REGULAR MEETING
August 6, 1927
Meeting was called to order at 7:30 P.M. by Acting President Clements with the following members present: Messrs. Burton, Clark, Hinkle, LeFevre, Downes and Frear.
MINUTES
Upon motion of Messrs. LeFevre and Downes the reading of the minutes of the last regular and special meetings was dispensed with except the special meeting which was held Thursday Sept. 1st 1927 which was read by the clerk and approved.
Street Paving
State Highway Engr. Mr. C. D. Buck with his asst. and contractor Mr. E. R. Mixner appeared before Council and discussed the program of street paving, referring to the resolution passed at the last special meeting. This committee would not recommend any streets being laid with 4 inch base and would only recommend a street with a 6 inch base or over after this was carefully considered by the members the Council decided to award the bids as follows:
A letter from Mr. C. D. Buck was read by the Clerk and the Council decided to adopt the following Program:
STREET THICKNESS MATERIAL
Base Top Base Top
New St. (Loockerman to Divn) 6" 2" Mac. Amiesite
Bradford St. (Divn to Fulton) 6" 2" “ ”
Bradford St. (Cecil to Wm.) 6" 2" “ ”
Clara St. (State to Brad.) 6" 2" “ ”
Mary St. ( “ ” “ ) 6" 2" “ ”
Queen St. (Loockerman to Divn) 6" 2" “ ”
Dela Ave. (State to Maple Ln) 6" 2" “ ”
Maple Lane (Divn to Del Ave) 6" 2" “ ”
North Street 7" Concrete
Council decided to proceed with the above program and to eliminate for the time being (at least until spring) Reed St., Miner St., Cecil St., and Hazel Road.
Upon motion of Messrs. Hinkle and LeFevre Council was requested to do all the proposed streets with concrete, the vote for same stood 5 nay 2 ya.
Upon motion of Messrs. Burton and Clark Council decided to rescind action of past spl. meeting and proceed with specifications of first bids.
Upon motion of Messrs. Burton and Downes Council decided to authorize Mr. C. D. Buck Highway Engr. to prepare the necessary papers to let contract for the above proposal and have same signed at earliest convenience.
Upon motion by Messrs. LeFevre and Downes Council was requested to add one square on Hazel Road to the proposed program, the vote from same stood 5 nay and 2 ya.
The bid on the above contract being at a reduction of 5¢ per sq. yd. on the original or $1.45.
COMMITTEES
A committee appeared before Council asking that they raise the parking law on State St. between Loockerman and The Green. Mr. A. B. MeGee spoke to Council in behalf of Mrs. Shorb and Mr. Cook whose are in business on the street in question and stated that their business was very badly damaged by the parking law in force. After careful consideration the Council decided to lift the present parking law and allow cars to park on State St. but to mark same off a line six feet from curb and require all vehicles to park parallel to the curb and within the line. This was agreed to upon motion of Messrs. Hinkle and Burton.
Mr. A. B. MeGee appeared before Council to ask that the town give The Kent General Hospital light and water free of charge and in return the hospital take care of any accident case or case that the town would be responsible for.
Upon motion of Messrs. LeFevre and Burton Council decided that the Town Solicitor Mr. J. M. Satterfield be instructed to draw an ordinance which will be satisfactory to both the town and Hospital executive committee’s. Solicitor Satterfield being present he was instructed to proceed with this ordinance.
Aldermans Report
The Aldermans Report for the month of August and fines collected amounting to $178.00 with thirty-one arrests. Check for same being turned over to Treasurer. This report was accepted upon motion of Messrs. Burton and Clark an ordered filed.
Upon motion Messrs. Downes and Burton instructions to draw order on Treasury for refund of $2.00 to Mr. A. F. Widman 620 South Delaware Ave. Phila, Pa. for fine collected by Alderman Wood for wrong parking on State Street.
Superintendent Report
Total K. W. H. Generated 135,690
Coal Consumed 231 tons
Pumping water 36,830 K. W.
Street lights 10,200 K. W.
Paid Treasurer $ 5,514.58
Amount of Aug. billing 4,969.79
Pumping water 1,104.90
Street lighting 801.60
Total August business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. $ 6,876.29
I wish to call Council’s Attention to the existing water meter rates, in that they call for twenty-cents per M. gals, up to 50,000 gallons. If one uses over 50,000, then it shall be fifteen cents per M. Gals. This is a hard rate to enforce, I would like to change it to read: Twenty-five cents per M. for the first 50,000 gals, and fifteen cents for all over 50,000 gals. This makes a rate that is the same to every one and much fairer.
The electric line is nearing completion in the district South of Dover and the customers should be receiving service by the 12th.
It is advisable to have an ordinance regulation the sewer tapping, making it necessary to have all service lines laid to specifications, the ditch left open for inspection, in order that lines will not be laid so that roots will penetrate and work into the main line.
Respectively submitted,
L. D. Shank
Upon motion of Messrs. Clark and Burton, the water meter rate as explained above was ordered and this report accepted, and ordered placed upon the minutes and filed.
Treasurers Report
Electric Light and Water Imp. Fund
August 27, 1927
Overdraft
Cash received
Balance
Water Fund
August 27, 1927
Disbursements
Receipts
Overdraft
Special General Fund Street and Sewer Imp.
