HomeMy WebLinkAbout1937-02-16 300
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SPECIAL MEETING
FEBRUARY 16th, 1937
A special meeting of the Selectmen was held in the
Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 3:30 P M
Chairman Ferguson, Messrs Potter, Giroux, and Ross
were present The Clerk was also present
The Supt of Public Works appeared before the Board.
The Chairman asked Mr Raymond how much would have to be
Waltham spent on Waltham Street if it was not rebuilt under
Street Chapter 90, and he replied that it wouldlve=to be honed,
which would cost approximately $1400 00 and would not
last very long
Mr. Raymond said that the Mass . Avenue drainage job
between Elm Avenue and Stratham Road would cost approx-
Mass Ave imately $1600.00 without curbing He thought that
Drainage $3,000. for Miscellaneous Drainage would take care of
the requirements until the middle of the year Mr
Giroux moved that the appropriation for Miscellaneous
Drainage be decreased by $3,000. and of the $3,000
left, it was to be understood that the sum of $1600
would be egpended on drainage in Mass. Avenue between
Elm Avenue and Stratham Road Mr. Potter seconded
the motion and it was so voted.
Mr Raymond stated that it would cost $1200. for
fixing up the gutters 1000 feet of curbing would cost
Curbing about $1200
Mr Giroux moved that the curbing appropriation be
increased from $1200 to $1250 with the understanding
that this money would be expended on Mass. Avenue Mr.
Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. -
Mr. Raymond stated that he had to re-write the
enclosed field project as if it were going to be fin-
ished by June He said that it would take three or
four thousand dollars for the town' s share of the expense,
W P.A. and that only $6,000. was being allowed for W P A Labor
Labor & & Materials, and this did not include anything for the
Materials enclosed field He said that at least $3,000. should
and be provided until June 1st He said that there was a
Welfare great deal of material to be purchased for the enclosed
field.
Mr. Potter suggested that the amount of money
needed could be taken off welfare and a special approp-
riation made.
7he Chairman asked when they would be able to get
started on the project, and Mr Raymond said that work
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could be started now excavating for the baseball paths
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and drainage, etc
The Chairman read a letter which Mr Beach had
received from�linchester regarding funds appropriated_
for Welfare recipients' work
Mr Giroux moved that the vote of February 12th
approving the sum of $50,000. for Public Welfare be
rescinded. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so
voted Mr Giroux then moved that the sum of $45,000
be approved for Public Welfare Mr Ross seconded the
motion and it was so voted
Mr Giroux moved that the sum of $5,000 be approved
for materials and expenses and wages of superintendence
under an article to be inserted in the Warrant to create
work to be done by welfare recipients. Mr Potter
seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Mr. Raymond stated that he had fifty-five men
asking for work, out of which forty or forty-five were
able to do work and about forty of them had left the
W.P A for private employment and now could not get back.
The Board discussed the welfare situation further,
and Messrs Potter and Ross stated that they thought the
Town was cutting down the bonded debt too fast and they
felt that some of the capital expenditures should be bonded.
Mr Ross moved that the article approving of the' ex-
tension of w water main in Percy Road be omitted from theWater
Warrant Mr Potter seconded the motion and it was so Extensions
voted Mr Ross then moved that an article be inserted
in the Warrant for the extension of an eight inch water
main in Sherman Street from Grant Street to Fletcher Avenue
at an estimated cost of $3660.00.
