The Select Board will be meeting this evening at 7:00pm in the Select Board meeting room at Town Hall and remotely on Zoom. The first item on the agenda after public comment and the town managers report is a recognition of Mandarin Restaurant. Owner Robert Lee has raised over $100k for various local and outside groups since 2012 when he formed โBenefit Nightsโ for the town. From PTOโs, to sports teams to Reading Community Singers, Robert and his staff have ran a never ending flow of support over the years, where every weekend it seems like Mandarin was running one of their 20% fundraisers. The chart below shows how many times an organization ran an event and the amount raised total:
Next, there will be a discussion on the MBTA Turnback Track. You can read more about that in our earlier article here.
Afterwards, there will be a Reading Center for Active Living (ReCal) Design Update. Included in the packet is the escalated project cost for similar building types of roughly $870/sf โ $1,227/sf. That translates to a probable project cost of $26.8 million to $34.4 million. The project is hoping to relocate Elder & Human Services, Recreation and Veterans Services โat the heart of a modern, accessible and inclusive community hub, we create a space that not only meets immediate needs but also fosters long-term growth, collaboration and integration. This project is a crucial investment for a successful and happy shared future.โ The next step after tonight is Public Forum #3 on March 25, 2025.
Lastly, there is a Parking Kiosk discussion and potential vote. At the boards last meeting, Christopher Haley asked about a potential sticker program for Seniors to offset the need to use the kiosks as well as potentially selling the kiosks off themselves. In the packet, it appears only the item pertaining to the stickers is included, showing towns like Arlington and Lexington offering comparable programs. Both towns provide stickers for no cost to residents 65+.
The complete agenda is listed below:
- 7:00 Overview of Meeting
- 7:05 Public Comment
- 7:15 Select Board Liaison / Town Manager Reports
- 7:30 Mandarin Restaurant Recognition
- 7:35 Public Hearing โ Vote on the following amendments to the Parking and Traffic Regulations:
- Amendment Number 2025-1; Enact Article 5.4.4.13: No person shall park a vehicle between the hours of 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays from August 25th through June 30th on any of the streets or parts of streets to which this Article has been applied as listed under Article 12.
- Amendment Number 2025-2; Article 12.1 to Enact Pursuant to Article 5.4.4.13: No person shall park a vehicle between the hours of 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays from August 25th through June 30th on the southerly side of Arcadia Avenue, starting at West Street to Edgemont Avenue.
- Amendment Number 2025-3; Article 12.1 to Enact: Pursuant to Article 5.3: Parking shall be prohibited on Green Street along the southerly side, starting at Main St heading in the westerly direction on Green Street, extending 90 feet ending prior to 59 Green Street.
- 8:00 MBTA Turnback Track Discussion
- 9:00 Reading Center for Active Living (ReCal) Design Update
- 9:30 Parking Kiosk discussion and potential vote
- 9:50 Discuss and Vote on new Council on Aging Liaison
- 10:00 Future Agendas
- 10:10 Approve Meeting Minutes
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 RCTVโs 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/87568123795
