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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1941-02-17 533 SELECTMEN'S MEETING February 17, 1941. A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building on Monday evening, February 17, 1941 at 7 :30 P.M. Chairman Giroux, Messrs. Potter, Rowse, Locke and Sarano were present. The Clerk was also present. Mr. Carroll appeared before the Board for the drawing of a juror. Mr. Clarence A. Small, supervisor, of 19 Dexter Road, was drawn to serve on Criminal Business in the First Juror Session at Cambridge, beginning Monday, March 10, 1941. At 7 :40 P.M . Mr. Alan Adams appeared before the Board to discuss an idea which he had in connection with the celebration of the 19th of April this year. He retired at 7 :55 P.M. Mr. Paxton appeared before the Board. He said that in the 1940 Road Machinery budget there was an item of 4225.00 for a paving breaker, but it was not purchased so the money was turned back into the hoad Machinery rund. Now the paving 11 breaker they have is broken and he believes it would cost too much to repair it. He feels that he should purchase a new one. They are using a paving breaker on the Oak Street job every day. Mr. Paxton received a price of 4215.00 from Walter W. Field & Son for a heavy duty paving breaker and they will New pav- make an allowance of 420.00 for the old one. ing break- Mr. Paxton requested permission to purchase this unit er. and that the cost be charged to the Road Machinery Account without making any extra allowance for it, with the under- standing that if they run short at the end of the year, they will ask for a transfer from the Reserve Fund. The Chairman said that the Board had made it a practice not to purchase equipment before the annual town meeting. Mr. Paxton said he felt that a paving breaker or a jackhairuner was mainten nce rather than outlay. He said however, he could rent a machine and if at Town Meeting a new one was a:proved, the rental could be al.plied toward the new one. Mr. Potter moved that the sum of 4200.00 be applied to the Road Machinery Account for the purchase of a paving breaker. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Paxton presented a stretch of the proposed sewer Sewer & and drainage in Washington Street to serve Lot 24 on which drainage Mr. Francis S. Dane is contemplating building. Mr. Paxton Lot 24 Wash- ington St. 534 0.1 co said that in order to serve the lot with sewer, an ex- tension of 225 feet yvould be necessary and this would cost about 4650.00. The assessment Mr. Dane would have to pay would be app- roximately 4480.00. Mr. Paxton believed the drainage problem could be eliminated by the construction of a shoulder and this would not cost very much. The Clerk was instructed to advise Mr. Dane what was necessary to take care of his problems and to tell him what the sewer betterment assessments would amount to. Mr. Paxton said that Mr. Ross had estimated the cost of extending the water main in Patriot' s Drive, a distance of 676 feet and installing 12 services to the curb, at $1802.88. Mr. Merriam says his actual cost , including engineering, was 42342.74 and he is requesting reimbursement of $1037.68. According to Mr. Ross, Mr. Merriam should be reimbursed 4586.00. Mr. Paxton talked with Mr. Merriam about this and he said that he would not be interested if the Town Re: Mr. would not reimburse him 41, 000.00. Mr. Paxton said the Merriam estimate riven by Mr. Ross was laced on only 15% overhead reimburse- and Mr. Paxton felt that that was not enough. However, it ment. is the actual amount charged for overhead. Mr. Paxton talked with Mr. Raymond on this matter Saturday and the latter seemed to feel that $1, 000.00 was about the correct amount Mr. Merriam should be reimbursed. Mr. Paxton felt that the Town had something to gain in that a through street would be opened up and also there had been substantial increase in the valuation of the pro- perty. Mr. Rowse thought that the property owner should put in his water and sewer mains according to Town specifications and in return for them he should have coming to him what the Town' s cost would be on those particular jobs, less the betterment assessments . Mr. Rowse moved that the sum of 0586.00 be paid Mr. Robert C . Merriam to reimburse him for the installation of the water pipe in Patriot ' s Drive. 5-he motion was not seconded. The Chairman requested Mr. Paxton to discuss the subject further with Mr. Merriam and report next week. Mr. Paxton said Mr. Ross had estimated the cost of installing the water mains in Blake and Preston Roads at Re : Lex- $3, 093.97 . The assessments would have been 01678.50 leaving ington Tr. a balance of 41415.47 The Lexington Trust Company' s cost Co. reim- was $3,955.00 and they requested reimbursement of $2276.50. bursement Mr. Ross figured that they should be reimbursed 41415.47. water mains Mr. Rowse moved that the mains be purchased at this Blake & amount. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Preston Rd. 535 The Chairman requested Mr. Paxton to consult with the bank and explain the basis that the Board went on. He said he would report next week. Mr. Paxton said Mr. Beach was receiving $25.00 per month for the use of his automobile. Mr. Wilbur Roberts, the investigator who checks all applicants for W.P.A. work is allowed 48.00 per month car allowance. This matter was taken up in May of 1940 and it was Car allowance stated then that Mr. Roberts drove 300 to 400 miles per W.P.A. work. month. He did not register his car this year so has been using Mr. Beach' s car and has been receiving a check for 8.00 which he has been signing over to Mr. Beach. ' Mr. Paxton thought this was all right but he would prefer to have the total sum of 33.00 paid direct to Mr. Beach rather than have payment made in two checks . Mr. Locke moved that the payments be made in one check direct to Mr. Beach. Mr. Potter seconded the motion, and it was so voted. A letter was received from W. S . Caouette in behalf of Lulu M. and Charles M. Blake requesting that the name of Blake Avenue be changed to Patriot ' s Drive. Mr. Rowse moved that the Selectmen, acting as the Request to Board of Survey, approve the change provided there is change Blake no objections from the owners of the corner lots . Mr. Ave to Pat- Locke seconded the motion and it was so voted. riot' s Dr. A letter was received from the Chamber of Commerce requesting the use of a conference room on the fourth Use of Conf. Thursday of every.month. The Chairman suggested that room arrangements might be made so that the Chamber might use a room in the Barnes property for its meeting rather than a conference room. He requested Mr. Paxton to look into the matter and report to the Board at the next meeting. The Chamber of Commerce requested the use of a conference room on Thursday, February 20th. Mr. Sarano moved that the use of the room be granted free of charge. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion and it was so voted. A letter was received from Mr. James Stuart Smith advising that the Isaac H. Cary Trustees were investigating the matter of the lecture equipment at the Cary Building. Mr. Smith said that the steriopticom repairs and alterations had already been ordered and that the Trustees had under Lecture consideration a sound motion picture projector and a loud equipment speaker. Mr. Smith said he had no idea what action the Cary Bldg. Trustees would take and that it might be some time before they would get around to taking a vote. 536 tc tc A letter was received from Pierre A. Northrup relative to a water lien placed on the property of Arthur Water M. Roberts of 38 Adams Street. Judge Northrup said there lien on was a leak which caused a waste of water and which matter, Roberts although called to the attention of the water department Prop. many times , was not taken care of. Judge Northrup said that the lien was for 3-1/2 years water rates . The Clerk reported that the lien was placed on June 30, 1938 and covered the water rates from March, 1937 to January, 1938 and that the Town has no right to touch a service on the house side of the meter. If a leak was noted by Mr. Roberts , it should have been taken care of by his plumber. The Clerk was instructed to advise Judge Northrup that the Board could see no reason for authorizing an abatement of the water lien. Mr. Paxton said he had talked with Mr. Harold Wellington Increase of the Lexington Coal Company who gave him the name of Mr. in cost Wood, in the Boston Post Office Building, whew he could con- of coal suit to verify the fact that the cost had been increased at the at the mine . He talked with Robert Fawcett who said that if mine. something happened at the mine so that the Lexington Coal Co. could not help the increase in the price then the Town should continue to purchase coal from them. Mr. Fawcett suggested that the last paragraph of the letter to the bidders read "this refers to change in price ." Mr. Paxton retired at 9:00 P.M. A letter was received from Mrs. William H. Hannam of 23 Lincoln Street stating that her husband had been removed to the hospital and the day he was removed, she was told by Ambulance the Fire Department there was no charge for the use of the charge ambulance. She was billed 46.00 for the use of the ambulance abated. and wondered if anything could be done about it . The Clerk was instructed to prepare an abatement inasmuch as Mrs. Hannam was misinformed and request Chief Taylor to advice his men what the charges for the use of the ambulance are. An invitation to attend the Governor' s Reception on Invita- February 22nd was received. The Clerk was instructed to tion post the invitation on the bulletin board. Abatement of water rates in the amount of 421.00 was signed. Mr. Potter said his committee recommended selling lot 3 and part of 2 on Ward Street to Mr. Frederick Sgrosso for the sum of 425.00. 537 Mr. Rowse moved that the offer be accepted. Mr. Lots on Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Ward Street. The offer of Mr. F. W. Coleman to purchase for some clients the 9 and 3/4 acres of land on Woburn Street, formerly owned by the Ryders, for the sum of 41500.00, was considered. Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. Potter contact Mr. Coleman and see if the interested parties would be willing to pay Ryer Prop. more for the property. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, Woburn St. and it was sc voted. Mr. Potter moved that Miss Pauline E. Bartlett of 41 Pleasant Street, be appointed Inspector in Precinct Inspector One to take the place of Mr. Bartlett J. Harrington. Precinct I. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Morse appeared before the Board at 9 :05 P.M. and retired at 10:07 P.M. The Board then discussed budgets . The Chairman suggested that the 4375. 00 for the power Power mower under the Park Department - Outlay Account be transferred mower to the Park Department - Wages and Expenses Account. Park Dept, Mr. Potter moved that the suggested transfer be made. budget. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. It was decided to have the 4200.00 for the maintenance of the ambulance set up in a separate account. The Clerk said that Dr. Blakely had telephoned and said that the cost of vaccine had increased 100%. He Increase recommended that the Rabies Clinic budget be increased Rabies Clinic from 4350.00 to 4500.00. It was decided to increase the budget . budget. The Board then discussed the warrant for the annual Town Meeting. The Clerk was instructed to include the 46,000.00 for sewer construction for the Marvin Development in the Sewer Construction - Sundry Streets Account. The Chairman said that Chief Taylor and the firemen had requested that an article be inserted in the warrant Art. for to see if the Town would vote to place the members of the warrant . Fire Department under civil service. Chief Taylor would be prepared to talk on the subject. It was decided to in- clude the article in the warrant. 538 The meeting adjourned at 11:40 P.M. A true record, Attest : Clerk.