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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-08-09 Board of Selectmen HandoutTOWN MANAGER'S REPORT Tuesday, August 09, 2005 s Change in manager - Reading Liquors. ♦ The Library air conditioning is back on line. ♦ Lt. Governor's briefing on Education - August 10:00 to 11:30; Municipal Health Care August 11, 11:30, Lowell City Hall. ♦ A Special Act has been signed by Lt. Governor Kerry Healy for the Interbasin Transfer so that Reading may buy MWRA water. I would propose that we move ahead will all approvals at the earliest possible date, in spite of the IRWA and Conservation Law Foundation appeal of the WRC approval. ♦ Jordan's trucking - report ♦ Parking regulations in area of RMHS to accommodate construction ♦ There is correspondence in your packet of note as follows: ♦ Letter from the Superintendent of Schools thanking the RFD for their response for the hazardous materials incident o Memo from E/HS Administrator re: staff transition per consultant's report ♦ Memo from Bill Brown re: sale of Town/School property on Oakland Road (5) '/02/2005 13:43 FAY 617 727 9723 GOVERNOR'S OFFICE A Discussion on Education: with Lt. Governor,Kerrv Heelev Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey will be hosting a meeting with local municipal and education leaders in your area to discuss education reform, The. Lieutenant Governor would like to especially discuss the reporting requirements of the Department of Education on school systems, and the administrative burdens these requirements create at the local level. Logistical information for the meeting is listed below. Please contact Sarah Maloney or Christina Bain at (617 725-4000 if you have any questions or need additional information. The Lieutenant Governor loops forward to your participation in the meeting. Informal Roundtable Discussion Meeting ~ LOW ELL Date: Friday, August 12, 2005 Tinge: 10:00-11:30 a.m. Location: Lowell City Hall 375 Merrimack Street Mayor's Conference Room Lowell RSVP: Please provide the names of the representatives from your city/town that will attend by phone, fax, or e-mail. Phone: 617-725-4000 Email: Sarah.A.Maloney@state.ma.us Fax: 617-727-9723 1@ 002 b 19/05 14:49 FAX 617 727 2779 0002/002 A Briefing on Municiral Health Care with Lt. Governor Kerrv Heialev Lieutenant Govemor Healey would like to invite you to a briefing on health care reform legislation filed by the Governor that includes a feature that will help cities and towns deal with the rising costs of providing health care to municipal workers. While meeting with local officials, she has often heard about the need for more flexibility and tools to control municipal health insurance costs. The provision in the proposed legislation would give munielpeiiities the same rights as state government by allowing the creation of a group insurance commission to design and select health care plans for all municipal employees. The Lieutenant Governor would like to invite mayors and clty/town managers from your city/town to participate in the briefing. Logistical information is listed below, Please contact Sarah Maloney or Christina Bain at (617) 725-4000 if you have any questions or nerd more information. We took forward to hearing from you. Briefing- LOVVT41,L Date: Friday, August 1.2, 2005 'l'ime: 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. ]Location: • Lowell City Hall 375 Merrimack Street Council Chambers Lowell, MA RSVP-. Please provide the names of the representatives f=rom your eityltown that will attend by phone, fax., or e-mail. Phone, 617-725-4000 ]Email: Sarah.A.Maloney@state.ma.us Fax: 617-727-9723 0 Page 1 of 1 C', ~6 Hechenblelkner, Peter From: Darla Niewenhous [darianiewenhous@comcast.net] Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 2:02 PM To: Town Manager Subject: Sunset Rock Parking Hi Peter, We hope you are enjoying the summer. We just returned from vacation to find the notice regarding the issue of whether to revise parking restrictions on Sunset Rock Lane. Unfortunately, neither of us can attend the meeting, but we wanted to send you our comments. We are puzzled as to why this is coming up again. After hours (literally) of discussion over multiple meetings, it was decided that the only parking restrictions that would be both effective and enforceable were the ones that were put in place. The chief issue here is safety. There is no way, particularly in winter, that vehicles can pass freely with parking on both sides of the street. This especially is true if the vehicle trying to get access is a fire truck or rescue vehicle. This has not changed. In fact, since the gate is up at Roma and Sunset Rock will be the only way for faculty, parents and vendors who do not walk in from a surrounding street to get to the school, the need for these restrictions is greater than ever. (By the way, we're on the sidewalk side of the street, with all of the current parking, and we still feel that this is necessary.) This has not been unduly burdensome to us as residents. We want to thank you (and the Board) for fulfilling the Town's promise regarding a permanent gate to stop cut through traffic. The difference in the neighborhood once the site was blocked off by the hay bales for construction of the permanent gate, was immediate and appreciated: At times, it has been mentioned that the gate possibly could be opened during certain hours. However, this would be a safety hazard for those children walking to school once they reached the property, and would invite the cut through traffic to begin again. There is little chance that the people who got out of their cars to move the temporary blocks so they could cut through (with their passenger children