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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1937-11-09T a 2 SELECTMEN'S MEETING NOVEMBER 9, 1937. A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 7:30 P.M. Chairmen Ferguson, Messrs. Potter, Giroux and Ross were present. The Clerk was also present. At 7:30 P.M. the Appropriation Committee appeared before the Board. The Chairman informed the group that the Selectmen had received a notice from W. C. Paxton, Jr. stating that he was resigning as Supt. of the Highway Department as of November 13th. The Chairman said that after the Board received the letter, they talked the matter over and the members felt that it should do something to prevail upon Mr. Paxton to stay because they felt that he was a distinct asset to the Town. Mr. Paxton came before the Board last week and the Board asked him what consideration he would give to staying and he answered that he would stay if his salary was increased immediately to $60.00 per week and that he would not stay under any other conditions. The Board felt that he was worth the ' $60.00 but there was no way it could agree to pay him that amount without a transfer frcm the Reserve Fund or an appropriation at the next Tom Meeting. The Chairma said the Board thought that Paxton was worth the X60.00 per week and that it would be willing to give him that amount and the purpose of asking the Appropriation Paxton's Committee to come in was to see how it would feel about resignation. making a transfer from the Reserve Fund to take care of the difference in salary. Mr. Rucker, Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, stated that his Board was in sympathy with the Selectme . He said that last January they had a discussion with the Selectmen on salaries and requested that the Selectmen decide what all positions were worth and not what the individual was worth. Mr. Rucker asked the Selectmen what they thought the job was worth and that they leave out all individual credits involved. He said that the Committee wanted the Town to have the best man it could within a price. He said that if the Board did that, the Appropriation Committee would be in a position to give a decision. Mr. Giroux said that the Supt. of the Highways in Concord received $3600. per year and that the Supt. in Winchester was paid $291.66 ger mahth. Mr. Rucker said that it was not the Appropriation Committee's job to say what the position was worth but that It was the function of the Board of Selectmen. The Chairman said that it was the opinion of the Board, or his personal opinion anyway, that the Supt. E 85 of the Water and Sewer Dept., the Town Engineer and the Supt. of the Highway Department were ®north the same amount of money. He said that the positions were comparable and ought to pay about the same. He said that before the change was made, the Supt. of Water and Sewers was getting $3000.00 and that the Town Engineer was getting it but the Supt. of the Highway Dept. never received that salary. Mr. Ross said he thought that that was true in most places. He said that Needham had the same mileage of streets that Lexington has and he thought the Supt. of HiZhways and the Supt. of the Water and Sewer Dept. were paid ,3300.00. He thought the jobs were worth 660.00 per week and said that the superintendents had to put in a lot of extra hours. Mr.� Rucker said that if the Board had a definite policy of stating what it thought the job was worth -even though it did not pay the maximum, the Appropriation Committee could be governed by it. He said the Selectmen should make due allowance in the Personal Services accounts and if they thought during the year that an individual was entitled to an increase, the Appropriation Committee would stand back of them. He said that if the Board would state what it thought the job was worth and that the superintendent should be paid up to within 100% of it, then the Committee would have something to go on and would act on the matter very promptly. Mr. Giroux said that some few months ago, he talked with the Supt. of Public Works, as an individual ' only, and was told that with the Vine Brook question on which the Town must have definite accurate information, and the North Lexington sewer study, etc., he felt that the Town would have to have outside engineering. Mr. Giroux told Mr. Raymond he thought that would be a mistake as Mr. Raymond came here a man of great ability, and Mr. Giroux thought he should not have outside engineering. He finds that during the past few months, Mr. Raymond has turned over a great deal of detail work on highways to Mr. Paxton, and Mr. Raymond says that he has done a good job. Mr: Raymond puts about twenty-five percent of his time on Engineering prob- lems and in doing that, he has to rely on the superintendents to take care of all details. Undoubtedly the Town is saving a great deal of money in having Mr. Raymond do this work. Mr. Bowker asked if the Board thought that Paxton would be satisfied long with the $3,000.00 per year and the Chairman said he did not know. Mr. Rucker said he felt that all these matters should be considered and said that the Appropriation Committee would consider them but did not want to commit themselves until the Selectmen said how much the job was worth. Mr. Giroux said that anything the Board said now would have to be based on present conditions. Mr. Giroux