HomeMy WebLinkAbout1929-05-07 168
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SELECTMEN 'S MEETING - MAY 7, 1929 .
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen
was held at the Selectmen's Room, Town Office
Building on May 7, 1929 at 7:30 P.M. Messrs.
Burnham, Custance, Blake and Shannon were present .
The Supt. of Public Works and the Clerk were also
present.
Trees, Buckman Request was received from Mr. Edwin B. Worthen
Tavern. for the Lexington Historical Society for the use
of the wood from the trees cut down on the Buckman
Tavern property so that they might use the wood
in the Buckman Tavern.
In regard to the assessment of the County
for the building of the Cottage Farm Bridge, the
Board, upon advice of the Town Counsel , signed
a letter directed to Lowell A. Mayberry, Attorney
Cottage Farm for the County Commissioners, in regard to the
Bridge. Cottage Farm Bridge assessment, and objecting to
the assessment being made upon the Town of Lexington.
It is understood from the County Commissioners '
Office that the Atto rney for the County will oppose
this assessment fob the various towns in the County.
The Town Counsel called the attention of the
Board to the fact that Wright & Potter were now
printing forms of the Act of Representative Form
Printing Act of Town Government and inasmuch as at a later
of Rep. Town Town Meeting when this is to be acted upon, the
Government. Town will need copies to be circulated amongst
the voters, it was decided to accept the bid
obtained from Senator Joseph R. Cotton for 55.
for 5000 copies of this Act.
Letter was received from the Town Counsel
in which he inquired if the Board desired him to
enforce the building law in connection_ with the
House on house on Outlook Drive, originally erected by
Outlook Drive Walter Bernard, now owned by the Medford Cooperative
re Building Law Bank by a foreclosure , the matter had been called
to his attention that the building had not been moved
to conform with the building law and the Inspector
requested him to enforce the building law.
The Board stated that the Attorney for
Mr. Bernard came before the Board, and the Board
agreed to notify him as to the proper step to take
next, and inasmuch as this was done, they did not
feel that action should be brought without notifying
the parties that they should move the house so that
it would be located on the lot at least 7i' frau the
adjoining line.
Board of Survey Letter was received from the Town Counsel
Layout, street in which he gave his decision regarding the Board of
from Mass. Ave. Survey layout of street over the property adjoining
To Vine Brook Rd.the Colonial Garage.
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Letter was also received from the Planning
Board stating that they approved thelayout of the
100' street from Massachusetts Avenue to Vine Brook
Road along the Viano garage, in accordance with
the layout made some years ago.
The Planning Board also informed the Board that
Mr. Viano purchased the property and they felt that
action should be taken, if it was to be taken, to
layout the street.
It was left with Mr. Blake to communicate with
Mr. Vieno in regard to making negotiations.
The Clerk reported that the new Zoning Law
would be effective May 10, 1929 and the Board ehoilid Appointment
have in mind the appointment of the. Hoard of Appeals of Board of
of five members, one to be a member of the Board of Appeals.
Selectmen, one from the Planning Board and three
citizens.
The sewer and water commitments were signed
as follows :
Water commitment $1417.88
Sewer Commitment 255.64 Commitments.
Sewer Abatements 1029.28
The following licenses were. granted:
' Frank Mara Alcohol License
844 Mass. Avenue
Hairdressing License.
Elite Beauty Shop 1747 Mass. Avenue
Innholri.r 's License.
Warren E. Russell 1505 Mass . Avenue
Mrs. Harriet Allem 1833 a ass. Avenue.
Public Carriage License.
Hans Sorenson Woburn Street
Arthur A. Marshall & Son 1844 Mass . Avenue
• John W. Leary 23 Waltham Street.
Slaughter House License.
Amoss Holman Hill Avenue Licenses.
Gustave Bunzel East Street
Sunday Sales License.
Hugh McIntosh 442 Merrett Road
Frank Mara 844 Mass. Avenue 1
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Letter was received from the Town Counsel
Lawrence vs . in which he advised that William W. Reed would
Town of Lexing- not serve to give expert testimony in the case
ton of Lawrence vs . Town of Lexington. The name
of Charles H. Schofield was to be suggested to
Mr. Wrightington, to request him to give this
testimony.
Invitation was received from the Commander
Invitation of the American Legion to, attend a meeting at
from American Masonic hall, May 28, 1929 at 8 P.M. at which time 1 ,
Legion. Robert T. Bushnell is to speak.
The Board hadto decline the invitation
owing to the fact that it came on the evening
of the regular meeting of the Board of
Selectmen.
Report of action on the Jonas Gammell
Legacy Fund was received from the Town Counsel,
a copy of which is as follows :
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Probate Court
Middlesex, ss. In Equity, April 23 A.D. 1929.
