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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-08-02 Board of Selectmen Minutes i BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING August 2, 1988 Meeting convened at 7:35 P.M. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, 6 Lowell Street, Reading, MA. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Nigro. Present were Vice Chairman Graham, Secretary Ziegler, Selectmen Landers and Town Manager Peter I . Hechenbleikner. The following residents were present: Skip and Nancy Blanchard, Jim and Chris Blanchard, Kevin Blanchard, Mr. and Mrs. Phil Ciampa, Lynne Davis, Pat Wallace, Kendra Cooper, Michael Blanchard, Chief Leonard Redfern, Mark Dwyer, Robert McCarthy, Arleen Bazarian, Linda Nordberg, Bill Brown, Joseph Picano, Woodrow Baldwin, Elise and George Scully, Margaret O. Yates-Berg, River Park 93 , Claudia Sauermann, River Park 93 , Tom Grape, River Park 93 , Bob Canten, River Park 93 , Bob Carter, River Park 93 , Deane H. Dolben, and Donald Dolben. On motion by Ziegler seconded by Graham the Board approved the June 28, 1988 minutes by vote of 4-0-0. Liaison Reports Mary Ziegler and the Municipal Space Building Committee toured the Pearl Street School Facility. Paul Landers attended a meeting of the Fire Facility Study Com- mittee. He informed the Board that the Committee is making a lot of progress and would have a proposal for the new Fire Station- for the Board of Selectmen in thirty days. Russell Graham attended a meeting of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee. The committee discussed leaf collection and a paper drive. Ruth Cogan contacted different service organizations for a paper drive in September. Mr. Graham will be attending a meet- ing of the Depot Task Force. Chairman Nigro would like a report on the progress of the Committee by the end of the year. Eugene Nigro attended a meeting of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Employee Awards Committee. Mr. Nigro informed the Board that in the Fiscal 89 State Budget the legislature voted to keep $91 million additional from the lottery to go back to the cities and towns. Mr. Hechenbleikner introduced four new firefightersto the Board. Present to receive their badges and congratulations from the Board and Fire Chief Leonard Redfern were Michael Blanchard, Mark Dwyer, Robert McCarthy, and Patrick Wallace. The new firefigh- ters will start full-time after they graduate from the fire academy on October 21st. On motion by Ziegler seconded by Landers the board voted 3-0-1 to approved a Jazz Concert on Saturday August 13 , 1988 with a rain date of Sunday, August 14 , 1988 at the Reading Memorial High - School upper parking lot from 2 : 00 P.M. - 4 : 00 P.M. Page 2 - Minutes 8-2-88 Mr. Hechenbleikner told the board about the new draft for taxi cab rules and regulations. Part of the draft has to do with man- datory levels of insurance on the vehicles, and that would mean a fare increase. Mr. Nigro expressed that we should require adequate coverage, safety of the vehicle, and the quality of the drivers. The new rules also require the drivers to have a license from the Town of Reading. The Board of Selectmen held a second hearing on the two dogs belonging to Fred Boni on Van Norden Road. Mr. Boni has been or- dered to permanently remove the dogs from Reading following a series of complaints and a previous warning by the Town. On mo- tion by Ziegler seconded by Graham the board ordered Fred Boni, 116 Van Nordon Road to permanently and immediately remove the dogs from his property and to inform the Animal Control Officer in the town that they are going to their history by vote of 4-0- 0. Mr. Landers feels as though the dogs should be destroyed. On motion by Ziegler seconded by Landers the Board appointed Aileen Bazarian to the Council on Aging for a term to expire on June 30, 1991. On motion by Ziegler seconded by Landers the Board appointed Linda Nordberg to the Council on Aging for a term to expire on June 30, 1991. On motion by Graham seconded by Ziegler the Board approved the policy on the evaluation of the Town Manager on the second hear- ing by a vote of 4-0-0. On motion by Graham seconded by Ziegler the Board approved two one day licenses for Austin Preparatory School for sale of all alcoholic beverages to be served on September 24, 1988 and March 4, 1989 by vote of 4-0-0. On motion by Landers seconded by Ziegler the Board approved 4-0-0 the peddler's license to George R. Scully to serve food and drink from his trailer at Frugal Fannies 20 feet from the building in the back parking lot with hours of operation on Saturday from 9:00 A.M. to 4 :00 P.M. and Sunday 12: 00 Noon to 4: 00 P.M. expir- ing on December 31, 1988. This license is subject to constraints including Board of Health approval and necessary rezoning by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Tony Fletcher, Director of Public Works was present to discuss Reading' s water supply. Reading uses nine out of their ten wells, the last "can't be used because it has several hundred parts per million of sodium in it, " Fletcher said. Mr. Fletcher said that in the last 50 years, the quality has degraded con- siderably, due to more people and the fact that Wilmington, Read c ing, and North Reading all draw from the same area. The color of Page 3 - Minutes 8-2-88 the water has gone downhill because it filters through peat in the well. Part of the problem is that we have to treat the water faster than we really and that we should change our chemical treatment so we don't clog these filters. Mr. Fletcher added that "by this time next year, I expect we could be under con- struction with the clear well. " Construction would take four to six months, and would cost a lot less than a new tank. With the clear well, Mr. Fletcher explained "we will get a consistently better product. " The Selectmen discussed a proposed water and sewer discount for the elderly. Mr. Fletcher researched the options and came up with a plan that would give a ten percent discount if the person already qualified for a tax break. Chairman Nigro asked whether the discount was the best way to serve that need, and said the town should "discourage development of bureaucracy to benefit people. " Selectman Ziegler suggested that another option would be to charge a higher rate if you use over a certain level of water. There was also discussion that although water rates are stabi- lizing, sewer rates are on the rise and have tripled in the last four years. The Selectmen signed two agreements enabling a town sewer line to be extended into North Reading along Route 93 to serve the proposed River Park 93 development and other homes in the Grove Street area that were not previously served. On motion by Graham seconded by Ziegler the Board approved the agreement CAS 7-27-88 subject to approval of Town Counsel 4-0-0. On motion by Graham seconded by Ziegler the Board approved the D.P.W. Permit J-20729 4-0-0. On motion by Graham seconded by Ziegler the Board approved the MWRA Riverpark 93 Sewer Extension Agreement 6-10-88 by vote of 4- 0-0.