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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978-10-05 Special Town Meeting Minutes84 SpecialTown Meeting October 5, 1978 Precinct 6. Fire Station, 267 Woburn Street Housing for the Elderly, 1 Frank D. Tanner Drive Alice M. Barrows School, 16 Edgemont Avenue Precinct 7. Austin Preparatory School, 101 Willow Street Weston's Greenhouses, 9 Auburn Street Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street Precinct 8. Meadowbrook Golf Club, 292 Grove Street Memorial High School, 62 Oakland Road Arthur W.Coolidge Jr.HighSchool, 89 Birch Meadow Drive The date of posting being not less than fourteen days prior to October 5, 1978, the date set for the meeting in this Warrant. I also caused an attested copy of this Warrant to be published in the Reading Chronicle in the issue of September 20, 1978. (s) Sally Hoyt Constable of Reading SPECIAL TOWN MEETING Walter S. Parker Jr. High School October 5, 1978 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Kenneth C. Latham, at 8:00 P.M. The invocation was given by the Rev. P. Dale Neufer of the Old South United Methodist Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. The Warrant was partially read by the Town Clerk, when on motion of Frank A. Smith, Jr. it was voted to dispense with further reading of the Warrant except the Officer's Return, which was then read by the Town Clerk. The following report was read by Eugene R. Nigro, Chairman of the School Committe e: Report of the various play grounds' safe playing conditions and maintenance programs initiated to up -grade these play grounds to an acceptable safety standard. The Reading School Committee has jurisdiction over playgrounds adjacent to the various school buildings as follows: RMHS Football Field, Practice Field, Hot top areas CJHS Playfield back of school PJHS Upper playfield, Lower field for soccer & football Hot top areas Barrows Hot top areas Birch Meadow Hot top area, small play field Eaton School Upper playground, Lower field and hot top area Highland School Hot top area Killam School Play field and hot top area Pearl Street Play field and hot top area Woburn Stret Hot top area During the school year the fields and hot top play areas are maintained by the building custodians with an assist from the maintenance department as required. The School department does not have a grounds crew to maintain its more than 67 acres of land. The custodians are charged with keeping the areas clean and safe for use at all times. This is accomplished by sweeping the hot top areas and policing the fields and removing broken glass, bottles, cans, loose stones and other objects that might cause harm to those who use the facilities. ti.. 35 From mid -May to September we hire part time people to mow the grass, keep the areas free from debris and otherwise maintain clean and safe play areas. Our play fields are severely over used, not only for our own school programs but also by such groups as Little League, Pop Warner Football, Youth Soccer, soft ball teams and neighborhood groups. The Reading Recreation Committee utilizes these same fields during the summer for their programs. The Board of Public Works assists the School department in maintaining those areas that are used by the Recreation Committee. The Board of Public Works has been most cooperative in this area. In addition to keeping the areas clean and safe for play our current maintenance effort involves filling in depressions with loam, reworking and refurbishing base paths and pitchers mounds with appropriate mixtures of clay and sand and leveling and rolling the track. Fences and backstops are repaired and maintained annually or as required. Bleacher planks are replaced as needed at the Reading Memorial High School and also at Parker Junior High. Bleacher areas are inspected annually and must conform to state standards With equipment borrowed from the Board of Public Works the football field and practice field are "sliced seeded" annually and other fields are seeded as required. Fertilizer is applied in the spring and again in the fall. A weed eradication program has been in effect at the high school and this year we included the Killam play field. Lack of rain and continued over -use of these areas has hindered the growth of grass that is expected to replace the weeds. Grass is cut approximately once a week from mid -May to September depending on the amount of rainfall. It requires 15 hours of labor with the appropriate equipment each week. Fields are raked and swept with equipment borrowed from the Board of Public Works as often as required for effective maintenance of the fields. The appropriation required to maintain the grounds at present levels is $19,600 and includes $8,750 for resurfacing of hot top areas, $1,000 for fence repair, and the +� balance of $9,850 for loam, seed, fertilizer, line painting, repairs to grounds as a result of malicious damage, repairs and maintenance of playground equipment, traffic bumps and track maintenance. An effort to reclaim the Killam School diamond is in process and involves the reworking and resurfacing of the base paths and pitchers mound as well as the installation of sod on the infield. It is expected to be ready in late spring. Other fields are being maintained at present levels with the emphasis on preventing further deterioration. The pressure of over -use and the lack of sufficient rainfall during the summer inhibited an effective up- grading