said that when salaries were discussed last year, the Board told the Appropriation Committee that it was not asking for as much of an increase for Messrs. Paxton and Ross as they were worth. Mr. Rucker said that he remembered that. em The Appropriation Committee retired and the Board considered the matter. Mr. Ross felt that the three jobs should be worth $3500.00 per year eventually as far as he could see, and he thought that both of the men would be satisfied if they were paid $60.00 per week. Mr. Giroux moved that the following vote be passed: VOTED: That it is the opinion of this Board that the positions of Supt. of Highways,and Supt. of Water and Sewer, and the Town Engineer, mhould have an outside lim of 03500.00 per year set as the maximum salary for the positions, under present conditions. At the present tim this Board recommends that the salary of the Supt. of th Highway Dept. and the Supt. of Water and Sewer Dept. be set at 43120. per year., this to take effect on November 15th for the Supt. of the Highway Dept . , and January is t 1938, for the Supt. of the Water & Sewer Dept. and that the Appropriation Committee be requested to transfer the sum of $125.00 from the Reserve Fund to the Highway Dept., Perscinal Services appropriation, to cover the additional amount required for the salary of the Supt. o the Highway Dept. for the balance of the year. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. The vote was taken up to the Appropriation Committe who considered it and then informed the Selectmen that they had passed this vote: VOTED: That after discussin with the Town Counsel the matter of increasing the salar of the Superintendent of the Highway Department it is th opinion of the Appropriation Committee that the Board of Selectmen should have the necessary article inserted in the Town Warrant,f or the probable Town Meeting to be hel in December to increase the salary of the Superintendent of Highways to sixty dollars per week effective November 15th, 1937 and to provide the necessary funds therefor by a transfer from available funds and if this is done t. Appropriation Committee will make a favorable recommenda The Board of Assessors appeared before the Board of Selectmen. The Chairman read a letter which Tax Commiss Barnes ioner Henry F. Long had written to the Assessors which property. said in effect that the article asking for an appropriat to purchase the Barnes property should have included the taxes on the property and he -would not recommend that th taxes be abated now. The Chairman asked how Mr. Long entered into the 1937 taxes, and Bir. Steeves said that he entered into all abatements after October let, and that the proper thing to do was to put an article in the warrant for the next Town Meeting. The Chairman said that it probably would be necessary to have an article in the warrant on the matter anyway to ask for more mone and decrease the bond issue_. They retired. t 1 I� 1 At 8:30 P.M. the Supt. of Public Works and a group of residents of Follen Road appeared before the Selectmen to protest the Board's action in authorizing the extension of the sewer in Follen Road, from Smith Avenue to a point southwesterly and distant about 460 feet. The Selectmen authorized this extension on October 26th, 1937, upon recommendation of Mr. Raymond that the work be done as a health measure. Mr. Warren G. Lawson who had applied for the extension was present at the hearing. The Chairman read the following letter: November 4, 1937. To the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Lexington, Mass. Gentlemen: In the matter of your order for the construction of a sewer in Follen Road on petition of Warren G. Lawson, 151 Follen Road. The undersigned do hereby feel that such emer- gency steps as authorized by you in this matter were somewhat hasty in view ' of other facts that have no doubt not been brought to your attention by the petitioner; also that the emergency has been cared for at this time by the Petitioner in the same manner as he has done at different intervals in the past few years. The correction- b.ty steps, even though only temporary, have sufficed in the past to care for the same type of emergency that you have seen fit to proceed under. These corrections have lasted many months so that on precedent the petitioner would have ample time to go through the usual procedure of giving those to be assessed a hearing on the matter. This is a very burdensome levy to be made on us without our having a chance to express what we think Of the matter and should be fully aired as would be the usual procedure, therefor we ask that our rights be fully respected before hurrying us into this heavy expense. We urge your serious condideration of our petition before carrying this project through. Sincerely yours, Ernest Cutter & Virginia K. Cutter Agnes C. Sehlichte ' James G. Prout Katherine E. Allcock. P.S. The signers represent all of those to be assessed except Mr. Lawson and Mr.Wlkins. It is out understanding 88 that Mr. Wilkins has no equity in the property now and that the United States government holds it through the ' HOLC. l Mr. Ernest Cutter said that he understood that thei procedure taken prior to the construction of a sewer was not the same as that taken prior to the construction of a street,. He asked if that was correct and the Chairman said that it was. Mr. Cutter asked if the Town had LL