HomeMy WebLinkAbout1941-03-17SELECTMEN'S MEETING
' March 17, 1941
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in
the Selectmen' Room, Town Office Building on Monday evening,
March 17, 1941 at 7:30 P. M. Messrs. Rowse, Sarano, and Locke
were present. The Clerk was also present. In the absence of
Mr. Giroux, Mr. Rowse served as Chairman.
At 7:30 P. M. hearing was held for the layout as a Town
way Patriots Drive from Meriam Street to Edgewood Road in ac-
cordance with the Statute. This hearing was held after
written notices of the intention of the Board of Selectmen to
lay out the street had been served on the following abutters:
Mrs. Ina Downs, 11 Edgewood Road; Mr. Charles M. Blake, 59
York Street, Mrs. Lulu M. Blake, 14 Oakmount Circle, Mr. Robert
C. Merriam, 4 Oakmount Circle, Mrs. Lois M. Marshall 7 Patriots
Drive, Mrs. Ruth A. Stone, 6 Patriots Drive, Mr. Harry E. Stone
6 Patriots Drive, Boston & Lowell Railroad Corporation, Boston,
Mrs. Lena G. Dreselly, 15 Goodwin Road, Mary W. McAllister, 17
Edgewood Road.
Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Dreselly, Mr. Norman Downs and Mr. Roswell
S. Eldridge were present at the hearing. Mr. Paxton, Supt. of
Public Works was also present.
A plan prepared by the Town Engineer showing the exterior
lines of the street was explained by Mr. Paxton. Mr. Downs
presented a plan of his lot and there was a slight variation
in the angle at Edgewood Road and Patriots Drive as compared
with the angle shown on the Town plan. Mr. Paxton said he
would check up on the matter and thought probably there was
an error in the figure on Mr. Downs' plan. Mr. Rowse said that
there was to be no charge for betterments to any abutters other
than the Blakes. Mr. Downs said he had no objection to the lay-
out excepting he did not want the travelled way coming any
closer to his house than it is now. Mr. Rowse asked if he would
like to have the street staked out and he said he would. Mr.
Paxton said he would be glad to have this done. Mr. Downs
checked with the Town Engineer's office and was told that there
were to be no land takings. He said he was not here to protest
the layout.
Mr. FXdridge said he was appearing for Mrs. Mary W.
McAllister and that she had no objections to the layout.
The'group retired at 7:55 P. M.
A letter was received from the Boston and Maine Railroad
stating that that company had seen the plan of Patriots Drive
as laid out by the Town Engineer and inasmuch as there would
be no betterment charges against the railroad, it had no ob-
jection tb-the project..
Lay out as
Town way
Patriots
Drive
564 ftll
Mr. Locke moved that the Selectmen lay out as a Town way
Patriots Drive from Meriam Street to Edgewood Road, a distance
of approximately 1098 feet as shown on a plan entitled:
"Plan of Patriots Drive, Lexington, Mass. Scale 1 inch = 40 ft.
Feb. 27, 1941 John T. Cosgrove, Town Engineer", which plan is
on file in the Town Clerk's Office in the Town Office Building.
A bond in the sum of $47,800.000 issued by the American
I'Town Tress. Employers Insurance Company, on behalf of James J. Carroll as
bond Town Treasurer was received.
Mr. Locke moved that the Selectmen approve the bond. Mr.
Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so voted.
A public official bond, issued by the American Employers'
Town Clerk Insurance Company, in the amount of $1,000.00 on behalf of
bond James J. Carroll as Town Clerk was received.
Mr. Locke moved that the Selectmen approve the bond.
Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so voted.
A letter was received from Mr. Wrightington with refer-
ence to Article 42 of the warrant, which is the article re-
questing that the members of the Fire Department be placed
under Civil Service. Mr. Wrightington said he believed the
Re: Civil article should have called for the acceptance of Section 48
Service for instead of Section 4. The Chairman had asked him if the
Fire Dept. article would include call men and Mr. Wrightington said '
Section 48 provides that its acceptance shall include
regular members and may include call members. He felt that
the vote must specifically provide for acceptance as to call
members and he thought the article in the warrant should In-
dicate that acceptance to both regular and call members was
to be voted on.
The Clerk reminded the Board that on February 24th
Chief Taylor agreed with the Selectmen that it would be best
to move for indefinite postponement on Article 42 and to have
a committee appointed, under Article 2, to study the question
of Civil Service for the Fire Department.
