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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1933-02-14SELECTMEN'S MEETING ' PEBRUARY 14, 1933 169 Sewer, Vine Brook A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held at the Selectmen's Office, Town Office Building, on February 14, 1933 at 7:30 P.M. Messrs, Trask, Custance, Gilcreast, Ferguson and O'Connell were present. The Supt. of Public Works and the Clerk were also present. The Town Engineer and Supt. of Water and Sewer Dept* came betgre the Board. Mr. Ross explained that the Bedford Street and Shirley Street sewer job cost considerably more than expected. He presented figures showing the estimated cost of the work on Sargent, Shirley and Tewksbury Street and stated that to do this work and also to make the sewer connection to the house of Mr. T. A. Custance there should be at least $15,000 available, if the work is to be done by hand. labor. If a machine could be put in,there.would be some saving. Mr. Ross also felt that a water main should be put in Tewksbury Street while the sewer work is being done. In reference to the work of installing the trunk line surer in Mass. Avenue from the Arlington line, Mr. Ross ' stated that if this work was done he felt he could lower the meter maintenance appropriation $1000, inasmuch as this installation would lower the water pressure on the sewer. The Board agreed that he should explain this matter to the Appropriation Committee. Letter of the Town Counsel in reference to making a taking of land for Vine Brook Drainage was read by the Chair- man. The matter was also discussed by the Town Counsel. Counsel advised that under authority of Chapter 263 of the Acts of 1926, which has been accepted by the Town, the Board would have the right without making a taking to make survdys or tests or to clear the stream of obstructions without a prior taking. After the Town Counsel retired the Board again discusses the matter of whether or not they would undertake any part of the Vine Brook project, and Voted to unr%rtake &hp imptovement of that part of the Vine Brook gest of.East Street to the Burlington line under the Special Act, Chapter 263 of the Acts of 1926. Mr. Custance suggested a lay out along the upper part of the brook of road ways with trees and cross walks across the brook. He felt that while the material is being taken from the brook it could be spread for fill and improve the whole area. He also suggested ditches might be built so that the drainage would run off the land. After discussing the matter it was voted to authorize ' Mr. Custance as the Board's representative, regardless of his status with the town, to take up with the Planning Board the development of the Vine Brook area between East Street and Hayes Lane, and to bring in the study of that section to the Board of Selectmen. 169 Sewer, Vine Brook 170 Peddlers Peddlers License was signed for Daniel K. McLean of License. Concord Avenue. The application of the Stanley Hill Post for the use Cary of Cary Memorial Hall on February 22, 1933 for a dance and Hall. Moving Pictures was approved. The use for this occasion is free of charge. Mr. Ross reported that he communicated with Mr, ft a olm relative to his desire to have a sewer in Eustis Street, and Mr. Trnholm stated that he would inform Mr. Ross if he decided he desired to have a sewer. 1 1 The Board discussed with the Town Counsel the matter of whether or not they should allow any damages on the Cain property on Pollen Road, The Town Engineer felt that there was no need of a 60 foot layout on Pollen Road; therefore, when the wall was constructed along this street, it was laid so that the 'Cain street would be a 50 foot width. When the Town got down as property far as the Cain property, Mr. Cain objected and stated that on Pollen he had been advised that he was entitled to damages. If Road. the Town out down the bank his place would set up on the hill. However, the grades of the street were there prior to when he built, and the Town is now even giving him extra land by not building to the 60 foot layout. He was entitled to get the grades of the street at the Town. Office Building and if he did not, he could not consider that he was entitled to damages. Town Counsel advised that he did not believe he was entitled to damages. In regard to the abandonment of the 60 foot layout, the Town Counsel advised that a ten foot strip be abandoned Pollen in the same manner as a layout except that the notice -of y, Road intention would call for alteration of the layout. The Town 'Engineer stated that he would have to make considerable study of the entire layout and it was therefore decided