HomeMy WebLinkAbout1937-02-12295
SPECIAL MEETING.
FEBRUARY 12, 1937.
A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held
in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 2:30
P -M. Chairman Ferguson, Messrs. Potter, Giroux and Ross
were. present._ The Clerk was also present.
The(hairman informed the Board that he had talked
with Calvin W. Childs who said that he did not care
whether a service pipe was,laid across private land or
the water main was extended as long as he got water, and Childs'
he understands that he will have to pay a betterment water main
assessment. It is estimated that a water main extension
would cost $2100. and a service pipe would.cost about
$450.00, but when the water main was extended in Water-
town Street eventually, this service pipe would be use-
less.
Mr. Giroux moved that an article be inserted in the
Warrant to see if the Town would vote to extend the
eight inch water main in Watertown Street approximately
700 feet subject to the assessment oV betterments. Mr.
Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted.
The Supt. of Public Works appeared before the Board
and budgets were discussed as follows:
Retirement Act.
The Chairman said that he thought the sum of $500. Retirement
should be provided for Retirement Act expenses. Mr. Act.
Giroux moved that an article be inserted in the Warrant
to cover this expense. Mr. Potter seconded the motion
and it was so voted.
Planning
The Chairman said that he understood that it was
the intention of the Board to insert an article in the Planning
Warrant for the provision of a map for the use of the Board
.Town Meeting Members. Mr. Girouxmovedthat an article
be inserted in the Warrant to cover this purchase. Mr .
Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Jackson Court
In view of the fact that a petition was received Jackson
for the construction and acceptance of Jackson Court, Court.
Mr. Ross moved that an article be inserted in the
Warrant for the construction and acceptance of the
street. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so
voted.
Mr. Raymond said that some of the expenditures he
had asked for could be very properly financed by a bond
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issue. The Chairman stated that he was not in favor
of a bond issue for these items inasmuch as the Town
was faced with the problem of doing Vine Brook Drainage,
and that would no doubt have to be bonded. Mr. Giroux
said that he was not in favor of bonding any yearly work
and in view of the fact that there are so many able-
_
bodied men on welfare and with the thought that the
W.P1A. would be stopped soon, he thought that the Board
should take a stand on the need of borrowing money for
Vine Brook Drainage and the North Lexington Sewer Pro-
ject. He said he would like to see the Board take a
stand on the Town Hall floor on the question of a large
borrowing to begin our major problems. The Chairman
asked him if he thought the Town should begin borrowing
for these major projects this year and Mr. Giroux ans-
wered in the affirmative. Mr. Ross asked if it would
not be a good idea to have another project in line in
the event that Vine Brook Drainage was thrown down. Mr,
Question of
Raymond said that Vine Brook Drainage would not help the
borrowing —
welfare situation a great deal, but a sewer proposition
Vine Brook
would. -He thought that Vine Brook Drainage ought to be
Drainage &
a contract job but did not feel that the sewer job should
Sewer Pro-
be. : Mr. Ross asked how a P.W.A. projed-t would work out
ject.
for 'the sewer job, and Mr. Raymond said that it would be
all right. He said, however, that he did not believe
the Government would commit itself until the Town had
appropriated some money.
It was decided to call a special meeting at one of
the adjourned Town Meetings to act on Vine Brook Drainage
if the Committee submitted a favorable report.
Mr. Giroux suggested that Mr. Raymond get some
figures together on a project to take the place of the
Vine Brook Drainage project if this was not recommended
by the Committee. The(hairnan said that that would be
agreeable to him. Mr. Raymond said that the only thing
he could submit would be North Lexington Sewerage.
Mr. Giroux moved that the Supt. of Public Works be
instructed to prepare such estimates as will enable the
Board of Selectmen to recommendto the Town all or part
of the North Lexington Sewerage project.in the event
that the Vine Brook Drainage project is not submitted
at the adjourned Town'Meeting Mr. Potter seconded the
motion and it was so voted.
Mr. Raymond said that he should have authority to
put on another engineer as he thought the engineering
costs on this job would amount to about $250.00. Mr.
Giroux moved that the Supt. of Public Works be empowered
to employ the necessary engineering help to make the
sewer study. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was
so voted. ,
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Mr. Raymond said that the Town was not going to get
anywhere and was getting behind every year by approp-
riating money from the tax levy only for drainage work.
He said that he could not see how the Town was ever going
to catch up on drainage without borrowing money for it.
