HomeMy WebLinkAbout1937-03-16 349
SELECTMEN' S MEETING
MARCH 16, 1937.
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, Clark,
Giroux and Ross were present. The Clerk was also
present.
Upon motion of Mr. Potter, seconded by Mr. Ross,
it was voted to adopt the following order:
The Board of Selectmen of Lexington, acting as a
Board of Health, after receiving a report from Matthew Hall,
Stevenson, Health Inspedtor, as to the condition of the Board of
cesspool on the premises at #3 Lowell Street, Lexington, Health
find that said cesspool is a menace to the public health Order.
and a nuisance by reason of its overflowing and its
filthy condition, and therefor, the Board adopts the
following order under the authority of G. L. , Ch. 111,
sec. 123 and every power enabling it to do so.
ORDERED that William Joseph and Katherine Hall,
of #3 Lowell Street, Lexington, in the County of
Middlesex, the owner of the premises at #3 Lowell
Street, Lexington, at their own expense remove the
nuisance and source of filth thereon consisting of an
overflowing cesspool, within three days from the date
of the service of this order.
Charles E. Ferguson Board
Philip M. Clark of
Arbhibald R. Giroux Selectmen
Albert A. Ross of
William G. Potter Lexington.
The Clerk reported that the Briggs Class had
requested permission to use Cary Memorial Hall on Use of Hall
Sunday, March 21st for one hour beginning at 12:00 and
o 'clock. Mr. Giroux moved that the request be granted. Invitation
Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Invitation was received from Rev. Crawford 0.
Smith to attend the meeting. The Clerk was instructed
to accept the invitation with thanks .
Request was received from the Secretary of State
for a statement of character on J. Willard Hayden and Cert. of
N. Blanche Hayden who have applied for a certificate Incorpor-
of incorporation under the name of Josiah Willard Hayden ation.
Recreation Centre, Inc. The Board signed the statement
of character.
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Mr. Wrightington appeared before the Board and
discussed the Ryder drainage cases. He said that the r
Town Clerk had reported that the taxes due on the various
Ryder Ryder parcels amounted to approximately $30,000.00 as
Drainage of April 1st and this amount did not include 1936.
cases . Last years ' taxes amount to $3362.00 so that would make
about $33,500.00 outstanding.
Mr. Ross Moved that the Town Counsel be authorized
to pay the Ryders $10,000. cash to settle the various
cases on the basis that the Town was going to build
the culvert under Mass. Ave. , etc. Mr. Giroux seconded
the motion and it was so voted.
Mr. Wrightington said that in the meantime he
would go ahead and prepare the bill of exceptions.
The Chairman said that the Town By-Laws provide
that the polls are to be kept open from 6: 00 A.M. to
Town 8:00 P.M. for each Annual Election and he asked the
By-Laws . Town n Counsel if this could be changed. Mr. Wrightington
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said that any By-Law could be changed by vote of the
Town. The Chairman requested him to draw up a vote to
be presented at the next Town Meeting so that the
Selectmen could determine what hours the polls are to
be kept open.
The Chairman told Mr. Wrightington that the Board
Town thought it would be a good idea if the Town Accountant
Accountant could be made a Town Meeting Member at Large. Mr.
Wrightington said that it was a matter that would have
to go before the Legislature. He said that he would
talk the matter over with Senator Cotton to see if it
could be brought up this winter or next.
Application was received from Max Sulkin of 132 South
Junk Street, Waltham, for the transfer of Arey Greenblott's
License. junk license to his name. Mr. Giroux moved that the
application for a transfer be granted. Mr. Potter
seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Bond of the Tax Collector in the amount of
Bond of '., 7,300.00 which had been approved by Tax CommiHsioner
Tax Long was received. Mr. Clark moved that the bond be
Collector. approved. Mr. Giroux seconded the motion and it was
so voted.
Mr. Giroux moved that the Board approve the Chair-
Bond of man' s action in approving the Town Clerk' s bond in the
Town Clerk. amount of $47,300.00. Mr. Clark seconded the motion
and it was so voted.
Letter was received from the State Director of
Retirement Accounts advising that the organization of the local
Board retirement Board should be provided immediately in
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order that the Board might collect data and make prep-
arations for the operative date of July 1st, 1937. It
was decided to hold the matter over for one week.
