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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1934-10-16142 SELECTMEN+S MEETING OCTOBER 16, 1934. 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, Ferguson, Gilcreast, 0►Connell and Lyons were present. The Clerk was also present. Hearing was declared open on the application of James Mc- Devitt for permission to maintain a two car garage at 31 Rob - McDevitt bins Road. James R. Smith appeared with the petitioner and Garage. presented plan approved by the Building Inspector. No persons appeared to object, and it was voted to grant the permit. Hearing wad declared open on the application of Julius Seltzer for permission to maintain a one car garage at 9 Bel- fry Terrace. Mr. T. A. Custance appeared representing- Mr. Seltzer Seltzer and no persons appeared to object, The plan of the pro - Garage. posed garage having been approved by the Bouilding Inspector, it was voted to grant the permit. Mr. Custance explained -that it may be some time before Mr. Seltzer builds the garage, but as long as he made application for it at the present time, it was decided to go through with the hearing. Hearing was declared open ,on the application of Mildred Wark for permission to maintain a one car garage at lot 32 Wood- Wark land Road. Walter Black appeared at the hearing on behalf of the Garage. petitioner and presented plan approved by the Building Inspector. No persons appeared to object, and it was voted to grant the permit. State State Aid return for the month of Se tember granting aid Aid, to Mrs. Isabella Wright in the amount of 6. per week was signed by the Board. License. License to board two infants was signed for Ruth M. Wood- ward of 15 Dexter Road. Garbage It was voted to grant a Garbage License to James F. Gaffney Lizense. of 103 Church Street, Winchester. Letter was received from the Civil Service Commissioner Rycroft granting authorization for the provisional appointment of Ser- Appoint- geant John W. Rycroft as Temporary Deputy Chief of Police. ment, Letter was received from Sergeant Rycroft in which he in - Police formed the Board of an accident to the police car which happen - Car Acci- ed on October 13th at 2:15 A. M. when the prowler car was hit dent. by an automobile and driven onto the sidewalk near the Library damaging the police car to the extent of the mudguards and rear left hub cap. The police car went dead after the accident and 1 143 ' it was not possible to find out the registration of the car that did the damage. Request was received for the placing of an electric light at the corner of Meriam Street and Glen Road from Flethher W. Street Taft. Light The Supt. of Public Works was requested to investigate the Meriam conditions to see whether or not he would recommend a light at Street. this point. Supt. of Public Works reported in regard to the street light at Fair Oaks Drive and recommended one light whete two Street lights had been requested. He interviewed the parties request- Light, ing the lights and they stated that they would be satisfied with Fair Oaks one light. Drive. It was therefore voted to insert an article in the Warrant for the Town Meeting requesting the installation of this light. Letter of thanks was received from Donald W. Tucker for Grant St. authorization, of the change of the street light on Grant Street. Light. Letter was received from the State Dept. of Public Works in which they granted permission for an isolated stop sign to be Stop erected on Bedford Street at Simonds Road. Sigh.. Supt. of Public Works stated that the stop sign would be in- stalled by the State Department. Report was received from the Town Counsel in regard to the Smith Case. Harrison E. Smith case that the Judge had reserved his decision. Letter was received from the Town Clerk in regard to the Committee appointed by the moderator on High School Accommoda- Committee. tions as follows; James S. Smith Earl S. Archibald Harvey Winlock Mrs. William G. Potter Luther R. Putney Mrs. Arthur B. Field School Committee. Letter was received from the Building Inspector in which he reported that all ehe plumbing, kitchen stove, hot water boiler Moretti and door bell was removed from the Moretti house as required by Case. the Courtts decree. Letter was received from the Robert Whitney giving notifi- cation of the expiration of $10,000. fire insurance on blanket policy November 24, 1934. Insurance. It was voted to authorize the renewal of this insurance through the office of Mr. Whitney. ' Letter was received from the Town Counsel in reference to Witness the Building Inspectorts witness fees which the Board voted to Fees. 144 cn authorize last week. He mentioned the fact that other Town of- ' ficials were not paid witness fees when they went to Court. The Board considered aga:.1n whether or not Mr. Longbottom was entitled to the feesand it s felt that inasmuch as he was a part-time employee that he ad to spend additional time in Court and therefor that he shou be entitled to the fees. Consider- ation was also given as whether or not other employees should be allowed the fees for ttendinCourt, and it was felt. that each individual case s ould be brg ought up to the attention of the Board. It was felt, how ver, that the fees, should be charged to the Law Department a not to the Building Inspector's Dept. as suggested by the -Lown Counsel. At the last meeting of the Board it was voted to instruct