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Home My WebLink About1991-04-11 Special Town Meeting Warrant Reporte'i 2;- a O c setts 0.d . . . TABLE OF CONTENTS WARRANT - Special Town Meeting April 11, 1991 Article Title 1 Instructions 2 Reports 3 Amend Capital Impr. Prog. 4 Amend FY91 Budget 5 Water Surplus Approp. (G.E. Settlement) and Rescinding WTP Bond 6 Funding for DPW Site Clean-up litigation 7 Amend Bylaw - Cons. Comm. Consulting Fees Sponsor Bd of Selectmen Bd of Selectmen Bd of Selectmen Bd of Selectmen Bd of Selectmen Bd of Selectmen Conservation.Comm. Page 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 APPENDIX Capital Improvement Program 7 ARTICLES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SPECIAL TOWN MEETING Town of Reading COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS April 11, 1991 Middlesex, ss. To either of the constables of the Town of Reading, Greetings: In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Reading, qualified to vote in elections and Town affairs, to meet at the Reading Memorial High School Auditorium, 62 Oakland Road in said Reading, on Thursday, April 11, 1991, at seven-thirty o'clock in the evening, at which time and place the following ar- ticles are to be acted upon and determined exclusively by Town Meeting Members in accordance with the provisions of the Reading Home Rule Charter. ARTICLE 1 To choose all other necessary Town Officers and Special Committees and determine what instructions shall be given Town Officers and Special Committees, and to see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, and appropriate for the purpose of funding Town Of- ficers and Special Committees to carry out the instructions given to them, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen Background Instructions - This article appears on all Town Meeting War- rants and permits the Town Meeting to choose necessary Town officers and/or special committees, and to provide instruc- tions to the various officers and employees of the Town. There is no known business under this article. Bylaw Committee Report No Report Finance Committee Report No Report ARTICLE 2 To hear and act on the reports of the Board of Selectmen, Town Accountant, Treasurer-Collector, Board of Asses- sors, Director of Public Works, Town Clerk, Tree Warden, Board of Health, School Committee, Contributory Retirement Board, Library Trustees, Municipal Light Board, Finance Committee, Cemetery Trustees, Community Planning & Development Commission, Town Manager and any other Boards or Special Committees. Board of Selectmen Background Reports - This Article is on the warrant for every Town Meeting, and will provide for reports to Town Meeting on various pending issues. There is no known business under this article. Bylaw Committee Report No Report Finance Committee Report No Report 1 ARTICLE 3 To see if the Town will vote to amend the Capital Improvement Program as provided for in Section 7-7 of the Reading Home Rule Charter and as previously amended, or take any. other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen Background Amend Capital Improvement Program - There are four known changes to the Capital Improvements Program in order to ac- complish the business within this Special Town Meeting. These include provision for the clean-up of the former DPW site, provision for the second phase of the improvement to the water treatment plant, provision to reconstruct one of the Town's wells, and the addition of $5000 to the pool renovation line item. These changes are included on the amended Capital improvements program attached. Bylaw Committee Report No Report Finance Committee Report Recommend 7-0-0 ARTICLE 4 To see if the Town will vote to amend one or more of the votes taken under Article 10 of the Warrant of the Annual Town Meeting of April 9, 1990 relating to the Fiscal Year 1991 Municipal Budget, and to see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing, or transfer from available funds, or otherwise and ap- propriate as the result of any such amended votes for the opera- tion of the Town and its government, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen Background Amend FY91 Budget Article 4 permits amendments to the FY 91 budget as passed last spring and as amended this past fall. Areas where more funding is needed include: Workers Compensation Trust Fund $137,000 Teachers Early