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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1936-09-0838 c� SELECTMENIS MEETING SEPT. 8, 1936. , A regular meeting of the Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 7;30 P.M. Chairman Ferguson, Messrs. Potter, Giroux, Clark, and Ross were present. The Secretary was also present. At 8:00 P.M. hearing was declared open on the appli- cation of Bernard C. Nickerson for permission to maintain Nickerson a one car garage at 10 Taft Avenue. Mr. and Mrs. Nicker - garage son appeared and presented plan of the proposed garage. hearing. No persons appeared in opposition. Mr. Clark moved that the permit be granted subject to the approval of the Building Inspector. Mr. Giroux seconded the motion and it was so voted. Application was received for the admission of Walter Allen - Allen of 475 Waltham Street to the Middlesex County San- T.B.case. atorium. Mr. Clark moved that the application be approved. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Town Counsel stating that , because of the prohibition in General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 77, the Board should not extend the sewer main in Wadman Circle as there had not been a plan approved by the At 8s05 P.M. hearing was declared open on the appli- Lanni cation of Adora and Angelo Lanni for permission to main - Garage tain a one car garage at the corner of Bedford and Eldred Hearing. Streets. Mr. Lanni, together with his builder, appeared and presented plan of the proposed garage. No persons appeared in opposition. Mr. Ross moved that the permit be granted subject to the approval of the Building Inspector. , Mr. Clark seconded the motion and it was so voted. Michael F. Shea, Westminster Avenue, was the juror Jurors. drawn for the criminal session and William Shanahan of 48 Pleasant Street, was the juror drawn for the Civil session. Application was received from the Lexington Lions Club for the use of Cary Memorial Hall on October 22, Use of 1936, from 8 P.M. to 12 midnight for the purpose of Hall. conducting a benefit and penny sale. The proceeds of the benefit are to be.used to purchase eye glasses for needy children. Mr. Giroux moved that the Lions Club be ranted the use of the hall .and that the fee be set at 15.00 inasmuch as the fair was being run for charitable purposes to benefit Lexington children. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Application was received for the admission of Walter Allen - Allen of 475 Waltham Street to the Middlesex County San- T.B.case. atorium. Mr. Clark moved that the application be approved. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Town Counsel stating that , because of the prohibition in General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 77, the Board should not extend the sewer main in Wadman Circle as there had not been a plan approved by the 39 Sewer - Wadman Circle. Report of the Slaughter Inspector for May, June, July and August was received. Mr. Clark moved that the report Slaughter be accepted and placed on file. Mr. Potter seconded the Report. motion and it was so voted. Request was received from the Secretary of State for certification of the character of John W. Little of 27 Cert. of Spring Street, Lexington. Inasmuch as none of the members character. of the Board knew Mr. Little and no report on him had been received from the Chief of Police, the matter was held over for one week. Letter was received from Neil McIntosh bringing to Board of Survey. He said that in his opinion if the Board of Survey should now approve a plan for Wadman Circle and the attention of the Board the drainage condition through if it was constructed in accordance with that plan, a his property at the corner of Meriam Street and Edgewood sewer might be extended on making the usual taking of an Road. Mr. McIntosh said that he believed the Town had easement. Mr. Wrightington said that before the main was not fulfilled the contract it made with him in 1929. He extended in either Blake Avenue or Wadman Circle, there said that there were four catch basins and culverts that should be a vote of appropriation by the Town Meeting. lead into the drain and he believed that the catch basins Mr. Clark moved that the vote of Sept. lst to insert should flow through culverts down Meriam Street rather than an article in the Warrant for the next Town Meeting to through private property inasmuch as the Town has no ease- see if the Town would vote to install a sewer main in ments beyond the center of his land. Mr. Potter said that Blake Avenue and Wadman Circle be rescinded in view of the when he was a member of the Board of Assessors, Mr. McIntosh opinion of the Town Counsel. Mr. Ross seconded the motion was given a substantial reduction in his assessment because and it was so voted. 39 Sewer - Wadman Circle. Report of the Slaughter Inspector for May, June, July and August was received. Mr. Clark moved that the report Slaughter be accepted and placed on file. Mr. Potter seconded the Report. motion and it was so voted. Request was received from the Secretary of State for certification of the character of John W. Little of 27 Cert. of Spring Street, Lexington. Inasmuch as none of the members character. of the Board knew Mr. Little and no report on him had been received from the Chief of Police, the matter was held over for one week. Letter was received from Neil McIntosh bringing to the attention of the Board the drainage condition through his property at the corner of Meriam Street and Edgewood Road. Mr. McIntosh said that he believed the Town had not fulfilled the contract it made with him in 1929. He said that there were four catch basins and culverts that McIntosh lead into the drain and he believed that the catch basins complaint should flow through culverts down Meriam Street rather than re through private property inasmuch as the Town has no ease- drainage. ments beyond the center of his land. Mr. Potter said that when he was a member of the Board of Assessors, Mr. McIntosh was given a substantial reduction in his assessment because he said that he could not build on his property on account of the old stone culvert. Mr. Clark moved that the matter be turned over to Mr. Raymond for investigation and report. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Town Accountant stating that the Director of the Division of Accounts had advised him that the vote passed in March 1936 authorizing the Selectmen to install water mains in various streets was specific and was made only for installing new mains in accepted or unaccepted streets as might be applied for for which an assessment would be made under the terms of the By -Laws. Mr. Waddell, the Director, said that the Town could not assess for installing fire hydrants and could not assess for laying a service to the curb line Water Services - Blake and Preston Rds. 40 unless it was a case where the extension was part of the ' street main. He said that he did not see how the vote of the Selectmen authorizing the installation of water services to the curb line and hydrants in Blake and Preston Roads was in accordance with the vote of the Town. Mr. Ross stated that only 12 services were going to be required now and these would be acro -as the street from where the main was going to be laid. The services on the main side of the street can be installed at any time without disturbing the street. He said that the Lexington Trust Co. intended to build seven houses right away. The Chairman said that he had talked with Mr. Walker, Treasurer of the Bank, and was told that the Bank had no definite plans yet as to how many houses they were going to build right now. The Chairman said that no one knew just where on a lot the house was going to be built and therefor could not tell where the service should be laid. He thought that it would be best not to install the services until such time as the houses were built. Mr. Clark said that the Directors of the Bank were going to meet on Sept. 9th and he would take the matter up with them and report at the next meeting of the Board. The Chairman suggested that the hydrants could be installed and charged to Water Maintenance, Mr. Clark moved that the vote of Sept. 1st author- izing the installation of 22 water services in Blake and , Preston Roads be rescinded. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Clark moved that the vote of last week author- izing the installation of three hydrants on Blake and Simonds Roads, the expense to be charged to the Water Construction Sundry Streets Account, be rescinded. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Ross moved that the Board approve the installation of two hydrants on Blake Road and one on Simonds Road about opposite Preston Road, and that the cost be charged to the Water Maintenance appropriation. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. William J. Hughes, Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars appeared before the Board and stated that that organization would like the use of Estabrook Hall V.F.W. - for regular meetings two evenings a month. They are now Use of using the G.A.R. Hall and are paying $3.00 an evening for Estabrook it. They now meet on the first and third Thursday of each Hall. month but in the summer they meet only once in three months. Mr. Hughes stated that the organization would be willing, to meet any night that the Board fixed but would prefer to meet on Thursday nights. The Chairman suggested that the records be checked to determine inat arrangements were made with the American Legion when they were granted the use of the hall free of ' charge and that the matter be taken up again at the next meeting. Mr. Hughes agreed to this and retired. 41 Letter was received from the Town Accountant stating that there was a balance of $2475.59 in the Highway Construction, Lincoln Street, appropriation, and that it ' appeared that the balance was just about sufficient to take care of bills and pay rolls for the next two weeks. Highway At the present time the balance due from the State on Con. - last yearts contract is $8116.54 and the balance due Lincoln from the County is $3186.80. Under the provisions of Street. Section 6A Chapter 44, General Laws, the Treasurer may, with the approval of the Selectmen, incur debt outside the debt limit and issue notes therefor for a period of not exceeding one year. The Accountant suggested that the Board might wish. to authorize the borrowing of $10,000, as the balance due from the State and County combined is $11,303.34. Mr. Clark moved that no action be taken on the matter until the next meeting. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. 1 u The Warrant for the Town Meeting to be held on Sept. 21st was signed by the Board. Warne nt. Letter was received from the Town Treasurer stating that after proper advertisinJ.he had received a bid from the Lexington Trust Co. of 1� discount on a loan of Loan. $3500. to be dated Sept. 8, 1936 and payable within one year and that he accepted the bid in the name of the Town of Lexington. The Chairman reported that he had talked with the Supt. of Public Works and thatMr. Ra and would be satisfied if he received a salary of 4200. per annum beginning October 15th, at the expiration of his present term of office. The Chairman statdd that he understood the Appropriation Committee had voted to stand behind the Selectmen in the amount of Mr. Raymondts salary. A group of nine citizens appeared before the Board and Mr. Roger D. Long was the spokesman for the group. He said that the men represented the Lexington Town Meet- ing Members Association. He said that the Association felt that the Town Meeting Members were acting on in- formation that was not complete and that they felt that it would be advisable for some organization such as theirs to serve as a clearing house for disseminating information and conveying it to the Town Meeting Members. The Association is made up of three members from each of the four precincts. The Association will meet next Monday evening and it is intended to invite certain Town officials to discuss the articles in the Warrant. Mr. Long said that the Association wanted stenographic help as it did not wish to rely on the memories of the members. The Chairman asked if it was their idea to get out a printed report. Mr. Long said that it was not and that three copies of the meeting for each precinct would be all that would be needed. Mr. Long said that it was figured that $100* would be sufficient for one year and Supt. of Pub. Work s salary. Lex. Town Meeting Members Assoc. 