HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-10-14 Board of Selectmen Minutes Board of Selectmen Meeting
October 14, 1997
The meeting was convened at 6:30 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, 16 Lowell
Street, Reading, Massachusetts. Present were Chairman Camille Anthony, Vice
Chairman Bruce MacDonald, Secretary Sally Hoyt, Selectmen Dan Ensminger and
George Hines (who joined the meeting about 15 minutes later). Also present were Town
Manager Peter Hechenbleikner and the following list of interested parties: Bill Brown,
Lynn Schmidt.
Discussion/Action Items
Site Visit — Bandstand Location and Discussion - The Board reviewed the Bandstand
locations on the Common, and looked at each of the potential four sites as marked and as
determined by the Bandstand Committee.
The Board reconvened at 7:00 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room.
Reports and Comments
Selectmen Liaison Reports and Comments - Dan Ensminger noted that the Reading
Business Park Task Force is meeting on Thursday. Bruce MacDonald attended no
meetings. He received a call regarding Eric's Greenhouse and regarding the Mineral
Street Bridge.
George Hines attended the Longwood Place First Anniversary celebration this evening.
This is an excellent project.
Sally Hoyt also attended Longwood's Open House. She noted that John Pacino passed
away, and that the Chronicle article on his life was excellent.
Camille Anthony also attended the Longwood dedication. Sunday, she attended the First
Baptist Church installation of their new Associate Pastor. He will be spending a lot of
time working with youth. Today, she attended a HUD event at the Michaelangelo School
from 10:30 to 11:30, at which time Andrew Cuomo from HUD presented $20.3 million to
Massachusetts, of which $407,000 was for the EMARC on Hopkins Street. She asked for
a volunteer to work on the Town Manager's evaluation program and Bruce MacDonald
agreed. She has received petitions from residents on Peter Sanborn Place regarding
traffic issues and this should be put on the Agenda. She noted that the Town has also
received a DEP award for its water program. She reminded the Town to follow-up on the
One Charles Street request for waiver of handicap parking spaces and a traffic program
for traffic issues.
Board of Selectmen Meeting—October 14. 1997—page 2
Public Comment - Lynn Schmidt of 78 Ashley Place spoke. She is concerned about
activity on Eric's Greenhouse, particularly with regard to the excavation and installation
of greenhouses. They are drilling in this location for future blasting. The use seems to be
expanding.
She is particularly concerned about the 10-20 foot drop next to the walkway connecting
Ashley Place with Anson Lane. She also noted that he stores equipment in the backyard
of the"greenhouse." The Town Manager will follow-up on these items.
Town Manager's Report
The Town Manager presented the following report:
• John Pacino passed away two weeks ago. John was the Town's representative on the
Regional Vocational School Committee, and a member of the Recreation Committee
at the time of his passing. He was involved in many volunteer activities in Reading
during his lifetime.
• Local Government Week was celebrated two weeks ago. Town Clerk, Cheryl
Johnson, working with the Departments established a program for the week, and the
response was very positive.
• I have received and reviewed proposals for the Police Staffing and Deployment study,
and have received input from the Chief, from the FinCom liaison and from the
Selectmen's liaison. I interviewed three firms on Thursday evening, and am now
checking references.
• Line striping has been completed for the Fall.
• We have discovered the potential for a spill of gasoline at the DPW site on
Newcrossing Road, and have engaged the services of a licensed site professional to
help us evaluate whether there is a problem, and if there is a problem, LSP will help
us identify the magnitude of the problem.
• Restoration work on the Civil War Memorial at the Laurel Hill Cemetery has been
completed. This work is to preserve this Memorial, and consisted of work to the base
of the monument, and cleaning and sealing the monument.
• The Police Station Building Committee has recommended an architect and a
construction manager to assist with the project. We would project a completion of
design by the end of December, with the potential for a Special Town Meeting in
February for funding of the project.
Board of Selectmen Meeting—October 14 1997—page 3
• Construction has begun on the Mineral Street Bridge. The State Highway
Department has approved the building of a new temporary pedestrian bridge next to
the existing bridge, and then demolishing and building the new bridge all at one time.
This should speed the construction timeframe, and reduce neighborhood impact.
• The Town has acquired a new radar display board that is being used by the Police
Department to inform motorists of their speed. This does not take the place of regular
enforcement, but supplements it and helps educate motorists.
