Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1938-02-08 207 SELECTMEN ' S /METING February 8, 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 and Ross were present. The Clerk was also present. Mr. Raymond appeared before the Board . He discussed W.P.A. Project #55 which is a project to make a survey of shade trees in the Town, calling for the expenditure of approximately y$11,000. of Federal Shade Funds and "1100.00 of Town funds. The W. P.A. authorities Tree want a letter to the effect that the Town will continue Project. the system of recording work done on all trees after the completion of this project. Mr. Potter moved that no action be taken on the project. Mr. Giroux seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported on Mr. Harold Conant 's complaint that signs were needed on Lincoln Street to eliminate speeding . He said that in his opihion eight signs would Signs for be necessary, two reading "Winding Road", four reading Lincoln Sty "Thickly Settled" and two reading "Slow", and these would cost approximately $70.00. Mr. Ross moved that the matter be laid on the table until the appropriations have been made. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that he had talked with Mr. and Mrs . O'Keefe, who rent the Barnes property, and they in- formed him that they would have to have the upstairs rooms in the ell. If the Town was to take over the five rooms downstairs in the ell, they would request a reduction of $40. per month in the rent if they have to heat the place, and will ask that the town pay part of the water bill. The Home is operated under a Dr. Ely and a Dr. Perkins Barnes who had to be contacted. Mr. Raymond heard today that property Dr. Ely has decided that the O 'Keefe's will not be able to operate in the Barnes property if the Town takes part of the building. Mr. Giroux moved that the O'Keefe' s be notified that the Town would take possession of the property as of May 1st , 1938. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Giroux requested Mr. Raymond to submit an estimate of making the place tenantable. He replied that it would be impossible to do this until the O'Keefe ' s vacated. However, he thought that at least $1500.00 would be needed. Mr. Raymond said that last week he told the Board that the Town was covered by public liability insurance 208 70 30 only in the Water Department and he was incorrect in saying Public this. Mr. Wri -htington says that there is some doubt about Liability the Sewer Department, but recommends that the insurance be carried in that Department. Mr. Ross moved that Public Li- ability insurance be carried by the Water and Sewer Departments only. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. ' Mr. Raymond reported that he had received a request Street from Mary Litchenberg for a street light in Hayes Lane. Lights - There are three houses on the street and the poles are Hayes Lane . already there . He recommended that the light be approved. Mr. Giroux moved that an article be inserted in the Warrant to see if the Town will vote to have this street light installed. Mr. Potter seaonded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that Mrs. F. R. Kimball had First Aid requested the use of a room in Cary Memorial Hall for the classes . twelve meetings of a first aid class to be held on Monday afternoons under the direction of the American Red Cross. Mr. Giroux moved that the Red Cross be allowed to use a conference room in the Cary Memorial Building free of charge for these classes. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond said that he sent out the list of better- Cary and- ments for Taft Avenue and he received a telephone call Cherry Sts . requesting that the betterments be made up based on construction.including the construction of Cary and Cherry Streets. Mr. Ross moved that these streets be included and that the estimated betterments be sent out . Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that Miachel Shea, the Town painter, had an accident and broke his arm on Saturday night. The man will be incapacitated for quite a while, perhaps for six or eight weeks, but Mr. Raymond thought Accident - he could get around in two or three weeks . He believed Town Painter that Shea could supervise the three other painters on welfare aid and recommended that he be allowed to do this. The Board felt that Mr. Raymond should use his own judgment on the matter. Mr. Raymond said that Mr. Shea was entitled to two weekst vacation but he was not sure what accounts to take it from, but thought it would be reasonable to pay the man from the various maintenance accounts. The Chairman suggested that Mr. Raymond talk with Shea and find out if he wanted to take his vacation now or later on. It was decided to hold the matter over for one week. Mr. Raymond reported that he had received a letter from J. Willard Hayden calling attention to the condition of Weston Street near the bottling house. Mr. Raymond said 209 that the culvert at that point was too small to take the amount of water going into it while they are holding the water back from the pond. He suggested that a 24" culvert Weston be put in and said that there were funds enough under the Street Drainage, Sundry Account, to pay for it. He thought that the job would cost between $100. and $125. Mr. Giroux moved that the installation of this culvert be approved. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr.. E. B. Worthen appeared before the Board. He stated that the Historical Society usually used Cary Hall once a year around the 19th of April, but this year would Use of like to use it one more time. The Society is a member Hall. of the Bay State Historical Organization which meets once a year as the guest of one of the members of the Society. The Lexington Society has been advised that it is to be the host this year and therefor Mr. Worthen requested the use of Cary Hall on the afternoon of April 23rd or April 30th. Lr. Ross moved that the use of the hall be grante-1 on either of those dates free of charge. Mr. Giroux seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that the Supt. of the Water and Sewer Department would like to have 25 additional copies of his report printed for distribution among various Water other departments and the estimated cost of these is Dept. $4.50. Mr. Potter moved that the purchase of the individual Reports. reports be approved. Mr. Giroux seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that the amount of the water bill due from Mr. William E. Anderson of 11 Lee Avenue was $113.52. Mr. Anderson came to Mr. Raymond' s office today Anderson and said that he wanted to straighten out the bill but all water bill he could pay was $3.75. Mr. Raymond asked him if he could pay $5.00 and he decided that he could and did so. Mr. Raymond told him that he would ask the Board if it would abate $100. on the bill if he and Mrs. Anderson would give the town a satisfactory release in regard to their well and wall along Mill Brook Mr. Giroux moved that the abatement be approved upon this condition. