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unmute >> whenever you get a minute. Thank you. >> It's on you. >> Sorry. >> Tim unmuted from there before. >> Did he? >> Yeah. He said he said we could unmute from there. >> All right. You should be good now. Good.

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>> And then the text stuff. >> Yeah, it's just doing that thing. Remember this happened last time and I pressed it 122 times and it finally unmuted. I don't know if I don't have enough S. You press it. >> There we go.

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>> Um, call to order the June 9th select board meeting. It's 7:00 p.m. Um, being broadcast via RCTV on Xfinity channel 9 and FiOS channel 31, >> also on [clears throat] Zoom and live on RCTV's YouTube channel uh channel. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance.

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>> Sergeant. >> 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.

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We will review the agenda for this evening. Um we will start with public comment. Then 7:15 we'll do town manager report. 7:20 community spotlight. 7:25 Junth resolution. 7:30 continuation of public hearing which was originally

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opened on May 26th. It will be discuss and vote on early opening of 273 Salem Street, Dunkin Donuts. 7:40 public hearing, discuss and vote on FY27 water, sewer, and storm water rates. 8:10

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discuss wellfield maintenance. 8:25 discuss and vote on board and committee FY27 budget requests. 8:35 discuss town manager goals. 8:50 liaison reports. 9:00 future agendas and 9:05 approve prior meeting minutes. May 6th and May

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26. Do we have any public comment in the room, stand up? Um, name, address, and two minutes, please. Nancy, Dr. Pearl Street, Precinct One, meeting member. Um, thank you very much

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for returning public comment on all agenda items uh to the start of the meeting. For someone who starts my day early, I appreciate it. What I'd appreciate more is if you correct the kind of willy-nilly um policy you have that you discussed uh last select board

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about um opening public comment to agenda items later in the meeting. It's um inconsistent. It's not fair to the public not to post that. Um last meeting you called on a resident who raised their hand remotely. I raised my hand

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remotely for another agenda item and I kept it raised for an hour and I was never acknowledged and please don't put this on town staff. This is a responsibility of the select board. I think it's an inconsistent policy. You're opening yourselves up for something very messy. How is the public

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to know that the chair and the vice chair has deemed an agenda item worthy of further discussion if you don't post it? Today, you've just read the agenda. Several public hearings are on the agenda. If something you believe

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warrants more discussion, make it a public hearing. If you think something deserves more comment, you should discuss it and not vote on it and leave it for the next meeting. But the idea that the chair and the vice chair will decide in real time at the start of

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every meeting agenda items that will be allowed to be further deliberated is not being transparent and I think you're going to open yourselves up to a mess. I think you potentially are going to open yourself up to violations in terms of freedom of speech. So, I'm asking you to

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revise that policy, make it consistent, and not have this kind of winging it every meeting. If you really believe you want to have public comment, then make it a public hearing for all your agenda items. Thank you very much.

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>> Thank you, Nancy. Anyone else in the room have public comment? >> Anyone online, Maddie, that you can see? >> Hands raised. >> Perfect. We'll move on to town manager report. All right. Thank

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Thank you very much pulling up the right document. Um so Maddie, if you could put up those um couple of pictures I sent you. There are two art installations that have been completed today down by the depot. Um they are by John Saxs who

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is um an artist I believe out of Haveril. And this one is called Spheres and it's interactive. Um, they're painted spheres and they have gravel inside them. So, it's a they make a pleasant sound and it's it's an interactive [clears throat] thing you can you can enjoy. And then we

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have Patches the Pig. Patches the Pig was part of an installation in Berlin. It's hard to see. Um, he's painted and very intricately and he is um, this is part of a grant. these um art install there's other pieces other art installations that are going up in town. Um this is

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part of a grant that was secured in 2025 I think. Um and so now Patches is down by the depot along with this other art installation. So go check him out. Um John Saxs, you may know his art as these giant dogs that have like a dog bone cut

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out in the middle. Yes, there's one on 495. >> Yes, exactly. So he's he's a very interesting local artist. Um, and this was part of an installation in Burlington where there were pigs all over town that were painted. So, um, and the other one was, uh, an installation

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in 2023 in Roswell, Georgia. So, through a grant, the town has procured these and, um, they had a a staff and a community-based committee that was brought together and, um, DPW just texted me these pictures this afternoon. So,

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>> very cool. >> They're very cool. Um, so, a couple of things. Rise uh, contract negotiations. As we meet negotiations, we are meeting with our friends um from Verizon for our next round of negotiations tomorrow afternoon. We've made a capital request to Verizon, which is really the only area we're looking for changes when the

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contract um we submitted that uh assessment based on RCTV's work from their new executive director, Dear Morales. So, that contract expires June July 19th. So, uh, we're hoping to bring this home very soon and we'll bring it

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forward to the select board, um, either in later in June or in the July meeting to approve. Um, so this week I signed a letter of support for a grant the MBTA is applying for that will allow it to plan and design the elimination of up to

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five atgrade crossings in Reading, including Wuburn Street, Washington Street, Main Street, Ash Street, and New Crossing Road. Um, being able to eliminate some or all of these at grade crossings would allow for smoother traffic flow through town and increase public safety response time since train

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crossings wouldn't be a factor in those intersections. Um, the grant does not fund construction. It's just the planning and design, but with all transport, as with all transportation projects, they start small and they take a long time and it's a long process. So, we'll see if the MBTA gets that grant,

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but um it would go a long way, I think, to uh enhancing the community if you don't have to encounter so many trains through the center of town. Um Kllum, so the pre-qualified subitterers came in on Thursday, June 4th, and it's right now it's looking

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like those have come in more than $2 million under budget. Um the general contractor bids will be in this Thursday afternoon um at 3 p.m. and we will be moving quickly to make sure that uh we award once those are in. The overall

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budget before the MSBA reimbursement as a reminder is $130 million. Hard costs are $92.7 million and sub bid categories are just under $32 million. So we had thought we maybe were saving a little bit more money on the sub bids but a

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couple of them had to be thrown out. I think one painter had to be thrown out. Um, so that brought the cost uh the savings down a little bit. >> Um, >> could you just like I didn't catch all those numbers. Could you just repeat those numbers? >> I sure can. Thank you. >> So you remember the overall project cost

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for Kilum is $130 million. >> The hard cost, the construction related costs are $92.7 million. >> These are bids that came in. >> No, that's our budget. Okay. >> Our budget is 92.7 million. The sub bid categories, our budget is 32 million. Um

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right now it's looking like the sub bids came in about 2 million more than $2 million under budget. >> So of the 32 it came yeah maybe 29 point something. So >> that's that's preliminary. All the math has to still be done and then you know

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the GCES come in but they use those pre-qualified sub bidder bids to calculate their own bids when they come into the town. So that's how that works. >> Okay. So the hard cost would be like another 690 million. >> It's 92.7 altogether is our budget. So

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we can't award to anybody more than that >> overall. So the the general contractor incorporates the sub bids into their overall bid. >> So we're so we're getting more than bids of on 32 million, right? We're gonna the

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project is 130, hard costs are 90 and sub subcategories of 30 32. >> That's right. >> So what's the process with the rest of the what's a what's a what are you considering a hard cost in B? >> These are construction related costs. So the other costs are like design,

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engineering, owner's project management, contingency. Those are softer costs. >> So those are not going to be bid out at this point. There's only $32 million left to be bid out on this project. >> No, 32 million is incorporated into that 92 million. So, the general contractor

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incorporates those sub bids. Under state law, you have to have certain filed sub bids for certain trades that are approved by state by the state. So, not just any electrician can bid on these projects. Not just any plumbing contractor or floor tile, you know, you

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have to have um have experience. You have to be proven. You have to be vetted by the state. And so you have to have these filed sub bids. They come in and then the general contractors use those filed sub bids that came in on June 4th to put together their bids.

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>> Okay. So you do the sub bibs first and then you'll do the general contractor bids. So Okay. Thank you. >> Yes. So it just gets incorp that 32 million gets incorporated into the 92 million but we break it down. So >> Okay. So we're still waiting for general contractor bids. >> That's right. And they will come in but it's a good sign when the sub bids come

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in low. I see what you're saying. >> Yeah. So, it's an indicator and we're with this kind of environment that we're in right now, this is a good sign. >> It's like an 8% savings. Not quite 10%, but >> No, not Yeah, we we'll see where we where we are, but we're we're really good. It's a good indicator. No, thank you for the questions. Those are good

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questions. Um, >> have to be DAM certified, right? >> They have to be DAM certified. Yep. You can't you can't be get thrown out if you're not or you don't you can't even actually make the the bid anyway. System won't let you. Um, so this is something that will probably

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come before the board later, but I wanted to give you a little >> [clears throat] >> uh tidbit tonight. We undertook um we recently completed a fleet electrification assessment in partnership with Mass Fleet Advisors. I think anybody who went to the MMA conference this year may have seen them

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there. So the town ensures a total of 209 vehicles. Um this study evaluated 68 eligible vehicles due to the type of duty cycle or the function that those vehicles have. Um these are vehicles operated by the public works department,

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police, fire facilities and future council on aging uh recre recreation division vans that would support the uh recal facility as well as also evaluated were electrical infrastructure needed to support future vehicle um electric

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vehicle adoption. We do have some electric vehicles in town and so this is an assessment. It's not a budget plan, but it's the work we want to have done as we go forward. Um, also I asked for a um [clears throat] an earmark for a van

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potentially an electric um handicap accessible van for recal. So we'll I have positive feedback on that, but we haven't had that. >> What do I need to call and make sure they didn't miss that request? >> Nope. It's already in Karen. They've already put it in. So we're just waiting for them to approve the budget. It's a good sign. We're in We're in good shape.

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We're in good shape. >> Um, call the other ones to vote. Yes. Um, so the assessment >> That's him. >> Who's the other ones? >> The rest of the legislative. Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. >> So, the assessment found that a portion of the town's existing fleet is well suited for future electrification um with total cost of ownership projections

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and commercially available replacement models already on the market. Um the report highlights multiple state incentive programs that may help offset these future vehicle procurements um and charging infrastructure costs. Um we have particular kinds of rebates. We'll

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bring this forward to the board in the future to support any any procurements or plan down the road. So this is the kind of work we're doing on the back end. Um, and we also had an on-site assessment and facility walkthrough with multiple stakeholders stakeholders

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including operations, the facilities department, DPW, RMLD, electrical engineering staff and an electrical engineer from mass fleet adviserss. Um, these assessments were done on site at town hall and the DPW the police department was not included in the site

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recommendations due to um physical and electrical constraints at that at that site. So at town hall, the study determined that an installation of a dualport level two EV charger can be supported using the existing electrical capacity allowing implementation within the next year or two with an [clears throat] estimated cost of under

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$50,000. We do have employees who have EV um EV vehicles which is redundant and um we also have town staff vehicles that are electric vehicles. So that would be helpful for those vehicles. Um and at the Department of Public Works, a phased

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approach was recommended and this would begin with the installation of a single dualport level two charger utilizing existing capacity followed by an expanded charging infrastructure over a 3 to 5 year period depending on what our plans are in the future. So the next steps and conclusions, this is intended,

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this report is intended to serve only as a long-term planning tool to support future capital planning, fleet replacement strategy, and sustainability initiatives. Um, as the town advances into upcoming budget deliberations, these recommendations will be considered alongside other operational and capital

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needs with a focus on balancing long-term infrastructure planning and current fiscal constraints and community priorities. So, yep. >> Um, that's great. Um, so when we RMLD

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initially helped us put in the chargers, um, town hall wasn't at the top of the list because it can only support level two. I'm wondering since you're at the beginning of this whether um we should talk to Jason Small, is that his last name? >> We've already been talking to Jason. Yep.

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>> About upgrading the infrastructure to support or what it would take to understand what it would take to upgrade the infrastructure to support a fast charger >> in town hall parking lot. I mean, potentially, but it's going to cost more money and it will um it's possible, but it's >> unless they pay for it. No, no, not

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Yeah, but it's coming um the power's on the other side of the street. So, it's that's part of the difficulty and the reason we have we don't have one now. I think we would have had one earlier or maybe on the cobblestone. [clears throat] So, um so anyway, >> the other side of 28 where that painted box is or like

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>> No, it's on the other side of L Street. So, the the the power lines are on the other side. So, it has to come over. So, you'd have to go underground to get more power, I think. I'm told. >> Okay. >> Okay. I can't see you with these glasses on, but I can see my screen because I'm

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old, so that's why I'm looking at you in a weird way. Okay. Anyway, >> because um that's it's Well, it could be really good to have a a sing if you're only going to have a single one, it could be really good to have the fast drive. >> Fast charger. >> Yeah.

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>> Yep. Can I just a couple things? One is for DPW vehicles, what vehicles would we be looking to electrify? So there would be we have like the DPW director's vehicle right now that he drives around um is an electric vehicle. Okay. I don't we're not talking about electrical

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electric dump trucks although there are heavier equipment >> that that's not our priority right now. There's lighter weight pickup trucks that we could do things like that. So I'm not sure there's been no requests to do it at this level yet. So, this is sort of like the planning stage where we

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are, what can we do, and are there grants that are going to support us to try something new? >> And my only concern about putting a charger in town hall is that that parking lot is crowded. >> It is very crowded. >> And the charger that went down on Main

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Street was a mistake cuz that's causing problems with parking down there. And I don't want to take up cuz I think it automatically takes up two spots. >> It would be Yes. one spot, but it has two chargers. We have enough cars that park here every day >> that could use those spots anyway. Um,

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and >> but then would we be charging people to use that charger >> like you would if you like cuz if you went some like if you went to Lynfield Market Space, you have to market. >> Yeah, it's Yeah. >> Yeah. We're not giving it away for free. >> Okay. >> It could be an employee benefit. We have

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the business in town that already does that for their employees. And um >> yeah, the REI owner had said, I would do that to benefit my employees. I don't want it to be a public charger for pres preserving my parking for who it's needed for. But, >> you know, she said certainly has a benefit.

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>> I mean, at night, you know, it's an opportunity for people to charge their vehicles. People who live in apartments, you know, that can't charge at home can can charge um at a public at a public space. >> In the library, they're using DPW and they're using down Main Street. are using, >> but it's um it's not on the agenda.

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>> All right. >> So, I just it will be in the future and we'll bring back more information in the whole report for you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um as you know, as we're preparing to switch um to automated trash and recycling on July 6, we're providing a weekly trash Tuesday updates um that

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includes the new program, cart placement, new changes residents can expect. Um, as you know, the there is a news flash on the homepage of the website and the DPW page has an automated trash and recycling collection guide that has comprehensive resources

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for all the changes, some highlights and you guys are having an update from DPW uh next week uh next meeting, but collection days will remain the same for residents. Weekly collection for both trash and recycling. Both trash and recycling will be via automated collection trucks. All trash and

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recycling must fit in the carts over with the covers closed. Overflow bags will be available at DPW offices and in certain stores. Second trash carts are available to lease for $200 a year. Second recycling carts are available at no cost. Bulk items, those pickup must

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be paid for and scheduled by calling Republic Services. Pricing and item listed on the DPW web page. Um there will be no more curbside metal metal pickup um event in the spring. Those are considered bulk items. Um, there are two annual hazardous waste events to remain,

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two annual recycling events to remain, curbside leaf collections to remain, two weeks in the spring and four weeks in the fall, and two bulk item collection events to be added um in the fall or spring. The logistics haven't been determined yet. And that is my town manager report. [clears throat]

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>> Thank you. >> Sounds good. Thank you. Do you have questions? >> Yes. Uh, quick question on the MBTA thing. Yeah. So it's getting rid of the crossings. >> Yeah. So it would either be putting the train over under the road. >> Oh. >> Or putting the road over under the train.

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>> How is that possible without going over what what >> put you >> I only ask good questions. >> Yeah. I'm not I'm not into the planning and design. This is request from the the Yeah, but they >> I thought I was misunderstanding. >> It eliminates the atgrade crossing. So

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the train and the and the and the cars don't interact anymore. So you either put the train sort of >> under or over >> under or over the road or the road over under the train. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So Willow is not included in the

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list that they gave us, but um it's a long process, but can you imagine? Can you imagine >> the traffic? Yes. I can >> the traffic. No, because the trains won't be the problem. Like >> during the construction >> things Yeah. No, during the construction. So, anyway, it's a long way off, but we'll see what happens.

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Could be amazing. >> Wow. >> Even if one of them Yeah. >> Well, I was just wondering if um the MVA um update was this week. I'm wondering if we have somebody from town hall going or the chair. Did you get a chance to go? >> I did not get a chance to go. >> No, I haven't double booked. I think it

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was yesterday afternoon. >> So, we probably have a resident who is very knowledgeable who is willing to go. I We need We need somebody to go to these meetings. >> Yeah, I usually go. Um I didn't go yesterday though. Um but yeah, we can see if we if somebody's particularly interested,

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>> somebody who is involved um in the term backtrack. They're in a butter and very knowledgeable and balanced and and analytical and yeah. All right. And have him reach out to you. >> Uh yeah, I'll [clears throat] see if the public is if they're open to the public or if you have to be town staff, but I'm fine.

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>> So I think we determined when Chris was chair that it was the chair andor town manager that we go. So if the chair designates or whatever the select board designates another person to go in there, then it should agree. >> Yeah. And then Yeah. Maybe sometimes

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it's two people from Reading, but at least it's like one on a regular basis. >> I don't have a problem with that. >> Okay. Because I know you're busy, so >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. But we can't I mean, that's how we got in this mess by not going to those um meetings and we were erroneously told

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by somebody like, "Oh, that's really not for communities. That's for MBTA employees and we stopped paying attention and next thing you know >> and now that's >> Whoops. >> Yep. We can look into that. >> Okay. >> All set. Move on to community spotlight.

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>> So, briefly tonight, I just want to highlight the Kllum School second graders who participated in a hands-on civic and community based lesson yesterday when they visited town hall, the fire department, the police department, and the library. Um, they were awesome. That's part of what I was

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doing yesterday was meeting with four second grade classrooms. Um, and you know, hopefully future town managers though s none of them wanted to be town managers. There were a lot of future teachers, a lot of future firefighters. No future town managers. I don't know

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why. Um, so I want to thank their teachers, Mrs. Leavville, Miss uh, Mrs. Grammalini, Mrs. Iraqi and Miss Bins and the many many amazing parent chaprons that ushered the students. They walked down from the kilm school >> and they had lunch at the fire

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department and it was fantastic and they had like the best day ever if you're in second grade and it wasn't crazy hot either and then they walked back so it was amazing. And then um if you follow us on Facebook you definitely have heard of this already that not all heroes wear capes. Um, last week the Reading DPW

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highway division came to the rescue with seven baby ducklings that fell in a catch basin. Um, big thank you to the highway division going above and beyond to help our feathered friends. Um, so while we we see a lot of the work you you all who came this morning saw our u

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our catch basin truck, but you also saw all of the all the work that goes into our DPW when you toured the building this morning. And so they're just great. They opened up the cash base and got the little guys out and uh it was really cool. So that was our feel-good moment last week and that is all I have.

