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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1932-08-16SEIE CTMENI S MEETING AUGUST 16, 1932 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 7:30 P.M. Messrs. Custance, Gilereast Ferguson and O'Connell were present. The Supt. of Public Works and the Clerk were also present. Commitments of the following were signed by the Board: Water Miscellaneous water charges $751.11 Sewer Sewer Charges 311.49 Com. Sewer Assessment 204.05 Abatement of $204.36 the same being charge for sewer Assess assessment against Marjorie B. Bluitte for lots #19,24 ment. and 25 Bowker Street was signed, This property had previous- ly been transferred and there was an error in the ssessment. Election It was decided to lay over for one week the selection officers, of Election Officers. In regard to the application of Arthur R. Witham of 302 Marrett Road, Lexington, for permission to maintain a `Witham repair shop for automobiles at the rear of 317 Marrett ' garage. Road, the Board after viewing the premises decided that the building was not suitable for such a business, and voted not to grant the permit. [l 11 Albert A. Ross, Supt, of the Water and Sewer Department,came before the Board relative to the men who were on special work in his department. He felt that Water the Board should decide what men would be on for five Dept. days. He felt that the olderemployees should be given employees. preference. Mr. OtConnell suggested that a schedule be worked out whereby all men'would be out to fount days, but that at all times there would be some one available for the various kinds of work. Mr. Ross agreed to work out such a schedule. Mr. Albert Ross called attention to the Water bill at the house of James Stuart Smith of 4 Percy Road. He had considerable communication with Mr. Smith, and Mr. Smith Smith stated that he would not pay the bill of $43.93. water bill. Mr. Ross stated that the man went there and saw that the indicator on the meter was moving, and went upstairs and told Mr. Smith, and Mr. Smith later had a plumber go to the house and the next time they went down to, test the meter the instrument was not moving. The next quarter the meter reading came to $13.93, and through the same meter. He stated that he felt that the Department records were correct and thought that he should call the matter to the attention of the Board inasmuch as he thought the Board would hear from Mr. Smith about it. Election It was decided to lay over for one week the selection officers, of Election Officers. In regard to the application of Arthur R. Witham of 302 Marrett Road, Lexington, for permission to maintain a `Witham repair shop for automobiles at the rear of 317 Marrett ' garage. Road, the Board after viewing the premises decided that the building was not suitable for such a business, and voted not to grant the permit. [l 11 Letter was received from the Commissioner of Civil Service stating that as a result of the recent examination for plumbing inspector there is only one person eligible, and asking if the present incumbent has been removeda The Board decided to request the Chairman to write to the Civil Service Commissioner and ask him if he has determined the status of the present incumbent in view of the previous correspondence. Letter was received from the Town Counsel in which .he stated that the case of the Town versus Johnson was a bill in equity to enjoin violation of Health Regulations by unloading manure, filed in 1913. He stated that. apparently the nuisance has been long abated and there is no occasion to oppose dismissal. The case of Trani versus the Selectmen of Lexington is a petition for mandamus filed June 4, 1926 to compel the Building Inspector to issue a permit for stores on Mass. Avenue. As the stores have been built, he felt that there probably was no reason for opposing dismissal of the petition. The Board voted to dispose of the two cases, and also to request the Town Counsel to bring before them the cases now pending so that they could dispose of some of the cases if possible. Declaration of the ease of W. Benjamin C. Meady versus ' the Town of Lexington was received by the Board. It was decided that each member should have -a copy of the declaration and decide what action should be taken at the nextmeeting of the Board, It was decided to request the Town Counsel to come before the Board at the Board's next meeting. The Board signed the approval of the Peddler's License for Alan Merrick of 821 Mass, Avenue. Hearing was declared open at 8:00 P.M. on the notice of the Board of Survey of their intention to approve the plans of the layout of E-ast Street, Mr. G ilereast, acting as Chairman, read the notice of the hearing, and explained that the plans were present showing the same lines shown on the plans presented at the previous hearing of the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Albert H. Burnham stated that he opposed the Board of Survey layout for the same reasons that he opposed the previous layout of the Selectmen. He did not believe that the Town should go to the expense of making a layout, and could make a new layout at some• future date to take care of the traffic on this road. ' Mr. William Fiske also spoke against the plan stating that he objected for the same reasons that he did before, and that this layout amounted to the same thing as the Selectmen's layout, and he did not see that it was necessary inasmuch as the street might not be built for 509. Plumbing Inspector Legal issues. Meady case. Peddler's License. Bd. of Survey hearing. 