written back then. A lot of stuff has aged out since
then. When it comes up again, if they don't resign in 2030 or whatever, then something different. Until then, we have not paid a single penny at all to the town to lead any of this topic over there. And I have heard nothing other
than from uh members here complaining about it. I have heard nothing from anybody else on the operation that the Burbank Ice Arena runs ever. It It's just point blank. I admire
when they leave this room. It's just wild to me that things like this can just still be said at meetings like this. I just I don't understand it. We pay nothing for something and we're arguing over like how we're going to do something else. Makes no sense to me. In
terms of the unified speeds, Melissa mentioned that it's going to be clarified about um the stabilization funds. I just want to remind everybody because somehow things have been forgotten since April of 2025. The person that always
remembers everything unfortunately is me. Instructional motion number 252 was instruction to the town manager by Eric Kaplan who was the chair of the um recommen town meeting member of precinct floor
not whatever precinct car is not by Ed Padudo not by members of the Borbang Burbank board. Eric Daffin, town meeting, said that he hereby requests that the town manager and staff inclusive of schools schools identify
and create a sustainable funding mechanism for expanding adaptive programming using existing town funds and future donations from the Burbank ICE Authority. separately. Please investigate how existing funds can be used within the
town uh allocated for additional recreational programming and facilities which may include additional adaptive programming. Eric Gaff brought up the Burbank ice authority not any from Burbank. Eric Gaffen requested
this town meeting and it was approved u through town meeting. It's an instructional motion. We all know it's non-binding. I'll be the first to admit there's lots of motions that have passed that nobody has taken up on this board or prior teachers on this board have
decided to address those construction motions. But I just want to clarify the record for everybody else who says that Burbank Ice Arena Authority is pushing their authority and their will onto the town to be able to do certain things and
it's just extremely disingenuous. If that instructional motion can mention Burbank and Serena Authority, perhaps you had something, but that's what was mentioned. I spent the last uh last week watching um the portion of town meeting
back as well. Um nothing really changed by what was governed in here, were the language changes, that kind of stuff. So hopefully it is clear and concise on the record that Eric Gaffin of the Precinct Corps wisely brought this instructional
motion and I'm happy that this elected and town manager and and and now J is addressing it because this happened in April and not a single person in a town of 27,000 people have come up with an
alternative. Nobody, including myself, have come up with an alternative for that. And the people that have have been vilified in this room, online, in the newspaper, everywhere else. It is extremely uncalled for. I don't
understand it. Like I said, I step out of this room and I go into some bizarro world where all of a sudden it's Burbank's fault that they're asking for this in their lease. It was an instructional motion. They decided to put it in worked in the lease. Not me, not Carlo, not Karen, not Karen, not
Melissa. The town manager and town staff worked on all this stuff. There was no secret meetings. There was no shady backroom deals by people. Town staff, they work on all the motions. That's it. I get a copy when you get a copy. It's
just I I just can't believe I have to sit here and argue logistics where it's spelled out black and white. I just I don't know what to say, but hopefully that clarifies the record um for this.
Um I think Carlo, you had something before I lose my mind. >> Yeah. Yeah. Uh so I think we need to have a discussion, please, amongst ourselves about the 500,000 fixed or the way it's been because that's important.
Number one. Uh, number two, I'm going to paraphrase this letter from Peter Burbank that was uh written to Dr. Militki um dated March 31st, 2025, basically saying he and his family fully support
what we're trying to achieve here with the stabilization fund. It's it's only a paragraph. Um, but we'll put that in the packet for next time. Um, so we did have that discussion. That's very important. And and correct me if I'm wrong, acting
town manager, we're opening up the lease right now. We're amending the lease. >> Correct. >> Correct. So, if I wanted to add another option period, this would be the time to do it or can we do that? >> You you can make an amendment and then
we have to take it back to to council and go back and forth with the board. So, we can do that. Okay. if you want to. Um, I've asked Maddie if she has the original lease that she can post, she can put up and you can see the original rent agreement and how it's calculated
if you would if the board wants to do that. Um, would that be something useful? >> It's page two of the lease. >> We're going to put it right up. >> What did you mean by page two, Jane? Just so people follow at home. So, this is in in the packet or it is
>> not in the packet. This is the original lease. In the packet is the amended lease for the rent portion that changes the contingency fund to 500. Matt, bring your specific item up. >> Yeah, it's page two, Maddie, of that lease. >> It's a section three.
>> So, while we're getting that up, thank you. Uh, I would like to entertain that because I don't know what the lifespan of this building is to be honest with you. I'm assuming it's like almost any other building if we keep it up about 50 years or so. So, right now this goes
until 43. Adding one more option, it would go to 53. So, uh that's something is it 43 or 33 or I just need to have it up on the screen just so
>> Maddie um there we go. So, keep scrolling a little bit to section three. Yeah, right there. That nope. >> Too far. >> There we go. Where it says that. If you can scroll just a smidge
>> so we can see the bottom where it says third. Okay. So, um, Mr. Chairman, >> I don't think that's a section, is it? >> Yes. Is it? This is a section >> with the options. >> I don't think you're just talking about the reserves. No, I'm talking about the options. >> Oh, you were talking. This is the reserve piece. You want to talk about
the options? >> You went on. >> You want us to have discussion about the reserve piece? that's in here. >> Yeah. >> Tonight, like since we're opening up the lease, >> you want to add another 10 years. >> The way I read it, this was signed in 2013, >> correct? >> With a 10-year lease,
>> correct? >> From the 23. >> That's right. >> In 23, they exercise their first option. >> That's correct. >> To 33. And they have one more option. >> They have one more option. >> 43. >> That's correct. I would like to add another option um as part of the >> you would like to exercise as part of
this lease amendment the um the additional 10 years. >> Yes. adding 10 years >> the final uh 10 years of the term >> adding another option the simple terms adding another option they have exercise one option they have one more option of
them in in languages have two options three options and then number two uh to piggyback on what Chris said not verbatim but this was brought up at town meeting and I don't remember the votes but I'm pretty sure it's probably pretty
unanimous right Um all of us up here are for unified adaptive sports all sports right especially for kids that you know either aren't athletic don't have the opportunity um just want to be part of a team being
part of a team is one of the greatest things you can do as a young person. So, as far as the last section of the rent agreement, I would like to see um what have the new board of the two stabilization funds uh dedicate up to
100% but not less than 50%. Because in the spirit of Nelson Burbank and now Peter Burbank, I think we need to do the right thing as a funding mechanism, like I said at the our last meeting, it's just another tool in the toolbox. It's not going to be
sustainable every year, but if we have that language, we can look forward to something. So, I'm proposing two things right now aside from the option. Do we keep it CPI as it is or go to 500? I'm
supporting CPI the way it is. And I'm asking to go to 100% but not less than 50. So, the two funds could potentially get 50%. >> Okay. So, um, Maddie has up on the
screen the rent arrangement from the original lease. And, um, what it says here under the second section, the remaining income shall be used. Down at the bottom, it is the contingency reserve shall not exceed 300,000 at any given moment without permission from the
board of Sman. Nevertheless, the $300,000 cap shall increase to reflect increases in the consumer price index using the Boston area CPIU. And it's very detailed from the data this week. So that's where that comes from. Um so if that's the language the board would want to retain section the third section
however it says the income then remaining shall be paid to the town as rent amounts to annually paid on or before March 19th. You may want to um retain the language about the cap and the CPI. Okay, in the amendment the amended lease, but you may want to keep
the language that's been proposed um in the amended lease so that it covers the stabilization funds. So, what I'm hearing is you would like to amend it, have the amendment from you, retain it at the 300,000 GPI. Okay.
>> Um, Maddie, if you can just scroll a little bit higher to section two of that document, term and extension. This is the um terms that you you wanted to talk about, Carlo. Again, this is originally. So the term of this lease shall be 10 years commencing February 24, 2013. And
the tenant may extend the tenant may extend the term of this lease for two successive terms of 10 years each, provided they're not in default, etc., etc., right? Um, so >> just want to change that two to a three. That's all. Nice and easy.
>> You want takes Wait a minute. You want which two to a three? >> The two in parenthesis. Sentence four. You want to give them a third 10-year term? >> We can't. >> We can't. >> No. Under state law, they're only allowed a 30-year lease. >> So, anything beyond that, we have to go to town meeting. >> Okay.
>> So, there. >> Okay. >> So, did you want to add Did you want to ask them to exercise their their second term? >> The second 10 years. >> I don't think we can ask them to seven years. >> Yeah. It's their choice. Yeah. Right. So, that's right. So, that answers that
question. So, we're back to the CPI. Um, and you wanted to going back to the packet, Maddie. Um, and let's make sure I'm keeping up with you, Carlo. Um,
I'm just getting to the right page. Bear with me. >> I'm I'm on page 14 where it's in blue. It's in blue in the packet. >> Oh, page 14 where it's in blue. Okay. You're reading the amended. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Okay.
>> So, looking at the amended lease. >> So, essentially, we're we're we're reducing the $500,000 to CPI, which means we're removing a $500,000 stipulation in in causing it to be 417 or whatever it ends up being that was
mentioned. So we're actually reducing their ability to have a reserve by reverting it to only be CPI. >> As as it has it has been correct. >> As it has been correct. >> And you want instead of 50% 100% but not
less than 50%. >> Yes. Might as well go for broker for doing this. And as far as I I know it has to be equal, right? That's proportions. >> Correct. The aortion. Yeah. So it would say dedicate up to uh 100% but not less
than 50% of all rental payments. So that's >> is that your >> my motion, my amendment, whatever. >> I think we're still discussing but Melissa >> just a clarifying question. I agree with the CPI changing it, but do we still
have to put a number in there that's their um minimum? So we should we just do the CPI for this year which would be 417 I believe >> you don't have to put a figure in here. The formula will work itself out. >> You already had that. >> I understand that but the previously
used the CPI wording but it also had a minimum of 300,000 >> right? You could revert to that. It's shall not exceed 300,000 and corrected by CPI but with that >> okay >> specific language you could >> that would be my only question is if we need a minimum in there. Um but yeah I agree. I would like to do that because
then it it's a more gradual because I think if I understood correctly CPI will increase that by 12 to $15,000 a year, >> right? You could even change it to $400,000 and then it will only increase by CPI and so you just upgrade update that number. You could do that too.
>> Just to keep it as um a reserve. Okay. >> I didn't get to the public comment portion. Sorry. Um, did anybody else have any discussion on Carlo's thing or anything else?
>> I I just have some questions on the stabilization fund part of it. Um, when it says um the town may spend any funds in the stabilization fund as provided by law, is isn't this something that we would bring to town meeting to
discuss how to spend the money? >> Yes, sir. >> Yes. Yes. To to appropriate the money from the stabilization fund. This is a particular kind of stabilization fund. So it only requires a majority vote to appropriate money out of that fund. Um some stabilization funds require
twothirds town vote. This one doesn't according to state obviously. >> So it's not as if he's going to have a to-do list and he can spend it on whatever he wants without telling anybody. He no offense just you're just there. Do you know what I mean? So I think that that's the town is going to
eventually vote what's the money spent on any >> That's what I mean. future town meeting the school department may have some requests they want to come out of that fund recreation department may have requests they want to come out of the fund and town meeting would have to approve that >> out of the two funds or
>> yeah one each >> and they take pick it from either fund or >> school department can have >> and anybody else is from the other one >> the schools would choose from the school department and the recreation department or the town side would ask for appropriation from the recreation
>> and then can people donate to the stabilization How would a private donor because of course I think rich people are going to show up and >> I love that. >> Um how would somebody be able to do that? >> So that that's a great question and we're always here to help donors send us
their money. >> That's right. Well, we do. We have generous donors in the community and from Mr. Burbank, right? And the writing pickupball association most recently um and benefactor for the the fitness room at the high school. So we have benefactors in the community who are
very generous. Um when somebody wants to you know make a gift they usually you know talk to us and we um draft a gift agreement and then the party sign the gift agreement and that gift agreement is sort of a legal mechanism that says the town will spend these funds you have
given to us you have entrusted to us in the way in which you're giving us this gift. So somebody wants to give a gift to fund adaptive sports or unified sports in particular or something else that that gift agreement will be will be signed and then that money will be cared
for by the CFO and held separately >> trust kind of a thing and then >> yeah in a separate fund. Yep. >> And they'll keep track of that. >> Okay. I mean, I I appreciate everybody saying how um the CPI
thing. I think that any repairs that that rink is going to require are going to be astronomically expensive. And I prefer not to have them get themselves into position through no fault of their own because he's doing a phenomenal job keeping that ice thing working. having
seen it firsthand, um it looks like it's been there since the beginning of time. So, um I'm cautioning us lowering the amount because I'm afraid that that that main piece of equipment is the entire rink
and if that thing goes, as they were kind enough to explain to me in our tour, it's a big big deal. And so I don't know how much it would cost to replace that, but I think out of all the things that could possibly go wrong there, that would be the thing that would go wrong and shut them down. So
I'd like to keep that in mind. So I don't have a problem with the 500,000 or going to 400 where the CPI built on that. I' I'd like to aim higher just as a caution of things are very expensive. >> Karen, can I just make one comment? Um,
the lease does not specify how fast the contingency fund needs to be replenished. So, um, it just says no more keeping a contingency on hand. And when you get to that total, there's actually no reason
the the after an expense like the roof, the fund couldn't be replenished over a couple years and the town could also get rent stabilization. But I mean, rent monies, rent monies because all of this I'm talking partly about the past. I just don't understand why that hasn't
been happening. So, that has been my concern. Um, but anyway, I just want to point that out. The lease does not say that the contingent fund must be fully funded. Um, but it says that the organization is authorized to have a contingency fund up
to that that number. >> Yeah. So, it says it shall not exceed 500,000. So if we change 200 to 400,000 CPI whatever things have been tossed down around here shall is an important word in that I've known from the charter
that shall means you are doing it. So it shall not exceed 500,000. So it would be shall not exceed 400,000 or whatever we kind of do right now. So I'll turn it back to Carlo. So numbers have been tossed around. We
cannot do 10 years on a lease. You mentioned CPI knocking it down. K Rose mentioned maybe 400,000 CPI or Yeah, I'm I'm okay with that. I mean, I think we we got to move this forward in a fair fashion and I agree it's an old
building, right? And and maybe the Burbank family or someone else will come through for us uh as the building ages. We don't know. But I think the higher we go, the less chance of getting any of our payments for a while. So it's a give
and take, right? Maintenance prevention versus rent. So if we go keep if we kept them here at 500,000, then we're not we're not getting rent payments till it's 500,1.
So uh I missed a part about the CPI to be honest. So, in other word, I'm taking Pal's word for at 417, why would we go down to 400? Just start at 417 or 415, round it off to 415, and that's where we're at now.
>> So, point clarification. So, the conversations that I had with our design was that okay, the the lease specifically said start at 300 and then adjusted every every year for the CPI. So, I'm assuming that Mr. McFaten got the 417 number because you guys ran some
numbers and 417 are kind of where we would be at from the beginning of the lease. Is that correct? >> I'm sorry I couldn't hear you that well. >> Yeah. >> So, um, so that's how so you could um do two things. You could change the starting point from 300 to 400 if you'd like. And the CPA part would like start.
