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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1933-04-04222 �c SELECTMEXI S MEETING ' APRIL 4, 1933. A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 7:30 P.M. ,Messrs. Trask, Gilereast, Fer#uson, OtConnell and Lyons were present. The Supt. of Public Works and the Clerk were also present. It was voted to appoint David McPekke a Special Police Special Officer of the Town of Lexington owing to the fact that he Police will have to do duty on Sundays and nights on the Park Department property. Mid.Co. It was voted to approve the application of Martha Murphy San. of 4 Beck Road, Arlington for admission to the Middlesex County Sanatorium. Commitment Commitment of water rates for the second section in the amount of $7537.64 was signed by the Board. Invitation was received from the Stanley Hill Post No.36 of the American Legion inviting the Board to attend ' Verdun the exercises at Cary Memorial Hall, on April 6th, at Medals 8 P.M. at the presentation of Verdun Medals to 'world War Veterans of the Town. The Board voted to, accept the invitation. Letter was received from Randall B. Houghton, Treasurer of the Lexington Field and Garden Club enclosing bill showing Grass expenditure of $94.00 in cleaning the grass borders in the Borders town, and requesting reimbursement for one half that amount , Cost,, from the town. It has been the custom in the past to pay one half the cost and the Board voted to reimburse the Field and Garden Club for $46.50. It was voted to grant a license for a Golf Driving , Golf Range to George W. dean to operate at 242-245 Bedford Street. License Sunday Golf permit to operate during the month of April was also signed. Copy of complaint of Mr. James Meehan of rear #20 Meehan Woburn Street relative to the unsanitary condition of toilet Comp&aint 'at house occupied by him and owned by Mrs. Mulvey was received from the State House. The State Dept.of Health referred him to the Town and it was therefor voted to re- quest the Inspector to make a report of the conditions. Trucking Application to place the name of P. Palladino of 445 Mass. Ave. on the list of trucking service was placed on file. Letter was received from Randall B. Houghton, Treasurer of the Lexington Field and Garden Club enclosing bill showing Grass expenditure of $94.00 in cleaning the grass borders in the Borders town, and requesting reimbursement for one half that amount , Cost,, from the town. It has been the custom in the past to pay one half the cost and the Board voted to reimburse the Field and Garden Club for $46.50. Letter was received from of the Booth Committee of the he asked permission to erect Square for the sale of tonic, April 19th. 223 m Norman E. Stockhaus, Chairman Stanley Hill Post #38 inwhich and operate a booth in Depot Legion ice cream and hot dogs on Booth. It was voted to grant the permit under the same conditions as they were granted under last year. Letter was received from Nelson B. Crosby, Representative, House in which he stated that he wou-1_d support House Bill #230. Bill #230 Mr. Gilereast reported in regard to the application of Edwardo Leo Dattoli of 151 Cliff Avenue for Old Age Assist- ance that he investigated the conditions at the Dattoli home and found that they had reduced their mortgagefrom $4500 to $2800 and the bank reports that they make regular payments on the mortgage. He felt there(5> that there was no need for old age assistance, and the Board therefore voted to lay the matter on the table. Letter was received from the Supt. of the Water and Sewer Department in which he called attention to House Bill #695 before the Committee on Ways --and Means the purpose of which is to change the method of apportioning the Metropolitan Water Assessment. The bill would eliminate consideration of valuation and make the distribution solely on the basis of water delivered. This would amount to a yearly sating of $3,500. for Lexington. Mr. Ross suggdsted that the Board write the Senktor and representative requesting them to support the bill, and it was so voted. Datolli, Old Age. House Bill #895 The Supt. of Public Works presented bids from the following concerns on printing: Somerville printing Cc; Than Hancock Press; Lexington Townsman, Inc; Mercury Printing CQ; L. E. Muran, Co.; H. B. McArdle; and George T. Pascoe. Printing It was voted to award the bid to the Somerville Printing Co. at their bid of $46.50, the same being the lowest bid received. The Board considered the qualifications of Mr. John E. Cumming and Edward B. O'Connor for the postion of Wire Inspector, and after some discussion it was decided to lay the matter upon the table. No action was taken upon the appointments of the Posture Clinic or the Fire Engineers. Common Victuallers License was granted to the Lexington Inn. Wire Inspector Appoint- met.ts License ' It was decided to have Mr. Ross come before the Board Trunk to talk in reference to the Tunk Line Sewer at the next Line Sewer meeting. 