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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-03-22 Board of Selectmen Minutes Board of Selectmen Meeting March 22, 2005 t For ease of archiving, the order that items appear in these minutes reflects the order in which the items appeared on the agenda for that meeting, and are not necessarily the order in which any item was taken up by the Board. The meeting convened at 7:30 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, Massachusetts. Present were Chairman Richard Schubert, Vice Chairman Camille Anthony, Secretary Gail Wood, Selectmen Joseph Duffy and George Hines, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner and the following list of interested parties: Pete Dahl, Lucretia Zerfas, Sandra McLaughlin, Meghan Young (Tafoya), Paul Feely, Joanne Senders, Karen Powers, James Bonazoli, Sharon Petersen, Michelle Hopkinson, Rob Spadafora. Discussion/Action Items Town Implementation of Elementary School Redistricting - The Town Manager reviewed the memo dated January 20, 2005 to the Superintendent of Schools regarding what operational considerations will be made for the elementary school redistricting effective in the Fall 2005. He stressed that flexibility was the key on these matters — we need to be able to respond to what actually happens when school starts. The following is a summary: 1. Add Crossing Guards at the following approximate locations—Bancroft Avenue at Lowell Street; Main Street at Franklin Street; Franklin Street at Sunset Rock Lane; and potentially a location at Franklin Street. .2. Add crosswalks at the following locations—Pearl Street at Franklin Street;potentially Franklin Street at Blueberry Lane/Sunset Rock Lane. 3. Change the school zone signs on Franklin Street to a flashing type of sign,hopefully, with a speedboard attachment. 4. Potential parking regulations: o One side of Melbourne Avenue south of Summer Avenue—no parking, standing or stopping at restricted hours. We also hope this is part of the Summer Avenue road construction project to extend curbing down Melbourne Avenue. ♦ Franklin Street—No parking, standing or stopping in the area of Sunset Rock Lane. 5. Sidewalks—Priority sidewalk construction locations as follows, subject to review and recommendation by the Wood End Working Group: Franklin Street from Main to Dividence Road; Franklin Street from Sunset Rock Lane to Susan Drive; Pearl Street " from Eastway to Franklin Street. I have six additional actions which may be required in terms of construction and a regulations as - a result of the Wood End Working Group which has met three times to date. Board of Selectmen Meeting—March 22, 2005—Page 2 The Town Manager has explained that the Wood End Working Group consisted of parents in the area of the new Wood End School including a parent on the east side of Main Street. Things that they have agreed on to date include the no parking, standing or stopping on Franklin Street as mentioned above; that the access to the school should be to enter on Sunset Rock Lane, use the cul-de-sac on site, and return via Sunset Rock Lane; and entrance from Roma Lane using on site cul-de-sac, and returning by Roma Lane; installation of a permanent barricade to prevent thru traffic of the school site, except for emergency and PublicWorks' vehicles. The Wood End Working Group has also agreed that the burden of accessing the school should be 9 shared by all four abutting streets — Roma Lane, Dividence Road, Fox Run Lane and Sunset Rock Lane. The Town Manager went on to explain that the capital budget currently includes $50,000 for curbs, sidewalks and pedestrian lighting. He is trying to find an additional $50,000. The estimated cost of the school flashing signs and other signs is less than $5,000. The cost of installing a curb and sidewalk is $60.00 per linear foot.. Therefore, $45,000 in the capital program ($50,000 less cost of signs) would generate approximate 750 linear feet of curb and sidewalk. An additional $50,000 would increase that to approximately 1500 linear feet. The Town Manager was asked whether we anticipated eliminating any Crossing Guard locations because of the redistricting. The Town Manager noted that we did not anticipate eliminating any — we will review them in the Fall to see whether kids are in fact using the Crossing Guard locations. 