We just want to be clear. Does the CPI start from today the amendment to the lease or do you just want to say somehow we want to see reflected that 300,000 with all of the CPI calculations is now a different number whether it's 4007,000
whether it's 500,000 that what I saw reflected in the statements year after year after year was just the straight contingency fine of 300 or 325 whatever it was I guess it's 300 and um that it should have been going up
every year because inflation, >> right? And and it was oops and it was very least that that that Jane brought up there statements. It was being misinterpreted, >> right? Yeah. So again, that's why we're doing this in open session. So I'm okay
with 400, 415, whatever we agree upon so we can move on. Um I'm not going to fight over 15,000 either way. Um, so let's pick a number and settle that. And then because now that we have two stabilization funds, that's why I can go
100% up to dedicate up to 100% but no less than 50. So we can hopefully get these things funded better, you know, or again, I know it's going to vary year to year. If this was the only funding, um, I talked
to the trustes email. I think it was 25,000. Yeah. So, not a lot. And again, so another another tool in toolbox for me. So 400 415. I'm okay with either one. And then CPI
from there. And then my second amendment. And all right. So we're at four. Remember for everybody at home who's listening it doesn't matter what we say right now still has to be approved by the Burbank board so we can make those numbers
whatever we want and then also have to be approved by Dominion but anyway so one not this one warrant article we're not getting it's off topic so currently we're at 415 Carl vaguely mentioned 425 450 475 so
this seems to be tracking but you are training it from 50 to 100% % um and no less than 50. >> That's my request. >> Okay. And Karen Gillis, are we good with 415 CPI stipulation
>> with that? >> Okay. >> Are we all now addressing the 100%? >> Melissa, did you have something? >> I'm not on the number. No. >> Okay. >> The 415 thing. >> That's okay. >> I think it's
>> Are you Is everybody okay with the 415? Karen Eric, >> I think people are gonna be questioning why we chose that number, but I'm fine with it. >> Like if it was a 400 straight, I would just Nobody would question it, but that's fine. >> I think 415 gives us the wiggle room
because Burbank was asking to five. We're reducing it to four. At least we get 415. So, I'm kind of more leaning towards 415 would be better for them to at least approve what we approve. That's my only take on that. So, I kind of want
to keep it till 4:15. >> Okay. >> Next one. >> And Melissa, did you have something on the next? >> No, I just want to add to your amendment list if Carl is okay with that just to keep it in one person. Um, the the wording for the stabilization funds
needs to be amended. >> So, um, Maddie, I don't I don't know if you have last version she sent to the select board. I I thought I printed the last version. >> I did too, but
>> um I think she sent it to you yesterday. >> I think the last version that I had still had unified sports, but maybe I'm maybe I'm not correct on that. Oh, you know what? I have I'm looking at the last um version she sent us with the
blue lines that made it easier. So maybe maybe it is different than the other one. Oh um >> I think Jane gave us something. That's the >> So, if it's changed, then it's no need to have us vote on the >> but it's going to be on the screen so the public is aware.
>> Yeah. So, hold on. I'm just going to email you the last name today. There was a scrier's error in this document. Um, it missed a T in your name, so we added T. >> My name. >> Uh, it wasn't me. I didn't do it. >> This is how we're going to start this
off. >> No, >> you missing teeth. >> They got fixed. >> Okay. >> It's repaired. Um, so we found this. Maddie found the scriveners error. So, um, IA fixed that and she sent it to council. It's minor change. Maddie, I just sent
it to you. If you can pull that up on the screen and this just reflects that it says unified adaptive split, that's all. >> Yeah, I just wanted to match the warrant article. >> Yeah, that's the most recent one. She did email you guys
yesterday. We're giving Maddie a workout. >> It should be up on the screen right now. Can you guys see it? >> Go down to section a little bit down. So pull we can see the rent a little higher. A little more. Little higher. >> Higher. Higher.
>> The other way. >> Yeah. >> There we go. Right there. That's fine. >> Yeah, there it is. >> Uh yeah. So where does it say? Right there. So, >> unified sports, adaptive sports. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Maddie.
>> So, is all board members okay with that? >> I think it should say two stabilization funds to match the warrant article because the warrant article mentions two specific stabilization funds and that mentions one stabilization fund. >> Oh, stabilization fund is singular.
>> Yeah. Okay. I took that is >> because the way that this is only is the I thought the other stabilization fund was coming from the rent that was left over from this or did I misread it? >> They're both coming from the rent from
the Burbank rent. >> Yep. >> If it gets approved by town meeting >> and does it mean that 100% of the 50% goes to one fund, 50% goes to the other. So the town never gets any rent for to to support operations >> up to is the words up to. >> But the way we wrote it, is it possible
for town meeting to just >> town meeting expecting us to contribute all of the rent that they try to pay us that would cover the cost of sending police and fire out there and the roads and >> Yeah. Is that what we just said?
>> Bank is not requesting that. Carla is requesting that. Just want to make sure I understand how that would work. >> So, so right now the way that it was originally presented is it would it would dedicate up to 50% but not less than 25%. >> For one fund.
>> Yeah. For one fund. So if it's for two funds, >> it's the same. So it's 25 to one fund, 25 to the other fund. And with Carlo's amendment, it would be up to 100%. So it could it could right now we're
still living at 50%. um for both for both both together up to 100% but not less than 50 which means that there is a gray area for 50% change to operations car >> just hardware but it could be 100 it
could be 2% denominated on the one article came >> let's say they give us 100 grand in rent 50 25 grand is one fund. 25 grand is another 50 goes into the >> free >> the general >> as written
>> as written town meeting can still vote for that extra 50 in free cash to go somewhere or is that just in there and can go anywhere? So, so the usually what happens with free cash on allocations, it's that's a separate article on on the on the warrant. You know, we're going to
appropriate x amount of money for free cash to do, you know, x to do y um in an article, right? So, that's usually how >> okay, >> we would appropriate that. Um, and it it goes to it gets cashed out to free cash
and then we utilize it various different ways through our normal processes. >> Yeah. Article 14 is two different funds. Correct. >> All sec. >> I guess so. >> Anybody else before I open it to the
public? All right. Public comment is not public question. So, if anyone has public comment on the lease, if you have a question, we may or may not answer, but nobody um is required. Anybody in the room?
Uh oh, I didn't >> I saw Tony's hand. I didn't see your hand. Sorry. So, Tony, go ahead. Two minutes name and address, please. >> Tony DZo, 13 John Street. Thank you, Mr. Mo. Um, Mr. Chairman. All right. Um,
first off, quick point. I'm not a certain of any lease where the tenant tells the uh landlord how to spend their money. I I question part of the uh amendment on section three where there is a statement where conditions upon the
town and if legally required, which means that if somebody goes and determines that it's not legally required for the town to set up stabilization funds, it's still going to happen. Um, and number three, final one is that it should probably just go straight to free cash and we should have
the stabilization funds similar to how we do oped every meeting at town meeting where we take the money out. We can say we received x amount of dollars from um Burbank as arena which went into free cash and we would like to move that into
our stabilization funds for the uh for the unified space. Thank you. Thanks. Uh Kevin, I think yes. Two minutes time and address, please. >> Uh good evening. My name is Kevin Lucy.
I live on Pearl Street here in Reading. Uh tonight, I'd like to talk about unified sports in Reading. Uh there is no more deserving segment of our student body and population, these kids. our kids. If you believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion, you would have to allow these kids the same opportunity
that all their fellow classmates classmates get. They deserve to celebrate the gamewinning shot just as all high school athletes do. We owe it to these children for them to have the same experiences, the bus rides, the team building, the friendships, the victories, and also the defeats. All of these things that create a total student
experience like their counterparts. Now there's probably in my opinion there's no better designed public private entity downtown or any other town than the partnership between Burbank Creek and our town. Most of the money generated from this comes from
youth hockey figure skating. Sorry. Um sorry most of the money generated comes from youth hockey, figure skating, adult hockey and public skating. I can guarantee you that if you asked these people if they'd want their excess funds to go to unified sports, 99% would
agree. What better way to help finance these kids' total student experience than with excess funds generated from youth sports and activities at Burbank. I've seen firsthand how sports can help children build confidence, resilience, and friendships. And these kids kids deserve the same things that any other
child receives. The spirit of unified sports is to be inclusive and accessible to all. If a fee is charged, some families income may exceed the income threshold, but because of out of pocket expenses and services, they wouldn't be able to afford to use a fee, therefore killing
the spirit of the program at its core of diversity, equity, inclusivity. I ask you all to agree unanimously and allow this to move on to towning so that it can be judged on its merits by the town's people's representatives. Thank you, Kevin, Lucy, Pearl Street. Thank you. >> Thank you.
Anybody? Angela, two minutes, name and address. >> Angela Bend to Orchard Park Drive. First of all, unified sports is a wonderful program. I support it. Mr. Haley said there nobody's suggested any
alternatives. That is just false. Sharon Angstrom has suggested alternatives. Members of Fincom have suggested alternatives. Even uh Miss Wellman said this might not be the best way to fund it. Community priorities is the best way to fund it. It is a steady funding
source where money would go to the program year after year. You wouldn't have to worry about whether rent is coming in or not. Miss Angstrom and I uh and town council of your freed last year researched the furb bank money because
they wanted to take it out of that fund and and they decided that the best place to put it was free cash and they determined that there was nothing in the leases anything that they had read. They spent a lot of time researching it that says what this money had would go to or
that Mr. Burbank had ever said what it should go to. There was a unanimous um instructional motion. However, Mr. Gaffin was wrong when he said future donations. So, it was clear that he did
not understand what the funding what the money is. It is not a donation. It is a rent payment in lie of taxes. And that and so that was a confusion. People can direct where their donations go. They don't get to direct where their tax
money goes. Mr. Haley said that this hasn't cost him anything, but part of the money goes to rent in lie of taxes. So when there are services to Burbank with a police officer, an ambulance or whatever else, these are funds that go
to it. I never knew Mr. Burbank, but I have spoken to people who did. And one of the things that that I was told by a town official was that he never wanted things to be he never wanted this to be a burden and it's not just building itself but all of the other things that
these these rent payments go to. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else in the room? Anybody online? Maddie, we'll give it a moment. >> No hands are raised.
Alrighty clarify. >> Yes. >> Just a clarify question, Jame. Um, all stabilization funds that are created have to be approved by town meeting. Correct. >> Correct. >> Thank you, >> Karen. No.
>> So, technically, if we don't create stabilization funds, we just put all the rent in free cash. town meeting could technically vote all of it to uh unified sports. >> Technically, yes. >> Yes.
>> Why would we not want to do that? >> Serious. >> Can I answer that? >> Yes. >> What would the difference be? The difference would be I believe the residents would have a say in and
>> so and I know they have a say in it now but it's in a different place. >> So my understanding and someone correct me if I'm wrong Jane but whatever percentage we can say whatever we want here it could get changed on the floor at town meeting by the way. So this
warrant article, we could say 100%, we could say 2%. But it can get >> I'm just talking about the the the amendment here >> at least. But still, we can say whatever we want and it still can get changed to town meeting. >> So whatever they say at town meeting could impact this agreement >> 100%. But I guess my point to what you
just said is that if the money goes into the stabilization fund, no matter what town meeting agrees to put into that that percentage, then it's it is what it is and it's the same every time. whatever we get, we take that 25% 50%
whatever, put it in each fund and it is what it is. It's, you know, it's cleaner, I think, in my opinion than taking the money in and then every year going in and say, "Okay, this year we're going to do this." In my opinion, that's what I would think. But again, no matter what we say here tonight, it could get
changed on the floor town meeting. >> I think the big thing, Karen, is that this is what Burbank is requesting from the lease. If they were requesting something else, we'd be going over that.
You know what I mean? Like that's kind of where we're at. Karen, did you have something? >> Jean, can you help me walk through what this is going to look like at town meeting if um town meeting agrees to create the stabilization funds? Are these are these then two more warrant
articles or maybe a combined warrant article to that will appear in every annual town meeting to XYZ move XYZ funds to the stabilization funds and we spend an hour or two debating how much >> no I think um because it the article 14
sets the amount uh the percentage of any rental payments that are received it just automatically goes in it's the appropriation out stabilization fund that would be a warrant article Okay, thanks. >> And so if there was no request one year, maybe the balance is low or maybe um
there isn't a particular request in a year, so you wouldn't have a good appropriation that year, but the next year you might. >> Okay, >> Karen. >> So Angela mentioned that there were other funding sources that had been discussed at some point. I just don't
think that I knew know of. >> That's you and me both, Karen. >> Do you know? No, I think I asked I asked that staff have the time to look and see what other towns were doing and what instead I got here was this right now
and I feel it's still premature. Town meeting hasn't Town Meeting could decide to create these funds. We could still ask or we don't even we could cancel the town warrant article at this point. I don't we have not had a war um an agenda item and we have not allowed staff to do
time to do a little research and present what they think might be a good sustainable option for funding adaptive and antiU sports. >> We've had a year >> but we can like I said earlier if we find another funding source we
could modify this to account for whatever it is that we find. Correct. What funding source? >> Only if they want to. I mean, if we Well, I think that it would it would be beneficial for everyone if we continue looking for other funding sourc. >> So, the hypothetical, the Karen Rose
Give us Foundation has $10 million that they want to donate, >> right? >> Thank you. um you could devote the 10 million to to Jane and then Jane gets it and it gets subscribed to this and then that's where
the catch is of the no less than 50% current thing is in theory but it still have to be doing the 50% unless it was modified you know what I mean if it's at 100 and 100 it's never getting modified and our bank at the time meeting didn't want to change stuff and never gets
changed but I think if something like that came along when we're dealing with overrides and everything else. I don't know where this other money is coming from for if we increase the school budget $100,000 unified 125 there. That means 100,000 came from the town. It's
all town money. It doesn't matter that the school committee or schools are attached to it. It's still coming from the town which we have to find $100,000 somewhere else in the budget. And I'd like to know the name of which teacher police officer is getting the boot
because that's with a significant portion of salaries being a bulk of our budget. That's the only real wiggle room that we have here. So to answer your question, like that's kind of where we're at. So I think if there's nothing else, we
can just go to the vote on various things. We can unless you had something. Um, so Carlo's amendment to the 50% to 100, I I don't I'm not going to support that. I think like Karen Gillis said, I think it's
more appropriate to keep the wording now how it currently is 25 up to 50%. Because it gives the town some wiggle room and, you know, I think there are some valid points that, you know, some of that rent should go to free cash. So I would like to see it stay at the 2550.
Again, anything we say here today could get changed at town meeting, but that's my opinion. >> Do we want to vote on that section first? It seemed like we're all good on the CPI scenario, right? 415 CPI.
Can't do 10 years. We're good on the language that Melissa changed with. >> It just needs to say two stabilization funds. >> Okay. >> So, in that line, Mr. chairman. Um it would say create strike A to stabilization funds and that's all it
needs to change. >> Yeah, that looks right. >> Okay. >> And then the only caveat is the 100% scenario that Carlo used. Um, my only comment on that
is that I've been hearing uh multiple times a 50% of zero is still zero. And um I think the better way to do that is still to go to potentially the 100% that
Kylo mentioned because at least then there's something more than the 50 that was proposed. I mean, that's the bulk of of comments that I've heard regarding it is is just that they're not going to give us any
money anyway, so why does it matter? Which I disagree with because I know how to do math and $2.5 million over, you know, the course of their lease proves that they give us money. So, that's why I'm I'm sticking with 100% on this and
then Tom meeting Ash. >> Yes. >> So, also the wording 100% doesn't really make that much sense because if you're saying 100% of the rent payment is going to each fund needs 50% of the rent. >> Correct. But not more than
>> so you have to word it. >> Yeah. It has to be worded better. Yes. >> Because if if you're saying 100% it can't be 100% funds >> to its funds. So >> it's 100. So 100% of each one or like what language? I the way I read this is
that this was each fund. >> So yeah, everyone's g us a scenario where it was $100,000. >> Yeah. >> In the currency would have been $50,000 and then 25K would go to each. That's
how it was currently written. And the new scenario that Carlo is proposing and I'm gonna second it if we have to. It's 100. It's 100% which means out of a 100,000 owner scenario 100,000 owners
would go there and then $50,000 to each fund out of that $100,000. >> I understand what you're saying, but I guess I didn't read it that way because there was two funds. I was reading it as 50% was going to one, 50% was going to
the other, not >> of that question of the total rent payment. So that just needs to be clarified a little bit. >> Jamie, you're following. >> I'm I'm I'm kind of following you. You wanted to say in the
>> Scotty could just bring it up on the screen, too. >> Yeah. If you wanted to say um in the lease payment there were two stabilization funds and you want the aortionment spelled out for each of them. >> I I think so because I I'm maybe
confused. Maybe Chris has it correct and I was confused of how I was thinking that how it we have it currently not even to Carlo's change yet. It was saying each fund was getting a minimum of 25 up to 50, but it sounds like that's not the case.
>> So the way it works in article 14 >> Oh yeah, I yeah article 14 is is is 25% to each fund at least 25% to each fund. So that's 50% of the total payment.
>> Okay. But then if you took 50 25 was the minimum. Correct. >> So it is my way. It is corre I am correct in what I'm saying because then if you took 50% to each fund get 100% of the rent payment.
>> So the language says under article 14 create a special purpose stabilization. I'm not going to read the whole thing for the school department adaptive programming stabilization fund. Um, dedicate at least 25% but no more than 50% of the rental payments received from the lease of bank and the same
language is there for the recreation. So if it's if each one gets up to 50% that's 100% of the total. So I think that article 14 already captures kind of where you want to go. >> So it is 100%. It could be it could be up to
>> it could be up to 50% for each one. >> The language we have in front of us in the blue or the the black contradicts the article. >> The article language in the in this do need to match and I don't think that they do.