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>> Great. Thank you very much. Uh 7:25 we'll move on to the Junth resolution. Karen I think if you don't have it I have it here if you want to read it off of this. Right on time motions for this.

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Should we Oh, we read the resolution first. Okay. June 2026. Junth in the United States. Whereas news of the end of slavery did not reach the frontier areas of the United States. In particular, the state of Texas and the other southwestern states until months

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after the conclusion of the Civil War, more than 2 and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1st, 1863. And whereas on June 19th, 1865, Union soldiers led by Major

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General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveistston, Texas with news that the Civil War had ended and the enslaved were free. And whereas Junth became a holiday within Southwestern states, commonly known as Junth Independence

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Day. The word Junth resulted from from words June 19 merged together in speech. And whereas this day is an opportunity for people to celebrate freedom and equal rights in the United States. These celebrations range from religious

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events, rodeos, barbecue/cookouts, neighborhood block parties, etc. And whereas on Junth, certain foods became popular and subsequently synonymous at celebrations such as strawberry soda pop. At barbecues, special dishes were prepared such as collarded greens,

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cornbread, and meats including lamb, pork, and beef. meats were not so easily accessible. And whereas the Juneenth flag was created by Ben Hay, founder of National Junth Celebration Foundation in 1997 and later revised in 2000 to what

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we now know we know now. A star represents Texas and the star burst represents all 50 states. The ark represents a new horizon. And finally, the colors represent the American flag, a reminder that slaves were and are American. And whereas Junth is

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celebrated all over the world including but not limited to Ghana, Honduras, Japan, Taiwan, Trinidad, and Tobago. And whereas on July 24th, 2020, the governor of Massachusetts signed a bill recognizing Junth as a state holiday.

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Now it now therefore be it resolved that the town of Reading and the Reading Select Ward recognizes June 19th, 2026 as Junth and continue to support the nationwide celebration of Junth Independence Day throughout the United States of America.

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Move that June 19th, 2026 be recognized as Junth in the town of Reading. Second >> seconded by Karen Rose Gillis. Do we have any further discussion of the board? All right. All those in favor? 5 Z. Thank

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you. All right. We'll move on to 7:30, continuation of the public hearing, um, which we originally opened at our May 26th meeting. It will be discuss and vote on early opening of 273 Salem Street, Dunkin Donuts.

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Okay. Um, we have the option to dispense with a reading of the public hearing notice because it's already been posted. We just need a motion. >> Motion to dispense. >> Second. Seconded by Karen. Um, all those

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in any discussion? No. All those in favor? We'll open the meeting back up. Okay. Did you guys want to come up to the podium? um we open the public meeting and you guys can come back up. Um do you have anything? I know that we had some

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feedback. So if you want to come up to the podium and then we can just discuss that we're talking. >> All right. Good evening board. Thank you for having us. Uh I'm Vip and Carro, regional manager for Dunkin Donuts alongside uh Lena Straki uh area manager for Dunkin Donuts. We were here on uh

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May 26th asking permission to open at 5:00 a.m. Uh at that time a couple of things were brought to our attention and I'm glad they were because we went back and looked at it. Uh one of the things that we had promised was um there was a complaint that Cassella waste was coming at odd times and I didn't make any

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copies but I can pass this. Uh they come, Cassella Ways comes once a week and uh since we were here last time, it has the dates and times when they were here and picking up the trash and it's being happening around 11:00 in the morning. So, it's not disturbing anybody. Um but there were certain

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things that were um a little disturbing to us because we didn't never really looked into it till we came up to you guys. Um along on this piece of paper is the list of when the donuts are getting delivered and I noticed that it was two days um since we've been here that they

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were delivered uh after the midnight time which is not allowed by the town. So we have addressed that um with the um our company and we are monitoring it and the only other thing was we have a delivery that comes once a week on Tuesdays. I believe when we were here

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the very next Tuesday the truck showed up at 5:45 in the morning. They're not supposed to come before 6:00 a.m. They were in the parking lot. Uh the engine was on, so it probably caused disturbance to some of the residents. So, we uh wrote an email to the

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distribution center, which is in Bellingham, Massachusetts, making sure that they know that they cannot come here before 6:00. And if they do happen to come, they can come. They can shut the engines off, but no deliveries can be made uh before 6:00 a.m. So, it

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wasn't perfect, and I'm glad we came here. So, we looked at this. We haven't looked at this in years and we looked at it and there were some um discrepancies and hopefully we've addressed them and um hopefully moving forward they'll stay like that. >> Absolutely.

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Did the board have any um questions or discussion? >> Karen, >> thank you for coming again. I just appreciate you following up on these details. I it gives me a level of comfort that if we have complaints in the future, you know, we will be able to work with you and and and figure them

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out. >> And I hope the residents and the neighbors feel that as well. >> Thank you. >> Any other board members? Chris, >> thanks Melissa. Um, no, I appreciate you following up as well. Um because my

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concern was, you know, if deliveries or something was being done before 6 and it didn't have to do with you, then it's not right for us to go ahead and subject you to it. But it turns out a lot of the things were pertaining to you. So I think this could be a win-win for you as

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well as now the residents over there that were dealing with things without ever telling anybody. So, you know, for anybody else at home that is getting, you know, woken up by deliveries anywhere in town, um, you know, past the cuto off times, they should definitely be reaching out and seeing, you know,

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what we can do about things. Um, but yes, it was ironic that the following day, right after that meeting, we get a video showing there's a 18-wheeler parked there in the morning. [laughter] >> And, you know, you couldn't ask for a a

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better thing for you guys. So, um, hopefully this just continues and, um, you know, it's, like I said, it's a win for everybody, but just please make sure we don't end up getting another email on this because you might end up coming back here to another hearing to undo

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everything we just did or potentially just did. So, thank you. >> Any other >> I agree with both Karen and Chris. Thank you for um working with us and the communication and I hope the residents feel comfortable that you know come to

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town hall if there's an issue or go to you guys if there's an issue and hopefully we can just resolve it. Um it is a public hearing. Do we have anyone in the room that would like to speak? Okay. Anyone online? Maddie? >> No hands raised. >> Okay. Um I think we can have a motion to

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close the public hearing. Move to close the public hearing regarding the early opening request for 273 Salem Street. >> Second. >> Seconded by S. Um any further discussion from the board? All those in favor of closing the hearing? 50. And do we have

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a motion um for the approval of their license? Move to approve a license to operate a retail business between the hours of midnight and 6:00 a.m. pursuant to 7 uh section 7.7 of the Reading General bylaws and further

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pursuant to section 3.8 of the select board policies to Dunkin Donuts, 273 Sound Street. This license is for approval to open for business lobby service only, not earlier than 5:00 a.m. In granting this license, the board finds one, in accordance with section

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7.7.41 of the general bylaws that the operation of the establishment will not cause unreasonable disruption or disturbance to or otherwise adversely affect the customary character of any adjacent or nearby residential neighborhood. And

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two, in accordance with section 7.7.4.2 Two of the general bylaws that the operation of the establishment is reasonably necessary to serve the public public health, safety and welfare, serves a public need, and provides a public convenience which outweighs any

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increase in the impacts on the adjacent or nearby residential neighborhood. >> Second, second by South. Um, any further discussion? All those in favor? 5.

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There we go. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. And thank you for working with us. We appreciate it. >> It was. And again, just let us let us know. I mean, if >> Okay. [snorts] >> anything happens. It's only It was definitely eye opening. I mean, we stuff gets there before we walk in the door. So,

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>> absolutely. So, hopefully this is a good thing for everyone, especially the residents over there. >> All right. Let's move on to um 7:40 uh public hearing to discuss and vote on FY27 water, sewer, and storm water

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rates. Okay. Um Okay. Well, the same thing. We can have a motion to dispense with the reading of the public hearing notice because it's already been posted. >> Was was the second one was last week a public hearing or was it just >> was a public

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>> Oh, it was my mistake. I thought it was just a discussion. Uh, I don't know. Jack, Maddie, did you was it posted last time as a public hearing? >> I think it was questions. >> I thought somebody >> So, if it's been posted, we can dispense with a reading cuz it's been time.

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>> These aren't particularly long ones, but in general, the select board used to do this. >> I We can dispense even if it wasn't a public hearing last time. That's what I'm not sure. That's what I'm questioning. >> Oh, dispense with reading of the public hearing notice because it's already been

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posted. It's in the packet. It's We don't have to read it again. That's it. >> No, you don't have to read it again. >> Okay, that's fine. >> Just saves us a couple minutes. >> It was not a public hearing last time. Last time. >> It was just a preview. >> Somebody came up and otherwise you can't have this hearing. >> No, the hearing notice is posted. Yeah, that's true.

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>> So, that's what I mean. >> I mean, you could start reading it and then somebody goes >> someone says motion to wave the reading of the hearing. I've done that before. Was that how it was done here, Karen? Do you remember? >> Yeah, that's how it was. back in the past.

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>> Yeah, >> I don't remember that, but that's fine. >> So, what's the motion? >> So, if she starts to read the motion, >> yeah, you could once we get in the groove of this, we can do this like all the time. >> Exactly. It's It's a good practice. >> So, where it is public hearing the

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motions, Hang on one second. All right. That's still Dunkin Donuts. Okay. to the inhabitants of the town of Reading. >> Motion to dispense. >> Motion the reading of Yeah. >> Motion to dispense. >> The reading of >> the reading of the >> uh Yeah. Do we have hearing notice?

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>> Hearing notice. >> Seconded by Karen Rose. >> All those in favor? 5. >> Public hearing is open. >> Oh, Matt. >> So, we have Matt Abraham's on. CFO is on and we have Chris Cole here with us. I

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don't know Chris if you want to go to the podium since everybody else is online. Um so we all we all have microphones. >> Um so just as a reminder we've put the um the previous memo in here. I haven't made any changes to it and um there was

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a subcommittee uh water rate subcommittee made up of Chris myself. Rose Gillis um resident Mr. Silva um and the CFO in in conjunction with um our consultant Mr. Abrahams. Um, and our

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recommendation was to do a 2% increase for FY27 on the water and a 5% decrease for FY27 on the sewer. >> Um, and so that was um the recommendation from that committee. Um,

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and uh I leave it to M. Rose Gillis and the rest of the board to deliberate and Mr. Abrahams is here and he can run additional scenarios if you have them. And all the information is in your packet as to the um implications and there's a whole bunch of information

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here on the storm water fund as well with um a memo from um the CFO. Perfect. I just have a quick question if it's okay to ask Matt. So the recommendation from the committee was to do a 2% increase on um the water

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rates. I just want to make sure I took notes correctly um and read your charts correctly last time. So, um, if I'm reading everything correctly, Ann took notes right. The projected reserves for next year on water rates would increase

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to 52% and then the following year projections would increase to 62% on water. Is that accurate >> with a 2% increase? >> Yes.

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Oh, actually I in fairness I don't know I take that back. I don't know what your projections um when I took my notes I guess I don't know what rate you were going off of for those projections but I'm going from the

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recommendation from the committee. So >> can you repeat the numbers that you were quoting? I'm sorry I didn't >> No, no worries. So next year the projected reserve uh reserves would go to 52% and then the following year they would go to 62%.

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>> Why are you saying that? I had it in my notes. We have a 2% increase. I have them as 52% and then 66%. >> Oh, even higher. Okay. Um, do you have those projections at a 0% increase?

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>> That's option two. >> A 0%. >> Option two. >> Option. Um, I think option two only had next year. So, it doesn't have the two years. So, I didn't know if you just had the two years. >> Oh, just those two percentages. >> Um, yeah, just if if we did a 0%

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increase, what would the projected re uh reserves look like next year and the following year? >> If you go to page like 25, I think >> it would be the 52% and then I have 64% the following year.

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It would be 52% if we did a 0% increase andor a 2% increase. >> Well, the 52% what I'm quoting you is um FY26 results. Were you wondering FY26 results or 27 results for that first percentage? >> FY 27.

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>> Yeah, 27 next year. >> 27 and 28 is what you're looking for. >> 27 28. >> Okay. My apologies then. Um All right. So, so scratch what I said the first time. >> Okay. Okay. >> For the 2%. >> Yep. >> If a 2% were to be approved for FY27, I

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have the resulting percentage that year as 66%. >> Got it. >> And then the rate plan that accompanies the 2% as a 3.5% in FY28. >> Ah, got it. Okay. And then I have that

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percentage resulting as 48% in FY28 if the 2% were to be approved and then the 3.5% were to be approved. >> Okay. >> Okay. And then if you did a zero >> Yep. >> which is option two. It's actually on

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the screen right now under this scenario. So that would include a 4.5 in FY28. I have those same percentages as 64% and then 46%. >> Okay. But still well above the 30% that

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we conservatively keep in our reserves. >> Correct. >> Okay. Great. Thank you for that information. I appreciate it. >> Sure. >> Does anyone else have any feedback, Karen? So um thank you everyone in the group that

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participated in this. I had it was great to hear from everybody at the same time and Paul had a lot of great information and um my only comment after re looking at all this and and seeing how much we have in reserves and

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I it's not going to be for this year but maybe for next year. Um, I understand that we all want to have it be a 30% as far as the retained earnings. >> How do I How do I say this? Do we have an issue with us having our money earn us more money? Do you know what I mean?

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Like right now, we had we had a lot of regeneration of money in these funds because we have so much money in the funds and that we're getting kind of free money. So, I don't I don't think that's an a discussion we're going to have for this year, but I think that I'd really like to have the

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discussion for next year so that I understand us wanting to get to 30. But I don't think that it would be a bad thing for us to have our money earn money over the next two years to perhaps move some capital projects along faster, whatever we decide to do. Um, and I have

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no problem with a 0% increase. You know, I don't have a problem with them, but I think that it could be a deeper analysis of getting to the 30 too fast, whereas we might be able to make the money work for us as opposed to us just trying to reduce it just to reduce it.

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>> Does that make sense? So, I would like us all to kind of think about that maybe for next year. >> Um, and I do think that looking at all the capital projects farther down the line, perhaps we can move things around a little. Chris will be the expert on

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that. But I think that knowing that we're facing a lot of financial hardships in the upcoming years, I think that we could try and have this work for us as opposed to us just having it sit there and not work for us. That was my only thought I have it over the last couple of weeks, which I hadn't quite

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really formulated during the discussions. Um, so that was that's all I have to say. >> Yeah, absolutely. Anyone else have any feedback, Chris? Sorry. >> That's okay. Thanks, Melissa. Um, I

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think that uh the the way to end up growing our reserve rather than sitting on the interest based off residents technically overpaying for for water is to spend um uh to allow them to use more

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water and thereby more money will be in the fund. That's the way that I would rather grow this is by um that being used. So that's I think it's the next agenda item. Anyway, um I I think for a happy medium of the way that I think

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this is going, I'm fine with the negative 5%. I've seen other cities and towns go up 8 10% in the last month or so. I think >> stone. Are we doing water first and then sewer? >> So sewer is the easy one because they said negative five and what are we going

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to be like? No, let's not reduce something. Um, so I've seen other cities and towns like I said I not Stone and maybe it was Bill Raa somebody is like up eight eight and 10%. It's something crazy. Um, so I'm good with the negative

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five and I think the happy medium between zero and 2% could just be increasing 1%. Um I just think that any any factors that are going to jeopardize the potential override scenario um I am

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against. So the less money that everybody can be on the hook for um the better for me. And I while being cognizant that you know we do have to set ourselves up for the future as well. um we can't just you know zero percent it here and then next year and then

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screw the next select board that decides you know to raise it 8%. So that's not a good way to do things. So I think for me a happy medium would be 1% for the water negative five on the sewer and then storm water I don't even think we got an update until I saw the packet. So that's

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just another separate discussion. Um, and I think I would go in the middle for that, too, between that was going from 60 to 80, I believe. Maybe we do 70 this year, and Sharon can run some number on that. But, um, that's kind of where I'm

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at with this. >> Anyone else have any input? Go ahead. >> No, no, you >> sure? All right. Um, thank you to the committee for putting forth these options. Um, making trying to make our job easier. Um, I am very leerary of a

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0% um increase on water this year just to hit people with 4.5 next year. I prefer something less jumpy um and as low as possible. So, I don't have any problems with spending

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down some of the reserves. So, to me, um, option one looks like the smoothest, um, the smoothest option, at least, you know, for looking at the whole fiveyear rate plan. But that's what I'd like to avoid. Not a

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one-year a one-year woohoo and then get I think four and a half% increase on your water bill is significant. It's not eight. Thank goodness it's not 10, but um I don't really want to see us having to do that. Okay. Anyone else? Any input?

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>> Um, I agree. I could do I I just I want to be very cognizant of all the bills that the residents are going to have on their plate. And um I believe we raised water rates last year even though we lowered sewer. Or did we stay?

