April Town Meeting starts tonight at 7:30PM and is currently scheduled to run for approximately three additional days: April 27th, May 1st and May 4th. We’ve updated our Town Meeting member list here: https://www.readingrecap.com/town-meeting to reflect the latest election results of newly appointed and re-appointed members.
Below is a quick guide you can check out that lists all the warrant items in order and here is the complete warrant book from the town that was used to create the articles below: https://www.readingrecap.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/FY2024-Warrant-Book-Combined.pdf
Article 1
To elect by ballot the following Town Officers:
- A Moderator for one year;
- Two members of the Select Board for three years;
- Two members of the Board of Library Trustees for three years;
- One member of the Municipal Light Board for three years;
- Two members of the School Committee for three years;
- Each of Reading’s eight (8) precincts will elect eight (8) Town Meeting members for a
- three-year term.
- Precinct 5 One (1) Town Meeting member for a two-year term;
- Precinct 6 One (1) Town Meeting member for a one-year term;
- Precinct 6 One (1) Town Meeting member for a two-year term;
and to meet at the Reading Memorial High School, 62 Oakland Road, in said Reading on MONDAY, the TWENTY-FOURTH DAY of APRIL A.D., 2023 at seven-thirty o’clock in the evening, at which time and place the following Articles are to be acted upon and determined exclusively by Town Meeting Members in accordance with the provisions of the Reading Home Rule Charter.
Article 2
To hear and act on the reports of the Select Board, School Committee, Library Trustees, Municipal Light Board, Finance Committee, Bylaw Committee, Town Manager, Town Accountant, and any other Town Official, Board, or Committee.
Article 3
To choose all other necessary Town Officers and Boards or Committees and determine what instructions shall be given to Town Officers and Boards or Committees, and to see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the purpose of funding Town Officers and Boards or Committees to carry out the instructions given to them, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 4
To see if the Town will vote to amend the FY 2023-33 Capital Improvements Program as provided for in Section 7-7 of the Reading Home Rule Charter and as previously amended, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 5
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Town’s Operating Budget for the Fiscal Year commencing July 1, 2022, as adopted under Article 18 of the Annual Town Meeting of April 25, 2022 and amended under Article 5 of the Subsequent Town Meeting of November 14, 2022; and to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, borrow or transfer from available funds, or otherwise provide a sum or sums of money to be added to the amounts appropriated under said Article, as amended, for the operation of the Town and its government, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 6
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available funds, borrow or otherwise provide a sum or sums of money to pay bills remaining unpaid from prior fiscal years for goods and services actually rendered to the Town, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 7
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available funds, borrow or otherwise provide a sum or sums of money for the purpose of funding the irrevocable trust for “Other Post-Employment Benefits Liabilities” or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 8
To see if the Town will vote to transfer funds received from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in payment for development within the Town’s 40R Smart Growth Zoning Districts from Free Cash into the Smart Growth Stabilization Fund; or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 9
To see if the Town will vote to (1) establish the limit on the total amount that may be expended from each revolving fund established by Article 9 of the Town of Reading General Bylaw pursuant to Section 53E½ of Chapter 44 of the Massachusetts General Laws for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023; and (2) amend Section 6.5.2 of the General Bylaw, establishing the Inspection Revolving Fund, as shown below, with the deletions being in bold and struck through.
Article 10
To see if the Town will vote to approve an Affordable Housing Trust Fund Allocation Plan pursuant to Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2001 entitled “AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF READING TO ESTABLISH AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND,” or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 11
To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of Chapter 40, Section 13E of the Massachusetts General Laws to establish a Special Education Reserve Fund to be utilized in the upcoming fiscal years, for the general purposes of funding, without further appropriation, unanticipated or unbudgeted costs of special education and recovery high school programs, out-of-district tuition or transportation, all as provided for by law; such funds to be distributed after a majority vote of the School Committee and a majority vote of the Select Board only; provided that the balance in such reserve fund shall not exceed 2 per cent of the annual net school spending amount established for the school district; or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 12
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available funds, borrow or otherwise provide a sum or sums of money for the operation of the Town and its government for Fiscal Year 2024 – beginning July 1, 2023, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 13
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, borrow, transfer fromavailable funds or otherwise provide a sum or sums of money to pay the costs of acquisition,management, and distribution of rubbish and recycling carts for residences currently on themunicipal rubbish program, including the payment of any and all other costs incidental and relatedto thereto, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 14
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, borrow, transfer from available funds or otherwise provide a sum or sums of money to pay the costs of infrastructure improvements to the Birch Meadow Complex, including but not limited to, the reconstruction of the parking lot, construction of a passive recreation walkway, installation of a bathroom structure, and the installation of a concrete practice wall, including the payment of any and all other costs incidental and related to thereto, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 15