not to take any action to abandon any part of the highway at this time. The Board signed notice of intention to lay out Grant Grant Street from Near Hayes Lane a distance of 450 feet. Street The Board voted to make a Board of Survey lay out of Grant Street from near Hayes Lane to East Street, Moth. The applications for the position of Moth Supt. and Supt. and Tree Warden were again laid on the table. Tree Warden. Now application was received from Mr. Henry J. Nutt, Ridge Road. Water Commitment of Water Guaranty charges for 1932 in the Guarantys amount of $361.2.04 was signed by the Board. Notice was redeived from James J. Carroll, Chrm. of Cary Hall. the Music Committee of the _Community Recreation Aswoeiation stating that he would not use Cary Memorial Hall on Sunday, February 19th. 1 1 L d 1 E 171 It was voted to install a street light in Oakmount Street Circle, the layout of this street having been made prior light, to the acceptance by the Town of the Board of Survey Act, The Health Regulations were again laid upon the table. Health The Board signed the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting, same to be revised by removing some of the articles that Warrant were already in and inserting any articles that were expected to be received in the immediate future. The Appropriation Committee came before the Board and Budget discussed matters pertaining to the budget of 1933. Mr. Custance brought up the matter of compensation insurance and stated that there were several Towns that carried their own insurance. He felt that this was some- thing that should be looked into and the Town might carry Insur« its own insurance, ante The Chairman of the Appropriation Corpmittee expressed the thought that the Town should not take any changes in endeavoring to provide their own compensation insurance inasmuch as the Insurance Companies were losing a great deal of money on these kind of cases. The Board decided to lay the matter on the table to be taken up at a later date. The Town Engineer was requested to explain the project that he had in mind of the layout of,a street that would take some of the traffic off Pleasant Street. The proposed street would eli*inate the junction of Follen Road, Pleasant New Street and Mass. Avenue by coming across from near Watertown Proposed Street to Mass. Avenue through the Wilson Farm property and Street other properties in that vicinity and come out on bass.. 4W Avenuq near the Aldreman property, thence across the meadow to make a connection with the proposed street to come in from Winchester. Owing to the fact that this proposition was proposed, it was decided not to take any action on a request for an appropriation for the construction of Pleasant Street under Chapter 90. The Chairman reported that he had a room fixed up in the Cary Memorial Building for the Public Health Association for the storage of clothing for the Welfare Dept, He Clothing stated that an accounting of this appeared in the local room for paper this week. Public The Board voted to ratify the action of the Chairman Health in making arrangements for the Public Health Association Associatim to use a room in the basement of the building so that the clothing may be distributed from that point. When the Appropriation Committee came before the Board they stated that the tax rate would be increased if the appropriations remained as presented to them. They therefore felt that it was necessary to make some cuts in 172 Hearing was declared open on the petition of Leonard K, Dunham and others in which it was stated that the follow- ing persons requested that the pigs being kept by Cheater c� �c the appropriations. The Chairman therefore decided to Matilda Wheeler, George L. Rice, Lottie M. Rice, Howard go through the list to see what appropriations couYA be cut. M. Munroe, Irving Currier, Albert E. Olsen, Marion C. The Chairman stated that the Appropriation Committee ' refused to allow the purchase of an additional oar for the The Town Counsel and Matthew Stevenson, Health Police Dept. Therefore the Police Dept, budget will be Inspector, were present at the hearing. out accordingly. The Chairman stated that the purpose of the hearing In regard to the Assessors Dept., it was decided to was to bring out the facts of the case on both sides and Budgets. take of the $459 recently approved and make an appropriation stated that he was ready to hear those in favor of the of $6000. In the Moth Dept, it was decided to ask for petition. $25001 Sha+dd Trees, $500; Forest Fires, $700; Sewer Mr. George L. Rice of 129 Woburn Street stated that he Maintenance, $58,000; Highway Maintenance, $45,000; lived west