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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1985-04-18 Adjourned Annual Town Meeting MinutesADJOURNED ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School April 18, 1985 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Stephen J. O'Leary at 7:30 P.M., there being a quorum present. The Invocation was given by the Rev. E. Lewis MacLean, of the First Baptist Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. ARTICLE 14. On motion of Paul C. Dustin it was voted to take Article 14 from the table. ARTICLE 14. On motion of Maria A. Simone it was voted that Article 14 be laid on the table until after Article 2. ARTICLE 2. The following report of the Reading Municipal Light Department, presented by John H. Crooker, was accepted as a report of progress. SECTION 1 - HISTORY AND BACKGROUND OF READING MUNICIPAL LIGHT DEPARTMENT The Reading Municipal Light Department was established by Town Meeting vote in 1894. Operation began in September of 1895. We generated our own capacity at that time, but discontinued generating in 1927 in favor of buying power from Boston Edison. The Reading Municipal Light Department territory initally was just Reading. In 1908 the Legislature authorized Reading to extend electric service to Wilmington, North Reading and Lynnfield Center. Today we are the largest municipal electric utility in Massachusetts with a peak load of over 100 megawatts. We have 66 employes, 26 vehicles and service over 21,000 metered customers in a territory of 50 square miles. The annual revenues are estimated to be $44,500,000 in 1985. We have a fully funded pension trust of over 4 Million Dollars. Our outstanding bonded indebtedness is $680,000. Our plant value will be $26,000,000 at the end of 1985. We have a rate stabilization fund of $2,300,000. In summary we are financially sound and have developed a staff to properly operate our system. SECTION II - RMLD'S RELATIONSHIP WITH MMWEC In 1975 the Massachusetts Legislature established the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company, called MMWEC. MMWEC is a joint action agency, that is, it permits a number of separate municipal utilities, some thirty four in all, to purchase electric power, or to build generating plants as if they were one utility. In 1976 Town Meeting authorized participation by the Reading Municipal Light Department in MMWEC. So far participation in MMWEC has worked out well for Reading. Through MMWEC we have been able to purchase both short and long term contracts for power at much lower cost than we would have been able to alone. MMWEC owns the Stony Brook generating units in Ludlow, Mass. These units run on both oil and gas, and can produce a total of 500 megawatts. Stony Brook runs exceptionally well and contributes greatly to the New England power pool. Reading owns about one sixth of Stony Brook. SECTION III READING MUNICIPAL LIGHT DEPARTMENT'S CONTRACTS FOR POWER Just as homeowners find that in the long term it is cheaper to be an owner than a renter, utilities also find that their rates are lower when they can obtain ownership interests, or life of unit contracts than when power is obtained on short term contracts exclusively. We have a life of the unit contract with Boston Edison's Pilgrim #1 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, for 5 Megawatts, and ownership interests in Stony Brook, Millstone #3 and Seabrook. r) r) Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 18, 1985 We also have short term contracts such as New Brunswick's Point LePreau. Hydro - Quebec will also be a short term energy contract. Approximately half of our energy comes from Edison under a contract demand agreement. The remainder of our power comes from weekly or monthly contracts from around New England. SECTION IV - SEABROOK Public Service Co. of New Hampshire the lead owner of Seabrook received construction permits for Seabrook Units I and II in July of 1976. The purpose behind the project was to build a more economical generating unit than oil and to handle the need for expanded electric capacity in the area. The project started off well. But as the seventies became the eighties it became apparent that PSNH was involved in a larger undertaking than they could handle. In January of 1983 the joint owners of Seabrook moved in with a new management team which is in place today, and Seabrook II was mothballed. Reading contracted for Seabrook in three phases. The first was a token in July of 1976, the second was in July of 1977 and the third in December of 1977. MMWEC Project 6 was offered in September of 1979. However Reading chose not to participate any further because of PSNH'S unsatisfactory bond rating. Most of the MMWEC participants chose to continue buying additional Seabrook capacity under MMWEC Project 6. This all brings us to where RMLD is today relative to participation in Seabrook I. Reading owns .006 or 6 /10ths of 1% of Seabrook I, a capacity of 7,3000 Kilowatts. This capacity will be about 6% of Reading's