By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — The probability is high that the residents of town will have a Special Town Meeting in their future as soon as the end of January.
As previously reported by the Transcript, the Wheeler family is preparing to sell their remaining land at 1 Central St. and has approached the town to ascertain its interest in purchasing it. The lot contains a well-kept house on a lot of about one-half acre near the intersection of Chestnut Street. The town already owns the land on two sides of this parcel following previous subdivisions of the land, which is located directly adjacent to Ipswich River Park and includes the large barn previously used by the late Mr. Ed Wheeler when he farmed the land on which IRP was built, plus the small home at 5 Central St., which is currently used by the town as a Recreation Center.
If the town were successful in purchasing this lot all of the land fronting on this side of Central Street, between Chestnut Street and Park Street, would be town-owned.
The Select Board first discussed the matter in executive session at its December 4 meeting and revealed in open session the board’s interest in continuing the negotiations with the Wheelers.
A subsequent executive session was held this past Monday night, December 18 with four members present. At the end of the night, with a motion made by Select Board member Stephen O’Leary, seconded by Vincenzo Stuto, the board voted 4-0 “to approve and enter into a purchase and sale agreement to acquire the land at 1 Central Street in the form presented and to authorize the chair to executive the agreement on the board’s behalf and approve non-substantive revisions to the agreement prior to execution.”
Also voting in the affirmative were Chairwoman Liane Gonzalez and Select Board member Kate Manupelli. Select Board member Rich Wallner was absent.
A second vote to call the Special Town Meeting was not taken up Monday night; however, Town Administrator Michael Gilleberto stated: “We are trying to work cooperatively with the owner and work with their timelines and they are trying to work with us and with our timelines. We continue to work in a favorable direction, but we are not quite ready to say yet that we will call a Special Town Meeting, but that moment could come between now and the next regularly scheduled meeting,” which is on Monday, January 8.
Subsequently, on Wednesday morning as the Transcript was going to press, the Select Board posted a meeting notice for this Friday, December 22 at 8:15 a.m. during which two executive sessions would be held followed by an open session anticipated to be held starting at 8:45 a.m. (One of the executive sessions is related to a prior dangerous dog declaration and an order by the board for the dog to be euthanized that is headed to court.)
The agenda for Friday’s hybrid meeting to be held both in-person in Room 14 at Town Hall, 235 North St., and via Zoom (link on home calendar page of town website: northreadingma.gov) is as follows:
Executive session, MGL c. 30A Sec. 21(e) Subsection 3: to discuss strategy re: pending litigation if Chair declares an open meeting will have a detrimental effect on the position of the town re: Michael Baker v. North Reading Select Board: (Dangerous Dog – Floyd).
Executive session, MGL c. 30A Sec. 21(e) Subsection 6: to consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property if Chair declares an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the public body (1 Central St.)
Reconvene in open session: One Central St.: Update on potential acquisition and vote to call and sign warrant for Special Town Meeting.
A quorum of 150 people would be needed for a Special Town Meeting to proceed and a warrant would be mailed to every residential household at least 14 days in advance.