Town Meeting Night 3: November 17, 2025

Nov 22

7-9 minute read

For residents looking to stay up to date on key town matters, this recap highlights the major takeaways from Town Meeting Night 3 held on Monday, November 17, 2025.

Watch the full meeting here on RCTV’s Youtube page.

Review our guide to Subsequent Town Meeting to understand the articles under consideration.

Key takeaways

Articles 8 and 9, both related to amendments to Reading’s Home Rule Charter, passed after significant discussion. Article 8 narrowly met the required two-thirds vote. Article 9 passed overwhelmingly and will now move to the state Attorney General’s office for review before heading to local voters in the spring.
Article 10 approved $50,000 from Free Cash to support continued invasive plant removal in the Town Forest, supplementing a $10,000 DCR grant and more than $71,000 in town funds already committed.
Article 11, which proposed implementing a Snow Shoveling Bylaw in the Downtown Smart Growth District, did not pass after debate on enforcement and fairness.

Passed articles

Articles 8 & 9 - Charter Amendments [0:09:37]

Town Meeting reopened debate on Article 9, specifically Section 8.11.2, which outlines updated requirements for recall petitions of elected officials. Many members supported the Charter Review Committee’s proposal to increase thresholds for initiating a recall, including more signatures on the affidavit and a higher percentage of voter signatures on the petition, as well as extending the collection period.

Supporters argued these changes would reserve recalls for serious misconduct, noting the financial and personal toll such efforts inflict. Opponents expressed concern about the difficulty of gathering signatures from 20% of voters - approximately 4,246 signatures.

TMM Vanessa Alvarado [0:44:31], the only elected official in Reading to have faced a recall election, delivered a powerful statement describing the significant stress, cost, and fear that accompanied the process for her and her family.

Town Meeting rejected an amendment that would have restored the lower thresholds from the existing charter. The discussion then shifted back to Article 8, which focused on clarifying and modernizing the charter language and outlining procedures for removing an elected official from an appointed committee. Members supported adding requirements for written notification and stated reasons, noting these changes reinforce transparency and due process.

Vote results:

Article 8 passed by the required two-thirds majority with 101 votes in favor and 45 opposed, meeting the threshold by just three votes.
Article 9 passed by a simple majority and will now be reviewed by the Massachusetts Attorney General before appearing on the spring ballot.

Article 10 - Town Forest Invasive Plant Removal [1:25:31]

Town Forest Committee member Christine Lusk presented an update on the nearly 300-acre Town Forest, highlighting the need for continued removal of invasive species. The Committee requested $50,000 from Free Cash to build on work begun in 2020 after the removal of red pine trees.

Efforts include volunteer events to remove Black Swallowwort, while specialized contractors are needed to manage more aggressive species such as Japanese Knotweed. The request was intentionally reduced to one-third of last year’s amount in recognition of broader budget concerns and is supported by an additional $10,000 DCR grant.

TMM expressed strong support, citing decades of under-investment and the importance of protecting this natural resource.

Article 10 passed overwhelmingly.

Article 11 - Proposed Snow Shoveling Bylaw for Downtown [1:51:05]

Bylaw Committee Chair Jesse Arnold presented Article 11, introduced following a 2022 Instructional Motion. The bylaw aimed to establish minimum sidewalk-clearing standards in the Downtown Smart Growth District following winter storms. Fines would range from $100 to $300, with enforcement triggered by SeeClickFix reports and inspections by DPW Director Chris Cole.

Members raised various concerns, including enforcement logistics and the financial burden on tenants if landlords passed fines along. Some noted that neighboring communities, including North Reading, Wilmington, Stoneham, and Wakefield, have similar bylaws, while others questioned why Reading’s proposal wasn’t town-wide.

Article 11 failed with 61 votes in favor and 68 opposed.

Afterward, a motion to adjourn sine die failed, and the body proceeded to Article 2: Instructional Motions.

Instructional Motions [2:55:22]

Instructional Motions (IMs) guide future work by town boards and staff but are non-binding.

TMM Steven Cool introduced an IM related to the ongoing case between Mr. Peter Davenport and the Town of Reading regarding the Town’s sale of the Davenport property. The Town had sold the property for unpaid taxes and retained the excess equity - an action ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023. The Town has appealed the ruling and is awaiting a decision.

Because the matter is under litigation, Select Board Chair Chris Haley emphasized the Board cannot discuss details, but asked Town Meeting to trust the Board’s judgment, prompting strong reactions from members.

Town Meeting ultimately voted to table the Cool IM indefinitely, noting that the appeal outcome is pending. A subsequent attempt to adjourn sine die failed, but a quorum was lost shortly after, leading to adjournment and the scheduling of a fourth night of Town Meeting to finish remaining Instructional Motions.