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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1935-11-05 132 SELECTL N 'S MEETING $:L Nov. 5th, 1935. A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 7 30 P.M. Lessrs . Ferguson, Lyons and Potter were present. The Clerk was also present. At 7:45 P.M. , Mrs. Bridget Leary appeared before the Leary Board with reference to her sewer betterment assessment on Betterment Vine Street. Mrs . Leary wanted to know if she was the only Assessment one who had to pay an assessment or if the others would have Vine St. to pay. The Chairman Informed Iirs. Leary that she had been charged only about one-fifth of what the assessment actually should be and there was no further question on the matter. Mrs. Leary stated that she had received a letter from the Health Inspector with regard to the condition ( f the Health cellar in her house at Hayes Lane . She stated that the condition tenant in the house had been living there six months and Hayes had never paid any rent. She had been trying to p»t them Land. out and was going to go to C urt on the matter in the morn- ing. The tenant broke the pipe in the cellar which drained the sink and as a result water, garbage, etc. flowed into the cellar. She stated that she did nbt wish to do anything on the matter until the people were evicted and the Board felt that inasmuch as she was going to bring the family into Court in the morning, action on the case could be suspended until after the family had been evicted. At 8:00 P .M. hearing was declared open on the application Johnson of Ivar D. Johnson for permission to maintain a one car garage Garage at 34 Cary Street, Lexington. Mr . Johnson appeared and hearing. presented plan of the proposed garage. No persons appeared in opposition and it was voted to grant the permit subject to the approval of the Buildin:° Inspector. At 8:05 P.M. hearing was declared open on the application Steeves of Lf . Henry Steeves to maintain a two car garage at Grass- Garage land Street, Lexington. No one appeared in favor or in hearing. opposition so no action was taken on the matter. At 8: 10 P.M. hearing was declared open on the application Smith of James R. Smith for permission to maintain a two car garage Garage at lot n41 Richard Road. Mr. Smith appeared and presented hearing. plan of the proposed garage. No persons appeared in opposi- tion, and it was voted to grant the permit subject to the approval of the Building Inspector. Letter was received from the Health Inspector with re- gard to the building on jalthari Street owned by C. W. Ryder which is being used for the washing of garbage cans. Mr. Stevenson stated that the floor of the building was covered with maggots and that these and all the refuse remained on the floor all day and at night everything was swept into a 133 small open drain which leads from the building to the land surrounding it. He stated that the land around the build- ' ing was in a deplorable condition also and he recommended Ryder that Ryder be ordered to cease o+:erations within forty- Health eight hours unless the Board of Health Laws were complied Violation. with. The Board voted to send Er . Ryder a Board of Health Order instructing him to a -ate the health menace within forty-eight hours and also to send the Town Counsel a copy of the Health Inspector's report and the Board of Health Order, and to ask Mr. Rrightington what the Board could do should Ryder fail to obey the Order. A verbal request was received from the Salvation Army for permission to hold their annual Tag Day in Lexington on Tag Day. Saturday, November 16th, and the Board voted to grant the request. The report of the Slaughter Inspector for the months of Slaughter August, September and October was received and accepted. Report. The E R.A. report for the week ending October 31st was E.R.A received. Report. The Clerk reported that srie had received from Mr. Francis J. Yelley, the duplicate receipt which had been held Arnold by Mr. Arnold for payment of the water guaranty in the amount Water of X112.13 on the Bridge Street Account, and the Board there- Guaranty. for voted to approve refunding the above sum to the Home Owners Loan Corporation. Letter was received from Irvin Y. Davis, Attorney for Harry W. fierce of 43 Farm Crest Avenue, Lexin�;Lon. Mr. Pierce Davis had been retained. by Fierce to take whatever steps claim. necessary to collect from the Town for damage to his property caused when the water main was broken on Farm Crest Avenue. Mr . Davis suggested that the matt -r be turned over to the Town Counsel and that the Town settle the matter be- fore entering litigation inasmuch as the damage amounted to only $60.00. The Board voted that the matter be turned over to the Town Counsel for his attention. Letter was received from Mr. Eugene L. Aiorgan which stated that the alteration work at the Stone Building had Stone been completed. The letter also stated that the exterior Building. lantern might be set .n place now as the final coat of paint was dry. Letter was received from Edward L. Casey, State Director of the National Youth Administration, requesting that the Letter Board list organizations and individuals in this locality Nat. Youth which were outstanding for their educational and recreational Admin. activities among young men and women. The Board voted to take no action on the matter. 