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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1938-05-03 331 SELECTMEN'S MELTING MAY 3, 1938. A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 7:30 F.M. Chairman Giroux and Messrs. Clark, Potter, Ross and Rowse were present. The Clerk was also present . At 7 :30 P. M. Town Clerk Carroll appeared before the Board for the drawing of two jurors . James A. Nickerson, Real Estate , Vine Brook Road was drawn to serve at the Jurors. Civil Session in Cambridge beginning June 6, 1938. Gordon Richards, Contractor, of 3 Hancock Avenue, was drawn to serve at the Criminal Session in Cambridge beginning June 6, 1938. Letter was received from the Town Treasurer recommend- ing a borrowing of $100,000. in anticipation of revenue. Anticipaticai Mr. Clark moved that the Town Treasurer be authorized to Loan. take bids on a loan of $100,000.00, the bids to be received on Tuesday, May 10th, 1938, at 7 :30 P.M. , and the notes to be dated May 11,1938 and payable May 5, 1939. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. John W. Raymond, Jr. appeared before the Board. He said that a couple of weeks ago he received a question- naire from the P.W.A. relative to the project which ire had filed in 1936 asking for Federal Funds. He filled out the questionnaire and took it up with the Chairman, who wished the approval of the Board before returning it. Mr. Raymond P.W.A. said that the project covered the Vine Brook Drainage job Question- from about 100 ' south of Vine Brook Road to about 700' nacre. south of Hayes Lane, together with the low level sewer. Mr. Raymond said that on Wednesday a P.W.A. engineer came into the office and asked what had taken place and Mr. Raymond told him what had happened at the Town Meeting. The engineer said to fill out the questionnaire by all means, and submit it. He asked approval of submitting it. The Chairman said that this would not bind the Board to any- thing, but merely protected it. M . Potter moved that Mr. Raymond be authorized to submit the questionnaire. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond asked approval to make application for Federal funds for work in connection with the North Lexington North sewer main and pumping station. Mr. Rowse thought that the Lexington Vine Brook question should be decided first. Mr. Potter sewer as moved that Mr. Raymond be authorized to prepare a project P.W.A. job if he was so requested by the P.W.A. , but the motion was not seconded. No further action was taken on the matter. 332 Mr. Raymond said that Ch. 40, Sec. 4, G.L. provides MQ that a Town may make contracts for the disposal of garbage, refuse, etc. by contract, and that this was the only author- ity he could find for leasing land to be used for the dis- posal of refuse. The Town Accountant is in agreement with him on that. The leasing of land and agreement to take care of it would constitute a contract . Mr. Raymond said that the Gorman land on Woburn Street would be all right for dumping, particularly that farthest away from the street. He got in touch with the real estate man that handles the property, who said that the owners did not desire to make an agreement for the use of the land, and would not agree to sell part of the land. Stevens has no land that he wants to turn into a dump; Leary' s have no land; and there is no tax title property in the vicinity. There is some Ryder land off Maple Street, but that is too far away from Woburn Street. About 12 miles from the Gorman land is the Semonian land, and Mr. Raymond talked with two of the brothers that own the land, the they would consider a proposition Whereby they would lease the land to the Town provided the Town would maintain the dump. Mr. Raymond said that the more he looked into the refuse situation, the more he thought that the Town was going to be forced to make collections soon. The Arlington dump has reached its limit, and he thought that quite a number of Lexington residents used that dump. If the Arling- Woburn St. ton dump is closed up, he thought that there would be a very Dump. great demand for the collection of refuse, at least from Precinct 1. He said he was not sure if the matter could be settled by establishing dumps in each precinct, but he thought it would work for a couple of years or so. Mr. Raymond said he did not know where the Town could find dumping places without some expense. The Chairman asked if there was any chance of re-opening the dump on the Sorenson property. Mr. Raymond said he understood there was not. The Chairman asked what he would suggest . Mr. Raymond said that the best proposition Was the Semonian land, but the people on Woburn Street would probably object to going so far. He thought the Board would be getting into