HomeMy WebLinkAbout1969-05-19-AC-MIN.pdf 257
Meeting of the Appropriation Committee held on Monday, May 19, 1969,
at 7:30 P.M., in the Comptroller' s Office, Town Office Building.
Members present : R. Gary, Chairman; J. Blaisdell; L. Burnell;
E . Furash; J. Mitchell; H. B. Moore; R. Perry,
Comptroller; D. White; L. Zenner; E. Flynn
Planning Board - Meeting was held at 7:30 P.M. with Donald Graham of
the Planning Board and John McSweeney, Town Engineer. With reference
to Article 7, sponsored by the Planning Board, D. Graham presented a
history of the federal program known as Topics . Topics provides fede-
ral funds on a fiscal basis ( to start about 1970) for the improvement
of existing streets in a city or town that has entered into an agree-
ment with their State under Topics . D. Graham proposes that with an
appropriation of $7,000. , requested in Article 7, Lexington could re-
tain a consultant to begin assembling data to present to the State and
10 be among the first to avail themselves of these funds . Once an agree-
ment was entered into, street improvements and traffic safety deviees
would be under State control. At the annual Town Meeting Topics was
Vnot presented in connection with an Article requesting an appropriation
for a traffic study, but it will be presented at the special Town Mee-
ting. The meeting was closed at 8:30 P.M. After discussion, upon
motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED to recommend
unfavorable action on Article 7.
Commission on Suburban Responsibility - Meeting was held at 8:35 P.M.
Members of the Commission present: Arthur Bernier, Chairman of the Job
Task Force, Jerome Weinstein, Jean Christiansen and Robert Earsy, J.
Weinstein and A. Bernier presented the background for Article 4 . Ques-
tions were asked as to the legality of appropriating the requested
510,000. in public funds for this project . J. Neinstein stated that
Article 9 passage would provide in By-Law the enabling legislative
statute to eliminate legal problems that might occur during the imple-
mentation of Article 4 . The meeting was closed at 9:30 P.M. After
discussion, upon motion duly made and seconded, five members having
VOTED in the negative and four members in the affirmative, the motion
was passed by majority vote to recommend unfavorable action on Article
4 . One member expressed his wish to change his vote, thereby the
final vote was five affirmative and four negative and the Committee' s
recommendation will be for favorable action.
Executive Session - was held at 9:35 P.M. with Arthur Douglass with
reference to Article 6, sponsored by the Selectmen and requesting
1155,000. Mr. Douglass stated that a divergent range of appraisals of
the land and its best use, plus the question of R-1 land involved,
had made agreement on a purchase price impossible. He feels that his
price of $5. per square foot (075,000. ) is fair. Following are the
appraisals:
For Douglass : Berglund $ 55,000.-R-1 zoning considered
Lyons 75,000.-Parking area
Reenstierna 125,000.-Business
For Town: Lund (R.M. Bradley) 40,000.-Public purposes
Mr. Douglass said that he did not wish to go to eminent domain pro-
ceedings, but if an agreement could not be reached, he would be willing
5
to have the Court decide the fair value of the property. The execu-
tive session was closed at 10:25 P.M. R. Gary will contact the Select-
men advising them that the Appropriations Committee is not in a posi-
tion to go on record on eminent domain proceedings but it does
encourage further negotiations between their Board and Mr. Douglass
with the hope that some compromise on price could be made before
Town Meeting.
Recommendations for Special Town Meeting:
Article 2 - To be discussed - Town Office Building - $45,000.
Article 3 - To be discussed - Junior High School
Article - Favorable action - Trainees - $10,000.
Article 5 - No recommendation - School site - Marrett Road
Article 6 - Open- Douglass property - $55,000.
Article 7Unfavorable- action - Planning Board (Topics) - $7,000.
Article 8 - Unfavorable action - Westview Cemetery - 411,000.
Article 9 - Indefinite postponement - By-Law
Article 10 - Unfavorable action - Regional Refuse Disposal - $7,000.
D. Perry advised that since the Stabilization Fund could not apply
at a Special Town Meeting, that $41,607.65 be rounded off to an even
amount and transferred from E and D in anticipation of bonding in
relation to the Junior High School.
The next meeting night is scheduled for May 27, 1969, at 7:45 P.M., in
the Comptroller' s Office, Town Office Building.
Meeting was adjourned at 11:30 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth M. Flynn
Secretary