1341-11 cn Letter was received from Mrs . Carl Becker of 49 Outlook Street Drive requesting that a street light be installed on that Light . street between Prospect Hill Road and Downing Road. The Board instructed the Supt. of Public Works to go over to Outlook Drive and see if a light were needed and voted to insert an article in the warrant requesting author- ization for the _nstallation of such a light if approved by Mr. Trask. The Board again considered the letter received from Concord Pierre L. Northrup, Attorney for Ernest DeVincent of Concord Ave. Avenue. This letter requested that Ivir. Northrup be allowed rezoning. to attend the meeting of the Planning Board, Selectmen and Board of Appeals which is to be held relative to the rezoning of Concord Avenue. No action was taken on the matter. The Board again considered the letter received from Bus stop Mr. Harry L. Fuller inquiring what the Board intended to complaint. do about the bus stop at the corner of Slocum Road and Mass. Avenue . The Board voted to instruct the Supt . of Public Works to observe the conditions at this corner and to report at the next meeting of the Board. Letter was received from the Town Clerk requesting that Juror. a Juror be drawn to serve on Criminal Business beginning Monday, December 2nd, 1935. Mr. Clifford W. Pierce, salesman, of 1 Eustis Street was the juror drawn. Mr. Fred B. Bartlett of 104 Bedford Street was appointed Election a Teller in Precinct Four to take the place of J. Everett Officers. Cumming who was unable to serve, and Mr. Fletcher W. Taft was appointed as ,Darden in Precinct Three to take the place of Harvey F. Winlock who also was unable to serve. At 8:30 P.M. , Yr. Edward Sargent of Oakland Street appeared to discuss the Oakland Street foot bridge. Mr. Oakland Sargent stated that at a meeting of the shareholders held Street on October 14th, it was voted to as the Town if it would Foot be willing to entertain the proposition of taking over the Bridge. foot bridge for the reason that the shareholders had come to the conclusion that they could not support it any longer. This foot bridge runs from the foot of Oakland Street across the railroad tracks and down onto the platform. It was built in 1905 at a cost of $2666. and the upkeep of it for the last 16 years has averaged $210.83 per year. This in- cluded shovelling snow, putting on sand in the winter, light- ing, and painting it every five or six years. Three years ago the matter was put up to the Selectmen and Mr. Trask, who was then Chairman, advised that only sixty people passed over the bridge in one day and that the Town would not be interested in taping it over. IIr. Sargent stated that the Town Counsel was of the opinion that the Town could maintain the foot bridge. He stated that if the Town refuses to take it and the railroad refuses to take it, the bridge would have to come down. 135 The Chairman asked how much time was sa-ed by using the bridge, and hr. Sargent stated that it was about three or four minutes and that the distance saved was about a quarter of a mile. The Chairman asked how much it would cost the Town to take it over and hr. Sargent replied that he did not think it would cost the town anything if it would agree to main- tain the bridge. Oakland The Chairman then stated that he thought it would be Street better to postpone decision on the matter until after the Foot election when there would be two additional members on the Bridge. Board. Mr. Sargent inquired if the Board thought that the Town would vote to accept the foot -ridge and t ,e Board felt that it would not because of the fact that it would be benefitting only a few people in the Town. Mr. Sargent then stated that he thought that waiting until there was a full Board would be a waste of time. He asked if the Town would consider taking down the bridge or the material, and the Chairman stated that the Si pt. of Public Works could look at it and see if the Town could use the material. It was Mr. Sargent 's idea that either Welfare men or 7. P.A. men could do the work but the Chairman stated that he did not believe that this would re possible. The Chairman suggested that Mr. Sargent go to the Boston and Maine Railroad to see if that corporation would consider taking over the bridge, and Ir. Sargent decided to do this. A report was received from the Building Inspector which Aldrich stated that the barn in the rear of the Post Office was barn. being demolished. Letter was received from the Health Inspector which stated that he had received an application from I.r . John Brown of 450 Waltham Street for a permit to keep a saddle Brown, horse. Brown stated that he was going to dispose of his permit to pigeons and. arrange the henhouse so that he might keep the keep a horse in it . Mir. Brown and T. Richard Cassidy appeared horse. before