HomeMy WebLinkAbout1931-11-10 234 ►fai.
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SELECTMEN'S MEETING
NOVEMBER 10, 19 !'
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held
in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, at 7:30
P.M. Mess -s . Trask, Gilc-east, Custance, Blake and Shannon
were present . The Supt. of Public Works and the Clerk
were also present .
Hearing was declared open on the application of Neil
H. Borden for permission to maintain a three car garage
on the premises at Watertown Street. Mr. Custance reported
that the garage was to be built in conformity with the
Building Laws.
It was therefor voted to grant the permit.
The Board approved the bill of $72115 for a trans-
cript of the case of Minnie E. Garvin versus Neil McIntosh.
This was authorized by the Board so that Mr. Wrightington
could obtain the information submitted in this case,
for the case of Mrs. Garvin against the Town.
Notice was received from the Town Counsel of the
auction sale on November 21 at 10 o' clock A.M. at the
Shea property #28 Cedar Street .
At 8:15 P .M. the Chief of Police came before the
Board to discuss the appropriation for his department
before going before the Appropriation Committee.
The Board approved $34,675. for the Police
Department for 1932 .
Letter was received from Julia A. Sver of Wood
Street in which she complained of the odors from piggeries
in the vicinity of Wood Street. Miss Syer did not
make any specific complaint of any partciular piggery,
and the Board therefor decided to notify her that her
complaint had been referred to the Health Inspector,
but owing to the fact that she did not make any specific
complaint, the Board could not take any action against
any piggery owner.
Letter was received from Mr. Robert H. Holt in
regard to the interference of the dates fixed by this
Committee on Lectures with the Selectmen's meetin dates.
The Board signed the following order for the layout
of Tucker Avenue from Baker Avenue a distance of
approximately 315 feet:
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Middlesex, ss . Lexington,Mass. ,November 10,
1931.
Town of Lexington, Selectmen's Room.
At a meeting of the Board of Selectmen of the Town of
Lexington, after having given due written notice of the
intention of said Board, as required by law,to lay out as a
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town way the way known as Tucker Avenue from Baker Avenue
northwesterly a distance of approximately 315 feet, all as
hereinafter more fully appears , and after p-iblie hearing thereon
held this day, and no objections having been made;
' Now, upon consideration of the hatter, it is
ORDL i D: tnat this Board of Selectmen is of tie opinion tat
public necessity and convenience require t'iat said Tucker Avenue
be laid out and established as a public town way, and that the same
hereby is laid out and established as a puelic town way respectively,
as follows :
The northerly line of Tucker Avenue begins at its junction
with the westerly 1 ne of Baker Avenue , said junction being
soutnerly and dist 1 .00 feet from t to southerly line of Oak
Street , thence north 44u30' west distant 300.00 feet to a point.
The southerly line of Tucker Avenue begins at its junction
with the westerly line of Baker Avenue , thence north 440 30+
west distant 330.00 feet to a point.
The above described lines are ')parallel with and distant
40.00 feet from each other. Said Tucker Avenue is hereby laid
out and established as shown on a plan entitled, "Plan of Tucker
Avenue , Lexington, Mass. , Scale 1 in. - 40 ft . , Oct. 7, 1931,
John T. Cosgrove, Town Engineer," which plan is 611 file in the
Itown Clerk's Office in the Town Office Building and a copy
of which will be recorded with Middlesex South District Deeds
with a copy of this order.
And said Board having considered the question of danages
sustained by the owners of lands across and through which said
ways have been laid out and established as aforesaid, hereby
determines that no damages are sustained and no damages are
awarded, and said Board hereby dedlares that all acts herein are
done under the provisions of law authorizing the assessment of
betterments .
Robert P. Trask
John E. Gilcreast Board
Theodore A. Custance of
Clarence Shannon Selectmen.
Iiallie C Blake
Request was received from Mr. Neil McIntosh for
the insta_ll. tion of a street lieht on Calvin Street and
one on Ivan Street.
It was voted to insert an article in the Warrart
rgquesting these lights.
