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Home My WebLink About1988-10-18 Board of Selectmen Minutes Minutes of the Board of Selectmen Meeting October 18, 1988 The meeting convened at 7 : 34 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, 6 Lowell Street, Reading, Massachusetts . Present were Chairman Eugene R. Nigro, Vice-Chairman Russell Graham, Secretary Mollie Ziegler, Selectmen John Russell and Paul Landers. Also present were Jack Rivers, Ginny Lane, Kevin Greus, Thomas S . Natale, Jr. , Arnold Berger, Leon DePalma, Irving L. Stackpole, Joan Nickerson, Tom O'Hearn, Richard Budka, David Boghosian, Bud Margossian, A.V. Fletcher, R. Taft Porter, Doris M. Fantasia, Ruth I. Cogan, Mark L. Boyajian, Willard F. Perkisn, J. Henry Vik, and Lois K. Bond. Minutes of the October 4, 1988 meeting were approved as amended by a vote of 5-0-0. r Liaison Reports John Russell reported that CPDC closed the Homart hearing with action scheduled for October 31, 1988. There was some discussion on local neighborhood improvements and funding of the cost. Mollie Ziegler reported that the Audit Committee had met and ap- proved the audit. The management letter has not been received yet. In addition, she reported that she and several other mem- bers of the Board of Selectmen attended luncheons with Standard & Poors and Moody's. Paul Landers reported that the Fire Facility Study Committee had met with the Finance Committee. The Com- mittee is in the process of putting together a package of public information to citizens and Town Meeting which will consist of cable television programming, public forums, and the printed material. Eugene Nigro indicated that he had attended a Bylaw Committee meeting, had attended the Fire Facility Study Committee meeting, attended the Open House for the Senior Citizen's Center, and had attended the Fire Department Open House for Fire Preven- tion Week. Under Public Comment, Lois Bond indicated that there had been some concern expressed by recent appointees to the Council on Aging in having votes taken by the Board while applicants were present. The concern was that both the successful and unsuccess- ful applicants were in an awkward situation, and the suggestion was made that perhaps these votes could be taken in a public ses- sion later in the same evening, or at another date. Irving Stackpole and Ginny Lane were both interviewed for the vacancy on the Council on Aging. The Council had recommended Ir- ving Stackpole. The Board decided not to take any action this evening. The Board also noted that it had received the resigna- tion of Woody Baldwin from the Council because he is moving out of Town, and another position would be available. The Board held the second hearing on the Peddler's Policy, and on _ ! motion by Landers, seconded by Ziegler, the Peddler's Policy was approved by a vote of ,5-0-0. The Board held a public hearing on the second reading of the policy on Nondiscrimination - Handicapped, and on motion by Selectmen's Minutes - 10/18/88 - Page 2 Ziegler, seconded by Landers, approved the policy by a vote of 5- 0-0. The Board opened the public hearing on the North Street Sewer Betterment. Present regarding this item were William Redford, Assistant Director of Public Works , and Messrs. O'Hearn, Boghosian, Budka and DePalma who are potentially affected property owners on North Street. On motion by Russell, seconded by Landers, the hearing was closed by a vote of 5-0-0. On motion by Russell, seconded by Ziegler, the Board of Selectmen voted to assess betterments to the affected property owners as depicted on the revised estimated sewer frontage assessment sheet, and 30% of the actual sewer lateral costs as follows: Thomas W. O'Hearn, 9 North Street - Estimated Assessment - $4,360.95 David Boghosian, 10 North Street - Estimated Assessment - $4,361.40 Richard Budka, 3 North Street - Estimated Assessment - 0 Leon DePalma, 39 Bear Hill Road - Estimated Assessment - 0 The hearing on the modification to the Classification Plan was opened. John Rivers questioned whether there was adequate notice since the entire classification plan was not published or posted with the notice. Several positions were questioned regarding whether or not they were new positions. After considerable dis- cussion, on motion by Graham, seconded by Landers, the Town Manager was directed to have a review from Town Counsel and for Town Counsel to be present at a new hearing. This motion was ap- proved by a vote of 5-0-0. The questions to be addressed to Town Counsel specifically are whether proper notice of the hearing