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>> You were flat last year on water and you lowered sewer. >> Okay. All right. So, slow and steady. I I could agree with 1%. Um and then and to your point, Karen, I think slow and steady. I don't want to just dive and, you know, get get rid of all that money,

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but I also don't want to um have residents feel like we're overcharging for that money to sit there right now. I think it's a really >> Yeah. No, I I just it's a definitely deeper dive to talk about, but I think it's a strategy as opposed to like I think we need a strategy as opposed to

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and the numbers 28, 29, and 30. Those are are proposed. We have people could be watering their lawns all year this year. And who knows? I think it's >> I like the conservative planning that we plan that it's going to be a rainy season so that we're not surprised for next year because I just keep thinking

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snow in my head and you don't want to be surprised with with the costs. Um, but I think a >> I would like to see us have more of a strategy, which I think is kind of hard when you're dependent on the weather. Yeah. But, you know, if and I like the conservative approach that Matt and Sharon take because I think it protects

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us in the long run in case it's a rainy season. So, um I I if we can't go zero, then I think one, but I think the the projections moving out, it's going to change every year. So, it's nice to see the fiveyear >> as opposed to the 10, but it's really

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going to be yearbyear because we did zero last year >> and we're and we're still considering zero this year. I mean 2% is a conservative way of doing it but um >> and I I think if I remember correctly when we did zero last year and negative

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on sewer we we were thinking the projections of our reserves would go down more but they really haven't. They've increased >> right >> well yeah and I think um Matt can can shed a little light on why that is but part of it is that the retained earnings

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are are earning interest income and so you know at helping you even though you had a zero um% increase, we've kept the rate stable. Yeah. Right. Which is great for rateayers. Um we still have seen an increase in the retained earnings. So

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it's not from rate payers having to pay it. We are um we have talked about um that have something flying around my head. We've talked about capital projects and so part of your retained earnings in the future going down to based on incoming capital projects as

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well that are planned. So, um, that will also eat into your retained earnings. Um, right. So, Matt, is that a fair assessment as to kind of how we ended up here even though we did a zero last year? >> Yeah, and as already mentioned, and this goes back to last meeting, too. Um, you

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know, we're conservative with our revenue projections. There's no question. Historically, the town has been as well. So, it aligns with what the town typically does from a budgeting standpoint. And as I mentioned when we were before you two weeks ago, um we're

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coming off of our second consecutive really dry season and communities that are impacted heavily by outdoor water usage presumably are having very strong revenue years this past year. So we didn't know that at this time last year really that that was going to be the

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case, but it did end up being the case. So that's definitely play that's definitely played into the fact that reserves have gone up when maybe we weren't necessarily expecting them to last year at this time. >> Okay. >> Um

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do we want to talk about storm war storm water now or do our motion for water and sewer rates? >> One more question. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah. >> So, if you put Can we see what it looks like if we put 1% this year? >> Can we see what the projections would

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be? >> Matt, you had that that you could show us the projections if we do 1%. >> Yeah, I could show you. >> Thank you. >> But then my follow-up question will be, well, what do you do for the next year, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> It's kind of like a combo thing, right?

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>> If it's another I'll show you, we can we can play around with this together. So, >> yeah. Um, can you see this? Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, this is our the question with 1% was related to water. Is that correct? >> Yes. Correct. >> Okay. So, this is our water workbook.

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Um, I just had a minus two in there. So, a 1%. We wouldn't necessarily do this. So, maybe 4% in the subsequent years. Um, so 1% focus, you know, in this area right here, right?

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um 65%ish, you know, it's going to be in the ballpark with those percentages I already quoted you because we're not talking major differences from the percentages we were talking um just a few minutes ago. And then I have a 4% because I'm trying to get by FY31, you

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know, somewhere around the 30% range. You can see we're in that area. >> Um so 4% per year gets you down in that area. Um, but the end of FY28, if you were to do a 4%, this is your percentage, 46. And then if you continue to do the

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fours, you're down to 39, 31, 27. But again, you know, there's a lot of there's a lot of assumptions baked into here, including some very conservative, not very conser conservative revenue estimates. So if you have another dry year, for example, this this could this

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could change, but this is what we have in there right now. As you drive down your retained earnings, your revenues from interest income will also go down. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> And as interest rates go down, >> which I think most people hope they will

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um we'll see that also impact our retained earnings. >> Has anyone read the farmer's dominac for prediction of weather? I >> have not. that still exists. Karen, >> I have not. [laughter] >> Um, okay. I think if we're good with water and sewer, we could do the motions

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for that and then have a discussion on storm water. Does that make sense? >> Did you want to open it up to public hearing? >> I apologize. I forgot we were in a public hearing. Is there any feedback here in the room? >> Maddie, do you have anyone online that

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has their hand raised? >> Nobody. >> Nobody. Okay. So, let's >> we talk about the sewer a little bit before. >> Yeah, sure. If that's how you want. Yeah. >> Just specifically. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Cuz where is the board leaning on

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this? >> Um I personally was leaning with the suggestion of negative five. Um was >> Yeah, our sewer budget is outrageous and we should not be holding on to that money. All right. And that um [clears throat]

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can I ask Matt, does that also get us into like what percentage ranges does that get us down to? If we do the 5% option of retained earnings, negative 5%. I think it's >> I think it's easiest to just show you. So, I'll put it up on the screen so you

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can see it yourself. >> It's page 41 in the packet. >> Mhm. Oops. So, this is the minus five option and with it we're carrying 0% for the next few years. >> Yeah. >> Um, but you're I mean the percentages for sewer are a lot

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more significant than the water ones. I mean water's high too. It's well above the 30% target, but this is way way above, right? >> Um, >> so yeah, you're even with our projections here, you're not down to the 30% until you get out into these out

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outer areas. Yeah. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um you know what I just realized? We probably do want to talk about storm water because we're in a public hearing and we'll probably close it before we do

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our um motion. So um Matt, did you have something to um show us on storm water? I know it's in our packet. I think it was Sharon. >> Oh, Sharon. I'm sorry. Have any I

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apologize. Sharon. Yep. Sorry. >> It's [laughter] page 12. >> So, as you recall with fiscal 27 um being a tight year, we had moved um some storm well back 19 years ago when we created the enterprise fund. There was a

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storm water in the general fund, a department that had employees. And in order to get that storm water fund um approved, they said we'll leave any expenses that were um you know current in the general fund in the general fund

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and just new expenses would go to the enterprise fund. So basically for the last 19 years the general fund has kind of subsidized um the storm water fund and where where the budget was so tight this year I proposed moving those expenses after 19 years of keeping them

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in the general fund to the storm water fund making it fully self- sustaining. Um, but in order to do that, in order to capture that, I think it's $180 to $183,000 um additional that ended up going to storm water, um, you'd want to increase

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the annual fee um, from $60 to $80 to fully capture it. However, I did um use enough retained earnings for storm water um so that if you chose to, you know, do something less, you know, some combination of, you know, like Chris had

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said, maybe a $10 $10 increase a year or um not increase at all. I would still have enough to cover with retained earnings. I just didn't want to forget about it and and then have to come back with it later. So, I figured it's important that we recognize that um our

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revenue levels for storm water wouldn't be sufficient typically to cover those additional costs. So, um I did use retain earnings at town meeting to support this budget. So, you have more flexibility about what you do. Um but I do I did want to highlight to you that

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you know at some point we do need to do an increase because there's not as many there's not as much reserves for Stormart. I think it's a little over $800,000 for reserves. So, it's a couple hundred thousand I'm using to cover this. Um, and so, you know, wouldn't take long for

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us to kind of exhaust our reserves. So, I think it's something to have a conversation about. >> Okay. Does anyone have any um input on this? I'm just going to need um [clears throat] the motion has 100 cubic feet with usage between all of these different levels.

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One and a thousand and I don't see that in the packet. I'm going to need some help. >> Yeah, I think usually Matt gives us that or Chris maybe Matt gives us that when we go to decide on the percentage. >> So for storm water >> I can I can provide the rates if you need them. >> Okay. I'm going to need them.

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>> Yep. Why don't we just go through storm water first and then we'll go back to those. Um, anyone have any input on what Karen just uh Sharon just said about storm water enterprise? Karen, >> so Sharon, based on Chris's proposal of,

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you know, $10 this year and $10 next year, is that would that help? >> Definitely, because it would mean that I would need less um retained earnings to support the following year's budget. It's just something I don't want to lose touch with because I know that, you

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know, there there would be a deficit, you know, if I forgot to put the retained earnings and it's not it's not that our revenue levels would cover this kind of a an increase in expenses. So, I just wanted to make sure that we put it out there and you guys have a conversation about it. Now, obviously, I

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used enough retained earnings where um you don't have to do an increase now. I just don't want us to forget to do it and and start draining down the retain earnings past the 30% that we would want to maintain. >> Thank you,

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>> Chris. >> Thanks, Melissa. Yeah, I think that with us reducing the sewer by 5%, I mean, now would be the time to kind of gradually bump the storm water thing up. You know what I mean? like I take the negative 5% any day of the

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week over some $10 annual increase kind of thing. Um so it's you know you take the good with the bad and and we're all going to benefit on the negative 5% well more than 10 bucks. So I think now is the time to kind of change that and give

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us some some uh breathing room there. Plus like Sharon said it hasn't been increased in forever. So, you know, everything goes up eventually. >> Anyone else? >> Sharon, I just had a quick question. Um,

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how what our baseline is 30% retained earnings. Do you know how much our account has in it? >> I think it's $827,000 for storm water, but it's a much smaller budget. So, I I don't remember what the percentage is um relative to, you know,

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the total revenue. I could look it up if you want. >> No, it's fine. It's fine. Um, yeah, I agree with Chris. I think $10 is fair. Um, slow and gradual just like we're doing the water and sewer rates. Um,

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so, >> hey Sharon, so the $20, how like at what rate would that replenish the fund? So, if you were to do the $20 um increase this in fiscal 27, it would um

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it would make it so the fund wouldn't need to put any retained earnings in in fiscal 28 to be able to, you know, function. Um but if we do $10, I probably need another, you know, $90,000 from retained earnings just to balance

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the budget for 28. So, it's just a if you want to bring it on gradual, if you want to cover it all, um, you know, in fiscal 27, [clears throat] it's only like $20 for the year, but like I I knew that there might be some, you know, need to put it in slowly or want to do it

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slowly. And so that's why I used the retained earnings so that if you didn't want to do it this year, you had that flexibility if you wanted to do some sort of combination where we continue to use a little bit of retained earnings and um free um and increase like you

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like you're proposing the $10 increase would reduce the retained earnings used by about half. Yes. Um, so that that you know it will definitely prolong our free cash or retained earnings they like to call it, but that's essentially what it is. It's the free cash for the storm

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water fund. >> Yeah. So the [clears throat] $10 would bring it from 183 to like 90 is what we were saying. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Gotcha. >> Is everyone when we go to do our motion, is everyone in agreement to the $10 or did anyone else have any? >> Fine.

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>> Yeah. Okay. All right. Um, does anyone um online or in the room have any public comment on the storm water piece? Maddie, do we have anyone online? >> Nobody online. >> Okay, why don't we close the public hearing?

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Move to close the public hearing regarding the FY27 water, sewer, and storm water rates. >> Second. >> Second by S. Um, any further discussion? All those in favor? 5 close the hearing. Um, and now Matt, uh, Karen might need

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the information from Matt now to do the motions. >> Okay. Which ones are we focused on? >> Um, >> water. First, water, I guess. >> Yep. >> Um, so between zero and a,000 cubic feet. What's the rate per 100 cubic feet?

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>> What are you doing? >> I think we've all agreed on 1%. Is that accurate? Please, if it's not, please tell me. >> So, is it 1% across all of those? >> Well, yeah, cuz if we set the rate at 1%, then he can tell you what the dollar amount per cubic is.

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>> Yeah. >> Excuse me, Madam Chair. Do you also want to vote on the second water meter rate, too? >> Yeah. Last year we did in [clears throat] the middle, I think, of both on the on the on the water, right? >> Uh, I have to recuse myself from that, I

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think, because I have one So there's no statist. >> So can we where is that on the piece? Because I'll have to recuse myself from that vote. >> Do you have that in the packet? I didn't see it. >> No. >> Yeah. I don't >> I remember seeing it on the I believe we

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went in the middle last year of of the water. >> We did an average. >> Yes. >> Out of the four we went two, I think. But yeah, I don't see it up there. It's on the town's website, though. >> So you do a half a%

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We can do whatever. >> I see um I see it on the town's website. The second water meter rate that is on the town's website, which I believe is an FY26 rate, is $12.17 per unit. >> And that's in the middle of tier

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two and three or something, right? >> Correct. The tier 2 rate currently is $12.14 and the [clears throat] tier three rate currently is $1245. So yes, it is in the middle, but it's very close to the tier two rate. >> I believe it's just the average of the

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four tiers. I think >> I think that's if that's it. Yeah. >> Yeah, I I think Chris was right. >> Um [clears throat] so we'll have to add that. Why don't we do water, sewer, storm water, and then I'll recuse myself. You guys can do >> second

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>> second water meters. Um, so are we all in agreement to a 1% on water rates? >> Okay. So, Matt, um, Karen just needs the information for 1% on water. >> Okay. So, tier one with a 1% rate

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increase, the FY27 rate for water, FY27 water rates would be tier one $11.26 26 cents >> and that is for between 0 and 1,000 cubic feet. >> Yes.

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>> 11.26 for 100 for the 0 to 1,000. Okay. Got it. And the next one is um 1,000 to 25501. >> That would be $12.26. >> Okay. The next one is 25501 to 4,000.

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>> $1257. >> [snorts] >> Okay. And the next one is 4,01 and above >> $1310. >> Okay. Oh, and then a minimum quarterly billing. What is that? Is that I don't

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know what that is. $25. What are we doing? >> Is that one cubic feet or what do we do again, Chris? >> It's It's set it on. >> Yeah, I don't think that's ever changed. >> Yeah, >> I think it's um the minimum bill is $25, I think. I'm trying to remember

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>> if you had no usage minimum >> and we haven't changed that in a while. I can look it up. >> I think it's 25, but probably >> Yeah, we need the dollar figure. >> Yeah, >> that should be on the town website, too. >> I can see if that's the same for sewage, too. While you're looking,

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>> it's um I'm looking at the town's website. It's not on the page I'm looking at. It might be on a different page. >> All right. And then if we go on to sewer, are we all in agreement to a reduction of 5% on sewer rates? >> Yep.

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>> Okay. So, Matt, if you could give uh Karen those numbers, that would be very helpful. >> Yep. I'm ready when she is. >> Yep. >> Okay. Tier one, which is from 0 to 1,000 cubic feet, is $9.88. >> Mhm.

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>> Tier 2, which is from 1,1 to 2500 cubic feet, $10.80. 80s. >> Tier three, which is from uh 25501 to 4,000 cubic feet, is $114.

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>> Okay. >> And the last here, which is from 40,0001 up, is $1163. >> Okay. All right. So, we just need to know that the minimum rate is 25 for water and sewer

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and we're doing $10 for the storm water rate. >> Yes. >> Uh 70. >> We're going up by 10. So, 70 for storm water, >> right? Right now, it's 60. >> Okay. >> Oh, it's two units. So it would be

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whatever um whatever the um lowest rate is times two. >> Agreed. Okay. >> Oh. Uh >> so 22. >> Maybe we should set that to $25. >> 225. >> You can change it if you want. You can make it 25 if you want. >> $25.

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>> I would say 25. >> Okay. >> We we'll go wild and crazy. Okay. >> Well, with your sewer that number goes from 25 down to >> 18 19 bucks. So >> 1976, >> but you know, payroll and bookkeeping

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and software costs a lot. So I mean, we might [clears throat] as well just We were talking about >> Well, I want to get off topic, but we were talking about refunds at the senior center like >> But this is going to hit those people. So I'd rather say do it as two units cuz >> can we do two units on one and not on the other?

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>> It's a it's a minimum bill for somebody who goes to Florida for three months. >> It's also the minimal bill for the people that are most affected by all our taxes in this town. So, I'd rather try to keep them as low as possible and if they're not using the water, let's not

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charge them for it. Um, >> but I'd like it to be consistent. So, if we're doing it for the 2%, I'm sure you're going to spend some money two units. >> I think we should be consistent. I [clears throat] think because I don't know where else this shows up. I think if you made it a flat rate like we like

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Karen suggested, it might get missed somewhere on the website. I feel like that just a suggestion. Do they have any numbers on how many people pay the minimum payment? >> Well, Bill Brown does. So, that's one. >> No, not anymore. >> Not anymore. Well, he used to >> paying a water bill.

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>> He was the boiler. >> Pretty hard. I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong. >> So, 2 * 1126 is 2252. >> Yep. >> And then 2 * 980 is 1976.

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>> Be interested in that number. >> Thank you. >> The bsentennial, >> huh? and storm water rate will be $70. Okay, I'm ready. Okay. Move to set the FY2027 water rate at the following rates.

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$11.26 per 100 cubic feet for between 0 and a,000. $1226 per 100 cubic feet with usage between 10,0001 and 25001. $1257 per 100 cubic feet for usage between 251

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to 4,000 cubic feet and 1310 per 100 cubic feet with usage between 4,01 and above with a minimum quarterly bill of 2252 effective with the December 2026 billing.

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>> Second >> second by Karen Rose Gillis. Um any further discussion? Oh, those one more. >> Could we just um um how can we figure out how many people are actually at this minimum billing

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rate that are actually using water cuz that's I don't I don't know if anybody really only uses two units. But I would love to know that >> we can see how many people are being >> in their home living active and actually using two units. [clears throat]

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>> We can only know if water is running. >> Yeah. So if they have a leak and they're not there, actually probably more than two units if we have a leak. >> Yeah. >> When you think >> Yeah. >> It would really be people that are like you were saying, you maybe have a second home in Florida and there's no water

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being used. That's when we would um if they're not living at the house for a period of time, that's where we would actually be charging the minimum of two units of water and two units of sewer. So I wouldn't think I think two units is really low. I can't imagine anybody

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lives in their home and and does less than that. >> And what are we saying? A unit. What is a unit? >> It's 100 cubic feet. >> 100 cubic feet. [clears throat] >> So, we're basically saying >> 200 cubic feet. >> 200 cubic feet per quarter. Per quarter. >> Yeah.

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>> Well, I mean, we can address it for next year. I I kind of think we should just have a Most other towns have a basic standard minimum charge. In my experience, >> 750 gallons per 100 cubic feet. >> That's a lot of gallons. >> A fair amount of a fair amount.

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>> That's quarter. Yeah. So, if you have two people living in your house, you may not be using that much water. >> My mother when she lived alone didn't use all that much water. >> Yeah. >> Um >> Matt, do you have the usage that how many people are into each tier?

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>> Yeah, I did. Well, I don't have it ready. No, I do have that ready. >> I have that ready. >> That'd be interesting. >> We'll just know the tier. You know how many people are in the lowest tier. So, that might give you some information. Not that two unit. >> I'm trying to get you an answer on that

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question momentarily. If you give me like another two or three minutes, I might have it. >> Yeah, Matt might have it already. >> That for the whole year or just one quarter? Because of course, then the quarters will matter if that's the scenario. the numbers for the the the the amount is for the whole is for quarters, but I

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don't know about if you mean Matt's information. >> Yeah, that's >> Yeah, got it. I don't know >> if it's for the whole year, it's really not going to tell us anything. >> No, I'm doing it by bill. I'm sorry. I was not understand. Oh, >> so it is great water.

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>> [snorts] >> As part of our um engagement with Matt, we uh CFO sends over a lot of information >> um that he requests to put together his modeling. So, he's [snorts] munching through it on the fly right now, which is great.

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>> Yeah. No, it's awesome. >> All right. So, what I did was I did a count of anyone that has no usage, which as Sharon mentioned could be the case if people are snowbirds and they're just away for the season. That might impact

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some of those winter bills a little bit more. I So, I counted anyone with zero, anyone with 100 cubic feet because that would fall in the minimum category, right? They would get bumped up to 200 in that case. >> Yep. Mhm. >> And then anyone with 200, but they would be charged the same whether they >> Mhm.

