HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978-10-16 Board of Public Works Minutes October 16, 1978
I 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
Russell , Cowell and Testa. The Finance Committee was represented
by Jose Canto and Gail Wood.
Minutes of the previous meeting were accepted as submitted.
The Superintendent requested that Items 3, 4, 5 and 6 on
the Agenda be tabled until next week when he would have more com-
plete information available on the various bids.
Meeting adjourned temporarily in order that the Board meet
as the Board of Survey and reconvened at 7:45 P. M.
Read letter from Weston and Sampson Engineers, Inc. regard-
ing Street Sewers and the Willow Street Interceptor, Contract
C-250401-01 . It was accepted as a point of information.
Read letter from Wilmington West Associates, developer for
25 units of housing on West Street in Wilmington adjacent to the
Reading Town Line. The success of the housing venture in Wil-
mington will be determined by whether or not permission to tie
into the sewer main in Reading is acceptable to the Town of Reading
and the M. D. C. The Board instructed the Superintendent on Octo-
ber 10th to invite a representative of Wilmington West Associates
to the Board' s meeting on October 26th. Mr. Price would now pre-
fer to discuss the matter with officials from the Town of Silming-
ton and to reach a formal agreement with the Town of Wilmington
in order to insure the Town of Reading would in fact be assured of
payment for services as Reading would not have a lien process
available in another town under an agreement negotiated with
Wilmington West Associates. A discussion ensued. It was then
moved, seconded and voted that a letter be sent to Wilmington West
Associates directing them to send a request to the Town of
Wilmington Water and Sewer Commissioners so that a formal rela-
tionship will exist on a Town level and for the Town of Wilmington' s
Superintendent to contact Superintendent Louanis reported that the
' acceptance of Federal Funds for the sewer project in Reading did
not make it mandatory that Reading grant a connection to the Town
of Wilmington.
Meeting adjourned at 8:00 P. M. and reconvened at 8:45 P. M.
following a meeting as the Board of Survey.
Superintendent Louanis reported that copy of letter of com-
plaint from the Law Office of Orlando A. Andreoni has been for-
warded to Town Counsel as acting upon Town Counsel ' s advice the
Board had awarded Contract 78-4 Cleaning and Painting Auburn Street
Elevated Storage Tank to Tank Company, -Inc. , as the best qualified
bidder, and not to the apparent low bidder Nick Dry Wall Construc-
tion. The Board accepted the Superintendent' s report as a point
of information.
Sunny Corner Farms submitted a plan prior to the construction
of their building at the corner of Main and Washington Streets in
Reading and the Board approved the plan which indicated a 301 curb
cut on Main Street. The store is now open and the owner has not
as yet complied with the plan as regard the curb cut. Superinten-
dent Louanis read Article 14, Section 6 of the Town By-Laws as
follows: "No person shall make or construct a driveway or other
means of access or exit for motor vehicles on to a public way or
across a sidewalk unless he has first obtained a permit therefor ,
issued by the Board of Public Works." Following a discussion, it
was determined that the Board should initiate some action to
strengthen this By-Law in order that the Board has proper recourse
to insure compliance with the conditions accompanying approval of
a plan and asked the Superintendent to make his recommendations
to the Board. The Chairman suggested that the Superintendent
contact Town Counsel on this item.
Mr. Cowell stated that as a Board we should try to encourage
business within the Town and he felt the Board is being grossly
unfair in denying the driveway entrance onto Main Street at the
north side of the First National (Old Colony) Bank as there are
driveway openings up and down the street. A bank indicates growth
which 4s a good sign, and as the previous owner had access to the
property at this location it seems unreasonable to deny the
present owner the same privilege and therefore moved for recon-
sideration of the previous action taken by the Board. It was
seconded. The vote 2 in favor and 2 opposed. A two-third vote ,
in favor of the motion was not given therefore the motion did
not carry. Chairman Dustin stated he felt the matter would come
up again and Mr. Cowell agreed but stated he felt if the Board
Minutes - continued October 16, 1978
took the initiative greater cooperation would be forthcoming
from the bank. Mr. Russell moved to instruct the Superintendent
not to issue a permit to occupy the street for the curb cut on
the south side of the bank building until the disapproved curb
cut on the north side of the bank building has been closed. The
vote 2 in favor - 3 opposed.
The Board read letter dated October 2, 1978 from Edmund J.
Sheehan, copy of Mr. Sheehan ' s letter dated May 31 , 1978 directed
to the Board of Selectmen and accident report (general liability)
involving real property at 17 Balsam Road owned at the time by
Robert E. Hammer. The Superintendent reported a new home was
being constructed in the area at the time and debris from the
construction and baled hay used as a siltration device required
by the Conservation Commission during the building period had
blocked the 48" drain pipe in the street causing the backup of
water onto the Hammer and Sheehan property. The Board directed
' the Superintendent to write Mr. Sheehan stating that we would
monitor the drainage easement in an effort to prevent a similar
occurrence.
The Board of Selectmen requests that the Board of Public
Works assist the Municipal Light Department in the construction
of underground services across Pleasant Street. It was moved,
seconded and voted to do whatever possible to effect the in-
stallation of conduit across Pleasant Street to the improved
Police Station.
It was moved, seconded and voted to instruct the Superintendent
to respond to the letter from Richard Badoian directed to the
Selectmen stating the sign he has reference to was a gift to the
Town from the Garden Club, the Junior Women ' s Club, the Reading
Bicentennial Commission, the Reading Jaycees: carbon copies to
be sent to the Reading Chronicle, the Boston Globe, the Selectmen
and the Reading Citizens for Lower Taxes Group.
' The Board signed the Pay Roll for the period ending October
13th and the Bill Roll dated October 20, 1978.
Mr. Russell reported that he discussed the issue of Batchelder
Field with the Recreation Committee and the idea of establishing
an ad hoc committee to develop a park plan for the Town. The
general consensus of the Recreation Committee was they were in
favor of the ad hoc committee. Chairman Duane Heineck felt
very strongly that the Recreation Committee should offer a motion
at the November Special Town Meeting instructing the Board of
Public Works to come back to the Annual Town Meeting with a plan
for the construction of a ball field at Batchelder Field. After
considerable discussion of the effect one motion might have on
the other it was agreed the Board of Public Works should present
a motion for the adhoc committee after the Recreation Committee
had presented their motion. The Superintendent was instructed
to draft a motion for the ad hoc committee for the Board' s review.
Meeting adjourned at 10:00 P. M.
R Qectful y�ubmitted,
ecretary