224 cooQ The Town Engineer came before the Board and presented ' plan showing how the drainage near the property of Robert Mar on Oakmount Circle could be handled. He stated that Di'd1hage, it would cost $480* to install the pipe. The Supt. of Public Oakmount works put in gravel and up to this afternoon it had its Circle* effect in stopping the water from going down through Mr. Mayd's property. It was decided to wait until the results are shown as to how the gravel will take care of the water before any other work ib done. At the meeting held last Tuesday it was voted to dismiss Mr. Albert Miller. The Board voted to rescind their action Engineering and allow Miller to remain in the employ of the town inasmuch Dept, as the Town Engineer informed the Board that he is to move to town on May 1st and he has had him do special work and he did not believe that he should be removed from the Dept. owdng to his ability to do this work. Hearing was declared open at 8 P.M. by the Board acting as a Board of Health.on the proposed regulations to be adopted. The Chairman read the various sections of the Regulations and asked for comments by the persons present on any part in which they were interested. Mr. James A. Moulton of Sherman Street inquired what regulations would be adopted for the keeping of hens. The Chairman explained that the purpose of the regulation requiring a permit for poulty was so that the Board would have control over the bend. They had not as yet made any regulations covering the conditions under which the hens have to be kept. They have in the past, however, had many complaints,, and inasmuch as the regulations do not require a permit, the Board did not have any definite control unless the complaints constituted a nuisance. Mr. William Leary of Vine Street offered the suggestion thatthe requirements should be made only in the thickly settled districts and not in the farming districts. Mr.. Arthur Roberts stated that he felt that anyone who had established a business before this regulation went into effect should be allowed to remain. Mr. Moulton explained that he had been in the business a good many years and that he finally decided that he thought his cockerels were distubbimg the neighbors. There fore he got rid of them., and although now it is extra expense to himto obtain his eggs, he would rather stand the expense than bother his neighbors. He felt that as long as he had taken such precautions, he should be allowed to continue his business inasmuch as his living depended upon the place and he did his best to run a proper business. Mr. Edward Dalrymple of 3 Sheridan Street stated that he felt that people moved out into the country to enjoy the privilege of keeping a few hens and he thought that they should be able to do so without having to obtain a permit. 1 C 225 Wr. Peter Welsh of Hayes Lane asked whether or not this ' included turkeys inasmuch as his business was the turkey business. He also asked how large an area the Board would consider was a proper area upon which to raise 'poultry. Mr. John Wilson of Fern Street inquired whether or not it was to be understood that all milk had to be either certified or pasteurized. Information was furnished that certified milk cost from thirty to forty cents a quart. Mr. Dalrymple felt that the local milk dealers were unable to handle certified milk owing to the cost, and he felt that this would be helping the sales for the certified milk concerns. He stated that doctors order raw milk or certified milk, for children, and he felt that they should be allowed to sell it for this readon. In the sales of pasteurized milk the dealers have competition with the chain stores and therefore their sales would fall off considerable. He stated that raw milk is not heated and subjected to 100 to 145 degrees. It was sold just as it comes from the cows. All the cows are federal tested for tuberculosis inasmuch as the State Law requires it. Mr. Dalrymple explained that he sold about 100 quarts of raw milk per day in Lexington and there seemed to be a demand for it. He stated that the original purpose of pasteurization was to kill bovine tuberculosis and it would also kill other germs. He stated that he felt that as far as killing germs was concerned, the Health ' typhoid carried could carry germs by handling a bottle of Regulailaas pasteurized milk on the outside as well as it could be carried Hearing in the milk in handling if it were raw milk. He stated that about five per cent of his sales is raw milk. Mr. Roberts stated that 12J per cent of his sales were raw milk. Mr. Lidberg and Chester Lidberg were both present and stated that they engaged only in the sale of raw milk. Chester Lidberg called attention to the fact that Arlington, Somerville, Boston were towns of large population compared to Lexington and they have no such regulation. He also called attention to the fact thatmilk is shipped in from other states and pasteurized and then sold through large companies at less cost than the farmers can sell their milk fort; and Massachusetts has to compete with the milk shipped in. The Board inquired of Mr. Roberts whethercor not he felt that from a heatlh standpoint pasteuttzed milk was safer than raw milk, and he stated that his family had been in the milk business for over 100 years and never