of the piggery and that any time the wind is in Street Signs, $150; Sidewalks $1200; Street Lights, the East that they get a very strong offensive odor from the 121.,500; Old Age Assistance, 10,00; Parks and Playgrounds piggery. When they have company the odors are very object- 10 000. It was also decided to out out the appropriation ionable. When asked whether this was anything that happened of 1250. for Fire Alarm Boxes. recently, he stated that he has lived there only three years The Selectmen were to meet with the Appropriation Committee again for a final meeting on Thursday evening next. The attention of the Board was brought to the fact that it was understood that one of the Police Officers was intoxicated and abused his wife to the extent that other Police members of the Police force had to call at his house, and Officer it was felt that if this were true, the officer should be reprimanded and it was therefore felt that the Chief of Police should make a report to the Board in regard to the I matter giving in detail the other records of infractions of this same officer. Hearing was declared open on the petition of Leonard K, Dunham and others in which it was stated that the follow- ing persons requested that the pigs being kept by Cheater A. -Fogg or others be removed at an early date: Peter Simonian, E. W. VanDeusen, Sarah C. VanDeusen, L. C. Wheeler, Matilda Wheeler, George L. Rice, Lottie M. Rice, Howard M. Munroe, Irving Currier, Albert E. Olsen, Marion C. Olsen, Christina M. Miller, Adolph Labes. The Town Counsel and Matthew Stevenson, Health Inspector, were present at the hearing. The Chairman stated that the purpose of the hearing Fogg was to bring out the facts of the case on both sides and Piggery stated that he was ready to hear those in favor of the Hearing. petition. Mr. George L. Rice of 129 Woburn Street stated that he lived west of the piggery and that any time the wind is in the East that they get a very strong offensive odor from the piggery. When they have company the odors are very object- ionable. When asked whether this was anything that happened recently, he stated that he has lived there only three years and it is impossible in the summer time. He lives about 300 yards from the piggery. When asked whether or not he ' notice the odor all the summers that he lived there he stated that he did not know about the piggery and he did not know just where it was coming from. He-�felt sure it did come from the piggery and he did not know of any other 173 piggery in that direction. His house was located just about 300 yards west from the piggery and his place was ' formerly the Ludden place. Mr. Leonard K. Dunham stated that the small from the piggery was bad and the squealing bothered him at night; that the piggery was 300 to 500 feet from his place. He stated that Mr. Fogg formerly had piggs on the Currier place and now he has a permit for 500 pigs on a four acre plena of property. He did not know how many pigs he had there,'but he did know that he enlarged his place. A few years ago, he went over to the Munroe place. He stated that there was a smell coming from the premises tonight and if the Board did not believe it he would take them down in a taxi to prove it. Mr. Dunham felt quite definitely that the odor came from this piggery. Mrs. Olsen wanted to know if there was any law that a person could keep pigs under the Zoning Law. The Chairman explained that Mr. Fogg had a permit to keep pigs and under the Zoning Law he was entitled to do farming in a residence district and unless the regulations were not complied with he could keep pigs according to his permit. Previous to this time there had been no complaints. Mrs. Olsen stated that she had stood this condition for ten years and that they had noticed it all of that time, but they lived there and paid their taxes and they did not see why they should have to stand for it. In the summer time they get the odor outside the house and also have it inside ' the house. She was located next to Mr. Dunham's house and although she was no judge of distances, it might be 1000 feet. - She could see his pigs from her house. The Chairman called attention to the fact that no one stated anything about any of the conditions except that they' smelled from the piggery. Mr. Cheater A. Fogg stated that he would like to ask about the manure pile of Mr. Buss's that had been put near Mrs. Olsen's place. He also stated that his piggery was 1500 feet from the highway, and the manure pile which he just mentioned is what they are blaming him for. Mr. Dunham stated that the manure pile was covered up with snow. Mr. Francis Burke, acting as Attorney for