HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979-02-05 Board of Public Works Minutes February 5, 1979
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 Mem-
bers Russell , Cowell and Testa, Superintendent Louanis, Assis-
tant Superintendent Bergeron and William Redford of the Engineer-
ing Division. The Finance Committee was represented by Jose
Canto, Paul Metcalf and Gail Wood.
The Board met with Attorney 0. Bradley Latham who requested
the Board rescind its vote denying an abatement of sewer frontage
assessment on the Belzer property on Haverhill Street citing the
limitation of the statute involved. It was then moved, seconded
and voted to rescind the vote of January 22, 1979 regarding the
denial of request for abatement of sewer frontage assessment
against Plat 95, Lot 18, Bill #12 in the amount of $2,636 as
failure of said petitioner to submit additional information
within four months of the date of the petition, January 17, 1979,
1 the petition shall be deemed to be denied.
At 7:35 P. M. the Board met with residents of Pasture Road
to continue the Hearing of January 29, 1979. Chairman Dustin
greeted those in attendance and reminded them that it was the
responsibility of the Board, and not the responsibility of the
abutters, to determine what was required to bring the street up
to the standards set forth in the Board of Survey Rules and Regu-
lations. The Board then reviewed the revised Cost Estimate for
Acceptance as a Public Way as prepared by the Engineering Division,
indicating reductions in the areas of border area improvements,
roadway improvements, drain construction, drain manhole frame
and cover, grading, loaming and seeding. The Board questioned
whether the revised estimate would meet the Board of Survey stan-
dards in effect at the time the developer ' s bond was released.
Mr. Bergeron, Assistant Superintendent in charge of Engineering,
indicated that the $1 , 343.63 was adequate to meet the standards
at that time. Following considerable discussion, Mr. Russell
moved, it was seconded and voted unanimously to limit the cost
to the abutters on Pasture Road to have the street accepted at
this time to $1 ,343.63. It was moved, seconded and voted to
close the Hearing at 8:4o P. M.
The Board discussed the minutes of January 22 and 29 and
indicated corrections to be made before approval could be made.
RESCO cancelled their 8:00 P.M. scheduled meeting with the
Board and indicated they anticipate it will be possible to get
a proposal to the Board concerning the incinerator and/or the
site sometime within the week. Mr. Bergeron reported he had
called five salvage companies requesting they come out and take
a look at the incinerator. The response from all was similar -
five to ten thousand dollars to demolish and remove it. Letter
from Alfred J. Boulos, President of Charlestown Marine of Monson,
Massachusetts concerning the use of the incinerator site was
accepted as a point of information.
The Board reviewed letter from Commissioner Richard E. Kendall
Department of Environmental Management urging the Board to con-
sider and recognize the excellent long term solution to the solid
waste disposal problem is available in the proposal set forth
by the Northeast Solid Waste Committee. This proposal requires
the cities and towns in the area to make a long term comnittment
of twenty years with the primary contractor UOP by June 30, 1979. '
Before the Board could enter into such an agreement the Town Meet-
ing would have to vote the Board the authority to enter into the
agreement. After considerable discussion of the matter, the Board
instructed the Superintendent to write the Commissioner requesting
a response to the Town of Reading' s invitation for proposal on
the use of our municipal incinerator site. Mr. Russell suggested
it would be wise for the Board to prepare an Article for the
Warrant authorizing the Board to enter into a long term solid
waste contract and if the Board had not reached a decision by
that time it could be indefinitely postponed.
The Board reviewed letter from Frank Smith, Chairman of the
Board of Selectmen in response to the Board' s inquiry regarding
the Community Block Grant for the Lead Lined Replacement Program.
After considerable discussion of the merits of the letter, it was
agreed to accept it as a point of information at this time.
The Superintendent reviewed the chain of events following '
the break in the 20" water main on Forest Street on January 30,
1979 at 5:45 A.M. Superintendent Louanis informed the Board
it has cost approximately $5,640 to repair the street and the
Minutes - continued February 5, 1979
I
roadway and the sidewalk will have to be reconstructed. This
is over and above what we have budgeted and we shall have to
ask the Finance Committee for a transfer of funds. The Board
suggested a letter be sent to the Towns of Wakefield and Stone-
ham and to the City of Woburn expressing the Boards apprecia-
tion for their consideration and assistance following the water
main break in Reading.
Chairman Dustin requested the Board proceed with its review
of the budget. Mr. Russell addressed the Finance Committee stat-
ing that he questioned at an earlier meeting, whether all Boards
were to be limited to a 1% increase in their budgets and was more
than a little upset to learn that the School Budget guideline
was- 2.3 '' . percent and he would hope that all departments
would be considered equally, as to do differently the Finance
committee would be setting policy and that is not their function.
Mr. Russell reported the Ad Hoc Committee did not have a
quorum at its scheduled meeting and it will probably be a year
1 before they are able to advise the Board of Public Works concern-
ing park needs. The Board agreed to postpone Park and Playground
Construction and delete $30,000 from the budget.
The Board started a page by page review of the budget, as
follows:
Page 11 - Administration - Moved, seconded and voted to delete
$600 covering the cost of two chairs and desks and
transfer this to the Water Department Expense - approve
page 11 at $48,945.
Page 12 - Engineering Expense and Salary - Moved, seconded and
voted to approve Page 12 at $144,271 deleting $250 for
travel
Page 13 -
14-15 Highway Maintenance - it was moved, and seconded to
delete $578 - telephone expense - from the budget.
The vote - 4 opposed, 1 in favor. It was moved, seconded
and voted to approve the Highway Maintenance account
at $505,660.
The Board signed the Pay Roll for the period ending February
2 and the Bill Roll dated February 9, 1979.
Meeting adjourned at 11 :20 P. M.
Rclly,submitted,
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