HomeMy WebLinkAbout1967-03-06-AC-MIN.pdf Meeting of the Appropriation Committee, Monday, March 6, 1967,7:30 p.m.
Present: Frank Parrish, Chairman; J. Blaisdell; R. Gary; D. Grant;
G. Kolovson; D. Noyes; R. Perry, Comptroller; L. Zehner; R.
- Souza
Buckman Tavern. Bob Gary, speaking for the Historical Society, requested
that the Committee recommend appropriation of about $20,000 - $25,000
for repairs to Buckman Tavern which is owned by the Town and leased
to the Historical Society. A survey by Don Muirhead which was com-
pleted last Friday showed that wood rot and beetle and termite damage
have dangerously weakened the supporting beams to such an extent that
the building cannot be opened until it has been repaired. Work needed
includes: chemical application to kill beetles, additional girders
d 'J and supports, some new Lally columns, repair and strengthening of beams,
eaa replacement of some supports, and a new sill in back where the building
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has been found to be resting on the ground. Don Grant was of the opinion
that an act of the legislature would be required before the Town could
pay for such repairs because the terms of the lease require the Society
to repair and maintain the building as long as it is repairable and,
when the building can no longer be repaired, to give up the lease.
An Act of the legislature was required in 1951 to allow the Town to pay
$10,000 to reroof the building. It was learned later in the evening
that the Selectmen had decided against including this money in their
Article 4 budget on advice of Town Counsel, who brought up this point.
Sewer Bonding - Recommend bonding for 20 years.
Planning Board: Messrs. Greeley, Campbell, Worrell, Fowle and Mrs. Riffin
came to discuss the following items:
Salary Schedule as applied to Planning Director.
They had requested an upgrading of the position of the Salary Study
Committee but the chairman had never returned their call or given them
an appointment. The job of Planning Director has been left at 5-25,
against their recommendation, while the jobs of Executive Secretary
and Supt.of Public Works have been changed from 5-26 to S-27. Mr. Greeley
states that it is their opinion that the relationship between these
positions should have been maintained; their relative responsibilities
have remained the same. As for status of the positions, the Planning
Director is a technical position, as is the Supt.of Public Works,
whereas the Exec. Clerk is non-technical; he suggests that the technical
positions are workh more than the general positions.
Art. 57 - Emerson Rd. layout through Lidberg property to Adams St.
Planning hoard urged the Committee to reconsider its recommendation
against this article. This is proposed as a street betterment as a
result of a joint meeting with the Selectmen. If proposed as a land
purchase it would have required a 2/3 vote of Town Mtg. Selectmen were
to get ak options, but nothing has been done yet. They think it will
cost about $4,000, assuming the rest of the property will not be greatly
damaged but will be usable as a house lot. If they had proposed buying
the whole piece instead of just the portion needed to lay out the road,
it might have cost about $15,000 and we would have more tand than we
want. This is the last lot left unbuilt on which can be used to connect
Emerson Road. If this is not purchased, the Town will have to take a
house if it should ever want to extend and connect Emerson Road.
Reconsideration - Committee voted to recommend purchase.
Art. 36 - Traffic study of Bedford St. - Planning Board favors.
2.
Appropriation Committee Meeting
March 6, 1967
Beautification, Art. 75. — They wish to get on record as working on
beautification in order to qualify later for Federal money. They don't
believe they'd need any more of the budget than is already spent for
trees, park maintenance, etc. but would like to have all these present
expenditures considered part of a program of beautification, then if
the Town should, as they expect it will, vote additional money for
such projects as Lexington Center, part of this additional money would
be reimbursable.
Reconsideration — Voted against
Tufts Rd. land — they will not recommend this purchase in March
Selectmen — Frank Parrish received the following information at the
Selectmen's meeting:
Bloasomcrest, Art. 59. $20,000 originally requested. State has
already paid the Town $17,550.43 for constructing this street, Town
needs to appropriate only $2,500 more.
Art. 71 — Looming and seeding Baskin playgroflnd. Selectmen are
willing to postpone this.
Art. 4 — Account #1900 has been increased by Selectmen to $7,054.
Payfor workers has been increased by $285, total budget by $379.
Library Trustees sent letter stating that they have made the following
changes in account #1500:
Custodian overtime decreased from $2,000 to $1,000
Staff Education decreased from $500 to 0.
Total budget decreased from $158,184 to $156,684.
Account #1550 has been decreased from $72,417 to $67,417. This $5,000
has been deducted from Books.
Next Meeting March 13. Meeting with Selectmen, School Ctee. Assessors,
and Cemetery Commissioners, in the Selectmen's office.
Respectfully submitted,
Ruth F. Souza