HomeMy WebLinkAbout1926-07-13338
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Meeting July 13, 1926. +M
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held at the
Selectmen's Office at 7:30 P.M. Messrs. Custance, Burnham, Hiles, '
and Robertson were present. The Superintendent of Public Works
and the clerk were also present.
Hearing was declared open upon the application of John J. McNeil
of Hillside Avenue, East Lexington, for permission to erect a one car
private garage on -his premises.
No persons appeared to object, and it was understood from the
Building Inspector that the building would comply with the regulations,
and it was therefor voted to grant the permit.
Mr. Jay 0. Richards and Mr. Hallie C. Blake came before the Board
in reference to securing their signatures upon plans of Blake Road and -
that of the general plan of lots of the entire layout of the Building
Trust property. Letter was received from the Town Engineer in which he
recommended that the Board sign the plan of Blake Road but that they
do not sign the plan of the entire layout until such time as the plans
of every street are on file in the Engineer's Office.
Mr. Richards informed the Board that -the Building Trust would
guarantee that the individual plans of the streets on -the general blue
print would be filed at a later date. He stated that if the Board re-
fused to sign this plan which he had to file at East Cambridge that they
would be held up on the sale of the lots. Under the circumstances,
therefor, the Board signed both plans.
Letter was received from the Yiddlesex & Boston St. RV. Co. in ,
answer to the Boards request as to the granting of a permit to any
bus company to run busses over the State Road to the Arlington line.
They stated, in substance, that they had no objection to the Boston &
Maine Transportation Company, and were willing to cooperate with them
if they desired to operate on the State Road. They did not feel, how-
ever, that other permits should be granted.
It was voted to lay the matter of action upon the applications of
the Boston & Maine Transportation Company and the Lovell Bus line, Inc.
on the table.
The Chairman signed the warrant directed to Patrick J. 11aguire as
Dog Officer for the killing of all unlicensed dogs in the town,
The Board signed the State Aid pay roll for the month of July.
It was voted to appoint Lillian McClure as Measurer of Wood and
Bark for the Town of Lexington for the year ending March 31, 1927.
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Roland E. Garmon, who lives with his father, the janitor of the
Stone Building, verbally requested permission to erect a steel garage
on the property of the town in the rear of the Stone Building.
It was voted not to grant him permission to erect a garage.
Letter was received from Walter E. Jones of Winter Street, in
which he called attention to the fact that he called the Fire Departmen
to a brush fire in Lexington Park back of his house, and one truck and
one man responded. At 11:15 P.M. the fire got away again and burned
over one -halt acre of his land. He called the department and told them
the condition, and they informed him that they could do nothing. Twelve
men and four women in the neighborhood then turned out and subdued the
fire in about one and one-half hours.
It was decided to request the Chief of the Fire Department to make
a complete report of the conditions to the Board so that they may report
to lir. Jones.
A letter was received from Charles Callahan, Assistant Engineer of
the Fire Department, in which he stated that he received a check from
the Town Treasurer at the rate of $150.00 per year. He felt that there
must be some mistake about the pay of the Assistant Engineers owing to
the Fact that the Chief.is receiving a salary of $58.00 a month while
the assistant chiefs receive $150.00 per year paid semi-annually.
The opinion of the Town Counsel was received, and he advised that
as long as the Fire Engineers are appointed by the Board of Selectmen
in his opinion their salary should be fixed by the Selectmen.
It was decided to find out what the recommendation of the Appropria-
tion:Committee was in regard to the salaries of the engineers, before
taking any action.
The following licenses were granted:
Comr..on Victualler Jack C. Bell
HAirdressing and ?4anicuring Hazel 0. Brown
Grace J. Stone
Mrs. M. A2. Heath
Public Carriage John Rose
James F. McCarthy
' Hans Sorenson
Arthur A. Marshall & Son
John Leary
The Board approved the application for license to peddle vegetables
of Leslie E. Belcher.
The Board considered the report of the Planning Board on the appli-
cation of.Aps. Ida H. B. Capper for a gasoline filling station at the
&nction of Waltham and Ifiddle Streets, and the plan of the layout of the
corners as proposed by the Planning Board. The only material difference
in the layout as pr -,)posed by there is that the roadway into the filling
station have a sidewalk on one side.
It was proposed to take the matter of building a sidewalk and the
general plan up with Mrs. Capper.
Tax Collector, Byron C. Earle, presented the following Rrticles to
be inserted in the next town warrant:
Art. 1. To see if the Town will vote to take $400.00 from the Gen-
eral Revenue and Surplus Account and transfer it to the Tax Collector's
Department. This.amount to be used to meet the expense of a clerk.
To see if the Town will vote to appoint a Comriittee of three
to study the duties and. responsibilities in the Tax Collectors DepartMent
' and recommend to the Town at some future Town 1-Teeting what they consider
a fair and just salary, also money sufficient to pay for a competent clerk.