>> Okay. Um, >> I guess it's the spirit of So, we're all on the same page, but really, >> you can have it say, um, let me see, try to read it here. You could have it say >> two stabilization. So you could amend the legislate to create two
stabilization funds to support unified sports adaptive sports programming and dedicate up to 100% but not less than 50% in total with equal aortionment to each fund >> which is really the same thing that's
there but we're just clarif >> so we just need it to match what the art the warrant article says. So, the amounts would be the same. Yeah, I understand. >> It just needs to match what the warrant article says, I think. >> Which we're approving next.
>> Yes. >> And Karen, >> yeah, I I don't want to increase. I want to leave it the way needs to support the general fund if and when the rent payments come. I would like it to stay. I would agree with you.
I'd like to stay the way it is and tell me can do what they want to do. It's fine. >> I think we are going to keep it the way it is. >> Okay. >> Because I think I was interpreting it correctly. I think >> I think we need clarification on that.
>> So each fund is 5025. Each fund >> is 5025. >> Correct. >> So yes. >> So each fund is 50 >> up to 50% for each fund. No less than 25 >> of the total >> because it's not written out there like
that. That is the confusion >> because there's not two funds written, right? >> That's right. There aren't written. I will be calling in later in the meeting. So if you want to table this to kind of have that with her, that would be fine. >> We'll go on for another. >> That's an excellent suggestion. I would
be in favor of that. You can just because I think you've come to some sort of consensus on how the aortionment would work and you can ask Avery of that. You could go through the rest of it. Um but you could ask Avery of that when she comes on later on in the meeting.
>> Does change what I want but it's up to 50% in each fund and then no less than 25. So it's two funds. So with one fund the math is different with two funds, right? >> The article is written the way you're talking about Carlo.
I think in my opinion I think we just need the wording from the article to match the lease. >> So >> if we want to table this uh is that the consensus of the board >> just so we get it right? I think it's a good idea.
>> Okay. Gas in the foundation. Yes. >> So is any going into free cash in this scenario? >> Yes. >> Okay. I just >> could be 50%. >> Okay. I still don't understand how, but >> it could be. It could be.
>> Could be. Could be. >> I think every be the one that gets it right. That's all. >> So, we'll take a So, do I have a motion to table this until later on? >> Yeah. Good. >> Seconded by Carla. Uh, all those in favor? I
>> moving on. Uh, vote to close the water for the town election and town meeting on 53. >> Page 53. >> 53. >> Are we going to go over this and then table it only on that item or what are
we doing on this? >> Well, I thought the wording was correct on this. I guess the spirit of the scenario though I guess we can go through the whole town meeting section and then if we have to just table that from whenever it comes on and only pertaining
to that question that's fine. So if you want to go over >> Yeah. We can go over it again or we can um I'll just if there's like particular >> I think there only your attention a couple of areas. >> Yeah. Just the the specifics where the
$100,000 park it was more >> that was a big one. >> Yep. >> Um article 14 was semi-tabling. Um and what else was there? Uh there's also the language on uh article 12.
Um just I wrote some background for that. So article let's start with article 11. >> Is everyone good with that skipping down to that one? >> I think that's general consensus. Okay. So, article 11 is the park grant that is to um
so this is the town saw and preliminary awarded a $100,000 park grant from um the state and that is to support the construction of the previously approved pickle ball project. Um the grant has a number of conditions tied to it before
the full award is is given. And so some of those conditions include creating and dedicating a pickle ball partial for recreational uses in perpetuity. um providing dedicated recreational parking on the parcel referenced above. The grant award is tied to FY27. A
number of costs cannot be expended till July of 26 and the grant is reimbursement based. So we have to spend the money and they pay us back um which is fine. So, this article um if if it's approved at town meeting
will um split the park um parcel will split the pickle ball courts and a section that's just a strip of parking right there and that will that parcel will now be in perpetuity dedicated to recreational purposes. Um and that's
that's what happens. So um we will still execute all all staff will direct pickle ball parking to the Burbank the rear Burbank lot. So it won't change how we plan to use parking but if in future things were to change on and things probably did change at some point you
know 50 years you know 100 years from now um things may change. So they may want to redo something with recal um that parcel would be kept with a little bit of parking right there. So you can put their flying cars there in a hundred
years. >> I like it. So Karen, >> so we had asked um that the uh Fred committee take a vote on this. Will they have time to take a vote on this before town meeting so that they can tell us what they thought? >> My understanding is yes. They're going to be having a meeting about it. Yes,
ma'am. >> Carla, and this article has nothing to do with our parking agreement. >> That's correct. Is not predicated on it. Has nothing to do it. It allows the town to accept $100,000 to help defay the cost of pickle ball project.
>> So you had explained that if we decided to violate the agreement, we have to pay them back and I had asked if we'd have to pay interest. Let's say 20 years from now they've decided fine, we'll just pay back the money. We discussed if you'd have to pay interest for that. >> I did not get the answer on that. I can
get that answer for you. I I don't want to be in that position to pay them back any interest at all. >> No, I know. You never know what's going to happen. >> And so it's it's just taking the money now and then 20 years from now maybe the town could be incredibly wealthy because
I keep thinking that way. I don't know why. >> Very optim I love that. >> Very optimistic. >> No, but um part of me thinks we could use the money now and we don't need to worry about what's going to happen 20 years from now. when you when you put
these um these lands into recreational purposes for you know in perpetuity it's hard to change that's why you know they're doing >> and I'm not saying I want them to change because there's going to be hike you know trails back there I mean I think that it's probably
okay I just was curious about the interest just in case >> I'll find out tomorrow sorry >> not Jane could I could I add in on Oh, Andrew. Hallelujah. Andrew, right now.
>> Thank you, Andrew. >> Good evening, select board. Andrew McNichol, community development director. I don't know of any mechanisms to pay back a state grant um once awarded and once you put the land in perpetuity. As we say, perpetuity is a long time. Um
it would require an act of legislation to reverse that. Um so that's not an easy process, nor do I think has it been done. Um, so I I don't think that that's a viable option.
>> Thank you, Andra. See, >> he's just there. >> He's just there. >> I'm so grateful. >> We all are. >> Yes. >> So, were we all good with this one? Moving on. >> Okay. Um, article 12 was um Sunday sales
of alcohol. And um this is just Sunday sales, Christmas Day, the last Monday in May, Memorial Day or the day following those particular holidays where it occurs on a Sunday. So um Christmas when it the day after falls on a Sunday. So
that's just moving sales from noon to 10:00 a.m. I think we >> for all days, right? Other than >> Yes. Just Yeah, because right now we can only start selling at noon on Sundays because we haven't accepted this piece of law. >> Yeah. >> Okay.
Um, article 14. >> 13. You're a step skipper. >> I Well, did we already talked about article 13 last time? >> TPA. Did anybody have any follow up on that? >> I did skip it. Yeah. >> Okay.
>> Yeah. Um, and then Okay. Yeah. So, on that one, it does say ad hoc. Okay. So, article 14. Can you pull that up? >> Scroll. >> There you go. So, it's kind of split into these two.
Uh so the first the first one is create a new special purpose stabilization fund to be called the school department adaptive programming stabilization fund for the purpose of supporting the provision of adaptive programming with with the school department by providing funding for coaches, athletic trainers,
support staff officials and referees, transportation equipment expenses and any other expenses intended to support the program. This is the same language as we had before. At the bottom it says dedicate at least 25% but no more than 50% of rental payments received from the
lease of the Burbank Arena to said school department you know stabilization fund um effective for FY27 beginning on July 1, 2026 and then create pursuant to the
same law a new special purpose stabilization fund to be called the recreation department adaptive and therapeutic programming stabilization fund. And it's the same thing, same language with the same aortion. >> Yeah. So that seems to add up to 100. >> It could add up to 100. That's right. So
the minimum would be 50 and it could add up to 100. >> We'll just get clarification on that after. >> Yeah. We'll just clarification. >> Okay. So that's article 14. >> So technically it may not be funded until next the following March.
It may >> or may not ever be funded in correctness. >> But according to the lease, the payments would do March 15th of whatever year it is. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Unless the foundation decides to give money, >> right?
>> Which wouldn't go into the stabilization. >> It wouldn't be a gift. Right. >> So, you'll get some language clarification on that from Irea when she comes on later. Article 15. Um,
this is for the Parker Turf field. Um, this is an 18y old field, heavy use. Um, and it also includes the bleachers there. That is a $1.7 million appropriation and it's in our capital planning. So,
it's okay. There any questions related to that? Okay. Um, article 16 is the uh sewer pump stations. There's the Joseph Way sewer station and the Burough Lane sewer. >> So, it's in our capital plan. That's
awesome. Except our bank money is running out. Are we planning to borrow for that? Because we don't have free cash to do that without >> I believe it would be a borrowing. >> Okay. >> Um Yeah. And then um
Okay. this. So, with the uh water and sewer pump station, I'm sorry, the sewer pump station, the Joseph Way station is 51 years old, 1974. It was a good year in 1974. >> I was born in 1974. Um, and so, and then
the uh Brewer Lane uh was built in 1979. >> I was born in 1979, Jane. >> Congratulations. Okay. So the so is the so that is 3.1 u million that
>> and I I need to >> can I ask a clarifying question? Yeah, >> that come from our water and sewer funds >> from the Yeah, the um >> the not the reserve. The um
>> the capital >> I I'm having a moment. I can't remember the word. >> It's not revolving fund. It's not stabilization fund. It's the um >> enterprise. >> There it is. The enterprise fund. Thank you. >> And this was planned as well.
>> Yes. Yeah. Yep. For a long time. Okay. Article 17 was all leis. >> Yeah. >> Okay. The town clerk spoke at length about that uh last time. And then the last one is the removal of um
certain town. >> Any questions on this? >> Okay. So, pending the language of article 14. Yes. So, I'll just take >> Yeah, I'll just take public comment on this and then we're going to table it till Libria comes on just for clarification. So, anyone have any
public comment on the Tom Warren? Anyone online, Maddie? >> Nobody's hands raised. So we get a motion to table the vote to close the warrant for the annual
town lecture on the move. >> Second >> second by Carlo. Any discussion? All those in favor? 5. >> All right. Uh 9:05 a schedule is discussed. 26 selective
retreat date page 62 in the packet. 62 >> 62 not 67 62. So Maddiey's bringing that up. >> Okay. So this was um a memo I sent to the board just looking ahead at um FY27
and um in the past uh the board has set retreats here and there. I was thinking it might be a good idea to get ahead of it um this year and and give the board some time to come together before the summer um build on the energy coming out
of town meeting um and start having the conversations about, you know, what do we want to do about an override? What do we want that to look like? How do we want staff to look at budgets? Uh what kinds of goals the board is looking to do? So take some time and set a retreat
early. If you wanted to set a second retreat in the fall, do that as well. But um so this is my my um raising the conversation with the board to see if there is an appetite to um set up a meeting in May potentially.
>> Melissa, >> um I read your memo. I think it's a great idea for many reasons. After the election, I think it's great to review policy and update any new members that may join the board. And then at that point also change discuss changing any policies we want to change and also the
town situation of override discussion goals. I think right after election in the spring is a fantastic time to do it. So I'm support doing a May one before the summer too which I think is easier for people. >> Ken, >> I agree. I think it's great. I think
when we had the one in November, >> was it November? >> October. >> October. It was uh I think it was November 1st. >> Um I had originally thought that it would be good to give the new board members, if there are any, some time to get acclimated, but I since changed my mind. Um well, partly because I thought
it was a really good opportunity to talk with one another in a different environment. And I thought it I thought it was great. I learned a lot and I thought it was a nice um I think it I think two a year wouldn't be a bad thing either. I think, you know, you
readjust a couple times a year and thank you for um putting it forward. >> I think that um the reason that that Jane brought this up um because she mentioned it to me and I I said the same
thing like what makes sense um I mentioned that maybe the first Saturday out of town meeting. So if town meeting was scheduled till April 30th maximum then the first Saturday the select would
be scheduled after that in May whatever date that is so we keep it consistent on the schedule not just for us for future boards so we know when this is going to happen every year because yeah it was up in the air some years we've done it some years we haven't so it's good to be
structured. The big reason she brought this up is because it has to get scheduled already in advance because you said the lead time and and all of that is going to get chaotic. So >> that's the big thing and yes I I agree with Melissa reviewing selective
policies and doing it there as opposed to taking up these meetings. Absolutely. It seems like the perfect time. Perhaps the members have some different input on the way that we handle things. Perhaps they don't. Um, but I'm kind of good
with this and I' I'd like to to see it. I don't know if we can do two a year. It's hard getting one, especially with it being a Saturday. Um, that we can all agree on a date for, but we have to at least minimum do one a year. And if we can kind of carve that out for
historical purposes, it'd be great. Anybody else? >> No, I think it's a good idea. All right. Any public comment on Karen? >> Yes, >> I um I I'd prefer to wait and let we see
what the board looks like and then schedule a date because you just may be making plans that have to be changed. Um I'm concerned some of these items, they're super important for the board. I
don't know that they should be discussed in a retreat. I think some of them like the budget strategy and board gold setting may be better off done um in a very public setting. So um and if you're planning on filming it then it's not a
retreat and uh there are some other things that the select board could work on um in a retreat but yeah so my thought is that we don't know what the select board's going to look like and uh it's a little premature to schedule that
now. Is that it? Um, so like I mentioned that Jane has to start scheduling stuff now in advance because this may end up turning into June, July, August. So that is kind of why we're looking at doing it now.
There's no vote, but I think Jane's going to take a consensus of the current board how we feel and schedule things accordingly because we we got to keep things going. So >> yeah. So and 28 budgeting. So we're
finishing 27. >> Those are just her ideas. We can change them. We can you know what I mean? As long as it's >> Y because you know we've asked for more input on capital planning. >> That would be a good thing to do in the
fall before Sharon spends her hours and hours doing capital planning so that we're always coming in at the tail end. Um, so, you know, I don't know what the board's going to look like um after April 7th, so that date may not work.
>> I think the way that we should currently do, we can't deal with what about isn't. So, I'd like to see it scheduled for May 2nd, which is the first Saturday in May. If people can't make it, new board members, existing board members, it is what it
is. But I I think that we have to get stuff scheduled and that's my day. >> Just a point of information. Um the budget process for FY28 any fiscal year starts in July.
>> Like we we we start early and and Sharon has us working early and she does a lot in the summertime. Um, so my only thought is to just give the the select board some runway to get ahead of it and um and and set the policy direction
where you want to go and and you know then you report out to the community in your meetings. That's that's the biggest thing is that after after the election on meeting um obviously it's it may be the same it
may be different kind of thing but I think that the board has to come together agree on a set of policies that's going to work going forward for that board at the time and try to adhere to them. I know Jane said that we could
um resign our code of conduct is what you had mentioned like our in our select board policy. So just um that kind of relationship building thing with regardless who's who's on the board at the time, it just sets the tone for that
year going forward. I think if we set the tone earlier back in May, um maybe things would have been different. Maybe everyone's great how things have gone. maybe they're not, but I think you set the tone early and you stick with it.
That goes for me. Um, and I don't speak for anybody else, but absolutely whatever comes out of that, but that's going to be the tone that that board is going to take going forward, but I'd like to see it happen on May 2nd, and we'll go from there.
>> When is the last day, Tommy, scheduled right now? >> The Thursday before I think it's the 29th 30th, I'm sorry. I don't know if that's the right date. >> Is that the last day of town meeting? >> Yeah. >> I thought it was April 30th is what I I thought we had. >> Oh, I'm sorry. It is April 30th. I
apologize. >> Uh, no, no, no, no. I have it as Wednesday the 29th. Is that correct? >> The Thursday. >> Thought we went into May. Don't we schedule like four nights at least? >> Yeah, we do. >> Starting really late. It goes into May four nights. >> Okay. Wait, hold on. Oh, you're right.
Disregard. Yeah, I think town meeting night four is slated for May 7th. >> Yep. >> Is it? Okay. >> On my calendar for May 7th. >> Correct. I was looking at the first two nights, not the last. >> Maybe we'll just do two nights. The first two nights this year.
