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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1930-06-09-STM-MIN 405 ADJOURNED TOWN ME ET I N G JUNE 9 , 1930 A4 journe d town meeting was called to order by Robert H . Holt , Moderator , at 8 : 10 P . M . Mr . James Stuart Smith asked that Articles 1 and 8 be taken up together , and no objection being made the Moderator so ruled. Mr . Smith read the report o ' the Committee on School Building , and displayed and explained architects plans as shown on large chart . A Arts • l The meeting voted to accept and place on file the Committee ' s report . REPORT OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING COLI:;I ITT EE One year ago , the School Committee asked the Town for a new school , to be located in the south section . At that time the average annual increase in the school population was about 150 , and it was clear that if this growth continued, the Town would need a building in the Fall of 1930 . When the school census was taken in October, 1929 , it was discovered that our increase was below normal , and the School Committee , having in mind the extra burden of a shhool house , told the building Committee that the program could be postponed for a Near . In 1929 , there was an increase of 75 in our scholars . Another 75 , or even fewer , coming to school in the Fall of 1930 , will bring us to the point where there will be undue hardship upon small children connected with the use of space that was never intended for classroom purposes , and extra trans - portation of children, in order to get them to buildings where there is available room . In all probability , it will be easier, financially , for the Town , and better for the building, to have a job that will not be rushed to completion , and perhaps open and in use before it is finished. For this reason the Committee believes and liecommends that the new construction be commenced at an early date , with the building to open in September , 1931 . To postpone the building program beyond this year , would be unwise , unsafe and unfair. It would entail heavy bills for transportation and necessitate the separation of small children from the sane family , so that they might have to go to two or three schools . While conditions may not be ideal between September , 1930 , and September , 1931 , there will be no widespread hardship , and the Town will be spared same rather heavy additions to the 1930 tax rate . The proposed construction in the south end, moreover , should not overlap school development in the East Village , and that in turn should not be permitted to fall into the same year with a required addition to the Junior and Senior High School . 406 JD C) These three building projects are clearly before the Town . There is no way to avoid them , as the school popu- lation is here and increasing , but the Committee believes and recommends that they be taken up in the order suggested , and a careful time - schedule be worked out , so that the Town will not be engaged in two building enterprises at the same time . LOCATION OF THE SCHOOL This Committee has held many meetings to consider the location , the floor-plan , general outward appearance and type of construct ion of a new school in the south part of Lexington ; location and floor-plan being of first importance , have received most of our attention . ' We labored on the problem not only as a Committee , but also as individuals . We examined recommendations of former planning boards , and we called upon unbiased out-of- town opinion . The final decision was unanimously in favor of the land at the corner of Allen Street and Old County Road . We required a piece of land thr. t , among other things , was 1 . Located properly in reference to present arid probable future schools . 2 . Flat , or but slightly rolling ground . 3 . Removed from traffic noises . 4 . Provide sufficient playground . 5 . Dry for sewage disposal . 6 . Reasonably easy of access . 1 . Lexington has grown in spotsj. here a group of dwellings , another group there , some created in earlier days by the location of the railroad , road and trolley-car transportation , such as the East Village , the Center and the North Village . Real estate developments account for other groupings and none of them are filled to capacity . Physical conditions of the ground and location of paved roads have had a considerable bearing on later developments . These matters must be taken into consideration when a new building is erected , which should be closely linked with both old anu future school construction . The land recom- mended answers the demand better than any other site that the Committee has been able to find . It vies apparent to this Committee that in a section as large as the south part of town , no one location could satisfy all the present demands of the residents , and at the same time fit into a plan that will care for the future development of the vacant land . This site cares for the greater proportion of the present school children , and it will later care for most of the vacant land between Waltham Street and Follen Road , Waltham Street to Concord Avenue , most of Fair Oaks and Marrett Road to Spring Street . 