It appears that the telephones paid for by the To°an in
private homes are as follows :
R. H. White, Supt . of Streets - 82.10
A.A Ross, Supt . Water & Sewer - 81.40
J.J. Sullivan, Chief of Police - 33.66
Y.J. Maguire, Deputy Chief - 36 15
J.J. Garrit""-, Park Supt. - 49.72
Total - $283.03
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Mr. Gilcreast filed a very co-iprehensive written report
on his investigation of the telephone service in private homes
and rave his recommendations that the telephone at the per
Highway Dept . barn on Cedar Street be discontinued. He
recommender' also that Mr. White should pay for his own
telephone and that the telephone in the Deputy Chief of
Police house should be discontinued. lie also recommended
that the contracts entered into by the Town for the Police,
School, and Town Office Building be looked into
to see that we are working under the best contract
available. He also recommended that all out-of-town
calls by the employees of the Town be reduced to the
lowest possible number.
The Board voted to have the telephone at the Highway
barn removed at once and so instructed the Supt . of
Public Works .
In regard to Mr. Robert White 's telephone, the Board
felt thtt on account of Mr. White's age ind his years of
service to the Town, they should continue to pay for his
telephone for the present .
It was voted to discontinue the payment Cdr the
telephone in the Deputy Chief of Police house.
Mr. Gilcreast was also requested to look into the
contracts of the Town for the Police, School, and Town
Office Building and to make recommendations to the Board
at a later date.
Letter was received from Frank E. Wing, Director,
Boston Dispensary, 25 Bennett Street, in which he asked
whether or not the Town would pay for patients with
Gonorrhea and Syphillis who have a legal settlement
in Lexington and are unable to pay for clinic fees .
The Board replied that they would be willing
to pay for the persons who have a legal settlement here
but are unable to pay.
Letter was received from Clarence S. Walker,
Treasurer of the Lexiniton Trust Company, in which he
stated in regard to the note for $10,000. for Water
Dept . purposes, that the Lexington Trust Col would consider
a note for four months at 4.50 per cent . per annum
discount.
The Board informed the Lexington Trust Co. that
they have decided not to borrow $10,000. at the present
time inasmuch as other funds are available that can be
used for that purpose.
Request was received for electric lights on Lockwood Road
aid Byron Avenue . The Board, in looking over the rnttstanding
water guarantees , found that the guaranty on this
development has not been paid, and therefor decided to write
to the residents in this vicinity that the obligations of the r
gater guarantees should be nnid before reruests for other
utilities are made.
In regard to the estimate of the Plumbing Inspector,
Andrew T. Bain, for 1932, he requested for apiary and
travel expenses., $1200, and $50. for incidentals making
a total of $1250.
The Board detided to recommend $1100 for salary
an a ppenses, and $50. for incidentals ,milehfierng a total
of ;1150.
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In regard to the request of the Building Inspector,
Fred Longbottom, for salary and expenses he requested Bldg.
$1100, for use of automobile, $250. , and $50. for Inspector
incidentals , making a total of 31400. The Board Appropriation.
approved $150. for use of automobile instead of $250. ,
making a total of $1300.
Letter was received from Willard C. Hill
of amer A. Lord & Co. , i which he gave informaticn about t e
reduction Ln rate establish-d by the N.E. Insurance Exchange
cn the scnedu e insurance of the Town, The Insurance.
new rate will be >.32.
He also stated that he secu ed the a} royal to
allow the coal clause, so to i.t claims for damage to
coal in all Buildings will be covered.
The Clerk as iastructec to complete the arrangements
of sending out the data and letters giving the
various agents, the amount cf insurance allotted to
tthem by the Board at a recent meeting and to have the
entire schedule completed.
Letter was received from Town Counsel in which
he enclosed check of $280.60 for the Tax Title case of
J. Newton Frost and explained that the Tax Collector Frost
and the Assessors should be informed that the money case.
has been paid and that the land hereafter should be
assessed to J. Newton Frost as Trustee under the Will
of Mrs. Lenk.
Information was received from the Supt. of the
Water and Sewer Dept. relative to the installation of
the water main in Summit Road. He stated that Summit Road
in 1916, 6 inch water main 455 feet in length was Water maim.
instal ed; in x922, 128 feet, and 1926, 408 feet, making
a total extension of 991 feet.
