MassVoter.com← Reading Select BoardReading Select Board · 2024–2025 Board · Regular meeting
March 12, 2024
7 recorded votes, 5 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · Agenda
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
Attendance
Present: Mark Dockser, Karen Gately Herrick, Carlo Bacci, Chris Haley
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
Enter into Executive Session pursuant to G. L. c. 30A, s. 21( a)( 2) to conduct a strategy session in preparation for contract negotiations or to conduct contract negotiations with Matthew...
Herrick moved to enter into Executive Session pursuant to G. L. c. 30A, s. 21( a)( 2) to conduct a strategy session in preparation for contract negotiations or to conduct contract negotiations with Matthew Kraunelis, the selected candidate for appointment to the position of Town Manager, to invite Ivria Glass Fried and Executive Assistant Caitlin Nocella into the Executive Session, and to return to open session. The motion was seconded by Haley and approved with a unanimous roll call vote.
From the minutes
“Herrick moved to enter into Executive Session pursuant to G. L. c. 30A, s. 21( a)( 2) to conduct a strategy session in preparation for contract negotiations or to conduct contract negotiations with Matthew Kraunelis, the selected candidate for appointment to the position of Town Manager, to invite Ivria Glass Fried and Executive Assistant Caitlin Nocella into the Executive Session, and to return to open session. The motion was seconded by Haley and approved with a unanimous roll call vote..” (Motion: Herrick, second: Haley)
Execute the employment agreement with Matthew Kraunelis for the position of Town Manager as presented
Herrick Moved to execute the employment agreement with Matthew Kraunelis for the position of Town Manager as presented. The motion was seconded by Haley and approved with a 4- 0 vote.
From the minutes
“Herrick Moved to execute the employment agreement with Matthew Kraunelis for the position of Town Manager as presented. The motion was seconded by Haley and approved with a 4- 0 vote..” (Motion: Herrick, second: Haley)
Choose Carlo Bacci as Chair and Karen Herrick as Vice Chair (first vote)
Haley nominated Bacci as Chair with Herrick as Vice Chair. Herrick seconded this nomination. Dockser nominated Herrick as Chair with Bacci as Vice Chair. Herrick seconded this nomination. Dockser called for a 5 minute recess due to disruptions from the audience. Bacci nominated Haley as Chair. Haley seconded the nomination. The board then discussed if they would reorganize again afterthe May 14" special election; which is 3 meetings in between now and then. Dockser called for another 5 minute recess due to disruptions from the audience and requested the Town Manager call the Police to the building. Herrick suggested not reorganizing tonight and waiting until the special election to reorganize after when there are 5 members. Haley noted the board policy states we reorganize after a local election. He doesn't think they should delay this process. A resident in the room called a point of information and asked if the Select Board policy was to turn over the gavel to the Town Manager to lead the reorganization. Dockser noted it was tradition not policy but noted he was not willing to do that because if the board couldn' t decide on a chair, then it would be hard to have meetings with no chair in place. Bacci gave a statement about why he feels he is suited to be chair. Herrick then gave a statement about why she would be suited to be a chair or vice chair and is happy to serve in either capacity. Haley noted he has supported all the chairs and vice chairs in the past. The board ne
With four members after Jackie McCarthy’s resignation, “The board took a vote on Bacci Chair, Herrick Vice Chair. It was a 2- 2 vote.” The minutes do not say who voted which way. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Haley nominated Bacci as Chair with Herrick as Vice Chair. Herrick seconded this nomination. Dockser nominated Herrick as Chair with Bacci as Vice Chair. Herrick seconded this nomination. Dockser called for a 5 minute recess due to disruptions from the audience. Bacci nominated Haley as Chair. Haley seconded the nomination. The board then discussed if they would reorganize again afterthe May 14" special election; which is 3 meetings in between now and then. Dockser called for another 5 minute recess due to disruptions from the audience and requested the Town Manager call the Police to the building. Herrick suggested not reorganizing tonight and waiting until the special election to reorganize after when there are 5 members. Haley noted the board policy states we reorganize after a local election. He doesn't think they should delay this process. A resident in the room called a point of information and asked if the Select Board policy was to turn over the gavel to the Town Manager to lead the reorganization. Dockser noted it was tradition not policy but noted he was not willing to do that because if the board couldn' t decide on a chair, then it would be hard to have meetings with no chair in place. Bacci gave a statement about why he feels he is suited to be chair. Herrick then gave a statement about why she would be suited to be a chair or vice chair and is happy to serve in either capacity. Haley noted he has supported all the chairs and vice chairs in the past. The board needs to move forward and work together to figure this out. The board took a vote on Bacci Chair, Herrick Vice Chair. It was a 2- 2 vote..” (Motion: Haley, second: Herrick)
Choose Karen Herrick as Chair and Carlo Bacci as Vice Chair (first vote)
The board took a vote on Herrick Chair, Bacci Vice Chair. It was a 2- 2 vote.
“It was a 2- 2 vote”; the minutes do not say who voted which way. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“The board took a vote on Herrick Chair, Bacci Vice Chair. It was a 2- 2 vote..” (Motion: Dockser)
Choose Chris Haley as Chair (first vote)
The board took a vote on Haley as Chair. It was a 2-2 vote.
“It was a 2- 2 vote”; the minutes do not say who voted which way. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“The board took a vote on Haley as Chair. It was a 2-2 vote..” (Motion: Bacci)
Choose a Chair and Vice Chair (second round of the same three votes)
The board decided to take the same votes again. The board took a vote on Bacci Chair, Herrick Vice Chair. It was a 2- 2 vote. The board took a vote on Herrick Chair, Bacci Vice Chair. It was a 2- 2 vote. The board took a vote on Haley as Chair. It was a 2- 2 vote.
“It was a 2- 2 vote”; the minutes do not say who voted which way. Showing the count only. The minutes say the board then “took the same votes again” on all three pairings, each 2-2, and stayed deadlocked.
From the minutes
“The board decided to take the same votes again. The board took a vote on Bacci Chair, Herrick Vice Chair. It was a 2- 2 vote. The board took a vote on Herrick Chair, Bacci Vice Chair. It was a 2- 2 vote. The board took a vote on Haley as Chair. It was a 2- 2 vote..”
Adjourn (the meeting ended for lack of a quorum)
Dockser made a motion to adjourn with a second from Herrick, with Haley present; the meeting adjourned due to loss of quorum after Haley left the meeting also.
The minutes say Carlo Bacci walked out during the motion to adjourn and “the meeting adjourned due to loss of quorum after Haley left the meeting also.” No vote count. Showing the result only.
From the minutes
“Dockser made a motion to adjourn with a second from Herrick, with Haley present; the meeting adjourned due to loss of quorum after Haley left the meeting also..” (Motion: Dockser, second: Herrick)
From the Reading Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Public Records Archive (Minutes > Select Board). We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: Reading Patch candidate profiles, courtesy of the candidates (Melissa Murphy, Karen Gately Herrick, Chris Haley), and The Reading Post candidacy announcements (Karen Rose-Gillis, Sal Bramante). The town’s website has no member photos.
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