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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1938-01-10166 SELECTMEN'S MEETING JAN. 10th, 1938. ' A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office 3uilding, at 7:30 P.M. Messrs. Ferguson, Giroux, Potter and Ross were present. The Acting Clerk was also present. Mr. Giroux acted as Chairman of the meeting. Eleven members of the Town Meeting Members' Association were also present. Mr. William C. Paxton, Jr., Supt. of the Highway Division, and Mr. John W. Raymond, Jr., Supt. of Public Works appeared before the Board. The budget for 1938 for the Highway Department was discussed as follows: Highway Maintenance General Overhead $11,292. Mr. Paxton stated that this item included supervision, clerical help, office supplies and vacation pay for the entire Highway Department. Last year this item on the revised budget amounted to 08,837.00 and part of the Highway increase this year was due to the establishment of a Department Highway Road Machinery Account for which y200.00 a month Budget. ' was included in this item this year. In regard to salaries, Mr. Paxton stated that he was asking an increase for the clerk from $14. to $20. per week and for the Assistant Superintendent from x`'30.00 per week to $40.00. He stated that he felt both of these persons were entitled to the salary increases and asked for consideration in regard to this matter. Mr. Giroux asked Mr. Paxton if it had been necessary for him to lay off any regular men, due to lack of funds, that had to go on relief on this account, and Mr. Paxton stated that he had not laid off any of the regular men in his department. General Work $14,500. Mr. Faxton stated that this amount was the same as requested last year for this item. No questions were asked in regard to the matter. Maintenance of Road Surfaces $26,738.00 Mr. Paxton stated a last year he had asked for $25,600. but had received an appropriation of approximately $14,000.00, for this item. He stated that work should be done on East Street, Oakland Street and Percy Road, and if this work was not done, these streets would no longer be a maintenance problem, but would become a reconstruction ' problem. C L Beedi_n_and Loaming $1500.00 Mr.Maxton sued that this was a new item this year due to requests received during 1937 for seeding and laaming the shoulders of roads in front of newly constructed properties and seeding shoulders of roads which were con- structed during the previous fall. There was considerable discussion in regard to this item, it being the opinion of some of the members of the Executive Committee that property owners,should take care of grass plots adjoining their own property. Dumps and Ashes $2100.00 axton stated that the man who is taking care of the dumps at the present time is considering retiring and in this budget the salary for this work has been increased to t22.00 per week. There is also an amount included for "No Dumping" signs. There was little discussion in regard to this item. Traffic Regulation and Control 02225. Mr. -Paxton s-taVecT that during the last year, Mr. Raymond had investigated the stop sign problem and they have therefom included an item for 17 stop signs at a total cost of $160.00 in this appropriation. There is also an amount of $175.00 for a traffic marker to be used painting the solid white lines on the center of streets. Mr. Paxton said that every year additional regveests come in for these lines and he felt that money could be saved by having a machine to do this work. Under this item, the group discussed the matter of traffic signals at length and asked Ti1r. Raymond several questions in regard to putting the lights in proper condition so they could receive the approval of the State Department. Street Signs $550.00 r. ?axton.stated that the increase requested over the 1927 appropriation would enable the department to Continue on with the street sign program. 167 Drainage Maintenance $3600. ' Mr. Paxton stated that this estimate the same as last year. This budget was approximately included flushing pipes and cleaning catch basins, etc. No questions were asked in regard to this item. Sidewalk Maintenance $2800.00 Mr. Paxton sa that this item was also approximately the same as last year, and there was no discussion regard- ing the matter. Guard Rail & Fence Maintenance $300.00 . Paxton said that t ere was no change in this appropriation, the amount being just enough to take care of painting and repairing fences. C L Beedi_n_and Loaming $1500.00 Mr.Maxton sued that this was a new item this year due to requests received during 1937 for seeding and laaming the shoulders of roads in front of newly constructed properties and seeding shoulders of roads which were con- structed during the previous fall. There was considerable discussion in regard to this item, it being the opinion of some of the members of the Executive Committee that property owners,should take care of grass plots adjoining their own property. Dumps and Ashes $2100.00 axton stated that the man who is taking care of the dumps at the present time is considering retiring and in this budget the salary for this work has been increased to t22.00 per week. There is also an amount included for "No Dumping" signs. There was little discussion in regard to this item. Traffic Regulation and Control 02225. Mr. -Paxton s-taVecT that during the last year, Mr. Raymond had investigated the stop sign problem and they have therefom included an item for 17 stop signs at a total cost of $160.00 in this appropriation. There is also an amount of $175.00 for a traffic marker to be used painting the solid white lines on the center of streets. Mr. Paxton said that every year additional regveests come in for these lines and he felt that money could be saved by having a machine to do this work. Under this item, the group discussed the matter of traffic signals at length and asked Ti1r. Raymond several questions in regard to putting the lights in proper condition so they could receive the approval of the State Department. Street Signs $550.00 r. ?axton.stated that the increase requested over the 1927 appropriation would enable the department to Continue on with the street sign program. 