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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1940-01-22 20 Cl SELECTMEN'S MEETING JAN . 22, 1940. ' 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. Letter was received from the Town Counsel advising DiLuzi that the action of Margaret DiLuzi against the Twin for claim. personal injury resulting from an alleged fall in a hole left by the removal of a tree after the hurricane was tried last Wednesday and Thursday, and the Court found in favor of the defendant. Letter was received from the Registrars of Voters Registra- advising of the following dates for registration: tion dates. Feb. 6, 1940 - Town Office Building - 7 to 9 P.M. Feb. 13, 1940 - " " " - 2 P.M. to 5 P.M. Feb. 13, 1940 - Adams School - 7 to 9 P.M. Feb. 21, 1940 - Town Office Building- 12 noon to 10 P.M. Letter was received from Mr. E. B. O 'Connor of 2142 Mass. Avenue stating that he wished to accept the Board' s Sale of offer to sell lots 5, 6 and 7 on Waltham Street for the sum tax title of $1500. Mr. O 'Connor said he would like to discuss with property. the Board, changes which had been made in the plan relative to the Vine Brook taking and the rounding of the corner. Mr. Potter moved that Mr. O'Connor be invited to appear before the Board next Monday evening to discuss the matter and that the Town Engineer be present at that time. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Application for a Common Victualler' s License was Request for received from Abraham Bornstein at 27 Mass . Ave . A report license . from the Health Inspector was received stating that Mr. Bornstein operated a gasoline station and that the place was not a fit one in which to serve food. He recommended that the application be denied. Mr. Bornstein appeared before the Board and said that he merely wished to sell hot dogs to some of his friends who dropped into the station occasionally. Mr. Rowse moved that the application be denied. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Upon motion of Mr. Potter, seconded by Mr. Locke, it was voted to approve the following licenses : John V. Kinnvall - 42 Fletcher Ave. - Peddler 's John Shea - Concord R. , Westford - Trans. of Garbage. At 8 P.M , Mr. A. Thomas Ferry and Mr. Malcolm Clifford appeared before the Board to discuss the request of the Stanley Hill Post #38, American Legion, for an appropriation bo help defrayexpenses in connection with the National 21 Convention to be held in Boston in 1940. The Chairman read Chapter 115 of the Acts of 1939 authorizing cities and toms to appropriate one-two hundredths of one percent of the last assessed valuation of the town for the National Convention expenses. The Chairman said that under this Act the Town could appropriate around $1000. if it so desired. Mr. Clifford said that he was a. member of the committee Legion appointed for this convention and its idea was to spend any Conventiin money appropriated in Lexington. Mr. Clifford said the appro- following committee had been appointed: James H. Russell, priation Clyde Booker, Melville Webb, Edmund A. Webb, Leon Burke, Daniel Cronin, Raymond White, E. C. Maguire, Capt. Boleyn, Joseph Trani, Eugene Buckley, Albert A. Ross, A. R. Giroux, Charles MacCormack, Clesson Schofield, Frank Culbertson, Dr. James J. Walsh, Eugene Partridge and Horace Dearborn. The Chairman suggested that his name be removed inasmuch as the Legion was asking the Selectmen to approve an appropriation. Mr. Clifford said that the Committee had prepared a tentative budget as follows: Repairing banner, costumes for Spirit of 1776 - $50.00 Transportation of Drum Corps, day of parade - 50.00 Printing story of Lexington (this would pay for 5000 phamplets to be distributed to visitors to Lexington) - 100.00 " Refreshments - (This to pay for light refresh- ments to be served to visitors to Lexington if the National Convention sets aside a cer- tain day for Lexington) - 200.00 Auxiliary - for food at Buckman Tavern - 75.00 Miscellaneous - 25.00 The National Auziliary will also be in session in Boston and the local Auxiliary will need funds to entertain them. Mr. Clifford said that undoubtedly the budget will need revision. The Chairman stated that the sum of $960. was appropriated in 1930 for expenses in connection with that National Convention. Mr. Rowse asked Mr. Ferry if his organization had ever taken into consideration the matter of having a small appropriation for a certain number of years and than a April 19th large one say every five years for the 19th of April funds celebration. He said he had talked this matter over with various people and they all thought it would be well to have one good parade every few years and a small one in the intervening years rather than a mediocre parade every year. Mr. Ferry said that he would be glad to take the matter up with the Allied Veterans Council for its con- sideration. They retired at 8:10 P.M. Mr. Potter moved that the Selectmen recommend an appropriation of $500. to be expended by the American Legion in connection with the National Convention for 1940. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. 