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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1931-02-10 421 SELECTMEN 'S MEETING FEBRUARY 10, 1931 A re- ular meetingofthe Board of Selectmen was held at the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building. Messrs . Custance, Trask, Shannon and Blake were present . The Supt. of Public Works and the Clerk were also present. Garbage licenses were granted to D. J. Kelley, Hartwell Garbage Road, Bedford and James F. Moran, Pleasant Street , Lexington. Licenses . Letter was received from Mr. Russell I. Prentiss in which he called attention to the fact that he was not able A. Young to make an inspection of the premises of August Young any garbage further than inquiring over the telephone an asked that license. this permit for garbage be zpheld intil he has made a personal inspection. Two letters were received from the Town Counsel in regard to the establishment of a Posture Clinic . He gave references to the law and did not believe that a clinic could be estaelished. On communicating with the State Accountant, Mr Trask reported that they found Clinics . the authority for the establishment of a dental clinic and health clinics ander section 30, Chapter 111 of General Laws . Upon mailinr this reference to the Town Counsel he a-rreed that the clinics can be established as suggested. Mr. Trask therefore stated that he wished to ask the Town for $1000 fon the Posture Clinic to be expended under the direction of the .3oard of Health by a committee appointed by them, which will be the present posture clinic Committee . Letter was received from Mr. George M Ross requesting appointment as a Special Police There has been considerable trouble with the youngste-s in the neighborhood and he desired to have the appointment approved Special for this purpose and so that he might assist in the violation Police. of automobile traffic also. The ' oard voted to appoint Mr. Ross as Special Police up to April 1, 1931 and notified the Chief of Police of the appointment . The Board of Assessors came before the 3oard of Selectmen in response to the letter the Board received from the Swenson Brothers that they felt they were unfairly taxed for the property known as the Kelsey Ranco, located on Concord Avenue and Spring St. Tney called the matter to the attention o-" the Selectmen inasmach as the Selectmen appointed the Board of Assessors . The Assessors reported that they had made reductions in this case and have spent considerable Swenson time with the Swenson Brothers endeavoring to arrive at property. what they felt was a fair value and they had to justify Ila themselves in their action when the case came before the Courts , by stating teat the property was a show place originally 422 and they had reduced the assessment inasmuch as r� the farm was being used as a farm and they reduced Cla it for practical purposes . The following reductions were made in the various buildings . 1929 1930 1929 1930 House 20,000 10,000 Cow barn $20,000 $6,000 House 2,500 3,000 Tool House 2,500 500 Bungalow 3,000 4,000 Hen-houses 1,000 gone Cottage 1,500 1,000 Silos 800 gone Stable 2,000 2,000 Spring House 500 250 Pit 500 gone Ice house 200 1.00 55 Acres of Land 7750 15250 The Assessors felt that the am which is assessed for 16000 could not be built today for $40,000. The tool house, assessed for $500 could not be diplicated for less Selectmen's than $4000 or $5000. The stable will hold 60 cows Assoc . and it could not be duplicated -'or a great deal more than Meeting. the assessment. The house is assessed for $10,000 and contains 7 or b the bathrooms which are valued at least at $1500 each. The Spanish tile roof on the house is in perfect condition, and the house is as finely constructed as any in the Town. After obtaining this information from the Assessors, the Board decided to consider the matter further. Notice was received of the meeting of the Selectmen's Association of Worcester to be held at Worcester, February 11, 1931. The Board voted to grant the Girl Scouts the use of Cary Memorial Hall on March 13, 1931 free of charge. Mr. Dalton of the Board of Selectmen of Winchester and Mr. Sharron, Assistant Town Engineer of Winchester met with the Bard of Selectmen of Lexington to discuss the matter of the layout of a street connecting Lexington with Winchester beginning at the junction of High Street and Ridge Street in Winchester, thence in a general- Street , westerly direction to the Town Line between Lexington Winchester and Winchester, thence in Lexin ton to a point on Lowell to Lex. Street about midway between Summer Street and Maple Street. They presented a petition to he signed by the citizens of Winchester and o'' Lexington to petition the County Commissioners for the layout of this highway. Mr. Dalton explained that the Town of Winchester has already aooropriated $60,000 for the construction of this street and the County and the State will not do anything until the petition is signed by the citizens of the Town of Lexington. The Board of Selectmen decided to rewrite the petition presented by the Selectmen of Winchester and have the same prepared for si_Tnature on Tuesday evening next . 