page_title: Reading, Massachusetts
section_title: Government
hierarchical_section_title: Reading, Massachusetts / Government
caption_attribution_description: English: Reading Massachusetts Town Hall on March 2, 2014
context_page_description: Reading is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, 16 miles north of central Boston. The population was 24,747 at the 2010 census.
context_section_description: The municipal government of the town of Reading comprises a representative town meeting, whose members are elected from eight precincts.
  The town elects a five-member select board by general election, who serve for overlapping three-year terms. The select board are responsible for calling the elections for the town meeting, and for calling town meetings. They initiate legislative policy by proposing legislative changes to the town meeting, and then implement the votes subsequently adopted. They also review fiscal guidelines for the annual operating budget and capital improvements program and make recommendations on these to the town meeting. In addition the board serves as the local road commissioners and licensing board, and appoints members to most of the town's other boards, committees, and commissions.
  The day-to-day running of the town government is the responsibility of a town manager, appointed by the board of selectmen.
caption: Town Hall
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