A letter was received from Mr. Wrightington in response
to the Board's question asking if it would be all right if a
separate warrant for the annual election and another separate
warrant for the annual Town Meeting were issued. Mr. Wright-
ington said that it was his opinion that we could not have
two warrants for the same meeting. He said if we had two
separate warrants for the two parts of the meeting, the second
part would be a separate meeting ---in other words, a special
meeting and not the annual meeting. He said that occasionally
there were statutes which required action at an annual town
meeting. He said he saw no advantage in having the two
separate warrants. ,
' A letter was received from the British Naval & Military British Vet.
Veterans Association advising that it was voted to hold the pilgrimage
annual pilgrimage to Lexington on May 25th. The Board had no
objection to this.
A letter was received from Mr. Wrightington advising
that he approved of the payment of 040.00 to Walter A. Gleason Gleas6n
in settlement of his claim for damage to his car when it struck settlement
an open catch basin on Waltham Street on January 30, 1941.
An application for an overhanging sign permit was re- Liggett's
ceived from Liggett's Drug Store on Mass. Avenue. Mr. Sarano overhanging
moved that the permit .be granted subject to the approval of sign
the Building Inspector. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and
it was so voted.
The Town Accountant submitted a financial report on the
North Lexington Sewer and Vine Brook Sewer and Drain Pro-
jects. It was decided to have copies of the reports mimeo-
graphed for the Town Meeting members.
Mr. Morse appeared at 8:25 P. M. and retired at 8:55 P.M.
Mr. Paxton appeared before the Board.
He said that the Veterans of Foreign Wars had requested
' use of Cary Hall on May 13th for a military and charitable
ball. Mr. Sarano moved that the use of the hall be granted
free of charge. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so
voted.
Mr. Paxton said that the Precinct.2 Town Meeting members
had requested use of Estabrook Hall on March 27th. Mr.Sarano
moved that the use of the hall be granted free of charge. Mr.
Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted.
Mr. Paxton said the Air Defense Committee had requested
use of the use of the Engineers' Room for a meeting on March
20th. Mr. Saran moved that the use of the room be granted
free of charge. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so
voted.
Yr. Paxton said he had received bids from ten different
companies on small tools. In the past, it has been left that
he would buy the tools from whatever company he wished to do
business with.
Mr. Locke moved that Mr. Paxton be given the same
authority this year. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it
was so voted.
Mr. Paxton said Mr. Ross had included in his Sewer Main-
tenance and Water Maintenance Appropriation the sum of $300.00
for a diaphram pump, also they have encountered considerable
water on the W.P.A. sewer project.
Uses of
halls
Purchase of
small tools
566
71%
06-1
Ggi%
Not Cost per foot
8"
5.203
$.203
$.214
10.1
.3045
.3045
.3202
Mr. Beach has checked on rental prices for pumps and finds the
cost is $5.00 per day. Both Mr. Beach and Mr. Ross said
I
that they preferred the Edson pump. Mr. Ross feels he should
Minus_Preight
Re: Pumps
keep his pump at the Public Works Building for emergency and
for sewer
Mr. Beach feels he should have a pump on his project at all
3%
work
times. Mr. Paxton recommended purchasing two three-inch
pumps; one for the Water and Sewer Department and one for the
W.P.A. Mr. Rowse asked who would own the pump when the sewer
job was finished if the pump was purchased for the W.P.A. sewer
work. Mr. Paxton said he thought the pump should go to the
Sewer Department, Mr. Rowse said he thought one pump would be
enough. He said he didn't believe it would be legal to charge
the pump to the money provided by the bond issue. He thought
that if Mr. Beach wanted to make an agreement to hire a pump
at the usual rental price, and used it for a sufficient number
of days to pay for the pump, it could then be purchased. Mr.
Paxton said that it was his understanding that the Selectmen
were opposed to rental purchases. It was finally decided that
it would be all right to hire the pump on a rental purchase
basis for the W.P.A. but that the pump for the Sewer Department
should not be purchased until after Town Meeting. Mr. Rowse
said what disturbed him most was who would vwn the equipment
after the job was completed.
Mr. Paxton said he had obtained prices on V.C. and con- ,
trete pipe, for the W.P.A. and the Sewer Department. Prices
were received on a total of 4200 feet of 8 inch pipe and
Re: Pipe 850 feet of 10,inch pipe, of which 1300 feet of 8 inch pipe
for sewer was for the Sewer Department and the remainder is for W.P.A.
work sewer projects. After some discussion pertaining to the
available funds at the present time, it was voted to purchase
the pipe from the Lexington Lumber Company,providing the funds
were available in carry over accounts.
