Reading Select Board Tackles Sustainability At Tuesday Meeting

READING, MA — Sustainability was the recurring theme of Tuesday's Select Board meeting, as members discussed bringing electric vehicle charging stations to the public and creating a government role focused on leading the town's sustainability efforts.

The Board voted 5-0 to enter into 15-year licenses with the Reading Municipal Light Department for vehicle charging stations at the library, the depot parking lot on Lincoln Street and the parking area at Haven and Main Streets.

The plan was initially presented as having a 30-year licensing agreement, which the town and RMLD were able to cut in half following a Select Board meeting in mid-October.

There was some discussion over the location of the stations, particularly the one on Main Street, which is a parking spot typically used by customers of Christopher's restaurant.

"That specific location is losing spots to me," Select Board member Chris Haley said. He questioned whether the number of electric vehicle owners using that space would justify its loss as a space for other drivers.

"Anywhere you put those spots, you'd be able to make the same case," Member Mark Dockser countered. He agreed that he does not want to lose parking, but said the idea behind the stations is to encourage drivers to explore the downtown while they wait for their car to charge.

"I think we're kind of taking a step forward with this," Dockser said. "We're creating a couple destination locations, if you will, that are perfect for downtown."

The spots were vetted prior to the plan being presented. In addition to their attractive locations, they were also technically suited for RMLD's distribution setup, Town Manager Bob LeLacheur said.

Haley, who acknowledged he is buying an electric vehicle, pressed on the issue of the stations' use, especially in the near future.

"I hope I'm wrong. I hope these spots are full all the time," he said.

Other members were more optimistic about the popularity of such stations. Select Board President Karen Herrick hinted there will ultimately need to be a community policy in place to guide their development.

"There's going to be more of them," she said. "This is just the beginning."

The Board also talked about budgeting for a sustainability director in the 2023 fiscal year. David Zeek, chair of the Climate Advisory Committee, said someone in that role could help Reading take advantage of grant opportunities available under the state's goal of 1 million homes converted to electric heat and 750,000 zero-emissions vehicles on the roads by 2030.

Zeek proposed establishing a placeholder in the 2023 budget for that potential role. He described the ideal sustainability director as being a "forward-thinking manager who desires to be at the forefront of creating a low-carbon, sustainable community with measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors of the economy."

That person would be responsible for writing grants for sustainability projects, examining ways the town could upgrade its facilities to make them more eco-friendly and working to encourage residents to adopt cleaner energy technologies at home.

"We need to know what is coming down the pike, we need to know how to apply for it, and we need to prepare to execute it," Zeek said.

The Select Board will start its budget reviews on Dec. 8.