The payments were made as follows: in 1916,
$553.98; in 1922, $258.38; in 1926, $401.84, making
a total of $1214.20.
The State Holding Company now are the owners
of the property and they desire to have the Town purchase
the water mains and they are willing to take an a_.lowance for
depreciation bringing the total down to 11218.35.
The Board decided to insert an article in the 'Warrant
requesting the purchase f this water main.
The Board signed the Warrrnt for a Town Meeting to be Town
held on November 23rd at 8 P.M. Meeting.
Discussion was had of the bonds to be filed in
connection with instal ation of water mains . she Board Surety
felt that a surety bond furnished by a Surety Company
was the only sure way that we m ght collect on the Bonds.
guarantees.
The Board discussed whether or not they would Town
keep the horses at the Town Farm any longer and decided
hoes'
that they would keep them rough the winter inasmuch as
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if they sold them at the present time they probably would
not get very much for them and they might use them on the 13
snow plows during the winter. "ma ,"
It was voted, however, to dispose of the ram
in. the Spring and the Supt. of Public Works was so
instructed.
Mr. Trask reported a meeting of the Chairman and the
Clerk with the Teachers Club at the High School to discuss
the expenditure of $1000. which they intended to give for
the unemployment situation. They agreed, he reported, that
their money would be expended mostly for clothing, as they
are interested in the children. They agreed that all
information should come into the Selectmen's Office to be
checked up to see whether or not the cases Were wobthy.
Mr. Trask also reported that he talked with the Town
Office employees on the same date about the funds that
they agreed to raise, and that they agreed to use their fund
for fuel bills. Themmoney was to be turned over to Miss
Eleanor Lowe and the bills were to be paid by her.
Mr. Trask invited the members of the Board to attend
the bannuet of the N.E. Farm Bureau on November 18th
at 7 P.M. at the Cary Memorial Hall. He stated that
Gasper Bacon was to be the speaker.
Mr. Gilcreast reported having talked with Mr. & Mrs.
James J. Waldron in regard to the application of Mrs.
Bernardina Canisius for Old Age Assistance.
He found after talking with them, that Mrs. Canislius '
two daughters, Mrs. Waldron and Mrs . Leary, had built
this house on a lot which they owned and upon which
there was a restriction that a house could not be built
of value less thaf WO0. The - have not finished the house
that they built for the mother inside, and the expenditure
did not come up to the $4000. After going into the matter
with Mrs. Waldron, he recommended that Mrs . Bernardina
Canisius of 163 Reed St. , be paid $8. per week for Old Age
Assistance.
Mr. Linn B. Swain of Wood Street came before the
Board at the Board's request to discuss the reason why
he did not sign the guarantee for water on Wood Street.
He stated that there were various things that had
come up that make it impossible for him to pay for the
guarantee and he did not want to sign the guarantee if
he could not pay it . He stated that when he purchased the
place an Wood Street consisting of about 29 acres he did
not intend to be able to swing it on his salary as a
postal clerk, and that since the water extension was put
up there he has lost some of his income that he originally
had and he also was ill the first of this year for some
time. He also had relatives who needed assistance from
him and he therefor felt that he could not afford to sign
the guarantee.
The Board decided that inasmuch as the water was
connected to Mr. Swain's house, that he be given to
December 1st to sign the guarantee or the water would
be shut off. hi�e
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Tuesday evening next; also the Chief of the Fire Department
was coming in to discuss the appropriation for the Fire
Department for next year.
In regard to the Committee on By-laws, Mr . Trask
suggested that the Committee be advised that the Board Appoint-
desired to have them include in the By-laws that surety ments for
bonds must be provided with the water guarantees, then next meet-
there would be no question of liability on the part of ing.
the Town in accepting the signatures on guarantee bonds.
Letter was received from the Old Age Assistaice Bureau
in regard to the grant df the Board of $12. per week for
Charles Faugno. They stated that they desired to have
reasons for paying so much to Mr. Faugno inasmuch as he Faugno,
is alone and apparently able bodied. Old Age
The Clerk reported that owing to the fact that this Agsistance
letter was received, Mr. Faugno +s name was placed on the
pay roll for $8.00 per week rather than $12 . this past week.
