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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-10-21 Select Board Minutesora �N ��.. Town of Reading RECEIVEU G. TOWN CLERK 0F :I Meeting Minutes REAItN oe Boardrd -� -Committee -Commission -Council: 2025 NOV —5 AM 8:44 Select Board Date: 2025-10-21 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Select Board Meeting Room Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session Purpose: General Business Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Chris Haley, Melissa Murphy, Karen Rose -Gillis, Carlo Bacci, Karen Gately Herrick Members - Not Present: Others Present: Town Manager Matt Kraunelis, Assistant Town Manager Jayne Wellman, Chief Assessor Victor Santaniello, Community Development Director Andrew MacNichol, Senior Planner - Economic Development Kevin McCarthy, Jason Carron, Abigail Bacci, Beatrice Bernard, Nancy Docktor, Gera Pilyaysky, Joseph Carnahan, CFO Sharon Angstrom (Remote), Human Resources Director Sean Donahue (Remote), Facilities Director Joe Huggins (Remote), Assistant Facilities Director Kevin Cabuzzi (Remote), Computer Technician Tim Johnson (Remote), RCN Studios (Remote), Angela Binda (Remote), Ed Ross (Remote) Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Madeleine Baptiste Topics of Discussion: This meetingwas held in the Town Hall Select Board Room and Remotely Via Zoom. Vice Chair Melissa Murphy called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM and provided a brief overview of the evening's agenda. Public Comment (For any hems not included on the agenda) Nancy Docktor of Pearl Street expressed her feelings that meeting minutes to be voted on this evening should include Mr. Baca's comments from a previous meeting. Gena Pilyaysky of Harriman Avenue stated that the Town Meeting Members of Precinct 7 are holding a public meeting on Thursday October 30" in the Community Room at the Library to engage with the public and Precinct 7 residents to get feedback and discuss upcoming Town Meeting articles. Town Manager Matt Kraunelis noted that the Downtown Trick or Treat Event will be on October 280 from 4:00 pm-5:30 pm and will be Downtown and at Town Hall. He stated that on October 27e the Eastern Gateway Community Meeting will be at 6:00 pm at the Library and is an opportunity to get an update on project plans and for public feedback. Also on October 2F, there will be a Special Select Board meeting starting at 7:00 pm taking piece at the Reading Memorial High School Performing Arts Center to hear presentations from the Reading Tumback Committee and discuss the MBTA Turnback Track and encouraged the entire Town to attend. Mr. Kraunelis also highlighted two other events happening on October 28" which include the Connected Reading Event to be held at the Library from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm where the community is welcomed to meet Town departments and other organizations and the Bylaw Page 1 1 Committee's Zoom Only Public Forum will be hosted regarding the Snow Shoveling Bylaw Article starting at 7:30 pm. He shared that members of Town Staff participated in a professional development team day, and he thanked both MIIA and Transformative Leadership Strategies for putting together a great day of training. Lastly, he highlighted that the Town's Veterans Day Celebration will take place on November 11 at 11:00 am at Memorial Park and he encouraged the Public to attend and honor the Veterans. Angela Binda of Orchard Park Drive asked for an update on the status of the Burbank contract and when it will be signed. Melissa Murphy encouraged Ms. Binds to reach out to Town staff to receive an update on this. Community SootliaM Town Manager Matt Kraunelis highlighted the Town's Public Health Nurse, Liv Bartolomei, for being valuable asset to both the Health Department and the Senior Citizens in Town. He stated that she is doing an excellent job, and he has received lots of positive feedback regarding Liv's work and thanked her for giving her all to the Town. He also highlighted Whitelam Books on their 81 anniversary in Reading. He concluded by congratulating them and said he could not imagine Reading without them. Karen Gately Herrick asked if there was an estimated opening time for Mattera Cabin. Assistant Town Manager Jayne Wellman said there is not an estimate right now and she plans to bring the Board an update as soon as she can. Chris Haley commended Public Health Nurse Liv Bartolomei on her dedication to serving the public and thanked her for helping his family. Amanda Haley of Tennyson Road expressed her gratitude to Public Health Nurse Liv Bartolomei as well and noted that Liv was very helpful to her in a time of sickness and thanked her for her incredible work and for going above and beyond. Due to the appearance of a conflict, Chris Haley and Carlo Bacci recused themselves from discussion on this agenda item. Chief Assessor Victor Santaniello presented information to the Board about the Fiscal Year 2026 Tax Classification. He covered topics including what actions are required by the Board, details on the Tax Rates, Senior Circuit Breaker details, and noted that with the FY 2026 debt exclusion being zero, this adds zero to the Residential Tax Rate, average single-family home, and average commercial property rate. He noted that FY 26 assumes the same 1.11 shift interval from FY 25 for commercial tax rates. Mr. Santaniello also provided examples from Reading's neighboring communities for rate comparisons and discussed residential and commercial exemptions. Karen Rose -Gillis thanked Victor for meeting with her and providing an explanation on this info. Karen Gately Herrick expressed