He said that there:was:-a bad situation on Mass. Avenue,
another at Raymond and Muzzey Streets and several others
in various parts of the Town. The Chairman said that the
whole difficulty was that we had the sewerage problem,
the Fire housing problem and the drainage problem and the
question was what the most important one was. He said
that he thought Vine Brook Drainage was the most important
problem at this time. Mr. Raymond said that it would
not be necessary to appropriate money for Vine Brook
Drainage if money for some sewer and drainage projects
was appropriated.
Old Aae Assistance.
Mr. Giroux stated that Tax Commissioner Long thought
that the towns would get some money back on Old Age
Assistance, and Mr. Russell thought that $2500. could be
out from this appropriation and still leave anough money.
Mr. Giroux moved that the appropriation for Old Age
Assistance be set at $12,500.00 rather than $15,000.00.
Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted.
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Drainage
Old Age
Assistance
Aid to Dependent Children Aid to
Mr. Giroux moved that the appropriation for aid to Dependent
dependent children be reduced from $7000. to $5000. Mr. Children:
Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Hip:hwa.y Maintenance.
Mr. Raymond said that he was willing to take $1680.
out of the 01920. approved for Oakland Street. Mr. Ray-
mond said that if it was decided that the water in East
Street could be taken care of with filter catch basins,
he would be willing to reduce that appropriation from
$2425. to $480.00. Mr. Raymond said that he would be
willing to omit -the Larchmont Lane appropriation of $242.
Mr. Raymond said that he would be willing to reduce the
Audubon Road appropriation from $600. to $105.00. Mr.
Raymond said that he thought it would be just as well not
to do the highway work on Mass. Avenue from Parker Street
to Clark Street as he believed that next year the Town
would have to put drainage in this section. This would
make a saving of $1512.00. Mr. Raymond said that he
would be willing to cut the Lowell Street appropriation
by $702.00. Mr. Raymond said that he would be willing
to cut the ap ropriation for Grant, Sherman and Sheridan
Streets from 552. to $64.00. Mr. Raymond said
1hat the only other place he could make a cut in his
budget was from emergency work, and he hated to cut that.
Highway
Main t enanme
298
r�
Mr. Giroux moved that the following amounts be
deducted from the Highway Maintenance appropriation:
Oakland Street $1680.
East Street 1945.
Larehmont Lane 242.
Audubon Road 495
..Mass. Avenue 1512.
Lowell Street 702.
Grant Street, etc. 488.
Emergency Work 3000.•
Spring Street 2000.
Percy Rd. & Eustis St. 2452.
making a total of , 14516.
Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted.
The Highway Maintenance appropriation was thus
reduced to 43,919.00.
Curbing
Mr. Giroux moved that curbing construction be re--
Curbing
duced from $29000. to $1,000. Mr. Ross seconded the
motion and it was so voted.
Public Works Building Repairs.
Pub.Works
Mr. Giroux moved that the sum of 500. approved
Building
for making over the Highway Office in the Highway
Repairs.
section be eliminated. Mr. Ross seconded the motion
'
and it was so voted.
Drainage
Mr. Giroux moved that the drainage work in Mass.
Avenue, Percy Road and Eustis Street estimated at $6,000.
Drainage.
be eliminated. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it
was so voted. The Chairman suggested that the approp-
riation for Mass. Avenue drainage in the amount of
$6,000. be cut and just enough left in to do the drainage
work in front of the Catholic Church. It was decided to
get an estimate of the cost of this work from Mr. Raymbnd.
Welfarew
Welfare
Mr. Giroux moved that the Welfare appropriation bd
out from $552000.00 to $50,000.00. Mr. Potter seconded
the motion and it was so voted.
Park De artment
Park Dept.
Mr. Ross moved that there Ea no change in Mr.
Garrity's salary; Mr. Potter seconded the motion and
it was so voted. ,
Letter was received from the Veterans of Foreign
Vets. of Wars requesting that an article be inserted in the '
Foreign Warrant to permit time off for town employees to attend
Wars Department and National Conventions of locally recog-
nized veterans' organizations without loss of pay
' Mr. Giroux moved that all veterans organizations
be advised that the Board of Selectmen would recognize
not over two town employees as official delegates to
National and State conventions who shall be allowed to
tape time off without loss of pay. Mr. Potter seconded
the motion and it was so voted.
The meeting adjourned at 5:00 P.M.
FJ
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A true record,Attest:
Clerk.
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