trouble providing a dump in this section without providing others in the other precincts of the Town. He said that at the rate the Lincoln Street dump was being filled up, without public collection it would last about ten years, and with public collection, about six years. Mr. Potter asked if Mr. Raymond had considered asking for biLLs so that some contractor could collect the refuse and dispose of it himself. Mr. Raymond replied that he had not . Mr. Ross moved that the matter be held over for one week and that Mr. Raymond take up the matter with the Semonians again. The motion was not carried. Mr. Potter moved that Mr. Raymond advise Mr. Eugene Buckley that the Board had been unable to find a suitable location for a dump in the vicinity of Woburn Street, and ask him if he had any suggestions to offer. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. 333 Mr. Raymond reported that he had had Stanley Higgins inspect the Conant property at 47 Lincoln Street . Higgins said that there were a number of cracks in the ceiling Conant which had opened up and five panes of glass were broken. Claim All the cracks are old ones which have opened up. The estimated cost of filling in the cracks and replacing the five panes of glass is X40.00. Mr. Ross asked if Mr. Raymond thought that the Town was responsible for this damage, and he said that he did not. Mr. Potter moved that no action be taken on the Conant claim. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Potter moved that the Town Counsel be instructed Hannam to defend the claim of W.H. Hannam against the town for claim blasting damages. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that it would be impossible to get federal funds for other than labor on projects which W.P.A. had been approved or which were in Washington. The Chairman said that Calvin W. Childs objected to any curbing which might be put in front of his property on Mass . Avenue. He thinks that it would raise the grade so that he would have to raise his sidewalks. The Chairman Curbing - asked if Mr. Raymond had any objection to eliminating the Mass. Childs property, and he replied that he did object, at Ave. least until he had an opportunity to study the situation. Mr. Rowse suggested that the Superintendent look into the matter and report at a later date. Mr. Raymond reported that there was a cement and stone wall on Blake Road between the Patterson and the Wilbur property which had been built out in the public right of way, which in his judgment might be construed a hazard or Wall in a defect if anybody ran into it and received injuries. He Blake Road suggested that he be authorized to send a letter to the owner of the wall similar to the one sent out last December regarding stones in the roadway. He read the letter sent out in December. Mr. Ross moved that Mr. Raymond be author- ized to send out the letter. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. The Town Counsel appeared before the Board. He said that he set out to try the Johnson case on Monday. All the evidence was thrown out, and Judge Green got an offer to Johnson settle for $50.00. He asked if the Board wished to settle case. for this amount, and he recommended Such a settlement. Mr. Ross moved that the case be settled for this amount. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. At 8:30 P.M. hearing was declared open upon the appli- cation of the Arlington Co-operative Bank for permission to Fellman maintain a two car garage at 42 Richard Road. Mr. Fellman garage appeared and presented a plan of the proposed garage . Mr. hearing Rowse moved that the permit be granted subject to the 334 314 approval of the Building Inspector. Mr. Potter seconded the motion, and it was so voted. At 8:32 P.M. hearing was declared open upon the Gracey application of Mary E. Gracey for permission to maintain a garage one car garage at 331 Cambridge-Concord Turnpike . Mr. and hearing. Mrs. Gracey appeared and presented a plot plan. Mr. Ross moved that the permit be granted subject to the approval of the Building Inspector. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. At 8:34 P.M. hearing was declared open upon the Tobiason application of Tobiason Bros. for permission to maintain a garage one car garage at 30 Wachusett Drive. No persons appeared hearing. in favor or in opposition. Mr. Potter 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. Raymond said that there were two street lights Lights on on Curve Street, and one of these was on the corner of that Curve St . portion of the street which runs parallel with Mass. Ave. Mr. Crown of Curve Street has requested that a light be moved, but Mr. Raymond recommended that an additional light be installed. Mr. Ross moved that the recommendation be approved. Mr. Potter seconded