Select Board To Community: How Can We Help?

Whether the number is 10, 15, or as one resident said 24, Reading has seen a rise in anti-semitic acts. Tuesday night at the high school library the Select Board got what it was looking for when it invited stakeholders for a discussion centered on what the board could do to help.

Chair Andy Friedmann passed the gavel to Barry Berman who then led a discussion centered around four questions. 1. What are the root causes of the problem; 2. Where and how do you think town government can take action; 3. What else outside of town government is needed; 4. and what are the next steps for town goverment.

The discussion started with an admission that it's not an easy problem to solve. Deputy Police Chief David Clark said his wife is jewish and "this type of crime hits close to home." Clark said the acts of vandalism, the lastest of which occurred in June, are "particularly difficult to investigate." He said there are no witnesses and police are limited by what they can do in a school. "It's very frustrating for us."

Town Manager Bob LeLacheur said just because a swastika is found doesn't mean it was put there recently. "It's hard to date them," said LeLacheur. "The symbols could have been there for quite some time."

More than one resident said this wasn't a school problem but rather a community problem. The leadership of Reading Embraces Diversity were there along with members of the Human Rights Advisory Committee. All had suggestions for the board on what could be done including:

• Appoint a board member as liaison to groups like RED and HRAC.

• Come up with a communications policy. As Mark Dockser said, "Even if it's bad news, it's news that needs to be shared."

• Additional training of town employees needs to be done. Along this line, the Anti-Defamation League will soon work with the Reading Police Detectives.

• If a student hears something offensive or hate related, where does he/she turn? A formal school department protocol needs to be established.

• Make continued and greater efforts to schedule around Jewish holidays.

• Schedule/create an event to bring the town together and send a message to all Reading residents.

Berman finished the discussion by saying even if it's a kid with a sharpie or just a prank as some might suggest, "it doesn't matter. People in this community are feeling marginalized."

In other matters, the board heard from residents of Willow Street during public comment. The residents were protesting Saturday's start of a trail project that they say comes too close to their property and one that didn't ask residents for input. They were asking the board to intervene and delay the project. But because the trail is on Conservation land and already approved by the Trails Committee, there was little the board could do. LeLacheur also said that because it involves conservation land the board may not have authority to stop the project ... the Board of Health meets Wednesday to finalize a letter on the town's rat problems. That letter will be mailed out to roughly 1,000 residents ... the board approved the gift of a batting cage to the town by the Friends of Reading Baseball ... and the board heard about plans for Discover the Arts in Reading on Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Town Common.

Photo by Bob Holmes