The Board voted to lay this matter on the table.
The Board adopted the following re-ul::.tion for the sale by minors of
post cards:
p.
ORDERED that hereafter the Sale or barter by minors, other than
guides licensed under Article XXI of the Code of by-laws of 1922, of post
cads, pictures, books, pamphlets or souvenirs on the Battlegreen or
vicinity thereof, or in the vicinity of any of the historical places in
the town is hereby prohibited.
The attention of the Superintendent of Public Works was called to the
Tact that the sidewilk wotk should be done at this time. The applications
on hand at the present time are: Bedford Street in front of Phelp's garage;
Massachusetts Avenue on the property of Nellie H. Viano and on Woburn
Street along the property of Daniel J. O'Connell.
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Petition for the acceptance of Tower Street was received by the Board.
It was decided to take-up the petition of Barmcrest•Avenue acceptance also.
After considering the matter, the Board agreed to have the Town Engineer
get the necessary data together so that the papers could be drawn up for
the acceptance of the streets under the Betterment Act, and that the work
required by the regulations for acceptance of streets can be carried out b,:
the abuttors if necessary.
The Chairman reported that he had been working for a reduction on the
insurance rate which had been increased from 1.36 to 1.64 for a'term of
five years. This increase was namely on account of the New High School
Building. Applications were made for the reduction of rates charged for
non-combustible roofs on some -of the buil3ings which have been fire proofed
for three or four years past, and charge was being made for scenery in the
Town Hall which has not been there for years. As a result of these efforts
the rate has been reduced from 1.64 to 1.56. It may also be reduced by
the installation of approved fire extinguishers, and a list as followet`was I received from the New England Exchange, quoting reductions.
Cary Library (East) 4 extinguishers .02
Adams School 9 " .01
Town Hall 8 " .02
Village Hall 2 " .02
Cary Mem. Library 4 " .01
It having been found that -there were sufficient funds to purchase
the extinguishers and inasmuch as the saving would be approximately 097.
per year, it was voted to purchase the extinguishers at the reduced rate
of $9 each.
The report of Russell I. Prentiss, Who was temporarily appointed as
Health Agent on July 12,.1926was received.
In view of the fact that the duties of Health Inspector were tog
numerous for the, Chief of Police to carry out in connection T;ith his police,
duties, if was voted to a,.)point Russell I. Prentiss as Health .gent tem-
porarily. The appointment to begin from July 12, 1926.
In this connection fir. Prentiss agreed to secure evidence at the Mis-
kell property by giving information as to how Mr. Miskell's property stood
in reference to the conditions of t e pig permit.
_ Hr. Prentiss' report is as follows:
July 12, 1926.
To the 7oard of Health,
I herewith submit the following report on pig€;ery:
Name W. J. Miskell
Address. Concord Avenue.
341
Conditions..
1. Pens. Dirty, garbage, refuse, manure.
' 2. Troughs. Dirty.
3. Platforms. Supposed to.be cleaned?
C. .Feeding places clean? No.
5. Do compost heaps comply with regulations? No.
6. Is garbage kept according to regulations? Yes.
7. Are swine kept in wet land? Land on above date dry. One exception.
8. I9hen were buildings white -washed and how often is it dome? Never.
Mussell I. Prentiss,
Health Inspector.
Owneral Remarks on condition of premises. Dirty, unsanitary and.
offensive odors.
Who witnessed conditions with you? W. J. 7iskell, Owner.
Ghat recommendations have you to make? Do not issue a permit.
Is there a permit on the premises? No.
The garbage comes from Watertown and is fed fresh every day to
600 hogs.
After consideration of the report of Nr. Prentiss it was decided
that the exercise of the employment of keeping ,)igs by William T. Miskell
is attended by noisome and injurious odors and is a nuisance and hurtful
to the inhabitants of the Town, and it was therefor voted to pass the
following order, copy of which is to be served upon Mr. 1".iskell by a
Constable.
July 14, 1926.
Order of Prohibition.
The Board of Selectmen of Lexington, acting as a Board of Health,
under section 143, Chapter 111, of the General Laws and of every other
power them thereto enabling, hereby prohibit the exercise of the trade
or employment or keeping swine upon the premises or wiliiem J. Miskell
on Concord Avenue, Lexington, Mass.
In accordance with the provisions of Section 148 of said Chapter,
If the said Miskell shall appeal from this order in accordance with the
provisions of Section 147 the exercise of such trade or employment is
hereby specially authorized by the Roard while such proceedings are pend -
Theodore A. Custance Board
James G. Robertson of
CharlesH. Tiles Selectmen
Albert H. Burnham
Om
An order for the sewer layout in Mass. Avenue to Highldad
Avenue was adopted by the Board.
The meeting adjourned at 11:15 P."oi.
A true record, Attest;
Cl a rk .
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