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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1938-01-11 171 SELECTMEN'S MEETING JANUARY 11, 1938. A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 7 :00 P.M. Chairman Ferguson, Messrs. Potter, Giroux, Clark and Ross were present. The Acting Clerk was also present. Mr. Mitchell appeared before the Board to discuss welfare matters. Welfare At 8:00 P.M. hearing was declared open on the appli- cation of Roland C. Dempsey for permission to maintain a two car garage at 94 Winter Street, Lexington. Mr. Dempsey Dempsey appeared and presented plan of the proposed garage garage. No persons appeared in opposition. Mr. Ross hearing. 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 8:02 P.Ift. hearing was declared open on the appli- cation of Gustave F. Fischer for permission to maintain Fischer a one car garage at 105 Spring Street. No persons garage appeared either in favor or in opposition. Mr. Clark hearing. moved that the permit be granted subject to the approval of the Building Inspector. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. John Barry and Chief James J. Sullivan of the Police Department appeared before the Board in regard to Police. police matters. Mr. Raymond appeared before the Board. He stated that he would like to know what the Board desired to do Overtime in regard to the request that John O'Connor be paid for pay. overtime work on snow. Mr. O 'Connor worked 27 hours over- time on January 1st and 2nd. The Board discussed the matter, and Mr. Ross moved that Mr. Raymond submit the question of whether or not the Board has the power to pay for such overtime work to Mr. Wrightington for his opinion. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so vested. Memorandum was received from Mr. Wrightington in regard to workmen' s compensation insurance for welfare workers. He stated that in his opinion welfare workers were not "employees" of the Tgwn within the meaning of the Workmen's Compensation Act and therefor the Town Insurance would not be liable to them for Workmen's Compensation and should not insure against it. Mr. Raymond reported that if the insurance should be carried, the cost would be about $15. per week with the present list of welfare 172 me workers and all of them would have to be included in the insurance. The Board discussed the matter and Mr. Ross moved that no action be taken on the matter. Mr. Clark seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond asked the Board's approval to proceed Street with the installation of street lights in Valleyfield Lights. Street and Preston Road in accordance with the Town Meeting vote. Mr. Potter moved that Mr. Raymond be authorized to proceed to have the street lights installed. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that three or four painters had been in to him looking for work. He stated that he Painting understood two of them were likely to go on welfare, and work. he asked if the Board wanted him to anticipate the appropriation for Town Office and Cary Memorial Building and have these men do painting work. The Board discussed the matter and felt that the appropriations should not be anticipated, but that Mr. Raymond be authorized to have these men to painting work for him should It become necessary for them to go on welfare. Mr. Ferguson read a letter from Sarah Eddy Holmes MWelcome" in which she inquired the cost of maintaining the "Welcome signs . to Lexington" signs. Mr. Raymond reported that he had received an estimate from Mr. Truesdell of $20.00 each to thoroUghly re- condition the five signs, and an estimate of about 025. per year to keep them in proper repair. Mr. Giroux reported that the American Legion had talked to him about that organization taking over the signs and he requested Mr. Raymond to contact Mr. White in regard to the matter. Mr. Raymond reported that he had made a survey of Barnes the Barnes property with a view to determining what property would be a reasonable amount of insurance to carry on the insurance. property and he felt it should be insured for 012,076.00. The Board discussed the matter, and the Chairman stated that a binder of 012,500.00 had already been placed on the property. Mr. Clark moved that the property be insured in the amount of $12,500.00. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that fire insurance policy under blanket schedule in the amount of 022,000. expired Insurance. on February 6th through the office of William H. Ballard. Mr. Potter moved that the policy be renewed through the same office for a period of five years. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. 173 Mr. Raymond reported that the charge for materials for the Sewing Project for January, February and March Sewing would be 0648.00. Mr. Ross moved that the bill be approved. Project Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that he had received a request from the agent at the Boston & Maine railroad station to lift the snow at Depot Park Drive. Mr . Raymond felt that Snow at this should be done not only for the convenience of Depot those using the trains, but also because this space was Park. used for parking and was needed for this purpose. Mr. Ross moved that the request be granted. