Reading ARPA Advisory Committee

Charge of the Reading ARPA Advisory Committee (RAAC)

Authority: The Reading ARPA Advisory Committee is an ad hoc committee appointed by the Reading Select Board.

Membership: The RAAC will have eight (8)  members composed as follows:

• 2 Select Board Members (ex-officio, appointed by the Select Board)
• 3 Finance Committee Members (ex-officio, appointed by the Finance committee)
• 2 School Committee Members (ex-officio, appointed by the School Committee)
• 1 Board of Library Trustees Member (ex-officio, appointed by the Board of Library Trustees).

In order to help the Committee carry out its purpose, the Select Board invites the following staff will lend their professional guidance and advice to the Committee.  

• Town Manager
• Town Accountant
• School Superintendent
• School Director of Finance

 Meetings will be recorded and administrative support will be provided by Town Hall staff (scheduling and posting meetings, taking minutes, etc.)

Purpose: The purpose of this Committee is to serve as an advisory Committee to the Reading Select Board for the purpose of recommending allowed use of local and county American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant funds to fund community priorities.

The Committee shall gather input from its members and the broader community, and shall consider in forming its recommendations inputs such as “free cash” balances, current and future planned debt, the capital plan and potential additional ARPA grants as may be available from the Commonwealth of MA.

The Select Board is empowered to authorize the expenditure of ARPA. While the Select Board’s intent is for the Committee to provide guidance and direction consistent with recovery of the effects of COVID, lost revenue and other allowed uses under the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act, the Select Board may authorize the expenditure of these funds at any time and without consulting with Committee. 

Deliverable: The Committee shall begin its work by April 2022 and shall submit ARPA spending recommendations to the Select Board no later than October 31, 2022 unless another date is agreed to by the Select Board.

Sunset: The Committee shall sunset on December 31, 2022 but may be extended by a Select Board vote.

Public Body: The meetings and deliberations of the Committee shall be subject to the Open Meeting Law.