HomeMy WebLinkAbout1940-04-15SELECTMEN'S MEETING
' April 15, 1940.
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held
in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 76.30 P.M.
Chairman Giroux, Messrs. Potter, Locke, Rowse and Sarano were
present. The Clerk was also present.
The Chairman said that F. K. Johnson had brought down
an ambulance and he would like to have the Board look at it.
Thig machine costs $2200. The Board went out and viewed it•
When the Board returned, Mr. L. W. Slocomb, Mr. Daniel
F. Coughlin and Mr. Wrightington appeared before the Board.
Mr. Coughlin objected to the Selectmen's selling Lots 36 and
37 on Dexter Road to Mr. Slocomb. Part of one lot is un-
registered land while the balance is registerdd, and the Town
has been unable to give Mr. Slocomb title to the unregistered
portion. Gaffney, the original owner, is xiow interested in
regaining the property.
Mr. Wrightington said that the Town would have to
file a petition for the issue of the registration of title,
give Gaffney notice and then give Coughlin and Slocomb notice
so that if they wanted to be heard they could go down to the
Registry of Deeds and take up the question as to whether or
' not the Town had title to the property of if Gaffney had the
right to redeem it.
Messrs. Slocomb and Coughlin retired.
Mr. Wrightington said he had been given an idea that
John-Caderio might start loam stripping in Lexington again
soon. The Chairman said that if he did start the Town could
ask.for an injunction immediately. Mr. Wrightinton said
he thought that should be done. The Clerk was instructed4to
call the matter to the attention of the Building Inspector
so that he could watch out for any loam removal operations
and notify the Selectmen and Mr. Wrightington immediately.
It was also decided to ask the Town Counsel to try to get an
injunction immediately after receiving notice from the Build-
ing Inspector.
Mr. Rowse brought up the matter of Mr. Harold Needham's
driveway. He said.he thought a couple of loads of loam would
stop the trouble and would satisfy Needham. Mr. Wrightington
said that if there was some economical way to satisfy him,
the Town might be able to put off the widening of Fern Street
for a while, although perhaps it would have no right to do
this=to help Needham. The Chairman said he thought it would
be better to ask the Town to accept the street. Mr. Rowse
said that the street was not wide enough to accept and land
would have to'be taken from the abutters.
No further action was taken ozi the matter.
Ambulance
Lots 36 &
37 Dexter
Road.
Loam
removal
Needham
driveway.
142
Joint hearing before the Board of Appeals and the Board
of Selectmen upon the application of Lillian D. Parks for
permissiontoconstruct-and-maintain a retail gasoline
station at the corner of Mass. Avenue and Curve Street, Lex.,
,
was declared open at 8t00 P.M.
The following members of the Board of Appeals were
presents Messrs. Glynn, Kimball, Locke, Bowker and Brown.
Parks
Mr. Glynn acted as Chairman pro -tem of the Board of Appeals,
gasoline
and. Mr. Bowker acted as Clerk pro -tem.
hearing.
The notice of the hearing was read by Clerk Bowker•
Nine persons were present at the hearing.
Mr. Earl Mott represented Mrs. Parkso He said that
she owned the land at the corner of Mass. Ave. and Curve Street,
which is already zoned for business. At the present time
the land is assessed for 01,000.00. If the permit is granted,
the building will bring additional revenue to the town in
taxes# He said that the proposed building would not damage
any of the surrounding properties, and he did not believe
that any of the abutters would feel that this was a detriment
to their property. He said that a number of abutters had
already expressed their approval of the project# and seven
abutters had advised the Board of this in writing. He pre-
sented a blue print of the lot, .showing the proposed station,
gas pumps, etc.
Mr. Glynn asked what the capacity of the tanks would
be, and he replied that the capacity would be 5,050 for
underground and above ground, also. Mr. Glynn asked if
they planned to have a lubritorium., and Mr. Mott said that
'
they did, although they were not asking far it now.
Mr. Glynn asked what hours the station would operate,
and Mott said that that had not been definitely decided, but
he thought they would operate from 7t00 A.M. to midnight,
although that would be attthe discretion of the Board•
Mr. Glynn asked who wa. going to operate the station,
and Mr. Mott said that that had not been determined yet. Mr.
G17nn asked if Mrs. Parks intended to build the station, and
Mott said that she had not decided. Mr. Glynn asked if Mrs.
Parks was seeking a permit so that if it was granted she could
sell it to some oil company, and Mott said that she had not
decided that, either.
Mr. Glynn asked if any others wished to speak in favor
of the petition, and there were none.
Mr. Glynn asked if any wished to speak in opposition,
and Mr. L. H. Truesdell said that he spoke in behalf of'the
Follen Church Society. At a meeting of the Society held
last week it was voted to object to the granting of the
petition.
No others wished to speak in opposition.