1 Mr Ross moved that the follthwing salary restorations
be made as of July, tst, 1937:
Salary basis
Dept Name (With restoration)
Town Counsel - S R Wrightington - $962 50 per year Salaries
Bldg Inspector - Fred Longbottom - 1072 50 " "
Mechanic - Frank Barry - 35 00 " week
Janitor - Charles Moloy - 37 00 " "
Engineering - J Bruce Lewis - 34 00 " "
The meeting adjourned at 5: 15 P M
A true record, Attest: t
e-c..,---0- , /*"11-
Clerk
302
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SELECTMEN'S MEETING
FEB 16, 1937. I
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 Clerk was also present
At 8:00 P M hearing was declared open on the appli-
Reed cation ofIG.11iam W Reed for permission to increase the
garage capacity of underground gasoline tank to five hundred
hearing gallons on the premises located at 57 Merriam Street Mr
Reed appeared in favor of the application Mr Ross
moved that the permit be granted Mr. Giroux seconded
the motion and it was so voted
At 8: 10 P M hearing was declared open on the appli-
Barry cation of Hazel M. Barry for permission to maintain a two
garage car garage at 26 Oakland Street Mr. Barry appeared and
hearing 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
Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted
At 8: 15 P M. hearing was declared open on the Board's
intention to lay out Robbins Road as a Town way from
Locust Avenue to Lexington Avenue
A Mr Galt asked if, during the construction of the
Robbins street, the road would be finished across Lexington Ave.
Road and the Chairman informed him that the street would be
Hearing constructed to the line of Lexington Avenue only.
Douglas F Gleason asked if the abutters paid the
full cost and the Chairman replied in the affirmative
He said that the money would have to be taken out of the
tax levy this year Mr Gleason asked how long after the
money was appropriated it would be before the work was
started, and the Chairman said that it probably would be
started some time in May Mr Galt asked if sidewalks
were figured in on the estimate and the Chairman stated
that only rough sidewalks were figured
Mrs Steele Lindsay, Mr andMrs. Gleason and Mr
Galt wished to be recorded in favor of the construction
and acceptance of the, street Mr Benjamin J M*jo, Jr
telephoned and ttated that he wished to be recorded in
favor also.
No persons appearing in opposition, the hearing was
declared closed at 8:25 P M
The Board signed the order of layout as follows:
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Middlesex, ss Lexington, Mass Feb 16, 1937
Town of Lexington, Selectmen' s Room
At a meeting of the Board of Selectmen of the Town
of Lexington, after having given due written notice of the
$03
intention of said Board, as required by law, to lay out
as a town way the way known as Robbins Road, from Locust
Avenue to Lexington Avenue, approximately 790 feet, all
as hereinafter more fully appears, and after public hear-
ing thereon held on February 16th, 1937:
Nowupon consideration of the matter, it is
ORDERED: that this Board of Selectmen is of the
opinion that public necessity and convenience require
that said Robbins Road be laid out and established as a
public town way, and that the same hereby is laid out and.i
established as a public town way respectively, as follows:
The easterly line of Robbins Road begins at a point
in the southerly line of Locust Avenue, said point being
westerly and distant 101 59 feet from an angle point in
said southerly line of Locust Avenue, thence bearing to
the left with a curve of 25 00 feet radius distant 32 84
feet to a point of tangency, thence S 2° 26' 33" W dis-
tant 342.77 feet to a point of curvature, thence bearing
to the right with a curve of 214 31 feet radius distant
281.55 feet to a point of tangency, thence S 77° 42' 50"
W distant 164.97 feet to a point of curvature, thenoe
bearing to the left with a curve of 25 00 radius distant
32.84 feet to a point in the easterly line of Lexington
Avenue
The westerly line of Robbins Road begins at a point
in the southerly line of Locust Avenue, thence bearing
to the right with a curve of 25 00 feet radius distant
45.70 feet to a point of tangency, thence S 2° 26' 33"
W distant 319.14 feet to a point of curvature, thence
bearing to the right with a curve of 174 31 feet radius
distant 229.00 feet to a point of tangency, thence
S 77° 42 ' 50" W distant 141.31 feet to a point of
curvature, thence bearing to the right with a curve of
25.00 feet radius distant 45 70 feet to a point in the
easterly line of Lexington Avenue
The above described lines are parallel with and
distant 40.00 feet from each other with the exception of
the curved intersections at Locust Avenue and Lexington
Avenue
Said Robbins Road is hereby laid out and established
as shown on a plan entitled "Plan and Profile of Robbins
Road, Lexington, Mass. , Scale Hor 1 in - 40 ft. , Vert.