Upon motion of Mr. Clark, seconded by Mr. Giroux,
the following licenses were granted
Jay 0. Richards - 1774 Mass . Avenue - Auctioneerts Licenses
Louis J. Reynolds - 1736 "
F. K. Johnson - 39-41 Bedford Street - Overhanging Sign
Edison Elec. Ill. Co. - 1727 Mass . Ave. - "
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Mr. Ross moved that a permit be granted to David Permit.
Murray of 22 Grant Street, Dorchester, to distribute
hand bills on Thursday and Friday of this week.
Mr. Raymond read a letter which he had received
from the Town Counsel relative to the Anderson service
on Lee Avenue, which is leaking. He asked if it would Anderson
be practicable to install a meter where the service water
pipe connects with the main. He said that the Town service .
apparently had no right to enter upon private land and
dig it up for the purpose of making repairs.
Mr. Wrightington said that he thought it would be
well for the Selectmen to revise the Water Department
Regulations by adding a regulation requiring owners to
keep in repair the service pipe extending from the
street mains to the houses and definitely stating that
the water would be shut off if this was not complied
with. He also advised revising Regulation 6 so that
it would be unmistakable in case of accidental break
in mains or interruption of *ater supply for any other
reason, that the Town was not to be held liable for Water Dept .
any damage caused to water takers . Regulations .
Mr. Ross moved that the suggested revisions in
the Water Department Regulations be made . Mr. Giroux
seconded the motion and it was so voted.
The Board discussed the matter of the Anderson
sertice which is leaking. The Chairman suggested Anderson
that Mr. Raymond talk with Anderson and find out if water
he would repair the pipe or authorize the Town to service.
repair it, and if he would not do either, to tell him
that a meter would be installed at the curb to register
all the water passing through it. If Anderson agreed
to have the Town do the work, the Chairman suggested
that he sign a statement to that effect. He asked Mr.
Raymond to advise him what action Anderson had taken
so that if necessary, the Board could write him a
letter.
Mr. Raymond said that a W.P.A . project for library
work was submitted in August 1935 and had been approved
for some time. Miss Kirkland had not agreed to employ
oy
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anyone on the W.P.A. list at that time and Mr. Raymond
W.P.A. said that he had received a letter from the W.P.A.
Library authorities asking if the Town wanted to withdraw the
Project. project. It was decided not to withdraw the project
but to hold the matter over for a week or two.
Mr. Raymond said that the playground project had
been returned for the second time because the authorities
W.P.A. say that it can not be completed by June 30th. They
Playground said that it could be re-submitted if it could be
Project. completed by June 30th. Mr. Allard, the Field Engineer,
advises holding it up until May and then submitting it
as a four month project and he believes that it will
then be approved. Mr. Ross moved that the project be
re-submitted in May. Mr. Potter seconded the motion
and it was so voted.
Mr. Raymond said that prices on typewriters were
Highway going up on April 1st and that the Highway Department
Dept. needed a new typewriter. He wanted to know if it would
Typewriter. be all right for him to order a typewriter now and the
Board said that it would be.
Mr. Raymond said that Mr. Cavanaugh of Grant Street
wanted to know if the residents on that street could
Rental hire the Highway grader, with an operator, to smooth
of grader over the street provided the residents paid for it.
for Grant Mr. Raymond said that the rental could go to the Road
Street. Machinery Account.
Mr. Ross moved that the residents be allowed to
hire the Highway grader at a rate of $25.00 per day,
the money to be paid in advance and the residents to
pay the operator direct. Mr. Clark seconded the
motion and it was sb voted.
Mr. Raymond said that Mr. Beach had to do jury
Beach on duty and he asked the Board what they wished him to
jury duty. do for the three weeks Beach was away from the job.
The Board told him to handle the matter in any way
he could.
Meadows, Mr. Raymond said that Jesse Meadows did not wish
pay as to act as the foreman on the Tree Project for the
foreman. same amount of money that he is receiving now. No
action was taken on the matter.
Mr . Raymond said that the contract for maintenance
on the Puro contract (water coolers in Town Offices )
Puro was expiring. The cost is now $"l0. a year and this
contract is being increased to $15.00 a year. Mr. Raymond
said that he did not think it was worth it. Mr.
Giroux moved that the matter be left to Mr. Raymond to
353
decide. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was to
voted.