>> So worst case scenario is May 7th is what you're saying. >> May 7th is the fourth night. >> Okay. So >> May 9th will be the first. >> May 9th. >> Okay. that I think that trying to keep this thing succinct for all future selects to know this is what you're signing on for. If you can't make the
date, you cannot make the date. It is what it is. I don't know what I'm doing on May 9th. My wife hasn't told me yet. Maybe I'm away on vacation. Then I got to make a decision. >> Why just call a placeholder and we'll take it up after the election? >> Because Jane has start scheduling the
things now. That's the problem. >> Okay. Cuz that date might need to change. >> Yeah. schedule something. I don't think I'll have to spend any money right now. >> Okay. Okay. >> I have a quick comment. >> Yeah. >> Two of us on this board have kids in
sports. So, is Saturdays in May going to be a problem? >> Uh, I don't think I don't have a problem. Conflict right now. >> I don't have a problem until I get home. >> Well, placeholder is fine and um we'll
leave it there, I think. >> Okay. All right. Public comment on the select board retreat. Angela, two minutes to an address. >> Angela Binda, uh, Georgia Park Drive. Um, I don't know what's on the agenda.
You mentioned override policies, discussion, and goals. Um, as a very active citizen with discussions of override, I would really like to see that happen in a regular scheduled select board meeting. I think that
that's really important for people to hear what the select board have to say. If you're discussing your policies, maybe that's fine for retreat. I'm not sure what traditionally has been discussed at retreats. I thought that they were more
team building exercises, that kind of thing. But policies and goals are something that that I think people would be very interest I'm interested in hearing. I think people want to know what the select board are thinking about about those
things. Um, and is it possible to uh film these meetings? because I did attend the last retreat and it has been brought up that things were discussed. I don't remember
them being discussed. I I I actually have 16 pages of notes. I asked somebody else. So I did go back and I was trying to figure out so you know are retreats filmed? Could they be filmed? Are they're public meetings? I mean, I understand that there could be
difficulty with you want an atmosphere where people are able to come together and discuss things in a collegial way. But if you're going to be doing that and and you don't want it
filmed, then I feel like it really can't have town business be really a part of that. Um, so So those are my comments that if you're going to be discussing things.
>> Thank you. >> All right. Anybody online? Maddie. >> I don't see anyone with their hand raised. >> All right. That was just a discussion. So we will move on to >> Yeah. discussion vote on letter
regarding legislative audit page 63 in the packet. Can I just make a I um there's an error on my part um on this letter. So it should be that um the reading voters uh approved question one
by 65.99% and the statewide vote was 71.4%. So that would just need to be changed if this gets approved tonight. But I just wanted to make that clarification. That was my fault. >> So 72.03 03 is really 65.99.
>> Correct. >> Okay. >> And then um the state total was 71.4. >> I said it backwards. The state is they're both a little bit less. >> No, >> no, I said it that right. State was 71.4% and
>> which is less >> and reading was 65.99%. >> Which is less. >> Swapped. >> Yeah, >> it's kind of swapped. >> Yeah, kind of swapped. Yeah, but I just wanted to make that clarifying
comments. But >> all right, so >> you were the one that wanted to bring this. >> Yep. I did want to bring this forward. I think it's important that um we as a board, you know, support what the Reding residents asked for. And I think it's a big topic right now in the state. Um,
doing a little research on this, I found it very interesting that Massachusetts is only one of four states that really doesn't follow the legislation, I should say, doesn't follow like public record law. So, you can't request uh legislators. You can't do a PR on a legislator, but we they can do them on
us. And we don't see their financials ever. They do their own private audit. And, you know, it's clear not only did Reading residents support this audit, but the residents of Massachusetts did. So, I think I would like to see this letter go. So, we are supporting what the residents of Reading asked for to
the legislation and um see if we can move the needle at all. >> Board members, any questions? >> I'll go with it. >> All right. Um my comments on this, it's
it's very simple. um the town approved killim and recal questions um last year if the five of us decided that you know what we're not going to do it. That's what's happening
with the audit that that the state approves something and people are just making their own decisions, determinations, interpretations of how things should be done. If the five of us up here decided to start playing games with a warrant and not
putting things on and voting against it and all that like clearly something would happen in that but here we are discussing something that happened like a year ago that the audit is never going to happen. I don't know why we have an auditor who's doing a fantastic job who
can't get the audit done that the the people of not only reading but of the state have have actually voted on. We're sitting over here, a millionaire's tax got approved. Why didn't we hold off on that? Where's the red tape and the dragging your feet
and doing all these things? Why was Why didn't that get done? But on the audit, you might find extra money as well. We just have these these apprehensions and the comments that I hear from people publicly stating about this because once
again wildly that people can say this. It was approved by the state. It was approved by reading it and we absolutely should be going forward with this. It it's how anybody can disagree with that. You might not have voted for it but that's the way that it goes. Just like
Kellum is going forward, Henry Cal's going forward, regardless of how any of us up here felt about the thing, it was the will of the voters. And this is just unbelievable that the will of the voters isn't being endorsed by us. It It's unacceptable. If any one of us did that
up here, we'd get called out. We get called out for other things all the time, but any games with that being played up here? Absolutely. So, motion car. >> That's where I'm at. Move to approve the letter. >> Let me just public comment on auditing.
It'd be one thing to not take public comment on the audit. >> Anybody in the room for the audit? >> Anybody online, Maddie? With the audit? >> Nobody online? >> You have something else? >> Yeah. Um I haven't really looked into this. I probably did vote for it. Um but
um um I apparently the attorney general has not backed this and you know so the it does say that the house speaker and the senate president to whom this letter is addressed are feeling that it violates a separation of powers outlined in the
state constitution and the auditor lacks authority and they're backed up by the attorney general. So um I mean That's a reasonable reason why it hasn't happened. >> Yeah.
>> Can I just again point out that Massachusetts is only one of four states in the entire country that does not audit their legislature and not allow like public record requests. That's a problem.
us sitting here today that get paid zero can be you know pr at any moment >> that's a problem and it was very clear writing voters supported it Massachusetts state voters supported it
>> yeah I think the fact that attorney general might say something's unconstitutional or whatever I I don't want to go down the avenue of MBTA immunities all of a sudden we have to do that >> that's okay and we can just kicking this cat along the ground like the voters
approve this. It is your job to institute it. I don't care which way you do it or if you think it's illegal or you want to do XYZ. You are instituting it. Do I have the option of what? Building a $30 million recal building. I
do not. That is what the voters voted for and that is what we are going to get in a cam under bid. So it's like 27. So like it's the same thing. It's just very basic. We voted therefore you shall do
it. And I don't care what you have to do to get it done. And you know what it takes to get a question on the ballot? All those signatures and then get it actually passed and then just to be like just kidding. Nothing. So, I am
wholeheartedly for this and I I wish Diana, I have no clue we never met, the very best on this, but she's in a in a state where they're not going to let this happen. >> Do you have a motion? Move to approve the letter before the board to the state
legislature in support of implementing the audit of the Massachusetts legislature as approved by a majority of the voters of the Commonwealth on question one of the November 2024 ballot as presented. >> As amended >> as amended because we changed the percentages that I
>> apologies as amended. >> Second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Fine. >> Mr. Chairman, we will um amend the letter and then do you want to come in
and sign it or do you want us to use the stamps? Use stamp. Okay. Thank you. >> Y All right. Moving on to discuss and vote on volunteer boards and committee appointments. Uh page 64 on the back.
So Melissa and Karen Lewis Gillis, you did this round. four um days and evenings of interviews. Correct. >> I think >> and they were fantastic. We did a lot of them in person this time which was great
to sit and chat with people and see them face to face and some were online as or Zoom as well. Um I believe they were all we agreed on all of the all of them were agreed on. Um if you want us to go
through um we did have um so there for the new commission on disability there were five full u members and three associate members we had a fantastic group of residents that volunteered for that and all would be
fantastic for it. So, um I think there was two people >> there was two that um were not selected. >> Yes, there was two um residents that were not selected but both of us would encourage them to attend meetings because I think that they could still
give great input to that commission. Um we were just limited to only eight members >> and we tried to balance it based on um their experiences and made sure that not it wasn't heavy in any one particular area. There's a a really diverse group of people.
>> Yeah. We try to touch all >> even that was unanimous out of the 10. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And there was one gentleman who was going for the housing authority which there wasn't a position but we interviewed him anyway and I thought he'd be really good on the um housing affordable trust. So I encouraged him to
attend the next meeting for that. >> Board members, any questions on the appointments? >> No, I read it. I think we should just approve the whole uh anyone from the public have anything on the volunteer appointments? Anybody online, Maddie?
>> Nobody online. >> Do you have a motion, Karen? >> So, am I reading them all in a row or are we approving them all as a individual? >> I don't see how it was drafted. I kind of remember going over this previously.
>> We've done it both ways. We don't have an issue, but we haven't had an issue the past several years. >> I think it's I think it's best for the public that you just read the names anyway. And >> oh, I'm going to read the names, but do you want me to stop after each name and everybody take a vote or >> Oh, no, no, no. The whole thing.
>> Okay. >> Yep. >> Move to appoint volunteers to the various boards and committees for the specific terms as outlined in the vast recommendations. Appoint Mark Orton's to the climate advisory committee. term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th,
2027, partial term. Appoint Courtney Anderson as an associate member to the climate advisory committee. Term date effective immediately and expiring June June 30th, 2027, partial term. Appoint Michael Mus Muskeella, apologies for
writing anything incorrectly in advance. Um to the Commission on Disabilities, term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2029. Appoint John Hollyy to the Commission on Disabilities, term effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2029.
Appoint Gan Capuchio to the Commission on Disabilities, term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2028. Appoint Mara Drum to the Commission on Disabilities, term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2028. Appoint Michelle Klopper to the
Commission on Disabilities, term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2027. Appoint Michelle Greenwalt as an associate member to the Commission on Disabilities, term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2028. Appoint Nicole Hunt as an associate
member to the Commission on Disabilities, term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2028. Appoint Joe Banasi as an assoc associate member to the Commission on Disabilities, term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2027.
Appoint Juan Powell to the Council on Aging, term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2027, partial term. Appoint Kate Harrington to the Council on Aging, term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2028, partial term. Appoint John O'Neal
to the Council on Aging as an associate member. Term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2026, partial term. Appoint Alicia Williams to the recreation committee as an associate member. Term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2026, partial
term. Appoint Nancy Demlac to the recreation committee as an associate member. Term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2026 partial term. Appoint Griselle to the town force committee as an associate member. term date effective immediately and expiring
June 30th, 2026 partial term. Appoint Katherine Surifski to the Town Forest Committee as an associate member. Term date effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2026 partial term. Appoint Kenneth Griselle to the trails committee as an associate member. Termate
effective immediately and expiring June 30th, 2026 partial term. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Seeing none, >> I have no discussion about the um
um appointees. They were fabulous. But I do want to thank Jackie for all of her work because this is like hurting cats and getting resumes together and interviews and she's phenomenal. So, I really want to thank her for her time >> through a blizzard because we had a >> and through a blizzard. So, it's it's a
really complicated scheduling and she's just awesome. So, I really wanted to point that out. >> Second that. Yeah, it's good to see all I mean that's that is a lot of people before a June scenario. So I appreciate you all taking the time, effort, energy, especially the
people stepping up for like a month or two. You know what I mean? Because the term's expiring. >> So >> we get to meet them again. >> Yeah. >> So I second it. Um any discussion? All those in favor?
time. All right, moving on to the discussing bill to authorize the acting town manager to accept it to execute certain contracts relating to the high street construction project and the writing center for active living
project including contracts valued in excess of $500,000. page 102 in the packet. Jane, did you >> Sure. Um, so there are two contracts that are coming up. The first one, uh, I alluded to earlier this evening, that is
the downtown phase 2 improvements project that is to make improvements to High Street. Um, you can see some of the project imagery there. There's a there's a >> Let me just stop you, Jane, real quick. I I realize I will be recusing myself from this. So Melissa
>> Okay. Okay. So, um it has a rock wall. It has um another stamped concrete area that's raised up a little bit. Um and we um want to award a
contract to um J Marqueesy and Suns Incorporated. Um the estimated contract value is $4,37,410. It's about an 18month construction project. Um and so that they opened the bids. That was the low bid. That does
not include the at alternate which was to pave to mill and overlay Haven Street. Um, so depending on how it comes in, it could be done with the change order later. Um, this was approved at town meeting in uh, April 2025. Um, and
so the funding, it's all it's all internally funded. There's no borrowing for this for this fund. And the $250,000 grant that we just got is for this this project. >> And what was the original budget that was approved by Tom? >> $4 million. $4 million. So the And that
budget was developed a little bit ago. Remember, it kind we kind of talked a lot about it a little while. So, um, so it came in just over was appropriated, but the $250,000 puts us well over what we have. And I've put in the packet the source of funding, but
for the purposes of the record, would you like me to read them into the record? It'll be in the minutes. >> I'm sure that'd be great. >> Okay. So, we have the smart grow stabilization fund for $234,72618. our sustainability count of $400,000. Um remaining funds from the West Street
Tip project 313,944.35 and the downtown water main improvements which is $451,32947 and um the $250,000 federal earmark that we just received from South Molton's through his office. And then there's also some storm water um operating funds
that we could from the enterprise fund that we could put to this project because there was storm water work being done as part of this project. >> Okay, great. Thanks. >> We got a grant for this, right? >> We just made a $250,000 earmark for this. >> Yeah, we got we going to do it with six7
million. We got money. >> Pretty sure we got money for this. >> Oh, yes. We got complete streets money. That's correct. I like your pardon. That was a lot of money, wasn't it? >> Yeah, I think it was 1.6 million. >> That was a lot of money. >> Yeah, >> that's going towards this.
>> Yes, it is. >> Yes, it is. >> That's correct. >> Board members have any other questions on this um contract? >> Not on the contract. Can I um are we going to talk about this at another time? >> This particular project? just I just
want to make sure that the stores in the area like is there going to be you know >> advanced notice because it's really going to impact them greatly and I know there's a concern so >> already started that internal planning stuff okay last week I know this kind of
a thing >> y >> it's going to be complicated >> it really is and we want to make sure that if there's paving going on directly in front of somebody's business that they know if there's going to be difficulty getting access that that might be a good week to plan a vacation or something like that so you're not paying staff if it's hard to get in. And
we'll also route traffic, you know, appropriately around so we can get into Brandy Court if we're, you know, because Haven Street's not being worked on unless we do the ad alternate. Haven Street would be nice to pave because it's in rough shape. Um, but yeah, >> so they will do things like they did at
CVS where you go in the wrong way to kind of get into Okay. >> It will coordinate, you know, public safety 100%. >> Okay. Thanks, >> Karen. >> Thanks. Um, yeah, I'm glad you asked. Um, poor Kevin, our economic development director at um, Virginia's opening, I
chewed his ears off about like doing everything he could to um, be proactive with the business owners and mitigated because yeah, it was the last time we worked down in Lower Haven. It was rough for them. And he assured me that he's on it. So, I was like, they'll be so grateful.
>> Thank you for that. He actually he absolutely has a seat at the table and he's driving a lot of those conversations and he's talking to businesses all the time and he's doing a good job of representing them in those meetings. So, no 100%. >> Great. Fantastic. So, um so this is the first contract
that I'm asking for direction sign and the second one is is coming up soon. Um it's for recal. We've we've put in the packet the bid tabulation. You can you can see those. This is uh we we want to
award this to J&J contractors. Um that is currently with legal counsel and we're not sure if it'll be it'll be ready like later this week or next week, but we wanted to be able to have the letter to sign it for the the following meeting if it was ready so that we could
move quickly. There's just some minor things that they're working on, so we think it'll be ready soon. >> Fantastic. So, that's a total contract value um with the two ad alternates this time. And the two ad alternates, just so you know, are the extension of Range
Road and the solar uh uh PV system on the roof. And so that total is 19,357,000 and that's 2.5 almost $2.6 million less than the appropriation um from town
meeting um or savings of almost 5%. Great. >> Any questions for Jane on these? >> Nope. >> Any public comment? >> Um, Maddie, any public comment online?
>> Nobody online? >> Motion for approving Jane to sign these contracts. We do move to authorize the acting town manager to execute Downtown phase 2 improvements project
and yep uh reading center for active living recal construction projects. >> Second >> seconded by Carlo. Um any discussion at the board? All those in favor zero.
>> Thank you very much. can come back and there is >> I just wanted to let the board know that town council has arrived the zoom. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> Thanks. >> She doesn't know what she's getting herself into yet.
