HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-04-01 Board of Public Works Minutes April 1 , 1974
Meeting of the Board of Public Works opened at 7: 30 P.M. in
' Room 16, Municipal Building.
Present were Chairman Blood, Secretary Reed, Board Members
Dustin, Price and Russell and Superintendent Louanis.
Minutes of the previous meeting were accepted as read.
Notice of Public Hearing was read regarding Petition of the
Town of Reading Municipal Light Department to locate and maintain
three poles on Franklin Street. The Municipal Light Department
was not represented nor was anyone in attendance: the Hearing
was closed. The Board deferred action on this matter and directed
the Superintendent to request a representative from the Light De-
partment come before the Board at its meeting on April 8th.
Read Notice of Public Hearing relative to taking an easement
through private property east of Apple Gate Lane for drainage and
sewerage purposes . No one attended the Hearing. The Hearing was
closed. It was moved, seconded and voted to take the easement and
the Order of Taking was signed by the Board.
The Board adjourned temporarily to meet with the Board of
Selectmen at 8:05 P.M. and reconvened at 9:00 P.M.
Protection of private and public property, namely the Town
Forest and surrounding area, against those who encroach and abuse
the privilege of using the Forest for quiet enjoyment by littering,
open burning, etc. , was discussed at length. The Superintendent
was emphatically opposed to the Board of Public Works employees
shouldering the task of policing the area. The Board was reluctant
to ordering a gate and padlock at Strout Avenue as this approach to
control tends to stimulate a desire to retaliate on the part of the
offenders and the water system is a sensitive installation of an
extremely vulnerable nature. The answer to the problem entoto re-
mains for the moment an enigma. It was moved, seconded and voted
to disapprove the proposal made by the Town Forest Committee to
gate off the Water Department and Town Forest land at Strout Avenue
at the intersection of Grove Street. The Board of Public Works will
consult with the Town Forest Committee at a later date in an effort
to work out another solution to the problem.
It was moved, seconded and voted to approve the sewer system
agreement for 127 Howard Street, property owned by George and
June Kilmarx. The Board signed the agreement.
Read Petition for permission to construct a sidewalk at 33 '
Lewis Street in accordance with Town specifications by a private
contractor . It was moved, seconded and voted to allow Mr. and
Mrs. Doherty to proceed with the installation of a sidewalk and the
Board signed the Petition.
At the recommendation of the Superintendent, it was moved,
seconded and voted to accept the following streets as public ways:
Deborah Drive Pennsylvania Ave. Ext.
Red Gate Lane Indiana Ave. Ext.
Apple Gate Lane Landers Road
Keith Road Covey Hill Road Ext.
Pitman Drive Marla Lane Ext.
Audubon Road Rustic Lane
An Order of Taking for each public way was signed by the Board.
Read letter from Bertoldi , Inc. regarding Sewer Contract No.
73-1 requesting permission to commence work at the end of June
rather than April to complete the project. It was moved, seconded
and voted to approve the schedule as amended by the Engineering '
Division.
It was moved, seconded and voted to execute the Contract
with James W. Sewall Company for mapping of the Town of Reading,
aerial photograph and field control work to be done prior to
June 30th in the amount of $9,200.00 and aerotriangulation and
mapcompilation work after July 1st in the amount of $22, 300.00.
The Board signed the contract.
The Board approved the Contract with Weather Services, Inc.
for the fiscal year 1975 in the amount of $580.00. The Superin-
tendent signed the contract.
Contract 74-3 with D. L. Maher for Cleaning Redeveloping
and Backflushing Existing Gravel Wells in the amount of $6,580.50
was signed by the Board.
Read report from Assistant Superintendent John Tormey with
regard to the feasibility and cost of snow removal from Summer ,
Avenue to a point just south of the railroad crossing on Main St.
It was determined it would not be prudent to remove snow in this
area and the Superintendent was directed to investigate the
matter further in an attempt to find an alternate solution and
report to the Board before the next storm season.
The Board reviewed the three low Sewer Bids received on
March 21 , as follows:
North Construction Company, Inc. . . . . . . . . . $ 77, 130.56
Charm Construction Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83,538.60
Methuen Construction Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . 90,013.00
It was moved, seconded and voted to award the contract to the
low bidder North Construction Company for 3,465' of sewer con-
struction in the amount of $77, 130.56 subject to the condition
that a proper bond is provided.
Mr. Price refrained from participation in items on the
agenda concerning the firm of Whitman and Howard, Inc.
Read letter from Whitman and Howard, Inc. wherein the Board
is advised that when the ground water table reaches its maximum
during April and May further tests with regard to infiltration
-, in the Willow Street sewer will be conducted.
Letter from Whitman and Howard, Inc. along with copies of
letters from James McGoldrick, Inc. relative to electrical extras
at the Department of Public Works Garage was read. It was moved,
seconded and voted to approve the extra work outlined in the
letters of March 19 and 20 in the amounts of $1 ,267.00 and
$280.00 totalling $1 , 547.00.
It was moved, seconded and voted to take an easement north-
erly of Forest Street through property owned by Quinton Bethune
and Frank Gray. The Board signed the Order of taking.
The Board signed the Pay Roll for the period ending March
31 and the Bill Roll dated April 5, 1974.
Meeting adjourned at 11 .05 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
/A.Z'z-- !;� R1
' Secretary