HomeMy WebLinkAbout1931-11-24 248 SELECTMEN'S MEETING
NOVEMBER 24, 1931 ;'
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A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held
in the Sblectments Room, Town Office Building, at 7:30 II
P.M. Messrs. Trask, Blake, Custance, Shannon and iiilcreast
were present. The Supt. of Public Works and the Clerk
were also. present.
Letter was received from the United Improvement
Society of East Lexington in which they asked that the
Board consider the widening of Baker Avenue. They stated
that the road bed is now only 17 feet wide and they wbulda
Baker like to have it wilder. They desired to fix their sidewalks
Avenue. if the street was in the proper condition.
The matter was referred to Mr. Scam,nan to prepare
figures on the cost of the work requested and present
them to the Board.
Letter was received from P. Ferri of the Ferri
Nurseries in which he called attention to the fact that
he did not have an opportunity to bid< onrthe work of
.Ferri,re planting shrubbery at the High School. He stated that
bids on hij understood also that the Franklin School property
shrubbery. was to be decorated. He stated that as a tax payer of
the town, he felt that he should be entitled to an oppor-
tunii-y to bid. They Board felt that he should be entitled to
bid, and the Chairman was directed to to e the matter up
with the School Committee.
ester rates. List of the outstanding water rates of Section One
was presented to the Board.
Meeting. Notice of a hearing on amendments to the Civil
Service Laws on Wednesday, Dec. 2. , at 2 P.M. , Room
149, State House, was received.
Bill of the Town Counsel for services in the Tax
Frost case. Title case of J. Newton Frost in the amount of $42.40
was approved by the Board.
The Supt of Public Works was requested to investigate
and find out whether or not the Frost property had been
cleaned up. This property is adjoining the Westview
Cemetery and has not been kept in a neat condition.
Letter was received from dr. F. L. Emery stating
that he noted by the letter received from the Board that
Vine Brook Mr. Cosgrove was not authorized to give his tine to the
Drainage. Planning Board to study the Vine Brood Drainage.
The Chairman stated that he would reply to Mr.
Emeryrs letter, expressing the views of the Board that
Mr. Cosgrove would be authorized to do the work for the
Planning Board.
UnemploymentThe Chairman reported that the local theater informed
felief. him that later on they would put on a mot_on picture on
Sunday for the benefit of unemployment relief.
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The Chairman also reported that in addition to the
Chairman and the Clerk of the Board, he would appoint
Mr. Charles H. Schofield, President of the 3oard of
k II Trade, Mrs . Kenneth P. Balke, Vice-President of the
Public Health Association, and Eugene Kraetzer, Chairman,
of the Red Cross Committee, as a committee on Unemployment
Relief.
Letter was received from Edward W. Taylor, Chief
Engineer of the Fire Department, in which he asked whether
or not any of the other Town Departments were decreasing
their appropriation ten per cent, and if so what depart- Appropriati.cn,
ments were doing this . He requested information about the
School, Police, Highway, Water and Sewer, and Engineering
Departments . The Chairman replied to Mr. Taylor informing
him that the Board has requested all the departments to
cut their appropriation at least 10 per cent, and some
have cut it more than tan per cent and some less, and that
they desired the cooperation of the Fire Department to
that extent.
Complaint was received from Mr. :Elmer L.Cushman of
23 Chase Avenue in regard to dirty water running out
from a hose onto the street from the house of James E.
McCarthy, 27 Chase Avenue.
Mrs . Chshman complained that her children got into Complaint.
the dirty water and she was afahaid of sickness.
The matter was reported to Mr. Prentiss requesting
that he investigate the complaint and consult with Mr.
McCarthy in regard to this matter.
Hearing was declared open on the application of
the American Oil Company for permission to increase
the capacity of gasoline tanks 200 gallons . This was
Argoint hearing with the Board of Appeals . Gasoline
The Chairman read the notice of the hearing of the hearing.
BoRrd»df Selectmen and Mr. Glynn, Clerk Pro-tem of the
Bd. of Appeals read the notice of the Board of Appeals .
Mr. J. F. Hayes , representing: the American Oil Co. ,
appeared and explained that they now have two tanks of
2000 gallons and they would like the extra two thousand
gallons for convenience. There are now three grades of
gas , the regular, the ethyl and a cheaper grade of gas
and most all of the companies now are applying for
additional capacity so they can meet the demand of the
public for this other gas . They have now three pumps
and they did not intend to have any additional pump.