1 in - 10 ft , January 16, 1937, John T. Cosgrove, Town
Engineer" , which plan is on file in the Town Clerk's
Office in the Town Office Building and a copy of which
will be recordedwithMiddlesex South District Deeds
with a copy of this order.
J
5'04
And said Board having considered the question of
damages sustained by the owners of lands across and
through which said ways have been laid out and established
as aforesaid, hereby determines that no damages are sus-
tained and no damages are awarded, and said Board hereby
declares that all acts herein are done under the pro-
visions of law authorizing the assessment of betterments .
Charles E Ferguson
Philip M Clark Board
Archibald R Giroux of
Albert A Ross Selectmen
William G Potter
At 8:30 P M hearing was declared open on the appli-
cation of Roy C Peterson for permission to maintain a
Peterson gasoline filling station with three underground tanks
Gasoline with a capacity of 4,000 gallons, at the premises located
hearing. at 27 Blossom Street and the Cambridge-goncord Turnpike.
Mr. Peterson appeared and presented plan of the property
showing the location of the proposed gasoline tanks No
persons appeared in opposition
Mr. Clark moved that the permit be granted subject
to the issuance of the Board of Appeals permit to con-
struct and maintain a gasoline station Mr. Qroux
seconded the motion and it was so voted
Letter was received from the Town Accountant stating
that on or before July lst, a system to cover the work
Space for involved by the Contributary Retirement Act would have
Town to be set up Files, books, etc would have to be kept
Accountant. and another clerk would have to be hired The Town
Accountant requested that the Board give consideration
to the matter of providing additional office space for ,
him, and he assumed that any expense incurred would have
to be provided for in the Town Office Building Account
Mr. Giroux moved that the matter be referred to
Mr. Raymond for investigation and report Mr. Clark
seconded the motion and it was so voted
Letter was received from John A. May of 15 Taft
Purchase Avenue stating that he wished to purchase from the Town
of lots lots 1, 3 and 4, Block 73 Meagher Development The Clerk
reported that these lots were located approximately where
it was proposed to lay out the new Route #128 Mr.
Giroux moved that Mr May be advised that the Town did
not wish to sell the property at this time Mr Clark
seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Invitation was received from the Lexington Council
Invitation P.T.A to attend the Founders ' Day celebration to be
held at the High School on Thursday, February 18th The
Clerk was instructed to write a letter of thanks.
305
II Letter
was received from the Planning Board stating
that through inadvertance, nomination papers were not taken
o cover the expiration on March 1st of Mr. Lester F.
Ellis' s term as a member of the Planning Board The
Planning Board therefor requested that it meet with the
Selectmen on Tuesday, March 2nd for the purpose of Planning
appointing Mr Ellis as a member of the Planning Board Board
until March 7, 1938 The Chairman stated that Mr Member.
Kraetzer was appointed on Feb 2nd to fill the unexpired
term of John Sellars until March 1st, and according to the
Statute, a member would have to be elected on that date
to fill the vacancy He said that he thought the Board
had no alternative but to provide for the election of
such a person in the Warrant and on the ballot Mr
gi eilogild that provision be made for the election of
he Planning Board to serve for the period of one year.
Mr. Ross seqonded the motion and it was so voted
Letter was received from the Town Counsel to which
was attached a check in the amount of $87.65 in pay-
ment of at execution for costs due the Town in the case
brought against Leo Boynton, or Bornstein, to enforce the
Zoning By-Law. Mr. Wrightington said that because
Boynton's attorney had been having difficulty in find- Boynton
ing another location for the junk yard, he had asked case.
for a little more time. The Town Counsel recommended
that the request be granted. He said further that he
intended to render his bill for services with a balance
of the disbursements when he had succeeded in getting
Boynton out of the junk yard.
