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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1939-02-11NJ Budgets SELECTMEN t S MI�ET ING FEB. 11, 1939. A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectments Room, Town Office Building, at 1:30 P.M. Messrs. Giroux, Potter and Rowse were present. The Acting Clerk, Miss Elinor Moakley, was also present. Mr. John W. Raymond, Jr., appeared before the Board. The Board discussed the following budgets with Mr. Raymond: Hi hwa De artment - Reconstruction: e Unairman stated tIaa axion informed the Board that $2500. should be added to Highway Maintenance, if no' reeonstruetion,was approved. He requested Mr. Raymond's opinion on the matter. Mr. Raymond stated that the streets listed were in very bad condition and should be maintained. East Street, Follen Road and :spring Street are in the poorest condition as far'as surface is concerned, but Percy Road and Oakland Street are badly out of shape. Traffic Re ulation & Control: The Chairman informed Mr. Raymond that the Board had voted to approve $1900. for this account. $2325, was the department request for this account. Mr. Raymond said that to reduce the budget to the approved fi re, he could take $175. out of Sins, $150. out of labor if the si gn s were taken out) and 25. out of Town Equipment. He stated that the $150. was taken out of labor on the assumption that the Traffic Marker would be purchased. He said that with these deductions, the budget totaled $1975.00 and he recommended that the Board approve this figure. Traffic Reg & Control, Improvement to System.: The Chairman read a letter from Mr. Raymond which stated that he estimated $350. for the provision of a pedes- trian push button device, etc. at Bedford Street and Harrington Road; $725, for push button device and necessary signals, etc. at Mass. Ave. and Merriam Street; and $350. if all that is wanted is a push button device some where in the vicinity of Merriam Street. Road Machinery Account: The Chairman inf-ormed Mr. Raymond that the Board wished to discuss with him the request for a Dump Truck and the request for a Gas Roller, Mr. Raymond stated that the Gas Roller would effect quite a large saving for the town, He stated that at the present time a great deal of pea stone is wasted as it is thrown to the side of the road during construction and wi.h a gas roller it would not be necessary to put on so much pea stone and there would not be such a lossl He thought that the machine would pay for itself in a few years. Mr. Raymond stated that in =l� VYw�11 V 1 1 1 regard to the truck, he felt that five years' service in the Highway Department was sufficient for a truck. The truck they plan to turn in broke down in the middle of a snow storm and had to be towed to the Public Works Building for repair. He stated that he would like to have $1200, left in the budget for the purchase of a new truck. Mr. Raymond retired. Chapter 90 Construction: The Board discussed this matter, and Mr. Rowse moved that $5000. be appropriated for the reconstruction of Weston Street under Chapter 90 provided that Weston Street be substituted for Woburn Street in the amount originally allowed for Woburn Street as quoted in the letter from the Dept. of Public Works dated February 1st, 1939. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. kVKI Chap. 90 Mr. Rowse moved that all salaries with the exception of those acted on at the meeting of February 9th, remain un- Salaries changed. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. At 2:30 P. M. Chief Edward W. Taylor of the Fire Department appeared before the Board. Chief Taylor called the Board's attention to the . fact that $704.68 had been turned back from the Personal Services Account, and he stated that this was due to the shortage of call men. He stated further, that he had also turned back $319.68 which was unexpended in 1938 in his expenses account. Fire Dept The Chairman asked Chief Taylor if he could reduce budgets his budget to the amount appropriated last year, and Chief Taylor replied that he did not think he could. He stated that the item for Fire Alarm Boxes includes maintenance of the entire fire alarm system, and last year this was reduced to $750.00 from $1,000.00 and he was unable to do the work for that amount. He stated that he was unable to tell just how much work would have to be done as a result of the hurricane inasmuch as much damage was done that they do not know 'about now. He stated that they had to go over all their wires after the storm and put them up, but when the trees straighten up, it will be necessary to go over all the wires again and raise them. Under the item of Equip- ment for Men, Chief Taylor stated that he was asking for $400., inasmuch as last year they did not buy a lot of things that were needed which they must purchase thia