407 As other portions of the south part develop , there will be need of another school . Until that time comes , there will be transportation for children , but the number will be much smaller than at present . We think that over 70% will be much better off , and the remaining 30% will be transported as at present . The school department will try in every way to make conditions satisfactory . The location should be , and is , part of a general logical plan and will not cause a dislocation of future schools . The Town would do well to purchase other building sites and additions to sites , not only in the south part , but in other sections of the Town , while land is still at reasonable prices , but in accordance with a plan which would contemplate population of at least 20 , 000 . The East Village , of course , should have immediate consid- eration as soon as this proposed building is finished , and should have it even if the Town does not adopt the recommendation with witn /this report deals . which 2 . The lot for the building and small playground is almost flat . Flat land means economy in building , and economy in finishing the grounds . As far as we can discover , the land is reasonably free from stone ledge . 3 . Although near the main traffic highway , yvalthelm Street , it is remote enough so that the passage of motor vehicles will not be a nuisance at the time of the year when school windows are open . 4 . There is sufficient space both for the present and a future playground when the school may increase in size to 14 classrooms . A large part of this land , moreover , is available without special expenditure . 5 . The land is in a district where there is much broken ground and many wet meadows and springy hillsides , but is high and dry . The sub- soil has been explored by boring , and , so far as we can tell , indicates that it will absorb sewage with little danger of becoming unhealthy and offensive . 6 . Allen Street is hard- paved to carry coal trucks to the lot line . There will be no need of road building except the customary driveway or turnaround on the school grounds . When traffic demands it , the Old County Road can be developed . The Committee , as said before , is unanimous in the choice of this location . TEE BUILDING Tha proper type and size of building has been a matter of concern . In the first place , with the location recommended , we are able to avoid the use of basement rooms for classroom use . The design calls for eight classrooms and such other rooms as are required in a modern school building . Eight rooms seems to be the smallest number we can build and give the school department and the school population room for expansion inside the proposed building . 408 JD 0 san As there are now six grades in our primary school system , this building will be put in operation with six grades . Some of them , fortunately, will not be filled to capacity . Vwith eight rooms , as the population grow , we can have a flexible unit thrt will care for , let us say , two third- grade classes and two fifth- grade classes as well as the other four grades , or however the school population happens to come into that part of the Town . All our smaller children can be taken care of on the ground floor . We can give the whole school an exercise room above the ground , which will also serve as a lunch room and for community purposes . With the general floor plan determined , it seemed the part of wisdom , ( as this is a new building and not an addition to an old one) to make the plan modern ; to put such things into the construction so that it will not be out of date when the doors are open . The useful life of a school building is probably about forty years ; to have it obsolete some years before its time is poor economy . The building is designed for safety, for helth and for low cost of upkeep . It can be increased without undue expense , to fourteen rooms . The architects assure us that all construction and materials have been tested , and the whole structure is to be in modern form to fit and satisfy both the technical requirements of the schools but also the requirements of a town of dwellings like Lexington . The COMMITTEE respectfully present this report and recommendation to the town in accordance with the town vote . James Stuart Smith William H . Ballard Clyde E . Steeves Howard S . 0 . Nichols Clara M . Barbour Mrs . C . E . Glynn . One of the members of this committee , Ar . Charles H . Spaulding , died recently . We regret the loss of his able counsel . Under Article 8 Mr . James Stuart Smith offered the following motion . " Voted : That there be raised and appropriated the sum of $132 , 000 for the purchase of a certain lot of land located on Old County Road near Allen Street , known as a portion of the Swenson Brothers Farm, containing approximately eight acres , and that there be erected thereon a public school building , including the original equipping and furnishing of same ; and111 for the purpose of meeting said appropriation , there be raised in the levy of the current year the sum of $19, 150 , and that there be transferred from the account of Purchase of Carbarn Property from Middlesex and Boston Street Railway Company the sum of , . $1 , 850 , and the treasurer , with the approval of the Selectmen , be and hereby is authorized to borrow the sum of 1120 , 000 and to issue bonds or notes of the town therefor, said bonds or notes to be payable