concern with the senior circuit breaker as it shifts to residential taxpayers. She expressed that she is happy to be able to provide this for seniors but wished it helped a greater number of them. Victor explained that this shift must be on residential payers and cannot be on commercial. Ms. Hercick and Mr. Santaniello agreed that lots of seniors could benefit and may not be applying for it. Victor stated that the Assessor's Office puts in great effort to make more seniors aware of this circuit breaker to help them. Melissa Murphy stated that the Board needs to be cautious of the residential and commercial split and that she is mindful of not wanting to overburden small businesses. In speaking as a member of the Public, Carlo Bocci stated that it is difficult climate for businesses and as a resident advocate, he feels there should be no further shift for the commercial tax rate given the raise in the median value. In speaking as a member of the Public, Chris Haley noted that small businesses would greatly benefit from the small commercial exemption, yet it is not realistic due to the current qualifications. He also stated a few years prior, to advocate for small businesses, Mr. Haley reached out to State Officials such as Senator Jason Lewis, and Representatives Richard Haggerty and Bradley Jones. Mr. Haley then stated that the Joint Committee on Revenue will hold a Public Hearing on November 7° regarding this exemption and Mr. Haley stated his belief that this would help many communities, including Reading, if passed. Angela Binda of Orchard Park Drive expressed concern with the commercial tax projection going down if there is no shift. She continued to state her suggestion of adjusting the rates to have a rise in commercial property taxes to balance the increase of residential and commercial rates. Vote to Close Special Town Meeting Warren Page 1 2 Town Manager Matt Kraunelis stated that after the Subsequent Town Meeting Warrant was closed, he discovered that the legislation for the Senior Property Tax Exemption needed to be renewed as it expires at the end of the fiscal year. In consulting with Mr. Santaniello, it was deemed cutting it too close to be put forward in April Town Meeting and it will need to go to Town Meeting 1n November as part of this Special Town Meeting Warrant. Mr. Kraunelis continued to say that while they had this Special Town Meeting Warrant open, at the Board's recommendation, he added an article on establishing a Commission on Disability instead of waiting until April Town Meeting. Lastly, Mr. Kraunelis explained that another article was added to the Special Town Meeting Warrant in conjunction with Article 5 on the Subsequent Town Meeting Warrant, this article is to reallocate funds to the Kiltam School Building Project. Karen Rose -Gillis moved to close the Special Town Meeting Warrant consisting of 4 Articles to take place on November 10, 2025. The motion was seconded by Karen Gately Herrick and approved by a vote of 5-0. Community Development Director Andrew MacNichol explained that the purpose of this application is to submit to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to approve the local requirement of three affordable housing units at 258-262 Main Street and submission of this application will then allow the process of putting regulatory agreements in place. He noted that the units will be monitored annually by the Town. Karen Rose -Gillis moved to support the Local Initiative Program Application for Local Action Units to be submitted with the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities by BLVD Reading, LLC for a lot of land at 258-262 Main Street, Reading, and to authorize the Town Manager to sign said application and any other documents necessary to support BLVD's application for the Local Action Units. The motion was seconded by Karen Gately Herrick and approved by a vote of 5-0. Chair Chris Haley explained that the sections to be amended to the Board's Communication Policy, put forth tonight for discussion and a vote, have been reviewed and approved by Town Counsel. He noted that these sections are not to infringe upon rights but more to act in the spirit of the Select Board valuing people's opinions and not silencing them and to limit cell phone use in meetings to maintain a focused environment. Karen Rose -Gillis noted that while not a user of social media, she believes that there is a complexity of regulating social media use and knows that there needs to be some sort of policy in place but questioned the details. She also suggested the removal of Board members using Town Counsel from the social media section. Ms. Rose -Gillis referenced an email sent by a resident who brought up Board Members contributing to or owning local news sites. (See Appendix) Carlo Bacci expressed that his interpretation of these added sections was in reference to campaign pages and not personal ones. Both Mr. Bacci and Ms. Rose -Gillis agreed that the distinction of public campaign vs personal page in the social media section needs clarification. Melissa Murphy noted that complexity is further raised due to some current cases in the Supreme Court, without rulings, that deal with elected officials or public officials posting public content on a private page and it creates a gray area of public vs. private. Chair Haley emphasized that Board Members do not lose their personal rights as residents by being Select Board Members. Karen Gately Herrick expressed no issues with the cell phone policy addition and further stated that she prefers to take notes on her cell phone and will continue to use it in meetings for that purpose. She stated that she feels that the social