required capacity. Current projections show we must have this Seabrook capacity in order for us to maintain our system for the future. The projected overall Reading increased costs including Seabrook will be 4% a year starting 1987. The projected overall costs should Seabrook not be completed will be 6% a year because we will have fixed Seabrook costs whether the unit is running or not plus the costs of equivilent capacity which we feel will not be available. As far as we can determine Seabrook Unit I is on time and well within the budget of 4.8 Billion Dollars. The testing is being done with good results and high marks from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Construction is 85% complete. The Massachusetts DPU recently ruled on a case involving MMWEC and 3 private companies, and retricted financing for the completion of Seabrook. This decision has been appealed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and a finding is expected in early summer. In the meantime Seabrook construction will continue. The MMWEC participants have enough resources to continue their portion of the project pending further developments. Reading's participation in Seabrook is moderate and controllable and we are taking a conservative attitude towards the existing situation. A much bigger problem than Seabrook which has begun to show is a general lack of electric capacity in the northeast region. Without adequate capacity the northeast has an extremely restricted future. ARTICLE 2. The following report of the Board of Public Works, presented by Douglass L. Barker, was accepted as a report of progress. The firm of Metcalf & Eddy, Inc. was hired by the Town to perform a study of the recharge zones of the Hundred Acre and Revay Wellfields, assist in developing an Aquifer Protection Plan, and provide specific recommendations on possible regulations and /or by- laws to implement an Aquifer Protection Plan. An informational and data gathering meeting was held on Tuesday evening March 12, 1985 with the Board of Public Works, representatives of Metcalf & Eddy, Inc., various representatives of the Town's Boards, Committees, officials and interested citizens. This was an informal working meeting where Metcalf & Eddy, Inc. reviewed their progress to date, the information gathered from the various Town staffs and officials, and accepted additional suggestions, pertinent information and comments concerning this subject. Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 18, 1985 323 The Board has distributed copies of the draft "Aquifer Protection Plan" to the following; Board of Selectmen, Conservation Commission, Board of Health, Hazardous Waste Committee, Town Forest Committee, Planning Board, Board of Assessors, Finance Committee, Land Bank Committee, Health Director, Health Inspector, Tree Warden, Fire Chief, Building Inspector, Town Counsel, Representative Beckwith, Senator Buell, and placed one on file with the Public Library on April 16, 1985. The Board has scheduled a public meeting for Monday, May 6, 1985 for further review, discussion, and possible implementation of the plan. The Board, acting as the Town's Water Commissioners, considers the protection of our Ell, primary source of water through public awareness, Town Government cooperative efforts, enacting additional local land use zoning and /or by -laws, enforcement of State and Federal Laws and Regulations, and working with the surounding community leaders as a very high priority. The Board of Public Works is planning to work with the other Town Boards and officials with the intention of possibly implementing portions of the plan under various current regulations and authorities, and intending to present additional By -Laws and /or Regulations for adoption by Town Meeting at the Subsequent Town Meeting in November, 1985. ARTICLE 2. On motion of Paul C. Dustin it was voted to lay Article 2 on the table. ARTICLE 14. On motion of Paul C. Dustin it was voted that Article 14 remain on the table. ARTICLE 16. On motion of Mary T. Ziegler it was voted that the sum of Fifteen Thousand ($15,000) Dollars be raised from the tax levy and appropriated for police and fire indemnification. ARTICLE 17. On motion of Paul C. Dustin it was voted that the town authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell or exchange or dispose of upon such terms and conditions as they may determine, three cars in the use of the police department, and that sum of Thirty -Two Thousand Five Hundred ($32,500) Dollars be transferred from receipts reserved for appropriation sale of real estate, and appropriated for the purchase of three new cars for the police department. ARTICLE 18. On motion of Paul C. Dustin it was voted that the sum of Fourteen Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty ($14,750) Dollars be raised from the tax levy and appropriated for the purchase of uniforms for members of the police department. ARTICLE 19. On motion of Paul C. Dustin it was voted that the sum of Twenty -Five Thousand ($25,000) Dollars be transferred