HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-12-18 Select Board Minuteso�. orxGo IitCtIVCU
Town of Reading TOWN CLERK
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Select Board
Date: 2025-12-18 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:
Chair Chris Haley, Vice Chair Melissa Murphy, Secretary Karen Rose -Gillis,
Carlo Bacci, Karen Gately Herrick
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Town Manager Matt Kraunelis, Assistant Town Manager Jayne Wellman,
Town Clerk Laura Gemme (remote), Town Counsel Ivria Fried (remote),
Kathi Crook, Bob Beckman, Ron Powell, Angela Merrill, David Monahan,
Taylor Gregory, Nancy Docktor, Stephen Crook, Eddie Dee (remote), Melissa
Pucci (remote), Angela Binda (remote)
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jacquelyn LaVerde
Topics of Discussion:
This meeting was held in -person in the Town Hall Select Board Meeting Room and remotely via Zoom
Chair Chris Haley called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
Public Comment fFor any items not Included on the agenda)
There were no comments from the public.
Discuss and Vote To Execute a New Gram Agreement with Readino Community Television fRCTV)
Melissa Murphy reviewed the revisions to the Grant Agreement made since the last Select Board meeting. The
Board discussed at length and requested additional revisions to the agreement including changes to event
coverage requirements, adding Board of Library Trustees (remote) to core meetings, removing fundraising
activities as a material breach, though RCTV will continue to fundmise, and changes to candidate forum
coverage, to which RCN Board of Directors Chair Kathi Crook, RCN BOD Member Bob Beckman, and RCN
interim Executive Director Angela Merril were agreeable. RCTVs attorney will have to approve the final
version before it is signed.
Nancy Docktor of Pead Street, and RCN member, suggested that the groups hosting events such as the
Menorah Lighting and Tree Lighting could get volunteers to help with additional filming of their events.
Karen Rose -Gillis moved to approve the grant agreement with Reading Community Television (RCTV)
beginning on January t, 2026, and expiring June 30, 2029. The motion was seconded by Melissa
Murphy and approved by a vote of 5-0.
On the recommendation of Town Counsel Ivria Fried, Karen Gately Herrick moved to authorize the
Town Manager to sign the Grant Agreement. The motion was seconded by Karen Rose -Gillis and
approved by a vote of ".
Discuss and Vote on Sunset Date Extension for Ad Hoc Commemoration Establishment Committee
(ACE)
Karen Gately Herrick moved to take the ACE agenda item out of order. The motion was seconded by
Melissa Murphy and approved by a vote of 5-0.
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Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes
David Monahan of Maple Ridge Road, and Select Board designee to the Ad Hoc Commemoration
Establishment (ACE) Committee, stated that he appeared before the Board at their December 2n° meeting to
provide an update on the Committee's progress and to request an extension of its sunset date. ACE Chair
Taylor Gregory requested that the sunset date be extended to January 31", 2027 so the Committee can
complete its work through the next Martin Luther King Day celebration.
Karen Rose -Gillis moved that the Board extend the Ad Hoc Commemoration Establishment Committee
Sunset Date to January 31, 2027. The motion was seconded by Melissa Murphy and approved by a vote
of 5-0.
Discuss Burbank Ice Arena Memorandum of UnderstandinalMaster License Agreement
Chns Haley allowed Public Comment at the start of this agenda item, as a member of the public indicated their
wish to speak on it but needed to leave the meeting. Nancy Docktor of Pead Street, and Precinct 1 Town
Meeting member, opined that a clause about leasing for parking should be omitted as part of the contract, as it
implies annual payments to the Burbank Ice Arena Authority. She questioned the clause's transparency and
impact on development of the ReCAL project.
Town Counsel Ivria Fred explained that the Lease Agreement with the Burbank Ice Arena Authority needed to
be amended to allow use of the Burbank property for parking for the Reading Center for Active Living (ReCAL),
which led to the need to amend insurance provisions. Amendments to the way rem funds are managed need to
go in the actual lease document.
The Board discussed other amendments they would like to see with the license agreement including clarifying
language on rent payments, establishing and reporting on a capital plan, amending reporting deadlines to a
more realistic timeline, and requiring a utilization report,
Board members discussed the proposal to establish a stabilization fund for Unified Sports, and noted concerns
about dedicating inconsistent rent payments to support the programs. Town Manager Matt Kraunelis noted that
while this will not solely fund unified sports, it is a good start and follows the instructional motion approved at
the last Annual Town Meeting. Chris Haley strongly recommended allocating 50% of the funds to the
stabilization fund.
I ne aoam oiscussea me I own Manager evaluation procedures as set form in the I own Manager's contract.
The review process requires feedback from the School Superintendent and Library Director, and solicits
feedback from five other direct reports, three of whom must be department heads. The Board reviewed the list
of reports from the previous evaluation and agreed to select the Town Accountam, Police Chief, Fire Chief,
Technology Director, and Facilities Director for this upcoming evaluation.
Karen Rose -Gillis moved to solicit feedback from the Superintendent of Schools, Tom Milaschewski,
Library Director Amy Lannon, CFOrrown Accountant Sharon Angstrom, Fire Chief Rick Nelson, IT
Department Director Kevin Furilla, Facilities Director Joe Huggins, and Police Chief David Clark. The
motion was seconded by Karen Gately Herrick and approved by a vote of 5-0.
Karen Rose -Gillis moved to authorize Town Counsel to create a composite evaluation. The motion was
seconded by Karen Gately Herrick and approved by a vote of 5-0.
Approve Meeting Minutes
Karen Rose -Gillis moved to approve the meeting minutes of December 2, 2025, as presented. The
motion was seconded by Karen Gately Herrick and approved by a vote of 5-0.
Karen Rose -Gillis moved to approve the meeting minutes of December 3, 2025, as presented. The
motion was seconded by Karen Gately Herrick and approved by a vote of 5-0.
Carlo Bacci moved to adjourn at 9:57 pm. The motion was seconded by Melissa Murphy and approved
by a vote of 5.0.
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