HomeMy WebLinkAbout1965-11-01 Board of Public Works Minutes ' November 1, 1965
Meeting of the Board of Public Works opened at 7:30
P.M. in Room 16, Municipal Building.
Present were Chairman Cochrane, Board Members Florence
and Kenney, Superintendent Welch, Assistant Superintendent Watson
and Town Engineer E. R. Louanis.
Minutes of the previous meeting read and approved.
Read petition signed by 37 employees requesting that
they be allowed to work Saturday, November 20, in lieu of Novem-
ber 26, the day after Thanksgiving.
Mr. Kenney moved, Mr. Florence seconded and it was
voted that the request be approved.
' Mr. Watt Joined the meeting.
Read letter from the Town of Stoneham in regard to In-
cineration. It was agreed that appointments will be set up
separately by the Chairman through the Superintendent with the
Towns of Wakefield and Stoneham who have indicated some interest
in the Town of Reading' s Incineration program.
Read letter from Shirley R. Seavey, Chairman of the
Harvest Fair Bazaar - Church of the Good Shepherd - requesting
that Chute Street be made one way for Saturday, November 6, from
10:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M.
Mr. Florence moved, Mr. Watt seconded and it was voted
to approve the request.
Read letter from the Superintendent in regard to pro-
posed salary increases for ten employees of the Department retro-
active to October 2, 1965.
Mr. Florence moved that the salary increases be ap-
proved, Mr. Kenney seconded and it was voted.
Read letter to John J. Griffin, Chairman, Capital
Expenditures Planning Committee regarding possible schedule of
payments for a bond issue of $750,000.00; also proposed capital
budget items. Letter was approved as read.
The Board removed from the table the item of letter
from the Board of Selectmen regarding offer for Tax Title #538
which is land on Line Road shown as Lot 6, Plat 143 in the
Assessor' s Office. The Superintendent informed the Board that
the land abutted the Town Dump.
Mr. Watt moved, Mr. Kenney seconded and it was voted
to recommend that the Board of Selectmen retain the Tax Title
as it is contiguous to Town-owned property.
Read letter from Boston & Maine Corporation in con-
nection with sewer betterment assessment of $3,000.00 covering
Installation of sewer on Vine Street which it feels is errone-
ous and illegal, being levied upon land which is appropriated
to a public use and which is part of the filed location of its
railroad and is exempt from taxation and betterment assessment.
It is requested that the Board abate in full said
assessment and that a refund be made of $380.00 covering the
first year' s apportionment of $300.00 plus interest of $80.00.
Mr. Watt moved, Mr. Florence seconded and it was ]]]
voted that the matter be referred to Town Counsel.
r
[ The Board conferred with Mrs. Shapiro of 90 Summer
LAvenue regarding renewal of service to her home in July 1964. The
amount of $146.46 appeared as a lien on the 1965 tax bill. Mrs.
Shapiro contended that the contractor excavating the street for
sewer work broke the pipe. Although an application for renewal
was delivered to the residence, she and her husband decided a new
service was not necessary and did not sign the authorization.
They do not feel they are morally or legally obligated to pay
for it.
According to the Acting Foreman, the pipe was exposed
and leaking. When clamps were applied, the service started leak-
ing in another location. The service was galvanized wrought iron
installed in 1928. It was 37 years old. It had a history of
trouble and had been rodded three times. Based on these facts,
the old service was removed and replaced with copper tubing. A
detailed discussion followed.
Mr. Watt moved the Board of Public Works abate the cost
to remake the connection if the line had been good. It was not
seconded.
Mr. Florence moved that the bill remain in the amount
of $146.46, Mr. Kenney seconded and it was voted. Mr. Watt was
opposed.
The Board discussed and approved a new schedule pre-
sented by the Superintendent in which the payroll ends Tuesday
for employees at the Dump only.
The Board signed Billroll dated October 29 and Pay-
roll for the period October 23 through October 29, 1965•
Meeting adjourned at 9:10 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
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Secretary