Retirement $100,000 Non-Contributory Retirement $ 10,550 Repair to Pool $ 2,075 Building maintenance (fuel) $ 23,200 Repair to School Boilers $ 21,000 School fuel $ 30,000 Spec. Needs (tuft./transp.) $ 38,300 Water capital (well replace.) $ 60,000 TOTAL $422,125 Areas from which funds may be available include: Unemployment Compensation $110,000 Rubbish Collection/Disposal. $117,000 Snow/Ice Control $ 22,000 Reserve Fund $ 48,155 DPW Administration $ 11,000 Parks Salary $ 12,700 Equipment Maintenance Salary $ 21,700 Cemetery Salary $ 2,500 \ 2 Water Surplus (well re Water Surplus (Workers Sewer Surplus (Workers TOTAL Bylaw Committee Report Finance Committee Report place) $ 60,000 Comp.) $ 9,370 Comp.) $ 7,700 $422,125 No Report Recommend 6-1-0 ARTICLE 5 To see if the Town will vote to rescind the bond authorization in the amount of $550,000.00 authorized by motion made under Article 5 of the Warrant for the Subsequent Town Meet- ing of November 14, 1988 relating to improvements to the Town's water system and to see if the Town will vote to amend said mo- tion to provide that the sum of $1,000,000.00 shall be ap- propriated from the funds received pursuant to the February 12, 1991 Settlement Agreement Between the Town of Reading and the General Electric Company, so that the motion under said Article 5, as amended, shall read as follows, or take any other action with respect thereto: "Article 5. On Motion of John H. Russell, it was voted that the Town appropriate from Water Surplus the amount of $650,000 (Six Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars), and appropriate from funds received pursuant to the February 12, 1991 Settlement Agreement Between the Town of Reading and the General Electric Company the amount of $1,000,000 (One Million Dollars), and appropriate a total of $1,650,000 (One Million Six Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars) for the purpose of making improvements to the Town's water system, including remodeling, reconstructing and making extraordinary repairs to the Water Treatment Plant and pumping station, the originally-equipping of same, the installation of pipes, fittings, other equipment and related facilities, and including the costs of all engineering and architectural fees and inspection fees and contingencies therefor." Board of Selectmen Background Water Surplus Appropriation (G.E. Settlement) and Rescinding WTP Bond - This article would rescind previously authorized debt for the current Water Treatment Plan renovation and im- provement program, and substitute for that authorization the use of a portion ($550,000) of the proceeds of the General Electric settlement. Additionally, this article will expand the scope of the current renovation and improvement program by authorizing an additional $450,000 to be spent to eliminate the current discharge from the water treatment plant to the adjacent wetlands. Although the discharge has been going on for a number of years, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has ordered its elimination once the current plant renovations were com- plete. This action will use up all of the General Electric settlement funds, but the Town will be receiving reimburse- ment from the state of 1/2 the cost of the initial plant 3 renovations - approximately $550,000. This reimbursement will go into water surplus to be used for rate stabilization and/or capital projects. Bylaw Committee Report No Report Finance Committee Report Recommend 7-0-0 ARTICLE 6 To see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds, or other- wise, and appropriate for the purposes of clean up and pollution prevention activities taken pursuant to General Laws Chapter 21E, or any other enabling authority, whether performed by the Town of Reading or by some other party pursuant to a settlement agreement with the Trustees of TASC Realty Trust relating to the property formerly owned by the Town of Reading off of Walkers Brook Drive and known as the former Department of Public Works facility; and to see if the Town will approve the compromise or settlement with the Trustees of TASC Realty Trust relating to the clean-up and pollution prevention activities taken on said site, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen Background Funding for DPW Site Clean-up Litigation - This article will settle all claims in the case involving the clean-up of the former DPW site which was sold