was granted, whether the Town Engineer's position was properly class- ified and how the current person is being paid, as Assistant Director of Public Works - Engineering; whether changes in per- sonnel policy previously done were done legally, i.e. the Direc- tor of Human Services; and whether these jobs need a job descrip- tion. Also speaking were Arnold Berger and Dr. Thomas Natale. On motion by Russell, seconded by Ziegler, the Board voted to estab- lish a new hearing by a vote of 5-0-0. Anthony Fletcher, Director of Public Works, presented an analysis of the water treatment needs. His recommendation is to fund at this Fall's Town Meeting $1.2 million to do necessary improve- ments to the Water Treatment Plant. Following the completion of these improvements and some experience (approximately two years is recommended) we would then be able to evaluate the need for and amount of additional water storage. The funding for the $1.2 million project would be $650 , 000 from Water Surplus, and $550,000 in debt authorization. It would be hoped that the debt authorization could be rescinded in the Fall of 1989 and replaced with additional monies available from Water Surplus. I Selectmen's Minutes - 10/18/88 - Page 3 The Board of Selectmen went through the Town Meeting Warrant and assigned articles to members of the Board, based on their liaison roles. There will be discussion of the "Fletcher Plan" regarding Town Hall improvements relative to Articles 6 and 7 at the Board's meeting on November 1, 1988. Jack Rivers addressed the Board of Selectmen regarding the two- for-one inflow and infiltration work. He expressed concerns that the Board of Selectmen had never ruled, as successor to the Board of Public Works, on Sanborn Village, Phase IV inflow and in- filtration requirements. In addition, he questioned whether the methodology of requiring such work was a policy or regulation. Tony Fletcher answered that it was a standing policy of the pre- vious Board of Public Works, and the Board of Survey, and is found in several locations in Town regulation. On motion by Rus- sell, seconded by Landers, the Board voted to indicate that they are, in fact, abiding by the Inflow and Infiltration Policy in all instances including the instance of Sanborn Village Phase IV. The motion was approved by a vote of 5-0-0. The Town Manager was directed to review with Mr. Rivers the various rules and regula- tions to see if his questions can be answered at that level. On motion by Russell, seconded by Ziegler, the Board voted to go into Executive Session to discuss labor negotiations and not to come into open session. All members approving, the vote was un- animous. On motion by Russell, seconded by Landers, the Board voted to adjourn at the end of the Executive Session by a vote of 5-0-0. Meeting was adjourned at 11:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Secretary Selectmen's Minutes - 10/18/88 - Page 3 The Board of Selectmen went through the Town Meeting Warrant and assigned articles to members of the Board, based on their liaison roles. There will be discussion of the "Fletcher Plan" regarding Town Hall improvements relative to Articles 6 and 7 at the Board's meeting on November 1, 1988. Jack Rivers addressed the Board of Selectmen regarding the two- for-one inflow and infiltration work. He expressed concerns that the Board of Selectmen had never ruled, as successor to the Board of Public Works, on Sanborn Village, Phase IV inflow and in- filtration requirements. In addition, he questioned whether the methodology of requiring such work was a policy or regulation. Tony Fletcher answered that it was a standing policy of the pre- vious Board of Public Works, and the Board of Survey, 4a� found in se_ ,.1 tions in Town regulation On motion by Rus- se 1, seconded by Landers, t e' o rrd'-vo " d "o indicate that they are, in fact, abiding by the Inflow and Infiltration Policy in all instances including the instance of Sanborn Village Phase IV. The motion was approved by a vote of 5-0-0. The Town Manager was directed to review with Mr. Rivers the various rules and regula- tions to see if his questions can be answered at that level. On motion by Russell, seconded by Ziegler, the Board voted to go into Executive Session to discuss labor negotiations and not to comes to open session. All members approving, the vote was un- animous. On motion by Russell, seconded by Landers, the Board voted to adjourn at the end of the Executive Session by a vote of 5-0-0. Meeting was adjourned at 11: 25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Secretary