On the petition in equity of the Town of
Lexington in said County of Middlesex, petitioner,
against Joseph E. Warner, Attorney-General for
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, respondent
representing that Jonas Gamnell, late of said
Lexington deceased, by his will bequeathed the
sum of 000.00 to said petitioner to pay the
income therefrom for the purchase of such luxuries
or delicacies for the inmates of the towns '
almshouse as are not usually furnished to them; that
said sum was paid to the petitioner and the income
therefrom used for the purpose directed by said bequest
until the year 1925, when the mainteance of an
almshouse or similar institution was discontinued;
and praying that the Court will decree that the
income from said fund be expended by pres in such
Gemmell Legacy manner as it may determine; and for such ether
and further relief as the nature of the case may
require.
It appearing that expenditure of the income
therefrom in literal accordance with the terms
of said will has become impossible;
and it further appearing that said respondent
has answered;
After hearing and consideration, the Court
doth order and decree that the income from the
said bequest, including any income now accrued
and unexpended, be expended by the said Town
in purchasing such luxuries or delicacies for the
town poor, wherever located, as are not usually
furnished them, and as shall tend to promote their
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health and comfort, but otherwise in the manner
provided in the said bequest, and that the
expenses of this proceeding be paid out of the
said income .
John C. Liggett
Judge of Probate Court.
A true copy, Attest:
Loring P. Jordan, Register.
Mr. Wri htington rendered a bill for his
services of $50 . in this case and the expense Bill for
was to be charged to the Gammen Legacy Fund. services.
The Supt. of Public Works reported on the
condition of the sidewalk where Vine Brook passes
under Vine Brook Road, and found that the side-
walk had been washed away at that point.
die recommended that it be repaired and
also that a guard rail be erected along side Sidewalk,
of the walk so that persons could not walk. off Vine Brook Rd.
into the brook.
He stated that the price of fixing the
same would not exceed *25.
The Board authorized the Supt. to carry out
this recommendation.
Note :The following bids were received on the Water
Old Colony Corporation 100 .61 Water Note Bias
Estabrook and Company 100 .58
Atlantic Corporation 100 .72
Lexington Trust Company 101.76
The bid was awarded to the Lexington Trust Company,
The Board discussed the matter of form of
Guaranty Bonds and decided that the form presented Guaranty
would mean too much litigation and envolve too Bonds.
many tangles in property to use, in connection
with the construction of water mains .
Letter was received from the April 19th
Committee in which they requested that they be April 19th
discharged. It was decided to request them to Committee.
file a report of their financial doings before
being dis charged.
Letter prepared by the Town Counsel was signed
by the Board to be sent to Daniel J. O'Connell in Letter to be
connection with the settlement with his client , sent to
Dennis J. Healey in the amount of *800. , the D.J.O�Connell .
Town to fix up the sidewalk in accordance with
agreement made at a previous meeting of the Board
of Selectmen.
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Bids on proposals for furnishing, de-
livering and installing of improvements to
the Fire Alarm System of Lexington, Mass. were
received as follows :
Prices submitted for 1000 feet of l*" Single
Jacket Cotton Rubber Lined Hose Coupled per foot.
Fire Alarm American Fire Equip. Co. $401.80 Special offer 28¢
equipment 41¢ per foot. Irregular
bids. Less 2% lengths $280.
Barnes, Henry K. Co. Deluge Conqueror Red King Rival
49¢ 42¢ 31*¢ 21¢
$490. $420. $315 . $210.
Blanchard, Arthur H.Co. Special #364 Northern
Fire Dept . 40i¢ 28¢
49*¢ $396.90 $274. 40
$485.10 2% cash 2% cash.
Less 2% cash
Eureka Fire Hose Mfg. Co. 42¢
$411.60
Less 2% cash
Globe Rubber Co. Inc. 41¢ 38¢
$410.00 #380.00
Hewitt Butte Pemba 47i¢ 41¢
Rubber Company $465.50 $401.80
Less 2% Less 2% cash.
cash
U. S. Rubber Company 35¢ 20¢
$350.00 $200.00
The following prices have been submitted for two
35 x 5 tires for Forest Fire Truck:
F. K. Johnson Firestone Heavy kitty
Tires and Tubes $65.46
Lexington Tire Service.
U. S. Royal Heavy Service
Truck Tires 62.05
Tubes 5.50
67.55
Lees 2% 1.35
66.20
U. S. Royal Cord 45.40
Tubes 5.50
50.90
Less 2 % 1.Q2
$49.88
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Rosa Tire & Battery Co.
Goodrich Silvertown
8 ply heavy duty
with tubes. $72.00
Bids for Forest Fire Wagon Equipment.