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>> but still I'm counting those. >> Mhm. >> Um so I have a total bills. These are FY22 bills because that was the data that we used when we originally did um our TIE analysis and I don't have anything broken down for other years

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>> at this point. Um, but I have the number of bills as 1,600ish. Right around 1,600 out of uh >> 10,000 >> out of Yeah, about 8,000.

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>> 8,100. >> So, it's a fair amount. Fair. >> Would have thought. Although if that's FY22, that means it was really 21 and people I bet weren't traveling as much still in 21. >> Yeah. >> Which means they were home a lot more.

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>> Yeah. >> Oh, it's more unless they were in Florida for the whole year. >> Yeah. >> But it could be people are in rehab. I mean, there's many reasons why people aren't home. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Um Well, maybe we can just do next year. I'm fine with this this year, but

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maybe next year we just like move to like a a flat fee like and >> survey some other communities. >> You want to move away from tiered? >> No, I'm moving away from having to do this silly calculation for like >> for the minimum bill. >> Yeah, somebody's in Florida [laughter]

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>> or whatever. >> You still have to keep the lights on. I mean, it's just a fee to keep the lights on. >> It's the fee that makes sure the water comes to your door so that your faucet turns on when >> you can make it less than >> like what does the gas company charge? I don't have gas anymore. They have a minimum fee, too, right? >> I think so.

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>> I don't know. Whoever has a gas bill. There's definitely a minimum fee. >> Do that. Give them a break. >> All right. All right. We have a second. We had no f we have any further discussion. Okay. Um all those in favor >> 5.

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That's for water rates. Now we'll move on to sewer rates. >> Okay. You got all those? All right. You [snorts] can have them. Okay. Move to set the FY FY 2027 sewer rate at the following rates. $9.88 per 100 cubic feet with

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usage between 0 and 1,000 cubic feet. $10.80 per 100 cubic feet with usage between 1,1 and 251 cubic feet. $11.14 per 100 cubic feet with usage between 25001 and 4,000 cubic

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feet. Sorry. 251 and 4,000 cubic feet. $1163 per 100 cubic feet with usage between 401 and above cubic feet and a minimum quarterly bill of 1976 effective with

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the December 2026 billing. Okay, I guess we'll just do that one or do you want me to do the last one? >> Yeah. No, that's great. We have a second on that. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Second by S. Um any further discussion on sewer rates? All those in favor? 5.

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>> Okay. Move to set the FY2027 storm water rate at $70 per unit, 3210 square ft per year to be built quarterly effective with the December 2026 spelling. >> Second. >> Seconded by S. Any further discussion?

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All those in favor? Okay. I am going to recuse myself for second water meter discussion. Okay. Okay. Sorry, I should have given you the [laughter] >> So, what are we doing? >> Should we just average it out like last? I mean, >> do you want the

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>> Did we do the average? >> Yeah, average the four. >> Am I opening it up to the audience or opening it up to the board? >> No, I think we just take the 1126, 1226, 1257, and 1310 and go in the middle.

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>> Whatever that is. More math, Kevin. >> Uh, that would be Matt doing the math for us. We'll let Matt $129. So, Jane, did you do the math? >> It's actually $12 and2975. So, $12.30. >> Okay.

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>> That's if you average the four of them. If you average the four rates, you're at $12.30. >> Y. >> Which is what which is how the rate was set last year. >> Great. >> Okay. >> But I got the number faster than you did, Matt. I just want to be clear. It was >> to double check our numbers. That's great.

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>> Yeah, >> I'm using Excel to calculate it for me. So, >> I used the power machines and I to four decimal points. So, >> it's called the second meter water rate, Chris. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thanks. >> All right. Um, you want me to do the motion? Yeah. Move to set the FY2027

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second water meter rate at $12.30. >> Second. >> Seconded by cell. All in favor? Any discussion? Sorry. All in favor? All right. We are going to move on to 810. Uh

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discuss well failed maintenance which I think Chris has an update for us. >> Yes. So the board requested um to find you know what the what the annual maintenance costs were on the uh wells we have to

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maintain in the town forest to comply with our acco with D still. So overall we have a total of nine wells in the town forest. Um, three of them are maintained every year um to classify

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them as operational on an emergency basis to comply with our um AC acco registration, our water registration. And um so that cost is like $20,000 per year um currently to maintain those

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three wells. Um but as you'll see in the in my memo that you know I in the notsodistant future at some point you know these wells are going to become non-maintainable and at that point to comply you'd have

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to replace these wells and that could cost several hundred,000 from what I'm told >> per well >> total >> total >> I mean if we if we um Yeah. Yeah. Total. Yeah. >> For three wells.

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>> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> The equipment that um maintains the water, the wells so that we can pump from them is what is being serviced and then that would have to be replaced. We wouldn't have to dig three new wells. Correct. >> Uh no. Potentially they said we would

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have to dig three new wells. >> Oh yeah, >> that's worse. That's way wor um >> and that I assume that's an estimated cost then because you just don't know what you're going to get when you start digging. >> Correct. >> Okay. And are the other six wells unusable? >> That was the thing.

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>> Okay. >> Yeah. We've never ever since we um >> the water treatment plant closed down, we've never we maintain those. We've just maintained these three to stay in compliance. >> Okay.

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>> Okay. And I've been told that we cannot send that untreated water through our home plumbing systems. It would be disastrous >> that >> Can they be used for anything? Can they be used for firefighting or would also trash our firing equipment? >> I mean, if you had to um

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present any of that water back into the system, there would be a lot of issues um because there's a lot of iron and maganesees in that water. There's a high pH level um much higher than um we currently have with MDA right now. So,

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it would cause a lot of problems. >> Like, it ruins. It's This is kind of silly. This whole thing is silly. You can't There are backup wells. We can't use them. It trashes all of our appliances in our homes. It's This is silly, but this is the way it's been.

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So, I don't know what kind of warning signals you're going to get that the stuff's not repairable anymore. No. >> So, the reason we Yeah. No, I think you're going to answer the question I had [laughter] why we've been maintaining them. We can't use them. I spent a lot of time last fall reading

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really old minutes from town meetings kind of like how did we get here? Actually I think it was last summer Chris when we were Yeah. A lot of time Chris and I have spent a lot of time with meeting minutes. Um and so way back when um the town was urged to get off

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the Ipsswitch River >> um because it was a stressed basin. And so the town moved to the MWRA over over a period of I think 2 three years. Um there were two buyins and we've been over that territory >> instead of building a new water treatment plant >> instead of building a new water

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treatment which would have been also prohibitively expensive >> the same price >> and it would have taken longer and so the urge was get into the MWA and and get out of the system and and don't stress the river basin anymore. So the town decided to >> I thought there was like a oil accident

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that also like expedited some of that. Am I wrong? >> Find any record of that? >> There was a tank. >> There was Yeah, but that didn't have anything >> that did not have an effect because we got the well shut down just in time. >> Right. >> Oh, okay. All right. So I So that was rumor discussion. Should we join MW Few

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or build a new plan was like what if this happens again? >> There you go. Great context. Sorry. Um so we've maintained these wells as a requirement of our administrative consent order that acco that is the um

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agreement we have with mass D to stay in the Ipsswitch River Basin even though we don't take any water out of it. I think we just clear the pump the wells a certain amount you know as maintenance. um there is a lot of pressure to get off

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to to you know free up capacity within the basin. We as a because we have this registration we also have a certain amount of capacity that we >> have sort of an option to use. We don't use it >> which nobody else can take by the way. >> That's right. So it limits it off

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>> it limits downstream communities from being able to access that capacity. And I will add too that this is just an emergency registration essentially for emergency use. If we wanted to draw regularly from it, um we it would require a permit and

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>> odds are we wouldn't get that permit to know. >> Yeah, it would be you'd have to put it you'd have to pump it into a fire engine, you know, fire pumper. >> So I guess my question is emergency would be if the town forest catches on fire, is that where we would get the water to put it out? and both of our MD

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connections failed and we had no water tanks. I mean it's like >> pretty still mean introducing the water into the system which is something you do not want to do. >> Yeah. >> However, the re we have this because it allows us to maintain the usage once we

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if the town were to divest itself of this administrative consent order um we would never be able to get back into it. We would even though it's just an emergency you'd be gone forever. So that's a consideration. I will tell you at the time that the town moved to the MWA, it was a massive community

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conversation. There was a lot of conversation about what the town should do. Um so I don't think it the board should take it lightly. Like if this is something that folks want to look into more, we can look into it more and see what those consequences might be. Um >> and the town does have full redundancy now with MW.

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>> That's right. >> So >> that's right. So I think my question is right now is that the 20,000 is fairly minimal cost to maintain them currently. But with that being said, it sounds like in the not so far future we would have

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to replace them and that's a significant cost. And I think we're in another situation that's also costing us money for our emergency permit use. >> That's correct. >> So well just having >> it doesn't cost us any money for the registration. >> Well, it's Yeah. So, I just feel like

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we're spending money on something that we really will never use and don't want to ever use because it >> we never want to use it. >> Okay. >> But it maintains the right to the the water rights, >> but it's a lot of money for rights that

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we don't ever want to use. >> Yeah. I it part of the conversation is what happens aundred years from now? What happens if you know you find yourself in a position where that emergency use you know >> what constitutes emergency though like that that would

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>> it could be a fire it could be um an interruption in the MW water usage that's allow that we would need to supplement our water >> then we couldn't use that water >> we wouldn't want to >> no like what what if they what if something awful like was released into MW nobody can use it I don't know what

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we do but suddenly that emergency use that could go on for a long time like I know it's emergency loose, but it it might not be like a two-day emergency. It could be like a multiple year emergency. >> We haven't looked at >> something like that happening be affecting all the

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>> That's correct. It would be an emergency >> be a big one >> for everyone in MW. >> Yes, that's right. I mean, you know, the MW does a good job of protecting their water quality. >> Okay. So the cost of rebuilding them would be the insurance if we needed them

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as an emergency because then we could use the water. >> No, >> no, you could never use the water. >> Not really. >> The water it has to be treated before you would want to use it. >> Okay. >> A high pH, high levels of magnes. >> What would it cost to get it treated

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other than building a whole new treatment pl that's the only thing I didn't filter you could put on? >> Okay. >> Weird. And I've been told the water would look like iced tea. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Nice. I like iced tea. >> Maybe we should have Eric Ms. Levy bring

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some water in the next time he pumps it so we can see what it looks like. >> No thanks. >> So I don't think this is a a conversation or a disc or a decision that needs to be had now. But what do you think Jane the next step should be if we are looking at having to replace

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them? I think that needs to be a conversation. >> We want to replace them. >> No, no, no. Well, I technically don't, but I would that be a board decision? Is that a town meeting decision? Is that, >> you know? Yeah, I don't know the answer to that, and I don't want to speculate.

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So, we can look into what that would be. you know, if the town wants to u make a decision to release that um that agreement that also comes with some handcuffs to it and that has the water

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restriction, the watering >> outdoor watering restriction is tied to that as well and our interbasin transfer agreement that moves us to the MWR. >> So, um if we were to release this, what are the pieces we would have to put in place legally and who would approve it? So, it would have to go to town meeting.

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I think you definitely have to do a public hearing for sure. Um so we can get the we can get that >> and I just think it needs to be a discussion that happens ahead of being like oh no we need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars >> strategic planning. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I think that's just

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needs to happen before that point. >> Yeah. >> And the money to maintain these comes from from where? >> Um water enterprise. >> Okay. >> Which is healthy, >> right? Well, that's for it's like super healthy and we

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>> we should have the conversation now because it's super healthy and if we're going to have to replace something, >> I'd much rather have that conversation now than >> 5 years from now or three years from now. >> Well, it's true because while you have a fairly high level of retained earnings and if the community decides they don't

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want to, then you could plan that as a capital just to replace these pumps that >> we hopefully never really have to use. >> Yeah. >> It's not an ideal situation. But the maintaining water rights, that's a big deal in in in the world of law and

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municipalities. So, food for thought. We'll get you some more information. >> Great. >> Okay. >> Chris, did you have some time? >> Yeah. Um, I I just think that override or no override scenario going in with this. We are spending money on wells that we are

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just not doing anything with in a potential doom and gloom scenario that I don't think is ever coming. The MWRA is flushed with cash. Uh it's a a state uh organization that I I don't think is ever going to screw up. They're hurting

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for customers because they can't sell water fast enough. I don't ever envision a scenario in in my lifetime that this is going to come back and bite us. I I just think the the the bigger thing is because spending $20,000 to me on, you

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know, hundred something million dollar budget is, you know, small potatoes obviously. Uh the bigger thing is the water enterprise fund with having the water restrictions that is, you know, hamstringing us from letting people

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water whenever they want to. And the more water that we sell, the more money we're going to get. And then the water rates are going to go down year-over-year. Um, which everyone would be happy with that if you know it continued. This is one of the main reasons we are the

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highest water rate, one of like what top three in the entire state is because we joined the MD array at the worst time and we have outside watering restrictions where all these other people I as part of MDO I believe don't even have that. I think we're the only

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one. Um, so if we could get rid of the outside watering restrictions or just say, um, we're just going to allow people to do it and if you don't like it, um, sue us kind of scenario, um, sure, then I'll keep the the well thing.

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Otherwise, I see no reason to maintain something that is just costing us money as well as potential upkeep funds in the future for it as well. It's just ridiculous to do. I mean,

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that's it. Unless I'm given a a another reason to maintain this or whatever, um, I would want to get rid of it as soon as possible, like tomorrow. So,

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>> anyone else? Go ahead. You go. >> Okay. No, I was just researching because I'm I'm surprised. So, we actually are in a drought and I I was like, really? after all that snow, but we're in a drought. And so the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs um does say the

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county is in a level three drought, which requires affected municipalities to implement restrictions. >> Mhm. >> Ban all non-essential outdoor watering, a halt on automatic sprinklers and hoses. So what I'm seeing is another watering restriction on top of the one we already have. >> Maybe I'm not understanding that

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correctly. I think we just have to follow MW's rules, not >> correct. The MWR has never instituted a drought warning since we've been part of them. >> Those Yeah, those are different communities that get water differently than us. >> Yeah. So like Marblehead or Salem,

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>> it's a question. It's a question. >> No, we we are not those. We have to follow the MW. >> Any MWR community get that gets water through them has to just follow their restrictions. And like Chris said, I don't think they've ever issued limitations.

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>> No. >> No. Karen, did you add something? >> My only comment is that this decision for us to make right now, it's more the hundred years from now that we're really making this decision for. So, sure, we'd all love to save the

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20,000, but when we're not here anymore and it's our children who are living in our homes and paying astronomical water bills, that's what we're really trying to figure out. So, um, >> for me, it's really not the 20,000. For

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me, it's the the the investment in the rebuilding wells and that investment is really what I'm more concerned by. >> I'm concerned about that and I'm concerned that we can't make it functional even 50 years from now. Like, that's really what you really want

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because the doomsday prediction, you kind of want to set them up for success as opposed to having it be another emergent thing like we did when we got on to MWR. like we don't want to have the town face the same kind of thing 1500 years from now where you you never know what's going to

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happen. >> Fair enough. You don't. Um any further discussion? Okay, we are going to move on to a discussion and maybe vote on FY Oh, thank you Chris. I appreciate it for the [clears throat]

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information. >> Thank you. Uh FY20 discuss and vote on board and committee 27 budget requests. Um [sighs] do we have uh Jean, do you have

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anything? And then I see that we have some uh conservation people here, so I don't know if they wanted to speak on their requests or >> Nope. I have no recommendation. >> Okay. >> For the board. um conservation. Did you wanna

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>> We have conservation, we have town forest, we have um >> if anyone would like to speak on these budget requests, you're more than welcome to come up to the podium. I just need uh name, address, and >> two minutes if we can.

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I know it's going to be hard to read 16 pages and two masks, but [laughter] um Brian Bo, 15 Brewer Lane, uh chair of the Conservation Commission. I realize that there's a time constraint and a money constraint, so I'm just going to talk to a couple of the items,

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especially the ones with a bigger dollar value associated with them. The first has to do with bare metal which as you're aware is a ongoing project where we've been restoring it to get it back to its its original conditions. Um started a few years ago

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with a uh study by Mass Autobon Society. We've been uh implementing some of the recommendations made in the report that we got from it. We're at the point now where this money is intended to take the next step, which is to plant a section

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of habitat. Um, what we've done there is we've cleared out the less desirable habitat. Now, we're trying to grow back what we want to encourage the the wildlife that we want, the birds we want, things of that nature. So, this is

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not a new endeavor. This is continuing something that's been ongoing that we've already put a lot of money into. A piece of it, a subpiece is in the center of the field. If you've been there for years, there were these cross trails

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>> and we're trying to get those to go away to fill in uh so we have a continuous habitat. So to do that, part of this request is for two sections of fencing to block um each end of those two trails that

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cross and it'll be as simple as we can make it. Two sections, three posts. Uh so that's a relatively small piece, but it's part of the bigger picture. Uh the next one I want to talk about briefly is for um lot five [snorts] um Grove

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Street. otherwise known as 371 Gro Street. This is the parking lot down by a town forest. Um so we've had some talks uh with DPW about putting in a water line running from the street basically to the back of

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the parking lot. The intent here is a two-staged approach. wanted to get the water in and then uh at some with some future budget uh we already have a plan for plantings that we want to put in on that hill at the back of the parking lot

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and this would be a way to water those plants so theoretically they live. Um we have coordinated with natural heritage to be sure that they're on board with the kind of plants that we're going to do there and plant them there and that

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we got their approval. Um, another possible use of it in the future is once the water is there, there's the opportunity to put in a water fountain either for people or one for pets like the one at the end of Stout A. So,

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there's something that could be done in the future. This is the only request to put the line in. And the last one I like to talk about has to do with Mlette Sen Morgan. Uh you know this is uh uh conservation area we reopened recently

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about a year ago give or take. Um it gets used a lot. We recently had a field trip there from several classes from Barrows. Kids walked down and we had a number of stations where we educated them theoretically.

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Um but uh we're at the point now where it's beginning to need some maintenance. in particular. Uh the benches that were put in um were not the best. That's what the ones that the contractor put in and uh some of them are falling apart

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because of safety issues. So this is to replace one of those benches. Uh it's obviously a much more substantial one. Uh it's a steel one with a concrete pad under it. So those are the three main things I wanted to point to. We do

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recognize there's some financial hardships coming up. So, we tried to put down what we absolutely thought was essential, not nice to have. So, any questions? >> I do have a quick question about the bench at Mlette Psalms.