Mr. Mott said he did not see how the Follen Church
could object to this gas station when they have one within
one hundred yards of the church now.
Roland Garmon said that it was felt that there were
enough filling stations at that end of the town now, and that
'
an additional station would serve no good purpose.
143
No other persons *i�shing to be heard, the hearing was
declared closed at 8:20 P.M.
' The Board of Appeals adjourned to the Assessors Office
to discuss the matter.
The Chafrman asked Mr. Wrightington if there was any-
thing that could be done to keep peddlers out of tbwn on tha Peddlers -
19th of April, and Mr. Wrightington said he knew of nothing Apr. 19th
that could be done about it. Yr. Potter said he understood
that it was necessary for peddlers to obtain approval from
the local Chief of Police before entering a town. The Chair-
man asked Mr. Wrightington to check on the matter.
At S OO P.M. Chester Lidberg and Mr. Raymond appeared
before the Board. Mr. Lidberg said there was a culvert of
inadequate size under Adams Street near his property. It is
an old -type culvert and is filled up. A few weeks ago, he
complained about dumping of snow and ice an&.filling in the
culvert and Mr. Paxton said that the town did not do the
dumping. He complained again and the town did remove the
snow and ice. Lidberg thought that a pipe should be put in
so that the culvert could be cleaned out when necessary. He
said he was trying to make a living from the farm but if he
has to wait until about a month or so after the other farmers
plant before he can start, he will not be able to make any
money. He said that he did not sue the town when the sewer
and drain was put in.
Mr. Raymond said that as he, understood it, this was
not a new situation but is a condition that has existed
every spring. Mr. Lidberg retired and the Board discussed
the matter at some length. Mr. Raymond said he asked Lidberg
how much he would be willing to pay toward i*proving his
land, and he said he was willing to'pay nothing at all.
Mr. Potter moved that Mr. Paxton inform the Board
as to the cost of replacing the old culvert with an 18 inch
reinforced concrete pipe. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion
and it was so voted.
The Clerk left at 8:40 to attend the Board of Appeals
meeting, and returned at 9 P. M.
Letter was received from J. P. Blackman, who owns
a farm near Lowell Street known as the Balduc farm. He Blackman
said that a low place on his farm filled with water this drainage.
year for the first time in the ten years he has owned the
property. The boiler room was flooded one night which caused
the oil burner to go out. Mr. Blackman claimed that he lost
several hundred baby pigs through lack of heat. He said he
thought that the Vine Brook project was the cause of the
raising of the water table -on his farm. He asked what the
Town was going to do about it.
Mr. Rowse moved that the matter be referred to the
Supt. of Public Works for investigation and report. Mr.
Sarano'seconded 'the motion and it was voted.
144
'rho Clerk waw• tastmetect. to"q,u:est the: Sea•.Zer of
Peddlers- Weights and Measures to check u on hawkers and peddlers
P P ,
April 19th* on the 19th of April.
Rabies Mr. Potter moved that the Rabies Clinic be held on
Clinic May 79 St 9 and 10. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it
was so voted.
Letter was received from the Town Counsel to which was '
Ryder- attached a partial release of a sewer lien on Vine Brook Road.
release. Mr.`Wrightington approved the instrument. Mr. Rowse moved
At 9:15 P.M. Chief Sullivan appeared before the Board•
The Chairman told him that the Board was rather disturbed
that he had purchased.a new car before the adjournment of
Police car
the Town Meeting and without taking bids. He said the Board
felt that if anybody knew that this had been done, there
might be severe criticism. He said that the Board was always
open to criticism for not taking bids on equipment. Chief
Sullivan said he told'the Board in January that the car should
be replaced and the Board told him to wait until after the
appropriation had been made. He therefor ordered a car the
.day after the Police Dept# appropriation was approved. The
Chairman told him that the money is not available until five
days after the final adjournment of the Town Meeting and that
equipment t1auld not be purchased until after that. Mr.
Potter said that the Selectmen asked for bids on every car
they buy and that every department should do the same. The
Chief said that if he had known there would be any question
about it, he would not have purchased the car. The Chairman
told him that in the future he should not purchase a car
until five days after the Town Meeting has adjourned and to
then get bids.
The matter of out-of-town peddlers selling in Lexington
on Patriots' Day was discussed Chief Sullivan,
'
with The
Peddlers-
Chief said that if they have a State or County license,
April 19th
there is nothing that can be done about it. He said he c
checked with Mr. McBride at the State House on the matter of
local police approving licenses and Mr. McBride said there
was no such amendment to the Statute. Mr. McBride said that
in past years, he had received complaints about Lexington
Police ordering hawkers and peddlers out of town.
The Chief retired at 9:30 P.M.
Mr. Morse appeared before the Board at 9:30 P.M.
Welfare
relative to Welfare matters and retired at 10=30 P.M.
