HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-12-11 Board of Selectmen Minutes MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING
December 11, 1989
The meeting was convened at 6: 00 p.m. in the Selectmens Meeting
Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, MA. Present were Vice Chairman
Molly Ziegler, Secretary Dan Ensminger, Selectmen John Russell
and Eugene Nigro, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, and the fol-
lowing additional people: Bruce Morang, Chronicle; FinCom mem-
bers Paul Devlin, Don Allen, Gerry MacDonald, Charles Catalfamo,
Nate White, Bill Burditt, Richard Coco and Police Chief Edward
Marchand. Selectman Russell Graham arrived late. The Town
Manager presented the background on the situation with regard to
the Reading Square traffic lights. The traffic light at Pleasant
and Main Street is out of commission. Our traffic maintenance
contractor recommends replacement of two controllers and some
rewiring for a total cost of $25, 000. The Town's traffic con-
sultant - McDonough and Scully - have determined that the con-
trollers would be usuable for a total rebuild of the signal sys-
tem in the Square, and that the price as quoted by the traffic
maintenance contractor is reasonable. The Police Chief and the
Town Manager asked that the Board of Selectmen declare an emer-
gency so that the contract for this reconstruction could be
awarded without bid.
On motion by Ziegler, seconded by Ensminger the Board voted to
declare a public safety emergency regarding the lights in Reading
Square, because of risk to pedestrians and motor vehicle
--- operators. The motion was approved by a vote of 5-0-0.
On motion by Ensminger, seconded by Ziegler the Board voted to
authorize the Town Manager to make a reserve fund transfer ap-
plication in the amount of $4,200 to make emergency repairs to
the traffic signals in Reading Square, to be combined with
$20,802 . 31 left over from a November, 1982 appropriation under
Article 11. This was approved by the Board by a vote of 5-0-0.
It was the consensus of the Board of Selectmen that if an addi-
tional expense is required in order to make the fire preempt sys-
tem work, they are not in favor of spending this at this time be-
cause such system would be redundant once the new Fire Station is
open in the spring of 1990. Chief Marchand indicated the Police
Officers would be present to assist the exit of fire and am-
bulance vehicles from Pleasant Street when needed.
On motion by Nigro, seconded by Ziegler the Board voted to dedi-
cate the conference room in the renovated south wing of the Town
Hall to Arnold Berger, and authorized the use of the seal for a
plaque for that location by a vote of 5-0-0.
On motion by Russell, seconded by Nigro the Board voted to ad-
journ at 6: 30 p.m. by vote of 5-0-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Secretary