to TASC. The clean-up process will include bio-remediation of the contaminated fill at the former landfill site. The bio-remediation process is quick - it should take less than a year. The processed soil will then be able to be reused under pave- ment, either on the Landfill site as it is redeveloped, or on other Town projects. The water in the hole that is dug will be skimmed to remove any contaminated product, and then the hole will be filled with clean fill from the Town's stockpile at Strout Avenue. The payment is directly to TASC in an amount not to exceed $300,000. It is proposed that this item be bonded over 5 years, with $52,112 of the total coming from unused balances in previous capital bond ac- counts, and the remainder sold as bonds. Earlier estimates were that this remediation would cost in the area of $1.2M to $1.8M. All approvals are in hand or in the process of being applied for, and if approved by Town Meeting, the bio- remediation program will begin this spring. The elimination of the contamination from the site will result in an in- creased assessment of the contaminated property, and there- fore greater tax income. Bylaw Committee Report No Report Finance Committee Report Recommend 7-0-0 ARTICLE 7 To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 5.7 of the General Bylaws of the Town by adding the following as Sec- tion 5.7.15, or take any other action with respect thereto: 4 "The Conservation commission is authorized to require an ap- plicant to pay a fee for the reasonable costs and expenses borne by the Conservation commission for specific expert engineering and other consultant services deemed necessary by the Conserva- tion commission to come to a final decision on an application for Determination of Applicability, Notice of Intent or other ap- plication or filing made pursuant to this bylaw. This fee is called the consultant fee and shall be in the maximum amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00). The specific consultant serv- ices may include, but are not limited to, resource area and wet- lands survey and delineation, analysis of resource area and wet- lands values, including wildlife habitat evaluations, hydrogeologic and drainage analysis, and environmental or land use law. The Conservation Commission may require the payment of the consultant fee at any point in its deliberations prior to a final decision. The applicant shall pay the consultant fee to the Town to be put into a consultant services account of the Con- servation Commission which may be drawn upon by the Conservation Commission for specific consultant services approved by the Con- servation Commission at one of its public meetings. Any unused portion of the consultant fee shall be returned to the applicant unless the Conservation Commission decides at a public meeting that other. action is necessary. Any applicant aggrieved by the imposition of, or size of, the consultant fee, or any act related thereto, may appeal according to the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws. The minimum qualifications of any consultant selected by the Con- servation Commission shall consist either of an educational degree in or related to the field at issue or three.or more years of practice in the field at issue or a related field." Conservation Commission Background Conservation Commission consulting Fees Bylaw - Town Meeting approved a number of articles last fall dealing with Conser- vation Commission issues. All the articles were approved by the Attorney General except for Article 13. The Attorney General commented on several aspects of the article, and Town Counsel has drafted a replacement article for this Spe- cial Town Meeting. The subject matter of the article is the ability of the Conservation Commission to require an ap- plicant to pay for engineering and other consulting expenses related to an application before the commission. Bylaw Committee Report Recommend 4-0-0 This revision gassed last fall includes the safeguards of dollar limit, definition of consultant qualifications and -I --_-_4-- .--4-4... .C.. -6--U- Td-d-...-.., , !•.