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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1934-08-07 90 cn co SELECTMEN'S MEETING AUGUST 7, 1934 A regular meetingof the Board of Selectmen was held $ at the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on Tuesday, August 7, 1934 at 7:30 P .M. Messrs . Trask, Gilcreast, Ferguson, O'Connell and Lyons were present. The Clerk was also present. Abatement in the amount of $1958.99 of Welfare Charges Welfare uncollectable was signed by the Board. Legion bill in the amount of $58.35 which was sent back for detail as to the amount expended under the Memorial Day Legion Bill appropriation was approved by the Board, the bill having been reduced from $60. Bill in the amount of $175 for the services of the Town Counsel in proceedings before the Public Utilities relative to Counsel's layout of Fletcher Avenue over the railroad tracks, was approved Bill by the Board. Fletcher Ave. Frank P . Cutter was drawn as a Juror for the civil session Juror at Cambridge on September 4th. It was voted to appoint the following election officers to serve for the period of one year PRECINCT ONE D Charles J. Dailey Warden D Mrs. Mary A. Rowland Deputy Warden D Bartlett J. Harrington Inspector R George E. Foster Inspector R Alfred Hayward Deputy Inspector D Donald Cameron Deputy Inspector R Mabelle S. Peavy Clerk R Arthur W. Hughes Deputy Clerk R Ellese Schofield Teller D Allan MacGilvray Teller R Miles L. F. Jones Teller D George F. Stygles Teller 91 I PRECINCT TWO R Irving B. Pierce Warden R Victor Harmon Deputy Warden R George V. Morse Inspector D Randall Richards Inspector R Elizabeth Nourse Deputy Inspector D Madeline J. Corbett Deputy Inspector D John H. Dacey Clerk D Frederick Connor Deputy Clerk R Harry G. Frost Teller R Clifford Pierce Teller D Edward McGrory Teller D Ruth Ray Teller PRECINCT THREE R Harvey Winlock Warden R Bessie G. Davis Deputy Warden D James J. Ahern Inspector D Charles E Moloy, Jr. Inspector I R Emma Hovey John Corcoran Deputy Inspector D Deputy Inspector D James L. McKenzie Clerk R Samuel W. Wellington Depntry Clerk D Timothy Kinneen Teller R Esther Graham Teller D John J. McCormick Teller R Edward B. O'Connor Teller PRECINCT FOUR R Howard Custance Warden R William E. Mulliken Deputy Warden R Warren Haynes Inspector D Katherine Kiernan Inspector R Irene Robinson Deputy Inspector D Daniel A. Gorman, Jr. Deputy Inspector D Frank Maguire clerk D Margaret T. Kennedy Deputy Clerk D Agnes Hall Teller D James J. Waldron Teller R J. Everett Comming Teller I R Harry P. Howard Teller 92 c i on 0o Attention was called to the fact that Chapter 25 of the Census Acts of 1934 require tiat a census shall be made by the ' Selectmen in January 1935. Letters were received from the Building Inspector in which he stated that Frank Parker was still living in the shack on Freemont Street; and that Mary Lowe was still living in the shack on Wood St. although both had received notice Parker & from the Constable to vacate on August 1st. Lowe It was voted to turn both cases over to the Town Counsel shacks to proceed to take legal action against both parties. Letter was received from the Holland Bros . Bus Lines, Inc. of Woburn requesting permissio n for a proposed route starting on Mass. Avenue at Lexington Common To Woburn St. thence along Woburn Street to the Lexington Woburn line, and Holland return. Bros. Bus The Board discussed the application and voted to deny Line the same inasmuch as it was felt that public convenience and necessity do not require a bus line over this route . Letter of thanks was received from Clara M. Barbour of Hancock St . for the prompt action of the Bcard in stop- - Trucks ing the trucks from passing through Hancock St. causing annoyance to the residents of the street. Alcoholic Several amendments to the liquor laws were received , Beverages from the Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Slaughter Report of the Slaughter Inspector of inspections made Inspections in May, June and July was received. Letter was received from F. J. Dolan of 104 Warren St. , Roxbury, Mass . asking that her daughter be allowed to remain in the shack owned by her until the family secure a house in Boston. She called attention to the fact that she requested the town to assist her in evicting Frank' Parker Dolan Shack last year from this house , but he remained there all summer, Homstead St. and she got no assistance from the town. She stated that she would improve the place when her daughter moved. It was decided to inform Mrs. Dolan that the place should not be fixed up that it should be demolished when her daughter moves out. Personal bond of William W. Ferguson in connection Sherman St. with the contract of Harry A. Burgess of Lexington to Bridge construct the bridge over Sherman St. was filed in the amount of $500. Mr. Burgess is now constructing the con- crete bridge at his bid of $385.00 Information was obtained from the Alcoholic Beverage Commission in which it was stated that the Board may Alcoholic apportion the fees for alcoholic beverages, but they must Licenses not go below the minimum rates of $100. for beer and wine and $200. for alcoholic liquors . 