HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-03-19 Bylaw Committee Minutes� O R
Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Bylaw Committee
Date: 2026-03-19 Time: 7:30 PM
Building: Virtual Location: Zoom
Address: Session: Open Session
Purpose: General Business Version: Draft
Attendees: Members - Present:
Jesse Arnold, Jason Clarke, Jared Belliveau, Louise Saunders, Liz Sullivan
(all via Zoom)
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Town Clerk Laura Gemme, Joe Carnahan, Sarah Brukilacchio (via Zoom)
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jared Belliveau
Topics of Discussion:
Meeting called to order at 7:30pm
Presentation and Discussion of Ad Hoc Communitv Preservation Act Studv Committee. Joe
Carnahan offered presentation on this optional property tax surcharge, a portion of which
may be matched by the state. It was first considered by Town or Reading in 2003.
CommunityPreservation.Org is a website that offers a lot of information on the Act and how
it has been implemented by the 200 communities that have adopted it. Including the
average state match over the past 5 years, project collecting about $1 million annually.
Gemme noted that CPA funding can be used to cover the cost of vital records books. There
are exemptions that Town Meeting could consider, such as the first $100,000 of value, and
excluding low-income homeowners. Town meeting will have to vote to decide to put the
measure to the voters in a regularly scheduled election, not including the September
primary - so likely the November general election. The Ad Hoc committee recommends
adoption of a 1% surcharge with certain exemptions. Review of Article 13. Clarke made
motion to recommend Article 13 as written. Committee voted 5-0 to recommend Article 13
as written.
Discussion and Vote on Annual Town Meetina Warrant A
Article 8 - Revolving Funds. Belliveau made motion to recommend Article 8 as written.
Saunders seconded. Committee voted 5-0 to recommend Article 8 as written.
Article 12 - Alcohol at Sunday Brunch. Sullivan made motion to recommend Article 8 as
written. Clarke seconded. Committee voted 5-0 to recommend Article 12 as written.
Article 14 - Discussion centered around support for a stabilization fund for unified sports
programs, but questioned why the annual contribution by Burbank Arena should be
dedicated to that fund. Several comments made that separating this article into two
separate articles - one establishing a stabilization fund and a second related to the Burbank
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contributions - would make better sense. Arnold proposed we have the Town Accountant
come provide the committee with some additional information on which to base our
recommendation. The committee agreed.
Article 17 - Adoption of 011ie's law relating to residential kennel license requirements.
Sullivan made motion to recommend Article 8 as written. Saunders seconded. Committee
voted 5-0 to recommend Article 17 as written.
Sullivan made motion to adjourn. Belliveau seconded. Committee voted 5-0 to adjourn.
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