Letter was received from the Town Counsel stating
that it would not be practicable to have a conference Ryder
with Robert L. Ryder and his attorney until Tuesday, case
March 2nd. The Clerk was instructed to make an
appointment with Mr. Ryder for that date.
Letter was received from the Town Counsel to which
was attached petition and notice for the registration Old Adams
of title to the Old Adams Schoolhouse lot. The Board School
signed the petition.
Request was received from the Allied Veterans
Council for the use of Cary Hill on April 19th from
9:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. in conjttnction with the 19th of
April Committee. Mr. Ross moved that the request be Use of Hall
granted subject to the proper arrangements being made
with the janitor so that the use of the hall in the
daytime would not interfere with the evening activities.
Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Letter was received from Allen W. Rucker declining Welfare
the Board's invitation to become a member of the Welfare Committee
Committee.
306
M
The Supt. of Public Works informed the Board that
Use of the Lexington Drum Corps would like to use the dressing
II
dressing room in the Cary Memorial Hall on Thursday nights until
room. April 19th. Mr. Ross mored that the use of the dressing
room be granted. Mr. Clark seconded the motion and it
was so voted.
Mr. Raymond asked when John O'Connor could be put
back on the Highway Department. He said that he had been
considering the matter and whom they would get to take
Mr. Beach' s place if he was given O'Connor's job. He
had an application from James Collins of Mass. Avenue near
O'Connor on Curve Street, age 29. Mr. Collins is at the present
Highway time employed in the W.P.A. office in Boston. Mr. Raymond
Dept. thought that his familiarity with W.P.A. procedure would
be valuable. Mr. O'Connor asked him if he would be
interested in the job at $25.00 per, week and he was
interested enough to come in and talk with Mr. Raymond.
Mr. Raymond recommended hi.b appointment. Mr. Ross
I moved that James Collins be employed as W.F.A. Supervisor
when Mr. Raymond felt that he needed him at a salary of
$25.00 per week. Mr. Giroux seconded the motion and it
was so voted.
Mr. Raymond informed the Board that be had re-
Sidewalk ceived an application for a sidewalk and curbstone from IIM. Berman on Mass. Avenue near the Arlington line. No
action was taken on the matter.
1 Mr. Raymond reported that Mr. Garrity had been
Insect looking over the list of Welfare men with a view toward
work. employing some on insect work. He has decided to let
George Freeman go out in certain districts where there
are a lot of tint caterpillars and ask the people for
permission to go in on their property. Mr. Ross
moved that this procedure be approved. Mr. Potter
seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Mr. Raymond informed the Board that a saving of
$19.57 could be effected if the policy covering hold-up
insurance was written for three years rather than for
Insurance one year. He suggested that if it was decided to do this,
that $100. be added to the Insurance appropriation.
Mr. Ross moved that the hold-up policy be written for
three years and that the insurance appropriation be
Q
J increased by $100.00.
f Mr. Raymond said that they had been sweeping up
Street the sand spread on slippery days by hand and he wanted
Sweeper to know if the Board would approve the purchase of a
street sweeper at this time. The Board denied the IIrequest. He asked if the Board would approve charging
the expense to Snow Removal and the members said that
they would.
307
Mr. Raymond said that he would like to spend about
$250.00 on North Street, taking out the ledge and im- North
proving the surface of the road. Mr. Giroux moved that Street.
the work be approved. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and
it was so voted.
Mr. Raymond asked the Board when the payment of wages
from W.P.A. Labor and Materials to Roland Garmon was to Garmon's
start. The Chairman told him that it could go into wages.
effect the week of February 22nd.
Mr. Raymond submitted a list of streets, the names Names of
of which he recommended to be changed. No action was Streets
taken on the matter.