4 Selectman Gail Wood asked about the cost of each of the elements in the priority of sidewalks. The Town Manager indicated that the initial priority determined by staff is as listed. However, this is subject to modification by discussions with the Working Group. One question raised with the Working Group was whether children will actually walk to school using Franklin Street. There was discussion as to whether or not a questionnaire or survey among the parents of the Wood End School area could be done to determine whether or not they are likely to walk to school. The question was raised as to whether or not there is an existing crosswalk at Bancroft and Lowell, and the determination is that there is a crosswalk there. Chairman Richard Schubert asked if we should do a survey for other areas other than the Wood End School. The Town Manager noted that it would not be as high a priority because we are not talking about capital construction for any of the other schools. There was discussion about how long it would take to build sidewalks. The Town Manager noted that only the simplest projects would be done before school starts in the Fall. The more complex areas like the Sunset Rock Lane to Susan Drive project would take longer because of the design and hearings. Board of Selectmen Meeting—March 22, 2005 —Page 3 There was a suggestion that we should try to get a pedestrian easement from Joseph Voight of Sunset Rock Lane to connect that neighborhood. The Board directed the Town Manager to have discussions with the property owner. The Town Manager indicated that we are having a hard time getting Crossing Guards and we will need to recruit. T4ere was discussion as to the sidewalk standard. The Town Manager indicated that the standard is curb/three foot tree lawn/five foot walk. Selectman George Hines asked if we could reduce costs by eliminating the tree lawn. The Town Manager noted that the tree lawn is there in part for safety and also for snow storage. However, we will need to be flexible because we would prefer to use the tree lawn and save trees. Rob Spadafora from the School Committee noted that we have developed"Safety Zones" around the existing elementary schools with sidewalks, and we should do the same at.Wood End. He also noted that the sidewalks are used for outside of school activities. The Town Manager noted that the school site at Wood End*does have sidewalks in the neighborhood in which it is built, unlike the situation previously for some of the other elementary schools. Peter Dahl noted that the collaboration on this work was commendable, and that we need to be creative in terms of development easements or other ways to access the Wood End School. Jim Strack of 141 Eastway spoke.' He noted that.if you don't build the sidewalks, you don't know whether they would be used. He advocated for building tree lawns to provide for snow storage and as a safety zone. Sandra McLaughlin of 323 Ash Street spoke. She stated that we talked a lot about sidewalk safety but what about the safety of students bused. Following discussion, she indicated that she was concerned about the on bus safety of younger kids traveling with older kids. She wondered if there would be bus monitors. She was referred to the School Committee. Chairman Richard Schubert asked what elementary school district the attendees were from. There were two from Wood End,two from Killam, two from Birch Meadow,none from Barrows and four from Joshua Eaton. The Town Manager noted that in the Joshua Eaton area, we were going to be doing construction work on Summer Avenue including curb and sidewalks on both sides, and"bumping out" the roadway right in front of the Joshua Eaton School. The general consensus of those from the Joshua Eaton School District is that this and the proposed restrictions on Melbourne would be positive. Michelle Hopkinson of 21 Sherwood Road spoke. She indicated that because of the fifth elementary school, the school population in each location will be somewhat smaller and that should create less havoc. She applauded the proposed construction and restrictions, and thought that we might include Buckingham also. She noted that some parents double park on Summer Avenue to let their kids off. She suggested that the Crossing Guards have bigger cones. Board of Selectmen MeetinLy—March 22 2005—Page 4 A resident from Covey Hill Road talked about sidewalks on Franklin Street connecting Covey Hill Road and how long that construction would take. The Town Manager noted that it depends on the consensus from the Wood End Working Group. She preferred that the children walk facing traffic because Franklin Street is a busy street. In the morning, they would be walking facing traffic and that is the rush hour. In the afternoon, they would be walking against traffic. She indicated that she is more interested in walking home from school — she would probably drive her kids to school. There being no further discussion, the Chairman thanked those for attending and indicated how important this input is. On motion by Anthony seconded by Hines, the Board voted to adjourn their meeting of March 22, 2005 at 8:45 p.m. by a vote of 5-0-0 Respectfully submitted, P ;r°�f , r�'