• Construction on Summer Avenue continues and will be substantially complete by the
end of this year.
• The reconstruction of the soccer field at the Parker Middle School is in progress, and
the field will be out of use until Spring. Town crews will do much of the work, with
contractors doing the irrigation system.
• We are working with Reading United Soccer and the developer to get the soccer field
at the Pearl Street site in condition for use. Reading United Soccer will be paying for
the irrigation system to be installed, and the developer will re-seed or sod the site so it
can be used in the Spring. Joe Connelly is working with both groups on this project.
• The next Budget Council Meeting is set for October 15th to get the FY 1999 budget
process underway.
Discussion/Action Items
Compost Center - Sally Hoyt felt that we should consider an alternate site — perhaps at
the back of the closed landfill. George Hines is concerned about implementing the
Sunday closure hours this weekend. He asked for accurate cost data on hiring DPW
workers to help people take their leaves and brush out of their vehicles. Bruce
MacDonald asked that we publicize the dates of curbside collection. Sally Hoyt noted
that home side composting was available. George Hines asked if we could use seasonal
help.
Review Warrant- Subsequent Town Meeting - The Board of Selectmen reviewed the
Warrant for the Subsequent Town Meeting. Dan Ensminger will give a report under
Article 1 on the landfill sale.
On Article 3 relative to the Capital Improvements Program, on motion by Hines seconded
by Hoyt, the Board voted to not recommend project SD-B-14 for $40,000 for work at the
High School.
Board of Selectmen Meeting—October 14, 1997—page 4
The amendment was approved by a vote of 5-0-0. On motion by MacDonald seconded
by Ensminger, the Board voted to recommend the amended motion by a vote of 5-0-0.
On motion by Ensminger seconded by MacDonald, the Board voted to recommend a
definite postponement of Articles 4 and 9 by a vote of 5-0-0.
On Article 5, on motion by MacDonald seconded by Ensminger, the Board voted to
recommend Article 5 as amended. The amendments included the elimination of Items
D2 and D3, amending Line H14 to $13,410, and deleting Line K34. The motion was
approved by a vote of 5-0-0.
On motion by MacDonald seconded by Ensminger, the Board voted to recommend the
subject matter of Articles 6, 7, 10, 11, 12 and 13 by votes of 5-0-0.
Review Policy on Anonymous Letters to the Editor - The Board reviewed George Hines'
memo on Letter to the Editor on anonymity . Hines moved and Hoyt seconded a motion
to adopt the resolution as presented. On motion by Ensminger seconded by Hoyt, the
Board voted to amend the main motion by striking the second paragraph. The
amendment was approved by a vote of 4-1-0, with Hines opposed. On the main motion,
the Board voted 5-0-0 to approve it.
Date for Selectmen's Retreat - The Board agreed to have a Retreat on December 61'
which is a Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Approval of Minutes
On motion by MacDonald seconded by Hoyt, the Board voted to approve the minutes of
their meeting of July 15, 1997, as amended, by a vote of 5-0-0.
On motion by MacDonald seconded by Hoyt, the Board voted to approve the minutes of
their meeting of July 29, 1997, as amended, by a vote of 5-0-0.
On motion by MacDonald seconded by Hoyt, the Board voted to approve the minutes of
their meeting of August 5, 1997, as amended, by a vote of 5-0-0.
On motion by MacDonald seconded by Hoyt, the Board voted to approve the minutes of
their meeting of August 26, 1997, as amended, by a vote of 4-0-1, with Hoyt abstaining.
On motion by Hoyt seconded by Hines, the Board voted to approve the minutes of their
meeting of September 9, 1997, as amended, by a vote of 4-0-1, with Hines abstaining.
On motion by Hoyt seconded by Hines, the Board voted to approve the minutes of their
meeting of September 23, 1997, as amended, by a vote of 4-0-1, with Hines abstaining.
Board of Selectmen Meeting—October 14, 1997—page S
On motion by Ensminger seconded by Hoyt, the Board voted to go into Executive
Session at 9:30 p.m. for the purpose of discussing strategy with respect to litigation,
strategy with respect to purchase or sale of real estate and approval of minutes, not to
come back into Open Session. On a roll call vote, all five members present voted in the
affirmative, and the motion was carried.
Respectfully submitted,
F
Secretary
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