Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1940-04-29 161 SELECTMEN'S MEETING APRIL 29, 1940. A regular meeting of the Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, at 7:30P.M. Chair- man Giroux, Messrs. Potter, Rowse, Locke and Sarano were present. The Clerk was also present. Mr. Raymond appeared before the Board. He said that he had another thought about the Grant Street drain. He believed there would be enough money to do the work under Grant St. the Vine Brook project if the Board felt that it dight be Drain done as part of that project. He did not believe we would get any grant on it, however. His estimate for the work in the 1940 budget was $1500. He did not believe that the drawings were ready so that the contractor could give a figure on the work, but thought they would be ready in two or three days. he said he could ask Salvucci to submit a figure. The Chairman suggested that Mr. Raymond ask the Town Counsel if he believed it could be done under the Vine Brook project and come within the scope of the Town Meeting vote. Mr. Raymond agreed to do this and said that he would ask Salvucci for a figure on the work. The complaint of William Mulliken on the matter of drainage of his land on Waltham Street was discussed. Mr. Raymond presented an aerial map and outlined the property. He talked the matter over with Mr. Mulliken who said he would be satisfied if the brook channel was lowered so that satisfactory drainage could take place and the ditch on Town park land cleaned out to his land. Mr. Raymond thought Mulliken it a practical thing to lower the ditch and widen it, except= drainage ing for some good-sized trees around which he thought would have to be put some sort of a wall. The Chairman said he had received complaints from other property owners in this vicinity. One man said that many years ago the ditch was so deep that he could stand in water up to his arm pits, but now the water comes only to his knees. Mr. Raytond said he believed the town could go in there with a shovel and clean out the ditch at an expense of noit:-more than 000, Mr. Potter moved that the necessary work on the North Branch of Vine Brook to make for satisfactory drainage be done at a cost not to exceed $200. , said cost to be charged to Highway Maintenance, this work not to be done, however, until a letter is received from Mr. Mulliken stating that he will be satisfied with this work. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from Mr. Paxton relative to the South Branch of Vine brook about which Rachella Belcastro 162 ; complained last week. Mr. Paxton said that all the heavy Belcastro debris had been removed from the South Branch from Winthrop drainage Road Extension to Marrett Road. In addition, the bed of the 'brook at Winthrop Road Extension had been lowered approx- imately one foot. He said from the maintenance view- point the only work that they could do consisted of constant check-ups to see that no debris was in the brook channel, Mr. Raymond said that when they were preparing the drainage of the South Branch as a W.P.A. project, they sent out forms of release to the various property owners and Belcastro refused to sign a release. Mr. Raymond said he did not believe that the Town was obligated to do anything more for Belcastro. The Chairman asked Mr. Raymond to have Mr. Paxton call on Belcastro and explain the situation to him rather than answer the letter. The complaint of J. P. Blackman that a low place on his farm hear Lowell Street filled with water as a result Blackman of the Vine Brook project was discussed. Mr. Raymond said drainage. that the Blackman farm was in Burlington, north of Lowell Street. The location of the dam at Butterfield' s Pond is at the crossing of the brook with Lowell Street and below there along the channel of Vine Brook, nothing has been done by the Town of Lexington. The land on the Blackman farm is composed of hollows and hills, some of which does not appear to have any drainage outlet over the surface. The Silk gravel pit is near the Blackman farm. In Mr. Raymond's opinion, the work the Town of Lexingtonhaa done had no affect on Blackman's land whatsoever. He has been using that area for pigs with the result that all that land has become sealed up. Mr. Raymond was requested to gibe Mr. Wrightington his opinion on the claim and to request Mr. Wrightington to answer Blackman's letter. Letter was received from Mr. Raymond recommending that Boiler the policy for boiler insurance expiring on May 17th be insurance renewed for a term of three years . Mr. Rowse moved that the policy be renewed for three years with the Employers' Liability Assurance Corp., the policy to be divided in accordance with Mr. Hill' s letter of last week. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Paxton's letter regarding contractors' tools and supplies for the W.P.A. and Highway Departments was discussed. Purchase of Mr. Raymond looked them over and said that Mr. Paxton had tools received some very low prices and he would recommend that he be authorized to purchase the supplies from the concerns where he could get the best price. Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. Paxton be given such authority, the total expenditure not to exceed 000.00. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from Mr. Ross recommending that 163 various supplies for the Water Department costing approx- imately $1700. be purchased. The Chairman asked Mr. Raymond Water to look over these prices to see if he approved of them. Supplies The petition fron nine residents of Grant Street asking that work be done to improve the condition of the street was discussed at some length. The Clerk was finally Grant instructed to notify the originator of the petition that Street there was nothing the Town could do because the street was unaccepted. but that the Board would be willing to rent the grader as it did last year and if he was interested, to take up the matter with the Board. Letter was received from Mr. Paxton stating that in 1937 when the Town was hauling gravel from Ryder's gravel Ryder pit, the road from Mai le Street to the pit was scraped with bill the town grader. Mr. Ryder vas sent a Road Machinery bill abated for $12.50 for the rental cost of the machine. When the State Auditors wereichecking the town accounts, this year, Ryder was sent a notice of this indebtedness to which he replied that the bill had been paid in gravel. Upon hear- ing this, Mr. Paxton wrote Ryder who said that he would prefer to have the town take gravel to the extent of $12.50 rather than pay the bill in cash. Mr. Paxton suggested that the Road Machinery bill for $12.50 be abated and that if in the future his de_artment was in a position to use gravel from Ryder's pit, that the bill be re-committed. Mr. Rowse moved that the bill be abated. