HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976-11-01 Board of Public Works Minutes November 1 , 1976
Meeting of the Board of Public Works opened at 7 :30 P. M.
in Room 16, Municipal Building.
Present were Chairman Russell , Secretary Dustin, Board
Members Blood, Price, Botka, Superintendent Louanis and Finance
Committee Members Cowell and Dube.
Minutes of the previous meeting were accepted with amend—
ment.
A discussion concerning reimbursement to the Little League
for monies expended for improvements at Hunt Memorial Park Ball
Field ensued. Mr. Blood moved that the Board direct the Chair—
man to present at Town Meeting our concern relative to the use
of funds to reimburse a non—government or private group for
work completed on public land. Mr. Price seconded and offered the
following amendment: when the program was originally outlined
to, and approved by, the Board of Public Works it was agreed that
the work would be done by the Massachusetts National Guard and
would be funded by the Little League and there be no cost to the
Town. It was voted 4-1 in favor . Mr. Price also requested that
a written ruling be obtained from Town Counsel relative to any
private group recovering funds from the Town after the fact.
Read letter from Joseph W. Kane, General Counsel for the
Department of Labor and Industries in regard to the protest of
DiMartino Brothers Company, Inc. The Superintendent reported he
had contacted Town Counsel ' s Office requesting an opinion as to
the proper course of action the Board should take in this matter .
Ted Cohen from Town Counsel 's Office indicated that the Board
could follow the recommendations of Joseph Kane and return the
bid bond to DiMartino Brothers Co. Inc. , with the stipulation
that a release from damages be signed by the contractor or the
Board could continue legal action to obtain the $25,000 from the
bonding company. His opinion was that chances of the Town obtain—
ing $25,000 through the Court did not look very good in light of
Mr. Kane's ruling. The Superintendent was instructed to obtain
a written opinion from Town Counsel regarding the matter as soon
as possible.
Read letter from RECOR relative to price change effective
October 25, 1976 on over-the-scale price for waste cans from
$20.00 to $T5.00 per ton. The Superintendent also reported he
had received word from RECOR that they were no longer in a
position to buy waste cans from the Town and their operation
would terminate Friday, November 5th. It was accepted as a point
of information.
It was moved, seconded and voted to proceed with the sewer
main as outlined in the Notice read at public hearing on October
25, 1976 with the exception of Franklin Terrace and assess better-
ments therefor and take easements through private property on
Causeway Road owned by Robert and Heather Switak and Henry and Rita
Filippone and in the following streets: Causeway Road, Harold
Avenue, Dunbar Road, Swan Road, Longview Road, Criterion Street
and Hancock Street.
Read draft of letter to be directed to the Chief Engineer
of the State Department of Public Works concerning the possibility
of traffic signals on Main Street (Route 28) at the intersections
of South Street, Hopkins Street and Summer Avenue. Chairman
Russell requested the letter be rewritten in a more powerful
manner with the hope it would accelerate the placement of signals
at these locations.
The Board met with Messrs. Pope, Perkins and Blake from the
firm of Weston and Sampson at 8:00 P. M. Mr. Price abstained from
any participation in this interview. Mr. Blake outlined Weston
and Sampson's background and their involvement in the improve-
ments from 1903 to date in the water system in Reading and cited
experience the firm has had in like studies in the New England
area. Mr. Pope, Weston and Sampson's Senior Partner outlined
the professional qualifications of key personnel who might be in-
volved in a comprehensive water system study for the Town of
Reading and gave a brief resume of his firm's history. Mr. Perkins,
with the aid of an easel , reviewed the 14 points set forth in
the scope of services as presented in the written proposal add-
, �
Minutes - continued November 1 , 1976
ing that the study would encompass an evaluation of the sources
of supply, treatment facilities, distribution system and storage
facilities as regard their capacity to provide adequate service
to the townspeople until the turn of the century or possibly un-
til the year 2010. Mr. Pope concluded the interview making the
Board aware that the study could be completed within six months
and the cost would be within the appropriation.
The Board met with Mr . E. A. Cooney (Water Department Head)
and Mr. Steven Medlar from the firm of Whitman and Howard, Inc.
at 9:00 P. M. Mr. Price abstained from any participation in
this interview. Mr. Cooney gave a brief resume of the firm' s
experience and staff members who would be involved in a study
and turned the meeting over to Mr. Medlar. Mr. Medlar researched
Reading's water supply in 1968 and is therefore familiar with
the problems with which the Town will be faced in order to re-
main within the guidelines of the Safe Water Drinking Act which
will be effective in June of 1977. Whitman and Howard, Inc.
could complete the study within a six month period and the
cost to the Town would be within the budget figure.
Meeting adjourned temporarily in order that the Board meet
as the Board of Survey and reconvened at 9:50 P. M.
The Board reviewed the cooperative bids received on Novem-
ber 1 , 1976 for Rock and Solar Salt, as follows:
Vendor Rock Salt Solar Salt
Cargil 21 .00 No bid
Diamond Crystal No bid No bid
International Salt 17.48 No bid
Eastern Minerals, Inc. 17.60 17. 18
It was moved, seconded and voted to award the contract for
Rock Salt to International Salt and the contract for Solar
Salt to Eastern Minerals, Inc. as per the respective bids.
The Board signed the following:
Bill Roll dated November 5th, 1976
ID Pay Roll for the period ending October 29th, 1976 and the
following Orders of 'faking:
Causeway Road
Harold Avenue
Dunbar Road
Swan Road
Longview Road
Criterion Street
Hancock Street
and through lands of Robert and Heather Switak and Henry and
Rita Filippone on Causeway Road.
Meeting adjourned at 10:20 P. M.
Res
zctfu�l ly su i tted,
Secret�G
OFFICE OF JOHN R. RUSSELL, Chai ma
TOWN OF READING PAUL C. DUBTIN, S.netan
LAWRENCE R. BLOOD
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS JOS W. PRICE
ALR%ANDER T. BOMA
i
MUNICIPAL BUILDING E. AGGER LOUANI3. 3upertntmtlrn[
READING, MASS. 01887
MASSACHUSETTS
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Middlesex, ss.
The undersigned, Board of Public Works of the
Town of Reading, in compliance with the provisions of
General Laws, Chapter 80, as amended by Chapter 63 of the
Acts of 1933, hereby certify that the lists herewith con-
tain the names of persons against whom we have made
betterment assessments, together with the location of
the land benefited by the improvement and the nature and
amount of such betterment assessment.
Sewer House Connection Construction $ 2, 125.00
Such list is certified to you for the purpose
of committing the same to the Tax Collector, as provided
by law.
WITNESS our hands this /-5W day of November
A. D. 1976.
See Commitment Sheet
For List