On Tuesday, Town Manager Fidel Maltez and the Department of Public Works will present a proposal to the Select Board regarding how trash and recycling are collected in town. Republic Services purchased JRM Hauling and Recycling back in May of 2022 and is the current rubbish and recycling collection vendor. The town entered a ten-year contract with JRM in July 2016, which continued after Republic acquired JRM. Reading also contracts with Covanta for the incineration of collected rubbish.
In anticipation of negotiations for renewal of the residential trash collection contract, Maltez is proposing that the town spend $900,000 on uniform trash and recycling carts, which will speed up the collection process and allow for automated rubbish and recycling collection in the future. Maltez suggests that the purchase of the carts now in 2023 will help spread the cost of the improvement over three years as opposed to incurring the cost all at once. Maltez indicated that while costs for collection are locked in until June of 2026, the rubbish and recycling market has changed significantly since the current contract was negotiated in 2016.
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“We know that when we renegotiate our next contract, we will see a significantly higher cost . . . we can certainly plan for them and do everything we can to minimize the impact in the future,” Maltez stated.
If the proposal is adopted, the town will purchase 7,400 sixty-four-gallon rubbish carts and 7,800 sixty-four-gallon recycling carts to distribute one each per household that currently has curbside trash collection. Cart lids have a 12-year warranty and the wheels for ten, though Maltez expects most carts to last 25 years or more. “Failure rate historically has been less than 1% per year, not including fires or damage done by plows,” Maltez shared.
Households with greater trash needs will be able to lease a second cart annually, though the cost to do so is unclear at this time. Maltez shared that other communities charge between $150 to $200 per year to lease an extra cart. For those with only periodic needs for extra trash removal, overflow bags would also be available for purchase. According to the presentation, the overflow bags are more economical for residents and create fewer logistical challenges for the town to manage. [Read More]
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By a vote of 5-0, the School Committee approved the Superintendent’s Recommended Fiscal Year 2024 Budget of $54,006,623 on Thursday night. The vote came after two weeks of presentations on the cost centers at the beginning of the month and a lightly attended public hearing last week. School Committee member Thomas Wise, who initially had concerns regarding the sustainability of the new elementary assistant principal positions and how those additions to the budget might affect the plan to move towards full-day kindergarten, commented that after going over the numbers with Director of Finance Susan Bottan he is “very confident that we are in very good shape to follow through with the [full-day kindergarten] plan.”
Wise also noted that Bottan has plans to establish a stabilization fund which could provide funds in the future if there are any unanticipated expenses for out-of-district placements.
The budget now becomes the School Committee’s Recommended Fiscal Year 2024 Budget and will be forwarded to the Town Manager. The Finance Committee will begin its review of the School Committee’s recommended budget starting on March 1. It will become final only after a vote at Annual Town Meeting in April. [Read More]
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Erik Kaloyanides, RMHS Class ’98 & Athletic Hall of Fame ’09 |
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By Isabella Pastore
Photos by Kenan Cooper
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1998 RMHS Graduate and Reading Hall-of-Famer Erik Kaloyanides, the owner and operator of Athletic Evolution, is continuing to expand his business model from a new location in Wilmington, including physical therapy services and mental health support for athletes.
Before finishing his academic career as an offensive guard at Syracuse University, Kaloyanides embarked on a deep internal dive on what his career would look like. Physically, his body had enough of football, but mentally he was not ready to give up the sport.
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Kaloyanides graduated with degrees in Finance and Marketing and minored in Economics and Entrepreneurship, and inspired by his own entrepreneurial father, he decided to seek owning a business involved in sports and athletics.
“My wife thinks I was busy playing video games, and I was, but somehow I was able to pull this off.”
Kaloyanides was inspired to pursue strength and conditioning, for his Syracuse strength coach inspired Kaloyanides’s development as a player and person. He put together a business plan, worked to get funding for an athletic performance business, and rented out a 15-thousand-square-foot facility in Woburn.
Since 2005, Kaloyanides has been the President of Athletic Evolution. In its original space, Athletic Evolution functioned as an old-school gym: a warehouse with no air conditioning that functioned as a place to cycle in and out as many athletes as it could throughout the day. [Read More]
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Town Clerk Laura Gemme has released an updated list of residents who have pulled papers for the town-wide office and Town Meeting. Nomination papers are available at Reading Town Hall until 5:00PM on Monday, February 13, 2023.
Candidates for elected offices must obtain at least fifty (50) certified signatures to qualify for placement on the ballot. Town Meeting candidates must obtain at least ten (10) certified signatures within their own precinct. This list will be updated on our website after 5 pm on Tuesday, February 2, 2023.
