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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-02-26 Board of Selectmen HandoutDRAFT Congressman John F. Tiernev's Fiscal Year ZooA Appropriations Form Please complete this form and return it to the attention of Mr. Kevin McDermott via email (Kevin. McDermottnaanail. house. vov) by 6 pm on Friday, February 22, 2008. Accompanying this form must be a formal, signed letter (preferably in PDF form) from the submitting institution to Congressman Tierney. Such letter must request support for the project, detail the purpose of the project, and indicate the benefit(s) of the project. 1) NAME OF SUBMITTING INSTITUTION: Town of Reading MA. 2) PRIMARY PROJECT CONTACT: (please provide name, title, work and cell number, fax, email, and mailing address): Peter I. Hechenbleilrner Town Manager; 781-942-9043; 781-883-0016; 781-942-9017; townmanager@ci.reading.ma.us. 3) PROJECT TITLE: Ipswich River Greenwav 4) PROJECT LOCATION: North end of Readine. through lands owned by the Town. alone the Ipswich River and Bare Meadow Brook 5) PROJECT DESCRIPTION (In 1-3 sentences, please explain how the institution hopes to use the requested federal assistance. If the request is for construction, please identify the, programmatic activity that will be carried out in the facility. Please specify who will be the recipient of the grant): The Ipswich River Greenwav Droiect will construct over 2.f; continuous miles of trail and boardwalk through Town owned lands along the Ipswich River and Bare Meadow Brook. The trail/boardwallr and kev feature areas will connect from Haverhill Street westward to the former Louannis Water Treatment Plant site. and will reauire crossing only 2 public streets. The Greenwav will include accessible fishing biers, signaue, and a pedestrian activated signal across Main Street. The main trail. and side trails will connect the Ipswich River Greenwav with other maior community facilities and neighborhoods including the Wood End Elementarv School. Mill Street Historic site and canoe launching area, the Mattera conservation site including the loe cabin. the Town Forest. and manv other. sites. The site of the former Water Treatment Plant will be developed as a greenwav trailhead and multi-purpose recreation area. 6) AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE REQUESTED (please provide a brief itemized budget for the requested federal assistance) $ 1.-35 million • Construction of trail and boardwalk $ 700.000 • Pedestrian actuated signal on Main Street 8 100.000 • Purchase of Darcel of land _8 tio.ooo • Demolition of Water Treatment Plant $1,450.000 • Construction of multi-use recreation facilities At LWTP site 9 _qoo.ooo o Total X2:800.000 CQ 7) FEDERAL AGENCY (if unknown, please leave blank): 8) SPECIFIC AGENCY ACCOUNT (if unknown, please leave blank): g) PROJECT'S ANTICIPATED TOTAL COST: $2,800,000 (total io) OTHER FUNDING SOURCES (STATE, LOCAL, OR PRIVATE) ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS PROJECT OF ACTIVITY, IF ANY: • State 8; 200.000 • Local $:1.2-q0.000 xi) PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL PROJECT'S COST EACH OF THESE FUNDING SOUCES IS CONTRIBUTING, IF APPLICABLE: • State 7% • Local 45 • Federal -48 12) AMOUNT RAISED/EXPENDED ON THE PROJECT TO DATE, AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK COMPLETED ON THE PROJECT: • Committed from the State - 8200.000 • Committed by the Town - 8x.2r,0.000 • Overall design of the IRG is complete. • Detailed design of the boardwalk suecification is underwav. • State commitment to the construction of the Mill Street fishing pier is in place. Construction will begin in the spring of 2008: • Design of the demolition of the former Water Treatment Plant is done.' Demolition will begin in the sprint of 2oo8 13) SOURCES OF FEDERAL FUNDING THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED TO THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT BY YEAR: None to date 14) PLEASE ATTACH AN ABSTRACT (maximum one-page) THAT DESCRIBES THE OVERALL GOALS OF THIS PROJECT 2 Ipswich River Greenway Town of Reading MA The Town of Reading seeks federal funding for approximately 50% of the cost of a "greenway" project that will be constructed along the Ipswich River 'and Bare Meadow Brook, from Strout Avenue to Haverhill Street. In 2003 the loswich River was named the third most endanaered river in the nation by American Rivers, a national rivers protection oraanization. In June 2005, following much discussion in the community, the Town of Reading Town Meeting voted to purchase all of its water from the regional utility authority, the MWRA, and to abandon its well fields except for an emergency supply. Eight of the Town's nine wells are located in the Ipswich River basin, several of them almost literally in the banks of the river. The Town of Reading has, to date, borne 100% of the very significant cost of making this change in water supply, and as a result water rates in the community have risen almost 50% in the past 2 years to cover the cost of buying into the MWRA for water supply. The result of the Town's actions were perhaps best seen in the very dry fall of 2007, when the Ipswich River in Reading had a full level of water, compared to other seasons when the river was dry or very low in similar circumstances. Readina saved a river! As a result of the actions by the Town of Reading to save this distressed river, the Town has taken this opportunity to re-envision the Ipswich River as a