Prices on V.C. Pipe
Lexington Lumber Waldo Bros. E.G.Barker
Company Company Lumber Co.
Discount Off List
71%
71%
Ggi%
Not Cost per foot
8"
5.203
$.203
$.214
10.1
.3045
.3045
.3202
Cash Discount
Minus_Preight
Town Paid
5%
3%
1i%
Mr. Rowse called the Board's attention to the fact
that if any materials were purchased before the money was
appropriated, the Board of Selectmen were personally liable. '
' Mr. Paxton said that during the last snow storm one of the
men at the Public Works Building found a short circuit in one
of the lights. It was discovered that the rubber had disinteg-
rated and had caused a slow short circuit. In some cases the
bare wire is showing. The cost of repairing the fixtures has
been estimated at $160.00. Mr. Paxton said that it would be
possible of course to fix the lights that are gone now and post-
pone repairing the others until they are gone. Mr. Rowse
suggested that the lights that are actually gone.be fixed. Mr.
Paxton said that we would still have a dangerous situation there
and the electrician who inspected the work stated that he did
not feel that it was a safe condition. It was left that only
the lights which are actually gone are to be fixed.
Mr. Paxton said that the mechanic at the Public Works
Building, Frank Barry, had found out that he was not going
to receive an increase in salary. He says he was hired at
a salary of $35.00 with the understanding that he would be
raised to $40.00 within six months. The man has been here
several years and has done very well. During the past two
months he had a couple of jobs offered him but he refused
them believing he was going to receive an increase. He felt
that if another job was offered him he would have to take it.
Mr. Rowse felt that nothing should be done on the matter until
after the committee appointed to study salaries had submitted
its report. Mr. Saran said that Mr. Barry would be willing to
stay if he received a $2.00 increase this year and $3.00 next
year. Mr. Sarano said he felt that Barry had done splendid work
and he would be very much disturbed if the Town lost him. It
was decided to discuss the matter further at the next meeting
when the Chairman would be present.
Mr. Paxton said on Saturday, March 8th, one John Timbury
collided with a town snow plow and the right front fender of
his car was damaged. Mr. Paxton read a letter from Mr. Timbury
placing the blame on the snow plow and claiming damages. Mr.
Paxton said as he got the story, James Casello was operating
the snow plow and was backing out of the Cary Memorial Build-
ing Drive. Wallace Weisinger was across the street and saw
the accident happen. As the snow plow was backing out, the
Timbury car came up Mass. Avenue from Woburn Street at a fast
rate of speed and skidded into the plow. Casello said that
when he started to back up he saw no car coming up Woburn St.
of Mass. Avenue. Mr. Paxton thought the cost of repairing the
fender would be about t20.00. The Board instructed him to deny
responsibility in the case.
Mr. Paxton said he checked with the Middlesex & Boston
Street Railway Company about moving the bus stop from in
' front of Waldron's diner up toward Waltham Street.
Lights at
Public Wks
Building
Salary of
Town Mech.
Timbury
claim for
damages
Move bus
stop sign
568
The Company saw no reason why the sign could not be shifted. ,
Mr. Sarano moved that the bus stop sign be moved. Mr. Locke
seconded the motion, and it was so voted.
Mr. Paxton asked if the Board wanted him to advertise
for bids on sand and gravel and the Board told him it would be
Sand -Gravel all right if he merely sent out the usual letters and omitted
Bids advertising in the paper.
A copy of the agreement between the Lexington Trust Co.
and the Board of Selectmen, representing the Town of Lexing-
ton, was received as follows:
AGREEMENT made this eleventh day of March, 1941, between
the TOWN OF LEXINGTON, a municipal corporation in the Common-
wealth of Massachusetts, hereinafter called the "Torn", and
LEXINGTON TRUST COMPANY, a banking corporation organized under
the laws of said Commonwealth, having its (principal business
in said Town, hereinafter called the "Bank';
WHEREAS, the Secretary of Agriculture, to effectuate the
Food Stamp Plan under the Surplus Marketing Administration
of the United States Department of Agriculture, issued cer-
Agreement: tain Regulations relative to the operation of the Food $tamp_Plan
Food Stamp which became effective July 1, 1940; and '
Plan
WHEREAS, it is proposed to inaugurate the operation of
the Food Stamp Plan in said Town, which has been or will 'ie
designated by Surplus Marketing Administration as an area
in which Food Stamps may be used; and
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the parties hereto to put
said Food Stamp Plan in operation in said Town forthwith; and
WHEREAS, the maintenance of an adequate supply of Food
Stamps for the operation of said Plan within said Town will
require a revolving fund of approximately Five Thousand
Dollars; and
WHEREAS, the Bank, in order to facilitate the inauguration
of said Food Stamp Plan, is willing to provide money for the
purchase of Food Stamps for use by the Town in the operation
of said Plan; and
WHEREAS, it is the purpose of this Agreement to assure
the Bank for the return of such sums as it may provide from
time to time for the procurement of said Food Stamps;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of
the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto I
agree as follows:
1. The Bank agrees that it will, during the term of this
agreement, obtain, so far as it may do so under said Regulations,
Orange and Blue Food Stamps by depositing with the Surplus Market-
ing Administration such sums of money, not exceeding Five Thousand
Dollars (05,000.00) at any one time outstanding, as the Town may
from time to time request; each such deposit to be not in excess
of the aggregate face amount of Orange Stamps for which requisi-
tion is concurrently made by the Town to the Surplus Marketing
Administration.
