HomeMy WebLinkAbout1928-12-26ffm
REGULAR MEETING, DECEMBER 26, 1928.
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held. at
' the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building at 7:30 P.M. Messrs.
Burnham, Custance, Chamberlain and Robertson were present.
The Supt. of Public Works and the Clerk were present.
The Board signed the warrant for a Town Meeting to be
held January 7, 1929 which includes an article for the ac-
Meptance of the report of the Committee on Fire and Water
Departments.
The Board discussed very slightly what position they
should take at the Town Meeting in regard to this report.
It was generally felt that it was not sufficient to pass the
vote prepared. by Mr. Sydney R. Wrightington, and to let the
report to unmentioned by the Board of Selectmen.
It was therefore decided to make a statement in Town
Meeting that the Board were unanimously in favor of the re•nort
of this committee.
Items taken from the Selectmen's records during the year
were presented in rough form for the members to scan through
for items for the report of the Selectmen for the Town Report.
It should be remembered that the reports of the different
departments should'be filed by the 15th of January, 1929.
The deed of the Tower Park having been received from
Miss Ellen M. Tower together with check of 510,000, the Board
voted to accept the deed find to hand to Miss Tower copy of
the resolutions passed by the Town in connection with the
acceptance of the same.
The deed is as follows:
I, Ellen M. Tower, of Lexington, Middlesex County,
Massachusetts, being unmarried., grant to the Town of Lexington,
a municipal cornorattnn existing under the laws of said
Commonwealth, for the purpose of a public parrs in the memory
of my father, 7illiam Augustus Townr, a citizen of said
Lexington, and for no other pur^ose except as hereinafter pro
vided, the land in said Lexington described as follows, namely:
Beginning at the Southwesterly corner of the granted
rremises et Massachusetts Avenue and land now or formerly of
Laura Brigham, thence running in several colirses bounded by
said land of Brigham and land formerly of Charlotte Brown
Bids for the printing of the town report were
received
as follows:
The Melrose Free Press, Inc.
$2.24
per -page
The Hadley Press, Inc.
2.19
" "
Newburyport Herald Press
1.85
"
The Medford Mercury
1.90
'
Although the bid of the Newburynort Herald Press
slightly lower than the bid of the Medfofld Mercury,
was
it was
decided on account of the distance and the
past good
work
of the Medford!!Iercury to award the bid to
them at
their price
of $1.90 per page.
Items taken from the Selectmen's records during the year
were presented in rough form for the members to scan through
for items for the report of the Selectmen for the Town Report.
It should be remembered that the reports of the different
departments should'be filed by the 15th of January, 1929.
The deed of the Tower Park having been received from
Miss Ellen M. Tower together with check of 510,000, the Board
voted to accept the deed find to hand to Miss Tower copy of
the resolutions passed by the Town in connection with the
acceptance of the same.
The deed is as follows:
I, Ellen M. Tower, of Lexington, Middlesex County,
Massachusetts, being unmarried., grant to the Town of Lexington,
a municipal cornorattnn existing under the laws of said
Commonwealth, for the purpose of a public parrs in the memory
of my father, 7illiam Augustus Townr, a citizen of said
Lexington, and for no other pur^ose except as hereinafter pro
vided, the land in said Lexington described as follows, namely:
Beginning at the Southwesterly corner of the granted
rremises et Massachusetts Avenue and land now or formerly of
Laura Brigham, thence running in several colirses bounded by
said land of Brigham and land formerly of Charlotte Brown
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4
rd
a total distance of seven hundred forty-nine and forty-eight one
hundredths (749.48) feet, -beioston on
more or less
._ to lap- of the
and Maine Railroa-?, all as show,, -"Plan Land
.,upon a of in East
Lexirgton belong1n8 to Em -~a I. Datler" drawn by J. 0. Goodwin,
surveyor, dated ovember 1886, and. recorded witY, Middlesex
Sol_ith
,
District Deeds, Book of Plans 50, Plan 13, to which plan
reference is hereby made for a
more particular description of
said boundary line; thence running North 180 19'
4A?est by land
of the Boston and Maine Railroad about one thousan' two hundred
nine (1209) fe^t
to land formerly of JonRs Munroe; thence turning
and. running Southvi sterly by said land formerly of Munroe
about
two hundred forty ?240) feet to Massachusetts Avenue, thence
turning and running in a general Southerly direction, following
the line of said Massachusetts
Avenue,, about one thousand three
hundred six (1306) feet to the point of beginning or however
otherwise said premises may be bounded, measured- and described
and be
all. said distances more or less, intending to inclyde herein
all of the three adjoining
parcels of land described in the
following deeds to which reference is hereby made, viz: -
deed of George E. Lotbrop to Ellen M. Tower, dated May 29, 1912, and
recorded with Middlesex South District Deeds, book 3696, Page 519;
deed of Nathaniel
W. Pierce to William A. Tower dated April 29, 1884,
and recorded with said Deeds, Book'1664, Page 345; and deed
of
Laura M. Brigham to Ellen �!. Tower, Dated June 3, 1912, and recorded
with said Deeds, Book 3698, page 224.