~r~r~l 1~ r+r+m"e"4-c2 No Report 5 and you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting an at- tested copy thereof in at least three (3) public places in each precinct of the Town not less than fourteen (14) days prior to April 11, 1991, the date set for the meeting in said Warrant, and to publish this Warrant in a newspaper published in the Town, or by mailing an attested copy of said Warrant to each Town Meeting Member at least fourteen (14) days prior to the time of holding said meeting. Hereof fail not and make due return of this Warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at or before the time ap- pointed for said meeting. Given under our hands this 9th d o r arch, 1991. ssall T. am i 1 Daniel A. Ensminger George V. Hines Sall Ho \ Eugene R. Nigro SELECTMEN QF READING A TRUE COPY. ATTEST: Catherine A. Quimby Town Clerk Signature of Constable: 6 Project # FIN-2 FIN-3 PS-F-4 PS-F-5 PS-F-6 PS-F-7 PS-F-8 PS-P-4 PW-B-2 PW-B-6 PW-B-7 PW-C-3 PW-C-6 PW-C-7 PW-E-1 PW-E-4 PT,-"--E-5 PW-E-7 P6%'-E-8 TOWN OF READING MASSACHUSETTS FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM Fiscal Years 1991 through 1995 (cost in 000's) Cost by year and source of funding Project Description FY91 FY92 FY93 FY94 FY95 Replace Data Proc Equip 13.4A 15A 15A 15A 15A D.P. Equip - Assessors 5A -0- -0- -0- -0- Ladder Truck -0- 370D -0- -0- -0- Replace Bucket Truck -0- -0- 37S -0- -0- Replace Pickup Truck -0- -0- 15S -0- -0- Replace Pumper -0- -0- -0- 160D -0- Replace Ambulance -0- 75S -0- -0- -0- Signals - Square -0- 150OG -0- -0- -0- Reconstruct Lib Park Lot -0- 42S -0- -0- -0- Elder Serv.-Center 757G -0- -0- -0- -0- Library Improvements 16A -0- -0- -0- -0- Cemetery Development -0- 75C 75C -0- -0- Replace Backhoe -0- -0- 20C -0- -0- Replace Mower -0- 6C -0- -0- -0- Replace Backhoe/loader -0- 45S -0- -0- -0- Replace Dump Trucks -0- 55S 55S 55S 55S Replace Pickup Truck -0- 12S -0- -0- -0- Replcmt. Other Equip. -0- 30S 100S 100S 1005 Replace Sweeper 75S -0- -0- -0- -0- Revised 3-19-91 7 TOWN OF READING MASSACHUSETTS FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM Fiscal Years 1991 through 1995 (cost in 0001s) Cost by year and source of fundin Project # Project Description FY91 FY92 FY93 FY94 FY95 PW-P-1 + Renovation of Pool 25A 100D -0- -0- -0- PW-P-2 Park Development -0- 50D 50D 50D -0- PW-R-1 Street Overlay -0- 75A 75A 75A 75A PW-R-2 St.Reconstruction -0- 500D -0- 500D -0- PW-R-3 Drainage Improvements 3.5A -0- 300D -0- 300D PW-R-4 St. Acceptances -0- 15B 15B 15B 15B PW-R-5 Walkers Brook Drive -0- 440G -0- -0- -0- Improvements 145B PW-R-6 Chapt. 90 Imprvmts. 118G 118G 118G 118G 118G PW-R-7 Curb/Sidewalk Const -0- 25D 75D 100D 100D PW-R-8 East Side Neigh. Imp. -0- 100G PW-R-9 Depot Parking -0- 40D 40D -0- -0- PW-R-10 + Pub: Wrks Site Cleanup 300D -0- -0- -0- -0- PW-S-1 Inflow/Infiltration 63.7G -0- -0- -0- -0- 21.3E PW-S-2 Main Reconstruction -0- 450G -0- -0- -0- 50E PW-S-3 Betterments 40B -0- -0- -0- -0- PW-W-2 + Water Treat/Storage 607E -0- -0- -0- -0- PW-W-3 Vehicle 45E -0- -0- -0- -0- PW-W-4 + New Well Development 60E 100E -0- -0- -0- SD-1 Computer/Wd Proc Equip 35A 35A 35A 35A 40A SD-2 Roof Replacement 262D 46A 160D -0- -0- SD-3 Space Remodelling-Elem 4608D -0- -0- -0- 50A SD-4 Chp 504-Lifts-Toilet Rem -0- 15A -0- -0- -0- SD-6 Energy Related Proj 15A 15A 15A 15A 15A SD-7 Vehicle Replacement 12A 12A 15A 15A 15A SD-8 Floor Tile Replacement 15A 15A 15A 15A 15A SD-9 Install Suspnded Ceiling -0- -0- -0- 25A -0- SD-10 Window Replacement -0- 175D 30A -0- -0- SD-11 Refurbish Kitchen -0- -0- 50A -0- -0- SD-12 Rplce Clsrm/Cafe Furn. 15A 18A 18A 18A 20A SD-13 Gate/Zone Vlve Replcmt 10A 10A 10A 10A 10A SD-15 Oil Tank Replacement -0- 10A 10A 10A 5A SD-16 Asbestos Abatement -0- 145D 88D 88D 88D SD-18 Track Renovation -0- -0- -0- -0- -0- SD-19 Boiler Replacement-H.S. -0- -0- -0- -0- -0- SD-20 Space Remodel-Secondary 25A 25A 25A -0- -0- SD-21 Portable Bldg. - Eaton 62A -0- -0- -0- -0- LD-1 Purchase/Remodel Space 3500D -0- -0- -0- -0- Revised 3-19-91 8 SUMMARY OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BY YEAR BY SOURCE OF FUNDS (Cost in 000's) FY91 FY92 FY93 FY94 FY95 Total A 251.90 291.00 313.00 233.00 260.00 1348.90 B 40.00 160.00 15.00 15.00 15.00 245.00 C 81.00 95.00 176.00 D 8670.00 1405.00 713.00 898.00 488.00 12174.00 E 733.30 150.00 883.30 G 938.70 2608.00 118.00 118.00 118.00 3900.70 S 75.00 259.00 207.00 155.00 155.00 851.00 10708.90. 4954.00 1461.00 1419.00 1036.00 19578.90 SOURCE OF FUNDING - A Annual Appropriation B Betterment C Sale of Cemetery Lots D Debt to be authorized E Enterprise Appropriation G Grant or outside funding S Sale of Real Estate + Articles on 1991 Special Town Meeting Warrant Revised 3-19-91 9