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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1939-11-27 525 SELECTMEN 'S MEETING NOV. 27th, 1939 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, at 7 :30 P.M. Chairman Giroux, Messrs. Potter, Rowse, Locke and Sarano were present. The Clerk was also present . Mr. Rowse left at 7 :45 and returned at 10:40. Mr. Charles E Moloy appeared before the Board. The Chairman said that Miss Alice Newell had made a request for the use of Cary Hall for nine evenings and one afternoon. The Board granted her the use of the hall for four rehearsals Janitor - and One afternoon and evening for the Christmas Pageant it- Cary Mem. self. The Chairman said he explained the problem to her from Bldg. the Selectmen's angle, that is, the burden placed on Charlie Moloy and the injustice of it . Mr. Moloy said he was the only one that could operate the switchboard. He said if he could take a half day off now and then in the morning to sleep, Mr. Murray could take care of the fires and the prob- lem could be worked out satisfactorily. Mr. Potter moved that when there is excessive demand for janitor service in the Cary Memorial Building, that Mr. Raymond be given authority to adjust the hours of the janitors so as to be fair to them. Mr. Locke seconded the Use of motion and it was so voted. Hall Mr. Potter moved that the vote of Nov. 20th to grant Miss Newb11 the use of the ball for four rehearsals and for the Pageant itself be rescinded an(' that the request as originally presented bp granted. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman presented a statement of expenditures in 1939 for Chapter 90 Maintenance totaling $6000.32 which the Chap.90 Board was requested to sign. Mr. Potter moved that the work Board sim the statement. Mr. Rowse sedonded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman stated that the Demolay wanted to know what the charge would be if they used Cary Hall for a play Use of rehearsal either one evening, one afternoon or an afternoon Hall . and evening. Mr. Potter moved that no charge be made for a rehearsal in the afternoon but that a charge of $10.00 be made for a rehearsal in the evening. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from Mr. Rev-mond stating that the new Use of Board of Directors of the Lexington Boy Scouts had requested Hall. the use of a conference room in Cary Hall on the first Tues- ' day evening of each month. Mr. Sarano moved that the use of the conference room the first Tuesday of each month for such meetings be granted free of charge. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. 526 cc At 7:35 P.M. Mr. Robert L. Ryder appeared before the •t Board. He said that in 1936 the Town passed an order for a sewer extension of 300 feet in Vine Brook Road and des- cribed in the order what should be assessed as "both sides of the street a distance of 300 feet". The Statute says that Sewer land shall not be assessed for more than 125 feet in depth. Assessment This sewer was built before Sherburne Road was put through. Sherburne Now Mr. Ryder wants to sell a lot back of the 125 foot set- Rpad back but the person says that there is nothing on redord show- ing that there is no sewer assessment back of the 125 foot line . The Clerk at the Registry told Ryder that the only thing to do was to have the Selectmen sign a statement that there is no assessment beyond the 125 foot depth. The Chair- man requested him to submit the matter to Mr. Wrightington for his approval and if that was given, he said the Board would sign the statement. He retired. Mr. Potter informed the Board that George Whiting would take down the barn on the so-called Holmes property on Barn on Waltham Street for the sum of $25.00. Mr. Sarano moved that Holmes Mr. Whiting be authorized to tear down the barn for this lot. price , the expense to be charged to the Unclassified Account. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Town Counsel addressed to Mr. Raymond stating that if an individual contractor was going to tear down the building, he should submit a letter to the effect that he is undertaking the work as an individual con- tractor and not as a Town employee and that he is to do all the work himself and will assume all risk of injury. The Clerk was instructed to request Mr. Whiting to submit such a letter. Mr. Morse appeared before the Board and the matter of personnel in the Public Welfare Department was discussed. Welfare Mr. Potter moved that the time limitation of January 24th Personnel. on Mr. Lawrence G. Mitchell' s appointment be removed. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Sarano moved that Mrs . Mary E. Casey be appointed investip*ator and clerk in the Welfare Department at a salary of $18.00 per week, plus transporation. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Welfare Mr. Morse discussed Welfare cases with the Board. The Chairman said that Frank Canessa called on him this afternoon and told him that the doctor told him to do no more Canessa work for a few weeks because of internal hemmorhaing. He truck is asking that he be given one day' s work per week for his truck on W.P .A. Mr. Potter moved that Frank Canessa be given two days ' per week work for his truck on W.P.A. through the end of the year. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. 