Mr. Raymond asked the Board's approval for the use
of Higgins, Farnham and whomever else he needed to work Engineers-
evenings and outside of office pours on making the sewer Sewer
study of North Lexington and paying the men straight time. Project
Mr. Giroux moved that the approval be granted. Mr. Ross
seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Mr. Raymond informed the Board that he had purchased
two lengths of 48 inch corrugated iron pipe to replace Purchase
the culvert at the Groot property near Vine Brook Road of Pipe.
at a cost of $159.00. Mr. Giroux moved that his action
be approved. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so
voted.
Mr. Raymond reported that Peter Canessa had had Canessa's
some trouble with his tank but was having it repaired. Trudk
Mr. Raymond stated that he estimated it would cost
approximately $3,000. to construct gravel sidewalks on
Lincoln Street . He said that it would not be practicable Sidewalk -
to build a footpath as the sidewalk would have to be wide Lincoln
enough for snow plow service. Street.
Mr. Giroux moved that Mrs. Sarano be advised that
the Board did not deem it advisable at this time to
expend $3,000. for a sidewalk on Lincoln Street. Mr.
Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Letter was received from the Supt. of Public Works
stating that it would cost about *3300. for installing
a boarded ceiling at the Public Works Building in order Heating
to save on the cost of heating the building. He said Pub. Works
that by doing this, the heated space could be reduced Building
about thirty percent . As the annual cost for heating
the building is $600.00 per year this would show a
saving of approximately $180.00 per year and would
therefor take about eighteen years to save the cost of
providing the boarded ceiling and installing necessary
sprinklers. Mr. Raymond did not feel that the ex-
penditure was justified. No action was taken on the
matter.
308
Letter was received from R. L. Seth of Jackson
Court stating that on behalf of all the abutters on Jack-
Jackson son Court, he had been requested to inform the Board that
Court the estimated cost of the construction of the street was
far in excess of that which the abutters could afford.
They therefor requested that they be released from any
obligation to the Town for the proposed installation.
Mr. Seth said that the abutters planned to improve the
condition of the street under contract.
Commitment cf Water and Sewer Connections in the•am-
Commitment ount of $66.53 was signed by the Board.
Commitment of Water Miscellaneous Charges in the
Commitment. amount of $8.00 was signed by the Board.
Mr. Harold Needham, Mr. Fred Johnson, Mr. D. F.
Ross and Mr. Eugene J. Viano appeared before the
Board to discuss the tire question. The Chairman read
a letter submitted by Mr. Raymond giving the data on
the different types and makes of tire.
Mr. Needham stated that the Firestone Standard
tire was not a #1 tire but was 10% lower in cost and make
up and that it was a Group "B" tire. Mr. Johnson
stated that the Firestone Co. claimed that it was as
good a tire as any of the others . Mr. Ross said that the
Goodyear man told him that no truck company and no taxi
company would consider using a Diamond tire. Mr.
Needham said that the Goodyear All-weather Tread and
the Diamond Super were listed at 100% tires. Mr.
Johnson said that he was willing to match a Firestone
tire with anything on the market . Mr. Needham said
that the U.S. Government Engineer rated it as a 90%
tire. Mr. Viano stated that he wanted to bring out the
fact that the Town had more than specifications to
consider. It should consider treads and other differences.
Mr. A. A. Ross told Mr. Raymond that Diamond tires were
used here a few years ago and asked him if he had any re-
cords showing how the tires stood up. Mr. Raymond replied
that no records were kept but that he had been informed
by departmental heads that they had some trouble with
Diamond tires because of side walls collapsing. Mr.
Needham said that he never heard the Town had any trouble
with side walls. Mr. Viano said that he had made as
good an investigation as possible at this time by
asking the departmental heads how Diamond tires wore
and in every case, the information that he received was
practically the same as stated by Mr. Raymond. He
said that he was told that several other make of tires
had been used and the other tires showed much better
wear than the Diamond. Mr. Viano called the Boardts
attention to the Selectments Records of a year ago which
stated that the mechanic, Mr. Barry, said that he had
309
had a great deal of trouble with sidewalls on Diamond
tires. Mr. Neddham said that in fairness to the tire
being discussed, they should not be condemned on account
of side'vall trouble without a record of the tires .