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>> Oh, you want to name it? Sure. [laughter] >> Um, >> it's actually my question. >> How I mean, it's two years old. How's it falling apart? >> And how do we not have some recourse on that? Uh, I will pass that one on to Chuck. [laughter] >> And is it more than one bench that's

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falling apart? >> Uh, yeah, sure. Um, good evening, uh, slight board members. Uh, Chuck Terrone, conservation administrator. Uh, we've lost all the benches down there. They were a polywood bench and the

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combination from the direct sunlight and, um, just people using the the amount of use they have were bending the legs underneath themselves. and when someone would sit on them, the whole bench would just flip backwards. So, we took them all out of there as soon as

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this happened. Uh we had a warranty for one year and uh after that was gone and we did get parts and uh we you know we have the parts to repair two benches at this point but uh the warranty period's over and so we want to replace those

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benches um with you know with better benches with something that we've used up at the material cabin which is a uh aluminum and uh and um uh composite that's recycled material.

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And to be clear, this is Put that back. And to be clear, this is asking for one bench. We are not looking to replace them all with this budget. >> Not to nitpick, but were they just installed wrong? I have a Polywood >> set that sits outside all winter and

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I've had it for 15 years and it has it is in perfect condition. So, I'm just curious. And I actually thought Polywood the company had longer because their whole thing is that these are like lifetime materials and they can sit out in the winter and they're made for this.

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So were they installed wrong? Have we like >> they were just uh so they were just um there was like a gravel area made for the benches and they were uh locked into the ground with a wire but they just sat there on their own. >> H

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>> we can look we can look into the warranty again. And I >> I would call the company directly because that's the whole thing with them is that like they're kind of made to last forever. [laughter] >> The problem is they're even if we do repair them and my thought was they're not it's not working there. I mean they

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can be put somewhere else with less usage but they can't work at Madera. I mean Alex Morgan it's just it's just not working. >> So Hollywood itself has a 20-year residential warranty. >> Oh yeah. Um, and then commercial, which

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this would qualify under, is three years. So, they should be still covered under that. And I looked into Polywood as well when I was redoing um my scenario that you guys know about. Um, and yeah, that stuff lasts forever. So,

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I just don't see how any of this is taking place over there. and just I I understand it's in direct sunlight and all that, but like this stuff's sitting out in the middle of the oceans at like various restaurants and everything and just lasting forever. >> So, I think the best thing to do is to

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table that for right now. We'll look into the warranty more, but that is my understanding as well. >> Yeah, you know, we we can't use those there. I mean, we'll we'll prove that we can't use those there, but I don't think >> unfortunately then that becomes a nice to have and not a need to have right now

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because if we have the option of repairing and using what was put there two years ago, I think we have to go with that right now. >> Yeah. What I'm trying to say is we don't there people are falling off these things and they're rolling over and back in back of them and it's they were put

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together correctly. Uh >> that may be an installation issue that they're not secured down to the ground properly is what it sounds like. >> They sit on they sit by themselves. I think if we if we had them and the town approved it, we could put them somewhere else with less usage. Um I mean they'd

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look great on the porch at Mater Cabin. But uh when we put them out in the sunlight, there's problems. M >> I just think that with with us only having 20 grand and a fly just keeps flying around. Um

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>> already >> with us only having 20 grand and the total request from everybody is $23950 and we see a bench for $2,000. Like my first um jump to that would have been can we

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find somebody who's going to pay to put a bench there? You know what I mean? for like a,000 bucks and then get their name on it like some of the benches outside here. >> So, if I can speak to that, we have done that. In fact, last year um somebody donated a bench for the full amount

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>> uh in in memory of uh his wife, I believe it was. >> Oh, fantastic. >> So, I wonder if I can maybe >> ask if you wanted to put your name. [laughter] Thank I wonder if we can see about maybe doing that for like just advertising it because I I don't I don't remember

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seeing it. Uh and it's good that it happened, but you know, just letting people know that there's an opportunity for this out there. I think you might get more than one bench, more than the 2,000 you're asking for depending on how many people really care about the area

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over there. And um I think that's the more more better, which isn't a word, more better approach for for that kind of thing. I don't want to nitpick the bench thing, but like we're staring down

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needing to cut 3950 out of here. And the bench is the easiest one. And then there's going to be another discussion, at least for me. >> Mhm. >> But just like I said, see if you can advertise, get more. You never know what you can get out of that. look into the warranty thing like Chuck said. Um, and

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then maybe something was done incorrectly and Hollywood tells you that we're going to ship you these other different things instead. Like it's a bad reflection on them if if something's lasting a year in conservation area with uh, you know what I mean? Like it's not

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good for them. So maybe see what you can do. >> I think you've made your point and we'll look into that. Well, and by we, I mean Chuck, we'll look into that and then we'll get back to you with whatever we find out. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. Cara, >> yeah. Um, do you is there any money left

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in the town manager line item >> that we could maybe deploy to this? Like, this budget hasn't [snorts] increased since Bob created this line item like six years ago at least. >> So, I'm This is This is ridiculous.

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>> How much do those lights cost in a pickle ball? and like we can't afford a bench. So anyway, I'm just thinking about might there be anything left in the town manager. >> There's there may be some money left in the town manager fund and I think it's going to be expended on something um

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related to the health department so we can review it but I think it's accounted for at this point. It hasn't been encumbered yet though so we can get that um number assessed probably by the end of the week or the beginning of next week. >> Okay.

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>> Appreciate that. Yeah. >> When does this need to be approved by >> the board or like put it off or what do we >> You can maybe do it for next month, [clears throat] but um I think we want to get that allocated soon.

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>> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> But I I agree with Karen. Obviously, we want to see an increase in the number. Say we got 25 instead of 20. The problem with that is everyone's going to come back and the number is going to be 2850 or 20 like the everyone's always going

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to go up to to the to the to the max amount >> that they could possibly do. >> Um but I do see the things that are on here are obviously warranted and you know conservation could use double the amount of money. Same thing with forest and trails and I think that's more of a

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town meeting quasi thing that we were already looking at. put the problem with that is the money has to come from somewhere and it's coming from our budget. So, >> so this is this is money that was put it used to be out of um every one of these

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committees had allocated a certain amount of money to it in the budget and because some committees didn't use much and others could have used that money rather than it just go back to the general fund. this this was put into place that gives the select board the ability to kind of say okay well this committee needs more money but than than

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this other committee and so it gives you the opportunity to make that decision rather than town staff. Um some of the items that are being requested for could be brought to town meeting as separate articles like the town forest committee brings an article every year to work on their invasive program um you know

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invasive management program. So some things, you know, conservation could also bring forward an article and do something similar for their projects and then you're not tapping these funds. >> If if I could point out one more thing if you don't mind. Um so I would prefer if you don't focus on

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one bench because the issue here is we have a number of benches to deal with. Part of this is showing that we are trying to make it a smooth gradual and not go in and say, you know, we need n number of benches. There are other things we have not even put on here

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which are easy to to defend. Invasive species removal. Everybody knows that's a problem all over town. It's rampant. We didn't put anything in for that because we're trying to be responsible. Um, additionally, we talked about the water line for lot five. we didn't put

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in for the plants to put there and having the one and not the other eventually will not make sense but this is a recognition that we need to be gradual in our approach. So when you're looking at the bench look at it please in that broader context is that we will

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be back for more benches even if this manages to put it off for a year the need for benches is coming. Sorry Karen, >> I'm sorry Karen getaway. Sorry. >> Well, she had her hand up before. >> Just a quick followup. What about U FCOM reserves? Something breaks. That's what

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FinCom's reserves for. The bench is broke and it's a tiny amount, but um I'll just throw that out there as well. That's >> actually I don't know what I don't want I don't know what's in that, but we can definitely do that. Is is Sharon still on? >> Yeah. >> Did that thing just dump that money for

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snow and ice? No, we brought that forward to town meeting to fill the snow and ice so that that so that we wouldn't we wouldn't be able the snow and ice deficit was greater than the amount [clears throat] of money that the >> some bridge thing that Fincom did. Is that what that was? >> They dedicated money to the unified

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sports. They gave them a line item. They just made it happen. So now >> they did a community priority, but that wasn't taken from their >> There's some bridge thing that Fincom had to do that was maybe 70,000. Maybe I'm misremembering. No, I'm just I'm not remembering it. I know it's ringing a bell to me, but I don't I'm not

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>> They have 200 reserves which so if it hap if and a need arises within that budget because that's been that way for years. After town meeting, >> we have a place to go to get if something breaks, that's what we've used it for. >> True. >> It's I mean it can be it can go to

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FinCom. They control those funds. So we can ask Fincom for that. But you can ask FinTom for that. But right now, if something breaks >> and it needs to be more than a bench for us to be pulling money out, especially when we had benches there that are 2

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years old, I'm really struggling with this. I understand it is technically only a smaller number, but for one bench, but those benches are almost brand new and clearly there was a defect somewhere. >> I understand and we'll look into that. >> Yeah. And so I just don't want to be pulling money from places right now is

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not the good time. and a good time. And the other thing I want to say is that I'm hoping the conservation commission is working with town staff to go through the process of getting a line item generally because I do think that you guys need it and I think it is warranted. >> They have a line item.

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>> Oh, I thought they >> they have a line item in our budget right now. >> I thought we didn't have one in our general fund and that was >> No, I added it two years ago. >> Okay. So, we just need >> It's a small amount of money. >> It Okay, so that was my mistake. >> Chuck, how much is it? Do you know off hand? It was 2500 and this year coming

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up it's going to be 2,000. >> Okay. So my mistake there's a line item but there was a conversation of increasing that line item. >> Yeah. So we yeah we did I mean this is not the form for that but yes >> but I think that that conversation needs to be h happening especially with

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override talks and like it's something that we could add in if an override passes and it's our plan to put that in in an override budget. if an override doesn't pass, I'm going to cut that budget >> and that and I understand that. But, you know, and I've said this to conservation, like they have money

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coming in and it just doesn't filter to them. So, I do think that if an override passes it, we could increase that line item for them to do >> Sure. It will go. Oh, it absolutely will go. I know that they've asked for $30,000. Um, I beg your pardon. $20,000.

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Um, so >> the $20,000 plan included the uh trails committee. So, it's two for one. >> Yeah. >> 20,000. We could we could work that. >> You could do a lot of really good stuff. >> You do a lot because Trails is coming up. I uh I don't know if you're going to

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keep talking to Brian, but if not, I did want to ask Maddie if John Castrinos was on uh online. >> Only Jeff Lamson's online. I think he's Town Forest. >> Town Forest. Yeah. So, I'm going to speak a little bit for uh trails. So, >> so before we just for me to finish up

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Yeah. I'm glad you brought up the fact that we do bring in money and it doesn't filter to us. There's a phrase for that which is appropriate for this year which is taxation without representation. >> Write it down. Can I just what um what size bread box

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are we talking about for the fees that you guys bring in? >> How much how much the fees that we come in >> that you bring in? Yeah. Generally, what's the size of the bread box? >> It it's it's it goes up and It's been as high as 40,000 and it's been as low as uh 15.

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>> Okay. Thanks. >> All right. So, I'm I'm going to talk for trails. Uh uh some of the trails committee members. Um I I hope they misunderstood my email. I was just concerned about uh the open meeting law and I said only three can show up, but

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uh I'm going to do this for them tonight. So the trails committee uh just like the conservation commission or the labor force of the town and uh they put in all their labor that sweat sweat equity for zero dollars but they need

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they need to buy supplies. We need to pick up the supplies. We usually do that in our own vehicles. Um and we need to bring them out there. We need to work on our Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to get these projects done. We also through trails, but through me and through

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conservation, we started this program with volunteers coming in. I have my next step volunteer group. Starting this week, we've already put in 35 ft of boardwalk and uh we've used up uh Chris and the DBW has uh got us some uh wood

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chips uh 10 yards and five of them have already been put out in the field. So, we expect to connect Washington Park with Pineville Conservation Area right on on Warren A. So, it's going to be a straight shot. Uh, if you've ever walked that area, it's a straight shot right

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down to Starbucks. Uh, you can get right up Pine Veil A when this project's done and you don't have to walk around the street. So, it's great. Um, they've asked for money for supplies. They uh have asked for money uh for some uh

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equipment that will go on a vehicle that we've been using from the DPW to help us uh be more efficient out in the field and um and some other some other things. They typically ask for $5,000 and I think one year I spent that in two weeks

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and that's with the force that we have with our trails committee and with our volunteers. And that's not just uh the NextStep Ministry group. That's uh that's also with uh realtors. They come in and we've had um the um robotics team

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from is it Amazon or it's it's one of those groups. They haven't been here in a few years, but they come in and they do work either in the town forest or with conservation. And so we do need money available to buy supplies or nothing uh kind of nothing moves forward

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because they want to hear that their people are going to be taken care of. So um having a baseline budget of five grand for conservation and trails seems to work out. I mean conservation needs a little

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bit more. Uh we're trying to do some real creative projects with our land because we want to have people go there and we want them to enjoy themselves. So um we were just talking about Mlette Soms and Morgan. Uh that's not much of an area. I think the whole area is about

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5 acres and Mlets and Morgans is one and a half acres and we're proposing to have one bench in that area. One bench. So there's some rocks to sit on, but uh we used to have benches and they used to be in spots where you could look over the

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pond or you could look over the abona or you could uh you know check out any birds coming in there and a lot of people do that at 5:00 in the morning. You'll see those benches filled. Um uh trails committee built the uh trail

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between the Mlets and Morgan and Hunt Street and that constantly needs to be maintained. So that's uh that's 110 uh feet of uh boardwalk and we're always repairing that. So anyways, both of these groups have a you know a great

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work ethic and um they're not asking for much. They're just asking for the amount of money that it takes that they can spend on repairing the trails of this town and keeping the conservation areas uh safe and uh accessible

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um during the time that they can do some work, which is basically when the snow melts to when the first snow flies again. So, that's really all I have to say and I appreciate uh you listening. >> Thanks, Chuck. >> Thank you, Chuck. I appreciate it. >> Thanks. Do we have anyone here from

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climate advisory or anyone online? Maddie, >> nobody online from climate. >> Do we have anyone here from historical >> if you'd like to come up? >> Thank you. [snorts] >> Can you all hear me? >> Yes. Okay.

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>> All right. Couple slides. I'm Samantha Couture. Um, I moved to Reading in 2015. I joined the historical commission in 2018. I live on at 56 Pearl Street

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across from the old high the old high school. Um, I've been in book and paper conservation for ages and I have a masters in library science and right currently I'm the conservator and preservation librarian at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Um and

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one of the things that interested me in joining the historical commission was the town's archive. Um if you go ahead one slide. So the town archive was established to support the historical commission by collecting historic records, photographs, documents and artifacts

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related to reading's historic and architectural inventory for which the commission uh is tasked with holding demogition delay hearings for. Um, in 2025, we designated it the Virginia Adams Historical Archive to honor Miss

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Adams role in founding the commission in 1977. Um, commission members used the archive to answer questions from town residents, uh, employees about structures on the inventory and then more general questions about the history of writing. Um, we maintain digital records on the

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town server. Um um and each spring the town archive is used to select photos for the RMLD calendar. So those are from our I don't know I think 20,000 photos. Um the next slide please. See in many

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towns the clerk maintains some archival records and the library may have an archive. In other towns an independent historical society would house an archive. Reading's historic documents and artifacts are maintained by four

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entities, the town clerk, the public library, the historical commission, and the antiquarian society, which is a nonprofit non-government entity. In 2019, we took part in a grant for a townwide preservation assessment conducted by the Northeast Document uh

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conservation center. And the major findings found a lack of climate control, past water leaks causing damage to collections, um insufficient space, and no staffing, and little funding to address preservation needs.

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Next slide, please. Um, our annual budget has been $1,500 for as long as I've been on the commission. Um, and we, you know, we get a little bit done with it every year, but not a whole lot. And we have to use that for other

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things like, uh, being part of the town fair or friends and family day, things like that. Um, in 2022, we applied for ARPA funding from the town. received 13,500 total uh to begin to tackle some of the work needed in the archive. Um in

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this slide you can see how tight the space is to maneuver. We have many large maps and volumes that can't be safely viewed due to the lack of a table space. Um we would definitely be interested in moving to a larger space if one were to come up say at the Pleasant Street

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Center. Um next slide please. Now, the ARPA funds greatly enhance the usability and preservation of the archive. Um, with those funds, we completed three major projects. Um, we were able to digitized 20 large and panoramic photos of the construction of

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Memorial Park in 1919. The original photos had been on continuous display for 30 years and were in danger of significant fading. When I took one of them out of the frame, you could see a line around the edge that hadn't been exposed to light that was

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several shades darker. Um, so we decided um we used that money to digitize them and now the reproductions are up and framed in the room next door and the originals are stored in the archive. Um, and we also have them digitally and we're hoping to find a home for our

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digital collections either maybe through the public library or digital commonwealth so they're more publicly available. Um, so we have um a comprehensive list of all the photos in our collection but we did not have an inventory of everything

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else. Um with the ARPA funds, we hired a contract archavist who spent 225 hours creating an inventory of most of the remaining collections um creating categories of types of records and detailed descriptions. So, a challenge we've been having for a

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long time is um with no inventory, no ability to search, we didn't really know what was in the archive without going in and rooting around all the shelving um and being physically there when town hall is open. Um most of us uh have day

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jobs or other responsibilities, so we'll do our commission work in the evenings. Um but it's a little bit harder to get over here. With the ARPA funds, we're able to upload our inventory records to a web-based catalog system called catalog it. We can now log into the

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service and search for records and it speeds up the research process quite a bit in the response to residents. Someone might call uh write in and say, I need some information about such and such a house. And we will we can now look it up and find, oh, we've got three photographs and a whole file folder on

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it. and then we can go to the town hall uh downstairs and and get some more information. And we get requests pretty regularly. Um next slide, please. And we've been collaborating and trying

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to u make our collections a little more um available and accessible by folks um around town. We've um collaborated with the history librarian at the public library, the town clerk, the antiquarian society uh to share info, reach a big

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audience. New collaborations include um possibly having some collections digitized by the congregational library and archive. Uh we made a donation of non-writing related documents that just appeared in the archive uh for um

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reasons that are lost in time. um to the Massachusetts Historical Society was happy to take them. Um we hosted a student from Marramat College. She researched the Amos Parker House at 52 Salem Street using town archive materials um

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um for which we were able to um contact the Rufus Porter Museum and the Center for Painted Wall Preservation. Um, and we are hoping that the that mural in the house at 502 will be saved before its slated um demolition by the

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current owner. Um, let's see. Oh, and we are currently working on an exhibit to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the um declaration of independence with the North Reading Historical Society. Um, and our um last

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slide please. So maintaining the archive to preserve and provide access to historical materials takes time and expertise. The historical commission has been ma made great progress, but we'll need more and continued support from the town to

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fulfill this aspect of our mission. I don't know if this number made it into your total, but we asked for a further 5,000 for the upcoming fiscal year. Uh primarily for another contract archavist to finish the work that Robin Merrill began. um

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catalog the rest of our materials, do a deeper dive on some of the collections we do have. Um to teach the rest of the group how to use the new catalog software we have. Um also um purchase some more um housing

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materials to store collections. Um and and hopefully digitize um more photographs and glass plate negatives that we have. Um, we'd also like to we need someone to find the time to create an online space for access to our digital collections. So,

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are there questions? That's all we have. >> I don't know. Hey, Karen, go ahead. Uh, so thank you for for investigating possibly seeing that Rufus Porter mural. Um, >> I know it's beautiful. It's very cute. It's a little house and there's little

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people taking a walk and it it's up the stairwell. Mhm. >> And um the folks from the wall preservation have a have a guy they can pay to um he can remove the wall. He can he says I could pop the wall out and lift it up

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through the roof apparently. But he's working with the current owner on a on a potential um agreement for the mural and uh a painted floor and um a lot of interior woodwork to be saved. >> Okay. cuz uh I don't know if you're aware there was a a project in Stonem.