423 Notice was received from the Chief of Police of the death of James Irwin, retired police officer on February 4, Death of ' Notice was sent to the Appropriation Committee to James reduce the anpropri tion for retired police pensions to Erwin. $1030. The Board voted to adopt the following traffic Traffic regulations which bring the parkin:- and traffic regulations Regulations . all up to date and attach a penalty of $20. for the violation of same. OFFICE OF SELECTMEN TOWN OF LEXINGTON MASSACHUSETTS February 10, 1931 Acting under the provisions of Chapter 40, section .22 of the General Laws all Traffic Regulations adopted by the Board of Selectmen are hereby repealed and the following orders to control the parking of vehicles are hereby given by the 3oard of Selectmen FOREST STREET No parking allowed on the Westerly side of Forest Street between Waltham Street and Muzzey Street. MAPLE STREET All traffic entering Maple Street from Mass . Avenue shall pass to the right of the island. All traffic entering Mass . Avenue from Maple Street shall pass to the right the island. • MASSA('fTSETTS AVENUE, EAST SIDE Diagonal parking forty-five degrees from rant Street to the cross walk opposite the northerly side of Waltham Street, unlimited. Parallel parking from opposite the northerly side of Valtham Street to the Southerly end of ')epot Park, limited to one hour, from nine A. M. to six P.M. Diagonal parking forty-five degrees from the Southerly end of Depot Park, to the ndrtherly end of Depot Park, ' unlimited. Diagonal parking forty-five degrees from the northerly end of Depot Park to Meriam Street, limited to one hour, from nine A.M. to six D.M. MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, WEST SIDE Parallel parking from opposite the northerly L. 424 side of Grant Street to Waltham Street, unlimited. (74 Parallel parking from Waltham Street to opposite the northerly side of Meriam S' reet, limited to one hour, nine A.M. to six P.M. Parallel parking from opposite ' he northerly side of Meriam Street to Clarke Street, unlimited. WALTHAM STREET Parallel parking from Massachusetts Avenue for a dist -{nee of about one hundred and fifty feet, both sides, limited to one hour from nine A. M. to .six P.M. MUZZEY STREET Parallel parking on the most northerly side from Massachusetts Avenue for a distance of one hundred and fifty feet limited to one hour, from nine A.M. to six P.M. No parking on the most southerly side from Mass. Avenie for a dist•rnce of one hundred and fifty feet. ELM WENUE No pxrkin7 on the most southerly side of the street . OAK STREET No parking ori the Westerly side a dlstnee of three hundred feet from .Massachusetts Avenue southerly. RESTRTCTIONS No parking within fifteen feet of any intersection or within ten feet of any fire hydrant . BUS STOPS Ea terly side of Massachusetts Avenue jzst northerly of cross walk opposite Waltham Street. Easterly side of Massachusetts Avenue lust northerly of the most northerly end of Depot Park. Easterly line of Massachusetts Avenue about forty feet northerly of northerly side of Meriam Street. Westerly side of Massachusetts Avenue in front of A.A. Marshall & Son property. Westerly side of Massachusetts Avenue at the southerly side of Waltham Street. A 425 REGULATIONS GOVERNING TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNALS Section 1. Meaning of Colors. Colors in 4-raffle control signals shall have the commanas a.:.cribea to them in this section, and no other meanings, and no driver of s veh c e shall fail to comply with said commands. (1) RED: While the red lens is ilium_.iited no driver of a vehicle facing the signal shall enter the intersection; (Provided, however, that if a right or 1 ft green arrow lens is illuminated at the same time, a driver may enter the inter- section to make the turn perm_Ltted by the ar 'ow.) (2) CHANGE: While the yellow lens