Mr. A.A. Ross asked if his company considered the
e Diamond a first class tire, and Needham said that they
absolutely did.
Mr. Clark asked that in case Mr. Needham should Tires
happen to get the contract and in case the town should
happen to get in trouble if the Town would be protected,
and he replied in the affirmative. He said that the
guarantee given with his bid was perfectly legitimate
but the other bidders did not have a right to give such
a guarantee .
Mr. D. F. Ross asked Mr. Needham if he could furnish
all the sized in tires, and he said that he could.
Mr. A. A. Ross asked what the difference was in the
low bid and the next lowest, and Mr. Raymond said that
it amounted to about $80.00.
Mr. Needham presented a code giving prices and
qualities of tires which he said was printed by the U.S.
government, and Mr. Viano said that the paper was worth-
less. Needham said that in November, 1936, the U. S.
Government made a test of 300 tires and Diamond gave a
27,000 mile test. Mr. Viano asked where Goodrich tires
stood on the list presented by Mr. Needham and he said
that it stood 6th. Mr. Viano asked Mr. Needham if he had
not stated previously that the Goodrich tire was exactly
the same as the Diamond and he said that he had but
that this test just showed that the Diamond was a bdtter
tire. Viano said that if it was identical, why wouldn't
the Goodrich give the same test. Mr. Needham said there
was a difference in every two tires of the same make
the same as there was in automobiles.
Mr. Viano asked that his bid be withdrawn so that
it would not influence what he had to say. He said
that the Lexington ddalers represented here were handling
reputable products and that the products did not need
any defence. The mere fact that the biggest companies
in the country used their products proved their worth.
He asked that the Board take that fact into consideration
when it decided what tire was the cheapest for the Town
to buy and use. The Selectmen's Records of last year
showed Barry's statement as to what he found out about the
Diamond tire and he said that the Board had Mr. Raymond' s
statement of what the Department heads thought of it. He
said that Mr. Johnson, Mr. Ross and himself were Lexington
business men and he thought that the fact that they paid
taxes on the tires they carry should be taken into con-
t sideration. He said that Mr. Needham was a Lexington
II
resident and he thought that he should be given second
consideration but he did not think that his company should
be considered at all. He said that Mr. Ross had submitted
a price on tires that was entirely too low and he did not
310
see how he could do it, but he was giving the Town a
good break. He said that he thought that the business
should be left in Lexington.
Mr. Johnson said that tire tests did not mean a
thing to him as he had seen so many of them and automobile
tests anicne company gets out one set of figures and an-
other company gets out another set and there is no compar-
ison between the two. He said that he wanted to point
out that in his bid, for instance, the price quoted
included the mounting of tires and that cost him money.
He would mount the tires and follow up his guarantee.
He felt that .anyone of the three Lexington dealers were
in a position to give the Town value. He said that his
product was sound and he felt that it was a question of
the town' s getting value for what it paid. He thought
that the mounting should be given consideration in the
letting of the bid.
Mr. Ross said that the only tire business he got
from the Town was when the Fire Dept. wanted a tire changed.
Two of his men worked seven hours one day renoving two
tires for the Fire Department and the Town never paid a
thing for the service.
Mr. Needham said that the tires were bid by him
personally and would be billed by him and not by the
Webster Thomas Co. He said that if all the dealers
lived up to the code there would not be one cent of
difference in the prices submitted. He said that the
paper he was quoting figures from was the Consumers
Research Report.
Mr. D. F. Ross asked why the Fire Department tires
were not included in the bid and the Chairman said that
the Fire Department came under the jurisdiction of the
Fire Engineers .