>> I think she knows. >> Okay. >> Well, she knows. >> So, what do we want to do? Go back to the two wire things while it's early. I mean the lease and the other thing and just square that away before we move on to the next item. >> Yeah. >> Can I just make a suggestion? Yes. >> I think that if we just solidify that
the warrant article wording is correct, we can just mimic that in the lease and call it a day. >> I guess >> that's my only >> from me. I just want clarification regarding that. So >> So we should read Ifa into where we are.
>> Yeah. Just on that one. I think that's the only issue that we all had, right? There's no other warrant items, just that plus the lease. So, yeah. >> Okay. So, >> um so there was discussion uh the board had some discussion on the the rent
portion of the lease agreement. um they want to in the in the lease agreement that we're looking at it is a stabilization fund singular and it says dedicate up to 50% but not
less than 25%. >> And then in the warrant article it is for two stabilization funds which each say >> um 25% not to exceed 50%. >> Right? So, the board wants to know if
there is harmony. It feels like there might be some disharmony with the singular uh stabilization fund in the third section under rent. And so, they wanted you to speak to that um and see if they needed to make an amendment to that. The board also expressed a desire
to reduce the contingency reserve figure from 500,000 to 415,000 maintaining all the other language. Okay. >> Yeah. So that's it. You're caught up. >> Yeah. So for the 415 verse 500, that's a
policy decision. We can definitely present that to Burbank and see what they say to that. In regards to the stabilization fund, this language that's in the rent agreement in the the lease agreement is actually more favorable to the town. It just requires us to put
forth one stabilization fund um providing 25% not more than 50% of the fun of the funds received through rent payments to go to that stabilization fund. We have elected to put forth two stabilization
funds um to town meeting. So we are complying with the provisions of the lease amendment um by putting forth the two. We're not obligated to do so. So if town meeting were to only were to
change the article 14 and amend it to be just one stabilization fund, we are still within harmony. >> Exactly. >> And if town meeting were to fail the stabil article 14 altogether, do we still have hold harmless within the lease?
>> Exactly. Yes. Because it says here that it's contingent upon town meeting approval. >> Thank you. So that covers >> where people if there were questions about why the 25% um under state law under general law
chapter 40 section 5B you have to dedicate at least 25% of any um funds that are going to be dedicated to the fund to the to the stabilization fund 25% of those have to go in.
So, we had a um couple things. We can't sign We can't add on another 10 years to the lease. 30 days was the max. That was correct. Is that the deal? >> Right. We we can't add to the term of the of the lease. We'd have to go through procurement again.
>> So, the other thing was that what's I don't know if you can see it up on the screen. And Kylo wanted to change it to 100% but not less than 50%. Other people have not interpreted that that's already happening.
Where are we with that? >> So um >> because there's two 50 would be 100. So like where where are we at with that? So this says that we have to dedicate um
up to 50%. I think what Carlo is asking is what if we do 50% to each fund. So thereby 100% of the rental proceeds go to the stabilization fund. Is that a violation of this provision? Is that the
question? >> No. Just does that does that seem like that makes sense that if we wanted to make that 100 and then the other number 50 um Melissa and other board members are
interpreting that that's already the case that it's 50 and 50 already. So we're not changing anything. Do you see what I'm saying? Like >> I think actually how explained it is different. So, how just explained it is
she's saying the wording in that's currently there >> for one fund >> for one fund is 25 up to 50. >> If we go to town meeting and create two funds,
then we just take 50% and split it between two funds if that was the maximum amount. Am I understanding this correctly? >> Yeah. And I think you could also potentially I think if there's concern that town meeting may want to dedicate
additional funds over 50% of the rental payments. Um we can talk to Burbank about striking um and dedicate up to 50%. We can just have it be no less than 25% and then let town
meeting decide how high it needs to go. Um, but I don't think there's any harm in going above the 50%. All this provision is saying is that we have to at least present a fund up to 50%. If we want to do something above and beyond
that with the remainder of the rental payments, we can do that. That's our choice. >> So, it is kind of Carlo's way of thinking, not the Melissa. I don't know. you weren't here every we were all interpreting this every which way.
Yeah. I guess so if there's I mean I guess the question is the 50% cap was inserted I think for and I have to defer to Jane and I don't know Jane if you were in the rooms with Matt when he had these conversations but I think there was some compromise language occurring
here and so if the board is feeling like town is going to consider potentially donating or dedicating up to 100% of the the revenue from the And we can just
strike the cap. >> Carol, you seem more confused than >> I am more confused. I think there's two there's two sides. Some people aren't going to want any of the money given to unified sports and some people want it all to go. So, we're in a really big
prickle. Um, and I saw this, which maybe you did just explain it, but I saw this as it could be up to 50% for the fund, 100 grand, 50,000. We take the 50,000 and then we go back to our two and it's 25 in each bucket,
>> which I think is what it is like. I think >> that's what I interpreted as as I read it. So, >> I think that was always the intention, but Carlo just mentioned or maybe it was Chris, sorry, it was hard to hear. uh that there was some consideration of potentially doing 50% to each
stabilization fund. >> Yes. So changing the number to 100 instead of 50. >> Yes. >> Well, it can't be more than 100. >> Correct. >> But my my point is that right now, unless it's been changed, I I I had I wasn't on for the warrant article
discussion, but right now it's drafted. So each fund is between 25 and 50% individually. So they could go up to 50 and 50. >> So everyone to make this simple,
>> can we change it from 50% to 100 and the 25 to 50? Yes or no? >> Yes. Those are policy decisions for the board. >> Okay. So it's not illegal. We're not doing some weird stuff. We could make it
100 and we can't make it 50 and that would satisfy 100% meaning but no less than 50 which means >> right if you wanted to do 50% as the minimum and 100% as the maximum you
could do that is a policy decision the only thing that the law precludes is dedicating less than 25% of any revenue source to a particular fundra for a clarifying question. I'm sorry, maybe it's me that's confusing. So, if
we changed if we changed this to a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 100% and the rent payment was $100,000, >> $25,000 would then go to each stabilization fund. Is that correct?
>> No. >> Um, it depends on how the vote of the stabilization fund >> reads. Okay. So, take don't go to the stabilization funds. If we said minimum 50, maximum 100, and the rent payment is
$100,000 and we took 50% because that's the minimum. >> Yeah. >> $50,000 for each for the funds total. Correct. >> Right. We would need to change if you're going to do 50% and 100% then I would change it to be
amongst any funds. And so then of that $50,000, we would put $25,000 in one stabilization fund and we would put another $25,000 in the other stabilization fund. And the vote at town meeting would be to dedicate 25%
of all rental payments into one of the funds and 25% into the other fund. >> Does that make sense, Melissa? >> I I think so. Jane has a question, but I think if I'm understanding you correctly, the wording in the lease
agreement, whatever percentage we put in is the total amount that will then be split between the funds. Yes, I think that if you are going to increase it though so that it's 50% and 100%, we would want to clarify that it
would be the total amongst any fund. Um, so it could be two stabilization funds, it could be three stabilization funds as long as the requisite percentage of the rent payments are being dedicated to those stabilization funds. Right now, we would
automatically comply with this provision because you have to dedicate 25% to each fund and so we would necessarily be meeting these terms. But if you're going to set the minimum at 50%. I would want to clarify that the amount is amongst the
various stabilization funds >> equally. >> Yes. So I think we'll take a motion first on changing the number from 100 to 50 as well as language just incorporated. >> Just ask one more clarifying question. I'm sorry.
>> Yes. So, I just was processing what you just said and if I just understood what you just said correctly is that the way a stabilization fund works is that we would minimally have to put 25%
of the rent payment into each fund anyway. Correct. Correct. Correct. That you cannot dedicate less than 25% of any revenue source to any one particular stabilization fund. That's set by state law. So anything else you want to put in
there, that's a policy decision. But if you're creating a stabilization fund and dedicating a revenue source to it, 25% of that revenue source needs to go to that fund. >> Okay. >> I I have a question for you, Glenn. >> Yes. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, a question
was brought up by a member earlier in the evening and I'm not sure if my answer was correct. At town meeting for article 14 annually, when do they set the percentage?
>> Every idea of an answer. >> Percentage of what, Jane? >> So, um, so we're giving a range 25% to 50%. And so we're going to set these funds up for that for that range. And then next year, when do they choose the amount or
does the board choose the amount >> or there's no choosing? So you set the r you set a specific percentage at town meeting. So you may vote 30% of all rental payments are going to each fund.
And so then you get your, you know, your your rent check from uh Burbank and at that point you put 30% into one account and 30% into the other account. Okay? >> And the next year you do the same unless town meeting votes to change the amount.
So dedicated and there's time limits on when they can change it. >> Okay. So they don't set it every single year. They set it one year and then they come back another time in the future if they want to change that limit. >> If they want to change it. Yeah. And I think you have to wait a year, maybe two. I can double check that.
>> Okay. Thank you. That was that was I was correct. Okay. >> All right. So, we'll be very happy people outside. Um I guess first we'll take a So, Carlo made a motion. He wants it to be 100%
and 50%. I will second that. So, first we'll take a vote on on that and then we'll go to the overall lease in general with every's additional language that that she carved out.
So, um all those in favor of 100% and 50% numbers with every uh changes um all those in favor. >> Clarifying question. Sorry, >> you keep saying 150, but really it's a
minimum of 50% with a maximum of all the 100% of them. >> I'm saying the numbers that were up on the screen where it said >> which is a minimum and a maximum. Correct. >> Yes. >> Up to 50 and then Yeah. No less than >> starts with up to
>> up to 100 >> at a minimum is 50. >> Minimum of 50. >> Okay. Sorry. >> Okay. So, all those in favor with that change, all those opposed,
three to two. So, now we'll go on to the overall lease in general with that done. >> Mr. Chairman, what about the 415,000 in the >> I think we're all we're all in agreement with that, right? >> So, real quick, and this money, we
wanted the 500,000 changed to 415 plus the CPI. com was in here earlier. He mentioned he'll probably be good with that because it's already at 417. So, we're kind of going with 415. You're going to tell me it's a policy decision, Chris. I am going to say thank you.
>> Correct. Yeah. Policy decision for the board. >> Okay. >> But we're voting voting with that change specifically >> being the 415 now, right? The 415 and then everything else >> you have to change it because it's 500. >> Yeah. I just wanted to be clear.
>> So, do you want to take a vote on the 415 and then a vote on the Hall again? >> Sure. >> Okay. Um, so all those in favor with the 415,000 reserve fund with the CPI language still
be in there. All those in favor? Five to zero. So now going back to the overall agreement with those changes. Do you have a motion here? >> Uh >> which document are we talking about?
>> You're going back to first amendment agreement. >> Yes. the first lease amendment and we'll get to >> move to approve the first amendment to the lease agreement in which lease agreement is entitled lease agreement height and operation and management of the Nelson Surbank Ice Arena as amended
today. >> Second by Melissa. Any discussion? I just want to briefly Carlo touched on the Burbank memo that we all got that we'll put in the packet um for the minutes for this meeting, but I'm just
going to read what was sent. Um it says, "Dear Mr. Dear Dr. Machepsky, I was recently made aware of the adaptive and unified sports program that exists in Reading. I've asked to suggest that a portion of the profits of the Burbank Ice Arena be allocated for these
programs. When found in the ice arena, one of my father Nelson Fairbank's objectives was to have a profitable rink which would benefit local sports programs, particularly for the benefit of all local youth, including those with disabilities in learning about these
programs. I know my dad would have been very supportive. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Best regards, Peter and Burbank of the Burbank Wealth Management. Any other Karen?
>> Um, so I guess so Mr. Rivank has a son, Nelson Junior. Um, I guess just let the record reflect that um, just one of the sons weighed in on this. >> Thank you. Any other discussion?
Seeing none, all those in favor? >> I'm not sure where just what you've read the motion on the amendment. separate than what we just voted on. >> We didn't vote yet. We only voted on the >> We only voted on >> the vot.
>> Okay, I got you. >> All right. So, all those in favor? >> I think we have to vote on >> for Jane to sign. >> Yeah. >> Do you have a motion for that? Karen move to authorize the acting town manager to execute a master license
agreement between the town of Reading and the Reading Ice Arena Authority, Inc. related to parking in the Burbank Ice Arena and other town owned land off Range Road as presented today. >> Second by Melissa. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor?
5 Z. All right, so we'll move on to the warranty. We were kind of blarry on that same article 14, but we kind of changed the language here. Do we have to change it in the warrant now on page?
Where are we? >> You don't have to touch the warrant article. Article 14 is fine. Um, I think the one thing that you'll have to do is set the specific percentage to dedicate to each fund. And that can be done in
the warrant or it can be done in the motions. Um, right now it's drafted broadly. So, it's really up to the board how it would like to proceed. >> I think that we should change it in here so it reflects our thoughts. It doesn't mention the
three $400,000 scenario, the CPIs. It just mentions the 25 and 50% numbers. So, that's how I would feel that we should change it in here. Sorry, just just to clarify, Chris. So, right now it's drafted where it says
we'll dedicate at least 25% but no more than 50% to each of the funds at town meeting. Town meeting needs to vote to dedicate a specific percentage. So you can you can leave the article as is, but the motion would need to say like
vote to dedicate 25% or vote to dedicate 35%. However, however much you want, but the motion needs to be exact. Does that make sense? >> Are you saying that for now or at time meeting? Because now we're just voting on the warrant in general. No one's asking.
>> That's fine. As long as the board eventually chooses a number and that number needs to go into the motion. at >> the Warren article is fine. >> So, we don't have to change the Warren article even though we just voted on the number to be 50 and 100. >> Yes.
>> Because >> because it's 25 and 50 each. >> 25. It's already 50 and 100. >> Okay. >> The only thing that I do note is that if for some reason, and I I assume this won't happen. Sorry. Assume at town meeting someone says, you know what, I
don't want the recck department to get the funds. I only want the school department to get the funds. or I only want the recck department to get the funds. I don't want the school department. They would be prohibited from dedicating more than 50% of the rent payments to that one
stabilization fund. So even if you're adopting one fund, that particular fund could still only get 50% unless you increase the 50% to 100. So I guess the thought for the board is is there a risk that town meeting may only want one
stabilization fund and and put more than 50% in that particular fund in which case we could amend 50 to 100 for both of those funds. >> But again policy decision for the board. >> How does everyone feel?
>> Um I think um we don't know what's going to happen at town meeting. We don't know what the residents are going to want, but I do think that that would need to be clarified if it got amended at town meeting that it
was going to be only one fund that um I don't know. I think you the board could wait to determine the motion um and come up with the figure at the
for the motion. and you don't have to decide tonight. >> That's fine. But my only point, Jane, is you couldn't create a fund with more than 50% of the rental payments based on how the article is drafted. So, if
there's any world in which you may want a fund, just one fund, and that fund to have more than 50% of the rental payments, then you would want to strike but no more than 50% and put in
but no more than 100% for both one and two to give you maximum flexibility because you'll be capped at that 50% for either of those funds. >> She's going to leave it to cover that scenario. I can't see that scenario happening but >> no we change it to cover that
>> yeah we change it >> we need to change it to cover >> so just the 50% to 100% in each article it's just >> in both one and two to give you maximum flexibility if you're not ready to like lock down a number tonight then that is the that is the way to approach this in
the most flexible manner >> motion >> no in the article in the article in the article >> my take on essence is is we got to do it tonight. The selector is not taking another position on this other than town meeting making votes or whatever. We're
not going to be changing things after the fact or town meeting can do whatever they want. >> So just to change those two to 100. >> I I think in my opinion it it makes sense to put it to 100 because then it allows town meeting to make the decision of how they want to do this and we're
not putting any constraints on that. >> Yeah. Other than that, are there any other changes or comments on any of the articles that we're voting on? Okay. So, do we have a motion to change
it from article 14 from but no more than 50% to but no more than 100%. I >> mean, no less than 50%. No, no more >> at least 50% but no more than 100%.
>> No, I think I think >> at least 25% but no more than 100%. That gives you maximum flexibility. >> You can't have >> Okay. Did you make the motion? >> I said does somebody want to because this is just amendment to our current
articles. >> So, >> there you go. Do I second it? Yes. Seconded by Karen Rose. So all those in favor. Any discussion? All those in favor?