They didl,i however, intend to remove the pumps to a different
location and move them in about ten feet, which would be
an improvement. The stated that the new location
would probably line up with the pumps at the Five Forks
Service Station.
No persons appeared to object, and the Board voted
to grant the permit,
Hearing was declared open on t he application of Robbins
and Smith for permission to maintain a private garage
on lot #45 Smith Avenue . Mr. Smith did not app? ar, but Robbins &c
the Clerk was informed by him that he could not locate Smith
the garage any farther back on the lot owing to the grade garage
of 18 or 20 per cent. He was, however, locating the garage hearing.
250 gab
72 feet from the line. °®
No persons appeared to object, and it was voted to 0.4
grant the permit .
O' Connell Hearing was declared open on the application of
garage
Daniel J. OtConnell for permission to maintain a two car
hearing, private garage at 11-13 Muzzey Street .Mr. OtConnell
did not appear and there was no objection.
It was voted to grant the permit.
Letter was received from the Town Counsel in reference
to fixing the salaries for the various departments . He
stated that the Fire Department condition according to
law was a little bit, peculiar, but after viewing the law,
he was of the opinion that the heads of the department
had the authority to establish the salaries.
The Chairman called attention to the action taken
by the Board at the last meeting wherein it was voted
to decrease the salaries of the firemen fifty cents per
day, and stated that he had written a letter to the Town
Accountant, Chairman of the Appropriation Committee and
Chief of the Fire Department to this effect . It appears,
therefor, that these letters must be withdrawn inasmuch
as the Board has no authority to fix the salaries of the
Fire Department. Attention was called to the fact,
however, that the head of the department might be reprimanded
for overrunning on account of giving an increase in
dA. ary.
Town Counsel, S. R. Wrightington, came before the
Board to discuss the guarantees for the consttuction of
water mains . Mr. Rupert Stevens, Robert L. Ryder and
John J. Burtch came before the Board in regard to water
extension on Lowell Street.
T]e Board discussed the matter at length as to surety
that they should request. Mr. Rupert Stevens presented
hlssbond with the signature of Floyd L. Carr, 83 Meriam Street.
Mr. Ryder was informed lbhat the Board would accept
a bond with the name of Minnie Ryder, wife of Charles W.
Ryder thereon, mid Mr. Burtch was informed that he could
get someone to sign his bond for surety.
Mr. Custance figured the guaranty to be paid as
follows :
John J. Burtch $50.
Antonio Mercadante 125.
Lexington Realty Trust,
Robert L. Ryder, Trustee 250.
Rupert Stevens 200.
Genevieve Eaton 20.
$645.
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The usual custom of signing of guaranty bonds allows
any person on the bond to beliable if the others fail.
The Board decided to consider the interest of persons like
111 Mrs . Genevieve Eaton woo could not afford to pay more than
$20. , and for this reason-felt that the amount to be Guaranty
guaranteed should be divided as stated above. bonds .
They suggested that the owners of the property could
get together aid draw up an agreement to pay these amounts
and send the agreement to the Water and Sewer Dept.
and that each person be held responsible only for that
amount as stated in the agreement.
The Board discussed the construction of the various
streets that the Town voted to construct, that is Smith
Avenue and Independence Avenue, Crescent Hill Avenge and
Tucker Avenue.
Mr. Trask called attention to the fact that he felt ,... t
bids should be received on the use of the steam shovel x
and that Mr. Stevens should not be employed without bids
from other contractors on the use of the steam shovel to
follow the Town By-laws as much as possible.
Mr. Custance stated ther�e would be very little shovel
work on the streets to be corfstructed . However, Mr. Scamxdan
presented figures on the use of the steam shovel as
follows :
Replies to telephone calls for information on price
per day for steam shovels :
Anthony Ross & Son, $7.50 per hour - no charge made
when idle. Operator furnished.
R. H. Stevens, $7.50 per hoar including engineer &
fireman - no charge when idle or during repairs.
John A. Gaffey & Sons, 19 James St. , Medford.
$50.00 per day straight time. Furnish Engineer
and firemam. Charge for all day - when idle,
extra chargedfor rock work.
J.Sullivan, 25 Willard St. ,Cambridge.
$60 a day straight time whether idle or working.
Extra charge for rock work. Engineer, fireman
and pitman furnished. If idle on holidays men
must be paid full time. If worked on holidays
men.must be paid double time.
John Fannon, Liberty St. ,Somerville.
$55.00 a day straight tine. No time out for
being idle. Extra charge for rock work.
