By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — Noting that time is of the essence to fulfill the mission of the newly created Wastewater Project Committee (WPC), the Select Board voted Monday night to appoint the five people who have volunteered to serve on it.
One at-large seat remains open and the board is eager to get the position filled. The potential membership pool was also expanded Monday night to include business owners in town even if they do not reside here, given the impact the proposal would have on both residents and business owners regardless of their residency status.
Select Board member Kate Manupelli noted that enough members have been appointed to form a quorum, therefore, as soon as the Town Clerk swears in the members the WPC can begin its task and hold meetings.
How to apply
Interested candidates for the remaining at-large seat should submit a Citizens Activity Form to the Town Administrator’s office. These forms are available to be filled out online at http://northreadingmaboards.vt-s.net/newcaf.php
Those who do not have internet access or who prefer to submit a paper application may call the office of Town Administrator Michael Gilleberto at 978-664-6010 and a printed form will be mailed or faxed to you, or you can stop by his office at Town Hall, 235 North St., and fill out a paper form in person.
What is the purpose of the WPC?
At the board’s July 17 meeting, it was voted that a seven-member Wastewater Project Committee (WPC) be formed and tasked with getting quickly up to speed on the ins and outs of the town’s proposed wastewater/sewer project for the Main Street/Concord Street corridor. The WPC was given a mission of educating the public about all aspects of the project, such as its route, the infrastructure necessary to make it happen, and how it would be financed. The goal of the WPC is to educate the public so that they may make an informed decision at an upcoming Town Meeting.
Subsequent to the formation of this subcommittee, the Finance Committee voted at its own meeting 8-0 not to nominate a FinCom member to serve on it, effectively trimming the committee to six members.
At the outset of the Select Board’s discussion on August 7 on the appointments being made to the WPC, both Select Board members Stephen O’Leary and Richard Wallner recused themselves from the discussion and subsequent votes to appoint the slate of volunteers because both have family members who own property along the proposed sewer district route. O’Leary stated that if he felt the need to comment he would do so as a citizen.
Also on Monday night, a preference to keep the wastewater proposal as a stand-alone warrant article as the subject of a Special Town Meeting to be held most likely in the late fall was expressed by the three other board members, Chairwoman Liane Gonzalez and members Kate Manupelli and Vincenzo Stuto, rather than adding it to the warrant being proposed for the fall Town Meeting scheduled for Monday, October 2.
Of the WPC’s two remaining seats from elected boards is a representative from the Select Board and the Community Planning Commission/Economic Development Committee. There are seats for four at-large members.
Gonzalez, Manupelli and Stuto took two separate roll call votes on Monday. The first was held to appoint the two elected officials. Stuto was nominated to represent the Select Board and this seat also serves as the chair of the WPC. As a side note, both Stuto and O’Leary are the liaisons from the Select Board to the team working on developing the wastewater project.
Representing the CPC/EDC will be Jeffrey Griffin. In addition to being a newly elected member of the CPC, Griffin also co-owns a plumbing business in town with his two sons.
Stepping forward for three of the at-large seats were Timothy Sutherland, Steven Correale and Victor Hui.
On his application, Sutherland noted that he is a current member of the Finance Committee and added that he was not present at the meeting when the FinCom had voted 8-0 not to be represented on the WPC. A resident of 17 Maple Road, Sutherland is a program manager at Raytheon where he manages an annual portfolio in excess of $150,000,000. “I believe that the implications of the sewer project need to be clearly communicated to the town,” he stated on his application, adding that he will “…provide my experience in explaining large financial commitments to the town.”
Correale, of 49 Abbott Rd., stated on his application that he is a 40-year resident of the town with a background in engineering and construction project management, adding he is “interested in supporting communication of accurate information to the townspeople on wastewater and economic development projects.”
The third at-large member is Victor Hui, a former owner of China Cuisine at the corner of North and Main Streets. It was his application that prompted the Select Board to expand the charge to include business owners who are nonresidents on this subcommittee. Prior to selling their family business, Hui and his wife May also lived in town and raised their family here. Gonzalez noted that although Hui’s application lists an address of Friendship, Texas, she said he “still has interest in restaurant” and “he is in the midst of buying a home in Reading.” Gilleberto stated that Hui “still owns property along the route.”
On his application, Hui noted his occupation as “self-employed real estate management.” He noted that he was interested in serving on this committee because “I am a business owner and I used to own a restaurant in town. Wastewater treatment, I believe, is vital to how we increase our tax base.”
Manupelli stated she envisioned the membership for at-large members would be comprised of both residents and business owners along the route and that she did not believe the charge needed to be revised, but would move to do so if it was deemed necessary. Stuto and Gonzalez agreed it was best to make such a motion, and they voted 3-0 to allow non-resident business owners to apply for at-large seats.
WPC to serve through special election
This committee will serve during the fall of 2023, and if voters at a Special Town Meeting ultimately approve the wastewater project, the subcommittee would continue to serve until the required town wide special election was subsequently held.
“I would like to thank everybody that volunteered,” Stuto said, adding that he was “disappointed” that not one of the “professional scribes” who had been disseminating information on the project had applied to serve on this committee.
“We were seeking people that didn’t agree but we did make changes for on (their) behalf…it wasn’t about a ‘for’ or ‘against’ the project; it was to clarify all the information we have, so that is an important thing that I would like noted for the community: Be careful where your information comes from because some of the loudest voices have refused to participate in this and I can say this committee was created for some of the loudest voices,” Stuto explained. “So next time they have an opinion you can say ‘is there a reason they didn’t want to participate in the formal process to get out some information?’ And see if they can give you a good answer.”