The Select Board will be meeting this evening at 7:00pm in the Select Board meeting room and on Zoom in their first meeting since their July break. The board will be first Interviewing and Appointing applicant, Christine Lusk, to Town Forest Committee. The packet shows her application was submitted back in May but lists no reason why she was omitted from the last round of VASC applicants. Christine is an 18-year Reading resident and a current Town Meeting member.
Next, the board will discuss 2 election related items; Closing the Warrant for the State Primary and Moving the Annual Town Election. Closing the warrant is a typical formality but the other item pertaining to moving the annual town election is in reference to having the April election held in May instead, after the annual Town Meeting.
Lastly, the board will discuss the trash contract with Republic and have a barrel update. Town Meeting previously approved $900k for new trash and recycling barrels. The Rubbish/Recycling Collection Contract (REPUBLIC SERVICES) expires June 30, 2026. Carts will be ordered once the Board decides on best path forward – Options for 2nd carts will be available to residents. Recycling – 64 or 96 gal. cart; weekly versus bi-weekly recycling. Included amenities to continue (leaves, scrap metal, paper shredding) Bulk waste pick up to continue w/ options under all proposals.
Page 24 of the packet shows FY-27 ($5,400,000) +329%. That is not a typo, a 329% increase over the current trash contract IF the town remains on manual collection and does not provide any automated options. Page 25 of the packet lists the various other options ranging from a 19% increase with automated pickup and bi-weekly recycling ($1,809,923) all the way up to 134% with everything remaining the same but automated at $2,942,824.
The complete agenda is listed below:
- Overview of Meeting
- 7:05 Public Comment
- 7:15 Select Board Liaison and Town Manager Reports
- 7:30 Interview and Appoint applicant Christine Lusk to Town Forest Committee
- 7:45 Review and vote on request from Community Planning and Development Commission member Guy Manganiello to approve an exemption pursuant to GL c. 268A s. 19(b)(1) thereby allowing him to participate in certain zoning matters
- 8:00 Discuss moving Annual Town Election
- 8:30 Close Warrant for State Primary
- 8:45 Discuss Trash Contract with Republic/ barrel update
- 9:30 Discuss multi-unit water rate solution and second meters
- 10:15 Reading Center for Active Living Committee (ReCalc)
- 11:00 Future Agendas Discussion
- 11:10 Approve Meeting Minutes – June 18, 2024 / June 27, 2024 / July 9, 2024
The 7:00PM meeting will take place in the Select Board Room and Zoom. The public can attend virtually or watch via several options: via a broadcast on RCTV’s YouTube channel at this link or on the RCTV Government Channel (Xfinity ch 22, Verizon ch 33). The Zoom link for this meeting is: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81093328877
