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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.