HomeMy WebLinkAbout1930-04-28SELECTMENIS MEETING
APRIL 22, 1930
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,
Blake and Trask were present. The Supt. of
Public Works and the Clerk were also present.
The following licenses were granted by the Board;
Alcohol License Ross Tire and Battery Company
Licenses.
Guide License John Fitzgerald and John Garrity
Sunday Sales Hugh McIntosh
Common Victualler Lillian J. Pratt.
Agents License Graham C. Brackett.
Letter was received from the Supt. of the
Water main
Water and Sewer Department explaining_ that he
in Bowker
had received an application for extension of a
Street.
water main from Massachusetts Avenue to lots 26 - 29
Bowker Street, and stated that the extension ofa 6"
pipe a distance of 275f would cost $900.
The Board voted to authorize the Supt. to
make this installation. ,
Sidewalk,
The Supt. of Public Works attention was called
Meriam St.
to the fact that the sidewalk in front of the •property
of Mr. Charles H. Miles, Meriam Street needed
repairing.
Letter was received from Mr. Francis E. Burke,
Attorney for John E.Timothy, in which he reported
an accident to Mr..Timothyts car which he claimed
was due to the negligence of the Town to protect
J.E.Timothyts
the highway with proper lanterns.at the corner of
accident to
Adams and East Streets while constructicn work was
his car.
going on.
Report was received from the Supt. of Public
Works on this accident, and he stated that he also
had the Engineers draw up a sketdh showing the
conditions. He also reported that there were lighted
lanterns on the street and that a so-called
boulder which was struck by the car was not a defect
in the highway, but was in the grass at the side
of the road and was not placed there by the workmen
excavating the water trench but was a part of an
old wall that has been in the same place for many
years..
He therefore felt that the accident occurred '
on property which did not belong to the Town and
that the Town was not liable. over
It was decided to turn the matter/to the
Town Counsel for his reply, and request him to deny
the claim.
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Letter was received from the Lexington Trust
Company in which they enclosed a plan showing
two proposed flood lights in front of the
' Lexington Trust Company on Massachusetts Avenue
and one or two located on Muzzey Street. Flood lights
The Board voted to rant permission to '
g p Lexington
the Lexington Trust Comr�any to install these Trust Co.
flood lights.
The Town Engineer was instructed to give
the grade lines of the sidewalk in front of
the Lexington Trust Company.
It was voted to take the application
of A. M. Prendergast for permission to increase A•M E°ren4,
the capacity of his gasoline tanks on Mass- dergast ,
achusetts Avenue & Fottler Avenue from 2500 filling station
to 5000 gallons, from the table.`
Mr. Prendergast came before the Board and
asked what kind of plan they wanted to have
.him present. He was informed that the Board
wanted 4 regular blue print of the property,
showing all of the property with the building and
tanks thereon.
Mr. Prendergast finally agreed to present
this plan and the Board voted to lay the matter
again on the table until such time as the plan
is presented.
' A great many mans of the Town are being Charge for
called for and inasmuch as it costs 03� each Town, Maps.
to have them printed, it was decided to charge
thepublic 104 for each of the maps furnished
them.
It was decided to»notify the Town Accountant Salary of
that the Board voted to establish the salary of Asst. Assessor.
Frederick J. Spencer, Assistant Assessor as $2800
for the year and to allow him $200 for the use
of his car for the year 1930.
Tentative dAte of May 12 was made for the May 12, Town
calling of the next Town Meeting at which time meeting.
the Vine Brook drainage que-tion is to be taken
UP .
The Supt. of Public _Works reported the cost Fence moved to
Of moving the fence on Hastings Park to Follen Follen Rd.
Road and setting it up as $150. The Supt. was
instructed to have it moved as soon as possible.
Mr. Custance read a letter which he had
drawn up to have signed in connection_ with Bermudex
the contract on Massachusetts Avenue wherein {asphalt, Mass.
�. Bermudez asphalt world be furnished in place Ave.
of the asphalt called for in the contract
of the State.
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The Town Counsel viewed the policy presented
by Eugene J.Viano of the Board of Trade, the
Overhanging same being a blanket policy to cover all of the
sign policy. owners of property along the line and the Town
against liability and property damage insurance
in case the overhanging sign connected with their
premises should cause damage.
Letter was received from Mrs. Helen Noyes
Webster in which she asked permission to hold a
Request for tree planting ceremony on the Buckman Tavern
Tree Planting. grounds•on Sunday, April 27th.
Mrs. Webster was informed that the Board
would permit her the use of the Buckman Tavern
grounds on any day but Sunday.