the Board to discuss the matter. The Chairman read the Board of Health Regulations concerning the keeping of horses and told Brown that a Board of Appeals hearing was necessary before a permit might be granted for the main- tenance of a stable. Brown stated that he would have to fix up his henhouse in order to keep his horse in it and the Chairman advised him not to do anything on rebuilding the henhouse until after he had had a Board of Appeals hearing. Letter was received from the Health Inspector with regard to a dump on Rindge Avenue. The letter stated that all the neighbors have been using Rindge Avenue as a dumping Dump. place. He had posted "No Dumping" signs on both Rindge II Avenue and Rawson Avenue and recommended that dirt or gravel be dumped on Rindge Avenue to cover tre dump. The Board voted to request the Supt. of Public Works to cover the dump with dirt and to see that it was kept covered. 136 01 The following permits were granted Licenses . Ruth LI. Woodward, 15 Dexter Road - Board two infants. Newcomb & Dailey, 34 Bedford Street - Methyl Alcohol R. J. Barber, corner Woburn and Lowell Sts . - Permit to sell pony rides on Sundays, Nov. 3rd and 10th. Letter was received from the Works Progress Admin- istration stating that two projects were tob e carried on W.P.A. in connection with the State Dept. of Public Works, namely program. the sidewalks program and the Farm-to- Market program. The letter urged that all communities help in supplying some of the material cost and the truck hire for these projects. The Board voted to take no action on the matter. The Warrant for a Special Election to be held on Nov. Warrant 18th, 1935 and the Warrant for the Town Meeting to be held signed. on December 2nd, 1935, was signed by the Board. Application was received from the Mothersingers of the Use of Parent-Teachers Associations for permission to use Estabrook Estabrook Hall on November 8th, some afternoon the week of Hall. Nov. 11th and every other week thereafter. The Board voted to grant the group permission to use the hall on the requested dates free of charge. Letter was received from the Injury Fund Committee for Use of Lexington High School players requesting permission to use Cary Hall. Cary Memorial Hall on November 29th from 8;30 P.I . to 1 A.M. for the purpose of holding a dance. The entire proceeds of the dance are to be used for payment of bills for medical and surgical care of the members of the High School football team. The Board voted to grant the use of the hall free of charge . The result of the examination of the Meadows family at the liddlesex County Tuberculosis Sanatorium was read by Meadows the Chairman. William, Sr. , William, Jr. , Janet, and case. Albert Meadows showed a one } tuberculin reaction but showed no tuberculosis on the X-Ray. Richard Meadows showed a negative tuberculin reaction and was negative on the X-Ray. Warren Meadows showed a one j tuberculin reaction and showed a tubercular tendency on the X-Ray, and Sanatorium treatment was advised in his case only. The Chairman stated that Mr. Meadows ad advised _1 that his wife and Warren, Janet and Richard were going to New Hampshire on Sunday, November 10th to stay with his sister and that he was going to stay with the other two children at home. The Board felt that inasmuch as Marren was going to New Hampshire with his mother Sunday, that he would be out of the State and therefor would not come under the jurisdic- tion of the local Board of Health. 137 The Clerk reported that a petition had been received from the Edison Elec. Ill. Co. for permission to erect and maintain six poles on Larrett Road approximately 1345 feet' Pole in a northwesterly direction frog School Street and that Location. hearing on the petition would be held on November 12th. The Edison Co. had requested that the Board grant them permission to start work before the hearing was held, and the Board felt that it would be all right for them to start the work, but voted not to sign the petition until the hear- ing had been held. Commitment of sewer services in the amount of $.69 was signed by the Board. Commitment. The Supt. of Public Works asked the Board if it wished to authorize the extension of approximately 200 feet of ten inch water pipe in Middleby Road, to take care of the house now occupied by Frank Barry. The Supt . stated that the Water ext. house was now being s ipplied with water from the old main Iv_iddleby from the reservoir and that it was his plan to take out this Road. old pipe as it could be used for other extensions . The cost of extending the main in liddleby Road would be approximate- ly five or six hundred. dollars and Mr . Trask thought that the value of the pipe to be removed was about x'1000. The Board felt that there was no necessity of removing the old pipe and extending the new one at this time and voted tot ake no action on the reauest. The Board again discussed the matter of extending an eight inch water main in Sylvia Street and Mr. Trask stated that it would cost approximately $2100. to extend the main Water ext. a distance of 500 feet. He stated