constructed sewers without the specific authorization of the Town Meeting and an appropriation to cover such con+ struction before. The Chairman said that Vine Street had been ordered without a specific appropriation and also portion of the Bow Street sewer in 1935. Mr. Cutter said he checked the 1935 and 1936 extensions and he found that other than Vine Street, no extensions were made with- out specific appropriations and he wondered why this was handled differently. The Chairman said that the Selectmen were advised that an emergency did exist and that the petitioner had done everything that he could to take care of the matter and the Selectmen authorized the extension as a health measure. Mr. Cutter said he built his house in August of 1929 and had not been in there three months when there was an overflow. There seemed to be nothing he could do about it that winter and after the January thaw came, he ' had a very bad condition. He went to two of the members of the Board of Selectmen and asked what the possibility of extending the sewer was. T. A. Custan ce told him that the Town would be willing to extend the sewer if Mr. Cutter advanced $800.00. Cutter said he was not in a position to do that and therefor had to resort to trying to correct this situation himself. In the Spring, he dug a trench seventy feet long and built a larger cesspool which was really a secondary one. From that time on he has not had occasion to have trouble with his sewage. He struck very hard ground ashen he was down three or four feet and said that one would not think there would be any seepage there but the fact remains that there has been seepage. Mr. Cutter said it seemed to him that something more could be done by Mr. Lawson. He said that there was no cause for an extension beyond Mr. Arthur H. Parker's. He never heard of any of the other residents having trouble with cesspools. He said that Mr. George Harrington, who lives at the corner of Smith Avenue, put in a cesspool fifteen years ago and had never had any trouble. He said that everyone up there had found it necessary to put in cess- pools but Mr. Lawson apparently had seen fit to install septic tanks. Mr. Cutter said that he found septic tanks did not have the volume that a c es sp oo 1 did and that their content is such that they will not hold what , a cesspool will. He said that septic tanks have fingers and dry wells, but in talking with a man who sells them,', M 0 1 he was informed that they should have secondary cess- ' pools. Mr. Cutter said that a septic tank was nothing more than a sealed container and if it did not function, it was nothing mare than emptying sewage into a tin can. Mr. Cutter thought that if Mr. Lawson had met the situation the way he had, he would not have the difficulty he is now encountering. Mr. James G. Prout said that as he saw the point Cutter had made, the question was why should the people on the hill bear the burden to relieve Mr. Lawson when he could relieve his own burden if he took the steps that the rest of the people on the hill had. He said that ,the only ones that were going to be affected by the extension were the present occupants of the hill and he asked why they should take the burden of this expense. Mr. Lawson said that when he put in the septic tank, he put in the largest that was carried for household use. He put a drain from it and dug a large trench and laid clay pipe with broken joints with an auxiliary dry well. After he had been in the house for some time, he found that that was not going to work. He then put in Follen another drain from the first dry well to a second dry RoAd, well and they thought that this would be sufficient to sewer take care of anything that could possibly happen. The extension second dry well was eight feet across and thirteen feet deep. The next time he had trouble with the system, he found that that dry well was absolutely full. He said that Mr. Cutter's situation -was entirely different. Mr. Lawson said that from the information he could obtain, he thought that everybody on the hill was going to have trouble eventually. He said that of course the septic tank was the more modern thing. He started with the wrong system because a septic tank has to be six feet below the surface, which is down into blue clay. Mr. Lawson said he had no desire to put his neighbors to any expense, nor did he want to get into it himself. However, Mr. Raymond informed him that he thought the situation was hopeless. Mr. Lawson said that Mr. Ross was present at the time the septic tank was.opened and he also thought that the situation was hopeless. He said that although: Mr. Cutter said that he was all right at the present time, that was not true as the sewage was backing up now. He said that if Mr. Ross and Mr. Raymond said that the sewer extension was not necessary and that the matter could be taken care of other- wise., he was willing to abide by their decision. Mr. A. A. Ross asked Mr. Raymond what his opinion on the matter was. Mr. Raymond said that he went to Mr. Lawson's house in company with Mr. Joseph Ross. At that time the septic tank near the house had been uncovered. Mrs. Lawson told him about the trouble they had ha.d with ' the septic tank and the trenches that had been dug and pipes that had been put in. He saw the character of the soil near the septic tank and examined the soil in the rear of the lot. It was his