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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1957-11-14-CEC-min.pdf /3i ut MEETING OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE WITH MR RICHARD GAYER SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, NOVEMBER 14, 1957 A meeting of the Capital Expenditures Committee with Mr. Richard Gayer, Superintendent of Public Works, was held on Thursday, November 14, 1957 at 8:00 p.m. in the Town Office building. Those present for the Cap. Exp. Comm. were Sanborn C. Brown, chairman, Rosemary Fitzgerald, Irving H. Mabee, and Norman Royle, with Mabelle Tucker as secretary. Dan H. Fenn was abaent. Mr. Gayer stated that he would be unable to give definite figures on proposed water main construction until he had received a revised report from Whitman and Howard, engineers, taking into account the effect of the new MDC pplan to bring a third supply of water into Lexington. MDC has decided to augment Lexington's inadequate supply by bringing a new main from the aqueduct in Arlington down Route 2 as far as Water- town St. They will also construct a new pupping station, probably not on Lexington land. Work will be started in 1958; possibly in ten years the main will be extended further out Route 2. (Lexington's present supply is brought into town in two sixteen inch mains - one on Mass. .Ave. and the other on Summer St. Water is fed into these mains from Arling- ton's two reservoirs - Turkey Hill and park Circle - and thence to our reservoir,. Lexington's new water tank, with a capacity of 2,000,000 gallons compared to the 1,000,000 gallon old tank, is now under con- struction following demolition of the old tank.) Mr. Gayer discussed same of the water problems connected with the growth of Bedford Air Base, which at present buys its water from Lexington. Any new large users at the Air Base will tax Lexington's supply, and MDC has stated that no additional consumers outside of Lexington can be hitched on to Lexington. For instance a new Air Force housing project of 300 plus units is to be built in Lincoln, which would not supply water. The Air Force thought they would extend the mains from the Air Base, and although MDC has objected to the plan the Air Force is trying to go ahead. Raytheon's proposed plant in Bedford wants to hitch on to the MDC lines now coming through Lexington. MDC, how- ever, feels that the new Route 2 main would serve the Air Force and Bedford, and thinks that they should contribute financially to it. $140,000 has been requested for laterals on streets in 1958, but until the Whitman and Howard report is in, the complete picture won't be available. Sewers: a total of $400,000 is requested for 1958, as follows: (1) Proposed trunk line through the Peacock Farm development, below Oak St ., through Wilson Farm, to tie into the 30" main on Mass . Ave. This would also be a 30" main - about 5,000 feet at $50 a foot - or $250,000. There is a pro- blem connected with the widening of Route 2 by the state, and whether the interchange will be at Watertown St. or at Pleasant St. If the interchange is located at Water- Town St., Lexington may build a new street on the location of this proposed sewer trunk line, to take traffic off Watertown St. In answer to a question about sewer costs Mr. Gayer gave the following figures on sewer construction: a MEETING OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE WITH MR. RICHARD GAYER, SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, NOVEMBER 14, 1957 c 33,1 main - New England and Middle Atlantic areas in ordinary soil: $10.50 to $20 a foot Add: 30.50 a foot for rock 35.00 a foot for sheathing 7.50 a foot for de-watering The proposed main through Wilson Farm will go through varied soil conditions - some ledge near Watertown St., some swamp. Also it is expensive to go under a street to tie in to a trunk; this line will have to go under Mass. Ave. (It cost $83,000 to g under Mass Ave. near Battlegreen Road.) (2) Mass. Ave, to Marrett Road - so Leroy and Ellison Road can be sewered. 3 Lincoln St. by Barrymeade Drive 4 Eldred St. - at end nearest Grove St. (taken out last year) 5 Request for sewer at Wood St., which would mean taking it across Route 128 to Patterson Road. Streets: $200,000 - increased from original estimate of $145,000 by petitions for streets to be accepted. Last year Mass. Ave. was rebuilt from the Monument to Woburn St; this year Mr. Gayer wants to continue the rebuilding of Mass. Ave. and take care of the drainage proplem at the same time. In answer to a question about the prospective life of a street, Mr. Gayer answered that concrete or asphalt con- struction is good for a minimum of- 20 years. Up to now the Capital Expenditures Committee has recommended that street construction be financed currently and not bonded, the thought being that only the important items like schools and water and sewer mains should be bonded. Mr. Brown wondered whether perhaps street construction should not be bonded and spread out over a longer period so that more people would have to pay for it. Drainage $55,000 estimated. Grove St. needs drains since much water comes down the street with every storm, leaving sand. Sidewalks $40,000 estimated. Ecuinment $45,000 estimated. A 1942 model truck must be replaced at a cost of $15,000 or more. There is $42,000 - $43,000 left over in the Road Machinery Fund, accumulated from rental of equipment, but the purchase of new equipment still has to be voted by the Town Meeting in order to authorize the expenditure. Mr. Gayer then discussed some plans for future years. Rubbishick-uv: For a once-a-week rubbish collection (rubbish set by the curb), the town w uld need three trucks at $10,250 each, or $30,750; 9 men at total wages of $38,000 per year, and probably $2000 per year for gas and oil. If rubbish collection were voted by the 1958 town meeting, the cost for the six months remaining of 1958 would be $30,750 for trucks, $20,000 for six months wages, and $1000 for gas and oil or a total of $51,570. If rubbish were picked up from the yard rather Page 3 MEETING OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE WITH MR. RICHARD GAYER, SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, NOVEMBER 14, 1957 than from the curb it would take twice as many men to do it once a week, or, it could be picked up every two weeks for the same amount of money. Incinerator: Belmont is still interested in having Lexington build an incinerator with them - it would cost $2500000, and is under discussion with. Belmont. Garbage Collection: Mr. Gayer is at present writing some regulations to govern the new garbage contract, which will probably cost $35,000 or $40,000, and will provide compensation for new customers added as the town grows. The last contract, which ran for three years, cost $22,500 and almost caused the contractor to go broke, because it had no provision for additional customers. Worthen Road A new section of Worthen Road has just been completed from Waltham St. to CorriganSs development (in back 'Sof the High School) . Cost of this section of road is not available yet. The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 p.m.