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, borrow, transfer fromavailable funds or otherwise provide a sum or sums of money to pay the costs of installation andimprovements to the Gazebo Circle Pump Station Project, including but not limited to, thereconstruction of the pump station, installation of mechanical and electrical equipment, andinstallation of water mains to and from the station, including the payment of any and all other costsincidental and related to thereto, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 16
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, borrow, transfer from available funds or otherwise provide a sum or sums of money to pay the costs of installation and improvements to the Downtown Water Main Project, including but not limited to, the installation of water mains, water services, and hydrants, including the payment of any and all other costs incidental and related to thereto, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 17
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, borrow, transfer from available funds, or otherwise provide a sum of money to pay costs of the construction and reconstruction of the sewer distribution system, including the payment of all incidental or related costs and to authorize the Town to apply for, accept and expend any federal or state grants that may be available for this project, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 18
To see if the Town will vote to amend existing borrowing authorizations on unissued debt, in order to reduce the amount of borrowing so authorized in accordance with Section 20 of Chapter 44 of the Massachusetts General Laws, as follows or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 19
To see if the Town will amend the General Bylaws, Article 4, Personnel, by striking Section 4.2.2 in its entirety and replacing the section with the following language: 4.2.2 Requirement of Medical Examination
The requirement for a medical examination prior to an employee’s entrance on duty shall be governed by the applicable personnel policy, employment contract, or state or federal law. or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 20
To see if the Town will vote pursuant to Section 8.8.2.1.6 of the General Bylaws, to set the amount of the late fee for dog owners and keepers that fail to renew a license issued under Section 8.8.2.1 of the General Bylaws, by March 31, or by the first business day thereafter; or to take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 21
To see if the Town will vote to:
(1) Authorize the Select Board to acquire by gift, purchase, or eminent domain, 17 Harnden Street, Reading, shown as Assessor’s Map Parcel 17 Harnden, for general municipal purposes, including senior and community center purposes, on such terms and conditions as the Select Board deems appropriate, and to authorize the Town Manager to take any and all actions and to enter into and execute any and all agreements and other documents as may be necessary or appropriate to accomplish the foregoing acquisition;
And
(2) Raise and appropriate, borrow, transfer from available funds or otherwise provide a sum or sums of money for the purposes of (i) acquiring said 17 Harnden Street, including all incidental or related costs, such funds to be administered by the Select Board, and (ii) renovating said 17 Harnden Street, including the costs of engineering and architectural services and all incidental or related costs; provided, however, that this appropriation and debt authorization shall be contingent upon passage of a Proposition 2½ Debt Exclusion
ballot question pursuant to M.G.L. c. 59, §21C(k); Or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 22
To see if the Town will vote to adopt a mandatory charge per kilowatt-hour upon Reading Municipal Light Plant’s electricity consumers located within the Town of Reading pursuant to Section 20(c) of Chapter 25 of the General Laws, for the purposes of qualifying the Town as a green community under Section 10 of Chapter 25A of the General Laws; or take any other action related thereto.
Article 23
To see if the Town will vote, pursuant to Section 2-6 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, to declare the seats of certain Town Meeting Members to be vacant and remove certain described persons from their position as Town Meeting Members for failure to take the oath of office within 30 days following the notice of election or for failure to attend one-half or more of the Town Meeting sessions during the previous year, or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 24
To see if the Town will vote to Concerning this Instruction Motion passed by Town Meeting in April, 2022:“The Select Board is asked to bring a proposal to Town Meeting by November, 2022; to separate vehicles and pedestrians, for the safety of children walking to Wood End School. This could include acquiring land for a walking path from Roma Lane to Mariano Drive, and to connect the sidewalk of Chimney Hill Lane west along Sandborn Lane to Thomas Drive.” The Town Manager shall report by November 2023 and November 2024, on progress toward such separation of school children and vehicles. And, the Town Manager shall inquire on possible outside funding; such as “Safe Routes to School” grants which has been used elsewhere in town. or take any other action with respect thereto.
Article 25
To see if the Town will vote tonThe Town shall acquire by purchase, gift or eminent domain, a ten (10’) width of land along the north side of Sanborn Lane, adjacent and just north of the existing private right of way; including across address #107, address 105, and a portion of the former address 103 up to and including
the newly installed curb of Farmhouse Lane; as shown in figure Farmhouse-1a, parcel numbers: 55-57, 55-60, (former parcel) 56-19. The Town shall construct a sidewalk on this acquired town-owned land, along lots 107, 105 and the portion of 103, to reach the side of the new sidewalk along Farmhouse Lane.
This links the existing sidewalk at 147 Sanborn Lane to the sidewalk of Farmhouse Lane. Such land acquisition shall be initiated by September 1, 2023, and construction shall be completed by September 1, 2024. At the option of the Select Board (or Road Commission), construction in front of #107 can be
delayed up to 3 years. $25,000 is allocated for this from the DPW fund(s) normally used for sidewalk construction and repair. or take any other action with respect thereto.