Report was received from the Supt. of Public
Works in which he gave the -figure of the cost of
Dexter Rd. construction of Dexter Road.
layout. It was reported that the plan and profile of
Dexter Road has not been filed in the office of
the Town Engineer, although the general layout
of the Lexington Building Trust Company property
was approved, and Mr. James Little has been
requested to file this plan.
Mr. Custance reported that Willard C. Hill
Insurance has placed insurance covering the brick building
of the M.&.B.St.Rwy.Co. pending the time that the
Town will take the property over.
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Letter was received from the B. & M. R.R.Co.
Estimate from
in which they gave an estimate of the cost of
B.&.M, co,
putting the extra track in condition as $4470.
and installing a new side trace 9751 long as $5791.
This information was laid on the table until
such time as the work will be undertaken on the
M. & B. St. Rwy. Co. property to out it in shape
for the Town.
The Town Counsel was notified that the Board
found it necessary to purchase the entire amount of
M.&.B.St.Rwy.
property of the M. &. B. St. Rwy. Co. which was
co property.
originally intended, owing to the fact that the
proposition with Mr. Anderson was.not going through
and for this reason he will be furnished with
another description by the Town Engineer.
Loan, $8000.
It was decided to issue the.balance of the loan
M.&.B.St.Rwy.
of $8000 on the purchase of the M.&.B.St.Rwy.Co.
Co. property*
property, the same to be issued at the rate of 4-41%
for the term of two years.
Letter was received from Mr. Frederick L.
Zoning Law
Emery in regard to enforcing the Zoning Law
re Roadside
relative to roadside stands.
Stands.
The Board discussed the matter but no definite
action was taken.
Report was received from the Supt. of Public
Works in which he gave the -figure of the cost of
Dexter Rd. construction of Dexter Road.
layout. It was reported that the plan and profile of
Dexter Road has not been filed in the office of
the Town Engineer, although the general layout
of the Lexington Building Trust Company property
was approved, and Mr. James Little has been
requested to file this plan.
Mr. Custance reported that Willard C. Hill
Insurance has placed insurance covering the brick building
of the M.&.B.St.Rwy.Co. pending the time that the
Town will take the property over.
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Application was presentedfr m John E.Barnes
asking for approval of plan of�out of street
' from Mass. Avenue to Curve Street, part of which
has been known as Barnes Place.
It was decided to refer the matter to the
Town Engineer for study and then the Planning
Board.
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Request for
layout of
stredt, Mass.
Ave. to Curve
Street.
Mr. Trask presented schedule showing
information that had been obtained from various
towns giving the salaries paid to various town
officers, and also from some business houses
in Boston giving the salaries paid to their clerks
and stenographers.
Mr. Trask reported that the average paid
to chief clerks was $30 and $25 to stenogranhers, Salaries,
and he offered as a motion for consideration of
the Board that an established rate ba- made by
the Board that the maximum wage for chief clerks be
$30, and the maximum wage for stenographers $25;
in this manner an established wage would be made
for the clerks to work up to and when this is
reached, it would then be understood that no further
increases would be granted except when there are
exceptional cases.
This matter was laid on the table until the
' Board has an opportunity to view the schedule of
salaries in other towns.
After considering the matter of salaries the
Board voted to grant the following increases in
salary to the following persons.
•
Helen 0. Whittemore, Selectmen Dept. $37 - $38.
Alice B. Ferguson, " " 22 - 24.
Evelyn M. Small " " 16 - 18.
Cecelia Maguire, Supt. Public Works 14 - 16.
Eleanor M. Lowe " " it 25 - 27.
George Harrington, Engineering Dept. 27.50 28.50
In regard to the complaint made by Mr. Bruce
Lewis that he had been only given an increase in
pay of 50� Mr.'Trask reported that he had taken
the matter up with the Town Engineer, and that the Town
Engineer stated he.,did not believe Mr. Lewis should
receive an increase any ;more than 50� this year;
that his 4bill .ties were limited.
The Town Engineer also reported that he felt
George Harrington should receive an increase of $1.00
giving him $28.50 per week, inasmuch as he felt
that for any transitmen, he world have to pay at
least $30. He also reported having,lost the services
of Mr. Arthur E. Colvin, and with the increase of
' Mr. Harrington and the employment of a new man, he
would still be paying one dollar less per week than
was originally planned for Engineering services.
The Board voted to grant the increase to Mr.
Harrington from $27.50 to $28.50 per week.
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Application
for gas tank,
Mr. Lovell.
Appropriations
Vine Brook
drainage.
Mr. Lovell of the Lovell Bus Line Inc.
came before the Board and asked permission
to locate a gasoline tank on the premises of
Mrs. Mary A. Rowland on Lowell Street, so
that he would have a place to furnish his
busses with gasoline.
