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Dear Editor and Citizens of Reading:
At the Select Board Meeting on June 18, the Board voted to appoint candidates to various volunteer boards and committees in Town. I have been a member of the Community Planning and Development Commission for a year and asked to be reappointed for a 3-year term. Tony D’Arezzo, a 6-year member of the CPDC, was also up for reappointment. Unfortunately, the Select Board voted to not reappoint us and to appoint two new candidates (one who submitted his application on June 10). The reason that three members of the Select Board gave for appointing new members is that the MBTA Communities Act Zoning is too important, and new members are needed to redirect the effort. The current CPDC is not “listening to the residents”.
I have several issues with this short-sightedness:
I have been a resident of Reading for 44 years (Mr. Haley thought I was new to town, so he obviously didn’t check my qualifications) and have been on numerous Town committees (Hazardous Waste, Water & Sewer Advisory, Conservation Commission, Trails, Town Forest, CPDC) so my commitment to the town is obvious.
I am involved in Reading Lions Club and AARP Tax Aide program and have in the past been involved in Reading Youth Soccer and Boy Scout Troop 52.
I am a registered professional engineer with 44 years of experience in municipal infrastructure planning, design and construction including 10 years as a Director of Public Works. I did many Planning Board reviews for new developments throughout my career and am a certified stormwater professional. These skills and experience are extremely valuable to the CPDC.
During the Volunteer Appointment Subcommittee Interview, I was never asked about the MBTA Communities Act, and it was never discussed except to thank me for the work the CPDC was doing to develop the plan. I’m not sure why the Select Board feels that I won’t do what is best for the Town and what the residents want. They never asked me. While I don’t agree with the Law, the CPDC is charged with developing a plan to present to Town meeting and we were doing our best to review and present all of the options.
The MBTA Communities Act is a complicated zoning law, and the CPDC has worked hard to get citizen input, including 14 public workshops, presentations, and hearings. The Town Planning Staff has responded to public comment throughout this process. However, the Select Board has not provided the CDPC with any comments or direction throughout this process. We are currently considering 6 different alternatives, all with different impacts to our Town, so the CPDC and Town Planning Staff ARE listening to the residents.
One of the two new members who was appointed is a real estate developer. I’m not sure this is who we want setting zoning law for Reading. As one resident stated at the June Public Meeting, “This is a developers dream come true.”
I guess the three Select Board members want their guys on the CPDC so that they can steer the process (I’m still not sure where they want it to go). The Select Board need to focus on what is best for the Town, and not their personal agendas. This is only dividing the Town and discouraging residents for staying involved. I’m done providing my time and experience to the Town of Reading and will no longer be volunteering for Town Boards and Committees.
Mark Wetzel
