HomeMy WebLinkAbout1956-09-10 Board of Public Works Minutes T
September 10, 1956
' The regular meeting of the Board opened at 7:30 P . M.
Present were Chairman Johnson, Messrs Hopkins, Donahue, Zanni,
Kilgore and Superintendent Putnam.
Minutes of previous meeting read and approved as corrected.
Signed vouchers and payroll for payment .
Town Counsel Carl H. Amon Jr., appeared before Board to discuss
1955 West Street Chapter 90 Contract which S. Rotondi & Sons, the con-
tractor, wish to have abrogated.
Bids were opened at 8:00 P. M. on the construction of a Bituminous
Concrete Sidewalk on Bummer Avenue, West Side from Woburn Street to
Pennsylvania Avenue. The following bids were received :
Chris Coviello-3,942.50'
' Liberty Contracting-$5,167 .50
Twinbrook Const. Corp.47,680.00
Bids were opened at 8:15 P. M. on the resurfacing of High Street
from Woburn Street to Vine Street at the B & M Railroad loading platform
with Type I-1 Bituminous Concrete Resurfacing. The following listed
bids were received:
Warren Bros.-$2,439.50
Essex Sand-$2,870.00
Trimount Bituminous Prod.Co.-$3,054.50
H. H. McGuire-43,116.00
Twinbrook Const. Corp.44,420.00
Bids were opened at 8:30 P. M. regarding a Bituminous Concrete
Sidewalk and slope edge stone on Birch Meadow Drive from Main Street
to Oakland Road. The following listed bids were received :
Liberty Contracting-$2;153.50
Chris Coviello-$2,202.50
Twinbrook Const. Corp.-$3,417.50
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Bids were opened at 8:45 P. M. on the Resurfacing 6f Birch Meadow
Drive from MainStreet to Oakland Road with a Type D Bituminous Concre�
Surface. The following listed 'bids were received:
Babrett Division-$4,590.00
H. H. McGuire-$4,830.00
Moved, seconded and voted: On all bids opened at this meeting to
instruct the Superintendent to review and check the bids for accuracy
and to award the bids to .the lowest responsible bidder on each bid .
Received letter from S. Rotondi & Sons, contractors on the West
Street Chapter 90, 1955 Construction Contract, requesting that his con-
tract with the Town be abrogated. Moved, seconded and voted to re-
quest an opinion on the matter from the State Dept, of Public Works
before answering S. Rotondi & Sons letter.
Moved, seconded and voted to postpone the discussion of street
betterment assessment regulations to the meeting of Sept.24, 1956.
Received recommendation from Supt, of list of employees who in
his opinion merit salary increases. After some discussion it was moved,
seconded and voted to submit +..he list of salary merit wage increases-as
revised by the Board to the Personnel Board for Approval.
As recommended by the Superintendent it was moved, seconded and
voted to install a Bituminous Concrete Sidewalk on. Hartshorn Street,
Southerly side, from Bancroft Avenue to the existing High School Walk.
Said sidewalk shall be 8 feet in width and in a normal sidewalk location
on Hartshorn Street as far as Longfellow (Proposed) Road, and then shall
angle slightly to meet the High School Walk.
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' Received letter from John E. Sheehy, 711 Haverhill Street, Reading
regarding a drainage conditionp abutting his property. On recommenda-
tion of Superintendent it was moved that the subject matter of the letter
be referred to the Town Counsel for his opinion.
Received petition for sanitary sewer extension on Pierce Street,
Northerly of the Pierce Organ Pipe Factory. Petition accepted -and
placed on file for processing in the usual manner.
Received letter from Ernest J. Schmidt, 23 Berkeley Street, Rgad-
ing, Mass. , requesting that his water service be replaced, also the water
service of Mr. Frances H. Doughty, 25 Berkeley $treat, Readings Mr.
Doughty' s service runs through Mr. Schmidt' s house. On recommendation of
Superintendent it was moved, seconded and voted to charge Mr. Doughty
' $1.25 per lineal foot for service renewal; and no extra charge for Mr.
