HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-07-30 ad Hoc - Community Preservation Act Study Committee MinutesTown of Reading
;I Meeting Minutes
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Committee
Date: 2024-07-30
Building: Reading Town Hall
Address: 16 Lowell Street
Purpose: General Business
Attendees: Members - Present:
Ad Hoc Community Preservation Study
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Select Board Meeting Room
Session: Open Session
Version: Final
Chair Joe Carnahan (remote), Vice Chair Sarah Brukilacchio (remote), Carlo
Bacci, Margaret Donnelly -Moran (remote), Eric Gaffen, Sandy Matathia,
Martha Moore; Advisory Member Katie Gallant
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jacquelyn LaVerde
Topics of Discussion:
This meeting was held in-person in the Select Board Meeting Room of Town Hall and
remotely via Zoom.
Call to order and welcome
Following some minor technical difficulties, Chair Joe Carnahan called the meeting to order
at 7:39 pm.
Roll call: Sandy Matathia, Martha Moore, Eric Gaffen, Carlo Bacci, Margaret Donnelly -Moran
(remote), Sarah Brukilacchio (remote), Katie Gallant (remote), Joe Carnahan (remote).
Liaison reports
Eric Gaffen stated that there is wide support for adopting the Community Preservation Act
(CPA) on the Recreation Committee.
Joe Carnahan shared information that he shared with the Finance Committee. He contacted
Principal Assessor, Victor Santaniello, and received a spreadsheet of the assessed value and
type of every property In Reading. He put the information into a spreadsheet and calculated
the average and median Impacts for single family homes, condos, and commercial
properties, and an estimate of how much the Town would collect at which surcharge rates.
At the last meeting, Chase Mack from the Community Preservation Coalition met with the
Committee and was negative about getting CPA on the ballot for November.
The Committee discussed whether to recommend against November to the Select Board,
and to ask to amend the charge.
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Carlo Bacci suggested presenting bullet points to the Select Board including possible
exemptions, the rates the Study Committee do not recommend and why, how a ballot
committee should be formed, and what the Study Committee has leamed to date.
Margaret Donnelly -Moran noted that making a specific recommendation now could be a
disservice for an election that is two years away, as there could be changes, such as with
the legislature, between now and then, that could make a higher rate more advantageous.
Sandy Matathia noted that it is not practically feasible to go to ballot this November given
the timeline of scheduling a special Town Meeting or submitting a petition. With neither
teed up, it is too late to get to November. He noted that the ballot committee should be
created before the Study Committee sunsets. Martha Moore agreed and noted that it would
be helpful for the Study Committee to hand all the information it has gathered to the ballot
committee.
Mr. Bacci stated that he will give a liaison report for CPA at the next Select Board meeting
on August 20' , and will add the presentation by the Study Committee to the agenda for a
meeting in September. The Study Committee can request the extension in their
presentation, and the Select Board can vote at their subsequent meeting.
Eric Gaffen noted that it would be beneficial to keep the Study Committee going until April
2026, and present to Town Meeting. Mr. Matathia agreed that this Committee should put
together a proposal and a reason for it. He recommended creating a schedule for what
needs to happen and when, and which responsibilities belong to the Study Committee, and
which would fall under the ballot committee.
Mr. Matathla noted some clarifications that could be made to the prior meeting minutes.
Because the Committee was uncertain of when those parts of the conversation occurred, it
was agreed to include the descriptions In the minutes for this meeting:
When should the ballot committee be formed?
At latest, when any group decides to start fundraising for yes or no. Forming a ballot
committee at an earlier time would avoid constraints on broadly disseminated public
education materials.
"The charge of the Study Committee ends when it presents to the Select Board" should
really be "presents to Town Meeting."
The consensus of the Committee was that the CPA is worth pursuing, but there is not
enough time to put a campaign together in time to be successful at the November 2024
election. The Study Committee could ask to extend its charge to April 2026, to continue
their work investigating the appropriate surcharge to recommend, exemptions to consider,
and when to put it on the ballot. The Committee would then present at the Annual Town
Meeting in April 2026, for the November 2026 state election. A petition could be the
fallback plan if it does not pass at Town Meeting.
On a motion by Martha Moore, seconded by Eric Gaffen, the ad hoc Community
Preservation Act (CPA) Study Committee voted 7-0-0 to strongly support adopting
the CPA in Reading. Based on data received and discussion the Study Committee
has determined there is not enough time for the CPA to be considered for the
November 2024 election, and should be considered for a future election. The Study
Committee will present detailed recommendations to the Select Board at a later
time.
Roll call vote: Sandy Matathia - Yes, Martha Moore - Yes, Eric Gaffen - Yes, Carlo
Bacci - Yes, Margaret Donnelly -Moran - Yes, Sarah Brukilacchio - Yes, Joe
Carnahan - Yes.
Discuss contacting CPA Representatives from other communities (Natick.
Winchester)
Joe Carnahan stated that he contacted Ganesh, who led the Natick CPA effort. He heard
back but has not yet been able to respond back. Eric Gaffen volunteered to work with
Ganesh moving forward.
The Committee will hold off on contacting Winchester's campaign committee until after their
election in November.
Margaret Donnelly-Moran left the meeting at 8:46 pm.
Discuss future meetings and agendas
The Committee discussed and agreed to hold the next meetings on August 271M1, and
tentatively on September 17th (pending confirmation of the Select Board meeting schedule).
Future agendas will include the standing topics, revised charge, and possible discussion with
Natick's CPA Campaign representative. If the charge is extended, meetings can focus on
the standing topic questions.
Mr. Carnahan asked members to review the proposed changes to the charge, and share any
suggestions with staff for distribution ahead of the next meeting.
Discuss and aoorove meeting minutes from July 9, 2024
On a motion by Martha Moore, seconded by Eric Gaffen, the Ad Hoc Community
Preservation Act Study Committee voted 5-0-1 to approve the meeting minutes of
]uly 9, 2024 as written, with Carlo Bacci abstaining, as he was not present at that
meeting.
Roll call vote: Sandy Matathia - Yes, Martha Moore - Yes, Eric Gaffen - Yes, Carlo
Bacci - Abstain, Sarah Brukilacchio - Yes, Joe Carnahan - Yes.
On a motion by Eric Gaffen, seconded by Sandy Matathia, the Ad Hoc Community
Preservation Act Study Committee voted 6-0-0 to adjourn at 9:13 pm.
Roll call vote: Sandy Matathia - Yes, Martha Moore - Yes, Eric Gaffen - Yes, Carlo
Bacci - Yes, Sarah Brukilacchio - Yes, Joe Carnahan - Yes.
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