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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1940-02-02SELECTMENtS MEETING ' FEB. 2nd, 1940 A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held on February 2, 1940, at 4:30 P.M. Chairman Giroux and Messrs. Locke, Potter and Sarano were present. Mr. Rowse appeared at 4:45 P.M. The Clerk was also present. At 4:40 P.M. Mr. Beach and Mr. Paxton appeared before the Board. Mr. Beach said that Mr. Byrle J. Osborne came to see him and wanted him to bring the following matter to the attention of the Board. He wanted the Board to write up a W.P.A. project for historical records of the town. On this project, it would cost ten dollars per month per person besides supplies and so forth which would probably make the cost $15. The Chairman suggested that Mr. Beach take this matter up with Mr. Worthen and see what he thought of it and then report to the Board next Monday evening. The Chairman asked Mr. Beach if there was any way he knew of for getting information as to whether or not the W.P.A. project requested woulA or would not be approved before Feb. 19, 1940, and Mr. Beach replied in the negative. Mr. Locke said that he talked with Mr. Cosgrove this morn- ing. Cosgrove said that one of the projects had come back as ' the W.P.A. is objecting to some of the things included such as Sponsor's contribution. It was Mr. Cosgrove's opinion that the other projects would be returned also. Salaries can no longer be included. If all the projects submitted are coming back for revision without the salaries, equipment, rentals may be included but operator's salaries cannot be. included. Mr. Rowse asked what the status of the surface drain- age projects were. He said he thought our program for the year should be made up so that only the most important things would be done. The Chairman said that a great many projects had to be submitted to see which of them would be approved then the Board must decide which are the best projects to be done. Mr. Rowse agreed that these projects had to be submitted, but his idea was that if we were going to be restricted to doing without town personnel, or rather the inclusion of their salaries, we want to make sure that we do the most worthwhile projects. The .Chairman asked if the Town could stop a project when it wished and Mr. Beach said that it could if there was hood reason for it. He .said, however, that we never had stopped a project yet. We may discontinue one at any time however for good and sufficient reason. The Chairman wanted to know that if the sewer projects were approved and the Board told Mr. Beach to take the men off the Playground project he could do it without trouble, ' and he replied in the affirmative. The Chairman told Mr. Beach that on Feb. 15th the Selectmen were going to have a joint meeting with the Appropriation Committee regarding W.P.A. He asked Mr. Beach to have as much information as W.P.A. possible for that meeting. Mr. Beach wanted to know if, when he needed extra help he would use town employees as in tie past or if he would hire outside men. In the past wages for extra help have been paid from Labor and Materials and Mr. Beach said that there would be no change in this practice. However, he could not credit those wales against the W.P.A. project now. Mr. Beach said that if he had to hire outside help it would mean the Town equipment was being handled by other than town employees. The Chairman suggested that the matter be left with Mr. Beach and Mr. Paxton to settle. Mr. Beach agreed to report on the matter to the Board next Monday. Mr. Beach said that in the past, he had been hiring a taxi to transport men to various parts of the town. Now he has two groups to be transported. He pays $.75 a trip and the cost totals $1.50 a day. There are two men on the Topo survey with cars and they will take the men to the jobs and return them for 60 gallons of gasoline a month. Both of these men carry guest insurance but that, of course, does not ¢over the W.P.A. employees in a case such as this. In case of an accident the men would be out of luck. Mr. Beach said that he would like to handle the matter in this way and he believed it would mean a saving of about $19. per month. The Chairman said he thought that such a procedure would be unwise as there would be danger of possible lawsuits. It was decided to ask the Town Counsel as to the Town's position in the matter, whether or not the town would be legally responsible inasmuch as it was giving gasoline in return for transportation. Mr. Beach presented a project for the continuance of the Tree Trimming work. Mr. Sarano moved that the project be Tree approved and submitted. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and project it was so voted. Mr. Beach retired. Mr. Paxton said that he talked with.Chairman Merriam of the Appropriation Committee esterday afternoon and found that the Board had approved 45100. for water main replacement in Percy Road, but did not allow any money for the Highway Department to rebuild the street. Mr. Paxton said that there was $800. in the water replacement appropriation for patching the trench. He would recommend the approval of a sum of money to resurface Percy Road as requested 2n his budget. The Chairman suggested having a special article in the warrant for the resurfacing of the .street, but Mr. Paxton thought that with a special article people would think that the street was going to be entirely reconstructed. Mr. Rowse said that it had been the custom for some years to include in Water Reconstruction account, an amount of money sufficient to pay for the resurfacing of the trench. Paxton said that he should think it would be a good idea to deduct the cost of resurfacing the trench, $600., from the Water Re- construction account and to add ¢1200. to it, making a total of $2000. then the street could be resurfaced. Mr. Rowse said 1 n 1 Mr. Raymond said that someone had to sign monthly ' reports of the days when automotive equipment was not taken out of the garage. He thought Miss Corcoran should be given authority to sign these. Mr. Potter moved that Miss Corcoran sign them as Public Works Clerk. Mr. Locke sedonded the motion and it was so voted. Auto reports Mr. Raymond said that monthly labor reports had to be sent in to the State and he recommended that Miss Corcoran Labor be given authority to sign these as Public Works Clerk. Mr. reports Rowse moved that the recommendation be approved. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. In the matter of gasoline rebate reports, Mr. Raymond thought that the State House 'might question them if they were signed by a clerk, but he suggested having Miss Corcoran sign them to see if they would accept them. It was decided to have Miss Corcoran prepare the reports and submit them to the Board for the signature of a Selectman. Mr. Raymond said that it had been customary in the Highway Department to pay for a forty hour week for vaca- tions and in the Water Dept. to pay for a forty-four hour week and in the Park Department to pay for a forty hour week. He thought they should be standardized, and the same number of hours allowed in each department. He ' recommended a forty-four hour week basis for vacations where men are on an hourly basis. Mr. Rowse moved that the recommendation be approved. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond informed the Board that the Water Depart- ment was having a lot of trouble with frozen services and were not able to keep up with the old machine. Today Mr. Ross had a new machine brought out for demonstration. The cost of this machine is $250. Mr. Raymond saw the machine in operation thawing out two services and one of them was thawed out in thirty minutes. Another service the Water Dept. worked on for six hours without success and this new machine thawed out the service in fifteen minutes. Mr. Raymond told the salesman that he would recommend the purchase of the machine as he thought it would pay for itself in the next three weeks. The department will be able to thaw several services which otherwise would have to be dug up. We have to pay an electrician $1.50 an hour while this machine is in operation. Mr. Potter moved that in accordance with Chapter 44, Sec. 31, G.L., the Selectmen declare an emergency because of the frozen water services and authorize the purchase of an electric thawing machine at a cost of $250., the expense to be charged to the Water Maintenance account. Mr. ' Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Raymond said that he had a letter from Mr. Beach redommending the purchase of two trucks for the W.P.A. and recommending the housing of them at the Barnes property. The Board did not approve of purchasing the trucks, Gasoline rebate reports. Laborer's vacations Thawing machine Trucks 44 �c The Chairman asked Mr. Raymond to explain the detail on the Public Works Building. Mr. Raymond said that there Pub. Works were three watchmen, a mechanic and a blacksmith and when Bldg. they want any supplies they are supposed to go to Mr. Ross. ' One of the watchmen is used as an equipment grease man and is paid out of the departments for which he is working. Mr. Raymond said that Mr. Ross had nothing to do with the Highway side during the day, although the watchman is under Mr. Ross. One man that goes on at a certain time is supposed to look after the Highway equipment, one looks after the Park equipment, and another looks after the Water and Sewer equipment. Their schedule calls for a forty hour week and each watchman has one night a week off. Mr. Ross keeps records of what the men do, looks after sampling of coal and boiler operation. Mr. Ross has been watching the loss of gasoline from equipment and has been checking on lights. Pub. Works Mr. Raymond then explained the Public Works Building Building Wages and Expenses account. He requested $1300. for equip - budget. ment and repair and said that this could be reduced to $500. if a new boiler was put in and the $500. would pay for a new section. Mr. Raymond said that Sundry Items could be reduced from $100. to $25. Mr. Rowse moved that the budget be approved for $8533.00. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Supt. The Chairman asked Mr. Raymond if he would come in on of Public Monday evenings the first few weeks and told him that his.. ' Works. appointment would be set at 7:30 P.M. Mr. Raymond retired. Park Dept. Park Dept. Outlay was next discussed. Nothing was Outlay approved for the water main to the playground and $3200. for the fence was approved. Mr. Potter recommended that a street light be placed Street on the last pole on Walnut Street. Mr. Rowse moved that. lights. the recommendation be approved. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Morse appeared before the Board at 10:45 P.M. to Welfare. discuss welfare matters. Letter was received from Mr. Beach stating that the W.P.A. temporary employment of Mr. Wilbur Roberts as Investigator Investigator for the W.P.A. expired on February lst. Mr. Beach said that Roberts' work had been entirely satisfactory and he recommended that his employment be continued. Mr. Potter moved that the restriction on Mr. Roberts' temporary employment be removed. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from Mr. Francis Dailey of Bowker Bowker Street with reference to the estimated cost of construction ' Street of that street. Mr. Dailey said that the corner lots had been assessed on both sides of the streets. He said that 49 he did not see why the money should be deducted from;he water account and added to a Highway account. Mr. Paxton ' said that the cost of scarifying and resurfacing Percy Road would be approximately $2,000. The street is in very poor condition and he did not believe it would be fair to charge the Water Dept. for resurfacing t:le trench when the rest of the street was in such poor condition. Paxton finally said that he did not care how the matter handled, but that if $1200. was added to the Highway Maintenance appropriation and the 6800, was left in the Water account, the street could be Highway resurfaced. He thought it would be good business to do it. matters The only street they are planning to do now out of Highway Maintenance was Hayes Ave. This street was eliminated from the ,orogarm last year. It was decided to bring this matter up before the joint meeting of Feb. 15th, 1940. Mr. Paxton retired at 5:35 P.M. The meeting adjourned at 5:45 P.M. A true record, Attest: Clerk.