during that time had they had any communicable disease connected with their milk business. He felt that if raw milk was properlir handled and kept clean that there is no danger. They have to comply with the State regulations and the testing of the cows, and he felt that raw milk could be perfectly safe. Me* Lidberg felt that with the regulations of the State requiring tuberculin tests of cows that there was no danger. He also stated that he had a clipping from a newspaper askigg that a request be placed before the Legislature requesting that people be not forced to buy pasteurized milk. 226 Town Forest. Drainage. coo n There appeared to be no more objections, and the hearing ' was declared closed.. The Board informed the gentlemen that they would take the subjects under consideration. Mr. Edgar F. Scheibe, who was appointed Chairman of the Committee on Town Forest, reported to the Board that the land set aside by vote of the Town Meeting for a Town Forest was not suitable to plant trees upon inasmuch as there 'is not a high spot of land there, and if trees were put in there they would die. He had been all over the whole territory and investigated the conditions. He felt that they might be able to plant some trees around the old Lexington Reservoir or Bowman Park, and the Board felt that he should look up the grant of Bowman Park to the Town to see whether or not it could be used for this purpose. He also suggested that the Town Farm might be planted with trees. The Board called his attention to the fact that at a later date it might -be possible that the two golf courses located in the vicinity might be interested in purchasing this land and they did not therefore believe that this land should be planted with trees. Mr. Scheibe felt that if there was not some tract of land available for them, they might as well give up the project of planting any trees this year inasmuch as it would be too late. The Board requested him to look around the Town to see what tract of land the Committee might recommend, even if it had to be purchased at a later date., He made the suggestinn that the Botanical Garddns on Hancock Street might be ob- tained for the amount of the mortgage. Mr. Scheibe stated that he would like to take up with the Board his ideas in regard to the land in back of the playground being drained. He suggested that it might be p ossible to drain the land by holding back the water on Mass. Avenue and rebuilding the culvert under Mass. Avenue by lowering it and therefore it would give the water a chance to run off this land. Mr. Ferguson stated that he felt that there might be some chance of carrying out the suggestion, and the Board requested that he look into the proposition and advise the Board what he thought might be done. Welfare & Mr. Mitchell, Agent of the Welfare Dept., handed in Unemploy- report of the cases in the Town up to April lst. The report went. showed considerable increase in the number of'persons placed on both the Welfare and Unemployment Relief since January first. 1 Mr. 010onnell inquired whither or not Frank Winn was ' Winn still with the Unemployed or Welfare Department, and he was case, informed that he was. Mr. OfConnell reported that Mr. Winn purchased a new car at Mr. Johnson's in the past week. L 227 In regard to Mr. Fisher's car, Mr. Mitchell reported that Mr. Fisher informed him that the car was sold to his Fisher father-in-law who lives at 28 Chesnut Street, Needham. Mr. O'Connell did not believe that Mr. Fisher had a father-in- law. At the present time Mr. Fisher is not on the list. Mr. Mitchell reported that Mr. Earle Johnson who had obtained work a few weeks ago, had disappeared and his wife Johnson did not know where he was. Mr. Mitchell reported having aided the family to groceries. It was voted to pay the bill for the brace for Mr. Armstrong Johnson Armstrong, Homestead Street. Application was received from Arthur Herbert Lloyd, 46 years old, piano tuner, who lives with his brother at Lloyd 32 Cliffe Avenue. His brother is a plumber and getd only two or three days a week. There is one boy in the family working who turns in $5. a week. Mr. Rushton, Baptist Minister, believed that the family are in need of assistance. Mr. Mitchell reported that his settlement is in Water- town. It was voted to grant $6. a week in this case. Application was received from Roy E. French, age 24, single man. His family are living in Nova Scotia. He is French not a citizen. It was voted not to allow any aid in this case. Application was received from Albert G. ,toss, 3 Locust Avenue. The bank had suspended the dues for Mr. Ross. The man had previously been assisted by working out his Ross. water bill. It was voted to allow three days. Application was received from Andrew Massucco of Valley Road. No action was taken. Massucco Application was received from Jesse Sousa of School Street. No action was taken, he being a single man. Sousa Application was received from Joseph Lundergan of Sylvia Street. No action was taken. Lundergan No action was taken on the application of George F. Newlands of Summit Avenue. I Newlands Mr. Mitchell reported that Edward F. Glynn of Mass. Avenue