Granting to the Town of Lexington the right to lay out a
public way mear the southerly boundary of the park as indicated
on a plan entitled "Suggested Street Development in and Adjacent
to the Property of Ellen M Tower," December 220 1927, John T. '
Cosgrave, Acting Town Engineer, and to thereafter convey for
reasonable consideration the portion of the premises'lying
southerly of said- proposed street free from restrictions except
that no buil-ling shall be erected within twenty feet of said
proposed street; the proceeds therefrom to be added to the fund
hereinafter set apart for the care of said. park. Gran#ing to
said. Town the right to erect on the southerly end of said park a
memorial to the Minute Men of Lexington; provided, however, that
any such memorial shall be approved by three of the leading architects
of the country at the time of its erection.
Reserving to the grantor and her legal representatives the right
to place a suitable tablet at or near�the entrance to the park in
memory of said William Augustus Tower.
And for the purpose of providing a permanent fund the income of
which shall`_be applied from time to time during each and every year
hereafter tu,,rards the care and maintenance of said. park, I hereby
assign, transfer, set over, and pay to said Town of Lexington the sum
of ten thousand dollars; ($10,000.00) to be safely invested and re-
invested by said Town and kept distinct and separate from the other
funds of said Town, tie income thereof to be applied by said Town in
each and every year for the care, maintenance and improvement of
said park. '
IN 77ITNESS 7?FE'Rpop I the said Ellen �1, Tower hereunto set my
hand. and seal this seventeenth day of September in the year one
thousand nine hundred and twenty-eight.
Ellen M, Tower (Seal)
COMMOV7FALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Middlesex, ss. September 17, 1928
Then personally appeared_ the above named Ellen M. Tower
and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be her free
act and deed, before me
Edwin A. Howes
Justice of the Peace
My commission expires February 21, 1934.
The Town of Lexington hereby accepts the foregoing
conveyance upon the terms and conditions herein above set
forth and agrees to hold. the fund hereinabove referred to
for the purposes and in the manner hereinabove set forth.
Albert H. Burnham Selectmen
Theodore A. Custance
James G. Robertson of
William F. Ballard
Francis Chamberlain Lexington.
Mr. Charles M. rollins having signed the application
made out by the Board for a two car garage 201 x 26+ x 1510,
it was decided to grant him a license.
Mr. Theodore A. Custance reported settlement of the claim
of Mr. Thomas Whiting in the amount of $40.00 which was approved
by the Boar,' subject to signing of relegse by iuir. Whiting.
n Bond of the American Surety Company was filed by Forrest E.
Ing covering the overhanging sig- at 1745 Mass. Ave. In
looking over the bon,! it was found that the bond was made to
Forrest Edwarl zing and signed by Forrest E. King.
The Board therefore deci.d.ed to request the Town Counsel to
give his opini-)n as to whether this signature is sufficient,
whether ti -P, bond is satisfactory, whether the signature should
be sealed and witnessed. and whether in the future all bonds
of this n�nture should. be submitted to him for hi.s approval.
Request together with $2.00 in payment of advertising
was received from t'asqual_e 4oretti of 80 Bow Street, asking
that hearing be given him under Section 15 of the Zoning Law so
that he might change his house frog one family to two families,
it being locate,? in a single family district. This application
was received. from a man who has previously violated the Zoning
Law by making his house into a two flat house without permission
from the Building Inspector and he was ordered to remove the
plumbing from the house and remove tl'�e families from the house.
It is the oninion of the Board that the check should be
returned to Mr. Moretti #ogether with the statement that the Board.
does not believe that pu.bli convenience and welf,.re would_ be
substantially served by making an exception in t is instance ,
to the Zoning Law.
However, owing to the fact that it might be possible
H that
the Board would be required to hold a hearing on this matter,
it was decided to refer the matter to the Town Counsel with
an explanation of the opinion of the Board.
Abatement having been requested by Mrs. Hazel M. Barry
and `'r. Ch -rtes Harold.to the Supt. of Public Vlorks and letter
received from the Supt, of Public Works explaining the situation,
the Board_ discussed the matter and decided to request the Town
Engineer to make his plan more definite as to the end of the
construction of Prospect Hill Road, and get additional information
as to why some of the lots were not assessed for the betterment.
The matter w^s therefore laid upon the table for one week.
Bids were presented b77 the Supt. of Public Works from the
following companies:
J. S. Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry Co.
Extra cost of 17¢ for cement lined, approx.
R. D. ?Mood & Co.
Extra cost of 16-J" for cement lined, approx.