Town Wide Offices
Moderator (One-Year Term)
- Alan E. Foulds 9 Ide Street (Incumbent) *
Board of Library Trustees (Three-Year Term)
- Christian Cappy Popp 11 Pine Ridge Road
- Monetee Dugas Verrier 30 Kurchian Lane (incumbent)
School Committee (Three-Year Term)
- Carla J. Nazzaro 64 Lawrence Road (incumbent) *
- Erin E. Gaffen 15 Hemlock Road (incumbent) *
Select Board (Three-Year Term)
- Carlo Bacci 494 Main Street (incumbent) *
- Karen Gately Herrick 9 Dividence Road (incumbent) *
Municipal Light Board (Three-Year Term)
- Robert Coulter 91 Arcadia Avenue (incumbent)
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50 Years Ago – 1973
- Reading marked the ceasefire in Vietnam at 7pm last Saturday with the sounding of the wire whistle and ringing of church bells. 2/1/1973
- St. Agnes Rectory was robbed at gunpoint for $780 early Monday morning. Father McGowan had difficulty reporting the robbery to the police department as the phone lines were overwhelmed with calls from parents and students asking if the snowstorm canceled school. School was canceled to snow, and the public was reminded to listen to the radio for cancellation notices. 2/1/1973
- School Committee voted to accept the one-year contract for teachers salaries for the 1973-74 school year. Teachers will receive a general 4.4% raise on top of a 2.8% step increase. 2/1/1973
- Town Counsel Conors and Fire Chief Mitchell appeared in court to charge the owner of Benny’s gas station and store at 168 Lowell Street for failure to comply with a court order. The area needs to be cleaned up, old fuel tanks removed, and battered buildings need to be secured. 2/1/1973
- Buildings at the former Bear Hill Nike site had been vandalized beyond repair and are now in the process of being demolished by Public Works crews. 2/1/1973
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13 Years in Reading and 40 years in Public Service |
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Assistant Town Manager Jean Delios embarks upon her retirement after 13 years in Reading and 40 years in public service.
Prior to becoming Assistant Town Manager, Delios worked in community development, Planning, Economic Development, Procurement, Human Resources, and Real Estate development. She has worked across the North Shore before Reading in Lynn, Somerville, Saugus, and Peabody, and even 6 years with the MBTA. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Clark and an MBA from Boston University.
When asked what makes working in the public sector special, Delios said, “It has to be your passion, as it has been mine. Like anything that is a labor of love, it’s not just a job. For me, when I got to lead solutions, partnering with other people to solve problems, that’s when I’ve loved it the most.” [Read More]
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The Reading-North Reading Chamber of Commerce will host Winterfest on Thursday, March 9 from 5 – 8 PM in Reading Square. Mark your calendar to enjoy fire tables and s’mores on the common, lit ice sculptures, Olaf, and music. To celebrate MA Beer week, the Beer Garden will include beer, seltzer, and alcohol-free offerings from Hopothecary Ales, Gentile Brewing Company, and Small Change Brewing. All attractions and s’mores are while supplies last, so plan to come early as last year’s event had a banner turnout. Bring cash and your ID to enjoy the beer garden and snacks from Swiss Bakers and Cupcake City.
“We are excited to host Winterfest this year in Reading Square,” commented Catherine Barton Rossetti, 2023 Chamber President and Owner of Barton Rossetti Law. Catherine continued, “we encourage everyone to get outside, see neighbors and friends, and enjoy downtown and our local businesses” [Read More]
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House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) will be holding district office hours in Reading on Friday, February 10, from 10:15-11:15 a.m. at the Reading Public Library, located at 64 Middlesex Avenue. During office hours, Representative Jones or a member of his staff will be available at the library to meet with constituents on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment is necessary.
“I encourage Reading residents to stop by the library during office hours to discuss any issues of concern they may have, including questions about legislation and accessing government services,” said Representative Jones. “We are always happy to assist in any way we can and to be a resource to the community.” [Read More]
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Superintendent David DiBarri is pleased to announce that Northeast Metro Tech and Reading Cooperative Bank have entered into a unique partnership to create a federally-recognized banking apprenticeship program.
Students enrolled in the Business Technology program will now be able to participate in a federally-recognized banking apprenticeship program that is one-of-a-kind in Massachusetts. The program is also recognized by the Massachusetts Office of Labor and Workforce Development. [Read More]
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Appications Due March 1, 2023
As we head into 2023, please remember to complete your online Reading Scholarship Foundation application. Applications must be submitted or postmarked by March 1, 2023. Any Reading, Massachusetts resident who is currently a high school senior may apply. The application and the full requirements to apply can be found at https://readingsf.org/scholarship-application/
Who Is Eligible To Apply?
Any Reading, MA resident who is either a high school senior OR is pursuing an undergraduate degree may apply. Any non-Reading, MA resident that attended Reading Memorial High School in Reading, MA, as a full-time student for a period of at least three years is also eligible. [Read More]
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AMANDA FRECHETTE Class of ‘23
Favorite Book: “I’ll Give You the Sun” by Jandy Nelson
Favorite Quote: “The life you live is more important than the words you speak.” Mac Miller
Favorite Subjects: Anatomy & Physiology and Art
Activities: Employed at Atria Senior Living in Reading, Dance at J&D Academy
Plans After Graduation: Amanda will be attending Regis College in the fall to major in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
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Highlights from the Reading Police & Fire Logs
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