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They took a big mural off the wall and it's reinstalled somewhere else. >> Yes. >> Yeah. This the Rufus Porter Museum is interested in purchasing that mural and that's up in me. >> Oh, perfect. >> And so could you guys get money from

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that? Could who? >> Well, they will purchase it from the owner of the property. >> Okay. >> But we've been helping to facilitate that. So hopefully the mural can get saved before the house goes. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Are we paying to I mean

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Okay. Well, I'm not sure. Like I think we It would be great to save it and um are the owners going to You're facilitating. You're putting the resources in front of them, but they need to pay to have this thing cut out or >> um the pay to well preservation group

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will will pay the owner to remove the materials. Okay. and then and the museum will pay the owner for the mural as a piece of artwork. >> Thank you for all that volunteer work. It's really important. >> Um it was very helpful. We have have a scrapbook on that house

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>> um that our student just went to town on and >> wow >> wrote up a bunch. So we we have all this great stuff and we like more people to know about it. um did some projects with the high school where we brought letters

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written home by a couple of um Civil War soldiers to get the kids to transcribe them and reading cursive is very difficult [laughter] but um we'd like to do a lot more things like that and we need to have a better handle on what we've got and

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>> and what's useful and what's not and >> and maybe some space will open up in the less of the sub basement at town hall when rec >> it's a really hard space. We can't, you know, let people come in. I've occasionally brought things to >> the library for them to look at.

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>> So with veteran services and recreation is building some nice office space. >> Yeah. >> Over at recal. So maybe >> maybe >> we'd be happy to find a new space for you. >> Which is less susceptible to flooding. >> Yeah. And

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>> yeah. So our our hump now is, you know, >> getting that archiving bit kind of to a spot where we can then maintain it and then I think we would leave we would ask for less money each year because we could do most of the maintenance and cataloging on our own. But there's

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there's just the backlog of things that have been left outside the archive door for many years. >> Thank you though. >> Anyone else? Karen, >> uh, thank you for the presentation. Um, I've been to the archive room and it's

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phenomenal. Um, I think it's important that we realize that all if not all of these committees could benefit from CPA and I think um, we should keep that in mind um, over the next few months. I

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think all of these committees are very labor intensive and they work like excuse the expression like dogs as far as all the labor that goes in. I would love to find 23950.

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I think I tend to get confused about funding for all these groups, whereas um this is the first time I heard that we could get someone to donate a bench, whereas I thought before that we couldn't raise money for these groups. So, I think I'd like some clarification,

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not necessarily tonight, but moving forward so that if I wanted to donate hammers to the town forest committee or shovels or whatever, am I allowed to do that? You know what I mean? So, I think we really I'd like to fine-tune that so the people will know because I think when you look at it, if I asked for a

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dollar from every resident, I could raise 20,000 bucks and very quickly. >> We can't fund raise, but we can accept donations. >> Okay. >> We can make it clearer because I know that's sometimes >> Can I recruit the donate? Do you know what I mean? Like I want to make sure there's the fine line of how we get that

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information across so that >> we can we can fine-tune that. It's very Yeah. the town's not >> temperament mental, but I think that we could help them in many ways if if people knew what they needed, if we're not able to give them all this money.

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>> Um, and I do agree. I think we need to raise the amount of money and if CPA passes, we could use this money for another committee that has never asked for money that may need it. you know, we there's all these other committees that do stuff. We we're not sure

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what they're they never asked for it. So, I don't know if this I don't know if it's just that our funds are earmarked towards these committees only or could anyone ask for money? >> These are for these committees >> only. Okay. >> Y

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>> thank you for clearing that up. >> Anyone else have any questions? Thank you so much for your presentation. We really appreciate it and appreciate all the work that you do. Um, is anyone here from town forest? >> Thank you.

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[snorts] >> Hi everybody. >> Derek Puff, 142 High Street. Um, I've been with the Town Forest Committee for one year, so be be gentle. [laughter] >> Uh, Jeff Lamson, >> short straw, huh?

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Jeff Lamson, the chairperson, uh is is away for work, but he's actually on the Zoom call, so hopefully he'll back me up if I if I if I screw this up. Uh the town forest committee is requesting $10,000 to fund a forest maintenance

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plan. So this is a document um that will be written by a a paid expert consultant um containing information about how we should best maintain this this great resource that we have. Um so it's

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expensive because it involves a lot of mapping um and a uh detailed accounting of the various species that we have in different different parts of over 300 acres. Um it's important uh because

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number one it will guide our committee in terms of how we should focus our spending um and our energy. Um and number two there are state grants that are uh potentially uh available to us uh

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to to fund some some of our work. Um but those uh those grants require us to have an active plan. And so the the the last time that we had such a plan I think was over 15 years ago and so it's now

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expired. Um I think that's all I wanted to say. Maybe Jeff would like to fill in any gaps but um >> Jeff, did you have anything to add? >> Uh hello from San Diego. Great job, Derek. Um [laughter] appreciate you covering for me. He did a great job.

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Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. Anyone have any questions? >> Chris, >> thanks Melissa. Uh, and thank you for coming. It's the first time I've ever seen you, which is semi-refreshing for volunteers, you know what I mean, to get

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some new people signed up even though you've been on it for a year. >> Well, I pretty much live in the forest. So, [laughter] >> you'll find me pulling buckthorn on a regular basis. >> Perfect. >> Um, but no, thank you for coming. Uh so out of the 10,000 is it possible to do

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it for 8,000 or no? You need the entire 10. >> So we are in the process of gathering estimates from this plan. I wish I could tell you exactly what those numbers are but we don't have them yet. So this this this is based on u inflation adjustment

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from the last time that we did this you know as I said over 15 years ago. But to to be honest I don't know the exact number. Um, but that's what we're >> And if you didn't get the full amount, if say if it was 10,000 and we gave you

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eight, that means it doesn't happen. Do you get some partial plan that you can work with there? Like they would only do 80% of what you wanted to do or you can't do anything. >> I think a partial plan would not qualify

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us for those grants. That that would be my concern. And I I I I think a partial plan could could help us to focus our our work, but I don't think it would qualify for this for the grants. >> All right. Thank you.

506
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>> Anyone else have any questions? I don't have Thank you for coming tonight. We appreciate it >> and giving us the understanding of what you're looking for. >> Thanks, Jeff. >> Yes. Thank you, Jeff, for calling in. Um, all right. Any discussion on our uh

507
02:24:43.200 --> 02:25:02.880
funding requests? >> So, we really can't find the 23950. Is that what >> um I don't think so. I think we have $20,000 to work with. Correct. >> Can we find 3950? >> You want me to find 3,950? The last thing we ever say is find the money

508
02:25:02.880 --> 02:25:19.040
>> in local government. I know. >> Yes, please. >> I can't guarantee it right now. You want $3,950? >> Well, we may be able to. >> No, I I guess if we >> like $4,000 >> if we say that the bench replacement we we put on hold because they're

509
02:25:19.040 --> 02:25:33.680
researching whether or not they're going to get new benches or perhaps we could somehow get a bench donated. >> Um I guess minus two out of this. It's all important, but I know that there's some questions about the bench. So if we

510
02:25:33.680 --> 02:25:52.640
minus two then it's 21950. >> So then you're finding 1950. >> Then we're only finding 1950. [laughter] >> I already sent an email to the finance director. So we'll see what we can come up with. >> Thank you. >> Probably find it. You're looking for

511
02:25:52.640 --> 02:26:09.359
just for conservation the whole the whole package. >> Well 21950 would essentially cover the ass of everyone minus the bench. Yeah, >> I think town forest is the 10. >> It has they're they're like paying money

512
02:26:09.359 --> 02:26:24.960
to get money. So, it's one of those >> the fact that it's linked to grants. I agree. I think that would be huge if we can start applying for grants. Um because I know Tom Forest has some big asks at town meeting. So, if we can help with those asks by getting some grant funding, I think that completely makes

513
02:26:24.960 --> 02:26:40.240
sense. >> Yeah. Um, so we can put it on a future agenda after we get an answer. >> Do you want to do that? Yeah, we can do that. >> We could just put it on the next meeting and then

514
02:26:40.240 --> 02:26:56.080
>> this doesn't impact anybody, right? Like when is this when does your study when does this have to take place? Are we talking like you can do it a month from now or is there any times on any of this? No. Whatever. Chuck is saying no.

515
02:26:56.080 --> 02:27:13.280
You'd have to you'd have to find some. So, we did uh we did a habitat study. >> Chuck, I'm gonna have you come up here so everyone can hear you at home. Sorry. >> Forgot where I was. >> Yeah. No, it's fine. [laughter] >> Uh Chuck Terrone, conservation administrator. We did a habitat study for Bear Meadow and it took us a year to

516
02:27:13.280 --> 02:27:29.120
find um well, we ended up using the Ottabon. Um there's probably a host of people that uh they know about right now, including they've reached out to me and they have the person that uh did our study. Uh that was $8,000 and it was

517
02:27:29.120 --> 02:27:45.520
three years ago. So I think the numbers they're asking for seem to be um you know, correct, but um you know, you have to go through the bidding process and uh you have to find out what they're going to do. Um,

518
02:27:45.520 --> 02:28:01.439
and it could be done in phases, but uh, other than that, >> I guess the question is in two weeks, if we bring this back to a future dender and then get an answer for everyone to almost get all of their asks, it's not going to make a difference here or there. Two weeks. >> Two weeks doesn't make a difference because I think this money is available

519
02:28:01.439 --> 02:28:18.319
uh, FY27. >> Yeah, but I think that was Chris's question. I just didn't want to jeopardize any of these things being done if you know if you had to start any of the work now or something. You know what I mean? >> Well, I think everyone who asked for uh

520
02:28:18.319 --> 02:28:35.200
a budget tonight would agree that if there's someone looking for an additional amount of money so we could all become whole, it would be great. So there I'm just going to speak for everyone. We're all willing to wait two weeks. >> Yeah. because we have we go through this

521
02:28:35.200 --> 02:28:51.600
every single year where it's always a higher number than what we have and obviously all of the things presented to us are always warranted. It's just we have to cut something and it's not you. It's and if we unless Jane finds the 1950

522
02:28:51.600 --> 02:29:08.240
potential kind of thing then everyone's happy minus a bench. >> All right. If everyone's in agreement, I will put it make sure it goes on future agendas for June 23rd or July 14th meeting. >> That's great. Thank you. That work for

523
02:29:08.240 --> 02:29:22.880
everyone. >> Yeah. All right. Great. >> It won't take long to go through that. Just do it at the town manager report or something. >> Perfect. Okay. It can be part of our new consent agenda. >> What? [laughter] >> Um Okay, we're going to move on. Uh

524
02:29:22.880 --> 02:29:40.399
discuss town manager goals. All right. Um >> here everybody. Thank you so much for coming. I really appreciate it. [laughter] >> Okay. So, I have put before you. We discussed at the um Blackboard retreat

525
02:29:40.399 --> 02:29:56.880
um in May, was it about a month ago? I feel like I'm moving quickly. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> We discussed um bringing forward the town manager goals. So, I have for you tonight eight goals um with some sort of subset information for your review and

526
02:29:56.880 --> 02:30:13.280
then you can um bring them back um so that they're maybe adopted in July, I think was the time frame we were looking at um for FY27. So, that was the sense. So, I'm just going to take you through these goals one at a time. Um my friend Maddie is going to put them up on the

527
02:30:13.280 --> 02:30:29.920
board. Um these goals on the slides are exactly what's written in front of you. They are not fancy. Um I did think about that Chris um when we were putting the slides together to make them pretty but they are they are fancy and I'm grateful to have them. All right so the first

528
02:30:29.920 --> 02:30:46.000
goal is uh to strengthen long-range uh financial sustainability. So advance multi-year financial planning and address uh writings documented structural budget pressures including projected gaps beginning FY28. This work's already begun. um improve public understanding of key budget drivers such

529
02:30:46.000 --> 02:31:02.240
as inflation, health insurance costs, school funding needs, capital investments, and potential override implications and support long-term planning for major obligations including health insurance, OPED, pension uh obligations, and major building replacements such as the Kllum Elementary School. So much of this work

530
02:31:02.240 --> 02:31:18.960
is being done, but this is, you know, really quite important as we all can can agree. Second goal is to invest in workforce excellence and organizational effectiveness. So here we're talking about developing strategies to attract and retain staff and departments with known shortages. Um modernize HR

531
02:31:18.960 --> 02:31:34.399
processes, applicant tracking, onboarding systems. Um we we're going into um our our collective bargaining year and that's 12 unions. So be working on that and as well as staff development. And then um this also comes

532
02:31:34.399 --> 02:31:50.399
up later but advancing cyber security protections and digital accessibility initiatives across town systems. Number three, deliver on major capital projects and infrastructure improvements. Provide leadership for the Kilum Elementary School project in coordination with the MSBA, the school committee and the permanent building

533
02:31:50.399 --> 02:32:06.560
committee. Provide leadership for the reading center for active living construction project including the OPM designer and contractor management, operational planning, budgeting, community engagement, and funding strategies in coordination with town staff. Um permanent building committee, the council on aging and recreation

534
02:32:06.560 --> 02:32:22.720
committee. um oversee roadway improvements, sidewalk upgrades, water and sewer infrastructure maintenance, and focusing on corridors such as Main Street, um Salem Street, Walkersburg Drive. Um and support long-term capital planning via preparation of the facilities master

535
02:32:22.720 --> 02:32:39.200
plan that's scheduled for FY28. Um four is enhancing transportation safety, mobility, and parking management. Um these are topics that have been on the board's agenda for a long time. So there'd be some I'll be interested in

536
02:32:39.200 --> 02:32:55.120
some conversation about where we want to go with some of this. Um but to get the conversation rolling um so advancing multimodal safety projects along Main Street, Walkers Brook Drive, Haven Street, and other corridors identified through traffic studies, implementing a one-year pilot program for microtransit

537
02:32:55.120 --> 02:33:10.960
across Reading. We are currently um about to sign a [music] contract for microtransit in town. So that's going to be rolling out pretty soon with three vehicles doing microtransit in town. What's that? What is microtransit? >> It's small vehicles that act like Uber. No, it's not like micro mach. They're

538
02:33:10.960 --> 02:33:25.200
not small cars. Actually, they are kind of small, but um it's a we'll update you, but um it's a really cool program. We just signed a contract, I think, yesterday or about to It's a grant. >> It's a grant with multiple towns.

539
02:33:25.200 --> 02:33:42.399
>> So, yeah. Um >> Yep. And let's see. We coordinate safe routes to schools and complete streets grant funded improvements near Birch Meadow and Kilm neighborhoods. Um improve ADA compliant access through sidewalk inventory, snow removal, and access to transit. And maintain

540
02:33:42.399 --> 02:33:59.040
engagement with MBTA initiatives locally and regionally, which we've already talked about a little bit today. Um so number five, support strategic planning, economic development, and community growth. Advance redevelopment opportunities in downtown Reading, the Walkers Brook corridor, Eastern Gateway, and underutilized commercial parcels.

