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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1960-09-19 Board of Public Works Minutes 101 September 19, 1960 ' The regular meeting of the Board of Public Works was held Monday , September 19, 1960 at 7:30 P.M. in Room 14, Muni- cipal Building. Present were Chairman Florence , Secretary Harrison, Board Members Ames, Hodson and Leonard and Superintendent Welch . Minutes of the previous meeting read and approved. Mr. and Mrs. David Carlson of 65 Winslow Road and Mrs. William H. Weicker of 61 Winslow Road appeared before the Board. Both parties have a sewer easement through their property. Ac- cording to their understanding, their property was to be re- stored to its original condition upon completion of the sewer ' work. To date nothing has been done. Mr. Welch explained that the contractors should complete the work in two or three weeks . Mr. Sidney Rubin of the Atlantic Food Mart appeared before the Board and requested a further abatement on his April 1960 water and sewer bills. Mr. Rubin has received a combined abatement of $510.97 on his bill of $1,124.85 thus far. The Board heard his remarks and informed Mr. Rubin that the re- quest would be given further consideration. The Chairman read letter to Town Counsel , Mr. Killam, composed by Mr. Welch, requesting that legal steps be taken to prosecute Morel Bros . for wrongful act of turning on water with- out the knowledge of the Water Department . Morel Bros . is on ' written notice that no more water connections would be made. Mr. Killam prefers not to prosecute on this account but defi- nit* proceed against the checks which we have in escrow. We hold $11,000.00 in cashiers* checks made out to the Town of Reading and/or Morel Bros. and signed by Robert Stone . Morel Bros. has paid $758.05 and Mrs. Stephen Abbott $229.63 which clears up all completed services on Gleason Road, occupied or otherwise. There remain six partial services amounting close to $1,000.00 which are not paid. Mr. Leonard moved that on application for water serv- ice Morel Bros. must pay to the Town cash in advance for all obligations in effect at that moment on that particular service plus an amount which the Department estimates it will cost to com- I plate the service. Mr. Ames seconded and it was voted. Mr. Ames moved that necessary legal steps be taken so that the Board can obtain money (checks in the amount of $11,000.00) to finish the streets before the terminal date. Mr. Killam pointed out that the money would go into the Town Treasury and a Town Meeting would be necessary to appropriate it . A dis- cussion followed on the condition of Gleason Road and Alden Circle. Our terminal date is October 22. Mr. Killam informed the Board that it would be impossible to get the checks into the Town by that date; we should have moved in the Spring of 1959. w'� "� "' Mr. Ames moved that the subject be placed on the table for consideration at a future date. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was voted. Mr. Harrison requested a report on further develop- ments next week. Read letter composed by Mr. Welch addressed to Mr. ' Lawrence Partelow, Chairman, Junior High School Building Commit- 103 ' tee. Mr. Harrison informed the Board that the architects are employeeing an outside engineering firm to make a thorough investigation of the sewer installation at the New Junior High School. Mr. Harrison moved that a member of Ue th,e Board of Pub- lic Works' present to observe and verify the tests. It was seconded and voted. It was also suggested that Mr. Welch send a set of sewer specifications to the Junior High School Building Com- mittee. Mr. Leonard moved that the letter as written be for- warded to Mr. Partelow. Mr. Hodson seconded and it was voted. Mr. Hodson moved, Mr. Harrison seconded and it was voted to table the items regarding regulation of water to swim- ming pools and requests from the Recreation Committee for dis- cussion at a future date . Read post card notice regarding Chapter 90 meeting in Cambridge on Wednesday, September 21, 1960. According to the Superintendent this is very short notice as the meeting is us- ually held in October. Mr. Welch made the following recommenda- tions: - 1961 - Chapter 90 Construction - Lowell Street (in part) and Salem Street (in part) Recover 1962 - Chapter 90 Construction - Start construction of John Street - From Route 12$ northerly to near Washington Street In 1961 and 1962, Woburn Street can be surfaced with a thin bituminous concrete cover under ' Chapter 90 Maintenance. Mr. Ames moved that the Superintendent 's recommendation be fol- lowed, Mr. Harrison seconded and it was voted. 104 Mr. Florence suggested that the Superintendent write a letter to the Department of Waterways regarding the plans for , the Aberjona River. Mr. Welch demurred and explained that we are expected to work up the easement areas and obtain the ease- ments. Two persons will not sign - namely, Mr. Hogan and a Mrs. Smith. Mr. Leonard felt that the two interested parties should meet with the Board to see if the issue cannot be resolved and all legal matters cleared up this Fall so that work can start in the Spring. Mr. Leonard moved that the Superintendent ar- range a meeting between the Board and the dissenting parties, Mr. Ames seconded and it was voted. Mr. Welch presented a list of streets which might be considered for acceptance at the Town Meeting. Of the list fifteen were practically certain and eight quite certain. Due to ' the extensive engineering and drafting which must be done prior I to the acceptance , it was felt that the program should be ex- tended over two years. Read letter from Ren-Con Construction Company request- ing an extension of two weeks to complete repairs to the Mineral Street Bridge. This was caused by the company's inability to obtain supplies being shipped via the Pennsylvania Railroad which was on strike. It was moved, seconded and voted that the request be approved. The Chairman read a report from the Superintendent on labor costs for the hurricane clean-up which amounted to about $3,500 .00. As the Board of .Public Works has available funds to ' cover $500.00 overtime, it will not be necessary to ask for 105 additional funds. Mr. Florence requested that Mr. Welch write and advise the Finance Committee of the above. Read letter from William Burns , 192 Wakefield Street, requesting a complete resurfacing of his driveway. Mr. Burns' driveway was used almost exclusively by the Board of Public Works during the construction of a drain through his property recently. Mr. Leonard moved that the matter be taken care of according to the Superintendent's recommendation; Mr. Harrison seconded and it was voted. A detailed discussion followed regarding the abatement requested earlier in the evening by Mr. Rubin of the Atlantic Food Mart. Mr. Harrison moved that the request for further abate- ment be denied. Mr. Harrison's motion was not seconded and was withdrawn. Mr. Hodson made the motion to average bills for the past three years consummation-wise, convert to the new rate and charge the highest amount . It was also suggested that instead of averaging for the last three years, take the largest bills for the last three years and average and bill Mr. Rubin accordingly. Mr. Ames seconded Mr. Hodson's motion; M�epssrs. Leonard-t� and Harrison werp oppose . ykt 1 P�'Q''``�- '�`° °`'1 UA+- " Nir..HHarrison moved that further abatement be denied, Nr. Leonard seconded. Messrs. Ames and Hodson were opposed. Mr. Florence cast the deciding vote and it was voted. Meeting adjourned at 10:05 P.M. espectfully submitted, ' Secretary