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
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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
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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.