in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 44, General Laws , so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than twenty years from the date of issue of the first bond or note , or at such earlier dates as the treasurer and selectmen may determine . It is also voted that a Building Committee of seven including the members of the School Com- mittee be appointed by the Moderator , with full power to pure- 409 chase in the name of the town said lot of land above described , and to construct end equip the building herein authorized , all within the sums appropriated for said purposes . " The Chairman of the Appropriation Committee stated that his committee approved the approprintion . Mr . William A. Granfield objected to the location and after giving his reasons , at some length , moved an amendment "That the Committee be authorized to build in some other part of the district . " The Moderator ruled that because of the terms of the motion this amendment was out of order and Mr . Smith ' s original motion was carried in a rising vote as follows , two'- thirds majority being required : 117 in the affirmative 4 in the negative . -* see page 414 . for committee . Art . 1 . Under the motion of Dr . Clarence Shannon Article 1 was again taken up . Mr . Willard C . Hill reported for the Committee on the claims of Mr . Edward Wood in relation to Clarke Street Extension . REPORT CLARKE STREET EXTENSION COMflTTEE Lexington , Mass . June 9 , 1930 , In the matter of the Clarke Street extension as affecting Mr . flood ? s property , the Committee begs to report that irrespective of the rights of the town or the rights of Mr . Wood , an agreement has been reached whereby Mr . V ood will release his claims against the town , and the town will , if authorized to do so , pay a sum of money to Ur . Wood to satisfy his claim . Under these circumstances we have made no further attempt to discover facts , other than those disclosed by Mr . Wood ' s deed , the plan accompanying it and the statement made to us by thetown engineers . We think there is enough in Mr . Wood ' s claim to justify the settlement , as his right would turn on a question of facts which might only come to light after an extended examination of title or litigation in court . The amount of the settlement is known to the Committee and the Committee believes that both the town and Mr . Wood have done the right and proper thing . Willard C . Hill , Chairman James Stuart Smith Hazen W. Hamlin ( authorized) Eugene G . Kraetzer J . Henry Duffy Appended is the agreement for acceptance of sum of4200 in full settlement . June WI, 1930 I , Edward Wood , hereby agree to accept Two Hundred Dollars ($200) in full settlement of whatever may be due me from the Town of Lexington in connection with the Clarke Street Extension Improvement , and waive any furthsr claim for damages . Edward Wood . 4 410 �0 Ca It was voted to accept the report of the Committee and place the same on file . Art . 12 . Under this article on motion of Dr . Clarence Shannon the following vote was passed : " Voted : That the Town accept the layout as a town way of an extension of Clarke Street as laid out by the Board of Selectmen , under the Betterment Act , and shown on plan on file in the Town Clerk ' s Office , dated August 27 , 1929 , and for the purpose of constructing said street the sum of $3500 be appropriated and assessed . " Art . 1 . Under this article Mr . Robert P . Trask offered the following motion : " Voted : That the Moderator appoint a committee of fifteen Town Meeting ILiembers representative of all sections of the Town to review the reports of i=etcalf & Eddy and McClintock & Woodfall , and the studies of the Planning Board ana the Board of Selectmen relative to Vine Brook drainage , said committee to have access to all of the records of the Selectmen and the Planning Board , and to be at liberty to consult with any Board , Committee or individual and secure any additional Engineering data which they may deem essen- tial to a decision on this project , and that they submit their recommendations at the next Town Meeting . " Mr . Joseph R . Cotton moved an amendment "That said Committee incur no expense without further vote of the Town . " This amendment was accepted by the maker of the original motion , and the motion as amended was put before the meeting . The vote was close , and 15 citizens doubting , a rising vote was taken with 70 voting in the affirmative and 54 in the negative . * See page 414 . Art . 1 . Mr . Joseph Swan reported for the Committee of three appointed to make recommendations relating to control of dogs . REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CONTROL OF DOGS . June 6 , 1930 . '►r . Robert H . Holt , Moderator , Town Meetings , Lexington , Mass . Dear Sir : The committee of three appointed by you to consider and make recommendations with respect to the laws and practice with reference to licensing , restraint and vaccination of dogs in Lexington has organized , with Dr . Barnes as chairman . The chairman wrote to Dr . Geo . H . Bigelow, Commissioner of Public Health for the State of Mass . , . asking his opinion and recommendation in the matter and the action taken by other towns in the State and received a very satisfactory and comprehensive reply - also a letter from the Division of Animal Industry of the Dept . of Conservation , which we are handing in with our recommendations . These two should be 411 the authorities best qualified to know about the matter and their recommendation therefore , should have considerable weight . After careful consideration it is the unanimous recom- mendation of your committee that : - 1 . The existing laws in regard to licensing of dogs be enforced . 