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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1930-05-13 16 SELECTMEN 'S MEETING MAY 13, 1930. A regular meting of the Board of Selectmen was held at the Selectmen 's Room, Town Office Building, at 7 30 P.M. Messrs. Burnham, Custance, Blake, Shannon and Trask were present. The Supt. of Public Works and the Clerk wore also present. It was voted to grant the following licenses : Common Victuallers Bessie A. Johnston 1556 Mass . Ave. Junk Licenses granted A. Greenblot 94 Prospect St. , Waltham In connection with the granting of a permit Overhanging for an oyerhanging sign to the Somerville Hudson sign license Essex Co. the Board decided to notify them not granted. to display their automobiles on the public highway for sale. II Letter was received from the Supt. of Public Works in which he stated that it would take 10 Street lights, t lights for Westview Street and it would Westview St. cost approximately $90 for the lighting for the balance of the 'year, and to apply bituminous material to the stbeet woild cost about $750. There are five families west of the railroad but none between Bedford Street and the Railroad. The Board decided to notify Mr. Melanson that the Town would undertake to install the street lights but had not suf 'icient money in the Highway appropriation this year to put tarvia on the street. It was voted to grant the E.E.I.Co. Pole location. permission to set and remove one pole on Waltham Street at Winthrop Road Extension. Invitation was received to visit the opening Invitation, of the new clinic quarters of the Pondville Pondville Cancer Hospital at Norfolk at 11 A.M. Tuesday, Hospital. May 20, 1930. Invitation was also received to attend the Invitation, annual Prison Industry Meeting to be held Prison Industry Friday, May 23, at 11 A.M. at the reformatory for meeting. women at Framingham. Letter was receivwd from the Board of Public Works of the Town of Arlington in which they 162 aZa Culvert, acknowledged receipt of a letter from Mr. "-_] Lexington- T. A. Custance relative to the out-lay by C, Arlington the Town of Lexington of $431.66 for line. a corrugated culvert in Lexington near the Arlington line. They also stated that the members of the Board of Public Works felt that the Town of Lexington is justified in askin? their Board to assume some portion of the cost of the out-lay. It was decided to notify the Board of Public Works of Arlington that the Town of Lexington feels that they should pay part of the cost of this construction work, and asked them to bear it in mind to ask for an appropriation at some later date. Letter of Letter was received from the Mayor of the thanks, Mayor City of Nashua, N.H. in which he thanked the of Nashua N.H. Board of Selectmen for the efforts of the Fire Department of the Town in the great catastrophe they have just gone through. Letter was received from the April 19th Committee in which they listed the expenditures made by them for the April 19th celebration. April 19th The expenditures over-ran the appropriation in expenditure . the amount of $77.04; owing to the Tercentenary year the April 19th celebration was lar;er than usual and it was the"efore decided to request the Tercentenary Committee to pay this additional amount of money which had been expended by Mr. Child for the celebration. Bill for Bill was received for the printing of the printing Vine Brook Drainage report in the amount of $300. Vine Brook It was decided to approve the bill for payment Drainage when the appropriation is made at the next Town reports . Meeting. In regard to the request of the Chairman of the Planning Board for clerical services at their meetings , it was decided to notify the Clerical PlanningBoard that the clerk of the Supt. of service, Public orks would arrange to do the clerical Planning work of the Planning Board on Tuesday morning, Board meetings . after the Planning Board meeting the night before, , but that the Planning Board should reimburse her at least $2.00 each evening for her services out of their own appropriation. Letter was received from the Town Counsel in regard to the letter written to him stating Legal opinion that applications for golf practice had been re golf practice received to have golf practice on Bedford Street, on the property of George W. Bean, and also to practice on the property known as Marrett Gardens on Marrett. Road. d 1G3 The Town Counsel advised that he did not know of any law that covered the licensing of the game of golf, and if the applicant knew of any such law, he would be glad to be referred to it. He felt that in the absence of a licensing statute, he was of the opinion that the Board should make it plain to the applicant that they have no authority to decide questions as to the use of land and that any opinion that they may express that the Zoning Law does not permit such use in a residence district is made informally for the purpose of informing the applicant as to the probable course the Board would take in enforcing the provisions of the Zoning By-law if such an enterprise were established. The Board did nit take any action on the matter. The Board signed an agreement between the Town and John Iafolla Construction Co. wherein they were to gather up all the loam where the John Iafolla excavating is to be done for the construction Con. Co. of Massachusetts Avenue as directed by the Board agreement. of Selectmen, and deliver the same to Hastings Park for the sum of $2. 