The following article has been submitted by a candidate for the April 5, 2022, Reading Election
To the voters of Reading
With gratitude to those who voted for me in the past to serve, I put forth my reasons for being a candidate for re-election to the Reading Municipal Light Board.
Over my 35 years of service to the citizens and ratepayers of the Reading Municipal Light Department, I have been dedicated to meeting and solving the challenges faced by the department and its ratepayers. At the same time, I have gained valuable experience in all utility affairs. I will continue to use this vast array of institutional knowledge and experience in the best way to solve the challenges the department faces to the benefit of all concerned.
I seek reelection because I believe there are challenges that the Department and the Board will face. I feel that my experience is needed just as much now as in the past.
Recently the RMLD General Manager announced her retirement effective June 30. It is my belief that my 35 years of experience will be invaluable in the finding and selecting the next General Manager. Further, my experience will greatly aid in any transition period before a new General Manager is in place. I have led and been involved in the 3 previous manager searches and hirings. Thru networking with other managers, members of other light boards, other individuals in the utility industry, and local officials plus my institutional knowledge I have a great deal of knowing what is needed to be a successful manager. I pledge to apply that knowledge in finding and hiring a new Manager plus working with that new Manager going forward.
I commit as part of any economic development to foster any economic development of the RMLD buildings on Ash St and the buildings behind the present RMLD headquarters. I have experience since I was the Chair of the committee that put the RMLD former headquarters on Haven Street back on the Reading tax rolls.
The Board has in place Sustainable Energy Policies that are designed to transition the RMLD power supply portfolio toward specific State mandated sustainable resource targets. I pledge to strive to see that the RMLD meets those goals in a reasonable fashion.
At the RMLD I am considered by many to be “The Voice of Reason”. If reelected I pledge to continue to be that “Voice of Reason”.
I pledge to always be mindful of the rates that are charged to all RMLD ratepayers.
My business background is that I am a Certified Public Accountant and the Managing Partner of a Boston audit, financial, and tax accounting firm.
I look back with pride on the many accomplishments during my tenure. Too numerous to detail everything here.
My most major accomplishment during my tenure was that I was directly involved in is the resolution of the RMLD’s differences with the Town of Wilmington and the resultant settlement agreement. I was one of the architects of what is known as the 20-year agreement in the late 1980s. The agreement resulted in the towns of Wilmington, North Reading, and Lynnfield not leaving the Reading system. If the towns had left the system it would have resulted in more costly rates to the ratepayers to this very day. The agreement has recently been renewed and will provide the benefits of lower rates via greater long-term power planning thru the next 20 years.
The agreement also put in place the Citizen Advisory Board, whose intent was to give a voice to the ratepayers in all the towns and allows payments to all the towns.
I am proud that for over 40 years from its inception, this agreement is still proving to be functional and beneficial to all four towns and the RMLD ratepayers and that the benefits will continue for another 20 years.
As an example of my commitment to energy efficiency, I have been an advocate for electrical vehicle charging stations to be placed in Reading particularly in the downtown Reading area and the Reading depot area. With a recent State grant that advocacy will become a reality.
My experience as Chair of the RMLD at various times, as a past Chair of the Finance Committee, as a past Chair of the Bylaw Committee, as a member of the Town Meeting as well as my business background has and will continue to help me meet the challenges of the Light Board.
I ask for your vote to re-elect me to the RMLD Board on Election Day on April 5.
Experience Counts.
Philip B. Pacino
Candidate for reelection, RMLD Board of Commissioners