2. Each such deposit shall be made by Cashier's Check of
the Bank payable to the order of the Treasurer of the United
States, and shall be delivered to or upon the order of the
person designated by the Board of Public Welfare of the Town to
receive, distribute and account for Food Stamps, which person
Is hereinafter referred to as the "Agent". All checks so de-
livered to the Agent shall be held in trust by him to apply the
same in payment for Stamps concurrently requisitioned.
3. All Stamps purchased with money provided by the Bank
shall be held in trust by the Agent for the Bank, but with
power to dispose thereof in the regular operation of said Food
Stamp Plan. All proceeds of the sale of such Stamps shall be
the property of the Bank, shall not be commingled with any funds
1 of the Town, but at the close of business on each day shall be
paid over to the Bank, to be credited by it against money pre-
viously advanced hereunder.
4. The Town shall furnish the Bank with a copy of each
audit of Food Stamp records made by the Surplus Marketing Ad-
ministration during the term of this Agreement.
5. It is contemplated that the Town will shortly have
available the necessary funds to carry on the Food Stamp Plan
without the use of funds provided by the Bank, and will there-
upon pay to the Bank so much of the funds provided by the Bank
for the purchase of Food Stamps as shall not theretofore have
been repaid to it out of the proceeds of the sale of Food Stamps.
The Town agrees that if it shall not have made such payment to
the Bank on or before June 1, 1941, it will, 8n written request
of the Bank at any time thereafter, promptly terminate the opera-
tion of the Food Stamp Plan in said Town and will cause all un-
issued Stamps then on hand to be redeemed by the Surplus Market-
ing Administration pursuant to the provisions of said Regulations
relative thereto, and will cause the proceeds of such redemption
to be paid over forthwith to the Bank. After making such written
request, the Bank shall be under no obligation to provide further
funds under this Agreement.
1
570
6. The Town shall, at its own cost and expense, cause
the Agent and every other person or employee handling Food
Stamps or the proceeds thereof to furnish and maintain through.
out -the term of this Agreement a fidelity bond running in favor
of the Town and the Bank, as its interest may appear, in such
form and for such penal sum not exceeding a total of Five
Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), and with such bonding or surety
company thereon as shall be satisfactory to the Bank.
The Town shall also obtain and keep in force throughout
the term of this Agreement, at its own cost and expense, a
policy of "all risk" insurance in favor of the Town and the
Bank, as its interest may appear, protecting the Town and the
Bank against loss of.the proceeds from the sale of Food Stamps
and against loss of any unissued Food Stamps on hand, in such
amount, not exceeding a total of Five Thousand Dollars
($5,000.00) and with such insurance company as shall be satis-
factory to the -Bank.
The Town agrees that it will hold any sums received by
it from the bonds and insurance policies mentioned in the pre-
ceding paragraph in trust for the benefit of the Bank to the
extent that any loss thereunder shall not have been paid direct
to the Bank.
7. This Agreement may be terminated at any time by the
Town upon full payment to the Bank of all advances at any time
remaining unpaid.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
instrument to be duly executed upon the day and date heretofore
written.
Archibald R. Giroux
A. Edward Rowse
Errol H. Locke
George W. Sarano
A Majority of the Board of
Selectmen of the Town of
Lexington
LEXINGTON TRUST COMPANY,
By Clarence S. Walker
Treasurer
The Clerk was instructed to furnish the Town Accountant and the
Town Clerk with a copy of the agreement.
The meeting adjourned at 10:25 P.M.
A true record, Attest:
Clerk
I.WW
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