52? Messrs. Raymond and Paxton appeared at 9 :00 O' clock. Mr. Paxton said that he had obtained prices on sand spreaders from three concerns. The E. W. Systrom Co. bid $340. for a "Good Roads" Champion Spreader. The Sandburg Equipment Co. Sand bid $165. for a Sample Mode], C.l Route Spreader. The Charles Spreader J. McCarthy Co. , Inc. bid $247. for a Model M. Power Type Spreader and $177. for a Model B Belt-driven Type Spreader. Hedge & Matthies Co. bid $140. for a non-power operated spreader and $275. for a power spreader. Mr. Paxton said he preferred the $340. spreader. He called the company and told them that his appropriation was only $300. and they agreed to sell it for that price provided the Town paid the freight on it. Mr. Potter moved that the Supt . of the Highway Dept. be authori±ed to purchase a Good Roads Champion Spreader at a cost of $300. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Board then took up the Highway Department budgets. They discussed Mr. Paxton' s letter of November 17th explain- Highway ing the streets he was asking to be reconstructed in 1940. budgets. He said that drainage was in Reed Street from a point 500 feet from Bedford Street to Ash Street and the street is completed for the same area. There is about 1900 feet left to be Built. Mr. Paxton said that the reason for his letter was that the streets mentioned were the ones that were causing trouble year after year. They are listed under separate appropriations but he thought they should be coordinated in one letter. The Chairman remarked that the Board promised the people on Reed Street that the street would be completed with- in two years. Mr. Paxton said that during the reconstruction of part of the street, they gave the rest an application of road oil and sand so that it would not c? ack up during the winter. Itseemed so good that they did nothing on it the next year. The Chairman asked if we had not done less con- struction in the past few years and Mr. Paxton said that in his opinion we had. He said that if the original program for the past five years had been followed, we would not have this problem now. Mr. Paxton said that the great majority of the streets in Town were not in too bad condition, but these were the worst ones and he felt that they should be done. Personal Services : $5390.33 Mr. Paxton said this budget was submitted at the same rates as in 1939. He said that he felt there was no sense in asking for increases . He said that he was satisfied with his own salary, but he called attention to that of John O' Connor and the Clerk, Miss Sousa. He thought the Clerk should be raised from $13. to 415. per week. O'Connor is receiving $30. per week and he felt that he was entitled to an increase but would leave the amount of it to the Board to decide. Wages and Expenses $44,500.00 By eliminating East Street, PercyRoad and Oakland Street costing $6500:00, the budget would be 38,000. which is $2,000. more than 1938. This figure, however, includes some surface rep,acement on Hayes Avenue and. quite a lot of bituminous side- walk maintenance. They did some of that work with the small roller this year. He said by including this work in the 528 PanII ieZ maintenance account and merely putting a surface om the side- walks in East Lexington, they might be able to make quite a showing for the money and satisfy the people. Mr. Potter asked if it would be necessary to hire additional employees if three streets were constructed. Paxton said that he prob- ably would have to hire a few men but it would depend upon trte total amount of money appropriated. This year he took over five Water Department employees and had two of them on now. Mr. Potter said he would like to see a group of employees that would have a job all the year round and feel that they had a fairly decent job. Paxton said that with an appropria- tion of 530,000 . they could give the present men a forty hour week all the year round and keep them busy. He thought that it was a matter of planning and that was his responsibility. Ashes and Dumps 41900.00 This is the same amount of money appropriated for 1939. Mr. Paxton said that he was figuring on giving the permanent man at the dumps a five cent per hour increase. Traffic Regulation and Control $2050.00 He said that this year he requested enough money to buy a line marker, but the money was not appropriated. He included in the 1939 and 1940 budgets the sum of $350.00 for labor and materials for erecting 17 stop signs in different parts o± the town. If it is decided not to put these in, the appropriation can be cut $350.00. Street Signs $400.00 He said this appropriation was cut $150. but unless they could stop children from going around with wrenches on Hallowe 'en and bending road signs , they would have to have a much larger appropriation for street signs in the future. Road Machinery $14,175.00 He said the maintenance for 1940 was exactly the same as for 1939 and the only difference was in the new equip- ment. He requested $750. for a service truck to replace one which was purchased second-hand in 1935 from Calvin W. Childs. They paid $375. for it and the speedometer was broken although it had 20,000 miles on it. The speed- ometer did not work for three months and the present read- ing is 71,000 miles, so be felt the truck should be replaced. He requested $225. for a paving breaker and he felt this would save the Town some money. They have one compressor which is capable of handling two units and as long as it is ca ablia of doing this, he felt that they should have two paving breakers . He requested $5,000. for a snow loader. He said it was had. to talk about a snow loader because we have not had the type of storm since 1935 that really called for one. However, when we really get a bad storm we are going to wish- we had one. If we did have a storm like in 1935, a loader would undoubtedly save the Town money but its value depends on having it when we have a heavy storm. 