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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1958-03-14 Board of Public Works Minutes March 14, 1958 Special meeting of the Board opened at 8:00 P. M. Present were Chairman Donahue, Messrs. Harrison, Florence, Kilgore and Superintendent Putnam. Minutes of previous meeting read and approved. Messrs. Ward and Bertsch representing Pass-Maloney Corporation; Messrs. Rubin and Sims representing Old Colony Development Corporation; Mr. Walt Gei.sehhainer, President of Brodie Industrial Trucks, Inc., met with the Board to discuss a proposed 8" water main connection in Robin Crest (Private) Road from Main Street Westerly approximately 1250 lineal feet to a building site in the Industrial Zone now owned by Wang Labora- tories, Inc., and on. which Brodie Industrial Trucks, Inc., proposed to erect a building. A discussion of probable future buildings cost of same, and water ' requirements ensued. Mr. Ward assured the Board that 06,000.00 was the maximum amount possible that could be contributed for water main construe- tion by his firm. The Board then went into executive session and agreed that, if the petitioners could raise an additional 61,500.00, making a total of $7500.00 available for water main extension, "the Board would then request instruc- tions from the Town Meeting regarding the estimated remaining $1500.00 re- quired. Due to outcroppings of ledge rock, the total cost of water main extension was estimated by the Superintendent at 69,000.00. On being apprised of this action by'the Board, Mr. Rubin stated that Old �Colony Development Corporation would contribute the additional 01500.00 requested, making a total of 07500.00 available. It was then moved, seconded and voted to make a formal request for instructions, under Article 3 of the Annual Town Meeting to be held March 17, 1958, as follows; ' . Article 2 Report To Annual Town Meeting - March 17, 1958- REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING INSTALLATION OF AN EIGHT INCH WATER MAIN TO THE INDUSTRIAL ZONED AREA IN READING LOCATED BETWEEN THE READING-STONE- W TOWN LINES AND ROUTE 128. At the Southerly border of Reading there exists a strip of land bound- ad- Southerly by the Reading-Stoneham Town Line - - 2,0721 feet Westerly by land of Comm. of Mass. - - 1901 feet Northerly by Route 128 - - 21001 feet Easterly by a line 200 feet Westerly of Route 28 - - 1201 feet and containing approximately 11.5 acres of land. This land was rezoned at former Town Meetings to Industrial Zone; borders Route 128 opposite the Addison-Wesley Publishing Company plant; and is extremely valuable land for industrial building sites. For further iden- tification, it is the land formerly occupied by the larson farm, and by land owned by Stanley C. Brown. Wang Laboratories, owner of the former Larson property, are in the pro- cess of conveying a portion of their property to Brodie Industrial Trucks, Inc. This firm assembles industrial equipment, will erect a garden-type building of the Fruehauf type, and employ 60 personnel. ' In this Industrial 'Zoned Area it is thought that there will eventually be erected from three to five plants, including both the Wang and Brown pro- perties. No municipal water mains now exist in this a8ea, which has as a means of access a right-of way taken by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts called Robin Crest Road, twenty-five in width. Wang Laboratories, Inc. and Old Colony Development Corporation have offered to contribute the sum of $7500.00 to the Town for' the purpose of installing an 8inch water main, 1200 feet in length, from Route 28 West- erly to the Wang Laboratory property line. Under normal construction con- ditions, this sum would be adequate for complete installation; however, with visible ledge outcroppings along the line of work, it is believed that some $1,500.00 more may be needed. The Board of Public Works believe that industrial plants of the type contemplated in this area will be valuable asset to the Town. To quote from the 1958 Report of the Finales Committee on the Annual Warrant, in discussing the Master Plan studies of the torn regarding the desirability of industrial and business development, "It is evident that if the citizens of Reading wish to keep the tax rate from constant spir- alling, a oroader tax base must be explored." The Board of Public Works are in accord with this comment. The Board of ,Public Works, therefore, respectfully submit this Report and request for instructions relative to same to the Town Meeting. Coleman J. Donahue, Chairman Secretary Lloyd W. Harrison Harold D. Kilgore, Jr. Donald E. Florence BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS TOWN OF READING 9 Moved, seconded and voted to appoint Lloyd W. Harrison as Board of Public Works representative to the Junior High School Building Committee. Moved, seconded and voted to appoint Donald E. Florence as Board of Public Works representative to the Elementary School Building Committee. On recommendation of the Superintendent it was moved, seconded and voted to release the Cash Bond in the amount of $4,185.00 posted by Francis M. Kiley to insure the proper installation of storm drains in Pine Ridge (Private) Circle, the work having been done as specified. Reviewed plan of exits and entrances to First National Stores park- ing area at North-Westerly corner of Franklin and Main Streets. Moved, .seconded and voted to require granite curbing on entire Franklin Street frontage, excluding the 30 foot divided exit and entrance; to re- quire radius granite curb at the Intersection of Franklin and Main Streets; and to require a bituminous concrete sidewalk along the entire frontage of both Franklin and Main Streets. Received report from. Superintendent regarding jointly owned poles on ' Jacob Way. Superintendent authorized to pay overtime to Municipal Light Department employees for Saturday cable removal from Jacob Way construction Account, to expedite the work. Moved, seconded and voted to make the following Report and Request for Authority to the Annual Town Meeting on'March 17, 1958 under Article 2: Article 2 Report to Annual Town Meeting REQUEST FOR AUTHORITY TO PETITION THE GENERAL COURT OF THE COMMONWEALTH FOR ENABLING LEGISLATION, BY AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 314 OF THE ACTS OF 1909 OR OTHERWISE, CONFERRING POWER UPON THE TOWN TO REQUIRE OWNERS OF BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES ABUTTING ON A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE WAY IN WHICH THEHE IS A COMMON SEWER, TO PAY SEWER RENTAL CHARGES WITHIN TWO (2) YEARS AFTER INSTALLATION OF THE COMMON SEWER BY THEIR PARTICULAR BUILDING OR STRUCTURE WHETHER CON- NECTED THERETO OR NOT. The Board of Public Works present this request for authority for the purpose of further enforcing the full use of common sewers by owners of buildings or structures on sewered streets. Chapter 280, Acts of 1937, effective July 15, 1958 requires that "In streets in which a common sewer is subsequently constructed and available for connection, owners 'o£ any building or structure then existing upon land abutting thereon, shall within ten (10) years from the date of com- pletion and availability for connection of said common sewer, connect such building or structure with said common sewer." This Act also speccally excluded all buildings or structures which had no water service or supply of water therein. ' When this Act was incorporated in the Rules and Regulations of the . Sewer Department on July 15, 1938 there were 900 possible connections in the Sewerage System, of which but 590 were connected. Through the inter- vening years the 310 location not connected, subject to the 1938 regula- tion, have been reduced to 50 as of January 1, 1958. However, due to the normal growth of the sewerage system, there are at present 1 907 possible connections in the sewerage system, of which 1,552 or 81�lare connected, leaving 355, or 19% not connected. While it is the policy of the Board of Public Works to poll abutters at sewer hearings as to their intention regarding connection to the sewer, there are still instances where abutters take the full ten years allowed by law in which to connect. By proper legislation, the Board believes that, if owners are compel- led to pay sewer rental rates, based on water meter readings, within two years of availability of the common sewer, whether connected or not, the practice of delaying connection will be eliminated, and needed revenue mads available to the Sewer Division. Coleman J. Donsh ue, Chairman Lloyd W. Harrison Secretary Harold D, Kilgore, Jr, Donald E, Florence BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS TOWN OF READING Board adjourned at 11;15 P. M. Respectfully submitted; Sgcretary