93 IIAction of the Board of Appeals in granting Frank A. Napoli permission to maintain a roadside stand on Marrett Road Side Road near the corner of Lincoln St. was received from the Stand Board of Appeals Napoli It was voted to renew the compensation insurance of the highway department expiring Sept. 8th through the office of Jay 0. Richards . It was decided, however, to have all Compensation the dates of compensation insurance expire of one date, Insurance namely September let, so that there may be one auditing of the accounts of al 1 departments. The following licenses were signed: Hairdressing, Harriet Matherson, Mabel W. Hopkinson, Thelma Luther. Licenses Garbage Transportation: Manuel Chaves ; Alcohol License, Standard Oil, 157 Bedford St. and Sunday Golf Driving Range for the Sunday in August for C. A. Wood. Sketches of the Town Seal made by Mr A. L. Ripley of 52 Follen Rd. were presented. The Chairman reported that when he showed the sketch made by the Back Bay Electrotype and Engraving Co. to Mr. Herman D. Murphy, he stated that it was not a good sketch and that it should be drawn by Ripley. Ripley Mr Ri le . When Mr. Ri le Town Seal IIreturned from his vacation he drew these five minute sketches for the Board to choose one that he would make a definite drawing from. It was decided to again suggest to the company to whom the award for the seal was made to try some other sketches to present to the Board before any decision is made. Mr. Ripley wanted $20. to make the sketches for the seal. The .Chairman of the Board of Assessors, William G. Potter, and two other members, namely Arthur Earle and Eugene T. Buckley, came before the Board with Asst. Assessor Frederick J. Spencer, and presented figures showing the proposed tax rate of $33. per thousand, for the year 1934, and desired to find out whether or not the Board had any suggestions about the proposed figures The Chairman of the Selectmen explained that there was Tax rate . $60,000. more spent this year than last year and that the in- come had been reduced $15,000. over last year and therefor it meant a difference of $1.50 on the tax rate. It was felt that no changes could be made and the Assessors therefor announced that they would declare the tax rate $33. per thousand for 1934. Mr. Mitchell came before the Board and stated that he received an sp plication from Maurice Sears who lived in Belmont who had been previously aided to Soldier' s Relief and Sears Case who had been in an automobile accident. Mr. Sears had three I children and wife. The Board voted to approve $10. per week Soldiers' Relief. 94 cc In regard to the application of Emma Hadley, Mr. Mitchell reported that he talked with Dr. Barnes and was informed by him that he had not seen the boarder living at Mrs . .Hadleyts and he also taked with the man who had boarded with her and found that he had left there last Wednesday and had not been there since to either room or board. The o ldest Hadley boy Hadley had been working on the Wilson Farm and is now laid off and Case this was the only child that was at home with the mother. The Board authorized Mr. Mitchell to allow groceries in this case as he saw fit. Mrs. John Ready applied for assistance inasmuch as bhe now is four months arrears in her rent . Her husband had been receiving Old Age Assistance in the amount of $8.. and was cut Ready down to $6. per week and under the E.R.A. her son was reduced Case to two days a week, cutting the income $4. per week. Under the E.R.A. Budget this family were receiving a proper allowance for a family of this alio. It was decided to increase the Old Age Assistance of John Ready, however, from $6. per week to $8. per week. Mr. Mitchell reported having received an application from Frank Cuceinnello who formerly worked for A. Ross and Son who Cuccinne- has five children. He now expects another child and asked for lbo Case the services of the Town physician. It was decided not to grant my assistance in this -case. Mr. Albert A. Ross, John T. Cosgrove and William S. Seamman came before the Board. Mr. Ross presented a letter calling attention to the fact that the Cityo f Waltham has started work on the ex- tension of the ten inch main in Woburn Street, Waltham to connect with the ten inch main in Walnut Street, Lexington, and asked what rate the Town should charge for the water Waltham - Waltham may use in case of an emergency. The rates charged Water by the Metropolitan District Commission vary from year to Charges year and Mr. Ross suggested that the Board decide on some percentage over and above the rate paid by the ,Town to the Commission. The rate charged by the Commission last year was $115.43 per million gallons. The Board discussed the matter and decided that nal profit should be made on water taken from this main by the City of Waltham, but that Mr. Ross should charge Waltham for the cost of the water to the Town In regard to the standpipe, Mr. Ross presented a sug- gestion that he investigated the quality of the paint to be used on the standpipe and suggested that the Board have 'valdura paint used at a cost of $50. additional. He stated that this Standpipe would give a better appearing job and a far more lasting paint job than that proposed in the contract and he rec- ommended that it be used. The Board voted to authorize the additional expenditure of $50. for valdura paint. 