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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1940-02-20 79 SELEC MEly'S MEETING FEB. 20th, 1940. A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, sown Office building, at 7:30 P. M. Chairman Giroux, Messrs. Potter, Locke and Sarano were present . The Clerk was also present . Mr. Morse a ppeared before the Board at 7 :45 P.M. to Welfare discuss welfare matters. Letter was receiljed from the Town Clerk stating that the work of copying town records had azvanced to a point where it could be discontinued, as all that was left to be done was the indexing which he did not believe was necessary W.P.A. to be completed. Mr Carroll said he was not in favor of records the continuance of the project under the W.P.A. project. It was decided to request Mr. Carroll to come to the next meeting to discuss the matter. Letter was received from Mr. N. S. Caouette relative to the water betterment assessment on Lot 151 Grant Street in Blake the amount of 0.65. Mr. Caouette said that the water main assessment was of no benefit to the land as the topography of the lot prevented its use for building purposes. He requested an abatement. It was decided to refer the matter to Mr Cosgrove to discuss with mr. Raymond so that Mr. Raymond would report to the Board on the matter next week. Letter was received from W. C. Paxton stating that from his experience in the Feb. 14th storm, he found that he Snow was decidedly under-equipped to give the peo le of Lexington removal the type of snow service which they demand. The department equipment hires ten 5-ton trucks and during the last snow storm, seven of them were broken down at different times . Of the seven pieces of the municipally-owned equipment, six had to be repaired during the storm. Mr. Paxton recommended the purchase of the following equipment : 4 v-plows 1200. 1 tractor with bulldozer and v-plow 6500. 1 tractor with V-plow 5000. 1 tractor witn V-plow 2500. 1 Snow loader 5000. Total $20200. The Chairman said that this equipment would come out of the Road Machinery Account and therefor would not affect the tax rate Mr Paxton said that if the equipment was approved, he would not purchase it now but would wait until summer when he would get oetter prices. Mr Sarano thought that the four V-plows should be approved. The Department had two which were 80 purchased in 1935 and two older ones that were n t much good. Mr. Potter thought that the tractor was very important. Mr. Potter moved that the Selectmen go on record as favoring the purchase of four V-plows at }300.00 each, one tractor with bulldozer and V-plow at X6500.00, and one sand spreader at 000.00, this equipment to be purchased from the Road Machinery Account provided there are sufficient funds in the appropriation at the time of Town Meeting. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from Mr Beach stating that the Royal W P.A. Typewriter Co. had given him a price of 77.50 for the machine type- now in se in his office. Tne machine cost :1il26 when it was writer new. He also s cured a price of 35. for a second-hand machine. Mr. Potter moved that Mr Beach oe authorized to purchase the two ty' ewriters, the expense to be charged to the Public voorks Laoor and Materials appropriation. Mr Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. An invitation for the Selectmen to attend the Sunlight Invitation Party on February 22nd was received. The Clerk was in- structed to acknowledge the invitation with thanks. Letter was received from Mrs. A. S Barnes of 10 Crescent Hill Ave. to which a petition signed by a Majority of the Coasting- property owners on that street was attached, requesting that ' Crescent the street be posted for coasting. Mr. Paxton approved of Hill Ave. this. Mr Potter moved that the street be posted for coast- ing and that the proper precautions be taken by the Highway and Police Departments. Mr. Locke seconded tha motion and it was so voted. Mr. Potter moved that the application of Joseph A. License Blume of 5 Goodwin Road for a Peddlers ' License be signed. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from 1r D. J. O' Connell asking Junk if the Board had denied Rubin Sherman ' s application for a License. Junk License because he was not a recident of the Town. Mr. Potter moved that kr. O' Connell be advised that the Board was of the opinion that there are sufficient junk Lincenses in Lexington at the present time. Mr. Sarano seconded the ootitn and it was so voted. Application was received from the Battle Green Chapter Demolay for the use of Cary Hall on March 1st for an installation of officers . Mr. Potter moved that the use of the hail be granted subject to a charge of $2.5. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. e of Applicationwas received from the P.T .A for the use r of Estabrook Hall on Thursday, March 28th and the four following Thursdays from 10 _A..M. to 3 P. M. for a Leadership School. Mr. Locke moved that this use of the hall be granted free of charge. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Application was received from St . Brigid' s Church for the use of Cary Hall on April 24th for a reunion. Mr. Locke 81 moved that the use of the hail be granted subject to a charge of $15. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr Potter moved that the following fire insurance policies under blanket schedule expiring on March 1st, be renewed tnrougn the same agents : Insurance Mr Edwin B. Worthen- - Policy in the sum of $35,000. Elmer A Lord & company - " ft " it " 90,000. Geo . W. Taylor & 4-4 ,n - " rt " " " 60,000 Mr Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman said that Mr. Beach wanted to snow to what account the cost of shovelling snow in the driveway at Cary Snow Hall was to be charged. Mr. Locke moved that the expense be removal. charged to the Snow Removal appropriation. Mr Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman asked if the Highway Dept. plows could not do the driveway, and Mr Sarano said that they had planned to do it, but the snow was so heavy they were afraid to. The Board discussed the matter of taking bids for the demolition of the Old Adams School. Mr Sarano said that he Old Adam thought the lumber should be salvaged and stored at the School Public works Building. Mr. Potter suggested that new bids be asked and that the bidders be requested tosubmit an alternate bid in the event that the Board wishes to retain the material. The Warrant for the annual Town Meeting was signed. Warrant The Chairman said that it flad been suggested that an investigating committee be apprintedto secure information as to the to Is need of an a.aaulance, cost, etc. Mr. Patter Committee moved that the following committee be appointed: Dr. James re J. Walsh, Edward C. Maguire and Eugene E. Loupret. Mr. Sarano ambulanc, seconded the motion and it was so voted. It was dedided to request the committee to .submit the information before the Town Meeting. Letter was received from Mrs. Chester S. Cook compliment- ing the Highway Dept. on the efficient manner in which the Snow clearing of snow after the Feb. 14th storm was handled. Removal Notice was received from the Appropriation ':ommittee advising that it approved the Building Dept. Personal Serviced account in the sum of 1100. and the Building Dept. Expenses Budgets account in the sum cf 90. Mr. Sarano moved that the Select- men concur with Appropriation ro riation Committee on the sum of $90. for the latter account. Lett, r was received from the Appropriation Committee advising that that body disapproved an appropriation for the repair of the traffic control system around Lexington Common. 82 0,1 Letter was received from the "ppropriation Committee advising that it had voted to make no changes in the sums Budgets. approved for Parks & Playgrounds and Insect Suppression. The Chairman said he had talked to Mr. Garrity on the matter and he felt that the appropriation should not be reduced. The Selectmen decided to make no change in the amount approved for these budgets previously. Letter was received from the Appropriation Committee stating that the Town would not be permitted to borrow money Sprinklers for the purpose of installing sprinklers inschools. The For Chairman said that Mr. Merriam told him that it would cost Schools. about $25,000. to install the sprinkler system in the schools. The Chairman asked if the Appropriation Committee had con- sidered putting some in each year and Mr. Merriam said that they had ocnsidered that. The Chairman said that if a new school was build and sprinklers were installed, the Lost of the sprinkler system could be bonded, but the cost of installing such systems after the school had been built may not be bonded. The Appropriation committee asked how the Board felt about allowing some other appropriati n to be bonded in place of this and suggested that the Welfare appropriati n could be bonded. The Chairman said that if the cost of the Sprinkler systems, ;25,000. came out of the levy, it would mean $150v on the tax rate. If the Selectmen do not wish to approve bonding something else in place of this, the Chairman wondered Board if the would be put in a position of blocking the sprinkler system, which was to safeguard the children of the town. The Chairman felt that it wo _ld be poor judgment to start iponding the town' s normal business, but if the Appropriation Cbmmittee wanted to do it, he suggested that the Appropriation ''ommittee take it upon themselves entirely and that the Selectmen not block it . Mr. Potter said he did not believe it should be done that way. He thought that the project could oass on its own merits and that it would pass the Town Meeting. He said that it would pay for itself in ten or fifteen years . It was decided to inform the Appropriation Committee tha t the Boa rd did not wish to bond any of the appropriation for its normal business and that the Selectmen felt that sprinklers should be installed in one building each year and paid for from the levy of the current year. The Chairman said that Mr. William Viano wanted to know Sunday if the Board was prepared to take any stand on the matter of movies Sunday movies . The members did not wish to take any stand as a Board, but said that it would do so as individuals at the Town Meeting. The Chairman read a letter from Mr Henry S. Raymond Complaint of 16 Clarke Street, requesting that notices be put up to the re air effect that the use of air rifleswas forbidden in the Town rifles of Lexington. It was decided to refer the matter to the Chief of Police for his recommendation. 83 The Chairman said that Mr. Joseph Ross felt that at least 41)200. should be provided in the Sewer Mainte,anc,e, Wages Sewer and Expenses account for Sundry Items. It was decided to' budget. approve the 200. and to approve 50. for attendance at the prN Pumping Station. A total of $4200. was approved for the budget. Mr. Sarano said that Mr Paxton suggested that the doctors in Town advise the Hignway HighwayDept. where patients that are sereiously ill lived so that those streets could be plowed out Snow first in the event of a heavy snow storm. The Clerk was plowing instructed to suggest that to the doctors in town. Commitment of water miscellaneous charges in the amount of $37.00 was signed by the Board. Commit- ment The meeting adjourned at 9 :10 P.M. A true record, Attest : Clerk.