Below is a summarized version of the Community Preservation Act (CPA) Study Committee meeting, organized by timestamps and speakers, focusing on key points raised during the discussion in Reading, Massachusetts. This summary condenses the discussion into major themes, speaker contributions, and decisions, avoiding excessive detail while retaining the essence of the conversation. Timestamps correspond to the video linked at the bottom.
🏛️ Ad Hoc Community Preservation Act Study Committee Meeting Summary
📅 Date: January 20, 2026
🕖 Duration: ~1hr54min
📍 Location: Reading, Massachusetts
👥 Committee Members Present: Joseph Carnahan (Chair), Sarah Brukilacchio, Martha Moore, Sanford Matathia, Margaret Donnelly Moran
(Absent: Kate Kaminer & Carlo Bacci)
🌟 1. Call to Order
🕒 Transcript Range: 7:42–8:13
- Meeting called to order at 8:00 PM.
- Quorum established.
- No public comment.
📘 2. Final Review of the CPA Report
🕒 Transcript Range: 8:13–46:06
🔧 Executive Summary Adjustments
- Added state match language (5‑yr avg ≈27%).
- Broke up text for readability.
- Clarified CPA revenue aligns with historical spending on CPA‑eligible projects.
✏️ General Fixes
- Formatting issues in headings repaired.
- Standardized “CPA funds” terminology.
- Repaired hyphenation, spacing, and line breaks.
🖼 Photo Credits
- Many confirmed (Andrew, Barry, Martha, Sarah).
- A few pending: possible Will Finch & RCTV drone images.
- Committee agreed credits may continue to be added without reopening content.
📝 Motion Passed
Approve the report as presented, subject to photo‑credit additions and minor typo corrections.
🕒 Vote Timestamp: 46:00–47:06
Vote: 5–0 unanimous.
🎤 3. Review of Select Board Presentation Slides
🕒 Transcript Range: 47:06–1:33:02
✔ Improvements Made
- Added 27% state match reference on first slide.
- Explained CPC / CPA structure more clearly.
- Corrected images and inserted dog park + splash pad examples.
- Removed CPA‑ineligible words (e.g., “repair”).
- Adjusted conservation / recreation / historic slides to be concise.
- Inserted new summary line from Sarah: > “CPA lets Reading protect what we value using local control and state matching funds—without touching the operating budget.”
- Added follow‑up line (Sy/Joe) to reflect two fiscal pathways:
- fund existing projects with less burden, or
- fund more projects at same burden.
✔ Who Will Present?
- Joe and Sarah will deliver the 10‑minute Select Board presentation.
- Subject‑matter members (Martha, Margaret, Sy, Kate) available for Q\&A.
📅 4. Select Board Presentation Planning
🕒 Transcript Range: 1:33:02–1:39:05
🔜 Presentation Details
- Tuesday, February 10, 2026
- Posted as an official committee meeting.
- Members will attend in person.
🎙 Rehearsal Scheduled
- Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 7:30 PM
- Location: Select Board Meeting Room (ideal for practicing transitions, timing)
📄 5. Approval of Minutes
🕒 Transcript Range: 1:39:10–1:54:01
- Minutes approved unanimously.
🛑 6. Adjournment
🕒 Transcript Range: 1:54:01–end
- Motion to adjourn passed unanimously.
- Meeting adjourned at 9:45 PM.
