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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987-09-14 Reading Housing Authority MinutesREADING HOUSING AUTHORITY MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 14, 1987 The Reading Housing Authority met in regular session on Monday, September 14,1987 at 22 Frank D. Tanner Drive in Reading, Massachusetts. Notice of this meeting had been properly posted in accordance with the Open Meeting law. Mr. Mcisaac called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. with Mr. White and Mr. Reynolds present and forming a quorum. Margaret Plansky, the Executive Director, was also present at the meeting. Also present were approximately ten (10) interested citizens. Upon a motion duly made by Mr. Reynolds and seconded by Mr. White, it was unanimously VOTED: To accept for the record the minutes of the Meeting of August , 1987 as presented. The acting Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect. Upon a motion duty made by Mr. Reynolds and seconded by Mr. White, it was unanimously voted to approve the checkroii /biliroll for the month of September totalling $39,060.28 and to sign the checks. The acting Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.. Chairman Dempster joined and chaired the meeting at this point. It was noted by the Board that Mr. Dempster was present at the Selectmen's meets ng where hi s son recei ved a ci ti zenshi p award f or servi ce to a R Reading family. The Architect for the 705 development presented the back -up information for a change order at the Oakland /Waverly Road development. The three items that were revised were: The approval process is critically short. All proposals must be submitted by October 2, 1987. Before submission the proposals must be approved by the Reading Housing Authority and the Board of Selectmen. DMH was very enthusiastic about the site selected: abuts a business area; close to downtown and services; on a bus line; has adequate parking. The Board was concerned with neighborhood acceptance and requested that an information meeting be held to inform neighbors of the proposed use before the proposal was approved. Also discussed were severity of illness of clients; man -hours from proposal through development into management; preference be given to Reading residents; quality of service vendors among others. The Board thanked all the citizens and personnel from DMH for their fine presentation and would take the matter under advisement as the time for the scheduled "Safety Meeting" for the Waverly Oaks development must be met. Mr. White returned to the meeting at this point. Safety Meeting On Monday, September 14, 1987, the Reading Housing Authority held a public meeting to discuss the safety issues for the area at Oakland /Waverly Roads and Birch Meadow Drive. Notices were sent to the neighboring residents, as attached. Separate contact was also -made with Reading Police Chief, Police Safety Officer, Town Manager, Town Engineer, and the Superintendent of Schools. Maps and pictures of area were available for display and as handouts. Present for the meetings were: Four members of the Reading Housing Authority Executive Director of Reading Housing Authority Reading Police Department - Lt. Patterson Reading School Department - Asst. Principal, RMHS, Robert Quinn Neighbor - William Chopelas, 79 Oakland Road. Issues discussed included: - Confusion of acces /egress at the intersection of Field House, Waverly, Oakland Roads and Birch Meadow Drive. - Illegal stop sign installed at exit from Field House onto Oakland'', Road. - Lack of enforcement„ , - Danger of pedestrian crossing in area. Needs by School, Department presented: - Adequate access for tractor trailer trucks to bring supplies to RMHS. - Adequacy of access for bus turnout. - Availabiltg and need for on- street parking for RMHS staff. POSSIBLE RESOLUTIONS: While keeping in mind the needs of the, Reading School Department, action requested were: - Mark center line on Oakland Road and Birch Meadow Drive; - Mark area /install traffic island or rumble strip at Oakland Roac and Birch Meadow Drive. Mark legal parking area6.. DEFINITIVE ACTION: AT EARLIEST POSSIBLE CONVENIENCE, MEETING OF TOWN MANAGER, TOWN ENGINEER, POLICE DEPARTMENT, RHA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND NEIGHBOR /RHA BOARD MEMBER ARTHUR REYNOLDS TO DISCUSS PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS TO BE IN PLACE BEFORE ANTICIPATED OCCUPANCY OF DECEMBER 1, 1987. AFTER RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN FINALIZED, A REPORT WILL BE FILED WITH THE READNG ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS. I 1) - Delete use of sewer manholes and use sewer connection saddles; 2) - Remove two (2) existing trees for contour purposes; replace with two (2) new sugar maple trees; and 3)- Remove fire hydrant and master meter from site and replace with separate meters. Upon a motion duly made by Mr. White and seconded by