American Fire Equipment Company $320.30
329.30
American LaFrance Company 334.00
Barnes, R. K. Company 249.35
303. 15
Boston Fire Appliance Co. 281.50
334.00
Arthur H. Blanchard Co. 314.50
320. 50
371.30
Globe Rubber Company 297.70
315.70
The following bids were received on "furnishing,
' delivering, andinstalling of improvements to
the Fire Alarm System in the Town of Lexington:
The Gamewell Company $9711
R. W. BeBaron Inc. 7400
Louis W. Bills 7300
It was decided that the bid of Ross Tire
& Battery Company for the 81 heavydutybe Bids
accepted and it was left with the Chief or the Awarded.
Fire Dept. and Supt. of Public Works to decide
whether or not they would install a new line
of tubes at a cost of $17. 50 which has been
recommended, and if they so desire, to try the
new tube, to reduce this id for the amount of
the two tubes.
It was voted that the bid of H. K. Barnes
Company of $303.15 for Forest Fire equipment
be accepted. It was also decided to award the
bid for the placement of 20 new fire alarm boxes
to Louis W. Bills at the bid of $7300.
The other items the Board left with the
Chief of the Fire Department and the Supt. of
Public Works to work out to the best advantage
to the Town.
Mr. William H. Ballard came before the
Board and present a plan showing the location School House
of 13* acres of the Town's property located on
the State Road adjoining the Lexington
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Reservoir. He had plotted upon the plan the
proposed location for a school house, and asked for
Engineering services for the Committee to choose
a site for the school house.
The Board was in sympathy with the idea of
utilizing the Town property an'd instructed Mr.
Ballard to communicate with the Engineer.
Proposals were received from the American
LaFrance and the Seagrave Corporation oh furnishixg
Proposals fire puulper for the Town.
Fire Pumper. No action was taken inasmuch as proposals .
have not been received from the other two
Companies requested to present same.
Rubin & Seligman came before the Board to
talk over the matter of giving a part of their
land adjoining the Colonial Building to the Town
for street widening. They were questioned as to
what they felt would be a fair offer for the strip
of land approximately 15' wide with an area of
about 2200 or 2300 feet, if the Town put in the
sidewalk and curbing. They stated that $6000 for
Rubin & the land would be a fair request to make of the
Seligman. Town.
After some argument Mr. Seligman agreed
to reduce the figure to $4500 but when. Mr. Bustance
pressed the matter, he reduced the figure to
$2000 and then to 75.X per foot on the land taken.
He stated that that was the last figure that he
would set for the land.
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Protest was received from Everett S. Emery
Protest in regard to removing trees and the widening
E. S. Emery of Massachusetts Avenue in front of the Buckman
Tavern.
Lengthy letter was received from the Town
Gasoline per- Counsel in regard to the application of Mrs. Mary
mit, Mrs. M. Rowland of Lowell Street for gasoline permit, in
Rowland. connection with her shore.
It was agreed to send a copy of this opinion
to all the members of the Board that they might
have the opportunity to read it and decide at a
later date as to what action should be taken.
Letter was received from the Town Counsel
regarding the request of Daniel J. O 'Connell
Letter of for a letter written by Percy Grassby to the
P. Grassby. Board and presented at the hearing on Mr. Mills '
application for variation of the Zoning Laws .
The Board approved having the Counsel send
a copy of the letter read at the meeting.
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Application was deceived from William A.
Granfield for a gasoline filling station at the
corner of Spring Street and Marrett Road.
Mr. Granfield had previously been granted a
permit for location of tanks on his premises, and
he violated the conditions of the permit by locat-
ing the tanks in a different location than was
permitted him. The former permit was revoked.
He now makes application for a new location
of tanks. In this connection a plan made by the Granfield
Standard Oil Company was presented to the Board gasoline
with a sketch made thereon with a parcel of land application.
which Mr. Granfield might give to the Town, if
consideration was given to his application.
Mr. Granfield agreed to -deed this parcel of
land to the Town.
Request was received from the Near East Relief Near East
to have an opportunity to collect clothes for the Relief.
Near East sufferers. The Board signed the request
that they be given permission to make these collec-
tions.
Report was received from the Supt. of Public
Works relative to petition of the Waltham Street
abutters of park land in regard to the high
water backing up-on the land.
The Supt. reported that a larger culvert
would drain the land better when the water in the
brook is low, but when there is high water, it
would back up on to the land as it does now. To
deepen the brook at this point would not improve Culvert,
matters because it would simply lower the bottom Vine Brook.
and make the water deeper at that point and the
flow would be the same level.
He recommended that a larger culvert or an
additional culvert be put in so that when the
water does recede, it can flow from the adjacent
land as fast as the water in the brook lowers.