August 27, 1927
Balance
Receipts
Disbursements
Balance
General Fund
August 27, 1927
Receipts
Disbursements
Balance
Light Fund
August 27, 1927
Receipts
Disbursements
Balance
$ 78.57
85.00
6.43
- - - - - -
602.84
6,077.83
149,858.54
84.95
2,422.46
147,521.03
690.26
1,701.74
4,683.84
4,396.98
3,923.89
13,198.09
Upon motion of Messrs. Frear and Clark, the balance shown on Electric Light and Water Imp. Fund and all further payments in this fund was ordered, transferred to the regular light fund.
CLEANING OFF LOTS AND LAYING SIDEWALK
Upon motion Messrs. Burton and Frear, Mr. Shank was authorized to have all lots whose thirty days notice had expired cleaned. Also, to have all sidewalks and curbs laid whose notice had expired.
TRAFFIC LIGHTS
Upon motion of Messrs. Clark and Hinkle, Traffic light at State and Division was ordered turned on from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. also, school signs were ordered at State and Fulton Sts.
CLERKS SALARY
Upon motion of Messrs. Downes and Burton, the salary of J.O. Willis Clerk of Council was ordered raised from thirty to thirty-five dollars per week.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
The following bills after being audited by the Committee and found correct, the Clerk was instructed to draw orders on the Treasurer necessary for their payment.
Total $8,483.45
NEW ORDINANCE
Upon motion of Messrs. Downes and Frear, following ordinances after being read by the Clerk was accepted and ordered placed upon the minutes and filed;
AN ORDINANCE CONCERNING SEWERS
BE IT ORDAINED by the Town Council of The Town of Dover in regular session met this sixth day of September, A.D. 1927:
Section 1. That from and after the passage of this Ordinance the following rules and regulations shall be observed by property owners in making sewer connections on the streets, lanes and alleys of Dover:
Each pipe shall be laid to true line and grade given by the Engineer and in such a manner as to form a close concentric joint with the adjoining pipe and prevent sudden off-sets of flow-line.
All pipes shall be laid with bells up hill. The subgrade must be kept free from water while pipes are being laid. Joints shall be made in the manner specified in the following paragraphs.
A closely twisted hemp or oakum gasket of such diameter as required to support the spigot of the pipe at the proper flow-line grade and make truly concentric joints, and in one piece of sufficient length to pass around the pipe and lap at the top, shall be thoroughly saturated in cement mortar. This gasket shall be laid in the bell for the lower third of the circumference of the joint and covered with “A” mortar of one to one (1:1) mortar. The spigot of the pipe shall be inserted in the annular space around the entire circumference of the pipe. The ends of the gasket shall then be wrapped around the pipe and solidly rammed into the joint with a caulking tool, the mortar previously placed being driven ahead of the gasket. The remainder of the joint shall then be completely filled with mortar and beveled off to an angle of forty-five (45) degrees with the outside of the pipe.
CLEANING
The interior of the sewer shall, as the work progresses, be cleared of all dirt, cement and superfluous materials of every description. On small sewers, where cleaning after laying may be difficult, a swab or drag shall be kept in the pipe and pulled forward past each joint.
INSPECTION
Trench shall be left open until joints have set up and the line been inspected by the Town Engineer.
BACKFILLING
Backfilling shall be done in layers of about six (6) inches in depth, and each layer shall be thoroughly tamped by hand or machine. For a depth of not less than two (2) feet above the top of the pipe, fine earth or sane, free stones, shall be used. Tamping at joint shall be done by hand with great care so that joint may not be injured.
From a point two feet above the top of the pipe, coarser materials may be used for backfilling, but stone of larger dimensions than eight (8) inches shall be excluded.
Section 2. Whosoever shall violate the provisions of this Ordinance in any particular shall be subject to a fine of not less than Twenty-five Dollar ($25.) nor more than Fifty Dollars ($50.) and in default of the payment thereof shall be imprisoned for a term not exceeding ten days. In addition to the fine or imprisonment, the Street and Sewer Committee, in case of violating of said Ordinance, shall and same is hereby authorized at the expense of the property owner fined, to enter upon the premises and re-lay the sewer so that same shall be in accordance with Section 1 of this Ordinance.
AN ORDINANCE CONCERNING SEWERS
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF DOVER IN REGULAR SESSION MET THIS SIXTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, A.D. 1927.
Section 1. That The Town of Dover by and through its committees, agents, servants and employees, be and it is hereby authorized to lay sewer pipes from the sewer mains to the curb on the streets which are to be improved, after the passage of this Ordinance. These pipes shall run to the curb in front of each residence and of each vacant building lot which are not now connected with the sewer mains. Before laying such pipes, however, the property owners on the streets to be improved shall be given ten days’ notice by the Clerk of the Council prior to beginning such work, so that the property owners may, if they so desire, secure the services of competent plumbers and have the work done on their own initiative. In cases, however, where the work is to be done by the Town, the property owners shall pay the sum of Fifteen Dollars ($15.) for labor and material in making such sewer connections, and the Town is hereby authorized and empowered to collect the said sum for work so done from the respective property owners. This charge shall have no reference, however, to the tapping fee, and the regular tapping fee shall be paid as heretofore.
OWNERS PROPORTION ON STREET PAVING
Upon motion of Messrs. Downes and Burton, Council passed a ruling that all property owners on newly paved streets should pay 331/3% of their portion as soon as streets are completed. The remaining 662/3% to be paid within a three-year period.
BALANCE ON LOOCKERMAN STREET LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS FUND
Upon motion of Messrs. Clark and Frear, Council decided to turn all money received after Sept. 1, from Loockerman street lighting improvement over to the regular light fund.
ADJOURNMENT
Council adjourned at 10:35 P.M.
Signed:
Joseph O. Willis
Clerk of Council