The Board informed Mr. Lovell that this
was not in a business section of the Town, and
therefore they could not grant him a permit.
It was suggested that Mr. Lovell secure
a location in a business district, so that the
Board might then consider his application.
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Inasmuch as the appvopriations for all
departments have been made, it was decided to
notify the heads of the various departments of
the amount of the appropriation made for their
department and state to them that it was not
the intention of the Board of Selectmen to call
a Town Meetigg to ask for additional appropriations
for their Department, and ask that they live within
their appropriation as required by the State Law.
As.suggested` by.the Town Counsel at a previous
mee=ting, that the property owners that would be
affected by the drainage of the south branch
of•Vine Brook be invited to come to this meeting
to discuss the matter of Vine Brook drainage, the
following were invited to dome:
Mrs. Cora R. Norris, 77 Highland Ave., Lexington
Mrs. R. Belcastro, Marrett Road.
Heirs of James P. Munroe, et a1, 79 Summer St., Boston
Richard Burke, Marrett Road
Heil McIntosh, Trustee, 24 Meriam St.
Robert L. Ryder, Maple Street
Charles W. Ryder, 524 Walnut St., Newtonville.
Mr. Frederick L. Vinery, Chairman, Planning Board,
Pyr. C.Edward Glynn, Mr. William D. Milne, Mr. F. J.
Spencer, Assistant Assessor, Sydney R. Wrightington,
Town Counsel, Edwin B. Worthen, Neil McIntosh and
Mr.Ashley representing Mrs. Norris were present.
Upon telephoning Mr. Belcastro it was found that he
was ill, and Mr. Burke did not have a phone. Mr.
C. W. Ryder was also present.
Mr. McIntosh stated that he held title to some
of the land in the Vine Brook area, and he thought that
,he P_members stated that the assessment
'" bz�"J�o xJQs ve if the lots pf land in that
area were drained. Mr. McIntosh stated that he would
be willing to pay one-half a cent per foot if the
land was drained to be available for use. He
suggested that in making the assessment here,
that the Town do as was done in Newton in the ditch
that was put through. in Newton Upper Falls. They
took the main ditch and all the laterals and
made the land available. He also felt that if the
Town was only going to dig the main ditch and not
take all the laterals, that that would not be
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sufficient. Mr. McIntosh did not recall whether
or not he had been assessed for the drain in
Newton.
Mr. Emery explained that there were 146
acres in the South branch that are today useless
and the Planning Board figured that one-half a
cent per foot assessed on the lots that are now
unused would be what the assessment would amount to.
Mr. Emery stated that it was the intention to
dig the main ditch and then make it possible for the
land owners to drain their land.
Mr. Ashley stated that it seemed to him that
if the land be benefited so that it could be'built
upon, that it woild be worth'one-half a cent per
foot. As it is at the present time, it is not
worth very much. If the land is assessed for $200
an acre mora than 'at present and it is not drained
to be built upon, it would be very expensive land
for farming. He also stated that he doubted if some
of the land could be built upon.
Mr. Charles W.Ryder stated that he had already
expressed his views to Mr. Emery; that he was
ready to stand his share of the assessment on all
of the land if the drainage is done now. He would
like to have it done either now or.within the
newt two or three years, and he would be willing to
pay betterment assessments any where his land was
better,ed._ Mr. Ryder thought it would be a better-
ment to the whole Town to have the land desirable
and built upon, and that it wo:zld be very beneficial
to have the land in a position where it could be sold.
Mr. Ryder was asked by Mr. Wrightington whether
or not he thought it would be well for the Town to
provide for the draining only from Vine Brook Road
to Sherman Street, or whether they should provide
for the draining of the whole south branch.
'Mr. Ryde- thought that the whole thing should
be done right now.
Mr. McIntosh, regardin- thim.. stated that he
did not want to commit himself until he saw the
Peport of the Planning Board which was promised
at the Town Meeting. Mr. McIntosh, however, felt
that the whole thing should be done under the
Betterment Act.
Mr. E. B. Worthen asked if the Board did the
whole thing in one project, where the division
would be in assessing the betterments. Mr. Worthen
also asked if one contract for the trunk line in
the south branch was let as a whole project, why
the Board needs to consider dividing the assessments.
Mr. Emery stated that the experience in collecting
assessments for betterments has not been good,
and in many cases they have not been collected. Mr.
Emery felt that the Town should get an agreement
in advance arbitrarily fixing the betterments so
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that there would be no possibility of the Town
losing out and finding themselves 'amble to
reimburse themselves. It is believed from the
experience of others that betterments are
collected from easier when the agreement is made
in advance.
