Dear Reading Community,

I hope this message finds you well. I am excited to officially announce my re-election campaign for one of the two Select Board seats on April 8th.

State Senator Jason Lewis is accepting applications for summer 2025 internships with his office, offering a unique opportunity for students and young professionals to gain hands-on experience in state government. Senator Lewis represents the Fifth Middlesex District, which includes Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, and parts of Winchester. As a member of the Senate President Karen Spilka’s leadership team, he plays a key role in shaping public policy, particularly in education, healthcare, and economic opportunity.

Music lovers, mark your calendars - Reading PorchFest is back for itsseventh year on Satuday, June 28, 2025!

The popular music festival invites residents to take part in a day filled with live performances on porches, driveways, and front yards throughout Reading. Whether you are a musician looking to perform, a homeowners interested in hosting a band or solo act, or both - now is the time to sign up! Registration links are available at ReadingPorchFest.com.

Hello residents of Reading! My name is Christopher Cook, and I’m excited to announce my candidacy for the Reading Select Board in the upcoming election on April 8th. My family and I are recent residents of Reading, and from the moment we arrived, we knew we had made the right choice. We were drawn to this town because of its strong sense of community, excellent schools, and vibrant local businesses. 

The Town of Reading is seeking input from residents to help shape the community’s future. Over the past several months, municipal staff and resident volunteers have been actively listening to community members to better understand the challenges they face. Now, the Town is asking for further feedback through a brief survey designed to help identify top priorities and explore ways to build a more resilient Reading.

Pickleball enthusiasts in Reading are gearing up for the 3rd annual Reading Pickleball Players Association (RPPA) fundraiser, set to take place on Saturday, March 16, 2025, at the Reading Memorial High School Fieldhouse. This highly anticipated community event brings players of all skill levels together for a day of fun, friendly competition, an fundraising.

The Department of Public Works (DPW) has released its Spring 2025 schedule, featuring a variety of essential services for residents, including street sweeping, hazardous materials collection, scrap metal pickup, and electronics recycling. Mark your calendars and take advantage of these opportunities to keep Reading clean and sustainable.

The Town of Reading is preparing for an upcoming change in trash and recycling as part of the next rubbish/recycling contract, which will transition from manual collection to automated collection in July 2026. To facilitate this change, new trash and recycling carts will be delivered to every household currently receiving town collection services starting in April 2025.

Mark your calendars - Winterfest 2025 is coming to the Reading Town Common on Thursday, March 6, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. This annual outoor celebration, hosted by the Reading-North Reading Chamber of Commerce, brings together residents and visitors for an evening of great food, craft beer, live music, and winter activities.

The Town has announced that applications for second water meters designated for outdoor use are now open to residentail property owners through OpenGov. To apply, a licensed plumber must initiate the applicaiton process on OpenGov under the ‘Building/Inspections’ category, see the screenshot below. The second water meter is designed to measure and bill only outdoor water usage, helping residents manage irrigation and other exterior water needs more efficiently. Each year, the Town will permit up to 500 second water meters, and property owners are responsible for all associated application and inspection fees, as well as the cost of the meter itself.

The Reading Community Garden is excited to share updates for the fourth upcoming season of planting! 

Visit: www.readingma.gov/communitygarden to find the link to the application and gardener agreement.

• Please submit applications by March 31, 2025.

• Plots will be assigned by the end of the first week of April 2025.

• Returning gardeners interested in applying for the same plot or would like to request a different one, please contact Town Staff

Karen Rose-Gillis has announced she is running for the Select Board. Karen is an active listener, a clear, consistent communicator, and a respectful and analytical decision-maker, and she believes these attributes will be a huge asset to the Select Board. Karen has lived in Reading since 1993 and raised three children in Reading. Most recently, Karen was a Parking Advisory & Recommendation Committee (PARC) member, a long-time Boy Scout and Girl Scout leader, and a meaningful contributor to Reading school and sports communities. Please join Karen with your enthusiasm and energy to move Reading forward and make it even better. Decisions made now need to be thoughtful solutions for the future. Let’s come up with some thoughtful solutions for the future; our town deserves it! For more information, please visit: https://www.VoteForKRG.com

The Town Clerk’s office has officially mailed out the 2025 Annual Census, and all residents are encouraged to review the information on their form. Residents should update any necessary details per the instructions, sign the form, and return it to the Town Clerk’s office as soon as possible. Along with the annual census form, residents also received a dog licensing worksheet and a Vote By Mail application. All dogs six (6) months of age or older must be licensed by March 31, 2025, violations will result in a $50 fine.

The community is invited to celebrate Black History Month with a fun and educational Trivia Night at the Reading Public Library tonight! Hosted by the Office of Equity and Social Justice, this event will challenge participants’ knowledge of Black history while fostering an engaging and inclusive discussion.

The MBTA has notified the Town of Reading that it has requested to withdraw its Notice of Intent for the proposed project at 0 Vine Street. However, the agency has made it clear that this withdrawal is without prejudice, meaning it intends to refile at a later date.

Despite this change, the public forum scheduled for tonight will proceed as planned. The meeting, designed to allow the MBTA to gather community feedback and address questions, will take place from 7:00-8:30 pm at the Pleasant Street Center, located at 49 Pleasant Street.

Happy Black History Month! As the month comes to a close, CATO – The Coalition of Us – is proud to share its 5th Annual Black History Month Takeover Event, an interactive and engaging way to celebrate, reflect, and learn throughout February and beyond.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of The Reading Observer, a dedicated news organization committed to delivering in-depth coverage of local elections, government affairs, and educational topics in Reading, Massachusetts.