recreational asset, and has created a plan for development of the Ipswich River stream corridor and the Bare Meadow Brook stream corridor in Reading as the Ipswich River Greenway. Major features of the Greenway are illustrated on the attached map and include: • The trails and boardwalk will be over 2.5 miles in length, and will connect existing side-branching trail networks as one continuous system ; • The project includes redevelopment of the former Louannis Water Treatment Plant site for multi-purpose recreation uses • Handicapped accessible trails and boardwalks constitute over half the length of the Greenway • The project includes construction of two accessible fishing piers along the river • The project includes an accessible wildlife viewing platform at Bare Meadow • The Ipswich River Greenway will connects the Haverhill Street bikeway, the Bare Meadow trail network, the Mattera conservation site with the log cabin, the Mill Street historic site, the Wood End Elementary School, the Town Forest trail network, the proposed multi-use recreation area that will be developed after demolition of the WTP, and several neighborhoods along the route; • This project provides an exciting regional recreational facility unmatched in the north shore area of Massachusetts • The Ipswich River Greenway showcases good environmental stewardship of this unique and once distressed natural resource. l `,r r rf '~J rl r ,r rr r~ ~ ' Jrr rr ~ r rr rr f NZ G\' r' rrr /r,. r {/1 ~ ~r ~ rr,f r Jf / ~ J ,r r ~e10. R° +-r I{ 4~ 40 f i Jr r~f Jf rrfJ r ~sow"` ~-Willa 51 -7 TAN p~~ NEON 1a. f 2 VU hD k t~ ~QA ~ QA "No Trucks" signs on High Street in Reading, MA Page 1 of 1 Ut,n✓1 Hechenbleikner' Peter ~V From: Hechenbleikner, Peter Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 1:54 PM To: 'Martel, Justin (HOU)'; Town Manager Cc: DeBrigard, Mike; Cloonan, Mike; Jim Cormier; Lee, Michael; Peter Hechenbleikner; Ted McIntire; Zambouras, George Subject: RE: "No Trucks" signs on High Street in Reading, MA Justin MHD ordered the signs removed - they had never been approved by them. We did a trucking count and MHD denied the truck exclusion because there were not enough trucks. We will do another trucking count this spring after the snow leaves (cannot risk getting our counters plowed up in the snow). Pete From: Martel, 3ustin (HOU) [maiito:Justin.Martei@state.ma.us] Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 1:32 PM To: Town Manager Cc: DeBrigard, Mike Subject: "No Trucks" signs on High Street in Reading, MA Hi Pete, One of Rep. Jones' constituents is wondering about the bagged "no trucks" signs on High Street. She is concerned at the increase in truck traffic she's witnessed since the bags were put in place: She seems to think that the Town originally installed the signs without state approval; and the bags will .remain in place until such approval is granted. We'd like to get her some accurate information and also see if there's some way we could help get approval if needed. I'm wondering if you might be able to shed some light on this issue for our office. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank You, Justin Martel Legislative Aide Office of the House Minority Leader Representative Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (617) 722-2100 2/25/2008 0 With Guest Speaker Greg Bialecki r Undersecretary, Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development i. Mr. Bialecki, chairman of the Zoning Reform Task Force, will present ideas for a new "Land Use Partnership Act" and solicit the thoughts and reactions of MAPC member communities at MAPC's Winter Council Meeting. The Zoning Reform Task Force comprises state officials, legislators, local officials, planners, developers, and other advocates who are seeking consensus on how best to reform the zoning and subdivision system in Massachusetts. MAPC serves on the Task Force, which Mr. Bialecki chairs. The goal is to achieve a broad-based consensus around changes in state zoning law, and to file, sometime this spring, a Land Use Partnership Act to implement those changes. Mr. Bialecki will present the Task Force's draft plan and solicit the ideas and suggestions of MAPC members and guests at our Council meeting. Please join us for this important discussion of a critical legislative initiative. Let your voice be heard! For over twenty years prior to his appointment, Greg Bialecki was areal estate y development and environmental lawyer at the law fl rms of Hill & Barlow and DLA f Piper Rudnick, where his work focused on the major urban redevelopment projects in the Greater Boston area. He also worked extensively with public agencies, non-profit organizations and private landowners on land conservation and open space protection matters throughout the Com monwealth. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Event Details: Tuesday, March 4, 2008 Quincy Marriott Hotel 1000 Marriott Drive, Quincy MA 02169 8:30 a.m. Welcome and Continental Breakfast 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Program Please RSVP by e-mail to thauenstein@manc. orQ or at 617-451-2770 X2072. There is no charge for this event. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the regional planning agency that represents the people who live and work in 101 Metro Boston communities. MAPC promotes inter-local cooperation, advocates for smart growth, and provides leadership on emerging issues of regional significance by conducting research, building coalitions, and acting as a regional forum for action. Find out more about MAPC at www moot oru OFR h ' to r~ r639'INCORQO~P~ To: Senator Richard Tisei Representative Bradley Jones Representative Patrick Natale From: Bob LeLacheur Assistant Town Manager/Finance Director Town of Reading Date: 2-25-08 Thank you for agreeing to meet with Reading town staff at 8:00am on February 29, 2008 at Reading Town Hall to discuss our legislative agenda. In the past we found such a meeting to be very productive, and provide you with this preview below. The list is grouped loosely by topic, and is not in any specific order otherwise. Please let me know if you need any clarification or further details. We all look forward to speaking with you later this week. Town of Readina - Listina of Legislative Issues - 2008 ♦ Town funding for previous ear-mark requests (thank you!) o Water Treatment Plant Demolition - received $200,000 o Parking Garage feasibility study - received $50,000 o RMHS field lights - received $50,000 o Joshua Eaton clock tower - received $25,000 o Arts Center o Ash Street RR crossing Public Safetv ♦ Reauthorization of comprehensive E-911 re-write of bill including revenue sharing with Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) ♦ Continue the S.A.F.E. Program to a minimum of the funding received in 2006 ♦ Continue to fund the Fire Safety Equipment Program ♦ Preserve Community Policing money ♦ Law Enforcement training support ♦ Civil Service turn-around time on exams ♦ On a broader scale consideration for law enforcement councils to be recognized as Law Enforcement entities 0 o~NOFRFgo~ Town of Readinq Listing of Legislative Issues 2008 (continued) ynµ cv~ 10 J639°1N ORQ~~~ Communitv Services ♦ Status and likelihood of passage of Zoning Reform package - amendments to Chapter 40A ♦ Possible amendments to Chapter 40B - particularly to include in law the Wellesley case on the issue of perpetuity of affordable housing units. ♦ Update the State Building code to make it more "green" Public Works ♦ MWRA Debt Assistance - maintain at a $15 million level, reduced from higher previous amounts ♦ Disposal of Mercury light bulbs ♦ Public Works mutual aid - two bills still in progress ♦ Recommend H3180 (Mass. Highway Association sponsored) ♦ Update on Transportation Bill General ♦ Update the Uniform Procurement Act threshold numbers, and index them to inflation ($10,000 and $25,000 for 15+ years) ♦ Develop a program to recover and dispose of unused prescription drugs ♦ Change in MBTA assessments ♦ Change Open Meeting law to provide that strategy with respect to Cable TV negotiations can be done in Executive Session ♦ Allow publication of electronic legal notices rather that printed in a newspaper ♦ Fund the Public Libraries Fund to provide matching incentive for public library gifts Schena, Paula From: Hechenbleikner, Peter Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 8:28 AM To: 'Van Magness, Bradford (GE Infra, Aviation, US)' Cc: Schena, Paula Subject: RE: West street Mobil and DD Brad Thanks for your email. I will see that the Board of Selectmen gets a copy for their meeting tonight. Pete -----Original Message----- From: Van Magness, Bradford (GE Infra, Aviation, US) [mailto:bradford.vanmagness@ge.com] Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 7:26 AM To: Hechenbleikner, Peter Subject: West street Mobil and DD Mr Hechenbleikner, I read in the Chronicle about a week or so ago and found that there is the potential for the Mobil station and Dunkin Donuts on West street to open at 5 am. This is truly exciting news to me as I find myself more often than not, leaving at earlier and earlier hours of the morning. Currently the only option I know of is to either travel to a neighboring town to fuel up or get coffee in the morning. However, this is a new option that I fully support. Being able to travel within the town to fuel up and get coffee that early I find as a benefit to those Reading residents, such as myself, who leave for work early in the morning. I hope to soon read that this proposal has been accepted. Sincerely, Bradford Van Magness 110 Grove Street Reading, MA 01867 1 Page 1 of I Hechenbleikner, Peter From: Hechenbleikner, Peter Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 3:19 PM To: 'Sorbello, Linda (MA01)' Subject: RE: West Street Gas Station Thanks Linda. I'll see that the Board of Selectmen gets your comments. Pete From: Sorbello, Linda (MA01) [mailto:linda.sorbello@honeywell.com] Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 2:54 PM To: Hechenbleikner, Peter Subject: West Street Gas Station Dear Mr. Hechenbleikner: I have seen the news article in the Chronicle about the Mobil gas station and Dunkin Donuts asking to be open before 6:00 am. I have lived on the West side of Reading for over 30 years and in my opinion, allowing them to be open early would benefit those who have to leave for work, early. My son starts his day early and I know that the - gas station and coffee shops near his house are of a real benefit to him. When my daughter comes to visit me, she expresses surprise that those businesses have not been allowed to open early, as they are open where she lives. I am sure that people will appreciate being able to get gas and coffee on their way to work in the morning. Thank you, Linda Sorbello 75 Whitehall Lane Reading, MA 2/25/2008 ~3 91 -N IN SHEET FOR.TAE BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING °"vt C9 O~ DATE: ;7;2'- GL NAME Y ADDRESS. (Please print) ~n (,j J fir. mpr .6i Vito o'so -f)c.Vo c (5'ol S ~t/clls r