Letter was received from the Town Engineer advising
Perambu-
that this was the year for the perambulation of the town
lation.
bounds. Mr. Potter moved that Messrs. Spencer and Cosgrove
represent the Selectmen in this work. Mr. Locke seconded
the motion and it was voted.
Rabies Mr. Potter moved that the Rabies Clinic be held on
Clinic May 79 St 9 and 10. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it
was so voted.
Letter was received from the Town Counsel to which was '
Ryder- attached a partial release of a sewer lien on Vine Brook Road.
release. Mr.`Wrightington approved the instrument. Mr. Rowse moved
145
that the Selectmen approve and sign the release subject to
Messrs. Cosgrove and Higgins confirming the figures. Mr.
' Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Mr. Potter moved that the cost of advertising the Sewer
meeting on the sewers to be held on April 23rd be charged meeting*
to the Unclassified Account. Mr. Locke seconded the motion
and it was so voted.
Letter was received from the U.S. Flag Association
requesting that a committee be appoint6d to handle the ob- Flag Week
servance of flag week June 8th to June 14th, Mr. Potter Committee*
moved that the executive committee of the Lexington Allied
Veterans Council be appointed the Flag Week Committee and
that Mr. Garrity be requested to cooperate with the Committee
in putting up the flags that week. Mr. Locke seconded the
motion and it was so voted.
Letter was received from Elmer A. Lord & Co. advising
of the expiration of a $10,000o fire insurance policy on Insurance
May 6th and $12,245. policy expiring on May 20th. Mr. Rowse
moved that the policies be renewed through the same company.
Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Letter was received from Elmer A. Lord & Co. advising Boiler
of the expiration of $25,000. boiler insurance policy on insurance
' May 17th. The Clerk was instructed to ask Mr. Raymond if
there was anything about the boilers with regard to insurance
that should be changed or if he would recommend the renewal
of the policy.
Report of the Board of Retirement for the month of Retiremeni
March was received. Report.
Letter was received from J. Milton Brown advising that
he would accept the appointment as an associate member of Brown
the Board of Appeals. appointmeni
Mr. Potter moved that in the future when we receive a Sale of
bid on Town land, that the proposed sale be advertised in the land
paper. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted.
Letter was received from Helen Burke of 314 Mass. Ave. Tax title
asking if the price of the lot beside hers which the town property
owns was still $100. Mr. Rowse moved that the lot be offered
to Miss Burke for $100. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and
it was so voted.
Letter was"received
from the Theatre
Pharmacy asking
for permission to place a
stand in front
of their
store at Request
1792 Mass. Ave. on April
19th. The Board
thought
that this for
was too congested an area
Mr. Potter moved that the
to have a stand
application be
on the
denied.
sidewalk. permit
Mr. Rowse
seconded the motion and it
was so voted.
146
Request was received from the Episcopal Church for
Request for permission to have a refreshment stand-cn the property.at
permit 1888 Mass. Ave. on April 19th. Mr. Rowse moved that the ,
permit be granted. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it
was so voted.
Letter was received from the Chamber of Commerce re -
Use of Hallque^ting the use of a conference room on April 16th, Mr.
Potter moved that the use of the rood be granted free of
charge. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted.
The Board. discussbii -tht matter of, llAuor stores re'
Liquor maining open on the 19th of April. Mr. Potter moved that
stores the three liquor dealers in town be requested to remain
April 19th closed all day and evening on the 19th of April. Mr. Rowse
seconded the motion and it was so voted.
The following commitments were signed by the Boardt
Water Miscellaneous - $255.55
Water Assesment 534.98
Abatement of Water rates in the amount of $26.56 was
also signed.
The meeting adjourned at llt25 P.M.
A true record, Attests
.�j� .✓�. ate,
.clerk.
The questir-n of the purchase of a typewriter for the
Typewriter
Selectmen's office was discussed. Mr. Rowse moved that an
Underwood typewriter be purchased. Mr. Locke seconded the
motion and it was so voted. Mr. Sarano voted in opposition,
he being in favor of the Royal machine.
Mr. Sarano said that Mr. Paxton would like to have
permission to use the sweeper a day and a half more than the
Street
Board authorized last week. Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. Paxton's
sweeper
request be granted. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was
'
so voted.
The Clerk reported that Mary Carr, age 7 of 95 Woburn
Bd. of
Street was sent to the Waltham Hospital today with a
Health
streptococcus infection in her throat. Mr. Potter moved
ease
that the hospitalizati:n be approved. Mr. Locke seconded
the motion and it was so voted.
Abatement
Abatement of $3.56 for the Highway Road Machinery
Account was authorized.
The following commitments were signed by the Boardt
Water Miscellaneous - $255.55
Water Assesment 534.98
Abatement of Water rates in the amount of $26.56 was
also signed.
The meeting adjourned at llt25 P.M.
A true record, Attests
.�j� .✓�. ate,
.clerk.