22 At 8:20 P.M. Mr. John T . Cosgrove, Town Engineer, appeared before the Board. The Chairman told Mr. Cosgrove that the Selectmen met with the Appropriation Committee last Thursday evening to discuss all salaries. He said there was no doubt but that there were inequalities in salaries, but in view of the request for a lower tax rate, practically no increases had been approved. Mr. Cosgrove said he merely had asked that his salary be adjusted to $60. per week. The other enployees are in at the same rate as 1939. He has requested that Mr. Etheridge be employed for a period of eight months . Mr. Rowse asked if it was worthwhile keeping this man on and Mr. Cosgrove Engineering replied in the affirmative. He said that Etheridge had been budget . working on a survey of sewer connections. The W.P.A. has a sidewalks and streets project which should have a man at the head of it and they figured on using Etheridge in this position. Mr. Rowse said that he understood that Mr. Etheridge was to be employed for a trial period in 1939 and the continuanne of his employment was to be discussed with the 1940 budgets. Mr. Cosgrove recommended keeping Etheridge on for the sewer study. Mr. Rowse asked if he intended dropping the man when that study was completed and Mr. Cosgrove replied in the negative. He said he thought Mr. Etheridge was capable of many other kinds of work, par- ticularly hydraulics. Mr. Rowse asked if the result to the town would be worth the man' s salary, and Mr. Cosgrove said that his work would forestall to some extent, some future sewer extensions. Mr. Rowse asked what the W.P.A. project he mentioned covered. Mr. Cosgrove said that it was a survey of all accepted streets showing every fixture within the street lines such as kind of pavement, curbing, pole locations, catch basins , hydrants, etc. Mr. Cosgrove said it was a good project as far as the town' s contribution was concerned. He said he believed Etheridge would be on the W.P.A. project for about four months and then he would want him to go back to the Engineering Dept. The W.P.A. project is for the benefit of the Highway Division. Engineering Expenses was next discussed. The sum requested was $1650. and the Chairman told Mr. Cosgrove that the Appropriation Committee had approved $1600. He asked if there would be any particular hardship because of this reduction of $50. and Mr. Cosgrove replied in the negative. He retired at 8:45 P.M. Mr. Joseph A. Ross, Supt. of the Water and Sewer Div. then appeared before the Board. The Chairman told Mr. Ross the same thing he had told Mr. Cosgrove, i.e . , that the Appropriation Committee and Selectmen were approving very few salary increases. The amount requested for Sewer Maintenance Wages and Expenses was $4700. and the amount spent in 1939 was $3731.06. The Chairman asked why Mr. Ross was asking for $4700. this year when only $3700. was spent last year. Mr. Ross stated that 23 last year there was an item of $300. in for the pumping station which was not spent because the pumping station was not ready. This will be spent in 1940, however. $700. would have been spent for emergency work if it had not been for three water extensions that came in toward the end of the year and interrupted the sewer program. The Chairman asked Mr. Ross if he believed that the laborers in his department got a poor deal because of their Water & work not being steady. Mr. Ross said that 1939 had been Sewer Dept , their best year for five or six years . The Chairman asked budgets . him how much money he thought would be needed to keep his men on all year round and he thought an additional $2500. for labor would be needed. The Chairman asked if there was much work his department could do that would not require considerable material. Mr. Ross said that when the new mains were put in Forest , Parker and Muzzey Streets, there was not sufficient money to shift the services from the old main to the new one. This work could be done but the project would require material . The Chairman suggested that Mr. Ross give some thought to the matter and advise him of the minimum amount of money needed to see that the men got a square deal. He said that the question was a higher rate of pay or extra compensation for time spent after working house. Mr. Rowse said that perhaps it might be a good idea to put the foreman on a weekly wage. He asked what the foreman would do, however, when there were no construction projects. Mr. Ross said there was never a time then no one was working in the department and regardless of the kind of work, the foreman works right along with the men. The men do not work on stormy days and neither does the foreman Mr. Sarano asked how many night calls came in during the year, and Mr. Ross said there would be anywhere from twenty-five to fifty. The amount requested for Sewer Construction, Sundry Streets, was $1000. There was a balance of $2688.08 at the end of the year but this is now down to about $1600. be- cause of an extension in Robbins Road. Mr. Ross said he could not tell how many extensions would be requested in 1940, particularly in view of the North Lexington Sewer project. He thought that $2600. would be needed. The amount requested for Personal Services was $4897.93. Mr. Ross said he requested an increase of $2.50 for the draftsman, George Harrington. The Chairman asked what the draftsman did. Mr. Ross said that he assisted the Supt. He made up the plans for water and sewer connections and extensions and kept the old plans up to date. He is on duty at the Water Shop when the Supt . is not there, takes the calls, makes up time cards, work orders, etc. Mr. Sarano asked Mr. Ross how