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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1937-12-27147 SELECTHEN►S MEETING DECEMBER 270 1937. A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 7:30 P.M. Chairman Ferguson and Messrs. Potter, Giroux, and Ross were present. The Clerk was also present. Eight members of the Executive Committee of the Town Meeting Members Association were present to hear the Board discuss budgets for 1938 with various department heads. Mr. Edward W. Taylor, Chief, appeared before the Board to discuss the Fire Department budget. He said that there were two reasons for the increase in the Personal Services Account. One was the fact that two additional men were put on this year, and the other was that the 724 restoration of Fire salaries went into effect in July of this year, and will be Department carried through the whole of 1938. He said that this ear $7,580.00 was appropriated, and they will spend up to 150.89 of that amount, beside the sum of $268.00 which is left from the money appropriated for the purchase of new hose. He said that this was the first year since he had been Chief that they had a sufficient amount of hose. He said that he was not asking for more men this year. Mr. Lewis L. Hoyt asked if the department was up to the proper degree of efficiency, and Taylor replied in the negative. He said that it was becoming more difficult each year to obtain call men, and that $125.00 per year did not attract them at all. He said that the people for whom the call men work do not want them leaving their jobs to attend fires. There are fourteen regular men and 24 call men. Mr. Saran asked if the Chief would be able to get more men if the pay was raised, and the Chief said that he might. He said that the regular men worked twenty-one hours a day and had one day off in four. The minimum pay is $4.50, and the maximum is $6.00 per day. The fire losses up to Dec- ember 25th were, of buildings valued at X3210100.001 $4,018.60; and of contents valued at $34,385.00, 02,661.001 making the total losses $6,669.80. There were 510 alarms, which is rather high. Chief Taylor said that Lexington had a "B" rating. In 1929 and 1930, there was some question as to whether or not the'town would be able to retain this rating, but there is no question about it now. Chief Taylor said that a new fire station was needed. All the fire laws are being broken in both stations now, There are no showers in the bui;dings, no conveniences, and ' in East Lexington they have had to partition off temporary rooms. He said that the East Lexington station was not a proper place to house apparatus; there is no adequate shop 148 for repair work, and they do all their own repair work. The center station houses the fire alarm apparatus in a wooden building on the second floor. This ep paratus is worth , $8,000. or $10,000. If the apparatus ever burned, it would be at least two months before you could get alarms again.. Mr. Giroux asked if the Town might not be better served if a building was erected in a central position in -the Town, and Chief Taylor replied in the negative. Mr. Ross asked if Chief Taylor had•ever considered submitting a project for the construction of a fire station to the P.W.A. authorities and he aaid that he had at one time, but thought that.it was too late now. Mr. Sands asked where he would put the central fire station, and he said that he would recommend putting it on gastings Park. Chief Taylor said that the ladder truck he had now was twenty-one years old, and required a larger crew of men than was necessary. He said that if he did get a new ladder truck he would still keep the old one. Chief Taylor said that last year the Appropriation Committee agreed to approve the separating of tapper circuits this year. Mr. Ross suggested that the ,Chief talk to the P.W.A. authorities to see what the possibilities of getting a fire station project approved werer and he agreed to do so. He retired at 8:45 P.M. Mr. Raymond appeared before the Board to discuss the ' Supt. of budget for the Supt. of Public Works' Office. He said that Public he was requesting $4875.00 for Superintendent's salary, which Works was on the basis of $4200, per year for the first three Office. months, and $5100. per year for the last nine months. The Clerks salary is the same.• He said that a new typewriter was needed. He is requesting $100. for car expense, and said that the car was getting older and no doubt would need con- siderable repairing. Town Offices Mr. Raymond discussed the budget for the Town Offices & Cary and Cary Memorial Building amounting to $10346.00. He said Memorial that the coal appropriation was cut down just before the Bldgs. Town Meeting last March, and that he had enough m9ney.this year to fill up the bins so that he would have coal enough to last until next March. Mr. Raymond said that he was asking only $1,000, for repairs, but if he kept to the level that he should, it would require 20 of the valuation of the two buildings, or $6,000.00 per year. He said that less than one-third of the work needed was done this year. He said that he was asking for $250.00 to purchase a floor finishing machine, and if this was purchased, the floors could be kept in better shape. Mr. Raymond explained the budget for W.P.A. Labor and ' Materials. He said that the x;7,954.48 item for materials ME under Center