year. Under the item of Fire Fighting Equipment, Chief Taylor said he was including the purchase of a recusitator, a new type of life-saving device, which he thought was very important. Under the appropriation for Outlay, the Chairman ' stated that the Appropriation Committee did not approve any- thing and he asked Chief Taylor vdiat he felt was the most important item in this budget. The Chief replied that he VW Highway budgets, felt the purchase of a new ladder truck was the most im- portant. He stated that the truck they have is twenty- two years old and broke down recently and had to be towed back from a fire. Chief Taylor retired at 3:30 P. M. The Board considered the Fire Department budgets and took action as follows: Fire Department, Personal Services Mr. Rowse moved that TEe sum Or , , the amour approved by the Appropriation Committee, be approved. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Fire Department, Bx enses: Mr. Rowse moved that the SUM o , the same amount approved by the Approp- riation Committee, be approved. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Fire Department Outlay: The Board considered this Item length,, and it was voted to take no action on the budget at the present time, but to di scus s it again with the Appropriation Committee. Fire Department, Out of State Travel, was disapproved. The Board considered the various Highway Department budgets which had not been approved, and upon motion of Mr. Rowse, seconded by Mr. Potter, it was decided to approve these budgets as follows: Traffic Regulation & Control:- Increased to $19.75.00 in accordance with Mr. Raymond's recommendations; Traffic Regulation & Control:- Improvement to System: - No appropriation; Highway Dept. - Reconstruction:- No appropriation, with the exception of Westview Street, which has already been approved in the amount of 01500.00; Highway Dept. -,Road Machinery Account; $1200. for Dump Truck and $1500.00 for Gas Roller. The Board discussed the petition from residents on Mass. Ave. Mass. Avenue for curbing on Mass. Ave. from the Hancock Curbing. Congregational Church to Parker Street, and from the junction of said Ave. with Harrington Road to Stratham Road. It was decided to take no action on this at the present time, but to consider it at a later date after the appropriation for W.P.A. had been made. The Chairman stated that the Plumbing Inspector,had Plumbing spoken to him about his allowance of $5. for expenses, which expenses. he says is not sufficient. Mr. Rowse moved that no action be taken on the matter. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Accountantts Mr. Rowse moved that the amount of $13.00 each for budget, the two clerks in Mr. Russellts office be approved. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. 1 1 1 177 The Chairman stated that he had discussed with the ' Appropriation Committee the Transfer Fees item in the Assessors budget. He stated that the amount had been Assessor's decreased from 0150. to $100. by the Appropriation Com- budget mittee after consultor.tion with the Board of Assessors. Mr. Rowse moved that the Board approve the Assessor's Dept. Expenses account in the reduced amount of $400.00. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. In connection with the Law Department, Personal Services account, the Chairman stated that the Appropria- Law Dept, tion,Committee had approved the sum of $2,000. for this budget account. The Selectmen had included $250. in this budget for Special Fees, Tax Title cases, but the Chairman said that it was his,understanding that the Town Counsel believes that there will be very little tax title work and that the Special Fees to Town Counsel will be sufficient to cover whatever there is. Mr. Rowse moved that the sum of $2000. be approved for Law Dept. - Personal Services & Special Fees. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. The following budgets were considered, and action taken as follows: Town Office & Cary Memorial Bldg. - Personal Services: r. howse moved that the sum o or ExtraJan- itor Service be reduced from X50. to 25., which is the ' sum appropriated last year. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. *ingineerin De t. Sx enses• Mr. Potter moved thats u get be approved in the amount of $900.00, which is the same amount approved by the Appropriation Committee. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion and it was so voted. Plannin& Board Expenses: Mr. Rowse moved that the sum of $250.00 be approved. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted., Mr. Russell appeared before the Board relative to the Board of Retirement budgets. Mr. Rowse stated that several people were of the opinion that the Retirement System was going to cost the town more than they thought it would and were wondering about rescinding the vote. Mr. Rowse asked Mr. Russell just how the system was set up. Mr. Russell said that the system became effective July 1, 1937, and all the employees working for the town on that date that desired to come into the system had a certain amount of prior service credit. Therefor, in case of retirement, there had to be a fund to take care of the prior service credit because nothing had been paid in up to July 1, 1937. Beginning on that date, the employees started pa7Lng in 5%, and each year the Board of Retirement asked for an amount for prior service contribution and another amount for the normal contribution. The normal Various bu dget a. Retirement system. Tj2gi.n.sering Dept. - Personal Services: Mr. Rowse moved that -the sum of requested for clerical services be approved. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. 178 contribution is approximately 44,000. and that will be a normal yearly expenditure. However, we will be caught , up on the prior service contribution in about ten years, and each year there will be a substantial decrease in the amount requested. He stated that the drop could not be anticipated because it depends on the number of employees who the or leave the service. This amount is figured by the Division of Insurance. Mr. Russell retired. Mr. Rowse moved that the Police Dept. budgets be Police approved as follows; budgets. Police Dept., Personal Services - $38,325.04 Police Dept:, Expenses - 41150.00 Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman read a letter received from the Lex- ington Field and Garden Club commending the Committee appointed by the Board last year to study the operations of the Doth and Shade Tree Division. The letter stated Moth that the Club felt the work should be continued and Committee. therefor voted to express the desire to the Board that it consider making this a permanent Committee and re- appointing the same committee. Mr. Rowse moved that the Board set up a permanent Committee consisting of Dr. Briggs, Mr. Sprague and Mr. Tenney, as an Advisory Moth Committee to advise the Board of any matters that come to their attention. Mr. ' Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Upon motion of Mr. Rowse, seconded by Mr. Potter, it was voted to approve the following budgets; Dog Officer - Personal Services - $100.00 Budgets. Mid. County T.B. Hosp. Assessment - 5725.37 Mid. County T.B. Hosp. Assessment - 585.94 Sewer Maintenance - Wages & Expenses - 4785.00 Sewer Maintenance - Services - 1550.00 Sewer Construction Sundry Streets - (To be transferred from the Sewer Assessment Fund) - 3500.00 Mr. Rowse moved that $100500.00 be approved for the Parks & Parks and Playgrounds - Wages & Expenses account, which Playgrounds is the amount approved by the. Appropriation Committee, and that the sums of x;231.73 be transferred from the Center Playground Fence account and $35.59 from the East Lex- ington Fence account, to this account. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. This budget was reduced due to the fact that estimated income from the Tower and Redman Funds is approximately $350. Upon motion of Mr. Rowse seconded by Mr. Potter, the following budgets were approved: ' Memorial Day $250.00 Patriots' Day 500.00 Contributory Retirement System, ' Pension Accumulation Fund 123633.00 Contributory Retirement System, Interest Deficiency on Funds 267.87 Public Works, Labor, Materials & Expenses 20,000.00 Unclassified 300.00 Water Maintenance, Wages & Expenses 53,000.00 Water Maintenance - Replacements 1,?50.00 Water Maintenance - Services 52000.00 Water Construction - Replacement of Mains;- Stetson Street 3,500.00 (To be provided by transfers as follows From Water Con. - Raymond St. - $1,094.82 if - East & Cottage Streets 880.21 Dept. -Available Sur- plus - 1,524.97) Water -Construction, Sundry Streets- 41000.00 (To be provided by transfers as follows; Water Assessment Fund -$10000. Water Dept. Available Surplus - 3,000.) 1 1 Mr. Potter moved that of the sum of $36,000.00 for High- way Maintenance, $16,700.00 be provided by the State Grant, the balance to be appropriated. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman stated that the Appropriation Committee was very anxious to have the Board take some action on the question of setting up a separate Board of Public Welfare. They would like to get action on this started this year. The Board considered the matter, and it was decided to bring the matter up again later on for a special town Meeting when there would be more time to consider it. 179 Budgets Welfare Board Mr. Potter moved that the salary adjustments approved at the meeting held on February 9th become effective as of Salaries April 1st, 1939. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion and it was so voted. The meeting adjourned at 5;00 P. M. A true record, Attest; C_.,oz Acting Clerk.