HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-12-15 ad Hoc - Community Preservation Act Study Committee Minutes�o
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Ad Hoc Community Preservation Act Study
Committee
Date: 2025-12-15 Time: 7:30 PM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Conference Room
Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session
Purpose: General Business Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
Chair Joe Carnahan, Vice Chair Sarah Brukilacchio (remote), Margaret
Donnelly -Moran, Sandy Matathia, Martha Moore, Carlo Bacd
Members - Not Present:
Kate Kaminer
Others Present:
Karen Gately Herrick, Beth's Whone
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jacquelyn LaVerde
Topics of Discussion:
This meeting was held in -person in the Conference Room of Town Hall and remotely via
Zoom.
Chair Joe Carnahan called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm.
Roll Call: Sarah Brukilacchlo (remote), Margaret Donnelly -Moran, Martha Moore, Sandy
Matathia, Joe Carnahan.
Public Comment
Karen Gately Herrick of the Select Board thanked the Study Committee for their visibility
and efforts and encouraged them to keep up the good work.
Liaison reports
There were no liaison reports.
Recurrino item: Example of CPA Drofect
Margaret Donnelly -Moran shared that Watertown, in partnership with Beaverbrook Step of
Waltham, has applied for CPA funds to create a flve-bedroom home to house
developmentally disabled adults.
Sarah Brukilachhio shared that Westford has awarded $400,000 of CPA funds to renovate
the Jack Walsh tennis courts, add new basketball courts, and add four new pickleball courts.
Discuss outreach to committees and organizations
Martha Moore and Sarah Brukilacchio presented to the Board of Library Trustees (BOLT).
They noted that the presentation went well and they were able to stay under the allotted
fifteen minutes. The BOLT asked about the composition of the Community Preservation
Committee and Ms. Brukilacchio followed up with an answer to their question.
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joined the meeting at 7:52 pm.
The Committee discussed the timing and process for presenting their CPA report to the
Select Board and Town Meeting. They agreed to aim for late January or early February to
allow time for potential revisions and to meet the March loth warrant deadline.
The Committee reviewed and agreed to several amendments to the draft report including
removing language that recommends not adopting the commercial exemption, verifying
whether Reading's first attempt to adopt CPA was 2002 or 2003, clarifying reasons for
recommended exemptions, noting how state CPA distributions would help Reading meet
fiscal challenges, explaining that the state distribution would fund approximately an
additional $200,000 per year for projects that would be done anyway, defining Area Median
Income (AMI), including sample Town Meeting Warrant Article and motion, and made
various other amendments.
Throughout the review, the Committee also discussed exemptions, average impacts on tax
bills, potential future overrides, Town Meeting's role in approving project proposals, and
referendum procedures.
Carlo Bacci left the meeting at 9:30 pm.
Discuss Future Meetings and Agendas
The Study Committee agreed to meet on January 12th at 7:00 pm and January 13th at 7:00
pm to finish reviewing the draft report. The Committee will meet again on January 20th at
7:30 pm to finalize the report and begin work on their presentation, and again on January
26th at 7:30 pm to finalize the presentation. Chair Carnahan will ask the Select Board Chair
to include the Study Committee's presentation on their February loth agenda.
Approve Prior Meeting Minutes, December 1. 2025
The Committee reviewed the minutes and made minor grammatical corrections.
On a motion by Sandy Matathia, seconded by Martha Moore, the Ad Hoc
Community Preservation Act Study Committee voted 5-0-0 to approve the meeting
minutes of December 1, 2025, as amended.
Roll call vote: Sarah Brukilachhio - Yes, Margaret Donnelly -Moran - Yes, Martha
Moore - Yes, Sandy Matathia - Yes, Joe Carnahan - Yes.
On a motion by Margaret Donnelly -Moran, seconded by Sandy Matathia, the Ad
Hoc Community Preservation Act Study Committee voted 5-0-0 to adjourn at 10:08
pm.
Roll call vote: Sarah Brukilachhio - Yes, Margaret Donnelly -Moran - Yes, Martha
Moore - Yes, Sandy Matathia - Yes, Joe Carnahan - Yes.
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