from receipts reserved for appropriation sale of real estate, and appropriated for the purchase, installation and maintenance of a computer for use by the police department. ARTICLE 14. On motion of Paul C. Dustin it was voted to take Article 14 from the table. ARTICLE 14: The following motion by Nils L. Nordberg, as amended by Carl H. Amon, Jr. and Richard S. Dempster, was voted in the affirmative by a vote of 113 in the affirmative and 0 in the negative: 4.6.4.Low, Moderate Income or Elderly Housing: If the Reading Housing Authority specifically determines that there is a shortage of low or moderate income housing or elderly housing in the Town, then the Board of Appeals shall impose a general condition in a special permit issued under Section 4.6.1 that up to ten percent (10 %) of the total townhouses within the townhouse parcel be restricted for low or moderate income housing, or elderly housing or that the applicant shall provide a like number of such housing units elsewhere in the Town (subject to the restrictions described below) or that the applicant shall provide an alternative cash contribution (calculated as described below) to the Reading Housing Authority; such funds to be used to provide low or moderate housing or elderly housing. It shall be the Reading Housing Authority's option whether to require the applicant to provide housing or the alternative cash contribution or a combination of some housing and 324, Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 18, 1985 some alternative cash contribution. It shall be the Reading Housing Authority's option whether to require that such housing be on the townhouse parcel or elsewhere within the Town. Nevertheless, the Board of Appeals shall not impose in the special permit any requirement of providing low or moderate income housing or elderly housing or a cash contribution if at the time of the filing of the application for the townhouse special permit, there then exists in the Town low or moderate income housing (as defined pursuant to Mass. General Laws Chapter 40B, Section 20), which is in excess of ten percent (10 %) of the housing units reported in the latest decennial census of the Town or on sites comprising one and one -half percent or more of the total land area zoned for residential, commercial or industrial use in the town; provided, however, that the land area owned by the United States, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or any political subdivision thereof, the Metropolitan District Commission or any public authority shall be excluded from the total land area referred to above when making such determination. If such low or moderate income housing or elderly housing is to be located elsewhere within the Town, such units need not be townhouse in design, but such units must be upgraded by the applicant to conform completely with the then standards of the State Building Code and other regulations which may be imposed by the Reading Housing Authority. If the Reading Housing Authority elects to require the alternative cash contribution, such contribution shall be calculated by multiplying Two Thousand Dollars times the number of townhouse units within the townhouse parcel times a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Consumer Price Index (Boston -All Index) published by the United States Department of Labor most recently published prior to the submission of the application for a Special Permit under Section 4.6.2. and the denominator of which shall be the Consumer Price Index most recently published prior to January 1, 1985. In no event shall the alternative cash contribution be less than Two Thousand Dollars per townhouse unit. If for any reason the United States Department of Labor should discontinue the Consumer Price Index or if there should be a significant change in the calculation of the Consumer Price Index, then an alternative equitable but comparable method of calculation shall be utilized. If the Reading Housing Authority elects to require the applicant to make a combination of some alternative cash contribution and to provide some housing, the amount of the alternative cash contribution shall be adjusted appropriately. The low or moderate housing or elderly housing units shall be designated or the alternative cash contribution made, prior to the time when occupancy permits are issued for each phase of development on the townhouse parcel. Article 20. On motion of Paul C. Dustin that the sum of Twenty -Five ($25,000) Dollars be raised from the tax levy and appropriated for the purpose of hiring consulting engineers to make the required studies and design work and whatever else is necessary to upgrade, renovate or replace the existing traffic light system in the Reading Square area. This motion was voted in the negative. ARTICLE 21. On motion of Carl H. Amon, Jr. it was voted that the Board of Cemetery Trustees be and they hereby are authorized to sell or exchange, or otherwise dispose of, upon such terms and conditions as they may determine, one (1) 1969 70 