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Board of Appeals order granting permission to Bd. of Herman MacKay to maintain aldndergarten at 36 Waltham Street Appeals. was received. Mr. Morse appeared before the Board at 8:30 P.M. to discuss Welfare matters. Welfare Letter was received from the Emergency Finance Board advising that the borrowing by the Town of Lexington of $50,000. for a W.P.A. sewer construction project was approved on April 26. Loan, Letter was received from the Town Treasurer W.P•A. advising that he had requested bids on a loan of $50,000. for Wednesday, May 1, at 4:30 P.M., D.S.T. Letter was recieved from the First Parish Church requesting permission to hold a street carnival on Carnival June 1st, 1940 from 11 A.M. to 6P.M. on Harrington Road. permit. The pl'nperty owners whose houses front on the street have no objection. Mr. Potter moved that the permit be granted and that the Chief of Police and Supt. of the Highway Dept. be notified to close off Harrington Road from Bedford Street 164 0,1 tv to the Unitarian Church on that date. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from Mrs. M. E. Goldsmith, Complaint Concord Ave . , stating that on April 5, 1940, three dogs re dogs. owned by Nicholas Piantedosi of 435 Lincoln Street, attacked her and tore her clothing. As a result of the attack, she was ill for a week. Mrs. Goldsmith stated that the dogs were vicious and should be restrained. The Clerk was instructed to have the complaint investigated and if found to be true, to order the Dog Officer to restrain the dogs. Letter was received from the Sealer of Weights and Measures advising that nine persons were apprehended Peddlers on April 19th for peddling without a license and were taken arrested to the Concord Court. Fines totaling *65. were imposed on Apr. 19th the offenders. Mr. Potter moved that Mr. Chadwick be commended for the manner in which he fulfilled his duties on Patriots' Day and that a copy of his letter be given to Mr. Adams to publish ib the local paper. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion and it was so voted. Bond in the penal sum of *51,400. issued by the Bond American Employers' Insurance Co. on which Mr. William S. Seaman was principal, was approved. Request for the use of Cary Hall by the V.F.W. on May 17th for an entertainment and dance was received. Use of Mr. Locke moved that the use of the hall be granted free Hall of charge. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Request for the use of the space in the bases went of Cary Hall infront of the coat room for a banquet on May 2nd was received from the Minute Boys. Mr. Potter moved that the use of the hall be granted free of charge. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from Hiss Helen Burke of 314 Mass. Ave. offering to deposit $25. on the lot adjacent to her house and to pay the balance of *75. within one year. Purchase of Miss Burke requested permission to plant a hedge around the land. lot. Mr. Locke moved that the Board agree to accept the deposit of $25. provided Miss Burke will agree to pay the balance by Dec. 2, 1940 and that she be given permission to plant the hedge. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Upon motion of Mr. Locke, seconded by Mr. Potter, it was voted to grant the following licenses: Licenses Berman's Market, Inc. , 12 Mass . Ave. Transfer of Liquor license Thos M. Montague, 21 Bedford Street Public Carriage Max Sulkin, Waltham Junk Dealer 165 Mrs. E. M. Mitchell, 1736 Mass. Ave. Intelligence Office. Leslie J. Wood, 62 Webb Street Auctioneer's C . E. Barnaby, 1804 Mass. Ave . Bowling Alley Thos. M. Montague, 25 Depot Sq. Undertaker's Alice M. McCarthy, 80 Bedford St. " Lois M. Marshall, 1844 Mass. Ave. " Ralph H. Marshall, " " 11 i Salvation Army, Boston Junk Dealer Chester A. Fogg, Woburn St . 200 swine John Sullivan, 2407 Mass . Ave. 75 " Swenson Bros., Allen St. 100 " Carroll Bros . ,Allen St. 100 " Mr. Rowse moved that fire insurance policy in the sum of 0700. expiring on May 19th through the office Insurance of George H. Gibson be renewed through' the office of Tracey W. Ames. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Rowse moved that fire insurance policy in the sum of $13,616. expiring on May 19th and policy in the sum of $10,000. expiring on May 20 through the office of George W. Taylor and Son, be renewed through the same office. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Potter moved that the Board meet on Tuesday, May 7th rather than on Monday May 6th, Mr. Sarano seconded Meeting IIthe motion and it was so voted. Mr. Rowse moved that the Board rescind its vote of March 18th to appoint Frank P. Cutter a Fence Viewer Fence due to the fact that he is no longer a resident of the Town. Viewer Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was eo voted. Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. John T. Cosgrove be appointed a fence viewer for the ensuing year. Mr. Locke seconded the motion andit was so voted. Mr. Locke moved that Leigh gh Farnham be appointed an Associate Perambulttor for April 29, 1940. Mr. Sarano P sram- seconded the motion and it was so voted. bulator. Commitment of Water Rates in the sum of $5450.11 and list of Water Liens in the amount of $117.42 were Commit- signed by the Board. ments. • andthe Board Supt. of The Clerk left a t 10 30 P.M. P remained to consider the applications for the position of Public Supt. of Public Works. Works. A true record, Attest: P v Clerk.