5 Z. Um now to the entire warrant at once right now. I mean Jane. Sorry. >> Move to close the annual town. >> We already had discussion Angela on the warrant. So go ahead. >> Sorry. Um move to close the annual town
meeting warrant consisting of 18 articles to take place on April 27th, 2026 as amended. >> Amended. >> As amended >> second >> second by Melissa. Any discussion. I would just like to point out that um
that uh for article 13 that I respect the amount of time, effort, energy the CPA committee had put in. But as I have stated before, I am wholeheartedly against CPA at this time. Perhaps another time in reading, perhaps
not. But I'm still voting to put this forth to town meeting, but I am strongly opposed to um passing CPA on this with a looming override that's going to happen. And I want nothing to jeopardize that in any number regardless of the figure eats
into that whether or not people are going to be able to support things. We always sitting here pinching pennies and trying to get so much out of taxes and everything else. So I'm against this. I'm still putting it forward to town
meeting and then the voters to vote. So any other discussion? Karen, >> I appreciate your comments. Um the charter has instructs us to put forward all um foreign articles brought forward by committees that um either the charter
or we have created. So um >> I think I agree with you. The CPA has done a fabulous job. We'll put that in there. Thank you. Clarification for that is any select warrant would not have to go towards town meeting. We have voted certain items down before we can vote
them down again. >> Yeah, we're not >> this one. But you have said select word as well as any ad hoc and as I explained in the last meeting, >> we originally had select word on here and I specifically had it removed
because we could end up in jeopardy where perhaps we decided to vote this down. So, I'm doing the right thing by just putting it forward and we'll see what happens. Any other discussion?
Seeing none. All those in favor zero. All right. Going back to regular agenda scenarios 950 discuss note to amend the acting account
manager's contract. And I just want to read something really quickly that Andrea had mentioned to us. So we are all on notice regarding this. One sec. send me too many emails every so
um regarding this agenda item to avoid any concerned about improper disclosure of the open session discussion to be framed respectively. Meaning any member may take the same substantial points that they raised in the summary of the prior
executive session had for example member should not say as I stated before I believe X but can say I believe that the amendment is warranted because of X. So we're not allowed to disclose what may or may not have been said in executive
session. So with that in mind, um how I currently feel on this is I feel that we should be amending the um acting town manager contract accordingly striking the line regarding
the up to clause that was put in there currently. Board members, any discussion on that gray area where we cannot represent views that may or may not have happened before? Cameron,
>> I am not in favor of this. Um, the charter specifically says that the acting town manager has significantly less authority. Um, and it is a temporary position. And the charter does say that the acting county manager shall
have the authority to sign routine and necessary contracts. And um, this community is in the process of doing some significantly large construction works. And um given the great presentation from our acting town
manager tonight, I think um abiding by the charter and not ignoring charter um is a good way to keep this municipal government very transparent and to keep our um residents and businesses informed
of what the select board is doing and how our projects are doing. And again, Dane, thank you for the the excellent presentations. That was one of the fastest part of our meetings tonight. Um and um I certainly don't think this would slow down any processes or slow
down any projects. Since we um found ourselves in the position of having an acting town manager, we have been meeting weekly and I assume this is going to continue um for a bit. So I would certainly not want to slow down any projects or any contracts. I am also
personally willing to get together for any kind of uh quick and dirty Zoom meeting just to keep town hall moving. I will not be blocking anything. Thank you. >> Anyone else?
How they currently feel? >> Melissa. Um I uh am fine with striking um what was I'm fine with striking the um limitation that was put in. Um, I think that we are
in a very uh precarious time in the town with multiple building projects going on and I don't want to see any delays and I have all the faith that Jane will bring all contracts that are signed anyway to the select board. Um, so I support
striking that. >> Anyone else? So, um >> Karen, >> do you foresee any delays as far as making this change?
>> Um I'm appreciative of the board um directing me to sign the contracts that we brought forward tonight. Um I I don't have a particular opinion on the change in the contract. Um I think that we I know we will have a number of um DPW contracts coming up, town engineering
contracts for paving. those routine are always over a million dollars. Um, so it it would require more meetings with the board in order to to meet that need. Um, any anything like that that were to come up? >> I mean, that's what I guess I'm getting at because I I don't know how often
these things come up in front of you and >> we will we will have a we will have a number coming through this spring as we go through the procurement process for our routine summer construction projects. So, there'll be there'll be a number of things coming forward. I don't have a number for you tonight. I wasn't
prepared for that question. >> Don't worry about it. I mean, because I do agree with Karen as far as transparency, which is super important right now. And so, I'm kind of in the middle, honestly.
>> Carla. Yeah. Um, no offense, but I don't want to meet weekly. I really don't. >> We have been lately. But lately, but if if we if we don't change this, that could be the case >> or these, you know, smaller Zoom
meetings or whatever. And I know with the, you know, uh the bosses, so to speak, of uh anytime manager or acting, but you know, we had an agenda item tonight, so
I uh I'm okay with I understand Karen Herrick's point. I really do. But I I think in the spirit of every day's different decisions have to be made and most of them are procedural and standard as
paving construction. We're approaching that season very quickly. I mean potholes out there out out there right now just unbelievable. Um so I'm okay with striking it. >> Just wanted to add one more thing. I
don't think that striking it also changes, any transparency because I have fully believed that Jane will bring forward all um contracts, bills, whatever that she may need to sign in the meantime in front of us in the at a board meeting.
>> I implicitly trust that she would do whatever she needs, >> especially like bringing up paving and stuff. We just need to get that done for the residents. I don't want to put any barrier in between getting our words spruced up right now because some of them are pretty bad. So that's my take
on it. >> I think my initial thought was it I didn't even think about those contracts. We were talking about this the other day >> whatever we may have discussed. >> Well, we've talked about >> you know I don't know when these things come up. Do you know what I mean? So
>> I appreciate bringing it forward >> Karen. Um this is I also want to note for the record this is a departure for how we treated um our last acting town manager. We abided by the charter at that point and um so I just
I think it's important that our we adhere to our policies protocol and pay attention to the charter. We don't take it lightly and that's where I'm coming from. And um I I will also note that uh these other project committees are
meeting once a month. So we're already meeting twice as much as they are. So thanks. >> Any other Go ahead. >> Oh, sorry. Um I just wanted to remind the board that um this would require a four-fifths vote.
>> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. Um so my thoughts on this um as I had just given and as Carlo pointed out that we were lucky that a vote got caught in between something where the
agenda could still be modified. Um that that item could still be added and it is. Um, I do want to reference um though because I I
started thinking about an email that we had uh received yesterday and I just want to read one section on it that gives me pause in this entire discussion that even I might not be aware of right now. But had given me a document for um
the board to end up signing and only the board members were mentioned on's memo that she said regarding um this situation. There is no information in the packet pertaining to the discussion
that we had right now yet. We received an email yesterday that says, "On a related note, assuming Reading has an acting town manager while the search is conducted, I do not believe it is wise to provide the acting town manager cart blanch to sign
contracts on behalf of the town." So to that person that sent that email, I would like to know how they knew that we would be discussing this here tonight because it wasn't in the back and I'm the one with the memo and it wasn't me.
So one of the five of us leaked executive session to the individual that sent this email and now it has compromised this entire discussion. So I'd like to know how somebody knew that when I'm the one with the document.
Which one of us leaked's memo that she gave to us? Because it wasn't me. >> I can attest it wasn't me because I had no idea what we were talking about today. So, I'm reading this for the first time. Like, what?
>> No, it was sent to us some clarification on what would be discussed open meeting law and how we can't go over executive session stuff, >> but somehow someone knew specifically what was being discussed on here. a change that not only if you read the way
the agenda was signed up, you would not even think that that would even be discussed right now because it was already being approved for Jane to approve some other separate contract. So, I'd like to know how somebody knew that we would be approving a provision in Jane's contract. Which one of us
leaked it? Karen, >> I I want to know why the agenda item doesn't have any of the things I asked for and why the agenda item has an item we already discussed in executive session. >> Is that your answer that you were the one that leaked it? Karen, >> no, I didn't. >> Are you sure that you didn't?
>> Because it wasn't me, but it seems like you're deflecting off to other items on the agenda. >> No. >> No, I'm talking about this agenda item. Why are we doing this agenda item? Because >> because because we had an incident happen where Jane
could not sign a contract right after we approved a provision in her existing in the contract that we signed on screen saying that all of these things would happen with the cap on how much she could sign and we
received an email specifically stating about cart laws to be able to sign contracts. There's only one way that happens to her. >> So, wait, the agenda. I'm sorry. Did we're getting confused. >> I was asking you about this agenda item. The agenda was published on Thursday. Just wondering why.
>> Yes. >> Why we had to have a very similar agenda item twice. >> It's because I cannot get into what we said in executive session, but we are voting on whether or not we are striking that now. And an individual from the public knew.
>> So, are you going to answer my what's the question? The question is why are we having a virtually identical agenda item that we already discussed in an executive session? >> Because manager's contract >> because as I explained to you, we cannot
get into what we had said before how we feel currently in this position. Do we want something changed? That is why it's on the agenda. >> Can I ask a point of clarification? Um is the Do you have a signed contract?
>> Do I have it? >> Yeah, >> I have it on email. >> Okay. Did you sign it? >> Did it become effective? >> Yes. >> Okay. I wonder when did it become effective? >> Uh the day I signed it, which was the day after your meeting. >> Okay. Okay. Glad you
>> You're all set. Thank you. >> So, I'm guessing nobody wants to reveal how this information got leaked. Is that the case? because I find it extremely curious why this happened. Okay.
Just just so happens that the last town manager stuff was discussed. It was also leaked who dropped out of the town manager search by the same individual. I I just find that very curious how this happens and LTC gets accusations.
>> I absolutely am. >> Are you talking about soccer members that aren't even here? >> Oh, no. here that are currently here. Karen, >> God, we're off to the >> We are not off to the >> We are. >> So, I I'll take it that Nobody leaked this. It's just a coincidence.
>> Well, you asked us. >> So, did you answer? Did you leak this? >> I did not a confidential number from town council. Okay. Thank you. >> So, interesting coincidence. >> For the record, I like this. Thank you.
>> And the other Melissa. So >> it's like it's just a coincidence. Small coincidence or big coincidence? It's a coincidence. Um so do you have a motion on the amendment?
>> Well, there's two here. Pick one. Pick one. So, we'll vote on it. >> No, I'm sorry. I'm in the wrong place. Okay. Move to authorize the acting town
manager to execute. No, that's the wrong one. Okay. Move to amend the acting town manager contract with Jane Wellman dated March 3rd, 2026 to authorize her to execute and approve all contracts the town manager would be authorized to
execute and approve under the charter and to authorize blank to execute such an amendment. The acting town manager on behalf of the board provided such amendment is consistent with the motion and approved as to form by town council.
Is that what I'm supposed to be reading? >> I think so. >> Is that correct? >> It's just to assign um a select board member to >> It's just It's approve and execute contracts provided that a town manager would be authorized to execute such contract under the terms of reading
town. >> Wait, that doesn't make sense. Can you explain this to >> every Yeah. So, there were two motions suggested. So, one motion um would authorize uh the town manager to execute contracts
and um all contracts that are permitted to be executed by the town manager under the charter and to authorize one member of the select board to sign an amendment to the acting town manager contract, provided the amendment is consistent
with your desire to amend the contract and is approved as to form by town council. I have approved I have drafted that amendment already. I could put it on the screen and you could take a more simplified motion to just move to
approve the amendment as shown on the screen if you would like. I can share that document. >> Yes, please. >> Yes, please. I agree. >> Okay. >> Maddie, I'm also not able to share my video, which is not a huge deal, but I don't know if that affects my ability to
share a document. Yes. >> Oh, let me fix that for you real quick. And I just made you a co-host, so you should be able to share >> your screen. Okay. Are you guys seeing it? >> Is it being shown?
>> No. >> Yes. Okay. And again, this requires four fifths. So I have the four fifths component down here. So, do we just need a motion to say um as amended on the screen?
>> Can we just restate this again for me for clarity? We're trying to amend her contract to say that she can sign anything without having to come here. And right now, it is that she has to come to us if it's 500 grand or more. >> Correct. >> Okay. I just want to make sure I'm it's
late. >> And it takes four fists for the approval in this agreement to take effect. >> Right. >> And it's the belief that this is a hindrance to her doing her job
effectively for some things that come in front of her >> before we meet. >> That's what I believe as well. and most likely will be delayed even longer because we have town meeting coming up and we have meet less as a result of town meeting. >> Okay.
>> I would um understand your concern. Um we can't we have met briefly before a town meeting and done things before in my past six years on the board like >> Oh, we've met plenty of times. That's Yeah, I understand. >> So I don't Yeah. So I just I just want to reassure you town the fact that town
meeting is coming if we have an emergency if we had any emergency we can meet like and we just deal with it. Yeah I don't even remember okay >> we did >> I just know that we've been criticized for having sporadic meetings so try to
keep things uh on schedule would be great. >> So do we have a meeting next week too? >> That hasn't been discussed yet. Okay, maybe we should discuss our agendas like for the next six weeks tonight instead of being surprised.
>> All right. These are unusual times. >> I'm supposed to make a motion, aren't I? >> Yes. >> I think you're going to say a motion. Um I think she said simplify is like amended as on the screen. Correct. >> Yes. I think you could move to approve
the amendment to the acting town manager's contract as shown on the screen. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Seconded by Melissa. Any discussion? >> So can we make sure this is not in the packet? Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. Let's make sure this gets in the
packet because we're discussing it >> for the minutes >> and and like the packet. >> Yes. It could not be according to Irea's memo that she sent to us because of open meeting law concerns >> in advance. Gotcha.
>> Correct. >> Second one. Any other discussion? Seeing none. Um, not a roll call. So, all those in favor? >> Chris, it should be roll call because >> Sorry. Sorry. >> All right. So, roll call. Oh, Karen Rose. >> Yes.
>> Karen Herrick. Melissa Burke, >> yes. >> Carlo Bachi, >> yes. >> And Chris Hannah, yes. >> So, I have the printed out contract um amendment to sign um so I'll get that circulated and then
Jane can sign it and it's effective what? Tomorrow. >> It's effective immediately as soon as she signs it. >> Okie dokie. Moving. >> Can I interrupt real quick? And I don't know how much it matters, but on that shared document, I think Melissa's name
was misspelled. Her first name. >> I'm so sorry. >> I'm sorry to interrupt. I don't know if it matters, but I just thought I would say something. >> Melissa, you can just cross out the extra S. I apologize. >> So, we are compared to nothing was
modified, right? So, I'm just Melissa can cross out the extra ass on the one that I have printed. >> Yeah. Yeah. Nothing was changed. >> Then that'll get added into the minutes, Maddie. Jane, is your contract online? This could get added, too, right? >> Y. >> Okay. >> Yeah, this would be a public document.
>> Y >> All righty. So, moving on. 9:55 really town manager search process discussion and potential votes regarding the town manager search and hiring process, including an update on the conversation with Jane Wilming regarding interest in the position of town manager in the
process with all that. >> Mr. Chairman, >> yes. I just wanted to ask council if I should recuse myself from this part of the meeting. >> Emily, what do you think? >> Yes, Jane, you should uh step out. Thank you. >> Catch up on some email.
>> Thank you, Jane. >> Y >> So, I will start off as the board authorized me last time to just discuss with Jane, get a temperature of what she would like to do. um and not burying the lead, Jane would like to um seek a full
time manager um position. Um G and I had also discussed separately on maybe a process that we could do where um it's a quasi public uh not publicly involved. There's a public session where
potentially we would have Jane come in at another meeting. um how it's been done in the past for an hour's worth of questions that the board may or may not have. Residents can feel free to send some stuff potentially in advance, but other than that, we're not um we're not
restricted to asking anything that anybody would want. So, it's more of an open thing so people can get to know Jane better. We've seen her here for, you know, 10 years, but um just kind of get a feel for the process that she interviewed like somebody else would have.
That is kind of the consensus with that. Um it depends on what the the full board thinks in this scenario, but you're very very much uh wanting to ahead. >> Uh so I'm glad you had the conversation.