opinion that it is impracticable 90 to expend any more funds in an attempt to dispose of ' sewerage on this lot. Mr. Prout said that Mr. Cutter had said that he was perfectly satisfied with the sewerage situation that he had and he wondered how Mr. Lawson felt about his. The Chairman said that the Board of Health was con- cerned with whether or not there was a health menace or nuisance. The Board had the information that there was a health menace and that it dould not be rectified in any way other than by the extension of the sewer, but if it could be proven that the situation could be rectified by not extending the sewer, the Board might change its mind. Mr. Lawson said that Mr. Ide of Pinewood Street had practically the same situation and after a great deal of trouble, he had the sewer extended to take care of his house. Mr. A. H. Parker told him that he was not interested in the sewer because he was away about four months in the summer and his sewerage had a chance to dry up. He said that Mr. Peck had had trouble with his cesspool. Mr. Cutter asked if the Board of Seledtmen viewed the Lawson property, and the Chairman replied in the negative. Mr. Cutter asked if the Board did not think It was its duty to view the property. The Chairman said that there was a Supt. of Public Works and a Supt. of Water and Sewers who were paid to look into things of this ' nature and they had done so. Mr. Cutter said that Mr. Lawson had always taken temporary steps to correct the situation and asked if he had not always looked forward to a sewer extension. Mr. Lawson replied that he thought when he built a cesspool thirteen feet deep that it was a permanent correctioh. Mr. Prout said that if there was a condition existing on the Lawson property absolutely apart from the rest of the land there, he could conceive that an emergency might exist. The Chairman said that the Board received a request from Mr. Lawson and had the Supt. of Public Works and the Supt. of the Water and Sewer Dept. go down and determine if there was a health menace and they stated that there was a health menace and that there was nothing Mr. Lawson could do to abate it. Mr. Prout said it seemed to him that the otherproperties should be looked into to deter- mine whether or not they had done anything which Mr. Lawson might not have done to relieve the situation. The Chairman said that it was not the Board's inter - tion to force anything on anybody, but it was acting on, the advice of the Town superintendents. Mr. Allcock said that he had had his cesspool for fifteen years and had never had it cleaned out. There are three in his family. Mr._ Lawson said that there had been four people in his family but there were five now. i, ,. Mr. Giroux said that there was a difference of opinion as to whether or not there was a health menace ' and if Mr. Lawson had done everything in his power to correct it. He asked if some sort of an arrangement could not be made whereby Mr. Raymond representing the Town, a sanitary engineernepresenting the group, and a State Inspector could get together and make a study of the situation. He suggested that both groups abide by the decision of these three people. The Chairman said that the idea presented in the petition was to defer any action.and take the matter up at the Town Meeting. It was finally decided to request a State Inspector to confer with Mr. Raymond and Mr. Stevenson, and have the three make an investigation and recommendation, and to proceed in accordance with that recommendation. The group retired at 9:45 P.M. A short while after the group retired, Mr. Lawson re-entered and stated that he wanted to withdraw the application in view of the opposition. The Town Counsel appeared before the Board. He said that he had another letter from R. L. Ryder agreeing that there was a contract but stating that he still wished to make the reservations. Mr. Wrightington's advice to the Board was that it consult with the Planning Board on the matter of the playground drive adjoining the Aldrich, prop- erty. He wrote Ryder a letter and yesterday he received a reply in which Ryder disclaimed any intent to rescind the contract but stating that he still wanted to make the reservations. Mr. Wrightington thought the Board should settle the matter. The Chairman said the Board could get a recommendation from the Planning Board and Vine Brook Drainage Committee and asked if it was all rigit to let the thing go along as it is now. Mr. Wrightington answered in the affirmative. He said that if the Board thought it would not be ready to have the article in for the December meeting, there was no particular hurry in the matter. The Chairman read a letter from the Town Counsel stating that he had talked with Mrs. E. F. Scheibe, who indicated that she would like to have the Selectmen make a counter offer to Mr. Wellington's suggestion of a settle- ment in the amount of $700.00. He recommended that the Selectmen make a proposition of settlement. Mr. Giroux moved that the Town Counsel offer to settle the case for the sum of 0100.00. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman discussed the Follen Road sewer matter with Mr. Wrightington. He told him that Messrs. Raymond and Ross reported that there was a health mens-oe and that ' the only way it could be remedied was by extending the sewer. He said that the Board declared an emergency and authorized the extension of the sewer. The people ob- jected to it and he asked what the Board should do now. 91 Ryder agreement Scheibe case. Follen Rd. sewer 92 Juror. Harvey case. Mr. Wrightington said that if there was a definite health menace, there was nothing the Board could do but follow the advice of the superintendents. The Chairman said that the Selectmen received a report that Mr. Lawsoi had done everything he could and it appears that the othi people are not having any difficulty. Mr. Wrightington said that the Board had to determine whether or not ther was a health menace and if there was, to take care of it and see that it was abated. He thought the suggestion o. having a State Inspector come out was a good one. The Town Clerk appeared before the Board for the drawing of a juror. Mr. Carl Hauck, woodcutter, of 14 Harbell Street, was the juror drawn. Letter was received from the Registry of Motor Vehicles stating that that office was unwilling to consider the return of Henry H. Harveyts license for six months, which would be after March 24, 1938. The Chief of Police appeared before the Board. The Chairman asked the Chief if he could use Harvey and the Chief said that he could use him inside he supposed. Thi Chairman said it was up to the Chief to say whether or n< he could use Harvey. The Chief finally said that he could put him to work inside or outside on one of the walking beats, but could not use him in the car. The Chairman, asked Mr. Wrightington if it would be necessary to pay Harvey for the time that he was suspended if the Board reinstated him. Mr. Wrightington said that he would not want to say without looking it up, but he woulc say offhand that when a man is suspended he is not worki7 and is not earning money. It did not seem to him that Harvey was entitled to his pay for that period. Mr. Wrightington said that all of the men in the department could drive with the exception of two and if without disarranging the department the Chief could put Harvey oz a walking beat, that would seem to be the solution. The Chief said that Harvey could work the last half and that would help him. Mr. Giroux asked what he recommended. The Chief said he thought that the man had learned a lesson and he recommended that he be given another chane( It was decided to take no action on ,the matter. Letter was received from D. J. O'Connell represent- ing William G. French of Lexington who was a passenger O'Connell in the car of Henry Harvey on the night of August 12, re French 1937. Mr. O'Connell said that French had incurred heavy case. expenses for hospital treatment to the amount of $263.10. Mr. OtConnell wanted to know whether or not Harvey would receive a lump sum covering wages from the date of his suspension and whether or not he would be reinstated. The Chairman said that he would write Mr. O'Connell and tell him. that Harvey was under suspension at the present time and had no wages coming to him. r �I 1 1 93 Mr. Wrightington asked the Board what it wanted to .do in the case of Stevens vs. Barry. Mr. Giroux moved Stevens that the Board offer to settle the case for the sum of case. $50.00., Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Supt. of Public Works appeared before the Board. He started talking about one.of the reservations that Ryder Mr. Ryder hide in connection with the agreement, and the agreement Board suggested that he take up the mattdr with the Planning Board and the dine Brook Drainage Committee. Mr. Raymond reported that the General Motors Co. wanted to know if they could put a banner between two Request to trees in front of the Cary Memorial Building advertising use their show. Mr. Giroux moved that no action be taken banner. on the request. Mr. Ross seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond said that fire insurance policy under blanket schedule in the amount of $16,000.00 expired through the office of E. B. Worthen on November 22nd. Insurance Mr. Giroux moved that the policy be renewed through the same office.f or a period of five years. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that there were three men Mr. Raymond asked if the Board would approve the Welfare bond of Albert Bieren in the amount of $4,000.00 issued work out of and who were physically fit. They are by the Mass. Bonding and Insurance Co. He said it appeared to be properly filled out. The Chairman said that Bieren furnished a bond from year to year and that Bieren decided to discuss the matter with Mr. Mitchell. it was his claim at the time the contract was let, that Bond. he could not get a bond covering the three years as no company would write such a bond. He said that the 11th. Mr. Giroux moved that the Town employees be company would do it. He said that as far as a three ' year contract went, the Town was only protected for one year. The Chairman thought that the Board should require motion and it was so voted. Mr. Bieren to file a bond for the duration of his cnntract. Mr. Raymond said that he would talk to Mr. Bieren on the Clark's Mill matter. Mr. Raymond said that fire insurance policy under blanket schedule in the amount of $16,000.00 expired through the office of E. B. Worthen on November 22nd. Insurance Mr. Giroux moved that the policy be renewed through the same office.f or a period of five years. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that there were three men working on the Welfare crew that they could not get any Welfare work out of and who were physically fit. They are mpn. Joseph and James Rose and Henry W. Jenks, Jr. It was decided to discuss the matter with Mr. Mitchell. Mr. Raymond asked if the men were to work on Nov. 11th. Mr. Giroux moved that the Town employees be Holiday granted a holiday on that day. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from one Donald Love offering to sell to the Town the real estate and right of flow Clark's Mill in the town of Bedford known as Clark's Mill for $5500. property. It was decided to have Mr. Raymond investigate the matter and report on it. 94 Mr. Stephen F. Hamblin appeared before the Board. The Chairman read a letter from Mr. Hamblin making suggestions for bie-rcle regulations. Mr. Hamblin .stated that the time was cominG very soon when he would have to Hamblin re see the representative of the Insurance .Company and that bicycle the town would undoubtedly be a party to it. He did regulations. not know just what would have to be brought out as for' instance he said there were no white lines on the street until after the accident. Mr. Giroux said that in justice to himself, Mr. Hamblin should not discuss the matter if he was going to take legal action. The Board told him that it was going to invite the School Committee to.the meeting next week to discuss the matter of regulations with them. Letter was received from the Health Inspector stating that the cesspool was overflowing at the propety Overflowing on Mass. Avenue at the corner of Oak Street. He said cesspool. that it was a health nuisance and recommended that a sewer connection be ordered. Mr. Giroux moved that because of the overflowing cesspool constituting a health menace, the property at the corner of Mass. Avenue and Oak Street be ordered connected with the sewer. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Invitation was received from the Woments Auxiliary Invitation. of the 40 and 8 Association to the installation of ' officers to be held on November 15th, 1937. Letter was received from the attorney for one Watkins George Watkins claiming damages to his automobile. Mr. claim. Potter moved that the matter be referred to the Town Counsel. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Town Clerk advising Committee that the following had been appointed to have charge of on the Cary Lectures: Mrs. Hugh D. McLellan, Mr. Thomas S. Lectures. Grindle and Mr. Robert H. Holt. Letter was received from the Health Officer advising Central that he had made an inspection on October 20,th of the Block Cenral Block. He said that at the time of 'the inspection the hallways were reasonably clean and the Block itself was in a fair condition. Letter was received from the U. S. Constitution Constitution Sesquicentennial Celebration Committee asking that the Celebration Town commemorate in some way the signing of the Con- stitution before April, 1938. It was decided to turn the matter over to the Allied Veterans Council. Letter was received from 111. Roger Greeley asking whether the town was going to do anything further on making alterations and additions to the Town Office Builgng. Mr. Greeley said there was a small charge on his books for the work already done. Mr. Potter moved that Mr. Greeley be requested to send in his bill. Mr. Ross seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Town Accountant advising that the Appropriation Committee had asked that all bud- gets be in their hands by December 15th with expenditures for outlay and capital expenditures separate. Mr. Potter moved that the various departments be requested to submit their budgets for 1938 to the Selectmen by December lst. 95 Greeley bill for services. Budgets Letter was received from Philip Leaf suggesting that the town set up barbering service and that he be given an Barber opportunity to earn some money in this manner. Mr. Potter service. moved that the request be denied. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Board discussed the matter of lowering flags to half mast in the case o% -the death of a town official. Vote re Mr. Giroux moved that in the case of the death of a flags at present or former elected town official serving without half mast compensation, the flags on all town buildings shall be for deaths lowered to half mast from the time of death until after the funeral service; in the case of elected or appointed town officials receiving compensation, the flag at the Town Office Building only shall be placed at half mast the day of the funeral. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Potter moved that the following licenses be granted: Frank Gricus - Brighton, Mass. -Transportation of Garbage; Licenses Don J. Yuen - 324 Marrett Road - Common Victuallerrs. Mr. Giroux seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr.. Potter moved that water betterment assessment to Charles Hayden in the amount of 1489.69 be abated. Mr. Abatement Giroux seconded the motion and it was so voted. Upon motion of Mr. Potter, seconded by Mr. Giroux, it was voted to sign the following commitment: Commitment Water Betterment Assessment - Shade Street - $2052.43 The Board voted to certify the list of water betterment Shade St. assessments for Shade Street. Betterments The Welfare Agent discussed welfare matters with the Welfare Board. The meeting adjourned at 11:45 P.M. A true record, Attest: Clerk.