HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980-10-06 Board of Public Works Minutes October 6, 1980
I Meeting of the Board of Public Works convened in Room 16, Muni-
cipal Building at 7:30 P . M.
Present were Chairman Cowell , Secretary Wood, Board Members
DeHart, Fallon, Barker and Superintendent Louanis.
Mr. Fallon requested that he and Mr. Barker, as members of the
subcommittee to investigate matters concerning non-union personnel,
be scheduled to report their findings to the Board toward the end
of the evening on October 14th in Executive Session if the Board so
desires.
It was moved , seconded and voted to accept the minutes of the
Board of Public Works for the meeting of September 29th with addi-
tion of notation concerning meeting on the 9th of October regard-
ing Capital Outlay .
Superintendent Louanis reportedthat he has had an on-going
discussion with Browning-Ferris Industries concerning the solid
waste situation and has also discussed the matter with Resco from
' time to time. The present contract with Browning-Ferris Industries
runs out June 30, 1981 and it is important that the Board begin to
consider plana for the future. Letter dated September 22, 1980
from Browning-Ferris Industries states they would be willing to re-
new their contract with the Town of Reading for two or three years
for a sum of $291,000 per year containing a coat-of-living clause
according to the Federal Index with no ceilings, picking up unlimited
amounts of rubbish at all residences, supplying all containers for
the school department and municipal buildings at no additional cost
to the Town. Mr . Barker requested that for comparison purposes we
inquire what the cost to the Town would be if we retained the pre-
sent measured pick-up of 6 begs and/or barrels and one bulk item at
each residence and the Town vs. the contractor picking up the trash
in the parks and other special areas in the Town. The Superinten-
dent ' s report and the letter from BFI was accepted as a point of in-
formation .
Read copy of letter sent by Janet Pierce of the Reading Hous-
ing Authority to the Chairman of the Planning Board concerning a
meeting an October 21 when housing needs for Reading will be dis-
cussed . It was accepted as a point of information.
Letter from the Planning Board re: meeting with MAPC Repre-
sentative was accepted as a point of information. ,
Letter from the Planning Board announcing a meeting at 8 : 15
P.M. on October 29 in Room 19, Community Center to discuss Article
15 on the Fall Town Meeting Warrant concerning the Town-owned land
behind the Incinerator and Public Works Garage was read and accepted
as a point of information and all board members, with the exception
of the Chairman who has a previous commitment will attend.
A third letter from the Planning Board re: 12B Sales, Inc. -
Sale of Town-owned land was read and it was requested the Superin-
tendent respond advising the Planning Board that the Public Works
Department does not feel a roadway should be constructed over the
sewer easement sending a copy of the letter to the Selectmen and
the Industrial Development Commission.
The Board reviewed with interest the Long Range Recreation
Plan for Fiscal Years 1981-85 . Because of the fact that a detailed
explanation was lacking it was accepted as a point of information.
The Board met with Irving Dickey, Superintendent of Insect
Pest Control to discuss the presentation to be made to Town Meeting ,
with regard to gypsy moth control. Mr. Dickey informed the Board
that the State of Massachusetts has informed him we should expect
amother four or five years of infestation , and with that in mind
Mr. Dickey suggested we should continue measures to control the
gypsy moth using Dipel because of the concern of environmentalists
regarding the use of chemicals. The State of Massachusetts used
Dipel for control in the area of the Duabbin Reservoir with poor
results while some other areas have used Dipel with good results. The
results of the use of control measures depends a great deal on the
weather and other factors. Mr. Dickey informed the Board that the
spraying (regardless of the materiel used) must be done the last week
in May to be effective. To spray the Town using Sevin (the more effec-
tive chemical) exclusively, the total cost would be $4,450. while it
would cost $14,500 to use Dipel. During the last season Sevin was
used in areas where there are a great many oak trees and Dipel was
used in heavily populated areas of the Town. It was moved, seconded ,
and voted 5:0:0 to support a motion at Town Meeting to use 1000
Sevin.
Minutes - continued October 6, 1980
Bids were received on September 18, 1960 for trees with the
following result :
Bigelow Blueview Cherry Hill Sudbury
Item Nurseries Nurseries Nurseries Nurseries
20 Emerald Green $ 500.00 660.00 460.00 480.00
Maples
25 Schwedler Maples 800.00 No bid 600.00 525.00
15 Sugar Maples 472.50 495.00 405.00 390.00
It was moved, seconded and voted 5:0:0 to award the contract for
20 Emerald Green Maples to the low bidder, Cherry Hill Nurseries
in the amount of $460.00. It was moved, seconded and voted 5:0:0
to award the contract for 25 Schwedler Maples and 15 Sugar Maples
to the low bidder Sudbury Nurseries in theamountsof $525.00 and
$390.00 respectively , or a total of $915.00.
Bids were received on October 2, 1980 for Caustic Soda, as
follows:
E . @ F King and Co. Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 32, 153.31
George Mann and Co . , Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 40,417.30
Whittaker Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,635.75
It was moved, seconded and voted 5:0:0 to award the contract for
' caustic soda to E h F King and Co. for $13.50/100# from October 1
to October 31 , 1980 and $14.45/100# from November 1 to December
31, 1980 for a total amount of $32, 153.31 .
The Board read letter from the Department of Environmental
Quality Engineering concerning disposal of soil . Superintendent
Louanis stated he had hoped to have a report from Mabardy before
the meeting but it had not arrived. He warned the Board that be-
fore accepting fill for the solid waste disposal area thorough in-
vestigation is necessary as the material could contain contaminates.
It was accepted as a point of information .
The Board read copy of letter sent to the Planning Board in-
dicating cost of construction of a perking lot at the corner of
Union and Middle Streets. The Board requested the Finance Committee
be made aware of the costs involved in preparing this report.
It was moved, seconded and voted 5:0:0 to sign letter commit-
ing the sum of $320.00 for sewer house connection at 468 Franklin
Street to the Tax Collector and to assess betterment accordingly.
The Board signed the Payroll for the period ending October 3d
and the Billroll dated October 10, 1980.
Meeting adjourned at 9:34 P .M.
Rea ectful subm
ecretary