Mr. McIntosh brought up the point of diverting
the course of the brook by taking; the shortest route
and asked whether or not the Town woald be liable
for this inasmuch as they had one `experience of a
suit regarding a brook. He brought up the question
of digging out the laterals, and stated that the
land wo-zld only be drained when the laterals were
also dug out.
Mr. Ashley stated that if the drainage scheme
works out as Metcalf & Eddy have designed it, and
that all of the low land can be reclaimed, that he
himself would agree to betterment assessments of
one half a cent per foot, and he would also recommend
to Mrs. C. R. Norris that she also agree to accept
the betterment of one-half a cent per foot, provided
the land would be suitable for building.
Mr. McIntosh also brought up the point that
he thoulght the Town would have to di- out the
laterals out to each man's land owing to the fact
that the brook would be going throuj3h other lands
before entering the main brook, and unless this was
done, his land would not be drained.
Mr. Worthen called attention to the fact that
the plans of Metcalf & Eddy docs; not show any
laterals.
Mr. Custance felt that if the Town undertook
to lay out the laterals that they would get into
trouble. He felt that the Town should follow out
the plan of Metcalf & Eddy and then let the laterals
be built when the owners are ready to sell.the land
for development; then part of the drainage would
become street drainage.
Mr. Ryder thought they could not build the
streets until they knew where the water was going to be.
Mr. McIntosh stated that the City of Cambridge
was very anxious to get water and that it mi,Tht be
well to make some arrangement to run the water throuloh
some othel- way rather than through the Burlington
line, and run it into the Cambridge Reservoir.
General discussion was entered into as to
whether or not parties in the lower lands, if
drainage was turned into their property from the
various streets from the land above, mi;:Tht have
any claim against the Town.
There had been sometime ago, application for
relief from Vine Brook drainage _under Sherman
Street, and at that time Dr. Barnes was willing
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to contribute $600 towards the construction. At
the present time he does not feel so inclined.
Question arose as to whether or not putting
all of the water down in that territory in the
Spring of the year, whether there would be any trouble.
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It was stated that the culvert under East
Street needs cleaning oat and that this should
be done to provide for a flow off of the water
after the construction was done for the south
branch.
Mr. Worthen felt that the brooks, at a
cost of 02000 or $3000 could be cleaned out.
In fact 2500 would do a lot of the initial work.
The hearing closed At 10:10 P.M.
The Board requested the Town Counsel to draw
an article for the new Warrant to be drawn for Warrant for
Town Meeting covering the south branch of Vine Town Meeting.
Brook and another article that would cover the
work below Sherman Street-.
The following is the weekly report of the
Supt. of Public Works:
For the week ending April 19, 19?0.
Highway Department
The work of widening the traveled way in Eupttt.
Woburn Street was continued; excavating with the Report
steam shovel has been completed and gravel fill has
been made; during the present week the department
will place crushed stone and penetrate.
Streets were cleaned and surface patches made
in a number of streets.
Next week the regular maintenance work will be
done and the drain in Lincoln Street will be
cons true ted.
The cost of moving the road guard from Massa-
chusetts Avenue to Follen Road will be $150.00
Moth & Shade Tree Department.
Moth nests were treated with creosote, in
Massachusetts Avenue, Bedford Street, Reed Street
and Ash Street.
The department will continue this work next week.
Park Department.
Regular maintenance work, cleaning up, preparing
for April 19th and cleaning Belfry Hill.
Water & Sewer Department
Water Maintenance.
Two men painting hydrants; two men tieing in
shut -offs. Water service for Locke on Oakland Street.
Water Construction.
Set three hydrants on Hinchey Roa(? . Laid
approximately 75' of 8" pipe in Adams Street to connect
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East Street and made connection on East Street
with 12" main. Set one hydrant on East Street.
Sewer Maintenance.
Installed. sewer service for Leighton on
Tower Street.
Sewer Construction.
Laid approximately 751 of sewer pipe in
Tower Street for Leighton service and built one
manhole on this extension.
Park Department.
Laying 6" pipe at the ball field for the skating rink.
Regular maintenance work is planned for next week.
Engineering Department
Highways.
Check location at Waltham Street and Concord Avenue.
Survey of Burlington Street.
Water
Tied in new East Street main.
Drainage.
Vine Brook project.
Miscellaneous.
Grades at Playground for skating rink.
Sketches and figures for Granolithic sidewalks.
Chase Avenue lines for abuttor.
Sketch of.accident which occurred at Adams Street
near East Street.
Yours very truly,
William S. Scamman
Supt. of Public Works.
The meeting adjourned at 12 M.
A true record, Attest:
Clerk.
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