HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-06-17 Board of Selectmen Minutes Board of Selectmen Meeting
June 17, 1997
The meeting convened at 7:30 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading,
Massachusetts. Present were Chairman George Hines, Vice Chairman Camille Anthony,
Secretary Bruce MacDonald, Selectmen Dan Ensminger and Sally Hoyt, Town Manager Peter
Hechenbleikner and the following list of interested parties: Bill Brown, William Lavoie, Frank
Driscoll, George Perry, Nancy Eaton, Beth Klepeis.
Approval of Minutes
On motion by MacDonald seconded by Hoyt, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the
minutes of their meeting of May 27, 1997 (as amended) by a vote of 3-0-1, with Hines abstaining.
Reports and Comments
Selectmen's Liaison Reports and Comments - Dan Ensminger noted that he had talked with the
Massachusetts Highway Department. Sherman Eidelman has retired. He talked with another
person about soil retention and low salt areas for 1-93 and they promised to check the file and get
back to us. Ensminger noted that the suburban office market is very hot now and we need to
keep our schedule for sale of the landfill.
Camille Anthony wondered how one responds to the flashing lights in the Square when they
change for an emergency vehicle. She also saw an article in the Focus section of the Globe
related to Downtown and redevelopment of downtowns.
Sally Hoyt attended the North Suburban Planning Council Legislative Breakfast. They discussed
the abolition of counties. They also discussed tower rental for cellular communications and land
bank legislation.
Bruce MacDonald received a complaint about too large a sign at Imagination Station - this issue
has been resolved. He received an e-mail from Tom Jones on Minot Street relative to the
adoption of the "island" at the intersection of Minot and Washington. He talked about water
restriction enforcement. He suggested that Town Counsel's Monthly Report include dates when
the item was started. He asked for an update on the Woburn and High Street signal and its
functioning.
George Hines read a Thank You note from Charlie Papandreou. He attended the North Suburban
Planning Council Breakfast but noted that he and Sally Hoyt were two of the very few Selectmen
attending and there were fewer legislators. He has misgivings about the future of the North
Suburban Planning Council. Sunday, he played in the Celebrity Softball Game. It was well
attended and well received. The event raised over $6,000 for the Recreation Revolving Fund. He
received a complaint about Grove Street and the level of traffic to the Compost Center. He also
received a call from the Town Counsel finalist Len Kopelman.
Board of Selectmen Meeting- June 17, 1997 - page 2
Sally Hoyt noted that she heard from a condo owner about trash pickup expressing concern that
once a week collection was not going to be adequate.
Public Comments- There were no public comments.
Town Manager's Report.
On motion by MacDonald seconded by Hoyt, the Board of Selectmen approved a Certificate of
Appreciation for Alvin Opland for his 37 years of service to the Town of Reading's Engineering
Division in the Department of Public Works by a vote of 5-0-0.
• The Board of Selectmen's "Forum" is scheduled for Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m.
• "Ask the Town Manager" is scheduled for Thursday, June 26, at 7:00 p.m. and it will be an
hour long show.
• The "Reading Notes" will begin publication again the week after next as part of the
"Headliners" advertising publication of the Boston Globe - please look for it the July 4th
weekend. Every household will get a copy.
• The Reading Pension System has performed well this past year and for the past 5 years.
The pension investment income topped 18% in 1996, 6th highest in the State and was also
6th in the State over the 5 year period ending 12/31/96. The system is approximately 62%
funded, up from 38% when we started funding our unfunded pension liability 8 years ago.
• The Compost Area is now open Saturday (7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.) and Sunday (noon to
5:00 p.m.).
• Street sweeping is now complete.
• The Town has begun test pumping the first of two additional wells which have been closed
since 1992 as a contamination preventative. We are running and testing each well
independently for a month each, and then running and testing them together for a month.
• Water restrictions are still in place. Watering is on an odd/even schedule from 6:00 a.m. to
11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Enforcement is taking place. This week close to 100
first notice letters have gone to residents who appear to be in violation.
• The Town is constructing curb on High Street from Woburn to Mt. Vernon to address a
chronic drainage and erosion problem in the area.
• Construction on Summer Avenue begins tomorrow.
• The North Main Street sidewalks are almost complete. There is a delay on the curbing at
the intersections but the main part of the paving is done.
• The reconstruction of the intersection of Ash and Main Street at Bolton Street has begun.
This is a cooperative project of the Town, McDonald's, and OSCO.
• The sidewalk between Parsons Lane and Partridge Lane on Franklin Street will be done
soon.
• We are looking forward to a hearing on the improvement to Walnut Street on June 26.
Residents have gotten letters informing them of the hearing.
• The pre-construction meetings for Route 129 and for the Mineral Street Bridge are
scheduled for later this month.
• The Library HVAC project will be awarded on July 1st, and a letter of explanation on the
project is going out to Town Meeting Members.
Board of Selectmen Meeting; - June 17, 1997 - page 3
Town Manager's Report (continued)
• The Town has still not been able to get the billboards removed on Route 28, and the Board
- directed the Town Manager to write to the Governor because of the inaction of the
Outdoor Advertising Board.
• Harvard graduate student intern Steve Davis started work on June 16. 40% of the cost is
being paid by Harvard.
• Zoning enforcement relative to loud speaker noise at the Exxon Station on South Main
Street is complete.