media addition needs to be further clarified. Both Ms. Rose -Gillis and Ms. Gately Herrick agreed that Board members should refrain from discussing topics that go before the Board on social media because it creates the possibility of violating Open Meeting Law. Board Members agreed that they are comfortable with removing the use of Town Counsel from the addition. Angela Binds of Orchard Park Drive expressed concern that during this evening's meeting, Chris Haley was using his phone during the portion of the meeting where he recused himself from discussion on the Tax Page 13 Classification and was sitting as a member of the public. She expressed further concern for this being a violation of the rule that he wishes to enact and suggested that they do not approve these policy additions tonight. Chris Haley responded in stating that he was acting in his capacity as a resident at that time and these policies do not restrict his rights. Karen Rose -Gillis moved to amend Section 1 A of the Select Board policies by adopting a new Section 1.4.3, entitled Social Media, with the removal of the last sentence of the policy. The motion was seconded by Chris Haley and approved by a vote of 4-1, with Karen Gately Herrick opposed. Karen Rose -Gillis moved to amend Section 1 A of the Select Board policies by adopting a new Section 1.4A, entitled Cell Phone Use, as presented today. The motion was seconded by Chris Haley and approved by a vote of 5-0. Finance Committee Chair Joe Carnahan explained to the Board that like other communities, the Finance Committee (FINCOM) has a variety of policies related to budget planning and capital expenditures, which have not been reviewed in a while. He added that the State offers a free service to review these policies with the FINCOM, and the Committee wants to take advantage of this. Mr. Carnahan concluded with saying that the Select Board must make this request for FINCOM as Town Executives. The Board was in support of FINCOM receiving this free review. Karen Rose -Gillis moved that the Board request a review of the town's financial policies from the Division of Local Services' Financial Management Resource Bureau. The motion was seconded by Karen Gately Herrick and approved by a vote of 5-0. Discuss and Vote to Instruct Town Manager to Explore Friday and Saturday Only Valet Parking License Agreements Chris Haley and Carlo Bacci both stated that this agenda item had been brought up at a previous meeting and the next step in the process would be for Town Manager Matt Kraunelis to work with Town Counsel to create a license agreement. Mr. Haley noted that he thinks this would be a way to generate revenue for the Town and support businesses. He continued to say that he understands the Police Department's concerns and emphasized that enforcement will be the responsibility of the restaurant not the Police Department. Town Manager Matt Kraunelis and Senior Planner Kevin McCarthy noted that they spoke with Jason Carron, owner of Post 1917, and he is amenable to the Friday and Saturday only valet parking. Mr. Kraunelis and Mr. McCarthy also stated that, to their knowledge, no other restaurants in Reading have expressed interest in having a valet parking license agreement. Jason Carron of Post 1917 stated that he obtained a lease with a private parking lot for the valet parking spots, and his interest is to offer this as a service to his customers. He further noted that he does not want to put additional responsibilities on the Police Department and fully understands that parking enforcement will be his responsibility. Karen Gately Herrick highlighted the importance of the Police Department's concerns regarding the valet parking. She further stated that she sees value in the valet parking if it generates significant revenue and appreciates this idea from an entrepreneurial standpoint. Ms. Gately Herrick expressed concerns with this idea because she does not want to overburden Town Staff. Melissa Murphy expressed support for the valet parking and echoed the point that this will not be a responsibility of the Police Department to enforce. She further stated that she believes Post 1917's customers wi0 appreciate this, and she knows Town Staff has a lot on their plates so this may not be an immediate priority. She also questioned how well the valet parking may work for other restaurants. Chris Haley concluded the discussion with noting that this valet parking option will be available to anyone who wants it, not just Post 1917. Karen Gately Herrick noted that she would like to see calculations on the revenue this is expected to bring to the Town. Karen Rose -Gillis moved that the Board instruct the Town Manager to explore a Friday -Saturday only valet parking license agreement. The motion was seconded by Chris Haley and approved by a vote of 5-0. Select Board Liaison Reports Page 14 Karen Rose -Gillis shared her community engagements including meeting with the Reading Food Pantry where she learned that they received a grant from the Greater Boston Food Bank as well as noted the Pantry's current needs. She attended various meetings including the Affordable Housing Trustees, the Ad Hoc Commemoration Establishment Committee, Town Forest Committee, and the Finance Committee, and the Board of Assessors. Karen Gately Herrick shared that she held two Office Hours at the Pleasant Street Center and thanked the residents who attended. She followed up by noting that she will hold another Office Hour on November 1 V at the Pleasant Street Center. She attended a Community Planning and Development Commission (CPDC) meeting, met with the Select Board's designee for Reading Center for Active Living Committee (RECAL) Mark Dockser to bring him to see Wilmington's senior center facility, attended the Finance Committee's Financial Forum, attended the MBTA Abutters meeting and noted that she was there in her capacity as a Select Board member to listen to public feedback, and attended MMA Fiscal Policy Committee meetings. Lastly, she noted that she continues her role as a Director of the Women Elected Municipal Officials and the group will hold a mentoring session October 22N. Chris Haley attended a School Committee meeting and noted the generous donation from Claudia Milksen-Fanaras for the first installment in renovating the RMHS fitness room at the athletic center and thanked her for her generosity. He also attended a Kiltam School Building Committee meeting. Carlo Bacci attended the CPDC meeting where discussion on the Primrose School took place, and he noted is excitement in working with Director for Equity and Social Justice Albert Pleas to plan an Italian American Heritage Month celebration next year. He also stated he will attend the Hal Croft movie screening in November. Melissa Murphy shared that the RCN negotiations meetings are going well, and she is confident that they will come before the Board shortly. She attended Conservation Commission meetings and Board of Health meeting where both groups requested raw data be provided related to MBTA studies, attended a School Committee meeting, attended the Finance Committee's Financial Forum, and extended her gratitude to Ms. Milksen-Fanaras for the generous donation to the RMHS athletic center renovation and noted that fitness center will be open to all students of RMHS. Lastly, she shared that if the Select Board room is available at 6:00 pm on November 4, she would like to host an office hour before the Board's meeting at 7:00 pm. The Board reviewed the agenda for the next meeting, including a vote on FY26 tax rates. Other future agenda items include approval of annual liquor licenses and department budget presentations. Discuss and Vote to Anpnm Meeting Minutes The Board discussed suggested edits to the September 9'" draft meeting minutes and agreed to add the direct quote as follows, "Mr. Haley then asked Mr. Kraunelis "If he could text Karen (Gately Herrick) and find out what her status is because she should be here at this meeting (Select Board) and not that one (MBTA Abutters only). It just seems inappropriate, but if you could find out what her ETA is. She didn't tell me; she only told you.". in the Town Manager Report section. The Board agreed to add a sentence to give context regarding Karen Gately Herdck's late arrival time, noted in the reviewing charter changes section of the draft minutes that reads, "after attending the MBTA Turnback Track Abutters Meeting held at the Reading Public Library." Karen Rose -Gillis moved to approve the meeting minutes of September 9, 2025, as amended. The motion was seconded by Karen Gately Herrick and approved by a vote of 5-0. The Board discussed suggested edits to the September 16" draft meeting minutes and added to the section regarding the valet parking discussion that Carlo Bacci discussed the possibility of having Friday - Saturday only valet parking. The Board added to the discussion regarding RCN's License Agreement, the following language to add context for comments made by Mr. Bacci, "Select Board Member Bacci called a resident a'horrible person' and used profanity after being once again accused of an ethics violation". The Board also added language to reflect comments made by Chris Haley and Karen Gately Herrick when discussing the draft meeting minutes of September 90 at the September 16V' meeting that reads as follows, "When Mr. Haley said you were elected to be a Select Board member, not an abutter, Mrs. Gately Herrick replied that he was not elected to be a'King"'. Karen Gately Herrick did not agree with putting this language in, while other Board Members agreed on adding it. Page 1 5 Karen Rose -Gillis moved to approve the meeting minutes of September 16, 2025, as amended. The motion was seconded by Melissa Murphy and approved by a vote of 4-1, with Karen Gately Herrick opposed. In discussing the draft meeting minutes of October 71°, Karen Rose -Gillis suggested adding language to reflect Carlo Bacci s public apology that he made regarding comments made at the September 16" meeting. The Board added the following language, "Carlo Bacci made a public apology for disparaging comments at the previous meeting". Karen Gately Herrick suggested to add the words "month long" as context to the section discussing her concern for issuing proclamations in the Italian Heritage Month Proclamation section of the draft minutes and the Board agreed on the addition. Karen Rose -Gillis moved to approve the meeting minutes of October 7, 2025, as amended. The motion was seconded by Chris Haley and approved by a vote of 5-0. Karen Rose -Gillis moved to enter into executive session under Purpose 2 and Purpose 3 to conduct a strategy session with respect to collective bargaining and collective bargaining with the Facilities Union, as an open meeting will have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the Select Board, as declared by the Chair, to invite Town Manager Matt Kraunelis, Assistant Town Manager Jayne Wellman, Human Resources Director Sean Donahue, Facilities DirectorJoe Huggins, and Executive Assistant Meddle Baptiste into the executive session and to adjourn from executive session and not return to open session. The motion was seconded by Chris Haley and approved by a vote of 5-0. Rolf Call Vote: Carlo Bacci-Yes, Chris Haley -Yes, Karen Gately Herrick -Yes, Karen Rose -Gillis -Yes, Melissa Murphy - Yes Page 16