informed him that his wife had gone away and taken Glynn with' -her the -`,.600. which he formerly reported was in the bank. No action was taken on Michael McDonnell's application for Soldiers Relief instead of Unemployment Relief. MC Donell 228 c� �c Mr. Mitchell was requested to find out how many ' days Clarence'Bwrgess was working at the High School. Burgess Mr. Mitchell stated that he was getting $15. a week; but he case, did not know how many days he worked. It was felt that he should be placed on the same basis as the other men and be asked to work at the rate of $3, per day. The Chairman reported that complaint had been received from persons residing in the vicinity of Vine Brook Road Vine of the condition of water table and complaining that they Brook will have to bring suit unless the Town does something to remedy the conditions. He stated that owing to this con- dition, he felt that some of the unemployed should be put to work cleaning out Vine Brook of obstructions. The Supt. of Public Works presented a schedule of the employees of the highway department whom he thought could be put on a bisis of four days a week owing to their agd and size offamily. The list also included the ages of the ;Highway various persons employed and the length of service. The employees, list included only two men, Charles Williams and James Stewart, whom the Supt. felt were able to do a good days' work and the only reason he put these two on the list was that he felt they could get along with four days a week. The other men were all older men. It was voted to accept the recommendation of the Supt. of Public Works of putting these men on a four ' day basis with the exception of the two men mentioned, namely James Stewart and Charles Williams. The Chairman explained that he felt that these men should be put on a four day a week basis for the full year and not recalled to the Dept, again for a full week, and in this way the unemployment situation could be helped out as younger men could be put on the Dept. who could do a better day's work. The attention of the Supt, was called to the condition Sidewalk - of the sidewalk on Muzzey Street which he stated he recently Muzzey St. patched. Mr. O'Connell stated that a truck must drive up over the sidewalk where the patching has been done inasmuch as it is broken up again since it was patched. The Chairman reported that complaint had been received by a girl that she had been assaulted by one of the 4ustin gang at the Mohawk Club. He therefore looked up the license Complaint and found that the license which had been granted by the re Mohawk Board of Appeals to Mr. Lamont had expired and had not been Club. renewed and also that the license granted by the Selectmen had not been reR-awd and therefore the Mohawk Club was operating without a license at the present time. He also found out that the Ryders, who now have the property in their own name, owe a water bill of $265, and he therefore ordered 1 the Mohawk Club closed. Mr. Lamont appealed to him asking if payment of $50* dould be paid now, and the balance paid at a later date, but he informed him that this had been the practice in the a past and nothing could be done about the water until the full amount of the bill was paid. Mr. Trask gave permission for two meetings to be held which were scheduled there and the persons did not have time to make a change. The Board discussed the matter of salaries and voted to approve the recommendation of the Appropriation Committee in paying the Tax Collector the sum of $900. a year for Thwn Collection and to reduce that amount by 15% beginning July lot. Letter was received from the Chairman of the Board of Assestors in which he asked that the Board reconsider their adjustment of salaries in the assessor's office in view of the fact thatit was voted by the Town Meeting to reduce salaries 15%, and asked that Mr. Spencer's salary be made not less than $50, a week and Miss Ready's not less than $23. a week, inasmuch as he felt that both employees had given their best efforts to this department. It was there- fore voted that the salary of Miss Read bereduced April lot Salaries to $28. per week and after July lst to 123, per week. It was voted that the salary of Mr. Spencer be reduced from April 1st, to $2750. to July 1st, and $2500. thereafter. It was voted that the salary of the Wire Inspector, when the Wire Inspector is appointed, be $500. per year. It was voted that the salary of the Plumbing Inspector be $800. per year from April"late It was voted that the salary of Miss Lowe be $25. after July lot. It was voted that the salary of George Harrington be $25. per week from April 3rd, and that he be in the Engin- eering Dept. employ, in the future, except for some special work in the Water Dept. It was voted that the salary of the Supt. of Public Works be $3400. from April 1st to July lot, and $3000, thereafter. It was voted that the salary of William Paxton remain $25, per week. Mr. Gilereast, Lyons and O'Connell were appointed as Old Age a Bureau of Old Age Assistance, Bureau The weekly report of the Supt. of Public Works was received. A true record, Attests i Clerk.