Dear Reading Recap:
Please consider the following LTE, which is a copy of an email I just sent to the Reading Select Board.
Dear Select Board:
I hope that when the Select Board considers its reorganization this evening, that it remembers a few important aspects of its own policies. Select Board policy 1.1.1 includes some important provisions and guidelines.
“SHALL” REORGANIZE – NOT AN OPTION TO NOT REORGANIZE – First, policy 1.1.1 states that the Select Board “shall” reorganize following the spring election and prior to Spring town meeting. If such reorganization does not take place on or before Monday April 22, 2022 (the first day of town meeting per the warrant the Select Board approved) , and/or if the Select board or any members thereof refuse to reorganize by that time, that that would violate one part of SB policy 1.1.1. The
select board cannot wait until after a special election to do this. If the select board enacts policies such as 1.1.1, the public expects them to follow these policies.
NOT HAVING A SELECT BOARD MEMBER SERVE AS CHAIR IN THE FINAL YEAR OF THAT MEMBER’S TERM – Policy 1.1.1. states that a select board member should not be chair in the final year of their term. The policy is not limited to members who actually intend to run for re-election, but covers members who are in the final year of their term. Based on this provision, Mark Dockser is unable be chair this year.
ANNUAL ROTATION OF THE CHAIR – Policy 1.1.1. calls for “annual rotation” of the chair. From what I can see, the select board has not been meeting the requirements or spirit of this guideline for at least the past four years. For the past FOUR years (since 2020), the position of chair or vice chair has been held by either Karen Herrick or Mark Dockser in EVERY SINGLE YEAR. That is not rotation. That is control of select board leadership by only two select board members. Yes, Jackie McCarthy was chair from April 2023 – February 2024, but Mark Dockser was vice chair during that time, as well. Annual rotation of the chair ought to at least mean rotation through ALL interested SB members. I would respectfully submit that annual rotation of the vice chair, as well, may need to become a policy. Passing the chair and vice chair back and forth between just two select board members is not a “rotation” it is “alternating”. The policies do not say “alternating” the chair. They say rotation. Rotation to me implies actual rotation among ALL select board members.
In the current board, Mark has been chair twice (March 2020-April 2021; April 2022-April 2023) and Karen has been chair once (April 2021-April 2022). Former member Jackie was chair once. In contrast, from 2020-present, Carlo has not been either chair or vice chair, despite winning the select board office in 2020 by the largest margin in any Select Board race in more than decade. In addition, in the most recent election this year, Chris has won by a margin of 500 votes, which is a higher winning vote margin than any other sitting select board member in the last 3 years, yet he has not been either chair or vice chair. This is not for lack of either being nominated, but the politics of the board being what they have been, both have been excluded from the chair and vice chair roles by the two select board members who have controlled those roles for the past four years.
It is time for a change. Clearly, Chis and Carlo have very strong voter support and trust. In addition, each has demonstrated they are able to chair and run other boards (Carlo on SWEC, Chris on Charter Review Committee), including managing agendas and running meetings, on time and with efficiency.
The Select Board’s own “rotation” policies, the will of the voters, and their experience already being chairs, indicate that it is now time for Chris or Carlo to be made chair, to say nothing of basic fairness. I would add that fresh leadership of the board might help in relieving some of the tension that has been all too obvious on this board for the past four years.
TOWN MEETING AND PASSOVER
As an unrelated aside, as I was looking up the town meeting start date 4/22/2024 on my desk calendar, to reference it in connection with policy 1.1.1, my calendar notes that 4/22/2024 is the day Passover begins, with the Passover Seder to begin after nightfall on 4/22/2024. I am a bit puzzled about why the Select Board approved a town meeting starting on that date and not on another evening, given that it is such an important and holy day for many in our community. Certainly, town meeting’s first night instead could be moved to the 23rd? Or even moved out a week? Can the Select Board ask the town clerk and town moderator about this?
Thank you
Marianne McLaughlin-Downing
Heather Drive