50 per load, and all of the surplys filling material was to be delivered to the same location for $1.00 per load. Letter was written to Mr. Ralph E. Lane regarding the trees on Mas _ . Avenue, he having written that he believed that several trees should be removed and new trees placed along the Avenue. In the particular location which Trees, Mass. he spoke of on Mass . Ave 'ue, there are many Avenue. trees, and it did not seem necessary to the Board to put in any new ones just now, except to trim the present tre s still showing the results of the ice storm a few years ago. The Board considered the votes of the Town Votes Meeting to he held May 19, 1930. considered. A letter was written to Mr.H. I. Harriman Chairman of the Metropolitan Planning Division in which the Board supported any action that Proposed street might be taken under House Bill #1323 providing from Arl. to for a State highway which is intended to begin Lexington. in the Town of Arlington near the intersection of Mystic and Summer Strets hence along the line of Summe- Street to the place where Summer Street is now a State Highway; beginning again on Lowell Street in the Town of Lexington near its intersection with Maple Street, thence along Lowell Street to a point near its intersection with East Street ; thence over public and private ways and public and private lands to a suitable point on Bedford Street in Lexington. 164 If the Act passes in the Legislature CJ providing for this street, the Town will only have to pay the cost of damages to the land owners, and the Beard informed Mr. Harriman that they stand ready to do this . It is the understanding of the Board that the land damages will not amount to a great deal inasmuch as some of the land owners would be glad to give the land inasmuch as the street will be an improvement. Letter was received from the Town Accountant giving the financial statement of the Town and suggesting that a loan of $170,000 be made, payments to be made on the same as follows : Maturing debt payable June , July and. August $29,000.00 Interest payable June, July, and August 3,428.75 Revenge Loan payable June 5, 1930 l00,M00.00 Other estimated expenses 130,752.00 making a total of 4263, 180.75 Revenue Loan He suggested a Revenue loan of $170,000 notes to be dated May 21, 1930 and payable December 31, 1930 . The Board voted to authorize the Accountant to proceed to direct the Treasurer to get bids on the Revenue loan for this amount . The Supt. of Public Works explained that the present blacksmith employed in the Water next. has requested an increase in pay to $40 per week. He came to the Town of Lexington from Blacksmith a place where he worked in a quarry, and he was given getting $42.50 per week, but the work was increase in monotonous and no variety; he was willing to pay. come to Lexington for less money. The Board felt that having a permanent blacksmith was a considerable saving to the Town, and in view of the fact that this blacksmith's brother was formerly the man hired in the Water Department at the rate of $32 .40 a week and with a helper the total paid for this service was $58. 80 per week, and this man was doing the work withort any help except occasionally it was voted to give him the increase in pay to $40. per week. The Town Engineer reported that he had been to the Registry of Deeds and checked up the deeds of the Woods property and found Woods deed. that Mr. Woods was referring to an old deed that had been copied for him by someone, his original deed having been lost , and there was an error in this copy. He reported thit he hAid checked the deed and that the taking that the Town had made along that property was absolutely correct. 165 TheTown Counsel reported another hold-up • on the passing of the deed from the M.&.B.St. Rwy. Co. to the Town for the carbarn property, but hoped that the matter would be cleared up so that the deed coald be passed this week. Purchase of Mr. Custanee reported that the land M.&.B.St .Rwy. purchased by the Town Will only take $6700 co. property. in valuation out of the taxes. It was decided that the taxes should not be charged to the M.&.B.St.Rwy .Co. owing to the fact that the dela r has not been wholly on their part . Mr. Custance reported having talked with Mr. James Stuart Smith regarding the adjournment Adjournment of the Town Meeting, and Mr. Smith stated that he of Town Meet- desired to have the adjournment of the May 19th ing. Town Meetin, extended for thr, e weeks, to June 9, 1930. Conference was had with Mr. F. L. Emery, Sydney R. Wrightington and the Building Inspector regarding roads, de stands . The definition of what was meant by a roadside stand was considered. It was also considered ts to whether or not a person selling a few bunches of asparagya Roadside on a bushel box on their premises could be Stands considered, a roadside stand . Discussed. Mr. Emery believed that anything' of any kind that was placed beslee the road, whether it was a stuucture or not, where persons displayed their products for sale might be considered a roadside stand in a residence district. Mr. Wrightington explained that this did not refer to the business distri"ts. They have a right under the Zoning Law to sell products retail. Mr. Emery called attention to the display being made by