• The Rte 128/I-93 herbicide program is being implemented. This is a renewal of a program
that has been previously reviewed and approved, and its application excludes water supply
and wetlands areas.
• We have received questions about recycling computers. The SWAC has no plans for
another recycling program but the Northeast Regional Vocational School will accept used
computers as a teaching tool - contact them directly in Wakefield.
• The Town Manager reported on the frustration of getting the Outdoor Advertising Board to
rule on the billboards in Reading. The Board suggested sending a letter to the Governor
requesting his assistance.
Discussion/Action Items
Approval of Grant Anticipation Notes - Beth Klepeis was present and the Board approved the
Grant Anticipation Notes for the Downtown Streetscape Program. Camille Anthony asked if we
expect to get reimbursement and the Town Manager noted that as long as we get reimbursement
in the fiscal year, we don't have to bond but because this process goes past the fiscal year, we
need to bond for a short period of time.
On motion by Ensminger seconded by MacDonald, the Board of Selectmen voted to award the
sale of$100,000 in State Anticipation Notes (SAN's) to Century Bank at a Net Interest Cost of
4.07% by a vote of 5-0-0.
Hearing on Amendments to Policy Establishing the Police Station Building Committee - The
Secretary read the notice and George Hines reviewed the Committee. Dan Ensminger asked
about the size and it was noted that it would be between 9 and 11 members. Hines noted that the
size of the Committee was a compromise in order to retain as many of the current members as
possible but also to add appropriate members. MacDonald noted that the size of 9 to 11 people
may ensure a quorum and continuity for the project as it goes forward for the next couple of
years.
On motion by MacDonald seconded by Anthony, the Board of Selectmen voted to close the
public hearing on a policy amending a "Policy Establishing a Police Station Building Committee"
by a vote of 5-0-0.
On motion by MacDonald seconded by Anthony, the Board of Selectmen approved a policy
"Amending a Policy Establishing a Police Station Building Committee" dated 6/17/97, as
amended, by a vote of 5-0-0.
Board of Selectmen Meeting- June 17, 1997 - pa_ge 4
Personnel & Appointments
Board of Cemetery Trustees - On motion by Anthony seconded by MacDonald, the Board of
Selectmen placed the following names into nomination for two positions on the Board of
Cemetery Trustees for terms expiring June 30, 2000 --William C. Brown and Mary R. Vincent.
On a roll call vote of the nominated candidates, William C. Brown and Mary R. Vincent
received 5 votes and was appointed.
Custodian of Soldier's and Sailor's Graves - On motion by MacDonald seconded by Hoyt, the
Board of Selectmen placed the following name into nomination for one position as the Custodian
of Soldier's and Sailor's Graves (a/k/a Veteran's Graves Officer) for a term expiring June 30,
2000 --Francis P. Driscoll. On a roll call vote of the nominated candidate, Francis P. Driscoll
received 5 votes and was appointed.
Town Forest Committee- On motion by MacDonald seconded by Hoyt, the Board of Selectmen
placed the following name into nomination for one position on the Town Forest Committee for a
term expiring June 30, 2000 -- George B. Perry I1. On a roll call vote of the nominated candidate,
George B. Perry received 5 votes and was appointed.
Water and Sewer Advisory Committee - On motion by MacDonald seconded by Anthony, the
Board of Selectmen placed the following name into nomination for one position on the Water
and Sewer Advisory Committee for a term expiring June 30, 2000 -- Gail F. Wood. On a roll call
vote of the nominated candidate, Gail F. Wood received 5 votes and was appointed.
Solid Waste Advisory Committee- On motion by Anthony seconded by Ensminger, the Board
of Selectmen placed the following names into nomination for two positions on the Solid Waste
Advisory Committee for terms expiring June 30, 2000 -- Linda M. Zarrow and Jennifer Culbert.
On a roll call vote of the nominated candidates, Linda M. Zarrow and Jennifer Culbert received 5
votes and were appointed.
Commissioners of Trust Funds - On motion by MacDonald seconded by Ensminger, the Board
of Selectmen placed the following name into nomination for one position on the Commissioners
of Trust Funds for a term expiring June 30, 2000 -- Dana E. Henniger. On a roll call vote of the
nominated candidate, Dana E. Henniger received 5 votes and was appointed.
Celebrations Committee - On motion by Anthony seconded by Ensminger, the Board of
Selectmen placed the following name into nomination for one position on the Celebrations
Committee for a term expiring June 30, 2000 -- Mark H. Burak. On a roll call vote of the
nominated candidate, Mark H. Burak received 5 votes and was appointed.
Substance Abuse Advisory Council - On motion by Ensminger seconded by MacDonald, the
Board of Selectmen placed the following name into nomination for one position on the
Substance Abuse Advisory Council for a term expiring June 30, 2000 -- Jean Russo-Parks.
On a roll call vote of the nominated candidate, Jean Russo-Parks received 5 votes and
was appointed.
Board of Selectmen Meeting-June 17, 1997 -page 5
The Board asked the Town Manager to review what open positions we have, and let the
candidates who have not been successful in securing a position know what those are.
-- On motion by Ensminger seconded by Hoyt, the Board of Selectmen voted to go into Executive
Session for the purpose of discussing strategy with respect to labor negotiations and approval of
minutes, not to come back into Open Session. On a roll call vote, all five members voted in the
affirmative and the motion was carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
f
Secretary