Mr. Fogg, presented a petition signed by Alexander Porter, J. Herzog, Patrick H. McDonnell, John E. Kelley, Robert Porter, Domonic Modoono, and Mrs. J. R. McLaughlin stating that they had no complaints of odors. He also called attention to the fact that there was some manure in that vicinity and he also called attention to the fact that he was informed that back of Mr. Fogg's piggery there were at least 1500 pigs -kept on Ryder's Farm. Mr. Fogg's permit is for 200 pigs and he now on his premises 130 pigs. .has The Health Inspector stated that he had no particular complaint to make. He was visiting several of the piggeries ' including the Fogg place. He felt that the people must have some justification in coming here to make a complaint, but whether the odor was coming from the Fogg piggery, he was not sure. He stated that he talked with Mr. Fogg in regard 174 Fogg Piggery Hearing. to fixing up his premises to comply with the Health Reg- ulations and that he has already done some of the work of complying with the regulations and is still working on it and he seemed to be willing in every instance to comply. He stated that he also found other piggeries in town 4&ich did not comply with the Regulations, but he had requested them to carry out the Regulations and they had agreed to do so, and he would see that they did do so. Mr. John Lamont stated that he wished to make the statement that there were not 1500 pigs kept on the Ryder property, that by actual count there were 425 pigs there today. Mr. Dunham said that he was sorry he had made a mistake about the number of pigs allowed to be kept on the permit of Mr. Fogg, The Chairman inquired whether or not any one,else ddeired to speak relative to the petition and no one appeared to wish to speak. Mr. Stevenson stated that he visited this property a very short time ago as Health Inspector, and he found some things .that did not comply with the lady and he 4sked that these things be remedied. Then he visited the place on the 7th of February and he found that most of the things were remedied on his recommendation. Mr. Fogg is now putting in cement floors in the piggery. His feeding places were cleaned off and he did not detect any odor until he got down to the piggery. In regard to the manure which was heaped up on the other side of the street, the man who was putting the manure there agreed to comply with the law and he covered it with lime. After that he could not detect any odor from that. A day or so later, the man tried to pile some manure out on the land and he had about four or five piles which were not covered. He went down there again after he received compaAint and spoke to the man about it and he complied with the law then and covered it over with lime. He went down again a day or so after- ward and the piles were all covered over. He told the lady who made the complaint to call him again if they had any further trouble and he had not heard from her 'since, in regard to Mr. Fogg's piggery, he felt it was as clean as any of the piggeries are today and that anything he was asked to do he was willing to do. He could not detect anything very bad about the piggery. Mr. Dunham asked Mr. Stevenson what the condition was of the pigs that he found on the Munroe land and Mr. Stevenson stated that the conditions were such as pigs might be found at this time of year and the same as other piggeries that he visited at this time. Mr. Dunham wanted to know what kind of houses they were kept in on the Munroe property and what they were fed. Mr. Stevenson said that he could not say anything about the shacks but they were bding fed on swill that came from Cambridge and there was nothing very bad about that. He felt that this time of the year is very detrimental to the hogs but he thought that Mr. Fogg was willing to do every- thing to remedy the conditions. fir. Stevenson did not know 1 1 1 .4 ' that there were pigs on the Munroe property until Mr. Dunham told him they were there. Mr. James M. Etter of Woburn Street stated that he has lived there for pretty nearly five years and there had not been a summer since he lived there that they did not get odors from the Fogg and Ryder piggeries. He asked the question whether or not he could sell his property if anyone came and smelled that odor while they were looking at the property. The hearing was declared closed. The Board decided to talle the matter under advisement and to lay the matter on the table for two weeks. In the meantime, members of the Board would view the premises. 