167 Road Machinery Account $15,450.00 axton said at in figuring this budget, he had not considered the turn -in values of equipment which might be turned in. Included in this budget was a new truck chassis, $900.00; a gas roller for t1500.00. He stated that at the present time the department has a 5 -ton gasroller and in order to make it run about $300.00 would have to be spent on it and he felt that it had outlived its usefulness. He felt that a smaller roller would be better for patching work. Mr. Paxton stated that the Water Department tractor hoist had been of great value to the Highway Department, but with W.P.A. work, water and sewer installation and drainage work, the machine was being used a great part of the year, and the Highway Department would like $20000. to purchase that piece of equipment. They were also requesting $225. for a new paving breaker, 0225. for a brush cutter and $4,000.00 for a snow loader. There was considerable discussion in regard to the purchase of a snow loader and the members of the committee asked Mr. Paxton and Mr. Raymond several questions in regard to the matter. Development of Loam Supply $1250.00 Mr. Paxton said that this figure included all the loam estimates for constructiox, work, Chapter 90 work and also for the Park Department. Mr. Paxton stated that Mr. Raymond felt there was 5000 cubic yards of loam which could be stripped from the Town farm property for about $.25 a yard and left in a stock pile. If this is done, when the departments took the loam, they would pay x.50 per yard for it. Mr. Raymond had tests taken of the loam and found that it was very satisfactory. Betterment Sidewalk Construction $1800..00 Mr. Paxton said that this was merely an estimated figure as this work depended entirely upon the number of requests regeived during the year. Sidewalk Reconstruction $5250.00 Paxton sta e_.that Mass. Avenue was in very bad shape in certain sections and this estimate included work on various sections from the East Lexington Station up to the High School where sidewalks are needed. He stated part of this work would be granolithic and part of it bituminous surfaces. He seated that this might possibly be done as a W.P.A. project and the appropriation would then be approximately $2800.00 for materials and trucking. Highway Cons. — Reed Street 90000.00 Mr. Paxton statethis appropriation would complete the work already started on Reed Street. Curbing Construction $4400.00 Paxton stated that this item covered the installa- tion of curbing; where sidewalks were built. He stated that if this were done as a cd.P.A. project the cost would be approximately$?2900. for materials and trucking. 1 FJ Charles Street and Oak Street Charles St. - 411,000 axton stated that this was requested to serve ' the Liberty Heights section. He stated that both streets ere n very oo cond t o ut h t w u 8 or t e_conSt uc ion , f 's ree jnajIu&Rui9-���� e 8 at r sewer and as nta at on an a great dea f 'pre- lim nary work wou d be required. Charles Street has water, sewer, etc. but the street is very rough and Mr. Paxton thought that it would be better to construct this street as the entrance for the Liberty Heights residents. The Committee discussed the possibility of the construction ofeither of these two streets at some length. Follen Road 8,000.00 fir. axton stated that there was a bad drainage condition on Follen Road at the Church and it is very Icy and slippery there in the winter time and has to be constantly sanded. Mr. Paxton said that he had worked up this street for a two year program. At the present time he was requesting funds to rebuild it from Mass. Avenue up to the end of the existing rubble masonry wall, a distance of approximately 750 feet. There was considerable discussion in regard to the construction of these above named streets and Mr. Giroux suggested that the matter be taken up ht the Precinct meetings and the Board advised of what the Town Meeting Members thought should be done in regard to the street ' construction program. Mr. Paxton stated that there would also be 6600.00 needed to finish the construction on Hibbert Street. Mr. Paxton and Mr. Raymond retired at 9;50 P.M. Mr. James H. Russell appeared before the Board in regard to the appropriation for the Board of Retirement. Mr. Cutter asked Mr. Russell how many persons had come into the system and he replied that there were 115 old employees and four new employees that came in since the system started.. Mr. Russell explained that the item for Pension Accumulation Fund was necessary because there were a number of employees who were in the service of the town anywhere up to fifty years prior to July lst and they will retire under a pension for prior service. Mr. Russell stated that it was impossible to tell how long the Town would have to contribute to the prior service fund because there is no way of telling how long these men will stay with the town. The accrued liability item is figured so that it will not have to continue over twenty years and it will probably be less than that. Several questions were asked in regard to the Retirement Act whieh Mr. Russell answered. The total appropriation requested by the Retirement Board is $12,308.22. Mr. Russell stated that he had estimated an approximate tax rate for 1938 based on the budgets as submitted and using last year's taxes, and the figure 169 Retirement Board budget. 170 he arrived at was $47.50. He stated that $230p000. of the requested appropriations could be bonded which would bring the estimated tax rate down to $37.00. This matter was discussed at length, particularly.with reference to the town's bonding policy. The following budgets were also considered: Memorial Day 0250.00 Dog Clinic 350.00 Patriot's Day 500.00 Slaintering Inspector 700.00 Unclassified 1000.00 Pensions - Fire Dept. 1107.81 Pensions - Police Dept. 1095.00 Wire Inspector 710.00 The meeting adjourned at 11:30 P.M. A true record, Attest: amon. Acting Clerk.