watching - a fine example of good citizenship and compliance with laws) would adhere to any provisions put in place to mitigate the safety hazard cut through traffic presents. We strongly would oppose any access through the gate at any time (emergency vehicles excepted) and such access would be contrary to the Town's promise to the neighborhood. Finally, at a future meeting, can the Board please take up the discussion of making Sunset Rock (and Roma) 20 MPH at all times? As discussed, there is no reason to use either street other than to get to the school or a residence and this would further enhance safety, particularly with more traffic and more walkers. Whether or not Mass. Highway would have to approve (that could easily be checked), this issue should be investigated further, as Sunset Rock's topography invites speeding. Thanks so much for your time and attention. Darla Niewenhous Michael Rickley 25 Sunset Rock Lane 819/2005 .echenblefter, Peter From: Hechenbleikner, Peter Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 8:10 AM To: 'Carolyn Walsh' Subject: RE: canthony@ci.reading. ma. us Hi Carolyn When we did the parking restrictions last year the Board made a commitment to revisit the restrictions to see how they are working. The issue is before the Board to fulfill that commitment. One of the issues is to see if the restrictions are onerous on the residents and to see if there is any modification that would be appropriate. If not, then the Board could take no action to change them. From the limited input I have received to date, it does not appear that there is interest in making any changes to the parking restrictions on Roma or Sunset Rock Lanes. Thanks for your comments - I will pass them along to the Board. Pete -----Original Message----- From: Carolyn Walsh [mailto:walsh.carolyn@gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 7:52 AM To: Town Manager; pshettini@reading.kl2.ma.us Subject: canthony@ci.reading.ma.us Hi Peter, How are you? I can't believe summer is almost over! Hope you're having a good one. We received the notice on the upcoming hearing on Wood End School signs. I will not be attending but I was confused as to why the Parking Restrictions signs on Sunset Rock Lane were on the agenda again. When we met last fall and the Board of Selectm voted on the signs, it was done to allow traffic freely to the school. (as you know when cars are parked on both sides, it is difficult for thru traffic). For safety reasons being the priority, the existing signs have worked out fine. Please note, parking is already on my side (which it should be, I am on the sidewalk side, and children can get out of their vehicles and exit onto a sidewalk). So I am not looking to keep the front of my house free from cars. With the news of no vehicle access from Roma Lane onto school property, this now means Sunset Rock Lane is the exclusive entrance/exit to the school - for staff, deliveries, town personnel, visitors, parents, etc. Vehicles will be travelling our road all hours of the day. It seems it would be more important now more than ever to keep parking to a minimum on a street that you know will hold all traffic. I know last year there were 38 parking spaces for a staff of 62. I'm sure the additional parking area at the school will help with parking as well. My best to your family, Sincerely, Carolyn Walsh 19 Sunset Rock Lane, Reading, MA U/001 Page 1 of 1 Hechenblelkner, Peter From: Fredrick Altieri [faitieri@agion-tech.com] Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2005 2:29 PM To: Town Manager Subject: Legal Notice August 9th Town Meeting Peter, With regard to the proposed traffic signage, I am opposed to the installation of a Stop sign on Chapel Hill Drive. It is in my opinion not necessary. Chapel Hill Drive has 10 homes, it is not a street that anyone but residents use. It is not used by anyone as a "shortcut" to Franklin. All residents know they have to proceed cautiously when turning onto Franklin. In my 21 years on the street, there to my knowledge has never been an incident. I do not believe that a Stop sign on Chapel Hill or Terrace Park will enhance the safety of pedestrians, school buses or passenger cars on the way to the Wood end elementary. It will be an unnecessary eyesore. If you want to enhance safety change the traffic lights on the intersection of Main and Franklin to include a left turn signal from Main to Franklin on both North and South directions that will allow a turning period with each light cycle. There have many incidents and near misses over the years. One final request, I bicycle on Franklin a lot, on the Eastbound side between Buckskin and Kurchian - there is a pothole/rut that is serious injury waiting to happen - for an unsuspecting cycler or one getting squeezed by a vehicle. Perhaps you could ask the DPW to take a look Thanks, Fredrick Altieri Vice President Sales and Marketing AgION Technologies, Inc. 60 Audubon Road Wakefield, MA 01880 USA www.aaion-tech.com A 781 224 7161 95 + 1 781 246 3340 F~ faltieri.0aaion-tech.com 0 8/8/2005 Page 1 of 1 Hechenbleikner, Peter To: ggsd12@aol.com Subject: RE: Sunset Rock Lane Parking Issues All good points - just trying to see if we need to "tweak" the regulations to make them more user friendly for the residents. Pete -----Original Message----- From: ggsdl2@aol.com [mailto:ggsdl2@ao!.com] Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2005 8:14 PM To: Rick Schubert Multiple Addresses; Town Manager Subject: Sunset Rock Ln Parking Issues To: Rick Schubert, Peter Hechenbleikner Dear Rick, I received the legal notice detailing the agenda for the August 9, 2005 Board of Selectmen public hearing. The last item on the notice lists the "reconsideration of the parking restrictions on the west side of Sunset Rock Ln and details the possible change from the present "7:30am-9:00pm" no parking restriction to a possible "7:30am-8:30am and 2:30pm-3:30pm" parking restriction. 