much extra time he put in at the Public Works Building. Mr. Ross said he went up there two or three times a week in the evening to check up. Mr. Ross said that although the Chairman had told him that no increases had been approved, he felt that his salary should be adjusted. He has received no increase since he became Supt . three years ago. 24 to Co cn Water Maintenance, Wages and Expenses, was next dis- cussed. Mr. Ross said that the interest on debt was re- duced by $1200. and the equipment and repair item was reduced from $1700. to $1200 . The sum of $35,000. was allowed for the Metropolitan Water Tax. Mr. Ross said he would let the Board know as soon as possible what the M.D.C. figured this tax would be. Mr. Rowse asked if Mr. Ross had given any considera- tion to the advisability of lowering the water rates and asked if this was the proper time to consider it. Mr. Ross said he had given the matter some thought, but believed that our water assessment would be increased materially beginning either next year or the year after because of the extensive construction program in the western part of the State now being carried on by the Metropolitan District Commission. The sum of $5100. was requested for Replacement of Mains in Percy Road and $3600. for Warren Street. Mr. Ross said that Percy Road was more important than Warren Street. The sum of $4900. was requested for Eliminating Dead Ends . Mr. Ross said that there were three dead ends at Grant Street and these have to be flushed about once a month. As a result, much water is wasted, and this, of course, is costly. The sum of $3200. was requested for an extension of a main in Oak Street . Mr. Ross said this was inserted because if the sewer is extended in Oak Street, a water main should be laid in the same trench. Water Construction, Sundry Streets, was then discussed. There was a balance of approximately $3000. at the end of the year, but some mains have been put in since then so that the balance is about $1000. No further action was taken on these budgets, and Mr. Ross retired at 9 :50 P.M. Mr. Raymond appeared before the Board at 10:00 P.M. He said that the Selectmen had recently received a request Street for street lights in the Winter Street section. He looked lights. over the situation and said that there was a total of twenty-four houses that would be benefitted if nine lights were installed as follows: four on Winter Street, two on Hillcrest Street, two on James Street, and one on Wright Street. He thought it would be in order to see if the Town Meeting would approve this. Mr. Raymond said he thought the houses would each average over $3000. in valuation. Nine lights would give fifty percent service. The cost is $16. per year per light so the total would cost about $150. The poles are all in but two. Mr. Raymond said that this section was comparable to the Laconia Street section. Mr. Raymond reminded the Board that the town voted in 1939 to install street lights in Oaknount Circle. However, there are some people on the street who felt they would rather not have the lights put in. Mrs. H. C. Blake is the one who wants the lights . Mr. Raymond said he thought it would suit her if they put in two or three lights on her 25 end of the street . Mr. Rowse moved that the procedure be followed. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond said he had a request for a street light from the family living at 4 Wadman Circle. This is a dark spot and he would recommend one light and said that it would serve four houses. Mr. Potter moved that an article be inserted in the warrant to see if the Town would approve nine street lights in the Winter Street section and one for Wadman Circle. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond said that there had been some complaint from Mr. 11. S. Caouette because he did not receive a notice Notices before a betterment assessment was made. Mr. Raymond re thought there was some justification for his complaint. assess- Mr. Ross brought the matter to his attention and suggested meats. that we start the practice of sending out notices to property owners as soon as the Selectmen authorized a water main extension. He read the proposed notice and said that he thought this was a good idea. Mr. Rowse suggested notifying the people before the extension is authorized. Mr. Raymond said he thought that that would result in too much delay. Mr. Potter moved that no action be taken on the matter. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond read a letter from Metcalf & Eddy recommend- ing an extension of time on Contract A to extend the time of completion for 81 days. That would correspond with the Change date of completion for all the work including construction order. work. All of the pipe was laid and practically all the work was done on the contract date which was August 26th, and he recommended that the change order be signed. Mr. Potter moved that the recommendation be approved. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond said that with regard to the weather- stripping of the door at the pumping station, he thought Pumping Mr. Roundr.s ' estimate of $50. was quite high so he station. requested Metcalf & Eddy to get separate proposals with the idea that the work would be done and paid for out of the project, although the probability is that we cannot get a Federal grant on it . Two bids of $50. each were received, but on one there was a deduction of $19. if the bidder did not have to do the painting. Mr. Raymond recommended that the bid of $31. without painting be aoe.pted. Mr. Rowse moved that the recommendation be approved. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond said that under the revised Sewer Act , all sewers built with the aid of Federal funds shall not be included in computing the cost of sewers for the previous five years in arriving at the sewer assessment rate. It 0,1 26 cal throws the 1940 sewer assessment rate down so low that the rate is less than it will be for those sewers constructed Sewer with the aid of the W.P.A. Mr. Raymond said that if Assessment this were known, we would not get many signatures on rate. requests for W.P.A. sewer projects. Mr. Raymond said he wrote the Selectmen about this a couple of years ago and so did Mr. Cosgrove. They informed the Board that if sewers were not built by the town, the assessment rate would be very low on the five year average cost . The Chairman suggested that the town borrow a little more than 50% of the cost of the sewers and have the W.P.A. appropriation absorb the balance. Mr . Raymond read sewer assessment rates of sewers constructed under the Town as compared with the rate if sewers were constructed under the W.P.A. He said that there was no lot that was not bettered to the extent of at least $1.50 per front foot. Mr. Raymond asked if the Board wanted him to send out new sewer assessment lists to the Liberty Heights and North Lexington sections based on the 1940 assessment rate. He also asked if he would send out new lists to the people on Woburn Street. Mr. Rowse asked if Woburn Street could be done under W.P.A. and Mr. Raymond replied in the affirmative. Mr. Rowse suggested that Mr. Raymond write the people and tell them that the Town is requesting that the work be done under W.P.A. and ask them if the projects are approved, they will agree to pay the assessment rate . Mr. Raymond said he thought that we should do some sewer work with town funds. The Chairman said he thought it would be best to wait until we see how many sewer projedts are going to be approved by the W.P.A. and then consider doing the rest of them with Town funds. Mr. Raymond said that if the Woburn Street job was done next year with Town funds, it would bring the assessment rate back. Mr. Rowse moved that the Woburn Street sewer be sub- mitted to the W.P.A. for approval. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond said he had been asked if the town wanted to have an insurance appraisal . It was pointed out Insurance that there had been an increase in costs amounting to about appraisal 7% since the dppraisal was made in 1935. Mr. Raymond thought that the depreciation in town buildings almost balanced the 7%. The inquirer wanted $300. to bring the appraisal up to date. Mr. Potter moved that no action be taken on the matter. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond reported that the Chamber of Commerce Use of would like the use of Estabrook Hall for a meeting on Hall. Jan. 26th. Mr. Potter moved that the use of the hail be granted free of charge. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion and it was so voted. 27 The Chairman said that he talked with the Town Counsel about the possibility of Mr. Raymond resigning. Mr. Wrightington thought it was a practical matter that Supt. of should be worked out in the best way possible, but from Public a legal standpoint, he had no fears about not appointing Works a Supt . of Public Works right away. He said that Mr. Wrightington suggested that if Mr. Raymond was made avail- able and it was agreed to pay him a retainer fee, he thought it should be charged to two accounts, one amount for P.W.A. work and one amount for Town work. The Town's share can be charged to the Superintendent ' s salary account until the Town Meeting and he thought it could continue to be charged there and that the Town Meeting Members should be told that an amount is in the Superintendent ' s salary account to cover that item. Mr. Raymond said that if he resigned and his services were made available to the town, he thought he should have copies of the Selectmen 's records and of the departmental weekly reports. Mr. Raymond said he thought his clerk should be kept in the office so she could make a record of all calls and in many cases take complaints and later refer them to the proper individuals . It was decided to take no action tonight, but to call a special meeting when and if Mr. Raymond resigns. The Chairman said that if Mr. Raymond did resign, the Board should pass a vote to retain him as P.W.A. correspondent. Mr. Morse appeared before the Board to discuss welfare Welfare matters. Applications for the position of Building Inspector were received from the following : J. L. Douglass; David Kirkbright; Frank A. Faulkner; James Irwin; Charles E. Ferguson; Building George R. Mitchell; George A. Jaynes; George Inspector E. Swanson; Perley C. Tibbetts. The Clerk was instructed to furnish the members with the information supplied on each application. It was decided to hold the matter over until next Monday evening. The following commitments were signed: Water House Connections for 1940 - $14.15 Commitment " " " " 1939 - 28.55 Sewer House Connections - 35.86 The meeting adjourned at 11 :55 P.M. A true record, Attest : Clerk. �~ li