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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1940-06-03 221 SELECTMENtS MEETING June 3, 1940. A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 7:30 P.M. Charman Giroux, Messrs. Potter, Rowse, Locke and Sarano were present. The Clerk was also present. At 7:30 P.M. Mr. R.H. Stevens appeared before the Board to discussknf'ormally his suit against the Town. The Clerk Stevens was not present during the discussion. Mr. Stevens retired case. at 8:10 P.M. Mr. Beach appeared before the Board. The Chairman said that Mr. Beach was here to discuss his request that Wilbur Roberts, the W.P.A. investigator, be allowed $12. per month for automobile expenses. He said that Roberts Roberts ' had been using Mr. Beach' s car and that Mr. Beach needed car it himself and of course it cost Mr. Beach more money allowance. because Roberts is using it also. The Chairman asked if Roberts had a car of his own and Mr. Beach said he had not. The Chairman asked if Roberts would purchase a car if he were allowed $12. per month and Mr. Beach said he did not know. Mr. Rowse asked if Roberts did any work that Mr. Beach did previously and Mr. Beach said that if Roberts had, any leisure time, he gave him some of his work to do. Mr. Rowse asked what jobs he was inspecting now, and Mr. Beach said that it was not jobs Roberts inspected, his job was to make investigations of cases all over town. Reports have to be made to the Government periodically. Mr. Rowse asked what percentage Of his time Roberts spent on investigations and Mr. Beach said he spent about 70% of his time on that work. Mr. Rowse moved that Wilbur Roberts be allowed $8. per month for automobile expenses, said expense to be charged to the Public Works, Labor and Materials account. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Notice was received from David I. Walsh that Project #40596, allotment $100,996. to construct sanitary sewers in North Lexington had been approved in Washington. W.P.A. Mr. Beach said that he had talked with Mr. Russell who sewers thought that in view of the war situation, it would be better to borrow the balance of the $35,000. authorized by Town Meeting for sewer work now because of possible increase in interest rates. 222 cc oo Mr. Beach asked for authority to .go further with the Liberty Heights project inasmuch as the Board limited him to Oak Street. Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. Beach be given authority to go ahead with the sewers in all streets in Liberty Heights where he had over 50% of the signatures of the property owners. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and 1 it was so voted. Mr. Rowse moved that the Town Treasurer be requested to ask the Emergency Finance Board for approval of the borrowing of 435,000. when and as needed. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman said that Mr. Garrity had spoken to him about tree trimming and grading at the playground, saying Work at that he was desirous of having this work done as soon as playground possible. Mr. Beach said that only 000. was allowed for tree trimming in the W.P.A. account and that had been spent. Also, there are no funds in the 415,000. labor and materials appropriation that could be used for this work. Mr. Beach retired at 8:30 P.M. Mr. Francis Chamberlain and Schuyller Dillon appeared before the Board. Mr. Chamberlain said that he was a former resident of Lexington and still owned property on Pollen Road. He said he was associated in business with Mr. Dillon, who was a C.P.A. and a former Town Accountant. The Chairman said he learned that Mr. Chamberlain had gone into the field of engineering and was intending to do work for towns. He also intended to make surveys for towns to determine that they were operating as economically as possible. Mr. Chamberlain said he had no particular ideas that Lexington needed a survey made. He said he was of the opinion that the funds spent in Lexington were spent to the very best advantage to the town. However, he thought there was no outfit that was 100% efficient and that it was possible to examine almost every organization and find ways to save money. Be said he did not have any proposition to submit, but if the Selectmen felt they had a problem and wanted a survey made, they would be glad to do it. He said his ideas would be to investigate one department and if savings could be affected there, the Board might feel disposed toward having a survey of the other departments made. The Chairman said that nothing could be done on anything like that until money was appropriated at an annual town meeting. He suggested that the matter be left until some time in the fall when the Board would know how the country stood in relation to the war, eta. Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Dillon retired at 9:00 P.M. 1 223 Mr. Potter said he thought the Board should take a stand on the matter of the lot on Waltham Street at the entrance to Parker Field and the McCaffrey lot on Parker Puchase of Street. Mr. Rowse moved that Board recommend acquisition land for of both parcels of land. Mr. Locke seconded the motion town and it was so voted. The Board went out to look at an ambulance which Mr. F.K. Johnson had brought down, and returned at 9:25 P.M. The cost of the ambulance with standard shift, was Ambulance *2243.50. Mr. Rowse moved that an article be inserted in the Warrant for the next Town Meeting to see if the Town would vote to transfer an amount not to exceed *135.00 from the Reserve Fund, this amount to be added to the *2117.89 appropriated at the annual town meeting so that this ambu- lance might be purchased, Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Wrightington and Mr. Raymond appeared before the Board, The Chairman read a letter from Mr. Wrightington saying that he had examined the title to the lot on Clarke Clarke Street and was satisfied that the title was vested in the St. lot Isaac Harris Cary Educational Fund and was free and clear of all encumbrances . He said there was some uncertainty as to the dimensions of the lot and he checked them with the Town Engineer. He wanted to make sure that the Selectmen n and the Library Trustees understood the dimensions before he prepared the deed. Mr. Potter moved that the dimensions of the lot as outlined in Mr. Wrightington' s letter of June 3rd be approved and that he be authorized to prepare the deed. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Potter moved that the Selectmen authorize an ex- penditure not to exceed $100. for a preliminary report on Stevens the damage to the Stevens sand pit and that Mr. Raymond case. be authorized to secure the services of a competent expert in the matter. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Wrightington retired. Mr. Raymond said he called on Albert Burnham last Thursday and Mr. Burse said he supposed Raymond was up Burnham there with some sort of a proposition. Mr. Raymond said case the Board would like to know what his total claim for damages amounted to and Mr. Burnham said he was not prepared to say. Mr. Burnham said he thought he should have heard from the Selectmen on the figures he submitted as to the cost of driving new wells and Mr. Raymond told him that the 224 cn Board was interested in getting his total claim. He said he did not intend to use the old well and expected the Town to furnish him with what water he needed until he did have a satisfactory supply. He said he had been put to the expense of laying a water pipe and for legal services. Mr. Burnham said also that the case could have been settled a long time ago if someone had come to him to talk it over. He said he thought perhaps the Board would go ahead and have the water system installed, but as it had not, the only thing for him to do was to go ahead and have new wells driven, a new house built, etc. Mr. Raymond said that when he left, he felt that Mr. Burnham was going ahead with his water system and whatever the cost was, he would consider part of his total claim. Mr. Burnham said he was not out to get a lot of money out of the town, but wanted to get out of the town only what it had cost him. The Clerk was instructed to acknowledge Mr. Burnham' s statement that it would cost $750. to drive new wells. Letter was received from James Ball of 33 Banks Ave. stating that no one had been to see him relative to connect- Sewer ing with the sewer and he wanted to know if it would be Banks Ave. extended to his street. He said that if this was not the intention, he would insist that the Board do something about it because his place was one of the worst on the hill. Mr. Raymond said that he knew Mr. Ball had trouble with his cesspool and the sewer survey made in 1938 showed that he had a cesspool that was overflowing. He said one of the reasons they did not plan to put the system in the street was that it did not appear to be a good investment. li There are several lots of land before you get to the Ball lot which the town probably would have difficulty in collect- ' ing the assessment on in their present condition. The sewer which would be put in there would be about three feet lower than the lots and he thought the owners would be able to prove that there was no betterment. It would cost $900. to $1000. to put the sewer u? to the Ball lot and the assess- ments would amount to about 4600. There are three lots that belong to the Town of Lexington. They planned a short extension to 114 Banks Ave. and the Ball house at #33 is almost up to Baker Ave. but not on a corner lot. The vacant lot adjacent to the Ball property cannot be built upon until a storm drain is installed or until it is filled in. Mr. Potter moved that Mr. Ball be advised that if he can secure the signatures of the property owners on the street on a statement that they will approve the sewer and pay the betterments, the Selectmen will be pleased to consider the matter, further. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. 225 At 10:25 P.M. Mr. Paxton came in to discuss the position of Supt . of Public Works and retired at 10:55 Supt. of P.M. The Clerk was not present at this discussion. Pub. Wrks. At 11:00 P.M. Mr. Morse appeared to discuss Welfare matters and retired at 11:20 P.M. The following letter was received from Mr. Paxton: May 31, 1940. Mr. Archibald R. Giroux Chairman, Board of Selectmen Lexington, Massachusetts Dear Mr. Giroux: As the Superintendent of the Highway Department, which is the Department having charge of the lands and easements taken by, eminent domain for the im- provement of Vine Brook and the construction of a stor- age basin at Butterfield' s Pond, I hereby notify the Selectmen that it was not the intention of the Town by the said takings to include in the said storage basin apypart of the land of George E. Ham which was not by those takings taken in fee, and that any right, if any, to use said other land of the said Ham for a storage basin that may have been inadvertently so taken is no longer required for public purposes. Sincerely yours, /s/ William C. Paxton, Jr. CS Supt. , Highway Division The Chairman said that the Chamber of Commerce was holding a dinner on June 10th and therefor the meeting on Meeting rehabilitation had been changed to June 11th. I t was decided to meet on Tuesday, June 11th, at 7:00 P.M. At 11: 27 P.M. Mr. I. A. Custance appeared before the Board to discuss the thirty miles per hour signs at the entrances to the town. He said that in the first place fII 226 the signs were illegal and that Massachusetts had really Committee no laws on traffic signs . He said he had been in eleven on states in this country and two provinces in Canada in the traffic past two weeks and was of the opinion that Massachusetts signs. was way behind the other states in the matter of traffic signs . He suggested that the Selectmen appoint one of the members to serve on a committee with the Chief of Police and Eugene E. Loupret and members of the Chamber of Commerce to study the matter. Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. Sarano, Chief Sullivan and Eugene E. Loupret be appointed to serve on a committee in conjunction with a committee from the Chamber of Commerce, to study the matter of traffic signs in Lexington. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. The following bids were received on sand, gravel and Sand & broken stone: gravel bids. Acme Sand & Gravel Screened Fine Sand Plant .45 Del. .77 Screened Coarse Sand Plant .40 Del. .77 Wash6d *" Peastone Plant .70 Del. 1.10 Washed #2 Stone Plant .65 Del. 1.07 Highland Sand & Gravel Screened Fine Sand Del. .80 Screened Coarse Sand Del. .75 Washed *t' Peastone Del. 1.10 Washed #2 Stone Del. 1.00 R. H. Stevens Screened Fine Sand Del. .70 Screened Coarse Sand Del. .70 Washed tit Peastone Del. 1.00 Washed #2 Stone Del. .90 Crushed bank gravel Del. .80 Rough bank gravel Del. .40 Spreading Charge Del. .20 Stone Prices Mass. Broken Stone #1 Stone Plant 1.00 Del. 1.45 #2 Stone Plant 1.00 Del. 1.45 #3 Stone Plant 1.10 Del. 1.55 #4 Stone Plant 1.35 Del. 1.80 #3A Stone Plant 1.25 227 Del. 1.70 Stone Dust Plant .65 Del. 1.10 Discount, 2% General Crushed Stone #1 Stone Plant 1.20 Del. 1.55 #2 Stone Plant 1.20 Del. 1.55 #3 Stone Plant 1.30 Del. 1.65 #3A Stone Plant 1.45 Del. 1.80 #4 Stone Plant 1.55- Del. 1.90 Stone Dust Plant .85 Del. 1.20 Discount, 2% Rowe Contracting Co. #1 Stone Plant 1.15 Del. 1.65 #2 Stone Plant 1.15 Del. 1.65 0"3 Stone Plant 1.35 Del. 1.85 #4 Stone Plant 1.50 Del. 2.00 Stone Dust Plant .90 Del. 1.40 Discount, 2% The Chairman stated that in 1937 the Court entered a decree enjoining Roger W. Brown from carrying on a trucking Brown business on Marrett Road and using the premises for the complaint storage of building maters The Clerk was instructed to request the Building/to Calle the matter up with the Town Counsel. Letter was received from Mr. Paxton saying that Mr. C.W. Ryder had contacted him about the condition of the wooden bridge across the south branch of Vine Brook at Winthrop Road Extension. Mr. Ryder claims that the present Repairs condition of the bridge is due to the use of it by the to P.W.A. contractors in moving their heavy equipment. Bridge 228 el Mr. Ryder requested that the town supply the labor to repair the bridge and requested that the matter be pre- sented to the Selectmen. The Clerk was instructed to 'tell Mr. Paxton to have Welfare help repair the bridge. Letter was received from the British Naval and Military Veterans Assoc. setting the date of June 30 as the day British of their annual pilgrimage to decorate graves in Lexington, pilgrimage Bedford and Concord. The Selectmen had no objection to the date. Letter was received from the Town Treasurer advis- ing that the Lexington Trust Co. had agreed to loan the Loan Town ' 5000. in anticipation of reimbursement in connection with the North Lexington Sewer project, at the rate of .40% die. Letter was received from the Boston & Maine Railroad advising that they had cleaned up the premises in the vicinity of the Depot in Lexington Center. The Clerk was instructed Railroad to write the railroad a letter of thanks and to instruct property the Police Dept. to observe the property at all times to see that there was no dumping there. Mr. Potter moved that the application of John E. License Timothy for a Public Carriage License be granted. Mr. Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. Letter was received from Leon Truesdell, Chairman of the Parish Committee of the Follen Church, requesting that some work be done on the driveway leading to the church- vestry and the Adams School. Mr. Truesdell said that the vestry was used many evenings after dark and the holes in the driveway were stepped into because they could not be seen. He requested that some work be done before June 8. The Clerk was instructed to tell Mr. Paxton to do whatever work he thought advisable. The Clerk informed the Board that Mr. John A. Russell . Dog had agreed to serve as Dog Officer. Mr. Rowse moved that officer Mr. Russell be appointed to this position for the ensuing year. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. Eifmrs@ moved that the flags around the Common be Display put out/day—during flag week and that the entire system of flags. be displayed on Flag Day, June 14th. Mr. Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Request was received from the Red Cross for permission to use a conference roogl on June 11th and from the Chamber of Commerce to use a conference roof on June 6th. Mr. Potter moved that these uses be granted free of charge. Mr. 229 Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Chairman stated that he was still receiving com- plaints about James Bean sawing wood on Parker Street. Mr. Rowse moved that the matter be referred to the Town Bean- Counsel on the grounds of violation of the zoning laws. Mr. wood Potter seconded the motion and it was so voted. Commitment of water liens in the amount of *131.05 was signed by the Board. Commitment The meeting adjourned at 11:55 P.M. A true copy, Attest: Clerk. � 1