95 IMr. Ross presented the information to the Board that the old standpipe would now not be of any use to the Town for storage pur- poses. This information was obtained from Mr Raymond of Metcalf and Eddy. It was therefor voted that the old standpipe be demolished p and that Mr. Ross prepare specifications for the demolition of Standpipe the standpipe and bring them before the Board at the next meet- ing to be held on August 21st. The Board discussed the matter of blasting at the Brick Village in East Lexington. Mr. Ross reported that he would have to hire a third com- pressor to do the work of blasting anyway. He stated that in the Town of Arlington they hire a contractor to do the blasting and they have little trouble from claims for damages . It was I felt that the houses being constructed at the Brick Village Devel- opment now already show signs of cracks and that there would be claims for damages from this development and that the Board should inquire of the Town Counsel the best manner to protect the Town Blasting from 1 lability o f damages from the blasting. Brick In the meantime the Supt. of the Water and Sewer Dept. was Village requested to secure bids from contractors for the blasting and the Chairman was authorized to order him to proceed to accept the bid upon receiving advice from Town Counsel. IAt the request of the Gamewell Company, Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Smith of that company, came before the Board and also Edward W. Taylor, Chief of the Lexington Fire Department. Mr. Lyons explained that the purpose of the meeting was that the Gamewell Company called his attention to what they felt was an improper manner to handle the bids on the electrical work and fire alarm boxes to be installed for the Fire Dept and as he understood it, bids were asked on the boxes and the Fire Dept. installation and the Gamewell Co. put in a bid for the boxes but not for the installation. The bids then were thrown out and he was informed that Mr. Bills was instructed to go ahead with the work and he felt that if there was any unproper procedure about the bids, as the Gamewell Company lead him to believe, that it should be discussed with the Board. Mr . Taylor felt that Mr. Bills should be represented as long as the Gamewell Co. were represented, but the Board did not feel that it was necessary. Mr. Taylor read the records of the meeting of the Fire Engineers on May 8th, 1934, when it was voted to request bids for ten new fire alarm boxes and ten new replacements at which time it was decided to send out bids to Gamewell Co. , Horni Co. and Louis W. Bills. Specifications were sent out to these three bidders and a letter, a copy of which he read, stating that the bids would be open June 18th He also read the records of the meeting of June ]Bth at which time he and Mr Hooper were present when the bids on the fire alarm boxes were opened. Two bids were received, one from the Gamewell Co. and the second from Louis W. Bills. The Gamewell Company' s bid stated that they would furnish 96 CO twenty fire alarm boxes for the sum of 41600 Louis W. Bills' bid stated that he would furnish and install within thirty days the fire alarm boxes for the sum of $2000. and that he would also install the overhead wires the same to, be completed in thirty *orking days for the sum of $864. Mr. Bills, however , did not enclose a certified check as requested, and Mr. Bills also called attention to discrepancies in the specifications 'here- in the name of a street was incorrect, namely Simonds Road in- stead of Blake Road. In the bid of the Gamewell Co. the trade name of the fire alarm box was held out and therefor the bid- der failed to comply with the bid. They also did not bid on the installation of the boxes. The Gamewell Co. fire alarm box was not listed under the N.R.A. The Gamewell Co. represen- tative stated that they did operate under the Code and they have a Gamewell box which is listed under the Code. However, Chief Taylor stated that the box that they bid on was not a box listed under the National Code as they withheld the name of the box and the manufacturer. After discussing the matter quite completely, it appeared that the Gamewell Company bid not so much on the specifica- tions presented as on the letter written with the specifications and it would appear that they could not wholly place the blame upon the town. Mr. Smith stated that they did not bid on the installation inasmuch as When they came to Lexington to bid, they found so Fire many discrepancies in the specifications that they did not bid. Dept. It was suggested by a member of the Board that if this was so they could h ave qualified the bid in such a manner that it could have been accepted rather than not bid at all. The rep- resentative called attention to the fact that Mr Bills, in offering to install the fire alarm boxes free of charge, was in that manner violating the Code inasmuch as there is to be no free service under the Code. They also called attention to the fact that there was no standard construction in Lexington as there is in other cities and towns as to the installation of boxes. The Gamewell people felt that Mr. Taylor should have inquired from them as to the type of box to be furnished under this bid. The Gamewell people wished to Gall attention to the fact that they would be glad to present a bid again if bids are called upon this or any other work in the town and thanked the Board for the opportunity to come before them. Hearing was declared open upon the application of Rey W. Curtis of 47 Lincoln St . for permission to mattain a one car garage of wooden construction. Mr. Curtis and Mr. Donald Curtis Cameron appeared in favor of the petition. No persons appeared Garage against, and it was voted to grant a permit to Rey W. Curtis to maintain a garage of wooden construction, subject to the approval of the Building Inspector. 