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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-05-18 Board of Public Works Minutes May 18 , 1981 Meeting of the Board of Public Works convened in Room 16, Municipal Building at 7: 30 P . M. Present were Chairman Cowell, Board Members Fallon, Barker, Superintendent Louanis and Assistant Superintendent Bergeron . It was moved , seconded and voted 3:0:0 to accept the minutes of the May 4th, 1981 meeting as amended . Mrs. Wood and Mr. DeHart joined the meeting at 7:37 P . M. It was moved , seconded and voted 5:0:0 to accept the minutes of the meeting of May 11 , 1981 as amended. Mr . Cowell reported to the Board that the request from the American Legion for assistance in delivering flowers on Memorial Day had been withdrawn because they had made other arrangements . Mrs. Wood read notice of public hearing at 7:45 P.M. concern- ing installation of a pole at the southwest corner of Pleasant and Parker Streets 129 ' northwest of existing pole 69/1 : Mrs. Wood also read notice of public hearing regarding the placement of pole on the north side of Salem Street 149 ' west of existing pole 79/6 and 100 ' east of the northwest corner of Main and Salem Streets at 7:50 P .M. Mr . James Sedgewick , 600 Main Street, Read- ing and Mr . Douglas Caron of 182 Main Street in North Reading repre- sented Continental Cable of Massachusetts . The owners of Lot 125 located at the junction of Parker and Pleasant Streets, William and Anna Comeau, were not notified of the hearing. The Superinten- dent stated the Notice of Public Hearing had been posted therefore it was a legal hearing. Chairman Cowell stated that the Board would listen to Continental Cable ' s presentation concerning the two proposed poles but would take no action this evening on the proposed pole at the junction of Parker and Pleasant Streets . The Board expressed its concerns relative to the proposed pole on Salem Street , as follows: the 155 ' span of wire going diagonally across Salem Street a heavily travelled way , the grade of the street as it relates to the clearance available for trucking. The Super- intendent pointed out the disadvantages connected with adding extra poles to minimize the 155 ' span (guying, etc . ) and stated the clearance for trucks would be sufficient as the proposed pole would be at a higher elevation than the existing pole and this would insure the minimum height of the wire being 20 ' . Mrs. , Wood moved , Mr. Fallon seconded and it was voted 4:1: 0 to approve the Continental Cablevision of Massachusetts , Inc , pro- posed pole location on the northern side of Salem Street, one hundred and forty-nine feet west of existing pole 79/6 and one hundred feet east of the northwest corner of Main and Salem Streets . It was then moved , seconded and voted 5:0:0 to take the matter of the proposed pole location at the junction of Parker and Pleasant Street under advisement pending input from the owners of Lot 125 and also from the Fire Department as fire trucks have been observed parked at this location. It was moved , seconded and voted 5:0:0 to sign commitment letter covering 70% sewer lateral in the amount of $323.40, 1000.' sewer lateral in the amount of $480.00 and sewer frontage in the amount of $391 .96 in accordance with the General Laws Chapter 80, as amended by Chapter 63 of the Acts of 1933 and commit game to the Tax Collector as provided by law. The Board met with a group of small business people , owners of multi-family dwellings, and commercial haulers of solid waste at 8:00 P . M. The owners of the multi-family dwellings (four) expressed the opinion that they were victims of discrimination as they were paying taxes and were not receiving the service provided owners of duplex and three family homes. The Chairman stated that anything more than a three family dwelling was considered commercial property. Others present were concerned mainly with the proposed fee schedule . Mr . Alpedo stated the proposed schedule could cost him $57,000 per year . A suggestion was made that the Town should have conducted a survey in order to establish criteria on which to base the fees. The Superintendent stated that the Town must conform to the rules and regulations set forth by the D. E. Q . E . and close the landfill within a given period. Homeowners will not be able to use the area after July 1 , 1981. The Department conducted a survey and the fees set forth in the schedule were based on that survey. The Town has budgeted $46, 175 for the coming fiscal year , for the