529 Mr. Locke asked if he could get enough trucks to take care of a snow loader and he replied in the affirmative. Snow Removal 620,000.00 Mr. Paxton said he merely took the expenditures over the last five years and came to a fire of 618,000. so he added $2,000. The Charman said there was no sense in trying to arrive at this figure until just before town meeting. Chapter 90 Maintenance $3,000.00 He requested §3,000. as compared with 62,000. for 1939, and did this for two reasons . During the past few years we have been able to get away with jobs that really were con- struction items. He felt that both Waltham. Street and Mass. Avenue should have a sub-surface treatment for their entire length and those two streets account for some $6300.00. He also included the reconstruction of Woburn and Lowell Streets. He was talking with'the District Engineer who said that with the possibility of not receiving any Chapter 90 construction money, they probably would be more lenient with maintenance money so he thought Lexington should take advantage of that. Chapter 90 Construction $6,000.00 This money is for the reconstruction of Spring Street. Paxton said the State would not pay anything for takings. He talked with the State and County Engineers who said that they might give a location that would not require much land taking. There is nothing included in this appropriation for land takings . Sidewalk Construction - Sundry Streets $1,000.00 Sone as 1939. Mr. Rowse said he thought it would be a good idea to have a W.P.A. sidewalk program so that the taxpayers could have good sidewalks at not much expense. Curbing Construction $1 ,000.00 This amount is requested for Woburn Street and would do 600 or 700 feet. He thought the pedestrian traffic down there should have some protection. Messrs . Paxton and Raymond retired at 10:35 P. M. The Chairman said that T. A. Custance saw hE and sub- mitted evidence that the Ryders were going ahead with one Water - house. He askedRyder about it tonight and Ryder said that Sherburne they were going to pass papers but were held up for thirty Road. days for various reasons. His request now is for water to the particular lot, about 200 feet. Mr. Potter moved that the Board authorite Mr. Raymond to purchase sufficient pipe to extend the water main to the contemplated house so that it would be available when needed. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman said that last week the Board discussed with Mr. Beach the matter of having an additional investiga- tor in the W.P.A. department. Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. Beach 530 PAW W.P.A. be authorized to put on a temporary investigator for a trial Investiga- period of sixty days at a salary not to exceed 22. per tor week. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Potter asked what the Board thought of taking the Tax title most likely lots the Town owns and advertising them for sale property in the paper. Mr. Rowse suggested that a list of them be sent out to the voters with the Warrant for the Annual Meeting. Mr. Potter said he would talk it over with his committee and report later. Letter addressed to Mr. Paxton was received from Paul M. Wagner of the Lexington Sand aid Gravel Co. acknowledging Wagner - a telephone call from the Highway Department asking that snow they make three of their trucks available for snow plowing removal during the winter of 1939-1940. They inquired if they could be assured that these trucks would be used by the Town for the entire winter and the Board had no objection to Mr. Paxton giving such assurance if he so desired. Commitment of water rates in the amount of $6635.27 Commitment. was signed by the Board. Letter was received from George E. Cunningham, Tower Request to Road, Lincoln, requesting permission to clean out the cess- clean out pool at 144 Woburn Street. The Chairman said that the cesspool Health Inspector did not recommend that the permit be granted inasmuch as Peter Cenessa is the duly authorized agent to do this work. Mr. Rowse moved that the request be denied. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Rotary Club requesting Use of permission to use the snow fence at the center playground snow for the football game between Concord and Lexington on fence. Thanksgiving, November 30th. Mr. Potter moved that the request be granted. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman informed the Board that the Board of Aruda Appeals had denied the petition of M. J. Aruda for permission gasoline to increase the capacity of underground tanks for the stop- permit age of fuel oil from 5,000 gallons to 30,000 gallons at denied 329 Mass . Ave. Mr. Locke moved that the application be- fore the Selectmen be denied and the $1. fee for the license returned. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Water liens Water liens to be recorded Nov. 29th were signed. The Chairman said that a water lien was about to be Thompson placed on the property of Frank J. Thompson at 4 Smythe water bills Street and also on his property at 5 Smythe Street. He recommended that one bill in the amount of $3.75 and other balance in the amount of $1.85 be abated in order 531 that the liens would not be recorded. Mr. Potter moved that these two bills be abated and that Yr. Thompson be in- formed that the Selectmen would appreciate it greatly if he would repay the amounts. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Board discussed the matter of sending copies of the budgets to the Committee of Twelve of the Town Meeting Budgets. Members and the Clerk was instructed to send copies of the budgets as submitted to the Chairman of each Precinct and ' in February to send them a list of the changes. The meeting adjourned at 11 :40 P. M. A true record, Attest: Clerk. r I