I wrote down a bunch of notes on since I've never been through this before. Um, and I I've had some comments from people where they want us to do a surge and they don't want us to pull from internally. Um, I'm looking at it from a couple different points of view. One is I'd really like to save the town some
money and but I also appreciate the comments of um, some people don't even know what she does or some people didn't know what Matt does, you know, some people don't know what we do. So, I think um some of the things I wrote down was
having a forum for residents to meet Jane, even if it's for the first time, you know, which is basically what you're saying, having her have a meeting. Um I think it's an important conversation to have with her on how she sees the town moving forward under her leadership and
how it may differ um uh from from what we may have assumed we think our town is moving forward. Um I do prefer that we not compare this search um process for the others because I think each search is different and
each person in candidate is different. I think if we do some due diligence in the beginning and we still want to do a search later, we always have that option because we have 180 days which is it's not a long time but it's a long a long enough time that we should be able to after a month or so get a feeling for
what's going on. Um I also um uh I I also think that it would be a nice opportunity to talk to staff about what they see and
what direction they'd like to see the child go in, what kind of ideas they may have that we don't think of. Sometimes it's hard to come up with different ideas of what direction we should go or what we should pursue. Um, I had another thing that was really good and now I can't find it. Oh, um, create
a list of expectations. I think expectations is huge. Um, can be very deceiving. We may have an expectation in our mind that we haven't vocalized correctly and she may have expectations on her side that may not match ours at all. And I think it would be really good to have them all laid out
at the beginning so that we all know where we're sitting. Um, I'm confident she can do the job, but I think it's um I think the town needs to meet her, rem um in a different capacity. So, those
are just some of my comments. Melissa, >> I echo a lot of what Karen said and I think um I agree with a lot of you said expectations need to be laid out from the beginning. Um goals all of those
things and see make sure that we all align on that. And I think that if I'm understanding correctly what Chris or I has suggested is that we would have the opportunity to do that with her and talk to her in a meeting setting. So, it's in public um to make sure we do align on
those things. And so, I, you know, I support Jane wholeheartedly. I think she would be a fantastic town manager for many reasons that I laid out at the last meeting. Um, I actually have talked to several town staff um over the last, you
know, week or so. And they also support Jane, which um I think is great because I think right now we need stability. We need um someone that knows the ins and outs of reading right now with our building projects. And I think that she could be uh
she will do a fantastic job with that. And I think that um going the process that or Chris mentioned um would be a great way for us to ask her questions and to allow residents to hear that um
that feedback and like you said, get to know Jane in a different capacity. Thanks, >> Carla. So, yeah, I I fully support Jane. Um, she's been, if I'm not mistaken,
95% of our meetings. Um, and and you know, many other meetings as part of her job, but she's been here since she's been assistant. Maybe she missed one or two at best. But um I feel
Jane. She's thly capable. She's wellrounded. She's been in our seat. She's been in school committee seat, town moderator seat, assistant town manager. Um her communication skills are excellent, organization skills are excellent, and
um I just think at this time she would be a great person for this position. Aaron Thank you. Um I think u Miss Woman has done a fantastic job as assistant town manager and I appreciate all of the hard
work she's putting in as the acting town manager. Um, I've been on the board for six years and I did my homework when we when I was chair and we had to do a town manager search and um, even
so this community has always done an external search even when um, in the case of town manager Baba Lashar was sort of expected to be air apparent and was in fact I was on the finance committee at that time. In fact, um,
Peter Hecnleer, the the first town manager, did a pretty good job of making sure that Bob was visible, that he knew people, that he was given responsibilities, and and nevertheless, the select board was such an important position for our
community. Um although they ended up deciding that Bob Laashar was the right candidate at that time, they still conducted an external search and there's nothing wrong with getting some input from staff and all of the candidates and
community members and that's the way we've done it four times in a row. I am absolutely opposed to rushing this decision with an election coming up in three weeks and and rushing this and I feel that that is where this board is
headed and I'm very concerned about that. Um so I am not in support of just directly nominating a very successful assistant town manager. I am concerned about how our last town manager was
treated. Um, and I'm referring to reviews two years in a row. And I'm not in the habit of saying wonderful things about people's jobs and then chewing them up and spitting them out. I think that's an incredibly unprofessional way to be. And
I sorry, I may be speaking out of term. I forgive me. Um, I just I'm not happy with the way our last town manager went. And um it is important that we have stability
in this town. So I appreciate that. Again, I appreciate Jane's connections, all her hard work, her familiarity with all the projects she's working on, and I would not like to lose her, but I I I cannot I cannot um condone a process
where it's easier for the select board and less work to just appoint a candidate in front of us because I can't help but thinking, what comes after that? Jane's done a great job of building a staff who has specific roles.
To my knowledge, none of them have ever become been an assistant town manager. We cannot we um by the charter, we cannot ask our town manager to hire a strong
counterpart to help them because right now our town we need two. We need a town manager and we need an assistant town manager and they both need to be doers and they need to be active because there is too much going on for one person to know. We are seeing cracks in the elder
services department. We are seeing cracks in the conservation commission with the material cabin being closed. This is a really busy world we all live in and we're seeing the cracks already and and if we rush this decision, it's
going to get worse. And we have two two building projects, 130 million, 27 million for the recal and another million and a half for pickle ball. And we've asked our town manager to ask for a refund from MWR
and we have to prepare a budget and we have to consider an override. And we're talking about that every single finance committee meeting. I I I would not want to put anyone in that position without doing the due diligence
to make sure that we have the right people on staff and consistency I value as well. So, and so if Jane would be willing to um apply for the position, that would be great. and if she would also be willing
to consider staying on as an assistant town manager should the board decide to go in another direction, I would be fully supportive of that. She has been a fantastic assistant town manager. I appreciate all of her hard work and I appreciate the team she's put together. Thank you.
>> Thanks Karen. Um for me, obviously I had my discussion with Jane. Um things went as well as uh one would assume. Um I've spoken to members of the public.
I've spoken to multiple people at Virginia's Cafe waiting for my food uh on town staff um on their thoughts on things. So I see things somewhat the same as you Karen. you cited at this cracks foundation that we
have recal override and to that I would say who knows more about that stuff than Jane Wman who some North Andover Bill Rick Everett Leel no Vermont no none of them Jane
well so I don't see what the role of an assistant pilot town manager is if you are not cut out to be the town manager Then why are you the assistant? You have to step in when things happen or who knows things are amicable,
they're not. Whatever the scenario is, you have to be able to step up and step into that role. And Jane Wellman is able to step up and step into that role as if nothing happened. That's it. Who she hires the assistant
town manager is completely up to her. Perhaps we can find provide some feedback. If we provide an hour listening session with Jane, we can prompt her some questions in advance. She's thinking internal, external, get her pulse. Does she need a yin and yang
scenario? However she is. But I think all the reasons that you cited Karen, we cannot go a different direction with somebody else who doesn't know any of that. Imagine trying to get someone up to speed on all this stuff. Current people don't even know the speed of this
stuff. You know what I mean? Like that's where I'm at. I I just think that if you have something someone who's competent and qualified and can do the job and it's outlined last night at the Pleasant Street Center, Jane ran the room. That's one of the comments that I got after the
meeting like this is somebody that can run the town because she ran the room last night. That's just one example. Um that's how I feel on this. I think that, you know, the past is the past. People want to use my own words against me.
Fantastic. You will never get me to say a bad word about people on town staff, town managers, assistants, any one of these scenarios. It's never happening. So, I wrote my review the way that I did. I stand on the merits that are in there and I stand behind previous books
that were done. just like tonight that I believe in in my opinion that Jane Wellman should move forward but I'm just one >> K I I just want to add that you know since
you know Karen and I the longest serving by one year but um seeing Bob in action seeing Fidel in action seeing Matt in action seeing Jane in action seeing Matt in action as the assistant I know witness Bob is the assistant Peter I
knew of but didn't have I had very few interactions with him because we owned a business down the street. Um but given all that history I just think that even though what we've done in the past
is what we've done in the past it doesn't mean we have to do it. That's what we've done in the past. So given all my experience with three town managers and one resigning just at a meeting uh
no one saw her coming and after what we've been through on this board all the division all the fighting I I I think Jane a thousand% is the right person for this job and yes we go to the search process and let her interview get other
candidates It's we've we've been through this process several times. I I don't see anyone more capable right now. I really don't. They may exist, but I think we're doing the right thing or I feel comfortable doing
this. So, I just want to give that perspective. Thanks, >> Karen. So, we don't really have a time frame other than the 180 days. So, it's not like we have to do this in a week or two. You know what I mean? So, I feel like there's plenty of time in order to
have a really thoughtful engagement with the public as far as they're meeting her, meeting her, seeing her, having forums or whatever, or I'm not going to say a meet and greet, but you know, some kind of a casual way for people to
actually talk to her in a as opposed to in the boardroom here um on a different level to find out who she is and what she sees as far as a direction. I mean, I feel like one hour with her or two hours isn't enough to meet what I think the residents need as far as
participating in this kind of a search without dragging it out two months and months and months. But I I don't feel like we're in a rush. We're in a really good place right now. I think she's got a really good Yes, sir. >> Sorry, Carla. If she wasn't visible, I would 100% agree with you. If she was in
a back room, >> I I I completely agree with you. in the basement, but she has been so visible at so many meetings other than ours. And last night is a one example of how well last night
is just one example how she takes that mic and it's effortless. Effortless. >> I can't do that. >> No question. >> So I again, she's not in the basement hiding. >> You're right. She's been incredibly out. >> I would agree with you 100% if that was
the case. But that's not the case. >> But there's still a part of the town that doesn't see her as often as >> most of the town doesn't care or doesn't know who the town manager is. >> Opportunity. >> Correct. Correct. But I'm saying you're saying mo a lot of the town most of the town doesn't care. Most of the towns
know who we are. It's just a fact. >> Still need to try and reach them. >> Right. I agree. But if Jane was someone else, I wouldn't be supporting that someone else. But Jamie the rocket are plain and simple and we all know it. >> Okay. >> So we're we're trying to deflect a little bit and say you know this and
that but >> I have not been part of the prior um town manager searches but I you know I watched and you know observed from the outside. I actually think um the residents of this town can easily get to
know Jane if they haven't already by attending most meetings than any candidate we can bring in here. >> I agree because the candidates the residents don't ask questions of the candidates in any of those forums. I believe they can send questions in but
there's no interaction with residents and any candidate you bring in. >> Okay. >> Correct. >> Correct. >> Yes, they can. I believe they can send questions in is what I've seen. >> Nothing has been required, >> but there's never a back a dialogue with any candidate in the residence in those
interview sessions. >> Could we do that this time? >> Um, I actually thought that said no. >> Okay. >> I think it was recommended that we not every it was Am I misremembering
this? It's not recommended to allow. >> Yeah, I mean there are ways to set up like meet and greets. Um I'm aware that some communities have done them. I know um community paradigm has done them in the past. Uh I don't know reading's
history. I don't know if Bernie set them up. It sounds like he didn't. Um but from a legal standpoint, you know, I think we could craft a night like that if that's of interest to the select board. We can we could look into that. Um it's up it's up to the board how how
they want the process to go. I do think if you are going to interview her um you could request that members of the public send questions and you can ask those questions of Jane. That's definitely one
opportunity that you could present to members of the public. >> Yeah. I mean, I don't think there's any need for us to set up a meet and greet. Um, Jane is very visible throughout the
town. Um, and very welcoming to residents and corresponds with residents and talks to residents on the regular. So, I think if there was any resident that had questions or concerns, they could easily reach out to her at any time, email, phone call, or attend a
meeting on, you know, a topic or a board or committee meeting. She's at a lot of them. >> Oh, yeah. Sure. >> So, I don't think that's necessary, but I just wanted to point out that I think that, you know, if we went the avenue of an
interview process, residents would not get anywhere close to the dynamic that Jane can provide because that's just not how the process works.
Okay. Any other discussion? Karen, >> but but how would you know that we have Carlo and I have been through two um town manager search and we have u met
finalists four or five finalists each time. They were great and they were qualified. Are you really I some of the residents have said to me, you know, if if we have an in-house
candidate go through this process at against the best that want to come here and this is this is a 200,000 a year position currently 200,000 plus. If we do that due diligence as a select board
and the internal candidate still shines the brightest, then we have done our diligence and we have done our jobs as select board members. And so I think it's very dangerous to say nobody can do what this internal candidate can do
without having even looked at what what external candidates are out there. Melissa I would just say that I understand your point, but no external candidate can
have the knowledge Jane has of reading. She's worked here for 10 years and has been intimately involved with these building projects. So, I disagree that an external candidate could have the reading knowledge that Jane has and the
experience to do the job. Any other questions, comments? I've I've already said it. It's the to say like I've looked at the candidate pool that's not reflective of will we
receive the exact same candidates for this. I understand that. But the candidate poll currently that was out there like I said at the prior meeting. maybe the guy who used to be in here of reading maybe kind of
thing caught my eye. But I'm not going to just sit here and disparage other people that may want to imply who knows scenario. But like the biggest thing is Vermont. Like I mentioned last time, it's Vermont. We got someone from
California last time that made it to the end. What? This is relevant. That's what happened here. That's what happened in Winchester or Burlington, whatever. Burlington High from within. So, it must be
um Winchester. So, why go through the motions? And we we have to keep it open and honest because people are hearing our conversations right now. Why are they going to apply? They're like, at least two people already made their mind up, maybe four
or five. So, I don't want to lose Jane at all. I'm not saying she's leaving, but like Carlo had mentioned, it's it's crystal and clear Jane can do the position as well as anybody else who's now
period end of sentence with that. Like I I don't know how you you can't say otherwise and just be like, "Oh, we got to spend the $15,000 where we have to go through the motions and time, effort, and energy and if getting involved and all this balloons, the money and the
like why to end it at the same thing at the end when we have someone that's perfectly capable of doing this for like the whole time." So, >> do we have a motion? How's this gone? >> Is there a motion for this?
>> Well, I was going to take public comment real quick on that and then move on. So, anyone on town manager contract scenario? Angela, >> Tony, I guess people make decisions for me. >> 130 John Street. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman. Um, when I've been involved in major uh hirings What has happened is there was always a and I will call it a shadow recruitment to get at least the initial pool of
candidates and from there you can make a determination on where you stand with potential whether you find somebody who is better than Jane or nobody matches up. It's usually done on quietly um for
a business. It's done after hours. they have meetings with the CEO, etc. But I'd also like to comment on um your prior comments if I may. Uh you said that you were concerned about somebody leaking information. >> Yeah, you're off to.
>> Okay. All right. I will bring it up at the beginning of the next meeting. Thank you, >> Angela. Helbend to Orchard Park Drive. Um, you stopped Tony because you're off topic. You didn't ask for public comment before. >> What
>> is that? You didn't ask for public comment. >> You didn't ask for it at the last agenda item. >> Uh, >> you didn't ask for it at the last agenda item. >> I don't recall that happening, but I've been asking for public comment like 15 times tonight. So if you want to use
this as part of your your time, we're on the town manager discussion right now of the process. >> So you didn't ask for public comment, which is your policy. Can I talk on the previous item? >> We are discussing the votes and search
process on this. We are not discussing what was said in executive session that is not being repeated. >> It's as simple as that. So when when will you allow public comment for that at the end of uh before the meeting closes because you did not ask
>> I'm not I'm not sure what you're referencing. I believe I've asked for public comment on every single item. >> You didn't we are we are >> you didn't the three. >> We are currently discussing we are not having a back and forth. We are
discussing the search process as Karen is going to mention in moments that the clock is going to strike past the time that we bring up pertinent things. This is what we are discussing. >> Okay. So, so what I'm asking now is you
allow public comment on this topic because you did not ask for it at the last moment as is your policy. I am taking public comment on the discussion and potential vote on the search and hiring process.
>> So you are you are denying public comment. >> I am not denying public comment. You have 14 seconds left in your public comment. >> Everything that you mentioned was in the packet. There was no leak. I read it.
Thank you for your time packet and we $500. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Angela. >> Anybody else public comment in the room? Anybody online, Maddie?
>> Nobody online. >> And as I had mentioned, executive section stuff that was brought up is not being said. So you can accuse me of saying something was in there. You're not privy to what happened. That's in there.
Sorry. Do you have a motion? >> We'll go in order. I guess in the order that you have it listed. >> Yes. And see how it goes. If the board wishes to interview Jane, move to schedule an interview with Jane Wellman for the position of town manager at a
time convenient for at least a majority of the select board and Miss Wellman. >> I don't think they're picking a date. We'll just see if this passes and then can have a detle poll or something like that, whatever is convenient. >> Am I going through all the motions? >> No, just the first one. And if if that
passes, then we'll move on to the next point of order. Can we put the motions up on the screen, please? I'm having a hard time. Thank you. Yep. I'll pull them up right now. One second. >> I guess was anyone on Zoom ready for public comment? I didn't see anybody,
but just tell me on >> No, nobody had their hand raised on Zoom. >> Thank you. That's the first item on the list. >> That's what I read. >> Yeah. I don't think you're deciding a date,
but we can set something out after this if it passes. >> Can I ask a question? >> Yes. >> If we decide to interview her, we can still move to either create a subcommittee or anything like that afterwards. >> I think we're not we're not
relinquishing anything >> closing that. No, you definitely could pivot after interviewing her. I do think a decision should be made fairly quickly because it does take a little bit of time to procure the consultant if you're going to use a consultant, put out the
the the bid documents, you know, put out the request, um, and then get the the responses back. So, we do want to give ourselves, you know, three months, really, two to three months, I'd say, at a minimum to go through that process. Thank you.