2 . All dogs be inoculated against rabies before being licensed . 3 . That this inoculation be done free of expense to dog owners . 4 . That all dogs already licensed this year be inoculated as soon as it can be arranged . 5 . That all dogs be required to wear on their collars tags showing that they have been inoculated and licensed . If these regulations are adopted and enforced efficiently , it will be unnecessary to restrain or muzzle dogs except in rare emergencies . If a stray dog infected with rabies should bite a local dog , it would only rarely result in a new case of rabies , as the majority of the dogs in town would be protected by inoculation . As we have already had in Lexington one death in a. human being from rabies , the result of being bitten by a stray infected dog , and the town has already in years past been to considerable expense inoculating persons bitten by stray dogs , and it would not only probably cost the town less to inoculate all dogs free , and be more efficient than doing it at an expense to owners of dogs , but would in all probability prevent any further such tragedies , it is therefore the unanimous opinion of your committee that these recommendations be adopted before any ne7; cases develop . Respectfully submitted , Wm . b . Barnes , M . D . ( Chairknan) Joseph Swan Galen A . Russell . TdL COMMONY EALTH Or MASSACHUSETTS DEPAhTI I T OF CONST RVATIOiN • DIV . OF ANIMAL,L INLUSTRY June 2 , 1330 . Dr . Wm . L . Barnes , Health Officer , 1557 Massachusetts Ave . , Lexington , Mass . My dear Dr . Barnes : A copy of your letter has been forwarded to me by Dr . Bigelow of the State Department of Public Health and also his reply thereto . I concur absolutely in all that Dr . Bigelow has written to you , and as he has gone into the matter extensively can really add nothing of any more value . 412 cad0 07)14.4 I understand that Rhode Island has recently put on regulation3 that all clogs in that. Mate be inoculated against rabies . Very truly yours , Levan H . Richardson , Director . COMMONWEALTH Of MASSACHUSJTTY DEPT . OF PUBLIC HEALTH May 28 , 1930 . Dr . Vm . L . Barnes , Health Officer , 1557 Mamachusetts Avenue . , Lexington , Mass . My dear Doctor Barnes : The cities of Holyoke and Leominster , ivassa chusetts , have written us recently in regard to the matters you raised in your letter of May 26th .end my reply to the two colriumi - ti es has been in substance as follows : Over the last tv, o years rabies has been more preva- lent than at any time in the St _. te since statistical date has been available . Last year 5000 people were reported t :J us as having been bitten , which probably represents less than 50 per cent of those actually so bitten and the cost to them in material and professional service for the preventive inoculations against rabies must represent at least a quarter of a million dollars . This disease in this part of the country is kept alive in the community ani spread from one to another entirely by the stray unlicensed dog . The control then is vastly easier than almost any of our common communicable diseases , Ind yet every effort that we have made in that direction has been met with public indifference or active public opposition . There is plenL_ y of & utnority for the promulgation by the city council or the selectmen on the advice of the board of health of a ninety- day quarantine of all dogs . The lair says that they shall either be restrained or muzzled . In our opinion and that of the Division of Animal Industry muzzling is useless since the muzzle never fits , is usually hanging around the neck , and since years ago Daniel Vtebster made sport of the whole thing by placing a tea atrainer at the south end of a dog and claiming he was complying with the regulations , so that we recommend that no option be given and that restraint be required . Since during this period of ninety days all dogs / that have been exposed and are in the incubation period will have come down with rabies and be destroyed without exposing other dogs and if during this time all stray uogs are impounded and if not called for in a reasonable time destroyed human4y , the disease should be wiped out of your community . The only difficulty is that at the end of the quarantine period an infected dog may run in from an adjacent community and the whole thing be started again . For this last reason two years ago we attempted to get the cooperation of some severity communities in and around Bosttn in synchronous restraint . The health and police officials were interested and cooperative . Public support was vitiated largely under the leadership of the former Mayor Bauer of Lynn , so that tha sum total was inconvenience to those citizens who complied with the regulation and no improvement in regard to rabies . • 413 In the last few years an inoculation method to immunize dogs has been developed in Japan and extensively used in Connecticut , New Jersey