Public Works Committee

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Mar 31 2022 1:28 pm March 31, 2022 Public Works Committee Meeting Minutes A meeting of the Public Works Committee was held on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, in person at 700 Main Street in the Legislative Building at 5:00 PM. Committee Members Present: Councilors Marisa Fleming (chair), Sam Squailia, Paul Beauchemin, Sally Cragin, and Bernie Schultz. Commissioner Nicholas Erickson Superintendent Gary Withington Committee Members Absent: Other Participants: 1) Vote to approve amended minutes from previous meeting (1/25/22): Amended Minutes were approved unanimously. 2) DPW Updates: Councilor Paul Beauchemin wanted to know when the street lights that they have approved in the past would be installed. Commissioner Nick Erickson explained to Councilor Beauchemin that the bid for this work is currently out to bid but will close on April 5th. As soon as we have a contractor in place the streetlights that are on the backlog can be taken care of. DPW Comm. Erickson said that the DPW will also start working on the berms that are currently on the backlog this spring. The street sweeping has been completed in wards 6 and 1. Next year they will start with Ward 1 and continue straight through Ward 6. Construction has started already on the Boulder and Main St. 2 way conversion project. This project has a June 30 th completion deadline. The DPW is currently working on a list of upcoming streets to be paved. Comm. Erickson explained that he’s trying to put forward a three year on call paving contract. Councilor Beauchemin stated that he prefers cape-cod berms in place of the bread box berms. Comm. Erickson agreed with this unless they’re working on blending the berm into the current one. Councilor Squailia would like to see weekly or bi-weekly DPW reporting brought back. Comm. Erickson agreed to this. 3) Action was taken as follows on NEW petitions: a) 017-22. Councilor Bernie Schultz, on behalf of resident Maria Barroso of 155 Milk Street, owner of adjacent property, to repair retaining wall at rear of 155 Milk Street extending onto Maple Street. (REFERRED from City Council on January 24, 2022) Discussion: Superintendent Gary Withington agreed that this wall needs to be repaired along with the fence. He does not have a definitive start time yet. Recommendation: The Committee voted 5-0 that the petition be APPROVED. b) 018-22. Sargent Daniel Boudreau FPD Traffic Unit, to petition the installation of “no parking at all times” on both sides of Game On Way, from Industrial Road /  Victoria Lane intersection to Game On Soccer Facility entrance. (REFERRED from City Council on January 21, 2022) Discussion: Comm. Erickson said that the people at the Game on Facility are working with Monty Tech. to shuttle people from their parking lot up to the facility when games are scheduled. He would also like to place an order for 56 street signs that will be placed on both sides of Game on Way, from Industrial Road / Victoria Lane intersection to the entrance of the facility. Recommendation: The Committee voted 5-0 that the petition be APPROVED. c) 061-22. Councilors Marcus DiNatale and Paul Beauchemin, on behalf of Elmer Eubanks, to repair a damaged berm in front of 427 Oak Hill Road that is now causing water runoff onto the property. (REFERRED from City Council on March 8, 2022) Discussion: Superintendent Gary Withington said it needs to be installed. Councilor Paul Beauchemin would like Unitil to pay for it as it was caused by them. Recommendation: The Committee voted 5-0 that the amended petition be APPROVED with the understanding that Unitil will be contacted and the cost will try to be collected from them. d) 062-22. Councilor Paul Beauchemin, to install a berm from the corner of Stanley Street to 80 Pershing Street on both sides of the road to mitigate water runoff. (REFERRED from City Council on March 15, 2022) Discussion: Councilor Paul Beauchemin wants to amend this petition to read, “Install a berm from 10 feet before the driveway of 60 Pershing Street to 10 feet after the second driveway to mitigate water runoff.” Recommendation: The Committee voted 5-0 that the petition be APPROVED. 4) 4) HELD petitions for review. e) 089-20. Councilor Bernie Schultz and resident Alex Freeman to remove the “No Turn on Red” sign at the intersection of John T. Cetrino Memorial Drive and Water Street. (HELD on the 10/28/20 meeting and the 1/26/21 meeting and the 7/27/21 meeting and the 3/29/22). (Amended the spelling of Cetrino at the January 2021 meeting). Discussion: Comm. Erickson submitted a grant application for a traffic study to MDOT but it wasn’t approved. The committee voted 5-0 that the petition be HELD until a traffic study could be completed. Recommendation: The committee voted 5-0 that the petition be HELD.