HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977-07-11 Board of Public Works Minutes I -
July 11 , 19/
' Meeting of the Board of Public Works convened in Room 16,
Municipal Building at 7:30 P. M.
Present were Chairman Dustin, Secretary Price, Board Members
Blood and Russell , Superintendent Louanis, Assistant Superintendent
Bergeron and Finance Committee Member Douglas Cowell .
Minutes of the previous meeting were accepted as written.
Read Notice of Public Hearing at 7:35 P. M. relative to
placing a water main in Lafayette Road, a private way located
off Main Street (Route 28) . Present were three abutters, Alfred
S. Overton of number 55, Ralph L. Lake, Jr. , of number 16 and
Joyce M. Rand of number 34 Lafayette Road. The Superintendent
outlined the history of the existing water service in the street
and Acting Assistant Superintendent Bergeron indicated on a plan
the location of a proposed 8" water main and fire hydrant. Mr.
Bergeron explained that the Town would assume the cost of the
' extension of the main and hydrant but that the homeowners would
have to assume the cost of the service pipe connection to their
individual hones as indicated on the handout. Mr. Overton stated
that the owner of the property at 48 Lafayette Road was interested
in improving the water supply to his home. Following a discussion
it was moved, seconded and voted to close the hearing. It was
moved, seconded and voted to instruct the Superintendent to pro-
ceed with negotiations to obtain easements and to investigate
the possibility of a single line to provide water to House No.
48 and 55. The Superintendent stated if easements are obtained
it will be possible to complete the work before cold weather sets
in.
Meeting adjourned temporarily in order that the Board could
meet as the Board of Survey and reconvened at 9:00 P. M.
Mr. Blood retired from the meeting.
The Board met with William Perkins and Alan Silvobitz engineers
A of the firm of Weston and Sampson, Inc. Mr. Perkins indicated
that his firm was proceeding with the comprehensive study of the
water system in the Town in accordance with the contract for such
services and he intended to give a verbal report to the Board
following a point by point scope of the work as laid out in the '
contract. Item No. 1 was a review of all available data and in—
formation relating to the system which was an on going process
and Mr. Perkins expressed his thanks to the Department for the
information and cooperation given to date. Item No. 2 dealt
with a meeting of the Board and other Town Officials to review
progress and discuss problems and areas of new residential and
industrial development both present and in the future as it
could effect the water system. Item No. 3 dealt with the evalua—
tion of the existing sources of supply and how it relates to the
requirements of the 1977 Safe Drinking Water Standards. Testing
for this phase of the quality of the water was being coordinated
with the State Department of Public Health in an effort to save
the Town the necessity of repeating the same test to satisfy the
Safe Drinking Water Act. Although some of the testing had been
completed by the State the testing for pesticides and radio
activity have not been completed and the State is showing some
reluctance to perform these tests at this time. If the tests
are not completed by the State within the next couple of weeks
Weston and Sampson, Inc. will contact some approved private
laboratory to do said testing. Mr . Silbovitz indicated to the
Board that the high sodium level in the Reading water supply
would be a problem since the new regulations have set a maximum
level of 20 parts per million for sodium in the public water
supply. Reading's base level ranges from 30 to 80 parts per
million. Although there is no legal requirement for the Town
to reduce this level it will be necessary for the Town to inform
the public of the sodium level in accordance with the new Safe
Water Drinking Act. Item No. 4 of the contract dealt with the
establishment of design for future supply requirements. To this
end Weston and Sampson has reviewed the requirements of the M.D.C.
and since Reading is outside the 10 mile limit from the State
House the Town would have to Petition the M.D.C. to vote to
accept them as a member. The Town would have to pay an entrance
fee in the amount of $387,000.00 and if Reading became a
Minutes - continued July 11 , 1977
regular member we would have to pay our share of the construction
' cost unknown at this time and probably would have to enter into
an agreement to buy 1/3 of our supply from the M.D.C. at the rate
of $240 per million gallons. Consideration is being given to
recommend future exploration within the Town of Reading. The Lynn-
field Reservoir is being looked into but at this moment does not
seem to hold any promise for the Town. Mr. Perkins reported that
the evaluation of the existing treatment process is also an on-going
process and consideration is being given to cooling towers, aeration
changes of an existing chemical treatment, evaluation of the exist-
ing sedimentation basins and rapid sand filters with an alternate
possibility of tube settlers and mixed media filter beds. Since
the Town experiences an intermittent odor and taste problem the
use of activated charcoat is being evaluated. Mr. Perkins indicated
that the final draft report would be ready for review in about five
weeks. The Board requested that the final draft be available for
the Board's review two weeks prior to the next meeting with Weston
and Sampson, Inc. Mr. Russell expressed his concern for a greater
depth and detail and backup information in the final report than
was presented by Mr. Perkins. Mr. Perkins assured the Board that
the final report would have complete backup data and final cost
estimates for consideration.
Read note from the Superintendent stating that as part of the
1978 drainage construction program the Engineering Division had de-
signed a drainage system to solve the problem of street drainage
running from Grove Street into private property at the request of
the homeowners in the area. An effort to negotiate easements for
the project has been unsuccessful as the property owners in ques-
tion do not wish to give the Town the necessary easements. The
Town will make one last effort to negotiate with the property owners
for an easement and if it is not possible to gain cooperation from
the abutters the Superintendent suggested drainage work be done
on Charles Street near the site of the new cemetery.
Read memorandum from the Superintendent regarding the Final
Report on a Conceptual Design for User Charge and Industrial Cost
Recovery System as prepared by the M. D. C. It will be necessary
for the Town to have a new rate structure approved by the M.D.C.
prior to September 1978. The Department has a computer program
nearly complete and the Engineering Department will report to the ,
Board in the early Fall . A meeting with the Finance Committee,
Accounting Department, Treasurer 's Office and Collector 's Office
will be held in the Fall also in an effort to coordinate all aspects
of the billing process.
Read letter from Mr. Cahill of 73 Grand Street wherein he re-
quests that the Town install curbing at the street line of his
property. The Board instructed the Superintendent to write Mr.
Cahill stating that his request had been reviewed and that although
nothing could be done this year because of lack of funds we shall
consider it for the next fiscal year 's budget.
Read Petition from residents of Track Road requesting that
their street be accepted as a public way. Following a consider-
able discussion it was moved that we go through our usual procedure,
hold a preliminary hearing present the layout of Track Road to the
abutters and give them an estimate of cost based on completion ,
of the project without sidewalks. There was no second. It was
then moved, seconded and voted to table the item.until Fall .
Read memorandum from the Planning Board calling attention to
a meeting to be held in early Fall for the purpose of accessing
the needs and priorities of the Town. It was accepted as a point
of information.
The Board reviewed the results of the proposal for the in-
vitation for purchase of segregated unbroken glass from the Town's
recycling program received on June 30th, as follows:
David White - Andover . . . . . . . .$ 10.00 per ton
Recycling Enterprise - No. Oxford. . . . . . . . . 12.00 A
n u u u . . . . . . . . . 15.00 " " B
It was moved, seconded and voted to award the Contract in the amount
of $10.00 per ton to David B. White and Son.
The Board signed the Payroll for the period ending July 8
and the Bill Roll dated July 15, 1977•
Meeting adjourned at 11 : 15 P.M.
pecifuJllx submitted,
ecretary
. ,