program. Until the community provides more fields and relieves the pressure on the existing areas our efforts will be expended in maintaining the existing facilities in a clean and safe condition. Our hope is to provide more areas and up -grade existing facilities as funds can be made available for such purposes. The School Committee has included in their long range plans several major up- grading projects including the total refurbishment of the varsity football field, the installation of an all weather track and field events area, the reconstruction of the Killam School play field, construction of a game field at the Northwest corner of Parker Junior High School and the refurbishment of the Pearl Street School field. This report was accepted as a report of progress. On motion of James J. Sullivan, Jr. it was voted to lay Article 1 on the table. ARTICLE 2. On motion of William C. Brown it was voted that the Board of Selectmen be and hereby are instructed not to award or accept any bids to paint the Prospect Street School. On motion of James J. Sullivan, Jr. it was voted to lay Article 2 on the table. 36 ARTICLE 3. On motion of James J.Sullivan, Jr. it was voted that the sum of Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000) be transferred from surplus revenue and appro- priated to Fire Department as follows, each item being considered a separate appropriation: Salaries $39,000 E.M.T. $ 1,000 ARTICLE 4. On motion of Marvin M.Rosenthal it was voted that Article 4 be indefinitely postponed. ARTICLE 5. On motion of James J.Sullivan, Jr. it was voted that the Town rescind the Motion of John H.Russell, made and adopted under Article 12 of theAnnual Town Meet- ing of 1978 (line item 158 of the Finance Committee Report) which Moved: That the sum of Nine Thousand Three Hundred Fifty -six Dollars and Seventy cents ($9,356.70) be transferred from the following accounts: Street Betterment - Barbara Lane 319.11 Street Betterment - Hemlock Road 388.76 Street Betterment - Maple Ridge Road 279.74 Street Betterment - Countryside Lane 539.03 Street Betterment - Boyce Street 3,512.59 Street Betterment - Norman Road 1,388.11 Street Betterment - Johanna Drive 735.80 Street Betterment - Arrow Circle 440.85 Modification of John St. Facility 19.41 School Sites and Recreation Areas Comm. Expense 71.82 School Sites & Recreation Areas Study 1,000.00 School Sites & Recreation Areas Land Purchase 661.48 and the sum of Fifteen Thousand Six Hundred Forty -three Dollars and Thirty cents ($15,643.30) be raised from the tax levy and that said sum totalling Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25 000) be appropriated for the Y- , purpose of maintaining, improving and constructing facilities in the Parks and Playgrounds, such sum to be expended by and under the direction of the Board of Public Works. so that the sum of Twenty -two Thousand Three Hundred Sixty -six Dollars ($22,366) be appropriated and not expended under said motion will be returned to the General Fund. During this discussion there were two reports submitted by the Finance Committee; one by Mr. Paul T. Metcalf who represented those in favor of the motion, as follows: Minority Report Concerning 6 -6 tie vote by the Fin.Com on Article 5 on September 26, 1978 As the maker of the motion to recommend rescinding Article 5 and having voted in the affirmative I submit the following points: 1. Recognizing that a citizen's petition against building a baseball field at Batchelder was the basis for the Article, I supported that point of view. 2. Traffic control and safety of the neighborhood children was also a factor. There are no plans at present for safety. 3. Since the possibility of a future reduction in Town services is being considered by the Selectmen as requested by them of the May Town Meeting, it was felt that now was as good a time as any of start reducing budgets. A verbal report was submitted by Mr. Donald E. Trudeau who represented the opposition. ARTICLE 6. On motion of James J. Sullivan, Jr. it was voted that the sum of Five Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($5,500) be transferred from surplus revenue and appropriated for the purpose of maintaining, improving and constructing facilities in the Parks and Playgrounds, such sum to be expended by and under the direction of the Board of Public Works. ARTICLE 7. On motion of Paul C. Dustin it was voted that the sum of Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000.00) be transferred from the performance bond for Parkview Estates and appropriated for the purpose of completion of the construction of a private way known as Francis Drive in accordance with the terms of a certain performance bond executed by Main Street Realty Trust to the benefit of the Town of Reading on the 21st day of November, 1977 pursuant to the Massachusetts General Laws w,ma Chapter 41, such funds to be spent by and under the direction of the Board of Public Works. On motion of James J. Sullivan, Jr. it was voted to take Article 2 from the table. On motion of James J.Sullivan, Jr. it was voted that Article 2 be indefinitely postponed. On motion of James J.Sullivan, Jr. it was voted to take Article 1 from the table. On motion of James J. Sullivan, Jr. it was voted that Article 1 be indefinitely postponed. On motion of James J. Sullivan, Jr. it was voted that this meeting stand adjourned at 10:13 P.M., October 5, 1978. 139 Town Meeting members were present. -' A true copy. Attest: Lawrence Drew Town Clerk M 87