The Board discussed with Mr. Rubin & Mr.
Seligman the advisability of placing the service
station they applied for further back on the lot.
They stated that the station would not be of any Rubin &
value if it were placed too far back from the view Seligman re
of the public , and furthermore they desired to Theatre.
hold the rest of the land until such time as they
were able to build a theatre.
They stated that a theatre of the seating
capacity of 1500 could not be supported at this
time by the Town but in a few years to come, it
would be a paying proposition.
At the present time they requested that the
Board secure for them a reduction of the assessment
Of the property in the rear, inasmuch as they could
not obtain any revenue from the same.
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Dr. Clarence Shannon presented a plan Z7
prepared by Mr. Greeley showing the location of
swimming pool on the Parker Field.
The plan made by Mr. Shurtleff, Landscape
Architect of this territory laying out .streets was
also presented. This plan had been prepared
for the Planning Board. The location of the
Swimming Pool. swimming pool did not in any way interfere with
the plan of Mr. Shurtleff.
It was voted that the Supt. of Public Works
be authorized to go ahead with the building of
the swimming pool and a drain of 7501 in this
connection be constructed and it was voted that
the Supt. of Public Works be instructed to work
out this proposition of installing the drain with
Dr. Shannon and the plans of the swimming pool as
far as construction was concerned be turned over
to Mr. Custance, he being the man familiar with
construction work.
The Town Engineer informed the Board that
there were so many requests for engineering work
Additional heap, that they had to have additional help. He stated
Engirrering Dept.that he could place upon the payroll one additional
man for a few months, and suggested that the Sewer
Department pay for the services of another man.
This arrangement was reported as entirely sat-
isfactory to the Supt. of the Sewer Department.
The Board approved of the action, and authorized
the employment of two men.
The weekly report of the Supt. of Public Works
is as follows :
For week ending May 4, 1929.
Highway Dept.
Surfaces were patched on Somerset Road,
Lincoln Street, Reed Street, Revere Street, Franklin
Road, East Street, Lowell Street, Hill Street and
Report of Supt. Massachusetts Avenue.
of Public Works] Gravel appliedand leveled on Hill Street and
Larchmont Lane.
The following streets have been dressed and
rolled and resurfacing material applied: Grove,
Oakland, Burlington, Reed and Hill Streets and Hayes
Ave. , and North Hancock Street.
Next week the department will be occupied with
the regular maintenance work.
Moth Department.
The department was occupied with the work of
cleaning up underbrush and the removal Of trees :on
Belfry Hill and will continue on this work until it
is completed.
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Park Department.
The department was occupied with the regular
maintenance work and will be so occupied next week.
Water Construction.
Approximately 1501 of li-" pipe was extended
on Wachusett Drive to supply water to Mrs. C. Harold.
Completed the extension of apprd=imately 75' of 6"
pipe in Oakland Avenue. Tied in the 8" main in
Massachusetts Avenue with the 12" main at Clarke
Street. Laid approximately 200' of 6" pipe in
Kendall Road to tie in Kendall Road with Marrett
Road main. Laid 241 of 8" main with the 12" main
at Waltham Street. Set hydrant at Depot Square,
and one in Massachusetts Avenue at the Green Stores.
Replaced hydrant on Warren Street which was hit by
an automobile.
Sewer Construction.
Laid 251 of 8" sewer pipe in Mass. Avenue to
connect Hunt Street with the Mass. Ave. sewer.
Unloaded carload of 8" pipe.
Work was started on Monday, May 6, 1929, on
the Waltham Street sewer.
Water Maintenance.
The following services have been installed:
Harold, Outlook Drive ; Hatfield, Kendall Road;
Endres , Oakland Avenue. A manhole was built around
the 6" meter at Westminister Avenue.
Sewer Maintenance.
Installed a sewer service for Fox on Bloomfield St.
Regular routine work is planned for the week
ending May 18, 1929.
Engineering Dept.
Highways.
Grade stakes for Buckman Tavern curb.
Finished plan and description of taking for A. W.
Partridge at corner of Marrett Rd. & Waltham Street.
Miscellaneous.
Line for ebuttor Marrett Road.
Line and grade abuttor Berwick Road.
Levels for proposed swimming pool.
Work on thru road plans from Bedford Street to Lowell Street,
and along Lowell Street to Maple Street.
Attended planning board meeting April 29.
Attended thru road hearing May 2.
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Remarks. 57
Have had no time to complete location of
numerous water sheds for Metcalf & Eddy sewer study.
Yours very truly,
William S. Scamman
Supt. of Public Works.
The meeting adjourned at 12:15 A.M.
A true record, Attest:
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Clerk.
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