is illuminated any waiting driver of a vehicle shall remain standing until the green lens is illuminated, and any driver of a vehicle approaching the intersection who can stop said vehicle with safety before reaching the intersection, or a marked stop line, shall stop at such point. (3) GREEN: While the green lens is illuminated any driver of a vehicle facing the signal shall proceed, subject to the safety of those who may have been in the intersection at the time the lens was illuminated (and subject to the special turnf.ng restrictions contained in paragraeh (5) of this section) . (4) IiED AND YELLOW Y;hile the red and yellow lenses are illuminated together no driver of a vehicle shall enter the intersection and during such time the intersection is reserved for the exclusive use of pedestrians. (5) GREEN ARROW LENS When a special right or left turn green arrow lens is incorporated in a sign-al, -rivers facing said signal may make a turn in the direction of such arrow, only when such lens is illuminated. (6) FLASHING RED: The red lens when illuminated with rapid intermittent flashes shall require drivers to come to a complete stop before entering the intersection. Such flashing red shall be used only in beat-ns and in traff , c signals, when not operating as stop and go devices, to indicate the full stop required before entering a through way. (7) FLASHING YELLOW: The yellow lens when illuminated with rapid intermittent flashes shall indicate the presence of danger and shall permit drivers to proceed oily with caution. PENALTY wWhoever violates any of the foregoing rules and orders shall be subject to a penalty not exceeding twenty dollars ( 20:00) for one offense. • Albert H. Burnham Hallie G. Blake BOARD Clarence Shannon OF Theodore A. Custance SELECTMEN Robert P. Trask 426 The Board voted to grant. the petition of the Z7 E.E.I. Co. for the relocation of poles on Hill St. south- Pole westerly from a point approximately 250 feet southwest locations. of Bedford St. Hill St.. at a point approximately 820 feet southwest of Milk St. Hill ot. southwesterly from a point approximately 1240 feet southwest of Milk St, The Board approved the bond of $10,000 issued in Town the name of Helen C. Whittemore as a-own Treasurer for Treasurer the balance of the term ending March 2, 1931. Bond. Letter was received from W.V.I. Hinckley of Marrett Request Road requesting insurance on the Town schedule. A for. reply was made that his name would be pl tc eo on file insurance. until the time comes for the change in the schedule insurance. 2nd Class The Board voted to grant a second class Motor Motor Vehicle License to Edward J. Rogers of trig Town Line Vehicle Lic.Garage at 7 Massachusetts Avenue, he having three letters of recommendation. Letter •vas received from the Supt. of Public Works in regard to the complaint of Edna and George H. Doughty relative to the bill rendere on the highway betterment of Taft Avenue. gr. Scamman stated that after receiving the letter, he checked up with the total amount filed Assessment, at the Registry of Deeds and found that the total was Taft Ave. $5400. The estimate, however, given to the persons attending the hearing on Taft Avenue, was $5252.50. After considering the matter, the Boar did not be;ieve that the bilis should exceed the amount that the persons were informed the construction wo k would cost and instructed the Supt. of .Public Narks to send out new bills reducing the amount of the betterment. Application Application was receivea from Mr. George A. Jaynes for position of Hayes Lane for the postiion of building Inspector. of Bldg. The Board decided to pfer all ap lications for Inspector. the position of Building Inspecto to the Board after the annual election. Mr. T. A. Custance stated that he had taken up the matter of appraising the Public works Dept. building with Mr. Willard C. Hill, and he stated that a man by the name Appraisal of Joselyn who has made appraisals Of buildings of this Public Works kind, would charge $50 for the ap, raisal. gr . Custance Building. presented the information on the ap! raisa of the building and he desired to know if the Board wished to spend $50 for the appraisal. he presented information to the Board giving a total value of $30,828.60. He felt that if the expenditures made on the building were added to this amount, it would giv, the value of the building and insuring the building for 80% he felt that the amount of $40000 would be an amount sufficient for insurance purposes. It was decided to inquire of Mr. Hill