5 11 1 ten or fifteen years. He stated that the Board could not take an easement over the Doran property without approval of the Town. Mr, O'Connell inquired if he would object if the pipes were laid in the right location, and Mr. Fiske stated that it was on Mr. Doran's property, and it was none of his affairs and it was an encumbrance on the farm in case of the sale of the property. The Board explained that by making a Board of Survey layout that there would be notice that there should not be any buildings built upon the property within the street line. No one spoke in favor of the proposition. Mrs. Hill, Mr. George Bailey., and Mr. & Mrs. Doran were present to oppose the relocation. Mr. Custance offered the motion that the Board lay down the Board of _ Survey lines. Mr. Ferguson desired to have the opinion of the Town Counsel on the, matter before any action was taken by the. Board. It was decided to lay the matter on the table for one week. Sewer.. Plan of the sewerage disposal in the rear of the O'Connell O'Connell property on Mass. Avenue was handed to Mr. Albert property. A. Ross, and he intended to make further investigation to see where the odor is coming from. The Supt,. of Public Works reported in regard to the tree in front of the property of Mrs. C. E. Goodridge on Lincoln Street that it would cost $90.00 to take the tree Tree, down. The work could be done under the direction of Mr. Goodridge Gorman with the unemployed. The tree is a large ash tree property. in good condition, but there are a great many roots spread over a great area. The Board did not feel that they should take the tree down inasmuch as the tree was there when Mrs. Goodridge purchased the property,.and therefor decided to lay the matter on the table. Report was received from the Supt, of Public Works in regard to the Parfet Statue. He stated that there is a crack under the right.f oot extending the full distance across the stone from back to front., and at the back of Capt. the right foot another crack extends to the left about' Parker 15 inches, and will probably cause a peice 15 x 10 x 4' Statue. to drop out at some future date. There is also_a crack under the left foot extending from front to back about six inches deep. He felt that it would be necessary to replace the stone within a few years. Mr. Ferguson suggested grouting with Plastic Corking. It was also suggested that the Supt. of Public Works eomnunieate with the Weston Waterproofing Co. or with Mr. Alexander Thompson of Eaton Road, Lexington who is with a waterproofing company toobtainadvice as to the proper method of tilling in the cracks. 11 1 1 1 Another letter was received from Mr. Harold B., Lamont and the letter and the reply of the Chairman was read. It was decided to request the Chairman to write to Mr. Lamont and invite him to appear before the Board two weeks from this evening and ask that he give some definite information as to what he would care to discuss with the Board and with the departments and sections of the Town or what he intended to make reference to so that the Board might furnish him with the information he desired. 51.,1=; Letter from H. B. Lamont. Attention was called to the fact that Lexington is one Sewer of the few towns that makes a charge for Sewer rentals. rental Most towns make the charge to the town generally. charges. Attention of the Supt. of Public Works was again called to the fact that the manhole in front of the property of Manhole Johnson Armstrong on Woburn Street has not been fixed. The Supt. of Public Works agreed to have this fixed before the next meeting. Statement, written by the Chairman for publication, in regard to the Lexington Tax Rate was read by the Board, and with some corrections was approved. Notice was received from the Registrars of Voters of the dates of Registration. Letter was received from Pierre A. Northrup who was respresnting Mr. & Mrs. Louis Vanderwoude, claiming damages on their property on account of construction of Tucker Avenue. They stated that they are the owners of lots 428-429-430 which prior to the layout of Tucker Avenue were valued at $300. each. When Tucker Avenue was accepted the street was raised in some places to a height of 7.2 feet. The result is that the level of theroad is now on the same plane as the tops of the trees growing on the lots, thereby rendering the lots valueless and for no use whatever. The Town Engineer was present and explained that Mr. Northrup came into his office some time when he was, not there and took the figures off the plan. Mr. Custance explained that Mr. Vanderwoude was not -the owner of the property when the taking was sae and that the original owner intended to take the hill off and bring the lots down to the street., and Mr. Custance thought that Mr. Vanderwoude purchased the Tax. Title on the property. It was decided to find out how long this property had been assessed in the name of Mr. & Mrs. Vanderwoude, and in whose name it stood at the time of the taking. Mr. O'Connell presented plans whowing the property ' owned by him at 1775 'Mass. Ave., and specifications of what was intended to be done, He stated that the changes did not constitute any structural change. He stated that there was no cellar under the building, and there were only brick piers underneath it so that no material Tax rate) Dates of Regis trati Vanderwoudf claim. O'Connell property 1 alterations would be made in the building. He stated that the situation as he understood it was that if the Building was demolished by fire that he would have to build a new ' one on the new building line, but otherwise he was permitted to maintain the building in its present position profitably. The setback did not affect the use of the building. The Board decided to lay the matter over for one week until the Town Counsel could give his opinion. Mr. O'Connell stated that regardless of the ruling of the Board that he intended to go ahead and make the altera- tions that he applied for. The meeting dissolved at 10:15 P.M. A true record, Attest: Clerk. 1