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from Calvin W. Childs requesting that the town lift the snow in fruit of his property at 409 Mass. Avenue. Mr. Raymond said that he had gone down and investigated the condition and he found that the Removal sidewalk is lower than the grade of the street, causing of snow. a bad condition if the snow is not removed. He stated that Mr. Childs merely requested the snow removed from in front of his show room. Mr. Ross moved that Mr. Raymond be authorized to remove the snow at this location until the spring of 1938. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond read a letter received from Mr. Cotton in which he asked what the plans were with reference to the flooding of Cataldots property. Mr. Raymond said Cataldo that it was his understanding that nothing cazld be done property. on this at the present tine on account of lack of funds. Mr. Ferguson suggested that Mr. Raymond check up to see whether or not there were any funds available in the W.P.A. project to take care of this matter, and if not, then it would be necessary to insert an article in the warrant for the Annual Meeting requesting funds to do the w cr k. Mr. Raymond stated that there was a great deal of typing to be done in the W.P.A. Office and he would like Clerk - authority to hire a clerk at the rate of $2.00 per day W.P.A. on a probable five day week to do this work. Mr. Clark Office. moved that Mr. Raymond be authorized to hire a clerk for this purpose. Mr. Giroux seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that he had talked with Mr. Robert Merriam in regard to his request that the Town Patriotts take over Patriot ' s Drive and had gone over the con- Drive. struction figures with him. He stated that he felt that the Town could have employed the same contractors to do the work for exactly what it cost Mr. Merriam and on that basis, he did not think that the town should pay him anything more than the excess cost above what they 174 3Q could have assessed, should the town take the road over. Mr. Raymond asked the Board what it wished him to do in regard to this matter. The Board instructed Mr. Raymond to determine the procedure Mr. Merriam followed in computing his figures . Mr. Raymond presented a report he had received from Louis W. Bills on the traffic lights at Waltham Street and Mass . Ave . , Clark Street and Mass . Avenue and Bedford Street and Elm Avenue. Mr. Bills estimated the minimum cost of putting these lights in condition at $1242.00. Mr. Raymond stated that he was not sure that the work covered in the estimate would be sufficient to secure the Staters approval of these lights. The Board instructed him to check up with the State Department on the matter. Mr. Raymond stated that he would like to give the Board an idea as to how the Sewer Assessment cost is likely to work out in the next year or two. The average cost of sewers has varied as follows : in 1933 - $12 77; in 1934 - $10.82; in 1935 - $2.63; in 1936 - $3.76 and in 1937- $3.08; so that the assessment cost for 1938 is $8.83 a foot. If we go ahead with sewers in North Lex- ington in 1938, the average cost may be taken at $7.00 a foot . If we build only 1000 feet in 1938 at $4.00 and another 1000 feet in 1939 at the same pricethe assessment Sewer cost for 1940 will be $3.50 per foot, of which the Town Assessment will receive 0..75 per foot where it is now getting coat. $4.40 per foot. If no sewers are built in 1938 and 1939, the assessment cost for 1940 will be $2.96, of which the town will receive $1.50 per foot. Mr. Raymond stated that it seemed to him in view of these circumstances, that when the assessment cost gets down, there will be a great deal of pressure brought to make extensive additions to the sewer system with the result that the town will be faced with building a lot of sewers at an average cost of 67.00 or $8.00 for which it will get only $1.50, but if a project is started so that $20,000. worth of sewers can be built in 1939 before the five year average cost drops down, the town will not be faced with a heavy contribution as its share for the next four or five years of the sewers which might be requested. He thought it would be to the advantage of the town to start the North Lexington project so that about $15,000.00 or $20,000.00 worth of sewers could be built in 1939, or the project could be started in 1938 and carried over into 1939. He stated that the town could not make any assessment on the force main, connecting sewer or pu;nping station on which to determine the five year cost . He felt that between $6.00 and $7.00 was not unreasonable for an average sewer cost. He stated that the study was completed and prelim- inary estimates and designs made for sewers in North 175 Lexington