whether this appraisal would be satisfactory or not. 427 The Clerk called attention of the Board to the fact that the Bo :.rd has petitioned the County Commissioners for relocation of M'ssachusetts Avenue from ura them Street Relocation to Woburn Street. This will cover the necessary steps of Mass.Ave., taken to place in the h._ghway the land which form xly was Waltham St. in front of the old Town Hall lot which was reserved when to Woburn St. sold so that the automobiles now parking in what is assumed the highway will not be park ng on the private land owned by the sown and will be parking on the highway. Mr. George B . Dennett having passed way under date of February 7, the noArd deAdea to notify the Boston Post Death of that ;uir. Dennett, being the holder of the Roston Post Cane Holder of had passed away on that date. It is inknown at the present Golden Post time who is the party that should receive the Bolden Post Cane. Cane. The Town Engineer reported through the Llerk that the work on the descriptions of the corners at Clarke Street, Meriam Street and Hayes Avenue talked of last week, Descriptions he expected to do in the spring or summer. The Board of various had giaen orders to do this work right away but agreed that corners it would be suitable for the work to be done in the spring . postponed. Mr. Blake however, called attention to the fact that he thought it was not necessary to tike the willo, trees on the corner of his property and that a new curve could be made which would allow the two willow trees to remain. It was decided to call this matter to the attention bf the Town Engineer. The Board decided to divide the Annual V+arrant so that the appropriations necessary to arry on the various departments could t?e made at the first meeting, and to draw a second warrant after the first meeting is dissolve for warrants the second session of the annual meeting. drawn. The Board signed the Warrant covering the various appropriations for the first annual meeting. Commitment of water guarantees in the amount of Commitment.. $3265.87 was signed by the Board. In regard to the third class Agent' s license application of Peter Cannesa, the Board decided to notify Mr. Cannesa that they would not grant him any 'icense at 904 Mass. Avenue, and furthermore that he would have to P.Cannesa' s clean up the premises or they would take steps to license prosecute him under the law, inasmuch as he had no business refused. carrying on an atuomobile business in that section. Mr. Howard S. 0. Nichols of the School Committee came before the Board and presented a proposal frum Charles F. & Harriette W. Smith in which they stated that they would Smith take $2500 for approximately 4 acres of land owned by them at he rear of the Parker School. tdr. Nichols stated that property. the School Department recommended the payment of $2000 for the Smith pnoperty an after making this recommendation, he received this proposal from Mr. and Mrs. bmith. He desired to have an article inserted in the Yaarrant asking the Town to purchase the land. 428 The Town Engineer presented a plan of the layout of Ledgelawn Avenue. This street is located in the rear of Ledgelawn the property owned by the Public works Department Ave. and is a part of the layout brought about by the layout. proposed transfer and sale of land of the Public works Department. The Board decided to advertise a hearing on this street and to refer the plan to the Planning Board. Mr. T. A. Custance reeort. d that complaint had been made to him by Paul Cowdrey of Allen Street regarding the busses carrying the school children. Re stated that he Complaint , had taken up the matter with the School Department and School did not get much satisfaction. He stated that the busses . children had to leave very early in the morning to get the bus and the bus was very crowded . Mr. Custance stated that he talked the matter over with Mr. Hanson and he agreed to look into the matter to see if any thing could be done to remedy the condition. Mr. Custance called attention to the fact that the Application Water Dept. does not have any application for a person to for water fill out when they desire to have water turned on. He to be turned felt that an apelication should be made out for the party on. to sign. It was decide e to notify the dater Det. to this effect. Mr. Custance also reported that Mr. Hubert C. Grieves complained of the traffic coming down Lincoln Street Traffic , travelling too fast in the section along Audubon Road Lincoln and Hastings Park. He