Mr. Joseph B. Boinay on Pleasant Street; he also called attention to the traffic hazard caused by this stand, and stated that Mr. Boinay has a regular store on his premises , and is not in the business district. Attention was also called to the Luongo stand on Pleasant Street which is on a narrow part of the road. Mr. Emery also called attention to the place operated by Russell Bray on Marrett Road. He felt that it not fair to allow him to do a business which violates the regulations . Mr. Burnham felt that there was an old law on the Statute books that allows farmers to sell products anywhere they desire . He also sited a case in Somerville where a farmer in Lexington had gone there to sell his products , and he was arrested, and the Judge threw the case out of Court, inasmuch as the man waF selling products that had been raised by himself. 166 Mr. Wrightington stated that the case was probably decided under the hawkers and peddlers law, but he did not know of anything that allowed farmers to have any rights other than anyone else, inasmuch as the Town has a right to zone districts for one business as well as another. Mr. Wrightington suggested that possibly a circular letter should be wrftten to the various persons who have roadside stands , and call their attention to the Zoning Law, that they tyre required to apply to the Board of Appeals for a permit and this should be done by the Building Inspector. Mr. Emery did not believe that letters should be distributed to this effect, but he felt that after one or two cases were brought up before the Board of Appeals that the news would be circulated around in that way and persons would then know that they had to secure a permit from the Board of Appeals . Mr. Emery called attention also to a sign erected by Mr. Currier and Mr. Munroe who operated the stand at the corner of Woburn and Lowell Streets, which is at least 300 ' from the corner of that street inasmuch as it states so on the sign, and he felt that this was a violation of the Zoning Law, inasmuch as it was advertising the business outside of the business district; the sign advertised petrol gasoline. He also called attention to the fact that the Mohawk Club violated the Zoning Law, by advertising the serving of meals to the public. He asked for assurance that the Boa„d would proceed to enforce the Zoning Law. Mr. Wrightington stated that he did not believe it was up to the Board of Selectmen; that it was up to the Building Inspector to enforce the Zoning Law and to call these matters to the Board of Appeals ' attention. The Building Inspector agreed to send out these notices The Supt. of Public Works attention was Traffic called to a slow down or dangerous corner sign signs. that should be placed at the corner of Revere and Hancock Streets inasmuch as the Robinson garage at that corner makes it a dangerous corner. Mr. R. P. Trask called the Supt. of Drain, Public Works attention to the fact that the drain Hastings along Lincoln Street and Hastin.'s Park should be Park. brought down across the playground and drained into Vine Brook. Overhanging Letter was received from Mr. E. J. Viano sign ins. stating that changes would be made in the blanket policies . 167 insurance policy covering overhanging signs Overhanging to be filed by various store owners around sign insurance Town, in accordance with suggestions made policies . by Mr. Wrightington in his letter. II I The following is the weekly report of the Supt. of Public Works For the week ending May 10, 1930. Supt . of Public Works report. Highway Department. The widening of the traveled way in Woburn Street has been completed and the men have been started at other street work. Surface patches were made in Lincoln Street, Concord Avenue, Grant Street , She-man Street and Cedar Street. Next week the department will continue the work of repairing and oiling :various streets . Moth & Shdde Tree Department. The department was occupied with the extermination of the Tent Caterpillar, trimming trees and preparing and repairing the spraying machines and will be oecuniedwith this work next week. Water & Se Department r Dep a. tment WaterMaintenance aintenance The following renewals have been made McIntosh, Waltham Street; Olsen, Bedford Street; Harrington, Curve Street; Lawrence, Waltham Street ; Custance, Tewksbury Street; Mitchell, Parker Street. We have installed a new service for Mrs . George Wright on East Street, and have completed the service for A. Cataldo on Bow Street. Two men have been painting hydrants. Dug up three corporation cocks and cleaned them. Water Construction. Made connection with main in Mass . Avenue at Bowker Street. Reset hydrant on Smith Avenue; started laying 6" pipe in Valley Road. Sewer Maintenance Installed service for McIntosh on 'Waltham IIStreet. Two men were working In yard piling up pipe Brooks. Laid 40' of 30" drain pipe in brook at Curve Street culvert. Four men have been cleaning out brooks. 168 "r7 The work contemplated for the week ending May 24th is as follows : Valley Road extension; water & sewer services, etc. Engineering Department Highways . Lines and grades for curbing and granolithic Drainage Plans of Vine Brook area to be made into plates for screen. Miscellaneous Check Clarke Street Survey. Yours very truly, William S. Scamman Supt. of Public Works . The meeting adjourned at 11 10 P. M. A true record, Attest ' Clerk.