Mr. Scamman also stated that other contractors request
the Town to pay for the steam shovel if it breaks on the job; Steam
also that you have to pay from the time they leave their premises ahbvel
until they return and at the present time Mr. "stevens is only paid for
the actual time he puts the steam shovel on the job. Also Mr.
Stevens puss in a great deal of time supervising tbnk on
highways for which he receives no pay and he supervises the
work of the steam shovel for which nothing extra is charged.
The Board requested the Supt. of Public Works to
have the Highway budget ready for discussion by the
Appropriation Committee at as early a date as possible. Highway
The Board believed that the Highway Maintenance budget.
account should be reduced to $52,000. for 1932.
252 oph
Letter was received from Arthur E. Rowse of Bedford
in regard to the accident at the junction of Hit: Street
and Bedford Street. He stated that he codes down Hill *14
Stre,,t from the Golf Club several times each week and
alwAys stops before entering Bedford Street. heavy trucks
and fast moring automobiles are constantly passing this I point, Be�tfcrd Street being a main highway. He stated
that he did not know what the court decided, but the
Accident. Bexing on Police mace a serious complaint against one of
the drivers of the cars, the one coming along Bedford
Street, and he was not responsible. He claimed that the
Town of Lexington was responsible for not taking reasonable
care inasmuch as stop lights were not located at this
street.
It was understood that the couple coming out of Hill
Street were traveling at the rate of 40 mile per hour
at this intersection. Therefor, it did not a;ipear that
they were taking due caution.
The Board discussed the matter and sir. Seaman informed
them that the State De t. of Public Vorks had jrevicus_y been
to Lexingt^n and advised that they did not believe there
was any necessity of stop signs at this location. It was
understood that they had come to Lexington again since
that time but their recommeddaticn had not been received.
The Supt. of Public Works was requested to obtain
further information from them about this location.
Mr. Emil Feliman, 177 Scituate Street, Arlington,
Mass. , who has purbhased lot A on Highland Avenue and is
constructing a one family brick house on the land, directed
a communication to the Board asking that the drain which
was originally constructed by the Town and crosses Highland
Avenge be constructed rprtaedistancncof •fifty feet along
his property.
Highland Mr. Feliman also came before the Board inasmuch as
Avenue he desired to know as soon as possible what could be done.
drain. Mr. Fellman was informed that the Board were checking up
the records on the drainage and were not sure of their
position and whether or not there was any liability on
the part of the Town to construct the drain. Mr. Fellman
stated that something mast be done or he would have to
build a concrete wall if nothing more could be done. He
desired that some action be taken immediately so that he
could fix up his property, and he felt that if the ditch
is left as it is , someone might fall into it aid be
injured.
He stated that he was of the opinion that the Town
should do the drainage work owing to the fact that they
had previously done the work on Highland Avenue.
Letter was received from Mr. Fred W. Miller in which
he stated that his attention was called to the fact that
Mr. Emil Feliman was constructing a house on Highlaid
Avenue next to the so-called Engstrom Brook and was
placing fill along the bank of the brook in such a manner
as to 'eventually cause a stoppage in its flow. He leloked
the situation over and saw that the fill was running
down the easterly hank of the brook aid into the Culvert
under Highland Avenue , and while at the present time there
is no water in the brook at that point, as soon as weather
conditions cause the brook to flow the water will carry
sand into the culvert and cause a stoppage .
253
He felt that this brook has caused considerable
trouble and expense And that something should be done to
stop any damage that might be caused by Mr. Fellman' s
placing the fill in the brook.
The Board considered the matter and decided that
they would inform Mr. Fellman as soon as they found
out what the status of the Town was from the records
and from the opinion of the Town Counsel and if it became
a Town proposition, if he desired to put in the drain they
would reimburse him at some future date.
In regard to Mr. Salvatore Trani ' s request for a
street light at the corner of Haskell Street and Summer
Street, the Supt. of Public Works requested that a street Street
light be placed at the corner of Haskell Street and Lowell lights .
Street and one at the comer of Haskell Street aid Summer
Street.
The Supt. of Public Works was requested to carry out
his recommendations.
The Chairman stated that he had a strong plea from
Mrs. Hugh D. McLellan, representing the Parent-Teachers
Association, in which she requested that some protection
be given to school children at Mass .Avenue aid Woburn
Street.
She suggested that stop signs be put in at Winthrop Protection
Road and Woburn Street . for sbhool
The Board discussed the matter , and Mr. Custaice children.
recommended that Dave Burke might be employed, possibly
at the rate of $i.50 per day, to take care of this
location.
