Part II
Reading, MA — As Town Meeting approaches on April 24, The Reading Post sat down with Town Manager Fidel Maltez to preview the warrant, which is the agenda for the business that will be conducted at the meeting. The warrant is twenty-three articles long, and Maltez suggested it could take upwards of three nights to complete. Part one of this series previewed the warrant through article thirteen.
Article fourteen asks Town Meeting to transfer funds from other completed projects to fully fund phase one of the Birch Meadow Improvement project. The Select Board previously authorized $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for the project, but the bids to complete the project came in $1.22 million higher than anticipated. Maltez proposes to fund the difference through debt which has already been authorized but was not needed for other projects. These include $600,000 from the Parker Middle School roof project and$180,000 from the Police Station renovation project. Maltez also proposes using $440,000 from the 40R District Incentive payments from the state. This last source of funding has a balance of $917,000 and can only be used for capital projects. Maltez indicated that both the Select Board and FinCom suggested that after many years of planning, “it’s time” to begin the Birch Meadow project.
Authorization for the funding needed for the Gazebo Circle Pump Station Project is the substance of article fifteen. To cover the costs, it is proposed to transfer $252,432.41 from the funds borrowed for the completed Grove Street water main project. This project includes construction of the station and installation of the mechanical equipment and water mains to and from the station. The project will improve water flow in the entire Gazebo Circle area, which is needed for safety reasons. The project is expected to go out to bid this spring.
Article sixteen is similar to the prior two in that it asks to transfer $965,486.81 of previously approved debt to complete the downtown water main project. If approved, $658,971.72 would be transferred from the Main Street water main cleaning and lining project, and $306,515.09 would be transferred from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) water improvements project. The water main project downtown has been affected by growing construction costs, inflation, and supply chain issues; Maltez shared that these transfers will allow the projects to have ample funding to be completed.
Article seventeen asks the town to accept $1,040,000 from the MWRA, 75% as a grant, and 25% as an interest-free loan to be paid back over two years. If Town Meeting approves, the town will use the funding to continue with its program to remove unwanted sewage flows, reducing assessments from the MWRA. Improvements include utility hole rehabilitation and the replacement of sewers.
Article eighteen rescinds $402,000 of debt authorization for the replacement of “turf II” at Reading Memorial High School. In April 2019, Town Meeting authorized $2,225,000 for the project. Fortunately, the project was completed under budget, and the extra debt is no longer needed.
Article nineteen is a proposed bylaw amendment that would change the requirement for new employees to submit to a medical examination prior to employment by the town. The current bylaw requires all employees to have an exam prior to starting their duties. Maltez shared that Town Counsel has advised that the current bylaw could open the town to a discrimination lawsuit. Maltez also noted that many positions in municipal government require little to no physical exertion. The proposed bylaw would state that medical examinations shall be governed by applicable personnel policies, or by state or federal law. This would indicate that the examinations may still be required for new employees whose positions do require physical activity, such as firefighters or certain public works employees.
Dog licensing late fees are the substance of article twenty. If approved, the late fee for failure to register a dog would be set at $10. Currently, there is a $10 fee with a $5 escalator each month. Maltez indicated that this process has become cumbersome for staff and could be more manageable for residents.
Article twenty-one, authorizing the purchase of the building at 17 Harnden for municipal purposes, and article twenty-two, adoption of a per-kilowatt hour charge to qualify for Green Communities designation, will both be indefinitely postponed as neither is ready for Town Meeting action. Maltez shared that the Select Board is continuing active negotiations with the owners of 17 Harnden Street and that progress is being made. The state has yet to produce guidelines for municipal light companies serving multiple communities under Green Communities.
The final article, twenty-three, asks Town Meeting if it chooses to remove thirteen members who attended less than fifty percent of the sessions in the prior year. Each precinct votes prior to the commencement of the meeting to make recommendations to Town Meeting about removal. The warrant notes that forty-two Town Meeting members attended all seven sessions in 2022.
Continue to follow The Reading Post’s continuing coverage of Annual Town Meeting as it begins on April 24.