the Building Inspector to proceed to take Mr. Ferrazzani of Waltham Street to Court for violation of the Zoning Law pro- vided he did not cease to operate his roadside stand on Octo- ber 13th. Mr. Ferrazzani came before the Board with his son-in-law, Alfred Devicio, who stated that Mr. Ferrazzani of Waltham St. Purchased his place in July 1925 and that he has always sold his products there starting the following spring in 1926, al- Ferrazzani though he did not have any regular stand constructed. He used Roadside bushel boxes or things of that sort to sell from. He felt that Stand, there was considerable expense carrying products to market and he ' sold them there to do away with the expense. He did not want I to go against the Zoin,7, Laws, but at the same time he desired to have the privilege of hatring a stand there. In regard.to plac- ing the stand back, he stated that if he placed the stand back, it would interfere with his use of his buildings. He would not be able to get Into his barn and therefor he desired to have the stand near the street. Anyone driving into his place would have to back out or go down around the buildings in order to turn around and get out onto the street. He stated that he would probably use the stand up to Thanksgiving time. Mr. Fer- razzani's son-in-law stated that the stand was, built only a little over a month ago; that he was married to Mr. Ferrazzani's daughter and in August had had. an operation for hernia and when he came out of the hospital, he was not able to do the work that he had been doing and thought this was.an opportunity for him to do something to assist. Mr. Ferrazzani paid a tax bill of $208: The Board informed them that they would consider the mat- ter and inform them at a later date of their decision. Advertisements on P.W.A. Docket x{22630 standpipe project under the Natinnal Recovery Act, were inserted in the Lexington Standpipe. Minute -Man under dates of Sept. 27,,1934 and Oct. 4, 1934, cal- ling for bids on October 16, 1934 at 8 P,M. for the razing of the reinforced concrete standpipe located adjacent to the new steel standpipe constructed under P.W.A. Docket #2263. ' Bids received were opened at 8 P. M. and were as follows: ' American Building Wrecking J. J. Callahan 6500. Chelsea Building Wrecking. City Building Wrecking Co. Maurice M. Devine, Inc. John A. Gaffey & Son David Levy 81mPaon. Biios-W. Corp. Marinucci Bros. & CO. Central Building Wrecking Co., Inc. $9780.00 6500.00 Co. 11920.00 24889.00 14500.00 12717.00 10852.00 14640.00 16948.00 Co. 8450.00 The bids were taken under advisement owing to the fact that it was necessary to call a Town Meetin for the purpose of obtain- ing the approval of the Town to demolish the standpipe owing to the fact that the vote of the Town authorizing the construction of the standpipe did not authorize the removal of the old stand- pipe Certified checks were returned to all of the bidders above the four lowest bidders, all the bidders being present. The creeks of the four lowest bidders, namely, American Building Wrecking Company, J. J. Callahan, Central Building Wrecking Co., and David Levy, were tetained. Lengthy letter was received from the Town Counsel in which 'he set forth the proper procedure for the establishment of better- 41ent assessments on water main extensions. Mr. Wrightington, Town Counsel, was of a different opinion than the State Dept. of Corpo- rations and'Taxation in that he believes that a water main assess - went may be made against „property in a similar manner as highway and sewer assessments. the instructions were to be handed to all departments affected thereby. 145 Water Better- ments. Letter was received frc-m Mr. Ross in which he -called atten- Rate for tion to the fact that on December 15, 1933, he and the Town En- Water girieer and the Chairman of the Board arrived at a figure at the Extension rate of 90 cents per linear foot for the assessment of water main Better - extensions based on an average cost of lasing six inch pipe for ment. the period from 1928 to 1932 inclusive. r. Ross stated that due to the fact that the average cost of laying the pipe had not varied much, he recommended that the same rate be established by the Board of Selectmen for 1934. The instructions in the letter of the Town _. Counsel stated that the Board of Selectmen, acting as a Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners, must determine the rate to be charged for the water main assessments. Therefor the Board of Selectmen voted to determine the rate of 90 cents per linear foot for the assessment of betterments for water main extensions for the year 1934., owing to the fact that the average cost per foot for laying six inch water main has remained practically the same as it was during the period 1928 to 1932 inclusive. 