Do you want to read this again? >> Yes. >> Move to schedule an interview with Jane Wellman for the position of town manager at a time convenient for at least a majority of the select board and Miss Wellman. >> Second. >> Seconded by Melissa. Any discussion?
Seeing none, all those in favor? All those opposed? Four to one. think that may or may not be it for you. Hold on, let me double check. >> Yes. So, I think like the next step would be for uh Chris to reach out to
Jane and to schedule a meeting at which Jane can come in. Um and if the board would like um you can solicit input input from members of the public as to what questions uh they think may be appropriate to ask during that interview.
>> Okay. So we can set it like how it mentioned a majority of the board will send out a doodle policy where people can meet that kind of stuff. Okay, >> I think that's it for you or on less. >> Yeah, that that's uh that's fine for me.
>> Okay, >> thank you. >> Yeah, do we want to get Jane back, I guess? Yeah, if you want to. Thank you. Welcome back. >> 40 emails. That's fantastic. >> Perfect.
All right, we're going opposite. I'm going first. >> Carlo, I'm first on lison report. Sorry, Karen. We're breaking >> precedent shaking. >> So, yes. So, uh it was a few weeks ago and I don't know if a majority of us
were there um for the Eagle Scout of Honor, which was my first one, and it was amazing. uh with seven young people carrying their eagle and uh it was incredible. So
the old self church and highly recommend it and um and I'll address that on future agendas. Uh we had a CPA meeting uh last week. Uh we went over the presentation to us
>> and how that went and kind of looked at our um mini war article again, make sure that was spelled out correctly and all that stuff. So that was a good meeting and I don't think we said another one. Um all
of us at Virginiaas Saturday that was amazing. We discussed that love to them. Uh thank all of us again were at wreck in COA last night presentation on the operational budget for the recal building. That was very informative. A
lot of good questions were had by uh recreation committee council on aging and a few of us had some questions. And then from last night I attended CPDC right there after and they were discussing Eastern Gateway and that was
the first time I saw like the master vision of that whole property which was incredible to me impossible to attain but it was incredible to see what can be done over there. Um, I wish it was one land owner
over there because man, it was impressive. And so CPDC kind of dived into that, gave their comments and just how it's going to be. But right now, the goal is to create the zoning for allow to allow that to happen. So Andrew and
staff have been doing a great job and um so that's what's going to happen here. And um it could be a massive project you in the grand scheme of things. Um and I think that's it. Thanks.
um conservation met a couple weeks ago. Um but really um Jane mentioned it earlier that we are going to use some funding from PBC to do the GET report to you know find out what the requirements
are to bring Material Cabin up to code. Um I know there's been some discussion about um conservation receiving a budget line item that's increased from what they're currently get which I completely support but we just need to properly
plan um and you know take the right avenues to get that approved which I think would have to go to town meeting for approval. Um I was at the joint recal COA meeting last night which I want to thank town staff for that presentation. It was great to see that
um operating budget and to understand what it's going to look like. Um I think it was a opportunity for COA and recre recreation members to get some clarity on details of the building's functionality. And um one huge takeaway
for me that I didn't realize is that the recreation department will be hiring a therapeutic coordinator, which would be amazing for some of those adaptive funds. um because that's something Reading doesn't currently have and I know residents here that um
uh benefit from those programs have to go out of town to uh do those. I want to give a shout out to the writing fire department. I know um Chief Nelson was here earlier, but that um new technology that they have on or five couple
ambulances and a firetruck um is just a game changer for the town of Reading and I think it's um you know really incredible that we were able to get it and plan accordingly into capital budget to get that. So really impressed. I wanted to take a moment to congratulate
Albert Le on his recognition at the Mass State House's Black Excellence on the Hill event on February 27th. I want to apologize to him because I was jumping on the Zoom and they never opened the Zoom up so I never was able to get in. Um but you know, I just wanted to congratulate him on that. That was um he
was nominated by our state reps uh Rich Hagerty and uh Brad Jones. Um I was also able to stop by Virginia's Cafe this Saturday and I wish them all the best. It looks absolutely fabulous in there and my coffee and breakfast sandwich were amazing. So, I encourage others to
stop by. >> Thanks, Melissa. Karen Herrick. >> Sure. Let me go backwards. Um, yeah, Virginia is excited, but I didn't get to actually eat any product yet because the lines were so long and I feared there'd be a riot. So, um, I look forward to
that. Um, and I appreciate all the staff showing up as well, uh, including you too, Jane. Um, I was able to attend the Black Excellence Awards on Beacon Hill as was Jane. And um, the town did a nice press release and it is really excited
exciting to see Albert and our office of um, equity and social justice being recognized for the excellent work they've been doing as well as the many other um, participants and and contributors from across the state. It
was it was just amazing. and um Rep. Hagerty was there as well. So um yeah, that that was wonderful. Um I had office hours um at the Pleasant Street Center this week and I also met with Senator Lewis over at the Planet Pleasant Street
Center. Senator Lewis's office in his one of his assistants were there. He was unaware of our um desire to um procure a refund from the MWR from the excessive joining fee that we were forced to pay. and um when it comes to matters of you
know equity especially coming from a government organization he is he is very much interested in coming up to speed and so today Jane had Chris Coleman forward to his office um a memo that I believe was already provided to was that
a memo that was done prior for the MWR was just forwarded to his office yes >> that's correct yep it was the letter that was sent in >> and the only other thing that I don't I would love the select board to have as well and for the public to understand is I don't have a a document that talks
about, you know, how many MW members are there. How many members paid what and and and show where we rank and if I need to do a PR request to get that, I will. I don't know if we have it. We have it. Okay, that would be great. Just that was the other question that Senator Lewis
had for us, but so that's that's good. Um Um Okay. Permanent B building committee. um they did um add in solar panels as an option and they will be accompanied by a
60k rebate from RMLD and we will have net metering. So then that feeds into the budget that was presented last night um potential budget for the new recal building. Um but we'll have to work on those numbers and it's good to be
conservative but we want to reflect you know opportunities. Um we have great rates here in in um renting for electric, but one of the commissioners shared that we all too need to expect about a 3% increase every year, which makes it easier to and a much quicker
payback for anybody considering solar panels. Um the council on aging also attended the permanent building committee. They are strongly um requesting that the room divider be added back into the plan. It has been on the requested list of items since the
early days of the project. They were joined by at least one of the permanent building committee members. Um, and they I believe they asked I had to leave because I had to go to the finance committee meeting. So, what I understand from one of the council and aging
members who spoke was that the permanent building committee kind of punted it to to to town manager's office. And I'm not sure why that is, but this is a really important request for the seniors. There was a lot of great discussion about small rooms being critical for things
like shine meetings and other services provided um by the senior center in a new recal. Um, the second item that has come up a number of times and was commented on was the kitchen design and you heard a member at public comment
talk about this accessibility report and and there's a lot coming at us. So, I'm not pointing fingers, but I'm really excited that we got our disabilities commission off the ground today because nobody we haven't seen that accessibility report, the permanent building committee, our architect,
nobody's dived into it. And what that leads into is do we have the correct kitchen designed for our goals of renting that facility to help generate re rent revenue to pay for the operating costs? That is that's
a question um that could be discussed at a permanent building committee meeting um or a joint COA permanent building committee meeting. The permanent building committee, they're doing a great job. I'm so excited the bids are coming in low
lower. This is great. I'm looking for good news from Kilum as well. I can't wait to get that. And but but what I'm not seeing in the permanent building committee is the voices of the residents, chiefly the council and aging represent the 60 plus and representing
people who are in that senior center every week. And so I think we need to do a better job of getting them re-engaged with the permanent building committee which is staffed by building professionals. So, so again, I'm not casting shade or anything, but I saw the way it worked on Kilum at the beginning
and the teachers and the school department was intimately involved and and I think in some respects a school's easier to design. It's a formula. You know what you have to have, but this where it is a and I believe somebody mentioned at the meeting, this is a building we've created specifically
custom to our needs and we need to make sure um that we bring the 60 plus community back in. And and last night I also attended I believe the whole select board was at the joint COA rec committee meeting and um that was a great civil
meeting covered a lot of topics. There were a lot of questions on the budget going forward um that I alluded to. So I'm sure we'll be able to talk more about that. I Oh today just I won't get into it tonight because it's late. Um but today I attended um my first um MMA
energy and environmental policy committee which was a joint meeting with public works and utilities and um I also got a fiscal policy update. So quickly the good news is that it looks like we're going to finish out the state
budget in relatively good shape without a massive shortfall. So, and I will just update the board additionally on that meeting on what what's coming forward at our next meeting. >> Thanks, Karen. Karen Rose Gillis.
>> All right. Since our last get together when we had liaison reports, um, best interviews did those. I'm trying to scroll. Yep. >> I don't know. They were great. the volunteers is so excited to have them join the communities and get invol
committees and get involved. Um the 25th I attended the um finance committee meeting to watch the school department and their proposed budget Eagle Court of Honor which brought back a lot of memories for me and my San Jose Eagle Scout. I actually started to cry
to admit it. Um congratulations to the seven scouts which the rank of Eagle. Caleb McGonagal, Jake Jackfellow, Thomas Cochrell, Evan Oley, Marcus Geller Bella Royale, Zachary Lazot, and Abigail
Nelson. Um, she is the first female eagle from >> I forgot to mention that. Yes, that's >> best wishes and success to all of them. And um, town forest committee on the second uh, Arbor Day is planned. Trees have been ordered, five different varieties, 500 trees. event is going to
be held on 4:25 from 9 to 3. It's sponsored by the library. You can register online. Please select a time slot so we can manage parking and crowds. Um it is rain or shine. Bring a shovel, spade, and gloves. Um they're working on bids for invasive
plant management. Um invasive polling dates have been scheduled. I think the first one's April 11th. Please don't quote me. Um, Reading's finest Dave Williams will be hosting bird walks on March 28th, May 2nd, June 20th, and August 29th in the town forest presented
by the town forest and trails committees. Um, pre-registration is required due to the demand. Um, on the 4th, I went to the finance committee. I think everybody did too. They presented budgets. Um, thank you to all the departments for your hard work in developing these budgets. It's a
really complicated task. um grand opening of Virginia's on Haven Street. It was awesome. Um the same day I attended a community lunch at St. Agnes Parish Center. It was presented by Christ the King Parish in the Reading Food Pantry. Um it's a really great
concept that this woman and a group at the church um is starting in town and I'm really looking forward to getting involved with them. It was a free lunch to anyone that was interested. Um I'm really excited for this mission. They're going to have their next dinner scheduled for May 27th. Um, other towns
around us do it a lot. Wakefield does it probably five times a month. So, we're try I'm looking at that as kind of a with all the churches in town and sharing responsibilities. So, um, I'm really looking forward to getting diving in that uh board of assessors meeting yesterday. They are very gracious to let
me attend because I have no idea what they're talking about and I learn something every time. So, um, Victor and I are going to have coffee, but I I learned something. Okay. >> Um, Council on Aging. I don't need to go over that again. It was a good meeting though. Um, please note that the Climate
Advisory Committee is presenting a composting workshop at the library on March 19th. Speakers from Black Earth Composting will be speaking about how we can reduce our trash costs by composting and some other very exciting programs. Um, food pantry. The current needs are
paper towels, spaghetti sauce with meat, canned mandarin oranges, and instant non-fat dry milk and crackers. Um, please remember donations can be made on the website. And, um, it's been advertised that they have 14 garden beds at Matera Cabin that you can sponsor if
you'd like. I did discover that sponsoring doesn't mean you have to actually work the bed. You just have to donate to the fund that they pay for. But um which I think is super easy. Um so please consider doing that. And
that's it. >> Thank you Karen. >> Um yeah, I'll echo everything that a majority of the board has been to the Eagle Scouts Court of Honor was was great seeing that. Um the seven new
Eagle Scouts um was pretty phenomenal. The biggest takeaway from that is the no cop no stop mantra >> that I now follow. You know, no offense, but >> I think I >> Haven Street over there follows that
same thing. No cop, no stop. So, we'll go with that. >> Just I'm a member of RPD, right? Is I connecting the dots correctly? Okay. >> Yeah. Okay. >> No stop. My biggest takeaway Nelson
being the first female legal scout. It's they all >> Yeah. And I have to visit Colorado as well. >> Maybe I need to attend this citizens police academy and that's where I'll learn all these secrets. I've never done that. >> Um and then uh Virginia's Cafe that was
phenomenal as well. It's good to see I was in there again today and um tons of people still in there which is good to see. um for them on something so early. So I think it adds a book end to you know
lower haven street you know now you have everything up at the top Larry's and power those kind of things post in the middle um and then you know them at the end and it's just going to drive traffic throughout that area where everyone's going to benefit. So it's good to see
them take the the leap of faith over there and I really hope it pays off for them. And then um we all went to the rec council on aging meeting last night. Um once again it was good to hear about everyone's concerns and you know I I
feel that a lot of what was said is is definitely severely lacking. Um and I think we have to have more discussions on that going forward. Um, but it's good to see that they had a joint meeting and it's very rare to get lots of people in rooms
together and the select board wreck and COA to all be at once. You know, it was a good see that we're all united at least for this for the town. So, I think that's all I got. I'm probably missing something, but
is what it is. So, future agendas, page 104 in the packet. Do we have any future agendas? >> Yeah, >> on there any that are there that we
don't have to repeat. We start putting stuff in there yet? >> I I didn't see Valley Parking. I thought that was going to be coming up the 24th. So, we can add that, please. That's all I have. >> Did naming policy discussion?
>> Okay. >> 14th of April. >> Okay. Um I I know we all discussed a lot with banking, but we need to have an annual operational meeting. Can we get it on the schedule?
So, can I just make a comment on that? So, I was reading through the um lease. It's not stated in there that they need to do that with the select board like RCTVs is. >> I think it is at ours. Um >> I think it only says that they need to
produce their financials to the town, but I don't think that they are required. >> It states that the town manager and someone from Burbank should meet to discuss. No, it does not. >> It absolutely does. >> Okay, >> this board is >> I'll table that for a moment. I don't
have the lease on my new computer. I'll pull it up. We'll send it out. Make sure we all have it. We'll be clear >> not mentioned. And that's >> we have an operational meeting and and we also have the option to audit them and we have never done that. You might want to talk about that too.
>> Those may be in there, but the select board having a joint meeting is not. That's not to say that we can't request it, but it is not. It's not a It's an oper a meeting to discuss operations annually, but it's fine. Nobody's remembering it. I'll pull up. Okay, this is fine. We'll get it. >> It's not in there.
>> Okay. >> Tomato tomorrow. Move on. >> Anything else? >> No. >> Okay. So, for the 24th, you want to add um the valley parking to >> if the draft's ready. Yeah. If something
is ready. >> Yep. >> Um last week I requested that we talk about um whether we need to have um our hardworking RPD officers here babysitting us because we are taking them on over and it costs money and so I
would really like us to um discuss and vote on whether that's really necessary. >> I don't think they're babysitting us. >> That's a very good point, Melissa. Thank you. >> Wow. >> Anything else?
>> Is it going to go on the agenda? any I would support it being on the agenda. I'd love to have that conversation. >> Okay. Thanks. And so we will need for that we're going to need to um everything extended to date so far. I think we're up to five meetings. >> Okay.
>> Don't listen. Sorry. This is anything else? I don't have anything. Carlo brought up the valet. If it's ready, it's ready. Just like everything else that goes on the agenda. It's available. It's available. >> Motion to >> no minutes. >> No motion to adjourn.
>> Second. >> Non debatable. >> This is non debatable. >> Correct. >> Don't do it, Karen. >> We don't do what? >> You do whatever you want. >> All the Hold on. No, no, no, no, no, no. Let me just clarify here.
>> We There is a set of minutes that has to be approved because they have been waiting. >> Well, it's not going to be at all. >> I'm just unless somebody wants to withdraw their motion. It's not okay. >> I'm not It's >> okay then. >> I'm putting you all on. That motion is there.
>> It's been all on notice. >> All those in favor? >> All those in favor? >> All those opposed. >> Me and Karen only. We have a dream.