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Application was received for the admission of William E. Manley, age 73, of 15 Parker Street to the Middlesex Manley County Sanatorium. The Board signed the application. application At 8:15 P.T . Chief E. a. Taylor appeared before the Fire Dept. Board and discussed the Fire Department budget. budget. Yr. Mitchell anca. Mr. Morse appeared before the Board to discuss welfare matters. Welfare Board of Appeals order granting permission to D. J. O'Connell to use the tria.n ,ulcer lot owned b * him on Woburn 210 rm 3Q O'Connell Street and shown as Lot D, as though it were a part of lot Bd. of Appeals B shown on the same plan, for a filling station,was received. A petition to the Lovell Bus Company requesting that the Arlington-Maynard busses connect with the Lexington Petition re Center bus at Lincoln Street was received. The petition bus line. was signed by various persons living in the vicinity of School Street and Concord Hill. I.ir. Ross moved that the Lovell Bus Co. be informed of the receipt of the petition and their decision in the matter requested. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Town Counsel with refer- ence to the claim of George Watkins against the Town for Watkins damage to a truck which overturned on Hancock Street at claim. the property of 3. Sfuart Crandall. Mr. Wrightington suggested that he be authorized to notify Mr. Crandall that he would be held responsible for any damar-es and expenses and invite him to participate in the defence and to effect a settlement which would exonerate the town. Mr. Potter moved that Mr. Wrightington' s recommendations be approved. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Town Counsel with refer- ence to the automobile accident which occured on Waltham Street last July when a car owned by the Clifford Motors Marulli Company overturned. Mr. Wrightington asked authority to claim. have Mr. Iv.arulli, an occupant of the car, examined by a physician. Mr. Ross moved that such authority be granted Yr. Wrightington and that he be requested to submit his recommendation with reference to the settlement of the case. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Town Counsel with reference to the claire of B.rs . Yvonne Cheney against the Cheney Town for an accident resulting from slipping on Charles claim Street. Mr. Wri tington asked authority to have Mrs . Cheney examined by a physician and asked instructions as to any offer of settlement. Mr. Giroux moved that Mr. Wrightington be granted authority to have the woman exam- ined and to ask his opinion on the settlement of the case. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Opinion re Letter was received from the Town Counsel to which retirement was attached a tory of a letter addressed to the Board cases. of Retirement containing information relative to the duties of the Selectmen in retirement cases . Mr. Giroux moved that a copy of the letter be sent to the various departmental heads . Mr. Potter sedonded the motion and it was so voted. Upon motion of kr. Ross, seconded by Mr. Giroux, the following licenses were granted: Licenses . Kenneth H. Teft - Denver Street - Peddlers License Afilma A. Brown - 2526 Mass . Ave. - License to practice Physiotherapy. 211 Letter -'as received from John J. Flynn representing one Lorena Lacker, who owns property at 271 Lowell Street which she claims was damaged when blasting was being done Lacker on Mill Brook. Irir. Flynn requested that he be allowed to claim appear before the Board to present the case. Mr. Potter moved that Lr. Flynn be allcwed to appear before the Board next Tuesday evening and that the Town Counsel be present . Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it vas so voted. Letter was received from Dr. Howard W. Newell re- Town questing that the salary of the Town Physician be increased Physician's to $3000.00 per year. The matter was laid on the table. salary Mr. Potter moved that Frederick H. Tullar be appointed provisional Sealer of Weights & Measures to serve until Sealer the examination for a permanent appointment is held. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Budgets were discussed as follows:- Police Department - Motor Equipment: Letter was received from the Chief of Police advising that this item was for equipment and repair. He said that the amount paid to F . K. Johnson in 1937 for this item was $813.71. The Board felt that inasmuch as the Police Department was going to purchase a new car, that this amount would not be needed and therefor cut the item to $300.00. The budget now stands approved for 042,003.25. Water Department - Equipment & Repair: Letter was received from the Supt. of the Water and Sewer Department containing a break-down of the Equipment and Repair item in the amount of $3400.00. It was decided to hold the matter over for one week. The Clerk reported that $9147.80 was available for transfer from Water Department accounts whereas the estimated cost of the replacement of 4" mains in the three streets approved last week amounts to $11,700.00. It was decided to approve the replacement of 4" mains in two streets, the Department to decide which streets it preferred to do and inform the Selectmen. W. P.A. The Board reconsidered the W.P.A. budget and voted to increase the amount approved to $10,000. Fire Department Personal Services approved as requested - $36,262.25 Other E7penses, approved as req- ested - 7 ,525.00 II Total approved - : 43,787.25 The sum of $3500. for separating tappers from box circuits was approved and $1000. was approved for ten street boxes . 212 tO 4Q Labor and Expenditures on Welfare Projects : It was voted to approve the sum of V.,000. for this item. Park Department: Mr. Garrity informed the Board that there was a typographical error in his bud=-et and that the amount requested for labor should be $8415. instead of $7415. The amount previously approved for labor was $7415. and this was reduced to $6500. making a reduction of $915. The total amount approved for the Park Department now stands at $13,885. It was decided to invite the Appropriation Committee to apje ar before the Board next Tuesday evening to discuss budgets in general. The meeting adjourned at 10:40 P.M. A true record, Attest: Clerk.