'Memorandum was received from the Town Accountant in which he called attention to the balance in the P.W.A. construction account Loan. of 82235.96 and the balance of #1039.36 in the Sewer Construction None P.W.A.,Aocount. He suggested therefore that bids be secured on a loan of $11,000. and that they be in denominations of $3000. for the first three years and ,x;2000. for the fourth year, the first r 146 c-� payment paybble December lst, 1934. The Board voted to authorize the 12easurer to secure bids for , this loan dated November 1st, 1934, and have the bids in on Tues- day evening next at 7:45. Mr. Mitchell came before the Board and reported that there would be no Government coal this year and desired to know what. the Board wanted to do about Turnishing coal in connection with E.R.A. cases. He stated that ]saty ear either 507 or 508 tons of Government coal were given out and that the Government shut down on the coal on February 21st. The Board felt that in cases of E.R.A. where coal is nec- essary, if the Government does not provide any coal this winter, Coal for that they should take up each case individually and make a de- E.R.A. cision as to whether or not they woul allow the coal out of Wel- and Wel- fare funds. fare Cases. In regard to the case of Maurice Sears who is living in Belmont and who hao been given Military aid, Mr. Mitchell re- ported that he has assumed the gas and electric light bill for him and he has also asked for coal. Having two children in the house, he recommended that one-half ton of coal be granted and the Board so voted. Mr. Walter Brown of Fern Street, wro is receiving four days on Welfare requested coal and it was voted to grant one- half ton of coal in this case. George Balduf, obtaining Welfare assistance, requested coal and it was voted to allow one-half ton of coal. ' Harry Slater of 40 S*lvia Street, who is on E.R.A., applied for coal and it was voted to grant fuel in this case owing to the fact that he had an invalid son. The Board voted,to request all applicants who desired coal to work out the extra time for the coal given. Mr. Mitchell came before the Board with Mr. Russell and stated that there is about $3000. due from the City of Boston to the Town of Lexington, and about ?900. due from Lexington to Welfare Boston, and Boston has agreed to settle up. However, he felt Funds. that he needed additional money in the Welfare Department to carry on for the balance of the year. The:,Board therefor voted to request an additional appropri- ation of $6000. for the Welfare Department at the Town Meeting to be held on October 29th. Mr. Mitchell reported that Mr. Frank S. Early of 26 Butler Early Avenue was injured while working on the E.R.A. and now he was Cases. on Soldiers' Relief, from which he gave him groceries and fuel. It was voted to approve granting of aid in this case. Application was received from Robert E. Durkin of Waltham Durkin Street who has three small children in school. Case. It was voted to provide fuel in this case. The man now get $12. He works two days on Welfare and three days distributing ' commodities. ' Mr. Mitchell reported in regard to the case of Mother's Ai'd Mrs. Horace Belcher of Adams Street, that the son had gone back to school and that they were now out the money he made working in the summer time. It was therefore voted to allow $9. per week cash and fuel. 147 Belcher. John Cotter, who has eight children and works on E. R. A. for $12. per week and his son has obtained work for �12. per week, making a total of $24. per week, applied for fuel. he budget Cotter. of the E.R.A. figures out to be $32.50 per week for a family of this size, and.it was therefor voted to furnish fuel in this case. Supt. of Public Works, Town Accountant and Supt. of Water and Sewer Department came before the Board to discuss the matter of need of funds for various accounts for the Town Meeting. Mr. Ross explained that in the laying of the water main to the standpipe there was considerable more ledge encountered than expected and therefor the cost was greater. He also stated that by the time they got around to purchase the pipe for it, it had gone up in price. He also stated that on some of the other construction jobs* they ran over the amount estimated and for this reason additional money must be had for the operation.of the Department. Water Dept. Need of Funds. Mr. Russell explained that there would not be as much money need in the interest account as we had on hand and that it would be safe to transfer the sum of 9$8000. from this account to what- ever accounts the Board desired the use of this money for. Various Mr. Ross stated that the Metropolitan Water Tax was larger Accounts. than the estimated figure that had been viven him and therefor the Water Maintenance Account was not sufficient to carry on for the balance of the year. Mr. Russell stated that there was a balance of $1251. in this Account and $960. of it would be for salaries for the balance of the year. Mr. Ross stated that even though he needs more money for both the Water Maintenance and Water Construction Accounts that he would not run about his estimated pay roll of 0,18,000. The Board considered the various accounts that needed funds and voted to draw a warrant requesting the funds for various ac- counts, all sums to be transferred from available funds. Supt. of Public Works was requested to secure official ap- Stop proval of the Grant Street stop sign from the Dept. of Public Sign. Works. Mr. Gilereast reported in regard to the application of Robert E. Durant for Old Age Assistance that one son works three days per week on E.R.A. and sends $8. to his mother. Mr. Durant Durant ' has given up housekee ing and intends to board. He stated that he would have to pay 10. per week for board. Mr. Gilcreast in- 0ld Age. formed him that it would not be possible to obtain that much money for Old Age Assistance. On recommendation of Mr. Gilcreast, it was voted to grant 4. per week in this case. The meeting adjourned at 11:21 P. M. A true record, Attest: Clerk.