Playground covered two ticket offices, pipe for ' drainage, lumber, back -stop, grave., etc. He said that this year they had placed about 4,500 yards of material, and said that there was that much more to go in. They have made use of most of the material from the variousconstruction projects. This project has been approved by the government and the Federal funds are available. He thought that the playground might not make an especially good winter project, but that it could be done. If these funds are made available the field will be ready for use in the spring of 1939, and by having the.enclosed field, it will put the football games, at least, on a paying basis. W.P.A. Mr. Raymond said he thought that the topographical survey would be completed in 1938. The Winning Farm project is a mosquito elimination project. It is not'on Town roperty. The Winning Fdrm Trustees have agreed.to pay 950.00 toward the cost of the materials. The materials required for the sewing project amount to much more now than last year, because beginning October 1, 1937 the government required the towns to pay for the materials per worker with the exception of $5.00, so that the expense to the Town for twenty workers amounts to nearly $500. every three months. Mr. Raymond said that the.Clematis Brook project would probably be completed during the summer of 1938. The ' channel has been excavatbd as far as is practicable, but there is some hand work to be done. The project is now three-quarters' done. Mr. Raymond said that the cost to the Town for W.P.A. projects was higher in 1937 and would be higher in 1938, because the government requires that the projects be more worthwhile, and not projects to merely get rid of Federal funds. Mr. Sands said that he wished the W.P.A. set-up would be explained at the Town Meetings. Mr. Giroux said that the place for that explanation was at the Precinct Meetings, as there was not time for that at the Town Meetings. Mr. Bidwell said that the Committee would like to defend the administration in the Town at the precihet meetings, and asked when the proper time to discuss that would be. Mr. Giroux said that a general discussion would be had at a meeting to be held after the budgets had been completed. Mr. Raymond said that the Garbage contract for 1938 was $4,205.00. Garbage. The Street Lighting appropriation for 1938 amounted to $22p840.00. Mr. Raymond said that the increased lighting in Mass. Avenue from Woburn Street to the Arlington line for a period of eight months would cost 0360.00. The increased lighting is largely for the protection of pedestrians. iso Insurance Public Works Building. Police Department. He said that this increase did not begin to equal what had been recommended by Highway experts. This will provide for a 600 watt light at the High School, and several 250 watt lights from there to the Arlington line, to fill in the gaps, Mr. Raymond said that the amounts needed for premiums this year will be $2,370.00. He said that if the 10% in- crease in valuations was to be allowed, it would cost $1610. in addition.' It was suggested that the general matter of insurance be discussed at the general meeting. The budget for the Public Works Building was then dis- cussed. Mr. Raymond said that the wages and expenses were based on the same rates as 1937. He included $500, for a pick-up truck, and thought that it would be worthwhile to have one. He included 600. for a driveway, and said that he wanted to have a drive all around the building. $550. was included for painting the outside of the building, and he said that this work would.be done by the town painter. $500. was included for the highway department office. He said that the facilities at present were very poor - there is no room for a desk or table, and the office is entirely too small. The sum of $5,000. was requested for an equip- ment shed, and Mr. Raymond said that he thought that this was essential, as he would like to get the equipment under cover. He said he did not believe in having $15,000. or $20,000. worth of equipment outside. This amount is a rough figure, and would provide for a shed about 401 x 1001. Chief Sullivan appeared before the Board. He said that there were fourteen patrolmen, two sergeants, and one Chief on the force. Mr. Giroux said that three men had to work'on three shifts on the deek,,leaving four patrolmen per shift. He thought that it would be best to look into the matter of increasing this to'five patrolmen per shift in view of previous discussions re: appointing police officers to investigate welfare cases. Chief Sullivan said that he wished to turn in the old motorcycle, which is two years old.. He said that the badges the officers in Lexington had were old type, and he wanted to buy new ones. He said that $25.00 per man per year was allowed for clothes. He said he intended to turn in the 1936 car, which has about 72,000 miles on it. He said that he would not need any new guns this year. He said that he wanted the extra men more for night duty than anything else. Mr. Giroux asked the Chief to look into the matter of the Federal Crime School, and report to the Board. Mr. Ross asked if it had been necessary to call on the men for extra duty, and he replied in.the negative. He retired. It was decided to hold at 7:30. The meeting adjourned. A true record, Attest,- the ttest: the next meeting next Monday Clerk. C� 7