further that he thought Sylvia that the people on Sylvia Street were getting fairly good Street. pressure. He stated that there was a hydrant at the top of the Lill in Arlington which has good pressure. The Board voted not to authorize the extension. The Supt. of :ublic -orks reported that there was a hydrant in front of #62 Cary Avenue which is actually in Hydrant, the driveway to the house. The occupant of the house is in Cary Ave . constant danger of striking it and Mr. Trask recommended that the hydrant be moved aperoximately six feet to the right and he estimated that the cost would be around x;,25.00. The Board voted to approve the recommendation. The Supt. of Public Xorks reported that he had received a request for a street light in Rockville Avenue, a private Street way. Light . The Board voted to insert an article in the Warrant asking that the installation of the street light be author- ized. The Supt. of Fublic Works reported that he had received a request for a sewer extension of 65 feet in Bow Street from a Mr. Wiggins whose house is at the corner of Theresa Ave. and Bow Street. Wiggins has already been assessed a 138 01 y 0-4 sewer betterment but felt that he would rather connect with gag Wiggins, a sewer to be extended in Bow Street rather than change his Sewer plumbing all over. 1 li Connection. The Board felt that ggins would not have been 11 assessed for sewer betterments if it was impossible for him to connect with the sewer and therefor instructed the Supt. of Public .Torks to look over the property and report his recommendations at the next meeting of the Board. The Supt of Public forks asked the Board's opinion on Changing whether or not Police officers were supposed to change the tires on tires on the Police car. police The Board felt that it was up to the Chief of Police car. to see that there were good tires on the cars and that the question as to who should change the tires was not one for the Board to decide. The Sunt . of Public Works stated that on the matter of Light in the light for the parking space in the rear of the Town rear of Office Building, if the Board was willing to put up with Town the situation as it is now for the next seven weeks, that Office it would be best to do the lob right after the first of the Bldg. year . Mr. Trask thought it would be best to install a light similar to the one in the rear of the Library. The Chairman stated that he had received a complaint on account of the slowness and lack of protection at night on Lincoln account of the ditches in Lincoln Street and he wondered Street if something could ^e done to rush the job along. Mr. Trask reported that there were sixty men working one and a half days a week on the job and of course not much could be done in that length of time. He stated that it would be approx- imately one month before the drainage was completed if the men started laying pipe this week. The Chairman stated that it would be too late to do anything this fall on the construction of the street and that all the Town could do would be to fill' in the holes . Pleasant The Board instructed the Supt. of Public "Jerks to Street patch up the sides of the bridge on Pleasant Street at the I bridge. Concord Turnpike. The Welfare Agent appeared before the Board and brought Moretti up the case of Anthony Moretti which was discussed last case. week. He recommended that Moretti be aided in the amount of $9.00 per week, and the Board voted to approve the recommend- ation. The Welfare Agent reported that he had talked with Donald Timothy of Kendall Road and had told him that his trouble was liquor. He had talked with Mrs. Timothy, the boy's mother, and she said that the trouble was that Donald came home almost every night under the influence of liquor. She told him this morning that she did not want to see him come home in that condition again. She thought that the trouble was that he had nothing to do . Mr. Mitchell had talked with Frank Timothy, a brother, who was thoroughly disgusted with Donald, and who said that his brother had a 139 very bad temper when under the influence of liquor and caused a lot of trouble at home . Timothy is now staying Donald in Joseph Trani ' s shack. Timothy The Board instructed Mr. Mitchell to find some place case. for Timothy to live and to pay for his board and room until he finds something to do . The first time that Mr. Mitchell hears that Timothy has been drinking, he is to stop aid immediately. The 'Welfare Agent reported that the landlord of the house in which Edward Ferry lives had peen in to see him and reported that Ferry was three months in arrears in his rent Ferry and he wanted to know if e Town would pay it. Ferry has case. been working on E.R.A. and his also been given supplementary aid. The electricity has ',ein shat off. 3r. Mitchell stated that he did not thinl t !�e Town s-ould pay the back rent and stated further that le is rot talked with Ferry on the matter. The Board advised Ir . itchell to talk with Ferry and to do what he thought '-test _)r the next week. The meeting au jo rned at 10:17 P.M. A true record, Y test: Clerk.