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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980-08-25 Board of Public Works Minutes August 25, 1980 1Meeting of the Board of Public Works opened at 7:30 P . M. in Room 16, Municipal Building. Present were Chairman Cowell , Secretary Wood, Board Members DeHart , Fallon, Barker and Assistant Superintendent McIntire. It was moved, seconded and voted to accept the minutes of the meeting of August 11th, 1980 as submitted. The Board met with Mr. Gould of the Stoneham Cleaners who stated that from January 1974 until July of 1979 he had received minimum water and sewer bills for his establishment but his latest bill soared to $183.60 for the same operation. Assistant Super- intendent McIntire informed the Board that the meter had been tested before and after the billing period and registered within the accuracy standards of the Department each time . Mr . Gould confirmed the report of the water billing clerk concerning a leak in the service but did not feel that it justified the high bill . Through questioning the Board learned that Mr. Gould ' s store is housed in a building that has what could be termed a common cellar. Since there is such a wide variance in the meter readings, the Board instructed Assistant Superintendent McIntire to have a new meter installed , inspect the basement area for possibleleeks or infringements, estimate a consumption more in line with previous consumptions and agreeable to Mr . Gould and report his findings to the Chairman. The Board met with members of the Planning Board and the In- dustrial Development Commission for the purpose of discussing a draft report on the "Feasibility of Developing a Commuter Rail Fringe Parking Facility in Reading. " (copy appended hereto) . Following an expression of disapproval by Mrs. Wood at the place- ment of a tape recorder on the table by the Planning Board without prior notice , Chairman Cowell asked for a motion on the issue. It was moved and seconded not to object to being recorded . The vote 4: 1 - Mr. Fallon objecting. Chairman Cowell greeted the two groups and Mr . Zorabedian , acting as spokesman for the Planning Board in- dicated that the Town of Reading is faced with a perking problem for Reading-Boston rail commuters and the Planning Board is inter- ested in a plan to upgrade the parking area at the depot thereby improving conditions for the local business establishments and to create a regional fringe parking area near 128 in an effort to encourage out-of-town cars now using sixty percent of the park- , ing spaces at the depot to utilize the proposed new area which the Planning Board would like to see built an the Public Works' land as indicated in Alternate 4 of the report . The Board questioned what revenue the Town could expect to receive from such a parking lot , who would plow,line., police , repair and generally maintain the area. This, it appeared would fall to the Town of Reading. The Industrial Committee reaffirmed the Sasaki Report indicating that a parking area was proposed on the westerly side of the tracks in Wakefield enabling traffic to enter and exit directly from Route 128 without coming into the Town of Reading and that even though the ridership over the last ten years has decreased fifty percent the Concord Street area in. Wilmington should be further explored. The Board of Public Works is currently faced with the problem of solid waste dis- posal as the contract for curbside removal expires at the end of this fiscal year . It is possible that the incinerator site may be leased, sold , etc . , and the area used as a transfer station. In this event ' the Board of Public Works must utilize the area to the rear of its garage to store motorized equipment and there will be little or any area available for the construction of a parking area. At the con- clusion of the meeting, it was agreed that the three Boards would work together toward an end result that would be beneficial to the resi- dents of the Town of Reading . Meeting adjourned temporarily at 9: 15 P .M. and following a meeting as the Board of Survey reconvened at 10:45 P.M. The Board reviewed a letter from Town Clerk Lawrence Drew re- questing assistance in delivering, setting up and returning election equipment for the September 16th State Primary and the November 4th election. After a brief discussion Assistant Superintendent McIntire was instructed to write a letter to Mr . Drew informing him that the Departmentwould be unable to supply personnel due to a substantial salary reduction in Fiscal Year 1981. The Board felt that Public Works personnel could be used if Mr. Drew were to request a trans- fer of funds due to an unforseen expense to cover salary costs. , Chairman Cowell stated that he would be available to attend e meeting with the Finance Committee regarding this matter and that he would sign the letter to Mr. Drew. / f It was moved , seconded and voted 5:0 to award Contract 80-18 Line Painting to Markings, Inc . , 85 Research Road, Hingham, Mass- achusetts subject to their procuring the necessary insurance and bonds. Mr . Barker expressed great concern over the quality of paint used in the past and felt that it should meet the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and/or the State of New Hampshire specifications. Assistant Superintendent McIntire stated that the work was to con- form to the requirements of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges and also the Manuel on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Read letter from Ronald A. Winslow, Assistant Superintendent of Reading Public Schools, requesting use of the outfield of the Varsity Baseball Field at Birch Meadow for the Junior Varsity Soccer Program. A discussion ensued and the following concerns were expressed by the Board : there is a shortage of fields; pre- sent fields are overused ; why can two soccer teams use one field at Birch Meadow, but not at Parker Junior High; are there other school fields available; why other areas at Birch Meadow were not requested such as Castine Field and the area adjacent to the practice foot- ball field; what is the practice schedule for the soccer team; use of fields at all parks facilities must be coordinated with Public Works maintenance scheduling. The Board voted 5:.0 to authorize temporary use of David Castine Field until these concerns are addressed and instructed the Assistant Superintendent to write a letter to Mr . Winslow advising him of this action. On a motion by Mr. Fallon it was voted 5:0 to have the Chair- man write a letter to the Municipal Light Board Chairman requesting a copy of classification and salary schedules of the Light Depart- ment . It was moved, seconded and voted 5 :0 to sign letter committing Sewer House Connection 70% Lateral in the amount of $307. 23 to the Town Collector in compliance with the provisions of the G.L. Chapter 80 as amended by Chapter 63 of the Acts of 1933. The Board signed the payroll for the period ending Autuat 22 and the Bill Roll dated August 29 , 1980. Meeting adjourned at 11:30 P.M. Res ctfuJ�y submitted, Secretary `." "