operation of the sanitary landfill and can not accept fees in excess of the budgeted amount. If it appears the fees paid will exceed the operating cost it will be necessary to adjust the fees. The Board pointed out that there are thirty-four acres of land that can be used for commercial purposes and when this happens it will benefit the taxpayers of the Town. Chairman Cowell asked what the business people would be willing to pay for the use of the landfill and the concensus seemed to be "double the rates if you have to" . One person voiced the opinion he should be given a permit free as he only used the area once a month. It was requested that a sign be posted at the dispatcher ' s desk at the garage indicating when a future hearing would be held . Following a five minute recess the meeting reconvened at 10: 10 P . M. The Board agreed to meet on Tuesday Evening, May 26th, 1981 , Mrs. Wood moved, it was seconded and voted 5:0:0 to postpone action on the Rules and Regulations of the Sanitary Landfill, "Rubbish Collection Rules and Regulations" and proposed changes to the Board of Survey Rules and Regulations until the meeting of May 26th , and to confine the Agenda to those items. ' The Board read letter dated May 5, 1981 from Joseph C. Sturm of 31 Melbourne Avenue requesting an abatement on the sewer use charge as 2660 cubic feet of water was pumped out of his basement and did not enter the sewer system. A pipe had failed and flooded his basement. Following a short discussion, it was moved , seconded and voted 5: 0 :0 to abate $22.88 sewer use charge for one year only as requested in Mr. Sturm' s letter. Mr. Cowell informed the Board he had been reviewing the budget presentation to be made at the continuation of the Annual Town Meeting beginning June 1 and at a meeting with the Superin- tendent the idea of presenting one motion for the total budget of $2, 759,869 similar to the way the school committee had pre- sented their budgets in the past with a long detailed presents- tion .was suggested . The Chairman felt that the planned presentation by each Board member had a lot of merit and he had mixed emotions about the two different ideas and wanted to ask the Board about their feelings on the matter . Mr . Fallon indicated he supported ' the idea of the School Department ' s presentation which he felt had been successful over the years . Mrs. Wood, Mr. DeHart and Mr. Barker felt that the planned presentation by separate motions and individual Board Members at the Town Meeting provided for greater participation by the Town Meeting Members for approval of the Public Works Budget and for better overall understanding of , what Public Works does for the Town . Mr . Cowell asked Mr . Adams a citizen present who is also a Town Meeting Member what his opinion would be concerning the two alternatives. Mr. Adams felt it was very difficult for a Town Meeting Member to do enough homework on the various items presented to them on the annual warrant and he felt the Public Works' past method of presenting the budget was more informative than the way the School Department had presented theirs. Mrs. Wood moved , it was seconded and voted 4: 1 :0 to proceed with the budget presentation as originally planned in the budget review. The Board signed the Payroll and the Billroll for the period ending May 15, 1981. Meeting adjourned at 10 : 30 P . M. Re ectfully submitted, Secretary DOUGLAS A. COWELL Chai+man OFFICE OF GAIL r. WOOD, Senef n TOWN OF READING DON a. DPHART SOHN L. FA ON. JR. BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS DOUGLASS L. RAREER i MUNICIPAL BUILDING E. ROGER WUAMS, Suennn4ntlene �. READING. MASS. 01867 MASSACHUSETTS COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Middlesex, as The undersigned, Board of Public Works of the Town of Reading, in compliance with the provi- sions of the General Laws, Chapter 00, as amended by Chapter 63 of the Acta of 1933, hereby certify that I the lists herewith contain the names of persons against whom we have made betterment assessments to- gether with the location of the land bentifited by the improvement and the nature and amount of such better- ment assessment. Sever lateral 70°1. . . . . . . . . . .5 323.40 Sewer lateral ]00¢. . . . . . . . . . 480.00 Sewer frontage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391.96 Total. . . . . . . .$1195.;6 Such list is certified to you for the pur- pose of committing the same to the Tex Collector, as provided by law. WITNESS our hands this eighteenth day of May 191111 A. D. ^ Mrsf ks