and oth : r parts of this country . l Fere this method effective ani could we develop immunity again : t rabies in all our dogs , the problem would be solved . Unfortunately this method is not as effective as was at first suppoeed and inoculated dogs have come down with the disease . Until its effectiveness is increased it would seem to us unwise to reuire inoculation but from experience at the tgell Memorial Hospital and elsewhere I feel that with the present temper of our people , inoculation is more effective than restraint and I have used it on my or, n :log . It would , therefore , be wise for you to consider operating town clinics for the free inoculation of dogs in order to popularize this method . ► ome towns have required the restraint of sll dogs except those showing evidence of inoculation which has become popularized by this method . This has its drawbacks because in the first place the method is not cdmpletely effective and rabid dogs may in this way be at large , and in the second place it has been found that the tags on the collars have been stolen and put on uninoculated dogs . The city of cuincy and the town of iJilton have , within a year or more , issued ordinances in regard to the restraint of dogs , copies of which I am enclosing . I am forwarding your letter to lar . Richardson , the Director of the Division of Animal Industry of the Department of Cons , rvation , for his opinion on this matter . Yours truly , George a . Bigelow, M . D . Commissioner of Public Ecaith . It was voted to accept the report and place the same on file . Art . 9 . Under this article on motion of Dr . James J . Yalsh the following vote was passed . " Voted : That the sum of nine hundred and sixty dollars ( 960 . 00 ) be appropriated and assessed , under Chapter 67 , Acts of 1933 , being " an act authorizing Cities and Towns to appropriate money to provide facilities for Public Entertainment in connection with th ; t Jational Convention of the American Legion to be held in the current year " , for the purpose of public entertainment of visitors to the Town of Lexington , in connection with the Jational Convention of the American Legion , to be held in October 1930 , this money to be expended under direction of the Board of Selectmen . " The Appropriation Committee approved the appropriition . Arts . 10 and 11 . On Dr . Clarence Shannon ' s motion it was voted that articles 13 and 11 be taken up together . Under these articles Dr . Shannon offered the following motion which was passed unanimously : " Voted : That the Town purchase from Lois M . and Lillian G . Marshall a portion of the land owned by them near the Cary Memorial Library compris ink, lot C as shown on a " Plan of Land in Lexington , Mass . , Scale 1P equals 10 ' October 14 , 1929 , E . N . Montague , C . E . vest Acton , ass . " , bounded and described as follows : Southwesterly by land now or formerly of William E . Lenham , 50 . 85 feet ; 414 x) as 0 zin Northwesterly by land of the Town of Lexington 76 . 84 feet ; Northeasterly by land of the Town of Lexington 40 . 30 feet ; Southeasterly by other land of the grantors 76 . 09 feet ; containing 3840 feet more or less and to pay therefor to the said Marshalls the sum of seven thousand dollars ( 4,7000 . 00) and for the purpose of raising the money the sum of six thousand one hundred and fifty dollars ( 06150) be transferred from the account of Purchase of Carbarn property from Middlesex & Boston Street R& ilway Company , P,nd that the sum of eight hundred and fifty X7850) dollars be transferred from Account of Sale of Land to purchase of land adjoining Cary Memorial Library from Lois M . and .Lillian G . Marshall . " The Appropriation Committee approved the appropriation . Remarks were made by Mr . Haroti B . Lamont , Mr . Eugene G . Kraetzer , Rev . Christopher W . Collier , Mr . Elwyn G . Pre : ton , Mr . Edward W . Taylor , Mr . Patrick Flynn , Mr . Albert H . Burnham and Mr . William G . i larshall . Art . 6 . On motion of Dr . Clarence Shannon this article was indefinitely postponed . Art . 13 . On motion of Joseph R . Cotton this article was indefinitely postponed . Meeting dissolved at 10 : 35 P . M . A true record , Attest ; ("l .vw Town Glc rk . June 23 , 1930 . PERPETUAL CARE . Pursuant to a vote of the inhabitants of Lexington in Town meeting assembled on the second day of November , A . D . 1875 , the Town Treasurer hereby acknowledges the reeeipt of One hundred and fifty dollars ( $150 . ) from the estate of Isabella I . Simonds , the interest of which is to be expended in accordance with said vote and amendments thereto , and Chapter 225 of the Acts of 1870 upon lot 280 in the Munroe Cemetery in dressing and care of said lot , monument , walks and avenues adjacent thereto . • .6917-R-n" Town Treasurer . * Committee Appointee : James G . Robertson, Charles H . Schofield , Harold B . Needham , Patrick Shanahan , Charles S . Beaudry, James J . Walsh ( Dr ) , Robert H . Eldridge , Eugene T . Buckley, Frank P . Cutter, A. E . Rowse , Jr . , Roy A . Ferguson , Leonard Jellis , E . Elvidge Taylor, William E . Mulliken, and Sheldon A . Robinson . Allen Street School House d * Committee Appointed : James Stuart Smith , Howard S . 0 . Nichols , Mrs . C . E . Glynn , William H . Ballard , Clyde E . Steeves , Clara M . Barbour , and Howard E. Custance .