541
02:33:59.040 --> 02:34:14.080
These will be your economic engines in the future. Uh support small business retention and recruitment including working with the Reading Northr Reading Chamber of Commerce and other community and business groups and continue work on long-term land use planning including the strategic plan update pending grant

542
02:34:14.080 --> 02:34:29.680
funding. So the next round of grant funding will be in the spring. So we'll go for that. But we can have those conversations about what that would look like. Um six, advance environmental sustainability and regional advocacy. So advance reading sustainability goals

543
02:34:29.680 --> 02:34:45.840
including energy effic efficiency upgrades and continued investment in EV charging infrastructures. We talked a little bit about that tonight. Oversee MS4 storm water compliance, phosphorous reduction planning and infrastructure upgrades. implement and explore opportunities for renewable energy

544
02:34:45.840 --> 02:35:02.000
expansion on municipal land, including solar installations on new construction projects, the roofs at Kilaman Recal and fleet electrification and continue to work on green communities relevant grant projects. So once we have expended the um that initial grant which I think

545
02:35:02.000 --> 02:35:18.000
we're there I think we're I think we're there um with that project which will be a weatherization project >> chargers are definitely like >> yeah exactly that that once we move on to the next stuff then it opens up >> somebody has bandwidth to get the paperwork in. I mean >> it's true. >> Um seven improve public engagement,

546
02:35:18.000 --> 02:35:34.080
transparency and customer service. So here we're talking about enhancing the town's communication strategy including website navigation, social media and visual updates. Um, we have a robust website working group. So, it's a staff-based group that we work on to improve across all of our departments so

547
02:35:34.080 --> 02:35:50.640
that our website is um, congruently brought up to speed. Um, part of that is going to be I'll get to that goal in the next one in a minute, but there's a lot of work to do here. Um, transform our lunch and learn project um, that we've talked a little bit about into planning

548
02:35:50.640 --> 02:36:05.600
for a citizens academy. This is like a really fun thing I'd really like to do um to launch in the summer fall of 27. So we'll be planning it this year to launch next year. Um so next spring we would start taking applications for

549
02:36:05.600 --> 02:36:22.399
citizens. Citizens Academy is sort of what you got a little taste of today. you go, you meet for six, seven, eight classes, if you will, um, on a work night and you go to DPW and then another night you go to the police department,

550
02:36:22.399 --> 02:36:37.840
another night you go to the fire department, another time you come to town hall and you get sort of a micro class in how government works and it creates um, an opportunity for residents who are interested to learn a lot more granularity about how, you know, the sausage is made and how things work and

551
02:36:37.840 --> 02:36:54.160
you get to see the inside the buildings and it's really really great opportunity. Another a lot of other communities have done it. We've um done some training with other communities to see how how to implement that in a in a makes sense way that's not a huge staff lift. It's usually done by not department heads but by their

552
02:36:54.160 --> 02:37:09.760
subordinates um to give them you know more opportunity for speaking time or facetime with the community and um engage the engagement is great. So I think it's a great opportunity. We'd love to bring that forward. Um, and then providing additional training and support for boards and committees,

553
02:37:09.760 --> 02:37:24.800
particularly those with new or rotating membership. So, working with the town clerk's office, um, and and you know, the staff members who work with their boards to make sure that we're providing um, good understandings of how boards run, what it's like to be a new member,

554
02:37:24.800 --> 02:37:41.600
you know, those kinds of things. And then eight is expanding digital, sorry, technology and digital services. So strengthening our cyber security protections including ongoing audits, staff training and system hardening. We have a couple of projects going on right now. We just did a firewall project. Um

555
02:37:41.600 --> 02:37:58.720
we are moving on to our SCADA system and hardening that system. So that is how our water system talks to each other. Um implementing upgrades to digital permitting, work order asset management software and knowledge management systems. So these

556
02:37:58.720 --> 02:38:13.200
are systems we already have that we need to do a better job of implic across the organization um to communicate internally um improve our ADA compliance and accessibility across all digital platforms in preparation for

557
02:38:13.200 --> 02:38:30.479
WCAG compliance that's coming April 26, 2028. That's a hard deadline that just moved was supposed to be next year uh 2027 and the the feds moved it a year. So we have to make our website fully ADA accessible. What is WC A? [sighs]

558
02:38:30.479 --> 02:38:47.280
>> I don't remember what it stands for. It stands for Hold on. I >> No, I used to know, but >> content accessibility guidelines. Yeah. >> So, you can if you Google it, it tells you all the things you have to do. Colleges had to come up to date this

559
02:38:47.280 --> 02:39:03.280
year. Okay. >> So, if you know anybody who works for a university, they've been spending a lot of time on it because they had to get it done in April of this year and municipalities were next year. and it's been pushed out to 2028 because by the time it percolated up to our awareness, our budget was already built and if we

560
02:39:03.280 --> 02:39:20.760
needed to use any technology to do that work, we didn't have it built into our budget. I think that's true for a lot of people. So, um, so that's work that has to get done. And then, of course, using data analytics to support decision-m and operational efficiencies across departments.

561
02:39:20.880 --> 02:39:35.040
That's a lot. >> So, those are examples of the kinds of goals that we'll be doing as we go forward once the board um adopts town manager goals. And these are certainly, you know, discussionable and what is what is the board looking for? Is there

562
02:39:35.040 --> 02:39:51.359
something missing? Um is there is there too much here? You want to take something away. Um then we'll refine that down and then as I do project updates and so forth, we'll connect those to the goals. So every time you see sort of what we're doing, how are we

563
02:39:51.359 --> 02:40:10.960
how are we advancing the goals um through our work on a day-to-day basis. Okay. [snorts] >> Um thank you. Um so so this is ambitious. Thank you for putting this together and um I think

564
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ahead to um investing in workforce excellence and organizational effectiveness. And what we need to do as a select board then is then review the your ability to make these goals and how we got them. So >> there's always a disconnect between that form that I hate which we've used for

565
02:40:26.560 --> 02:40:42.560
seven years and the goals that we come up with for the town manager >> can change it >> and I don't know if you could and Sean could maybe >> I don't think we're using that. We used it last year so I don't want to wait till we get to the same place. Um,

566
02:40:42.560 --> 02:40:58.319
sure. >> It always says every single year it says rate the town manager on staff development. No, zero visibility. Just that and every for six years. Seven this, you know. >> We using the same form we've been using.

567
02:40:58.319 --> 02:41:13.680
>> Are we? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. It is the same form that I've ever seen. But um yeah, no, I think that's something that we can >> I don't have an answer, but it sure does make the select board's job easier when that form actually kind of goes along with this. >> Yeah, agree. >> Yeah, I totally agree.

568
02:41:13.680 --> 02:41:28.479
>> It's really hard to do otherwise. >> Well, and I'll make an effort as we go. Um so, some of the things I've done with the with the department heads, while we're in the middle of trying to build FY28, we really have the best department heads. Um staff all all the way top to

569
02:41:28.479 --> 02:41:46.160
bottom are fantastic. um is I've asked them for project updates. So right now I get project updates from most of the department heads on a weekly basis. Um not just project updates like dayto-day what's going on, what are the divisions doing and so forth. Um and then I also

570
02:41:46.160 --> 02:42:01.680
um and I've talked to the chair and the vice chair about this a little bit is I'll have a project update that you'll see on a regular basis. So not just the big projects um but the smaller ones too like what are the what are the IT projects that are going on and you know what's the budget what's the funding

571
02:42:01.680 --> 02:42:17.760
source >> what phase is it in is it just getting started is it about to start is it how's it going that kind of stuff so you'll see that on a regular basis >> um and so and then we'll report to so what are we doing to to to manage these things and also how are they going to be

572
02:42:17.760 --> 02:42:33.280
affected by you know budgets >> so you know if we have to cut costs some of the costs might be professional development um or the ability to go to conferences. we might limit some of that or we do more >> really don't have any visibility to whatever professional development that people have access to and I know we

573
02:42:33.280 --> 02:42:50.800
don't reimburse people for any um educational pursuits like we don't allow them to take classes and >> we do um we do there's a program with the MMA and Suffach University for people that want to do a certificate program in public administration and

574
02:42:50.800 --> 02:43:06.240
that is a really affordable program and the town does pay for people who want to do it but it's a big lift you you know, to take on. Fortunately, it's on Friday, so it's So, we've done more of that in the past. >> We asked him to, but we all I'm saying is we don't have I'm sure maybe town

575
02:43:06.240 --> 02:43:21.200
managers are doing this, but it's like one of the things that's on that form that we literally have no visibility to. >> So, so we can make sure you have some visibility to that. >> That'd be awesome. Can I also just add and I'll just um let somebody else talk. Um Mater Cabin, can that be here somewhere? It's

576
02:43:21.200 --> 02:43:35.520
>> Yeah, that would fall under um maybe capital projects. Seems like >> um yeah, you're going to give you an update on that soon. Yep. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> Anyone else have any input, >> Chris?

577
02:43:35.520 --> 02:43:52.319
>> Thanks, Melissa. Um yeah, I I like this broad overreach of various goals on here. Um, I just still keep coming back to other technology related items, which is

578
02:43:52.319 --> 02:44:08.800
just seeing about getting an app for the town, which will solve lots of issues that we have in general about more, you know, um, more notice to not just solely businesses, residents when things are going on with push

579
02:44:08.800 --> 02:44:22.640
notifications that you can do with that instead of, you know, instead of having the reverse 911 thing. So, an app would, you know, be significantly better than what we're currently doing now. Um, and

580
02:44:22.640 --> 02:44:38.880
then just replacing the um I don't want to say sandwich board, whatever out front that people still have to pay to put the little, you know, sliding advertisement things in there. And

581
02:44:38.880 --> 02:44:54.800
>> so under seven for public engagement electronic sign board on the common. >> Yeah. So just replace same footprint kind of thing but then this way here nobody's paying for anything. You could do LED solar kind of scenario and it's more communications as well.

582
02:44:54.800 --> 02:45:10.319
>> No, I 100% agree with you. Yeah, I think that's a great goal. >> I I remember you said there was maybe like a grant kind of scenario. Obviously we'd love that >> that grant scenario that we were looking at mixed that option. We were told we couldn't use it for that. Oh. So, okay.

583
02:45:10.319 --> 02:45:28.720
Yeah, that was um part of the MVP2 grant process. >> But yeah, those would be my two other kind of addition things that would just help, you know, raise more exposure and get more >> um interest in in events and all that

584
02:45:28.720 --> 02:45:42.560
kind of stuff. >> I have some ideas about the app and I'd love to meet with you offline to talk about what the goals of that would be. Um because to do an app with like Civic Plus, believe it or not, they're going to they're going to charge us a lot of

585
02:45:42.560 --> 02:45:59.920
money for it. Um so I'd rather like identify the goals and show you some stuff that other towns have done. You can show me stuff that other towns have done. Yeah. >> And see if we can meet there. And then I have I have some ideas. So I want to meet with you offline, but I think we can do that. I'm happy to I'm happy to

586
02:45:59.920 --> 02:46:14.720
meet with any of the select board members on any of these items if there's something you want to push through anytime. >> I just think the with the use of AI now like all of these things the prices the opportunities are going to tank and

587
02:46:14.720 --> 02:46:32.160
torpedo. So, Civic Plus has had a strangle hold on a monopoly of various uh cities and towns. Um, for 500 bucks in the weekend, um, you can make something far superior to what they

588
02:46:32.160 --> 02:46:47.600
already have. You just have to do it. So, if Kevin wants to do it or whatever, like >> it it >> that's it. So, um, whatever exorbitant prices that have been being paid for

589
02:46:47.600 --> 02:47:02.560
before on things that don't have to be secure, like our systems have to be secure here. >> That's right. >> But an app that's just pushing out notifications and that is a different ballgame. >> I have an idea of an app

590
02:47:02.560 --> 02:47:17.840
um that we've taken a briefing on that in in full disclosure is being done by a friend of mine. Um, and it's an app that combines municipalities and their events. Um, and it marries them to what local businesses

591
02:47:17.840 --> 02:47:34.160
are doing and offering in incentives or, you know, highlighting new products that they're offering, whatever. And it also connects to the residents. So, kind of I can explain it more in detail. We can take a briefing together. So >> yeah, as long as it's available in the

592
02:47:34.160 --> 02:47:51.200
app store for Google and Apple as opposed to just adding it to a home, you know, um just setting is it a favorite on a homepage kind of thing. >> No, no, no. It's Yeah, downloadable app for both platforms. Yep. We can talk more about that. [sighs] >> It's currently being shopped around like

593
02:47:51.200 --> 02:48:06.800
Hampton and >> other large communities. So, >> anyone else have any other feedback? >> Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. >> Do you like them? Are you How impressed are you with that? >> Incredibly comprehensive. And uh I'm

594
02:48:06.800 --> 02:48:21.359
overwhelmed by comprehensive. >> So I'm looking at saying, "Wow, that's a >> that's a lot." >> Okay. Well, and I I just gave this to you tonight, so I know you haven't had time to to review it. A lot of these things are already in motion, right? >> These [clears throat] are things that

595
02:48:21.359 --> 02:48:37.600
are already happening. Um and this isn't everything. >> You know what I mean? I mean like >> the tax workers are not on here. [laughter] You know the >> there's a lot that's being encompassed in a lot of these things. >> Seems like a lot. >> They have a lot going on.

596
02:48:37.600 --> 02:48:55.200
>> It seems like a lot. But I appreciate this and very thoughtful. Y >> thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Any further discussion or well okay we'll move on to liaison reports. Who would like to start? Anyone? Anyone?

597
02:48:55.200 --> 02:49:10.080
Happy to go. >> Okay. Thank go um [clears throat] I attended the writing housing authority meeting um at a good uh attendance by residents there which was wonderful and um they are finishing up or they may

598
02:49:10.080 --> 02:49:27.439
have finished an LED lighting project which is good. It'll save them some energy and probably labor replacing old light bulbs. Um and they are going to be part of Porchfest this year for their first time ever. So you can add them to the stop.

599
02:49:27.439 --> 02:49:42.720
So they're very excited about that. Um also attended the cultural council annual celebration for the recipients where everybody stands up and says this is what we got and this is what we did with the money the cultural grants. It was incredibly inspiring and someone

600
02:49:42.720 --> 02:50:00.160
from Mass the Massets state equivalent of the cultural council was there and and she did say that their budget has not been savaged. So unlike some other areas of the state budget, so she was optimistic about that so we can continue

601
02:50:00.160 --> 02:50:15.920
the great work we do. Um porchfest is one of the items. Um I believe Pride Day was one of the items. I mean just uh you know 15 different items you everyone will know something. It's very important. It's a

602
02:50:15.920 --> 02:50:31.920
quiet group but it's powerful. Um I did attend a conservation a joint conservation and town forest meeting where um they wanted to talk about fighting the invest invasives in town the town forest. So they do have them mapped up and and they're yeah it's

603
02:50:31.920 --> 02:50:47.359
that's a big deal and um so there is more coming on that but I I appreciate that they're keeping an eye on it and and coming up with strategies to try to keep it from taking over the town forest. Um um

604
02:50:47.359 --> 02:51:04.319
Last week, while the cultural council and other events were going on at the Pleasant Street Center, um we had another gas leak with gas odor at the top of the stairs. The heating systems not on, the windows and doors were all open. It was a beautiful night. It was all in the 70s. So, texted Jane and Jane

605
02:51:04.319 --> 02:51:20.160
texted the fire chief and the team showed up and >> proclaimed no gas. I'm like, well, the windows are all open. So, I mean, but this keeps happening. It's disruptive. if it's an end of life problem that we have to um accelerate to the front of the capital list.

606
02:51:20.160 --> 02:51:34.960
>> But my understanding I did talk to the chief about this is that national grid I believe or ever source also showed up and there is no gas. They showed up. >> Okay. You can keep saying that I know what gas smells like and the meters are pretty accurate. >> Yeah. So what we keep doing is we have

607
02:51:34.960 --> 02:51:51.279
to it's costing us money. The fire department has to keep coming out there. National grid only responds to what they certain uh to threats that they think are at a certain level. Um they're not doing anything. This has been going on for years. >> Their readers are very

608
02:51:51.279 --> 02:52:07.359
>> So I'm giving my liaison report. I don't really want to argue about whether there's a gas leak or not. >> I'm not arguing, but I don't want that. It was not a gas leak. So I just wanted >> You're wrong. You're mistaken. I'm just let me finish my leazar report and then you can give your own leazison report. >> When the meters say zero, that means no gas leak.

609
02:52:07.359 --> 02:52:23.840
>> Okay. You're mistaken. >> I'm mistaken that their readers read something. >> They did. >> No, I think that I don't think that you know what you're talking about. I don't think I either one of us is a gas expert, but I can tell you this town paid money

610
02:52:23.840 --> 02:52:39.200
>> to go around and have gas leaks repaired. So, I actually have a lot of knowledge about what National Grid will and will not respond to. And the staff is not happy and I'm not happy. And we can't rent that building if we have gas

611
02:52:39.200 --> 02:52:55.120
leaks coming from somewhere. And the gas company has drilled into us that you smell methane, you run for the hills. Okay? It's just so that's all I'm telling you. It was another incident. And the fire department keeps getting called up. It's a lot of money. It's a

612
02:52:55.120 --> 02:53:11.200
lot of time. And if they're dealing with this little thing and some other god help us real emergency comes up, then it's just not a good situation. So that's all I wanted to tell you. Okay. Um, Pride Day was this weekend. I participated in the parade for the

613
02:53:11.200 --> 02:53:27.040
second year in a row. It was a lot of fun and then I joined in the festivities on the common and um, you know, it's just always a fun time. I think this was our sixth or seventh year. I've lost track. Um, also the library terrace has been open.

614
02:53:27.040 --> 02:53:42.240
So, I attended the library terrace ribbon cutting ceremony. Um, I think it was about a week ago on a Friday evening. It's a beautiful blue stone patio with built-in seating and with a little amplification is a an amazing

615
02:53:42.240 --> 02:53:59.920
spot for they had a violinist that night. So that's like such a cool spot as long as you can count on the New England weather. But it does I guess the genesis of the idea came up during COVID when we couldn't be inside and we needed to treat the outdoors other spaces. So you know kudos to um the director and

616
02:53:59.920 --> 02:54:14.720
the team that really designed that. Um people pretty excited. Okay. Um council and aging and the permanent building committee had their meetings last night. Um so there were some um changes to the

617
02:54:14.720 --> 02:54:32.960
design for recal. Um we've made the permanent building committee voted to make some accommodations to plan for the use of a future divider. keeping in mind that we really haven't defined all of the small groups that we need and the population is exploding. Um and and this

618
02:54:32.960 --> 02:54:48.080
goes across the community. It's not just for the seniors but between the maong between um caregivers for parents with dementia bereavement like any number of small groups. Apparently that is the way

619
02:54:48.080 --> 02:55:04.479
things are going small group. So um that accommodation was made. We also discussed the windows in the um the gym at the recal and they added another window for the walking track and I think that was the one change that

620
02:55:04.479 --> 02:55:21.439
they they don't they discussed moving more windows around but I think the one change they made was just giving people another window for the walking track which will be a great addition and we discussed the kitchen. Um no changes were made to the kitchen. It's a commercial kitchen. The

621
02:55:21.439 --> 02:55:38.479
folks involved confirmed that like we do today, the volunteers and staff will be able to go in and out of the kitchen and help serve food. And and I met with one of the council and aging members who kindly walked me through the latest floor plan and they basically designed the kitchen like the one we have today.

622
02:55:38.479 --> 02:55:54.080
There's a pass through and there's a door. So, we're going to, you know, the same thing you see happening now. Lunches get handed out, food comes in, gets delivered. That'll continue to happen with proper training and designation and and Jane's got an operational group working on that. And

623
02:55:54.080 --> 02:56:10.080
then the other thing they confirmed is that it's a commercial kitchen. We'll be able to rent it out. We'll be able to make some revenue. Hopefully caterers can come in and bring their stuff and caterers are all served safe trained. This gets into your work on the health. But there's a lot of talk about, you

624
02:56:10.080 --> 02:56:26.399
know, what is the health department going to require? What can we do? Um get the commercial kitchen at the high schools. it. The kitchen at the high school is also a commercial kitchen. So, it's not our first commercial kitchen. So, that was the crux of the council on aging and subsequent permanent building

625
02:56:26.399 --> 02:56:44.240
committee. Um, so, um, let's see. Um, the grade DPW tour. I'll let somebody else give the highlights for that. I did just chat getting back to library. Sorry. I chatted with Albert Press briefly. We traded an email. I'm happy to report

626
02:56:44.240 --> 02:56:59.760
that he is submitting an application, a grant application for a municipal ADA improvement grant. Didn't want to get into the details because it's due this week, but we'll hear more about that. And also, thank you to um our town

627
02:56:59.760 --> 02:57:15.680
clerk. I submitted a public records request to get an idea of where the age breakdown is on our residents. Let me share with you, we have 25 residents over 100 years old. That number blew me. I will share it with all of you by the way after tonight. I'll

628
02:57:15.680 --> 02:57:31.920
just trying to figure out how to forward the email. And um the 60 plus community including those 25 residents over 100 is 7800 people. That is it's exploding. It's exploding um as another council on aging number said. And then if you

629
02:57:31.920 --> 02:57:49.760
include the the 50 plus community, it's 11,000 residents. So just you know and we're making the decisions. What are we planning for the um there's a big bubble at the at the upper age limits um out of our total 26

630
02:57:49.760 --> 02:58:04.479
26,550 residents. So, thank you Laura for putting that together. That's very useful and um sharing that with some of the boards and committees that helps them with their planning as well. And that's it. Thank you. >> Thank you, Karen.