Mr. Custance reported that Mr. Hennessey desires Right of
to have him take up t$e matter of punchasing the right way,Lincoln
of way on L .ncoln Street with Mr. Francis Burke:ffor him. St.
Mr. Robert H. Holt came before the Board and
presented the deed signed by Ellen A. Stone of the
property in East Lexington. He stated that Miss Stone Stone
desires to have a section of the property including property.
approximately 112 square feet redeeded to her for the
minimum sum of $5.00, and requested that the article
be inserted in the Warrant for Town Meeting.
He presented deed conveying to the Town, 18,400' square
feet of land signed by E.A. Stone, the same to be
recorded.
Mr. Custance presented petition for water on Lowell
Street signed by some of the residents on that street. Water,
It was decided to inser+tan article in the Wtrrant Lowell St.
requesting the installation of a water main on Lowell
Street.
It was decided to insert an article in the Warrant
re4testing the transfer of $1090. from the Purchase of
Cemetery Land Account which has been on the books for
about ten years to the Sewer Construction Account. Transfer
The Chairman was to see Mr. Wood in regard to this
transfer to explain why this article was inserted.
In regard to water guarantees on 'Bridge Street, it
was decided to have Mr. Ross write letters to the Water,
residents on Bridge Street relative to the payment of Bridge St.
the guarantee, otherwise the water would be shut off.
Mr. Trask called attention to the fact that Mr.
Anthony Ross was given permission to excavate in back
of Follen Road near the Murphy property and he had been
notified not to go as far as the Murphy property , but he
went in up to that property and made a rather unsightly
condition on Pollen Road for a distance of about 300 feet. Follen
It was stated that Mr. Ross ' machine encountered Rd.
a large boulder in the banking that was the cause of his
going in so far.
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The Chairman stated that it was entirely up to Mr.
Ross to endeavor to straighten the matter out so that it 211.
will look decent. p.0
'ihe Chairman reptrted having had a consultation with
Consultation Mr. Francis Burke in regard to his suggestion of sending
re appropri- in the itemized accounts of the various departments to the
ations. Town Meeting Memebers , and Mr. Burke decided to abandon
that idea.
Water & The Board voted to insert an article in the Warrant
Sewer. for the installation of a sewer and water main in Plymouth
Road.
Mr. Custaice reported in retard to the road tonne ting
Winchester and Lexington, that Winchestr-r is anxious to!
have something moving on thts street. In 1932 they
desire to come as far as Ridge Road. The plans *raemade
Road, and have been submitted to the Planning Board. He stated
Winthester that the type of development in that section was something
to Lex. that should be invited into the Town of Lexington,
It was voted that the Board of Selectmen of Lexington
advise the Board of Selectmen of Winchester that they are
willing to agree on the lay out of this street as suggested
and that they will refer the matter to the Planning Board
of Lexington at an early date, and advise that we have a
joint meeting of the Lexington Bottled of Selectmen aid the
Winchester Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board of
both towns .
Mr. Custance reported having had a conference with
Mr. & .Mrs . Edward J. Gavin and their Attorney. Mr. Moore,
Gavin Attorney for them, requested $750. for a settlement. After
property. considering the proposal, it was decided to decline to
oonsid.er the proposal for any further amount thant the
00* originally offered.
Mr. James R. Smith came before the Board in reference
to the acceptance of Smith Avenue. He stated that there
were two signatures that he had not obtained for the
Smith Ave. acceptance of Smith Avenue but that it might be possible
he couli get these signatures, but he did not feel that
the entire acceptance should be held up for these two
signatures.
The Board requested him, however, to make an
endeavor to get at least one mo-e signature owing to the
rule that they have before them of accepting streets on
signature of 75 percent of the abutting owners.
The weekly report of the Supt. of Public Works was
received.
Relative to guarantees for water which have not been
paid, the Board voted to instruct the Sapt. of the Water
and Sse'r Dept* that he may send notice to all of these
persons that the water will be shut off if the water
guarantee is not paid.
The meeting adjourned at 11:55 P. 1 .
A true record, Attest:
Clerk. �____ 1