Mr. Mciseac, the Board unanimously VOTED: To approve Change Order "1 relative to the 745 -1 Family Housing Development at Oakland /Waverly Roads and return a $54.44 credit to the Authori ty as per the September 11, 1987 letter farm Architect Jeffrey J. Cook. The Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect. Mr. White withdrew from the meeting and discussion at this point as his firm represents Mr. Roger Beckert, who is the owner of the property under discussion in this proposal. Mr. James Oien the area director for the Department of Mental Health presented the proposal to the Board. Proposed is the rehabilitation of the property at 59 -61 Green Street in Reading for twelve (12) chronically mentally ill people. These clients are chronically ill and not acutely mentally ill, which need hospitalization. Supervision will be provided to the residents of this building by 1 -2 staff persons, while the clients are at home. if all clients are out working, then there would be no staff at the complex. Services provided would include cook, housekeeper, psychiatric therapist and other support services as needed. Clients would be monitored to assure that there behavior was appropriate. Services would be provided by a service vendor. A request for proposal would be sent out for this complex and a screening committee would review the proposals and select the vendor. The contract would then be awarded and services would be provided to the clients through this vendor. The property under consideration would have to go before the Board of Appeals as a "rooming house /boarding house" is not allowed within the current zoning, which is Business B and Apartment 44 District. DMH feels that being an educational use such as they propose, they would be exempt from the zoning requirements. Waverly Oaks Develooment Upon a motion duly made by Mr. White and seconded by Mr. Mcisaac, it was unanimously VOTED: To establish a waiting list for the 705 development through a lottery system similar to the one previously approved by EOCD for the Halifax Housing Authority. The Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect. Encroachment of Pool /Fence - The Board reviewed the proposals received for the replacement costs of a pool as per former discussion with the abutting Oakland Road neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. William Chopelas. After discussion, the Board agreed to pay the replacement costs for a pool and have Mr. Chopelas move the current pool and fence from encroaching onto the Authority's property. Upon a motion duly made by Mr. White and seconded by Mr. Mcisaac, it was unanimously VOTED: To authorize the Chairman to sign the agrement with William and Marie Chopelas for the Authority. Said agreement shall be approved by Mr. White and shall clearly state that in lieu of the Authority taking advantage of any legal rights that they may have will agree to pay to the Chopelas' the sum of Two Thousand Nine Hundred and Five Doi Iarss ($2,905.00) and no cents, subject to the approval of the Executive Office of Communities and Development. Said sum will be paid upon approval by EOCD and after Chopelas has dismantled and removed said pool as required. The Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect. �� W,I._ Due to the fact that only one (1) proposal to perform the single audit for the Authority has been received, the Board deferred any action on this matter. The Director was requested to send out a second round of requests for this work. Election of Officers Upon a motion duly made by Mr. White and seconded by Mr. Dempster, the following names were placed in nomination to serve as officers of the Authority for the upcoming year and were unanimously VOTED: Richard S. Dempster, Chairman William Mcisaac, Vice - Chairman Arthur Reynolds, Treasurer Philip R. White, Jr. - Assistant Secretary The Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect. DMH /707 Proposal Mr. White withdrew from the meeting at this point of the discussion for the reasons noted above. Upon a motion duly made by Mr. Reynolds and seconded by Mr. Mcisaac, it was unanimously VOTED: To defer approval of the DMH /707 Proposal for 59 -61 Green Street until the current commitments of the Authority are fulfilled. The Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect. Mr. White returned to the meeting at this point. Chairman Dempster withdrew from the meeting at this point as he is an officer of BayBank, one of the banks that has offered a proposal to the Authority. Mr. Mcisaac then chaired the meeting. Upon a motion duly made by Mr. White and seconded by Mr. MC I saac, it was unanimously VOTED: To transfer the current checking /capital accounts from Bay@ank to Bank of Boston using First Rate accounts with a NOW account for a revolving fund. There being no further business before the Board, it was unanimously voted to adjourn at 10:30 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Margaret . Plansky Executive Director and Secretary