By a vote of 5-0, the Select Board officially executed a contract with Fidel Maltez to be Reading’s third town manager on Tuesday. Select Board chair Karen Herrick welcomed Maltez to Reading, with Select Board member Anne Landry presenting Maltez with a Reading Rockets ball cap from the board. Several town department heads were present for the vote, welcoming Maltez to Reading. Current town manager Robert LeLacheur, who is scheduled to leave his post at the end of February, will work with Maltez to develop a plan for the transition.
Town Counsel Ivria Fried shared that the planned mediation with resident Walter Tuvell over his open meeting law complaints has been called off by the Attorney General’s office after communication from Tuvell. Fried shared that the Attorney General commented that the board had acted in good faith throughout the mediation discussions. Fried then explained that the board needs to respond to the complaints by January 19. The board authorized Fried to prepare those responses for discussion at the January 18 Select Board meeting. [Read More]
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The election cycle for the April 5, 2022, the local election is underway, and Town Clerk Laura Gemme has released a list of potential candidates who have pulled nomination papers for the various available town-wide positions that will be on the ballot this year. Nomination papers for town-wide offices require fifty signatures and need to be returned to the clerk by February 15. The last day candidates may pull nomination papers is February 13.
Three persons have pulled nomination papers for the two available seats on the Select Board. Incumbent Mark Dockser of Beaver Road, Nancy Tawadros of Libby Avenue, and Jacqueline McCarthy of Beacon Street have all pulled their papers as of January 11. At this time, incumbent Anne Landry has not pulled nomination papers for reelection. Also, as of January 11, only Tawadros has returned those nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s office for certification. [Read More]
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After a brief overview of the entire Fiscal Year 2023 budget by both Superintendent of Schools Thomas Milaschewski and Director of Finance Susan Bottan, the pair shared the proposed budgets for the administration, district-wide, and facilities cost centers, as well as the five-year plan for capital improvements with the School Committee. The School Department is proposing a $51,783,363 budget which is a $2,087,365 increase over FY 2022. This amount is 4.2% over the FY 2022 budget. These numbers represent the amounts recommended by the Finance Committee.
Three overriding priorities from the district improvement plan were used in determining how to allocate the increased funding. These priorities are: improving academic outcomes, supporting the social and emotional needs of students, and streamlining operational systems to increase efficiency. Milaschewski shared several items added to his recommended budget that reflect these priorities. [Read More]
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Mark your calendars!! Join the Reading Trails Committee and Walkable Reading for the Tenth Annual Winter Walk on February 6, 2022. This year’s walk will begin at 1:00 PM at the entrance to the Town Forest across the field from the Wood End School. Come out, get some exercise, and enjoy the fresh air. There will be refreshments and a chance to warm up near the campfire. Learn more about the Reading Trails Committee, their past projects, and how you could support and be involved in future projects.
The walk is suitable for all ages. Be sure to wear appropriate clothing and footwear for walking in the winter woods. If there is enough snow on the ground, then strap on your snowshoes. We might even find tracks of some of the critters that frequent the area. [Read More]
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Megan Wilkes Class of ’22
Favorite Book: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Favorite Quote: “You define your own life. Don’t let other people write your script.” Oprah Winfrey
Favorite Subjects: AP Biology and AP Government & Politics
Clubs/Activities/Employment: National Honor Society, RMHS Varsity Softball, Study Buddies Club, Habitat for Humanity, Girl Rising Club, Employed at HomeSense
Plans After Graduation: Megan plans to enroll in a 4-year nursing program and then a 2-year nurse practitioner program.
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Connor Patterson Class of ’22
Favorite Book: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Favorite Quote: “Life is a challenge that you need. There’s things in life that are going to throw you into the ground, but if you learn how to get up, that means you are not a quitter.” David Ortiz
Favorite Subject: Honors World Issues (Mr. Fiore)
Clubs/Activities: Senior Class President, Co-President of DECA Club, School Council, Track and Field Captain
Plans After Graduation: Connor plans to study business and join the Track and Field Team at Bryant University.
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Cummings Properties employees designate a cumulative $518,000 to local organizations
Reading, MA – Four Reading nonprofits had reason to be thankful recently, as they received a collective $6,000 in donations through Cummings Community Giving. Each year, employees of Woburn-based commercial real estate company Cummings Properties are invited to participate in this philanthropic initiative by selecting a local organization to receive a $1,000 contribution from the firm.
The program is designed to give back in the areas where Cummings Properties team members live and work. In 2021, participants directed $518,000 to 335 nonprofits in 98 local cities and towns.
Now in its tenth year, Cummings Community Giving has resulted in more than $4 million in donations to date. Reading nonprofit Mission of Deeds received $3,000. The following Reading organizations received $1,000 each: Austin Preparatory School, Burbank YMCA, and J.W. Killam Parent Teacher Organization. [Read More]
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Highlights from the Reading Police & Fire Logs
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