631
02:58:04.479 --> 02:58:20.720
>> I go quickly. Thank you. Well, she uh Karen covered a lot that I didn't. So, um Town Force Committee and Conservation Commission at the same meeting. Um on the 28th, they had a tour of the archive room with Amelia downstairs. Um

632
02:58:20.720 --> 02:58:36.319
they're an incredible group of people in this commission and any help we can give them in bigger space would be greatly appreciated. They're doing a really lot of hard work. Um couple of weeks of Bask interviews. We have our final set on Thursday. I think Sal and I are

633
02:58:36.319 --> 02:58:51.600
exhausted. [laughter] Um, Commission on Disabilities meeting. It was a great meeting. It's a great group of people, Albert and all of them. It's going to be wonderful. They're just still working. Talked about a lot of ideas and um where the group is going to

634
02:58:51.600 --> 02:59:07.279
go. Um, I took a tour of the Birch Meadow Compost Program with the Reading Compost Group, which was really cool. And those kids have it down to a science, let me tell you. Um, so we talked about trying to figure out how to get the rest of the

635
02:59:07.279 --> 02:59:23.920
school district on board with it because I think the town wants that to happen. So, um, they're working on that. Uh, historical commission meeting. Um, they they have a very long agenda. They have a lot of things that they a lot of moving and shaking things. Um,

636
02:59:23.920 --> 02:59:39.600
pride parade, great day. I did not see the doggy parade, but um, it was it was a really good day. A lot of people showed up. uh permanent building committee last night and to the DPW which I loved and I thank them immensely

637
02:59:39.600 --> 02:59:55.760
for showing us around and being so professional and I really admire the group of people that are over there and um I'm going to have office hours on the 25th at the Reading Housing Authority Tannerville property from 4 to 5:30. >> Thank you.

638
02:59:55.760 --> 03:00:10.800
>> That's it. You want to go? >> That's it. >> I one page. Can you believe it? and I cut it down. [laughter] >> You say so. Um, so following up on um the

639
03:00:10.800 --> 03:00:26.479
uh police funding thing that was on the prior agenda uh on last last meeting's agenda. Um I spoke to Chief Clark regarding the the billing scenario that was on um that I had questioned. Um and

640
03:00:26.479 --> 03:00:41.760
it as it turns out there is a 4hour minimum. Um and then anything over the four hours is build hourly. So the um facts and figures that were in the um presentation that was prepared were

641
03:00:41.760 --> 03:00:59.840
accurate. Um so it's good to see that they are on top of things. But um from my viewpoint um I will always just scrutinize any kind of billing records especially with us going into an override. So it's you know doesn't

642
03:00:59.840 --> 03:01:17.359
matter which department it ends up being. I'm always going to be just looking at things you know and uh not accusing but just you know we're the oversight on this other than Jane and staff doing the day-to-day thing. So, um

643
03:01:17.359 --> 03:01:33.279
it's good to see that that is uh is working how it's supposed to. Um conservation, um Chuck sent me, uh an email that NextStep Ministries are back in town again and they've already done um 30

644
03:01:33.279 --> 03:01:50.240
feet out of 100 ft of boardwalk um connecting Pineville um to Washington Park. So, it's good to see them back. I think it's what, three years in a row? Uh, no, fifth. Sorry, I'm downplaying it. That um those volunteers have come

645
03:01:50.240 --> 03:02:07.680
in here from out of state and just, you know, really made a significant impact on on um on our various trails around here. So, it's good to see that continuing. um uh the school committee uh at the last

646
03:02:07.680 --> 03:02:26.080
meeting um Sean Brandt was reelected chair and Lar uh Durgovich was vice chair. It was also Dr. Milichsky's uh last meeting um before he takes the new position in uh Florida. So um it was

647
03:02:26.080 --> 03:02:42.640
good to see his whole family showed up um with all the kids and everything. Um, and I just want to give a a shout out to um resident Alicia Williams who ended up making all personalized towels for the

648
03:02:42.640 --> 03:02:59.279
Milichsky family. All the kids, I think there's like five or six um all with their names on it. And to me, when you make a premeditated gift like that, that you know, that isn't some last minute kind of thing. Um, so you know, uh,

649
03:02:59.279 --> 03:03:17.439
kudos to Alicia for going ahead and and doing that. It was, you know, um, it was definitely a surprise to me and as well for his family. So, I wish him the best. He's done a phenomenal job here in the last uh, 5 years with Reading. um you

650
03:03:17.439 --> 03:03:34.800
know a a lot of a lot of [snorts] national scenarios never played out uh under his tenure here. Um I don't think I can name a single one by either him or any of the principles and everything. Um, so

651
03:03:34.800 --> 03:03:50.960
hopefully for me that continues um, uh, into the next administration because, you know, um, I'd like to think Tom, uh, brought things back to being academics and excellence and everything. Um, and I would really like to see that

652
03:03:50.960 --> 03:04:07.120
continue going forward and and I'm optimistic and, you know, we'll see how it goes. And then we did the DPW tour as well. Um, it's wild to learn about all the various things that the DPW does and

653
03:04:07.120 --> 03:04:23.439
the water tower and how they're monitoring it every single day for levels and increasing the flow from the MWR. Um, so you know, uh, those group of guys that were over there really know what they're talking about. You know what I mean? Like I can talk about security

654
03:04:23.439 --> 03:04:38.880
cameras and wireless for days and they're just spouting off everything with water and surveys and everything. And you know, it was pretty great to see. Um, and they do have new chairs, which is good that they got for a grant, so they're very comfortable over there.

655
03:04:38.880 --> 03:04:53.920
>> Um, >> well, in the break room. >> In the break room >> when they get to sit down, which isn't very often. >> Some other offices had some nicer chairs than these, Jane. There was some nice chairs, >> some I imagine. >> Oh, yes. >> I saw

656
03:04:53.920 --> 03:05:09.600
>> they're very seasoned. Um, and then what else did I have? DPW, Tom, Police, Sher. Nope, I think that is it. I'm probably forgetting something, but all set.

657
03:05:09.600 --> 03:05:25.520
>> So, >> I haven't started my leazison really except for fast. I've been pretty busy for the past three weeks, >> me and Karen. Um it's really nice to see all the volunteers, a lot of new new um applications, not incumbents, which is

658
03:05:25.520 --> 03:05:41.120
great, great to see. >> Um we're actually learning a lot about the boards because we've been questioning the incumbents on how things are going and what we can help them with. Um so I've been learning about the boards that way. >> So it's great experience for being new

659
03:05:41.120 --> 03:05:59.120
on the board. Yeah. >> Yeah, it is a good >> Yeah, it's a good good exercise, >> but it is a heavy lesson. So, thank you both. >> Um, I was or listened into the school committee meeting on May 28th where they

660
03:05:59.120 --> 03:06:15.279
did their focus on excellence on the valid Victorian for the class of 2026 and Saluran which um valid Victorian was Amelia Barrowski. So, congratulations to her. She's attending Georgetown University. and the salatoran was Indigo

661
03:06:15.279 --> 03:06:31.840
Buco and I'm hoping I pronounced the name correctly and is going to Amherst College in the fall. Um I was also at the June 5th school committee meeting where before that uh official school committee meeting they had the staff recognition ceremony where they

662
03:06:31.840 --> 03:06:48.000
recognized um professional teacher status, longevity awards. We have teachers that are here 40 years. Um there were some retirements um also distinguished teacher awards and distinguished staff awards that went to IT facilities, food services, family

663
03:06:48.000 --> 03:07:07.120
engagement and student support roles. Um during that meeting um they reading Education Foundation also brought a check for $40,000 that they've raised this year um mainly from Festival of Trees. Um, and they the way that works,

664
03:07:07.120 --> 03:07:24.080
which I didn't realize is they have like teachers apply for like grants and that's how they draw from that. So, that was really interesting to hear how they work that program and uh thank you for them and all the work that they put in to bring that money to the schools. Um, it was great to hear uh and see everyone

665
03:07:24.080 --> 03:07:39.200
there for Dr. Milichesky. Um, he has done an incredible job over the past 5 years. The one thing that stood out for to me the most is when he spoke um at the end the first person he thanked were the students and I thought that was

666
03:07:39.200 --> 03:07:56.479
really incredible and um it just kind of showed the type of person he was. So you know huge loss for writing but congratulations to him and his family. Um June yesterday I was at the appointment committee for bylaw committee PBC and pingcom and then we

667
03:07:56.479 --> 03:08:33.319
had the TBW joint. So, and if we don't have anything else, we'll move on to future agendas. Does uh do we have a draft? Maddie from um

668
03:08:42.399 --> 03:08:58.399
So, was it me or did they not talk about Mater last night >> at PBC? >> Yeah, >> I did wasn't there. I was doing appointments. So, I was not on. So, um >> not and I'm like >> I think it was quick. I'm just >> all of a sudden the meeting's over. I'm like, what did I miss?

669
03:08:58.399 --> 03:09:13.680
>> We missed it. >> Yeah. No, what happened is um the chair and a couple one or two other people sent comments to me um about matern and back to the chair. So, >> okay,

670
03:09:13.680 --> 03:09:29.359
>> they have based on the study that they paid for and um >> are we going to see the study? >> We are. Yeah. So, the idea was sort of like they would talk about it first and then we would bring it back to you. >> Oh, that's what I was waiting for and I'm like where is it? Okay. So, I didn't >> It was in their packet. It's in their

671
03:09:29.359 --> 03:09:45.760
packet. You'll also get it um in your packet when we talk about Matera cabin. And so >> um and I'll include the statements that came from the permanent building committee members who read it and give us feedback. >> Okay. Thank you very much. So

672
03:09:45.760 --> 03:10:03.800
>> will that will that be on the 23rd? >> Is that on for the 23rd? I can't read that. >> It's on here. That's why I just want to make sure. Is that enough time? >> Yeah. Report's done. Oh yeah. Okay. So, that will be on for the 23rd. Great. Okay.

673
03:10:03.920 --> 03:10:19.359
>> We're just going to put the boards in committee. >> Yep. >> Read. >> Uh yeah, the VAS assignments >> that's on for the >> No, I mean the 23950. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. The um FY board and

674
03:10:19.359 --> 03:10:35.359
committee funding that we discussed tonight. Yeah, we'll add that. >> Is there only one meeting in August? Um, one happy sound. You want more meetings? >> Just asking. We >> have no meetings. >> Does anyone else have anything they

675
03:10:35.359 --> 03:10:54.160
would like to add to future agenda? >> Is this everything we talked about last week? >> Um, maybe not. We haven't had our meeting yet to set the agenda for the 23rd. So, I have a list of items that I just have in future agenda items. Is there something specific that you're looking

676
03:10:54.160 --> 03:11:10.160
for? Um, last time we talked we talked about um >> the naming policy. >> Yep. >> Yep. >> Putting less on reports near the town managers report >> and we Yeah. And I think we discussed >> wondering how that was being handled. >> It It's

677
03:11:10.160 --> 03:11:26.000
we just The reason we moved it is for staff and residents so that when they're here, they're not sitting for the extra 15 20 minutes that it takes us to seem to go through those. So, I I don't really um and I think the discussion was

678
03:11:26.000 --> 03:11:43.600
is that if if they were nights where we didn't have residents and staff here, we'd move them back up to the earlier in the meeting. >> I mean, that wasn't a public discussion, so we should have a public discussion. Otherwise, we're going to violate open meanwhile. It was just a decision. >> I thought we actually did have a public discussion. If I keep talking about the

679
03:11:43.600 --> 03:12:02.800
agenda item, >> I'd love to have a discussion about it. sets the agenda is up to the chair. >> I will put it on a future agenda to have a full discussion on it. >> Thank you. >> Um I know we talked about having updates on

680
03:12:02.800 --> 03:12:18.319
the building projects. We have Eagle Scouts coming in. We're going to try to keep those in January going forward though. We talked about that. Um, and is there anything else that I'm missing that needs to go on a future agenda?

681
03:12:18.319 --> 03:12:33.920
>> Did we want to talk about um I know Nancy Doctor said something about the >> Mhm. >> the >> comment public comment. >> Yeah. Public comment like making it not so willy-nilly. I think she >> I'm happy to put that on a future

682
03:12:33.920 --> 03:12:48.399
agenda, but >> I don't know. I'm just if people want >> it's we did talk about it as a board and the chair at any time is allowed can offer public comment. >> So, >> okay.

683
03:12:48.399 --> 03:13:06.240
>> But um if the board would like to talk about it again, I'm happy to put it on. >> Yeah. I I was just addressing it because she said it. I mean, >> might as well talk about a little. >> Um, >> so, so what? I don't understand, just cuz I guess I'm new. I don't understand

684
03:13:06.240 --> 03:13:23.760
what her problem was with, with the way we were going to do it. >> I don't think we were clear. I think >> I think the way we was vague that it's written down that the chair and the vice chair can decide at some point that whether or not to open it up. So, >> so is her is her >> I don't think it's actually written anywhere. It was just a discussion we

685
03:13:23.760 --> 03:13:39.920
had. >> Is there an issue with her with it not being stated before the meeting? Is that what she was saying? >> And just like I >> think the issue is during the meeting we have public meeting at the beginning >> and then if we decide to have public public comments if we decide that all of

686
03:13:39.920 --> 03:13:55.920
a sudden we're going to open up public comment on another topic later in the meeting that that would be unfair to other people because they're not aware that there's going to be public comment. I think that's what >> she was addressing. I think that's what she I think she was saying it was felt arbitrary to her and I think that the

687
03:13:55.920 --> 03:14:11.439
board's intention was more and correct me if I'm wrong but I think that the board's intention was more like if a lot of people show up for a topic that you didn't anticipate was going to >> um garner a lot of attention >> yeah that's what her concern >> well she's saying that I think the

688
03:14:11.439 --> 03:14:26.080
board's saying we reserve the right that if a lot of people come and they're here we'll let them speak but maybe don't make a decision at that point or whatever >> it's my understanding the chair always gets to offer for public comment if it's at their discretion. >> That's correct. >> Not really changed anything.

689
03:14:26.080 --> 03:14:43.760
>> No, we already we voted at the last meeting to change the way that we did public comment to put it only back at the beginning and then have it be up to chair vice chair scenario whether or not you know to take public comment on something else. That is always the case

690
03:14:43.760 --> 03:15:01.279
in perpetuity regardless of board uh policies or not. It is always up to the chair to allow public comment on any item at any time. The catch is if you allow it on say the debate over the

691
03:15:01.279 --> 03:15:19.359
boards and committee asking um uh for funding kind of thing, you have to allow it for everybody. If you don't, that is when you end up in the gray area for open meeting law. Other than that, you are allowed to do whatever you want to do. It is up to the chair to make that

692
03:15:19.359 --> 03:15:35.840
decision and if Melissa takes comment, she takes it for everyone. If she doesn't, then she doesn't take it for anyone. But other than that, anybody can speak at the beginning um on any topic at you know during that scheduled time. I see zero issue with the way that we

693
03:15:35.840 --> 03:15:53.279
did it. It may be some gray area kind of thing, but we we are taking the the best of both worlds is what we did. we want to allow somebody to maybe say something that you know is pertinent to the discussion like it it's always been like that that the chair could always make

694
03:15:53.279 --> 03:16:09.520
that determination regardless >> but they have to do it for everyone >> so the chair can open it up to public comment >> regardless of what our policy was >> and it's actually always what's happened like if you you can watch back years of meetings and occasionally the chair

695
03:16:09.520 --> 03:16:23.680
decides to allow people to speak >> yeah I'm just asking I don't really It it just it's we said it and then it became >> I don't know. >> The goal of Melissa in Karen [clears throat] Rose Gillis was to

696
03:16:23.680 --> 03:16:38.880
alleviate any kind of whatever and it now has seemed to morph into that's not good enough. Um and that it's potentially open meeting law. It is not. that that I don't know if I have to

697
03:16:38.880 --> 03:16:55.040
remind everybody, but for the last 390 days or something, it's been now, zero open meeting law complaints against us. And believe me, >> people would have loved to file some. >> You know what? We're getting off topic. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, I don't want to do that. Um, if the

698
03:16:55.040 --> 03:17:10.479
board really would like it back on as an agenda item, I am open to it. Um, I don't think it's necessary, but I am open to what the board would like to do on that. Um, if we don't have any other comments right now on future agendas, we're just going to move on to minutes.

699
03:17:10.479 --> 03:17:26.479
>> If it's just normal business and I don't >> I'm sorry. Say that again. Chris, >> if it's just normal business, like I just didn't know it was normal business. >> Yeah. No, it's fair. But if like I said, if we want to have a I I personally think that one thing, and it's a heavy lift right now, and I understand that,

700
03:17:26.479 --> 03:17:41.600
is that one thing I would like to get on is to establish some sort of subcommittee to go over our select board policies. all of them because I think a lot of times we have these discussions about what they are and and again they're kind of arbitrary because

701
03:17:41.600 --> 03:17:58.319
there's no you don't follow them. I mean there's no >> consequence for that but I mean I think it it should happen but I know it's a heavy lift right now with everything that we have going on. So >> um let's move on to our minutes. Maddie, did you get any changes? >> No, I did not.

702
03:17:58.319 --> 03:18:18.080
>> Okay. If we have a motion, move to approve the meeting minutes of May 6th as presented. >> Second. Seconded by Karen Rose Gillis. Um, any further discussion? All those in favor? 5 Z?

703
03:18:18.080 --> 03:18:35.200
>> Motion to return. >> Oh, one more. Sorry. >> Oh, I'm sorry. There's another one. >> To approve the meeting minutes of May 26th, 2026 as presented. >> Uh, second by S. Um any further discussion? All those in favor? 5 Z and

704
03:18:35.200 --> 03:18:46.680
motion to adjourn. [laughter] >> Second. >> Second by S. All those I don't know. All those in favor. 5 Z. Have a good night everyone. Everybody.