the motion, and it was so voted. In the Moth, Shade, and Park Departments there are three 111 trucks; truck #12, on which they spent 4150. for repairs, and which can be used for the small sprayer; truck #13, which is the Park truck and which will take care of the new sprayer; and truck #14, which is needed for routine work. They have to find another one to take care of the big sprayer. Trucks #12 and #13 will be used to a large extent Truck for on the P.W.A. Moth project. He asked if the Board would sprayer apprygR Pn nfi atBoaTigh way Deparrttennd c arg ng ts enal L9 O , Materials, and Expenses . Garrity plans to have a W.P.A. chauffeur on the regulatr truck, and have one of his regular men on the W.P.A. moth crew supervising. Mr. Raymond said that they would have to have a large truck for the new sprayer. Mr. Potter moved that Mr. Raymond be authorized to hire a truck, the expense to be charged to Public Works, Labor, Materials, and Expenses, said truck to be used for spraying purposes. Mr. Ross seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr.. Raymond read a letter addressed to him by William C. Paxton, Jr. recommending that the following equipment Highway operators have their wages increased from fifty to fifty- increases . five cents per hour: James Casella, Andrew Corcoran, John McAvoy, and George Wilkinson. Mr. Raymond said that the men were doing work that rated a higher wage than that of a common laborer. Mr. Paxton recommended that the increases be effective as of May 2nd, 1938. Mr. Rowse said that he 335 thought this was not the proper time to make increases; he thought that they should be considered when the approp- riations were being considered. Mr. Ross moved that the increases be granted as recommended. Mr. Potter seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond read a letter from Supt. Paxton, stating that when his crew was working on gravel walk maintenance on Mass. Ave. , he received a complaint from Mrs. Turner Kelly, who wanted stone dust spread on the walk in front of her Kelly house. Mr. Paxton explained to her that the kind of main- complaint tenanee he was doing was only done where gravel walks had re previously been constructed. Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. Ray- sidewalk mond write Mrs. Kelly and advise her that no funds were available for work as she requested. Mr. Potter seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that he had received bids on a cold patch mixer, as follows. Clark-Wilcox for a Ranson, $775.00; Hedge Mattheis, for a Jaeger, $812.00; P. I. Perkins, for a Rex, $717.36; and Sandberg Equipment Co. , Bids, cold for a Wonder, x:667.82. He recommended that the bid of patch P. I. Perkins Co. for a Rex mixer be accepted. Mr. Ross mixer requested that Mr. Raymond look at the machines carried by the two low bidders and report his decision next week. No further action was taken on the matter. Mr. Raymond advised the Board that Mrs. H. C. Carter of 292 Waltham Street reported that two rose bushes and a Carter flowering crabtree were scorched by a fire set by the W.P.A. complaint Moth crew while working on her premises. She requested re shrubs that these be replaced. Mr. Garrity said that the cost would be about $3.00. Mr. Potter moved that the two rose bushes and the flowering crabtree be replaced, the expense to be charged to the Public Works - Labor, Materials and Expenses Account. Mr. Ross seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond said that he had found that Walter W. Field & Son wanted $45.00 more for doing the work on the Compressor compressor equipment, tool boxes, etc. , than they bid. work. He said that he would like to have this work done as soon as possible. He asked approval to do business with what- ever firm he could make the best deal, the total expense not to exceed $245.00. Mr. Ross moved that Mr. Raymond be given this authority. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond stated that the tenants in the Barnes prop- Lawn on arty were not taking care of the lawn. He asked approval Barnes to have Mr. Moloy and his men mow the lawn on that property. Property The Chairman suggested that Mr. Raymond request the tenant to care for the lawn. The Chairman stated that the Board had received a Syer letter from Julia A. Syer of Wood Street complaining about complaint Wood Street being flooded during January thaws . Mr. Ross 336 MQ moved that the matter be referred to Mr. Raymond for investigation and report. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman said that Rev. Faul H. Chapman had re- Permit for quested permission to close off Harrington Road from Bedford street fair.Street to the Unitarian Church on May 14th for the purpose of holding a street fair. Mr. Rowse moved that such per- mission be granted provided the abutters did not object. Mr. Potter seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Health Inspector advising Reed Street that there was a ditch running along SunnyNnoll Avenue, cesspools. into which cesspools were overflowing. Mr. Stevenson said that he could make no recommendation to remedy the situation, as there was no sewer in the vicinity. Mr. Potter moved that the matter be referred to Mr. Raymond for investigation and report. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from Rosamond V. Frost complaining Complaint that a dog owned by one James Cashman, and a dog owned by re dogs. one Helen Weisensee of Winter and Morris Streets, respect- ively, were a nuisance by reason of their vicious disposition. She demanded that action be taken in the matter. Mr. Ross moved that the matter be referred to the Dog Officer for investigation and report. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the British Naval and Military Veterans' Association asking if Sunday, June 5th would be Pilgrimage suitable for its annual Memorial Pilgrimage. Mr. Clark moved that this date be approved. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. The Clerk was instructed to notify the Allied Veteran's Couneil of this date. Letter was received from the Civil Service Commission Police advising that the certification of April 5th for a permanent appointment. patrolman would be cancelled inasmuch as no action was to be taken until the establishment of the new list. It is expected that the new list would be ready within one month. Letter was received from the Chief of Police reporting on the character of John F. Downey of Farmerest Ave. , one of the candidates for the position of police officer. Plumbing A surety bond in the amount of 01,000. issued by the Inspector's New Amsterdam Casualty Co. on behalf of Ejnhard A. Lindstrom bond. as Plumbing Inspector was received by the Board. Mr. Clark moved that the bond be approved. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Letter was received from one Frank Poitrast of Wil- Purchase of mington offering to purchase lots #135 to #142, inc. on lots. Fottler Avenue for 0350.00. Mr. Clark moved that Mr. Potter inspect the lots and make his recommendation to the Board next week. Mr. Ross seconded the motion and it was so voted. 337 Letter was received from the Town Counsel advising that at the hearing in the Land Court before Judge Fenton Ryder tax on the various Ryder tax title foreclosures, he urged cases. immediate foreclosure of the tax titles in all cases. Mr. Ryder asked for a six months interval in which to raise the money, and the Judge decided that he should be given until September 15th. Letter was received from Gwendoline Johnson asking a reduced rate for the use of Estabrook Hall some evening for Use of the purpose of holding a recital. Mr. Clark moved that Estabrook she be notified that she could rent the hall only at the Hall usual fee. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Giroux stated that Charles Richards, an amployee of the Town in the capacity of a fireman, owed a Board of Richards Health bill in the amount of 002.36, for the care of his bill daughter at the Middlesex County Sanatorium. Mr. Potter moved that the bill be turned over to the Town Counsel for collection. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Potter moved that the following licenses be granted: Walter J. Rose, 6 Tewksbury Street - Public Carriage Thomas M. Montague, 21 Bedford St . " rr n n r+ , 25 Depot Square - Undertaker's Licenses Frank Mara, 856 Mass.. Ave. Sunday Sales Hugh McIntosh, 442 Marrett Rd. - n Mrs. Jane Foley, Concord Ave. & Waltham St.-Common Victualler's Harold L. Anderson, Carlisle - Trans . of Garbage Hyman Weiss, Stoneham - Junk Dora K. LaChance, 844 Mass. Ave. - Intelligence Office Joseph Trani, 1757 Mass. Ave. - Overhanging Sign John Sullivan, 2007 Mass. Ave. - Swine (75) Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Letter was received from Supt. Garrity containing his Playground recommendations for appointments to the playground positions. appoint- Mr. Potter moved that the matter be held over for one week. ments. Mr. Clark seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Board discussed the disposal of tax title property. Mr. Potter moved that the Chairman write the real estate Tax Title dealers and tell them that the Board felt that purchasers property should pay the assessed valuation of property, but that any offer they might receive would be entertained by the Select- men. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Messrs . Mitchell and Morse appeared before the Board Welfare to discuss welfare matters. The meeting adjourned at 10:25 P.M. A true record, Attest: Clerk.