Mr. Needham said that on January 30 the tire bids
were opened and on February 2nd they came before the
Selectmen who approved letting the contract to him
subject to Mr. Raymond's approval. On Feb. 3rd a call
came from Akron, Ohio, wanting to know why Diamond tires
were being quoted below the code price. On February 8th
the contract was awarded for Diamond tires. Later on in
the week he received a letter to the effect that a demon-
stration of tires would be held on February 17th. Last
Saturday, Mr. Raymond called him and asked him to bring
in his tires which he did. When he reached the office,
he found that the other three dealers were already in the
office with their tires. He said that his rr ice averaged
about 22ti% lower than the next bidder. He said that
he did have an opportunity to offer the Town that waving
but that these three men had kicked on the question of
the code and he now could not offer tires at the same
price. He said that he would make it well known in town
that the Selectmen had an opportunity to effect a saving
of 22 on tires and did not take advantage of it.
311
Mr. Johnson stated that hisrice was submitted
A by
the Firestone people according to the city and town lists
and Mr. Ross said that his bid was submitted qn the same
basis. Mr. Ross asked if any members of the Board ever
used Diamond tires and they declined to answer.
Mr. Giroux asked Mr. Needham if he was withdrawing •
his original bid and was now submitting a code bid. Mr.
D. F. Ross asked if he was obliged to do this and he
said that he was not. Mr. Ross said that he understood
that the Goodrich Co. forced him to change his bid, and
Mr. Needham said that he was merely doing it out of
courtesy to the B. F Goodrich Co. Mr. Olark said that
when the tire subject was originally brought up, con-
sideration was not given to mounting, that it was not
discussed at all. He said he could now see that it
should have been discussed. He said that the contract was
given to the lowest bidder. There was a saving to the town.
He said that he felt morally bound to stick to the orignal
contract if the price was still the same. He said that
next year the question of mounting tires would be con-
sidered more fully.
Mr. Raymond said that there was between 70 and 80
tires to be purchased and there was a difference of about
$80.00 between the lowest and next lowest bids. The total
amount of the order would be about $1300.00.
Mr. Viano said he thought it would be a good idea to
straighten out the question of first line and first
quality tires . A first line tire is considered the premier
product of a company and a company could manufacture five
qualities of tires .
Mr. Needham asked the Chairman if the tire contract
was awarded to him on February Sth and the Chairman stated
that on February 2nd the Board voted to award the contract
to him subject to Mr. Raymond's aprroval. Mr. Viano
suggested that the business be split up this year and a
test be made.
The Chairman said that on February 2nd, the Board
voted to give the contract to Mr. Needham subject to Mr.
Raymond' s figures being correct and on Feb. 8th, the
Board voted to allow Mr. Ray mond to have the police tires
mounted here in town. The Chairman asked Mr. Needham if
the Board was to understand that his original bid was with-
drawn and Needham replied in the affirmative, stating that
it was withdrawn out of courtesy to the Goodrich Co.
Mr. D. F. Ross asked why Mr. Needham would not have
to live up to the code when everybody else did. The
Chairman said that as far as the Selectmen were concerned,
it was their duty to award the contract to the lowest
bidder, which they did not knowing anything about codes.
He said that if the low bid was being withdrawn, it was
up to the Board to reconsider the whole matter. Mr.
Needham said that on Feb. 9th he asked Mr. Raymond for
the contract but he did not receive it. They retired.
312
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Mr. Raymond said that the only way to make a test
would be to use the different tires on the dual wheels.
The Chairman said that a tire record could be kept.
Mr. Giroux moved that the vote of February 2nd
awarding the contract for the purchase of tires to Mr.
Needham be rescinded. Mr. Potter seconded the motion
and it was so voted.
Mr. Giroux moved that the question of the purchase
of tires be left in the hands of the Supt. of Public
Works with the suggestion that he split the order among
the five bidders within his discretion, with the idea
that he make tests of the various tires, in the coming
year. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted.
The meeting adjourned at 11:00 P.M .
�
A true record, Attest:
se-GaL.,
Clerk.