Another suggested was that the Asst Janitor
at the High School might be employed at a small additional
amount to take care of this work.
The Board referred the matter to the Chairman to
take up with the School Dept . to see whether they could
arrange to have the Asstt Janitor take care of the
children at this point three times a day.
The Chairman reported that Mr. Haynes called his
attention to the entrance into Hill Street and felt that
it should be widened. He therefor requested the Supt. Widening,
of Public Works to give figures on the cost of widening Hill Street .
the ent^ace of Hill Street into Bedford Street.
The Supt. of Public Works stated that he did not
believe that the widening would make the conditions any
safer, and to widen the travelled way it would be necessary
to remove the curbing and set it back three feet on
each side and excavate the poor material and replace it
with gravel and seal it with tar. Iie recommended that the
work be done as far as Sargent Street. The cost of removing
and setting back the curbing would be $50. and the other
work $400. unless led .e or boulders were encountered.
%/ The Board did t believe that doing this work would
remedy the conditions .
Mr.F. L. Emery made request that some of the Trust Lothrop, Admit-
Funds might be used Eo furnish money for the admittance tance to Home.
of Mrs . Lothrop, formerly of Bloomfield Street, to the
Old 'eopl' s Home. Theyh v t, s e ac t ny-
one without the pay menor 43uu. aaminsiibn , a. u t S.
254 bpi
Lothrop could not obtain the $300.
It was understood that Mrs . Lothrop has some 010
property and Mr. Gilcreast agreed to nook it up to
see whether or not she had property sufficient to obtain
money enough for her admission, otherwise she might be an
applicatt for Old Age Assistance.
7.
Mr. Custance reported in regard to the meeting at
the office of the Metropolitan Planning Division that
Mr. Clarence Cutler, Mr. Wm. D.. Milne, Mr. Albert H.
Meeting, Burnham, Joseph Cotton and he represented Lexington
Svlet .Planning at this meeting. The Towns of Wakefield and Saugus
Division. and other Towns were representee? also.
They discussed the relocation of Route 128 which will
affect Lexington, aid discussed establishing a through
route through Concord Avenue, also the street coming
through Arlington to connect with Maple Street.
Mr. Custane.e stated that he discussed with Mr. Wyman
about the damages on this layout and Mr. Wyman stated
that the State now are paying for damages on streets
laid out by them.
Mr. Fred Longbottom came before the Board and
informed them that he had a complW nt from Mr. Leslie
Wood about a shack owned by a man named Crescenzio
Sperandeo. This man has been living in this shack for
Building twelve or fourteen years aid now he has built an addition
violations . on to it without any permit . It is located. ontthe
Battle View Perk Section
There is also another shack in there occupied by a
man bj the name of Michele Stacchi . Neither of these
places complied with the Building Laws, and the
Board therefor voted to authorize the Building Inspector
to communicate with the Town Counsel in regard to notifying
these persons to demolish their places .
Mr. Longbottom stated that ne found no record of
any permit ever having been issued to Mr . Sperandeo.
The Board gave Mr. Longbottom authority to prosecute
these persons if the Town Counsel believe it can be
done, under the circumstances .
The Board decided to recommend to the Appropriation
Committee that the Selectmen recommend a decrease of
Fire Dept . fifty cents per day in the salaries of the permanent men
salaries , in the Fire Dept.
Sewert The Board signed the order for the installation of
orders. a sewer in Plymouth Road, Ricnard Road to Robbins Road.
The Chariman reported t nat Mr. Stephen F. Hamblin,
45 Parker Street, informed him that he had been run tito
Complaint by Miss Margaret Thompson who is employed by Mr. Earle.
re traffic He was going across on the traffic light at Bedford Street
regulations. and Elm Avenue and was struck in the leg.
The complained of the traffic lights inasmuch as he
felt that they were not property regulated, and made
various suggestions of changes that should be made.
The Chairman replied to Mr. Hamblin quoting the
Standard Code of Traffic Control by the State Dept. of
Public Works, and informed him that he felt that their
255
recommendations should be taken on matters of this kind
inasmuch as they have made a study of this matter.
The weekly report of the Supt. of Public Works was
received .
The meeting adjourned at1ll :45 P.M.
A true record, Attest :
Clerk.
*The Board signed the orders for the layout of the following stre.;ts ;
Smith Ave. , Independence Ave. , Crescent Hill Ave , aid Tucker
Avenue.
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