HomeMy WebLinkAbout1940-02-0958
SELECTMEN'S ;MEET I eG
Feb. 9th, 1940
A special meeting in- of the Board of Selectmen was held
in t}7e Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 4:30 P. M.
Chairman Giroux, IViessrs. Potter, Sarano and Locke were present.
The Clerk was also present.
The Chairman seid he talked with Mr. Paxton regarding
the meetings wnich were held last year when town employees
met in the eveni:_g and superintendents and other individuals
Employees talked to them about public works enturorizea, ate. The
meetings Chairman said he t`.ourlit it wo-ld be a good idea if t:.e
employees met so thatthebudiZe's could Ice explained to them.
The Chairman told Mr. Paxton that he could have such a meeting
either in the Selectmen's Room oi4 Estabrook Hall. The Board
had no objection to this.
The Chairman said he also told Mr. Parton he thought it
would be a good idea to have the employees meet every month
or two and that the superintendents and others discuss
departmental work with them.
At 4:50 P.M. Mr. Crocker Snow, Director of the Mass.
Aeronautics Commission, appeared before the Board. Mr. Snow
said the Commission was interested in seeing an airpdrt built
in the vicinity of Lexington, Concord and Bedford, He said
that the Boston Airport was getting very much overcrowded, '
and it was just a question of time before a great deal of
private flying would have to be taken from there. There is a
comparatively large field in Canton now and also one in
Framingham and another in South Weymouth. However', there is
Airport nothing northwest of Boston. There are a great many people
northwest of Boston w':o fly, and they have to use the Boston
Airport. Mr. Snow felt that there were some people in the
.vicinity of Lexington that would benefit individually from
an airport in this section. There are a number of northern
air -routes that come down over this part of the country and
there are no facilities for landing alon&hese routes. He
said that a landing field was not to be confused with an
airport. An airport is a very large expensive affair having
runways, lights, radios, etc. and is designed to be used for
large commercial aircraft. There are landing fields that will
be used chiefly for private owners of aircraft to land. Mr.
Snow did not believe that a landing field would have the dis-
ad�antages connected with a large airport. He said that
landing fields that are used by small aircraft do not seem
to affect abutting properties adversely. As a matter of fact,
he thought that Hyannis was greatly improved 'because of its
landing field. People go there that would not otherwise go
there if the town did not have an airport. He thought that
there were going to be more and more people would went-, '
to live in tie country, but who would want to use aircaft.
Mr. Snow asked why the Selectmen felt a landing field would
not be approved 'here.
The meeting adjourned at 5:06 P.M.
A true record, Attest:
1
• �a^*�2
Clerk.
t
59
The Chairman said that this -._;a was not air -minded and
was p.opulated lar elyr by eo. le w ^ have lived here a long
time. We do 3iot have a lar re pop.-laticn of young, people; also
'
some of the peo_Dle feel taat in ca,e of war, the town would be
in danger if it had an airport.
Mr. Snow said that the Corar.qission would very much like
to have an article in the warrant to see _how the town felt
on the matter. The Chairman said that if an article was
put in the warrant to appoint a committee to study the matter,
that Mr. SAow or someone from the Aeronai;_tics Commission would
have to come out and explain the subject to the Town Meeting
Members. IJLr. Snow said that they would be very glad to have
a representative attend the Town Meeting.
The Chairman said that whether or not the War Department
had any interest in this project had also been a question.
He said that if it had, why didn't it come out and say so.
Mr. Snow said that the Government would not divulge any war
information. However, it is very much interested im-all
airports. The Government asked the Commission to submit a
plan of proposed airports to the War Department. If the plan
does not include things it wants, the War Department will
suggest other things. The plan for Massachusetts has already
been submitted and it calls for an airport in this vicinity.
The Chairman told Mr. Snow that the Board would consider
the matter further and he retired at 5:05 P.M.
It was decided to present a vote under Article 2 to
appoint a committee of five to study the question of an airport
Vote
to be located on the boundary of Lexington, Concord and Bedford,
under
with the understanding that a member of the Mass. Aeronautics
Art. 2.
Commission explain the ;natter to the Town Meeting Members.
The meeting adjourned at 5:06 P.M.
A true record, Attest:
1
• �a^*�2
Clerk.
t