American Cast Iron Pipe Co.
Pit Cast A. W."N. A. Standard.
12" Class C, P & S Pine, 121 len§ths
12" Class C. " 16?
Mono -Cast Centrifugal Pipe
12" Class 150, B. & S. pi e. 161 len§ths
12" it250, " , 161
$1.35 per foot
10,000?
$1.39 per foot
6,000►
$2.2828 per foot
2.2886 It
$1.6824 per foot
1.7352 11
The Supt. of Public• Works recommended the acceptance of the
bid of the d. S. Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry Co. at $1.35 per foot
for approximately 10,000 feet of pipe.
e Board authorized the Sunt. of Public Works to order this
pipe explaining to the company that the order would be subject
to an apnronriation by the Town in Parch, 1929 for the water Dept.
The weekly report o" the Supt. of ,iblic''Norks Is as follows:
For week ending December 22, 1928.
Highway Department..
Construction work on Ba?�7er Avenue. Summit Road, and Bennett
Avenue contihued through the week. The money allowed for apart
of the construction of Baker Avenue and Bennett Avenue has been
exhausted, and work has been stopped until further appropriation
shall be made. Catch basins installed at corner of Summit Road.
and Follen Road.
Catch basins and gutters cleaned. Street surfaces patched
and work done cutting back the sides and widening a part of
East Street. No work contemplated for next week except regular
maintenance work and snow removal if necessary.
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Moth Department.
Gypsy moth nests `treated on 1,41ood. Street, Brush burned
on East Street and Adams Street.
Park Department.
Regular maintenance work carried on.
Water Maintenance.
Services"have been installed as follows: Barker, Concord
Avenue, Young, Outlook rrive; renewal for Robinson, Robinson
Robinson Circle.. The work of lowering the 611 water main in
Baker Avenue Ihhs continued, and �-nproximntely 3601 were lowered
last week,
Water Construction.
Approximately 1501 of 6" water main has been laid in
Tucker Avenue.
Sewer Maintenance.
The service for I4Ir. Amaru has been completed. started
Trask sewer service.
Sevier Construction.
' Approximately 301 of 8" sewer pipe has been l -id in
Edgewood Road, and ledge has been encountered. Approximately
501 of 8" sewer pipe has been laid. in Hastings Road, and one
manhole has been constructed.
The work contemplated for the week ending January 5, is
as follows: Edgewood Roarl sewer; water and sewer services, etc.
Engineering Department.
Sewers.
Lines and grades for construction at Hastings Ro-d.
Lines and grades for construction at Edgewood Road.
Highways -
Continued work on Hill Street Survey.
Miscellaneous.
Location ani measurements of 17 additional overhanging
signs.
Work on Block plan.
Very truly yours,
William S. Scamman
Supt. of public 'Norks.
47
fr, Edward ;'i, Taylor an -eared before t're Board in regard_
to the apnlication made by xar. Chrrles '^', Bla'{e o' t ,e Fire
Relief Association, for permissio^ to use the=temorial
Building from January 26, 1929 to February 2, 1929.
Mr. Taylor explained that it would. be necessary to
have rehearsals previous to the show, and that they would
desire to have it for the week, intending to put on the
regular show on January 31, and February 1, 1929.
The Board therefore decided to allow him the use of
the hall at the rehearsal rate for the evenings previous to
the show beginning January 26 to January 30, 1929 inclusive,
with'the 20% reduction for charity for rental of the hall on
the nights of the show.
Sidewallr commitment was signed in the amount of $654.26.
Letter was received from Louis W. Bills, Wire Inspector,
calling to ,the Board's attention an accident which occurred at
the junction of Lowell and Woburn Streets just previous to
the Christman holidays when an automobile was on fire on
account of a collision, and the. occupants just escaped death.
In this connection he felt that automatic traffic signals
with the stop and go signs shoulr' be placed at Lowell and Woburn
Streetsand also at Marrett Road and "'altham Street.
The Board decided to acknowledge receipt of Mr. Bills,
letter, an -4 thank him for 6 -fling the matter to their attention,
and to state that they have in mind the placing of some sort
of automatic signal but have not as yet decided definitely upon
the same.
The Supt. of Public `Norks was also instructed to find opt
whetb-r the approval of the State would have to be received
upon any signals erected.
Letter was received from the Supt. of Public Works in
regard to the water billowed by fir. John Berg of Blossom -
crest, in which he stated that the water had been turned off by
the department, and request was made to him by the District
Nurse thst inasmuch as Mrs. Berg is not well and there are a
number of small children, it is.a great hardship for them to
be without water.
The Board decided that it was up to Mr. Berg to secure the
money through the bank or otherwise before the water is turned on.
The meeting adjourned at 10:25 P.M.
A true record, Attest:
Clerk.
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