1w,regard to the application of Gilbert Harris of 7 Pearl Street, Mr. Mitchell reported having visited his home.of two rooms and consulted with Dr. Wells in regard to the conditions and was informed that the house was in a deplorable condition on Account of the water having been shut off. The Distfict Nurse has in the past, rendered aid In the form of groceries to this family. The man is -purchasing the house at the rate of $10* per month. He has a car which is not registered. It was voted to allow him three days assistance. 175 Harris case Application was received from Clarence W. Burgess. The man is a soldier. The food budget for his family amounts to $7, a week and Mr. Mitchell reeorEmended that he have four Burgess days a week. The man applied for"Soldiers Relief. He lives in a house owned by Francis Burke's wife. It was decided to give him four days Unemployment Relief. Peter Palermo of Cliffe Avenue asked that action be taken on his application. No action was taken. Palermo In regard to the application of Frank Winn of Bedford Street, Mr. Mitchell reported that Mrs. Winn drew out $364 Winn from the Lexington Trust Co. on February 6, 1932 and when he was asked about what happened to the money, he could give no accounting. In regard to Walter Aylward, Mr. Mitchell bonsulted with his uncle and he stated that he was doing all that he Aylward could possibly do for the family and that he was willing to have some aid granted to his nephew. It was therefore decided to allow him two days. In regard to the Fisher family, the son-in-law made arrangements to move out of the house and Mr. Fisher has not Fisher yet secured a house. ' It was decided to give Mr. Fisher three days, however, in the meantime. 176 �c Application iras received from William J. Hall for ' Soldiers Relief. The man lives at 273 Lowell-Street*The Hall house is mortgaged for f5400, and he pays $35. a month to," case. the Bank. He receives' 18. a month veteran's compensation for disability. The Board requested further information in regard to the case but authorized allowance for food if necessary-' in the meantime. - In regard to the application of Donato Pierro who again applied for further assistance, the Agent reported Pierro that the income from his daughters was less now than ' previously and the man is not getting three days, and the food amounts to $16.73 a week. The bank has suspended the dues on the house and he receives about $7, a week from his children. It was voted therefore to allow him one more day. In regard to Amos D. Glawson of Rangeway Street, the Lexington Co-operative Bank has a mortgage for $2800. on Glawson the house upon which the man is paying $15, a month. The taxes for 1932 were not paid. His daughter has been laid off from work and he needs assistance. It was voted to allow him three days. Application was received from Warren S. Grant, Farmerest Avenue. The man has a wife and a child eight Grant years old in his family. He works at the Jefferson Union on Saturdays and Sundays and gets $6* a week. He has a home mortgaged for $3000, and owes the whole year 1932 on interest. It was decided to give him two days a week. Application was received from John F. Heaney of 47 Chase Avenue. He has equity in two houses. He has three Heaney children in the family. Mr. Mitchell requested that he apply to the banks for a reduction of the amount of the payments owing to eircum- dtanoes. This ease was referred back to Mr. Mitchell. Mr. Aquaro surrendered his automobile plates on Feb. Aquaro 9th and he returned to work. He owes a water bill of $27. It was decided to give him four days. In regard to Walter Allen of Bedford Street, Mr. Mitchell reported that Mr. Ryder still owes the man some Allen money. Mrs. Allen's Son works at the First National Stores and gets between $4. and $5, per week. With this money, he takes care of himself. There is one girl, 16, a boy 12 and the boy 19 works in the store. The food budget for the family amounts to,$ll, per week. ' It was decided to give him three days. It was decided to allow Salvatore Corselli three days. Corselli He has a wife and himself, and $4, a week rent to pay. ' Richard Barry applied for unemployment relief, but It was decided not to give him any inasmuch as his wife is employed as a court stenographer. In regard to Tony Waters, the man was sent to the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital by Dr. Harrington for x-rays, There is a mortgage of $2000, in the Lexington Savings Bank on the home. The man being unable to work, it was decided to give four days to the son. In regard to William B. McLean of Valleyfield Street, Mr. Mitchell reported that his car has not been registered this year. The meeting adjourned at 1 o'clock A.M. A true record, Attest: Clerk, 1 C 177 Barry Waters McLean