inch gang grass mower, used by the Board of Cemetery Trustees and that the sum of Two Thousand Six Hundred and Seventy Five Dollars ($2,675.00) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated together with the receipts, if any, for the sale, exchange or disposal for said 1969 gang grass mower for the purpose of purchasing a new rotary mower, to be used by the Board of Cemetery Trustees. ARTICLE 22. On motion of Carl H. Amon, Jr. it was voted that the Town authorize the Board of Cemetery Trustees to sell or exchange or otherwise dispose of upon such terms and conditions as they may determine, one (1) 1977 dump truck with snow plowing equipment, and that the sum of Seventeen Thousand Five Hundred ($17,500) Dollars be transferred from receipts reserved for appropriation sale of real estate, and appropriated for the purpose of purchasing one (1) new -one (1) ton dump truck, equipped for snow plowing to be used by the cemetery trustees. ARTICLE 23. On motion of John H. Russell -it was voted that the Town authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell or exchange or otherwise dispose of upon such terms and conditions as they may determine, Engine 5 in the use of the Fire Department, and that the sum of One Hundred Forty Thousand ($140,000) Dollars be transferred from receipts reserved for appropriation sale of real estate, and appropriated for the purchase of a new fire pumper engine for the Fire Department. ARTICLE 24. On motion of John H. Russell it was voted that the sum of Six Thousand Nine Hundred Fifty ($6,950) Dollars be raised from the tax levy and appropriated for the purchase of uniforms for members of the Fire Department. Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 18, 1985 `? ARTICLE 25. On motion of John H. Russell it was voted that the sum of One Thousand ($1,000) Dollars be raised from the tax levy and appropriated for the purchase of protective clothing for members of the auxiliary fire service. ARTICLE 26. On motion of Clifford D. Allen it was voted that the sum of $204,000 be raised by borrowing, as provided under Chapter 44 of the General Laws, and appropriated for the purpose of replacing the roof of the Collidge Middle School, 89 Birch Meadow Drive, Reading. Such appropriation to include all engineering fees and preparation costs required to complete the purpose of the motion; all such monies to be expended under the direction of the Reading School Committee. 94 voted in the affirmative 0 voted in the negative 2/3 vote required ARTICLE 27. On motion of Mary S. Ziegler as amended by William C. Brown, it was voted that the Town authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell or exchange or dispose of upon such terms and conditions as they may determine, one pick -up truck in the use of the Building Maintenance Department, and that the sum of Ten Thousand ($10,000) Dollars be transferred from receipts reserved for appropriation sale of real estate, and appropriated for the purchase of a new pick -up truck for the Building Maintenance Department. ARTICLE 28. On motion of Allan E. Ames it was voted that the subject matter of Article 28 be referred to the Municipal Light Board, and that said Board be and hereby is, authorized to install such additional street lights as in its judgement are required, and to make such changes in the size, type and locations of existing street lights, as it may deem advisable, the expenses of the same to be paid from the income of the plant. ARTICLE 29. On motion of Robert I. Nordstrand it was voted that the sum of Eighteen Thousand Dollars ($18,000) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to the Board of Assessors as a fee or salary for the purpose of conducting in whole or in part a Town -wide revaluation of all Commercial and Industrial properties as mandated by the General Laws and being enforced by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. ARTICLE 30. On motion of Robert I. Nordstrand it was voted that the sum of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to the Board of Assessors as Expense for the purpose of conducting a town -wide revaluation of all Commercial and Industrial properties in the Town as mandated by the General Laws and enforced by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. ARTICLE 31. On motion of Robert I. Nordstrand it was voted that the sum of One Hundred Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($115,000.00) be raised from the tax levy and appropriated to the Board of Assessors for the purpose of contracting with private firms to conduct a Town -wide revaluation of all real estate, personal property and utilities in the Town as mandated by the General Laws and enforced by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. On motion of Paul C. Dustin, it was voted that this meeting stand adjourned to meet at 7:30 P.M. on Monday, April 22nd, 1985, in the Reading Memorial High School auditorium. Meeting adjourned at 10:46 P.M. 131 Town Meeting members were present. A true copy. Attest J Lawrence Drew Town Clerk