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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1936-09-15 45 SELECTMEN' S MEETING ' SEPT. 15, 1936. A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 7:30 P.M. Chairman Ferguson, Messrs. Potter, Giroux and Ross were present. The Clerk was also present. The Chairman stated that Mr. M. S. O'Brien of 97 Mass. Avenue had leased the Master Service Station. J. L. Douglass, the former proprietor, has not renewed his gasoline permit and Mr. O 'Brien wanted to lmow if it would be necessary for O'Brien him to apply for a new hearing. The Chairman said that it gasoline was his opinion that the Town was lax in not checking up on license . the permits and forcing Douglass to renew his. The business has been in operation continuously. He said that it was a different matter if a business was discontinued for a time and a new party wanted to run it. In his opinion it would be only fair to renew the permit for Mr. O 'Brien. Mr. Potter moved that J. L. Douglass ' gasoline permit be transferred to Mr. M. S. O'Brien. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Harry W. Pierce of Farm Crest Avenue appeared before the Board relative to the suit which he is bringing against Pierce the Town for damages to his boiler alleged to have been suit. caused when the water was shut off in the street. The contract for the improvement of a section of Lincoln Lincoln Street under the provisions of Section 24, Chapter 90, General Street Laws, was signed by the Board. contract The Supt. of Public Works informed the Board that an inspector from the State Dept . of Labor and Industries was checking up on the wages paid to the men working on Lincoln Wages oiT Street. Mr. Paxton was informed that the wages for various Lincoln types of skilled workmen would have to be increased con- Street. siderably and Mr. Raymond thought that this increase would be retroactive. No action was taken on the matter. Letter was received from the Supt. of Public Works stating that the following bids for coal had been received: Bids on Location of Bed Price Coal. Bidder of Commercial Name per ton. Com, onwealth Fuel Co. , Inc. New River, Run of Mine, Somerville , Mass . Navy Standard Pool #1 56.35 City Fuel Co. , Boston Berw_nd's New River, Run of Mine 6.53 Robert Fawcett ?s Son,Co. , #5 Mine Glen White, Stotes- Inc . , Cambridge, Mass . biry, West Va. ,Fayette Cty. 6.75 H. E. Clark Coal Co. , Navy Standard Pool #1, New North Cambridge. River, Run of Mine 7.00 46 (7) c.� Lexington Coal Company New River, Run of Mine $7.05 Lexington Victor Mt.Run of Mine 7.80 Navy Standard Pool #1, Run of Mine 8.30 Mr. Raymond's letter recommended that the Town accept the bid of the Lexington Coal Co. of $7.80 per net ton for Victor Mountain Pennsylvania Run of Mine coal for the Cary Memorial Building. The letter recommended that the Town accept the bid of the City Fuel Co. for Berwind's New River Run of Mine coal at $6.35 per ton for the Public Works Building. Mr. Raymond stated that the Lexington Coal Co. had the best coal. If a cheaper grade of coal is used, the fires will need a great deal more attention. He said that it would cost about $250. more if the Victor Mountain Run of Mine coal was used rather than the New River Run of Mine coal, as quoted by the City Fuel Co., but if the latter were used, a night man would be required for a period of nine weeks and his wages would amount to more than the difference in the price of the coal. Mr. Ross moved that all the coal be purchased from the Lexington Coal Co. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Supt. of Public Works wanted to know if the Board wished to approve the new channel for Clematis Brook. The Chairman said that he thought the best thing to do would be Clematis to go down and look over the ground, but that inasmuch as Brook. the Engineering Dept. had selected the location and they knew more about it than the Board did, it probably would be best to follow the Engineering Dept 's. recommendations . Mr. Ross suggested that Mr. Raymond proceed to secure the releases from the property owners and when this was done that the Board go down and view the proposed location. The Supt. of Public Works stated that it was necessary to purchase a new grease gun for the Public Works Building or have the cars greased at private garages which would, of course, cost a considerable amount of money. A new grease gun would cost $135. 00 *ith the allowance for the old gun. Mr. Ross moved that the Board approve the purchase of a grease gun and that the sum of /135.00 be added to the amount to be requested at the Town Meeting for the Public Works Building operation expense accouht. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Water The Supt . of Public Works advised the Board that the Registrar. Water Registrar, Doris Dalrymple, had resigned effective as of Sept . 26, 1936. The Supt. of Public Works submitted a plan showing the McIntosh property and the land in that vicinity. Mr. Ray- mond stated that it would cost $1000. to install a pipe in 47 the approximate location of the present culvert on the McIntosh property but that the real way to drain the property would bost $10,000.00. Mr. Raymond thought it would be a waste of money to go in and clean out the culvert on the McIntosh property. The Chairman stated that there were no McIntosh funds available to do either one of the jobs. Mr. Raymond property said that the McIntosh agreement was dated 1929 and that as long as the culvert was in there for seven years that prob- ably no great amount of damage would be caused if it was in there six or seven months longer. Mr. Raymond stated that there was no different water passing down through the culvert now than when McIntosh signed the agreement. Mr. Ross moved that Mr. Raymond be authorized to prepare the Meriam Street drainage project for the Annual Town Meet- ing in 1937 . Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Supt. of Public Works stated that the bill for telephone service in the Town Offices had nearly doubled Use of during the past two years and he suggested that a notice telephones regulating the use of telephones for personal calls be sent to the heads of departments. Mr. Ross moved that such a mdssage be sent to the heads of the various departments. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond stated that there were eleven lots being considered for granolithic sidewalks on Bedford Street and the signed applications have come in for five of the eleven and probably two more are coming in, leaving four that will not come in. The houses owned by the five who have signed are not located consecutively on Bedford Street and there- for there would be one section of granolithic and the next Bedford would be a dirt sidewalk. Mr. Raymond wondered if the Board Street wanted to construct any part of the walk or what it wanted Sidewalks to do. He told the abutters that it would cost somewhat more than the estimate which was given them last year as no bid received this year was as low as the figure used last year in the estimate. Mr. Raymond said that the curb had already been set and that in some cases it was higher than the sidewalk. The Chairman stated that if some of the people were will- ing to pay for the walk, he supposed that they were entitled to it and Mr. Raymond said that perhaps the people who signed up would not want the walks if everybody did not agree to them. Mr. Raymond said that it would be very unsatisfactory if there were skips in the walk as it would make it difficult when plowing snow, etc. The Chairman suggested that Mr. Raymond talk to the people who had signed to find out if they still wanted the granolithic sidewalk if their neighbors did not and he agreed to do this . Mr. Raymond asked if the Board was going to have a Committee appointed at the next Town Meeting to make a study of Vine Brook drainage. The Chairman stated that some time 48 rl ago a committee was appointed to make a study and recommend- ations and under present conditions he thought that a similar committee should be appointed to make a study and report at the Annual Town Meeting in 1937. He said that the Ryder case was pending and as far as the Board knew now, it was Committee going to cost the Town some money to settle it . We have a on Vine condition that has existed for quite a number of years and Brook nothing has been done on it and if a committee were appointed Drainage. it would show that the Board was trying to accomplish something. He thought that if there was a special committee appointed to consider the advisability of the Town's going ahead with the work, etc. , that the Town would get farther ahead with it than if the Selectmen did it all themselves. Mr. Raymond thought that a committee could not get very far ahead unless money was appropriated for engineering, etc. The Chairman disagreed as he thought the Committee could make a study of the Auditor ' s Report and various other reports and then if it saw fit that it could recommend that money be appropriated for engineering services later. He thought the committee should be appointed to study the loss or fain as a result of leaving Vine Brook in its present condition. The Committee would be free to engage the Town Counsel. Mr. Ross moved that a vote be presented under Article 1 at the Sept . 21st Town Meeting requesting that a committee of five be appointed to make a study of Vine Brook drainage and to make recommend- ations to the Town Meeting Members. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Supt. of Public Works stated that he was not ready to make a report on the Highway Maintenance work but that he would want some advice as to that the Highway Department Highway was going to do. There is a balance of $4000. and $3600. Department of it must be spent for insurance. Mr. Raymond said that and something would have to be eliminated. The Chairman Insurance stated that the Supt. would have to plan to get along with bills. the money in the Highway Maintenance appropriation at the present time and then ask for additional funds at the next Town Meeting to pay for the insurance. Mr. Raymond said that he thought that would not he legal as the Town knows now that the insurance bill will amount to $3600.00. He said that $600. of the insurance bill should rightfully be charged to the Snow Removal appropriation. The Chairman suggested that on account of that, the Board ask the Town for $600. more in the Snow Removal appropriation to pay for the insurance. Mr. Ross moved that the Board act in accordance with the Chairman's suggestion. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Giroux moved that the Board authorize the Town Loan for Treasurer to borrow the sum of $10,000. outside the debt Lincoln limit and issue notes therefor for a period not exceeding Street . one year from September 16th. This borrowing is to be made under the provisions of Section 6A, Chapter 44, Gen- eral Laws, and is in anticipation of reimbursement from the 49 State and County for the improvement of Lincoln Street. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman stated that he thought that bicycles were getting to be a problem and that the Board of Selectmen Bicycle should draw up regulations regarding their use. He said Regulation: that Arlington had drawn up regulations and they were en- forcing them. Mr. Giroux requested the Clerk to write to the Chief of Police of Arlington and request a copy of their regulations regarding bicycles . The following bids were received for the collection of garbage in the Town of Lexington for a three year period beginning October 1st, 1936: Name Address For one year. Per 3 yrs. Albert Bieren Bedford 04000.00 $12,000.00 Garbage Frank Dias Lexington 4425.00 13,275.00 bids. Murray J. Potter Lexington 5800.00 17,400.00 John A Janse N ewton Center 5360.00 1st yr . 5860.00 2nd " 6930. 00 3rd " Allen S. Duren Carlisle 6500.00 19,500.00 Connors Bros . John Lamont Burlington 7000.00 21,000.00 Lexington 8200.00 24,600.00 Robert A. McAdoo Concord 9825.00 29,475.00 Two bids were received at 8:00 P.M. one from Leon Bushnick and one from Edward Wallace. Mr. Ross moved that these bids be returned unopened due to the fact that the bids closed at 5:00 P.M. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman suggested that the Board look over the Bieren and Dias premises before awarding the bids to find out what equipment they had, what kind of a place they kept, etc. and it was decided to meet at 2:30 Sunday after- noon to cloth's. Letter was received from the Secretary of State re- questing the certification of the character of John W. Cert. of Little of 27 Spring Street who is one of the incorporators character, of the World War Veterans of the American Merchant Marine Little. to be located in the Town of Milford, Mass . A letter was received from the Chief of Po1Tce stating that John W. Little, formerly of Belmont, had been a resident of Lex- ington since last May and was of good character. Mr. Ross moved that the Board certify Mr. Little as being a good citizen. Mr. Poster seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman informed the Board that the American Legion was allowed to use Estabrook Hall for its meetings by a vote of the Town. He stated that he saw no reason 50 °' Cx7 why the V.F.W. should not be allowed to use the hall for Use of Hall their meetings until next March when the Town would have by V.F.W. an opportunity to vote on the matter. Mr. Ross moved that the V.F.W. be allowed to use Estabrook Hall on the first and third Thursday of each month. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Accident Letter was redeived from the Supt . of the Park Depart- at Center ment stating that on Sunday, Sept. 13th, Ralph Lombard, age Playground. seven years, was run into by a boy on a bicycle at the Center Playground. It was found that the boy's leg was broken between the thigh and the knee and it is considered very serious break. Letter was received from Theodore N. Waddell, State Funds for Director of Accouhts, stating that he did not see how Town Meet- money could be appropriated for the use of the Town Meeting ing Members Members Association inasmuch as it is not a committee Assoc. appointed by the Town Meeting. He did not believe that it was an Association that the tax payers could be called upon to provide funds for. The Clerk was instructed to send a copy of the letter to Roger D. Long, Chairman of the Town Meeting Members Association. 1 Letter was received from the Town Counsel stating that the case that the Town brought against Brousseau et als to Brousseau enforce the agreement to give a bond to compel performance case. of the agreement made in settlement of the loam removal case would not be heard before Tuesday, October 6th. He suggested that the members of the Board make plans so that they could be reached quickly on October 6th and a few days thereafter. Application was received from Thomas W. Smithers of Peddler 's 8 Dunham Street, Lexington, for a license to peddle lunches, license . milk and tonics in the State of Massachusetts. Mr. Potter moved that the application be approved and signed. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Simco Trading Co. , Inc. Concession of Mattapan stating that they were interested in securing at ball the concession for selling refreshments at the football field. games of Lexington High School this coming fall. The Company agreed to pay either a flat sum of $25.00 or 10% of the gross receipts . Mr. Potter suggested that the matter be turned over to the Supt. of the Park Division for recommendation and suggested further that he take up the matter with the School Department. Mr. Ross moved that the suggestion be complied with. Mr. Giroux seconded the motion and it was so voted. 51 Letter was received from the Arlington Gas Light Co. requesting that they be given permission to operate a Permit for sound truck for advertising purposes on the streets of Sound car. Lexington between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 4 P.M. on Thursday, Sept. 17, 1936, for the purpose of advertising refrigerators. Mr. Ross moved that the permit be granted. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Board signed sewer service commitment in the amount of $30.00 and water service commitment in the amount of $19.29. The Welfare Agent discussed Welfare matters with the Board. The meeting adjourned at 10: 05 P.M. A true record, Attest: �? Clerk. 1