1 thought the numerous discussions we had on this issue last year, identified the problems with the parking on Sunset Rock Ln. Let me reiterate what was discussed last year. Day time parking on the street is really not the problem (unless there were to be an activity during the day). The problem occurs when there is an activity/function at the school (or on school arounds) and the cars park on both sides of the street. This occurred one time when the school was first completed. There was an activity at the school, and at the time, there were no parking restrictions, so people parked on both sides of the street. If you don't remember, this caused major traffic problems. Only one car was able to go one way from one end of the street to the other. People were yelling at each other, cars had to back up and down the street in order to let others get in or out, the police were going crazy, not to mention the safety issues; it was insane. From that day on, even before the present signs were installed, parking was not allowed on the west side (before the signs were installed the DPW would lay out "No Parking" horses every time there was an activity at the school). If you go back to the file containing the information on the discussions regarding this issue, you should have copies of pictures I submitted showing the problems we had that day. Evervone aareed at that time that oarkina on both sides of Sunset Rock Ln should never be allowed during a school activity or school around activitv. The suggested possible change would result in the same chaos we had that day (just call the police that were there!). Please add this letter to the file so that if the question is ever brought up again, all you have to do is show the contents of the file and the questions will be answered. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Glenn Anthony 39 Sunset Rock Ln 0 8/8/2005 2Q35 AUG -9 PH 4 21 To: Peter Hechenbleikner Town Manager From: Kendra Cooper ^ 20 Covey Hill Rd. Reading, MA 01867 Re: Hearing on Wood End School Traffic Proposals Date: August 9, 2005 Upon examination of the proposed regulations, I see that children and their parents remain in grave danger if they are expected to navigate the existing plan to Wood End School. The current proposals prohibiting stopping, standing, or parking on various streets during school hours will not alleviate the congestion and the danger from people attempting to drive their children to school combined with the ever increasing commuter traffic on Franklin Street. The proposed plan placing a crossing guard at the end of Sunset Rock just below the rise in the road will place in jeopardy both the lives of the guard and those crossing the street. As you know, the unnecessary Wood End School project, based upon faulty inflated enrollment projections and approved without the requisite traffic study, has been flawed from day #1 and continues to reflect what happens when public projects progress behind closed doors. Last Spring RCTV's "Walk to Wood End" documented the frightening conditions encountered by pedestrians walking without sidewalks to and from the Wood End School. Yet, the Reading School Committee knowingly, willingly and voluntarily redistricted elementary children without consideration of safety. In my neighborhood, the School Committee mandates that children who previously safely walked to Birch Meadow must now attend Wood End, an edict that requires that these children to follow a precarious and dangerous route to school. Once again, the School Committee has made decisions in isolation that affect the entire community and expects the residents to compensate for the Committee's flawed thinking. I suggest that the Selectmen take the responsibility to protect the public. The Selectmen can reduce the obvious chaos and danger inherent in the location of the, school and surrounding streets by supporting public bus transportation of all Wood End elementary children residing on the streets along and including Franklin Street. No parent or child should die because of the foolish decisions that continue to be made in connection with this Wood End School project. cc. Selectmen water Restriction Streamflaw & usage Status 300 j- 280 _ 260 85 - 240 80 -220 75 -200 70 65 180 160 60 N 55 140 U 50 - 120 p 45 100 40 - 80 35 60 V1 30 - 40 25 20 20 15 0 10 812912005 812212005 5 811512005 0 ~818(2005 8!112005 day lion Trigger, M Consumption, MG `Running Daily Consume Daily er, CFS -&-Running Da• ~1y i Daily Mean Trigg Mean, CFS""® r- Town of Reading : _ . 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867-2683 Phone: 781-942-9612 fax: 781-942-9071 website: zoww.ci.reading.ma.us/planning Town Planner (CPDC Clerk): Chris Reilly e-mail: creillyci.reading.ma.us Community Planning and Development Commission Agenda Meeting Dated: August 8, 2005 Location: Selectmen's Hearing Room, Town Hall Time: 7:30 PM 1. Site Plan Review Waiver (continued) 7:30 K-9 Performance Plus Training Center, Inc., 335 Main St. 2. Zoning Workshop: 8:00 ➢ Downtown Mixed-Use Rezoning 3. Administrative Review: 9:00 Subdivision Rules and Regulations Amendments ➢ Site Plan Review Fees ➢ Haven junction Site Plan Modification ➢ Town Planner Evaluation 4. Public Comment/Minutes 10:00 f Q\DOCUME-1\PHECHE-1\LOCALS-1\Temp\8.8.05 Agenda.doc SIGN-IN SHEET FOR THE BOARD OF SELTCTMEN MEETING DATE: ef-_ Lo ®,-5 NAME (Please print) n~ . ~Jcr~Dt°~ eras ~ le r I Dhve`ro ~oorq r r /1/3 A. Sn d~, V 0 C, C, ak ADDRESS 5-q Romq Lode e 4-7 l 1 ~ll C~ . rJr2 Zw j-'G-~'!~ 8-7l~~ r