Schmidt or the normal 50� per lineal foot.
Received petition signed by all except one abuttor -on Indiana
Avenue requesting that loamed sidewalks instead of Bituminous Concrete
Sidewalks be installed on Indiana Avenue which is currently being con-
structed under the Betterment Act. Moved, seconded and voted to deny
.the petition and to install Bituminous Concrete Sidewalks as originally
planned.
Examined the following listed Registry of Deeds Plans for Super-
intendent ' s approval under the Subdivision Control Law:
Charles F. Treseler-Charles & Haverhill Sts.-Approved
William C. Farmer-Salem Street-Subject to Clarification of Appeal Board' s
Bessie M. Lawrence-Glen Rd. & Hancock St.-Approved Decision.
Town of Reading-Salem Street-Approved
Henry M. Sewell-West St. & County Rd.-Approved-subject to restrictions.
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Moved, seconded, and voted to- approve the Treseler plan; the Lawren,
Plan, the Town of Heading Salem Street .Plan; the Farmer Plan subject bo
clarfication of the Board of Appeal decision; and the Sewell Plan with
restrictions as recommended by the Superintendent.
Received typed report from Superintendent regarding the status
of contract projects now in operation under Board of Public Works
jurisdiction.
Received letter from the Personnel Board approving the request
of the Board of Public Works to re-employ Harry S. Evans ,as a Power-
Shovel Operator under the classification of Supervisory Employee, Shovel-
operator, and Mechanic at a starting wage of $1.90 per hour.
Received application for extention of the common sewer on Lowell
Street to Number 61 Lowell Street signed by Frank Foley. Application '
accepted and placed on file for processing in tsual manner.
Reviewed the proposed Teel housing Development Northerly of Wal-
nut Street and Southerly of Oak Ridge Road at some length. Moved, seconded
and voted to cause Oak Ridge Road to be extended through the new devel-
opment; Johnson and Hopkins dissenting. Moved, seconded and voted to
advertise formal hearings for the streets in this development for Septem-
ber 24, 1956.
Received report from Superintendent of an impending serious drain-
age problem on Forest Street, Westerly of Arthur B. Lord Drive caused
by new houses being erected in the area and swampy land being filled
in thus causing surface water to pond on Forest Street. Superintendent
instructed to cause a survey •to be made of the recommended necessary
drainage and report back to the Board on September 24, 1956.
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Moved, r seconded and voted to postpone the discussion of the sub-
ject matter of letter received from the Park and Recreation Study Commit-
tee to the meeting of Sept. 24, 1956.
Received letter from R. Paul De Maisons, requesting that a water
service be installed across Oakland Road, opposite the New Senior High
School. On recommendation of Superintendent it was moved, seconded and
voted to request Mr. De Maisons to secure an easement from Mr. O'Leary
from whom he is purchasing the house lot and to run a 11211 water service
from Hillside Road over Mr. OtLeary' s land to his lot.
Received letter from Dr. Justin L. Anderson requesting that a Grano-
lithic Sidewalk be installed abutting his property on Mt. V@rnon Street.
After some discussion it was moved, seconded and voted to instruct the
' Superintendent to draw up a set of rules and regulations for the Boards
approval permitting private citizens to install there own sidewalks with
competent contractors; Superintendent also instructed to secure a ruling
from the Town Counsel as to the legality of such an operation.
Received letter from the Board of Selectmen enclosing a letter from
a Mr. McLellan, 215Pearl Street protesting the drainage conditions in
the rear of his property. Superintendent instructed to interview Mr.
McLellan and inform the Board of Selectmen that an engineering study must
be made of the intire situation in that area.
Mr. Walter Hopkins reported on a telephone conversation which he
had with County Commissioner Brennon regarding smoke from the John Street
dump.
' Board adjourned at 12:18 A. M.
Respectfully submitted (!" C i
Secretary
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