97 IIIHearing was declared open upon the application of Perley C. Tibbetts for p ermilsion to maintain one wooden garage at 121 Hamilton St. for one car. Hearing was declared open upon another application of perley C. Tibbetts to maintain a one car garage at 171 Hillside Terrace. Tibbetts Mr. Tibbetts was present and no persons were present to Garages object. It was therefor voted to grant the permit subject to the approval of the Building Inspector. Hearing was declared open upon the application of Harvey E. Mason for permission to maintain a one car garage of wooden construction at 39-40-41 Dexter Rd. Mr. Mason appeared in favor of his petition and no persons appeared against. It was Mason therefor voted to grant permission to Mr. Mason to maintain a Garage garage subject to the approval of the Building Inspector. The Chairman reported that he communicated with Mr. Swenson in regard to allowing the town to straighten and widen Clematis Brook and that he would not give his permission until he was assured that the brook would be lowered sufficiently beyond his property to protect him against any floods due to release of water from the land of Antonio Lima. The Chairman stated that he intended to apply for an ERA Clematis project to take care of the deepening and widening of Clematis Brook ERA Brook. The Board voted to authorize the Chairman to apply for Project II an ERA project to place a crew of men who had recently been working on Lincoln St . on to Clematis Brook to widen and deepen the brook from Waltham St. to 800 feet southeast of the new State Highway. In regard to the case of Pasquale Moretti, the Building Inspector reported that there were still two families 1 lying in Moretti the house at Melrose Avenue . It was therefor voted to instruct Violation the Town Counsel to proceed against Mr. Moretti for violation of the Zoning Law. The Town Engineer called attention to the fact that the pipes now located in the Busa property cannot be used for Busa drainage purposes. property Mr. T. A. Custance and Robert L. Ryder came before the Board to discuss with the Board the possibility of cooperating in an endeavor to secure a better development of the Ryder property. Mr. Ryder stated that he had an opportunity to sell a portion of his land but that the type of house that would be put up there would not be the larger type o fliemee that he originally planned to have erected in this development. He felt, howeverthat if the town would cooperate with him that his brother might be willing to hold off in making the develop- ment so they could pat in larger lots and mak® a better develop- ment. He stated, however, that putting in a Board of Survey street as suggested by Mr. Custance would not be sufficient for them to delay the development. They wanted further co- operation in the way of drainage and he felt they should have 98 00 to the assurance of the Board that they would go before the town and recommend to the town that the drainage of this area be taken care of and he felt that the town would get the income back from increased assessments . Mr. Ryder stated that it was unfortunate that after the Committee on Drainage had reported to the town that the town did not vote this drainage through. He stated, of course if they had to hold the land for the drainage it would be more expensive to them but they probably would be willing to do it if they had the assurance of the Board to do everythingossible to put through the project. He stated that they spent $3000. on engineerin on this land about three years ago and they also had a contractor signed up to build the streets provided the town would go through Ryder with the drainage of the land. They did not want to sell to every Tom, Dick and Harry but if the property is not properly Property drained they will have to do it inasmuch as they have now held the land for ten years and the assessment on the land is entirely out of line. The Board viewed the plans presented by Mr. Cuslance and Mr. Ryder, one showing the layout of a 100 feet roadway from Mass . Avenue to Vine Brook Road, and the other showing an 80 food roadway, one with a covered brook and the other an open brook. Mr. Custance stated that he had, since the last meeting, talked with the State and County in regard to connecting up this highway through the Ryder land with the Concord Avenue project, and that the State and County looked favorably upon this layout . In 1930 this project was also before the County Commissioners . The Board felt, however, that if this was made a parkway as suggested, that we would have to enter the Metropolitan Park District and be assessed our share. Mr. Ryder called attention to the fact that in Newton where an area was drained, the city paid $250, 000. for the project and made no assessment whatever upon the property and that they have already one-half of the amount back in increased assessments . Mr. Ryder called attention to the fact that where there is a layout made by the Board of Survey of Vine Brook Road, they would like to have the layout changed so that it would not take off the front part of his lots as he plans to arrange them. He asked that the Board give serious consideration to bringing the matter before the town at a Town Meeting in the near future and if he could get this assurance of the unanimous approval of the Board in supporting the issue, they would be willing to abandon the layout of smaller lots. The meeting adjoi5.rned at 11:45 P .M. A true record, Attest: Clerk.