42 that $50. would be sufficient until next March. Mr. Clark moved that an article be inserted in the , Warrant for the Sept. 21st Town Meeting to see if the Town will vote to appropriate $50.00 to pay for the expenses of the Town Meeting Members Association. Mr. Giroux seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Long asked what Town -official could give the Association the up-to-date figures on Town finances and the Chairman named the Town Accountant. Mr. Long asked what Town official could give the best figures on the Town's needs from an engineering point of view and the Chairman named the Supt. of Public Works, Mr. Long asked what Selectmen was best equipped to tell the feelings of the Board, and the Chairman was named. Mr. Long asked who could best give information on Public Welfare and the Chairman named Mr. Mitchell. Mr, Ernest Cutter wanted to know what the Townts attitude was in the matter of extending the town build- ings. He asked if the Selectmen had any idea at this time of ever owning Dr. Barnes' property and if so, he thought that it was very important that the proper attitude be taken on the petition of D. J. O'Connell to change to a business zone the property at the corner of Woburn Street and Fletcher Avenue. The Chairman said that a committee was appointed a few years ago to choose a site for a center fire station and it was his belief that it was the unanimous recommendation of the committee that ' the Town purchase Dr. Barnes' property. The group retired. Postage The Clerk reported that although the Town Clerk had on Primary given her a count of 5050 voters, when the Warrants for Warrants. the Primary Election were mailed, the Post Office gave_., her a count of 5077. She therefor had put through a voucher for $50.77 to pay for the postage and this was duly passed on to the Treasurer for payment. However, Mr. Carroll refused to accept the Warrant because he said it was incorrect and the Town Accountant refused to change the warrant. Mr. Potter moved that the warrant #60 containing Boucher #6765 in the amount of $50.77 be cancelled and that a new warrant be drawn in the amount of $50.50 to pay for the postage on the warrants for the Primary Election. Mr. Giroux seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Board signed commitment of Water Liens in the Commitment$* amount of $36.41 and commitment of Sewer Service Connections In the amount of $282.84,11, * (See page 43). Welfare• The Welfare Agent discussed welfare matters with the Board. ' The meeting adjourned at 10:00 P.M. A true record, Attest: `--�� Clerk. L 1 The Board signed an order for the extension of a water main in Abbott Road, as follows: COMMONWEALTH OF MA SSACHUSETTS Middlesex, sa. Town of Lexington. WBEREAS, the Town of Lexington at a town meeting duly called and held on March 16, 1936 and adjourned to March 23, 1936, duly adopted under Article 45 of the Warrant the following vote; "Voted: That the Selectmen be authorized to install water mains in such accepted or unaccepted streets as may be applied for during the year 1936, in accordance with authority contained in the By -Laws of the Town, subject to the assessment of betterments, and to take by eminent domain the necessary easements therefor, and for the purpose of said installation the sum of $2,000. be transferred from Water Dept, Available Surplus, and the sum of $1,000, be transferred from the Water Assessment Fund." VOTED: by the Selectmen acting as a Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners under the authority of the foregoing vote and of every other power them thereto enabling, that a water main be constructed in Abbott Road from Meriam Street a dis- tance of approximately 150 feet, substantially in accordance with plan of Joseph A. Ross, dated September 8, 1936, and entitled, "Plan of Proposed Water Main in Abbott Road, Lexington, Mass., Scale 1 in. - 40 ft. � Sept. 8, 1936, Jos- eph A. Ross, Acting Supt., Water Dept. Betterments will be assessed for this improvement in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 80 of the General Laws. The area which it is expected will receive benefit or advantage other than the general advantage to the community from such improvement is described as follows: That portion of those properties on each side of Abbott Road beginning at Meriam Street and extending southeasterly a distance of approximately 150 feet. The said area comprises the several lots shown upon the plan of Joseph A. Ross, Acting Supt., Water Department here- inbefore referred to which are designated in the schedule hereto annexed and made a part hereof. We estimate the betterments that will be assessed upon each parcel of land to be as shown in the schedule marked "B" which is hereto annexed and made a part hereof. 43 Witness our hands at Lexington aforesaid this 8th day of September, 1936, Middlesex, ss. Charles E. Ferguson Board of Philip M. Clark Selectmen Albert A. Ross of the', William G. Potter Town of', Archibald R. Giroux Lexington, COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Town of Lexington. Sept. 8, 1936. Then personally appeared the above named Charles B. Ferguson, William G. Potter, Philip M. Clark, Albert A. Ross, and Archibald R. Giroux and severally acknowledged the foregoing instrument and statement by them subscribed to be their free act and deed and the free act and deed of the Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners of the Town of Lexington, before me. James J. Carroll, Notary Public. My commission expires SEHC EULD B. SCHEDULE OF ESTIMATED BETTERMENTS REFERRED TO IN THE FOREGOING ORDER. ABBOTT ROAD. (From Meriam Street a distance of approximately 150 feet southeasterly). Owner as of January lst, 1936 Elinor W. Locke Assessment. $144.00 :•C 1 1 1