Mr. Raymond said that one of the Water Department
compressors had been disassembled and is in need of Water
quite a lot of work. One firm made an estimate of Dept.
making the repairs for $325.00 but he is going to get Compressor
another figure. He asked approval of having the
compressor repair work done. Mr. Clark moved that the
request be granted. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and
it was so voted.
Mr. Giroux said that Mr. E. B. Worthen suggested
to him that one of the streets in Town should be named
after the Harrington family and he suggested that Elm Names of
Avenue be named Harrington Road if the abutters have streets.
no objection.
Mr. Worthen also su g -ested that the proposed
street between Hancock Street and Merriam Street be
named Buckman Road.
No action was taken on the matter.
Mr. Giroux said that the Public Health Association
wanted to know if the Board would write a letter Letter re
commending the work being done by them to be used for Pub.Health
publicity purposes. Mr. Clark moved that the Chairman Assoc.work
be authorized to write such a letter. Mr. Ross seconded
the motion and it was so voted.
Upon motion of Mr. Clark, Seconded by Mr. Ross, it
was voted to make the following appointments for the
period ending March 31st, 1938 unless otherwise specified:
Board of Appeals (Mar.31,1942) Charles E. Ferguson
Board of Appeals John A. Lyons
(Associate Members ) Errol H. Locke
'ridge Charitable mind Trustee
(Mar. 1, 1940) Howard S. 0. Nichols
Building Inspector Fred W. Longbottom
Burial Agents Arthur A. Marshall
James F. McCarthy Appointments
Clerk, Selectmen Eleanor M. Lowe
Agent, Board of Health Eleanor M. Lowe
Constables Charles E. T,2oloy
Roland Garmon
Dental Clinic Committee Mrs. William G. Potter
Mrs . Frederick B. James
Thomas S. Grindle
Fence Viewers Frank P. Cutter
Gammel Legacy Income Trustees Bartlett J.HarringtonMrs . Kenneth P. Blake
(Acting with Dept. of Public Lawrence G. Mitchell
Welfare )
Health Inspector Matthew Stevenson
354
Health Officer Dr. Harold J. Crumb
Lockup Keeper James J. Sullivan
Measurer of Grain Albert Bieren
Measurers of Wood, Bark and John E. Kelley
Manure Harold I. Wellington
Milk Inspector Matthew Stevenson
Old Age Assistance Bureau William G. Potter
Luther Putney
Albert A. Ross
Park Superintendent John J. Garrity
Plumbing Inspector Andrew T. Bain
Posture Clinic Committee Mrs. Edith M. Kelley
Mrs. William G. Potter
Mrs . Robert P. Trask
Miss Margaret E. Kettell
Miss Margaret B. Noyes
Public Welfare Agent, also
Agent, Bur. of Old Age
Assistance Lawrence G. Mitchell
Registrar of Voters (Mar.31,
1940) George H. Lowe
Sealer of Weights & Measures Charles E. Hadley
Supt. of Streets William C. Paxton, Jr.
Supt. of Street, Asst. John F. 0/Connor
Supt. of Streets, Consulting Robert H. White
Town Counsel Sydney R. Wrightington
Town Engineer John T. Cosgrove
Weighers (Public ) William E. A. Mulliken
John E. A. Mulliken
Jacob Bierenbroodspot
Harold I. Wellington
Albert Bieren
William Bieren
Peter Stevens
Rupert Stevens
John E. Kelley
Lillian McClure
Leo Duma
Paul M. Wagner
Wire Inspector Louis W. Bills
Agent def the Selectmen to
Administer Soldiers ' Relief,
Military and State Aid Lawrence G. Mitchell
Dr. James J. Walsh appeared before the Board and
Money said that the 19th of April Associates were falling
for short in their drive to raise money. He read a letter
April 19th which Roland Garmon had drawn up which it was proposed
to send out to townspeople and others requesting funds
and he requested that the Board of Selectmen authorize
the Aasociates to use their names as endorsers of the
movement. Mr. Ross moved that such permission be
355
' gra ted the 19th of April Associates. Mr. Giroux
seconded the motion and it was so voted.
The Welfare Agent discussed welfare matters with Welfare
the Board.
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 P.M .
A true record, Attest:
;44.1z
Clerk.
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