and in the Bow Street district waiting for him to get in shape to present them. He stated that he could have these readyin two or three week' s time. He stated that the plan was to have this ready if Vine Brook was turned down as it could then be offered for an alternate construction project. Mr. Giroux asked Mr. Raymond if the Vine Brook Pro- ject could be tied into a County project inasmuch as it does affect other towns, and Mr. Raymond said that he would talk with the County Engineer, Mr. Hatch, in regard to the matter. Letter was received from Archie F. Bullock in regard to the water extension recently made from Grant Street to supply water to a lot owned by Mr. James L. Douglass . Mr. Bullock stated that a betterment charge had been made Bullock against John Bullock, et al, for the lot adjoining the assessment. Douglass lot and he requested an abatement of the charge inasmuch as he felt that the extension could have been made from Sheridan Street at no charge to them. The Board requested Mr. Raymond to talk to Mr. Bullock in regard to the matter and report at a later date. Mr. Giroux stated that several of the residents in the vicinity of Kinneen' s Pond had spoken to him about Regulation persons playing hockey on the pond on Saturday and re hockey Sunday afternoons and requested that the Board take some playing. action to eliminate this practice. Mr. Potter stated that he felt there should be some regulation adopted in regard to the matter. Mr. Giroux moved that there shall be no hockey play- ing on Kinneen' s Pond on Saturday and Sunday afternoons nor at any additional times Mr. Garrity deems inadvisable. Mr. Clark seconded the motion and it was so voted. Request was received from the Lexington Community Chest for permission to use Cary Memorial Hall on Sunday, January 23rd, free of charge . Mr. Ross moved that the use of the hall be granted free of charge. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Use of Request was received from the Lexington Council, Hall. P.T.A. for the use of Cary Memorial Hall on February 28th or on March 3rd for a scholarship bridge, free of charge. Mr. Ross moved that the use of the hall be granted free of charge. Mr. Potter seconded the motion, and it was so voted. The Board considered the appointment of a member to the Board of Assessors to fill the unexpired term Assessor of Mr. M. Bowman Judkins, who resigned. His term expires March 1, 1339. Letter was received fran Hazen W. Hamlin in which he requested that the Board \soncider his application for 176 lg this appointment. Mr. Clark moved that Mr. Leland H. Emery of 85 Merriam Street be appointed to fill the unexpired term of Mr. M. Bowman Judkins. Mr. Giroux secaaded the motion, and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Commissioner of Civil Service approving the provisional temporary employment Sealer of of Frank J. Clare as Sealer of Weights and Measures Weights providing the Board could certify that they were unable and to find a veteran qualified for the position who was Measures. willing to accept it . Inasmuch as application was received for the position from Frederick H. Tullar, of 98 Hancock Street, a veteran, Mr. Ross moved that his name be submitted to the Commissioner of Civil Service for apji roval. Mr. Giroux seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Potter moved that Mr. Clare be notified of the action of the Board. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Secretary of the Appropriation Committee requesting the Board of Selectmen Meeting. to meet with that body on Wednesday evening, January 12th, at which time Mr. Mitchell has been requested to be present to discuss welfare for 1938. Letter was received from the State W.P.A. Adminis- W.P.A. trator requesting that the Board consider submitting sufficient projects to take care of the quota of W.P.A. workers for the ensuing year. Mr. Giroux moved that the letter be turned over to Mr. Raymond for report . Mr. Clark seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Town Clerk to which Sewers. was attached statement from the Metropolitan District Commission setting the town 's contribution as $19,890. if the Alewife Relief Sewer is. constructed and $93,483.00 if the North Metropolitan Relief Sewer is extended. Upon motion of Mr. Clark, seconded by Mr. Ross, Licenses. it was voted to grant the following licenses : Edward L. Childs - 1775 Mass. Ave. - Conuuon Victualler' s Mary F. Janes - 1840 Mass. Avenue - " Herbert M. Lawrence - 1777 Mass. Ave. -Alcohol Cook case. Letter was received from the Town Counsel stating that he had arranged settlement in the case of Pierre vs. Cook for the amount of $38.75. The following Annual Reports were received: Milk Reports. Inspector; Health Inspector; Plumbing Inspector; Build- ing Inspector; Board of Appeals; Planning Board. 177 ' It was decided to hold a meeting to discuss budgets on Tuesday afternoon, January 18th, at 3:30 P.M. Budgets The meeting adjourned at 11 :08 P.M. A true record, Attest : Acting Clerk.