felt that there should be some Street . signs put ,up here to caution the public from travelling so fast. Mr. Seaman stated that some lights had been placed there at one time previous, and they were removed by some unknown person. In regard to the application for Sunday golf made Sunday by John Lamont, the Board voted to approve the Sunday golf Miniattre Golf license when Mr. Lamont presents the approved. application for approval. Letter was received from the Chief of the Fire Department in which he stated that he did. not Fire Dept. approve the action by the Board of Selectmen in reducing apparopriation. the appropriation of the Fire Department, and he therefore wanted to go on record as disapprovingthe action. He recommended four new men be employed and he wanted to cell attention to the fact that there is a shortage of men now in meal time. ' It was decided to send a copy of this letter to the 429 Appropriation Committee for their consideration. Letter was also received from Mr. Taylor in which he requested an appropriation for. the Forest Warden Dept. , to cover hose, $300 salary to the Forest Warden Dept. and Letter a pump, which he explained, would be a saving on the Fire from Fire Department equipment. Chief. Th s letter was refer ed to Mr. Trask for his inves- tigation. In regard to the salary of the Town Clerk and "Town Treasurer, John H. Kane, deceased, the clerk reporter' the State Accountant stated that after a man passes out Town when in the employ of the Town the salary is sometimes paid C.erk' s to the estate but it is not legal. and The Board therefore decided that they would not pay Town salary after the date of death of Dr. Kane. Treas Salary. The Board decided to pay $100 for the month of February to Helen C Whittemore to be divided between the Town Treasurer' s and the Town Clerk' s Department. The following is the weekly report of the Supt. of Public Works. For the week ending February 7, 1931 HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT 'c'ork was done on Hill otr,-et drill n5 ano blasting and removing ledge. Snow removal, pash _ng back snow Ind sanding streets and sidewalks occupied the depa tment the greater part of the week. Next week the department will work on Hill Street, attend to regular maintenance and any necessary snow removal. MOTH & SHADE TRE F DEPT. Climbing trees and treating moth nests with creosote on Maple Street and Mass. Avenue. Broken limbs of tree -r ut Bio n and removed on Wood Street and Hill Street. Next week the department will continue the work of treating moth nests. PARK DEPARTMENT Regular maintenance was attended to and will occupy the department' s time next week. WATER & bEd EF DEPARTMENT Worked on new cement floor at Public 'Works iluilding ; thawed out two frozen services on Taft Avenue, two men worked on hydrants, shove?' e _no ir:.m hydrants; two men and cora- 1 430 pressor worked on Hill Street for the Hi,,hway Department . Regular maintenance work is planned for next week. ('4 ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT Highways Figured Farm Crest Avenie betterment assessments . Work on record plans for Dexter Road and Farmcrest Avenue. Studied Survey of Grant Street near Hayes Lane. Plan of relocation of Grant Street between Sheridan and York Streets . Sewers One-half day spent On Town Sewer study. Miscellaneous Floor grades at Public Works Building. Relocations of Mass . Avenue, Wood Street and Hill Street plotted on 400 scale Town Map. Three (3) plans for Town Counsel. Completed block to date as of Assessors Records . Work on street nmmb' rin;z plans . Check work with Engineer Joyce regarding 'power St. to establish satisfactory layort. Relocated bound at the corner of Mass . Avenue and Plainfield Street. Wrote descriptions of 3 parcels of Town of Lexington property formerly M. & B. "t. Ry. Co. Completed 100 scale plan of properties from Woburn.; Street to Maple Street extending from Lowell Street to the Winchester and Woburn boundary lines (requested by Town of Winchester ) . Completed 100 scale plan o= area bounded by Mass. Avenue, Maple Street, Lowell Street , Woburn Street, Woburn Line, Winchester line and Arlington line . Wrote specifications for - 1. Widening, deepening Vine Brook from Hayes Lane to beyond :_ast Street . 2 . Covered drain from end of Clarke Street westerly to playground road. Wrote description of playground taking at Hamblen property. Yours very truly, William S. Scamman • Supt. of Public Works The meeting adjourned at 12 P.M. A true record, Attest , Clerk , L