HomeMy WebLinkAbout1941-09-0220vl�
Tax
Collection
SELECTMENIS
MEETING
September 2, 1941
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held
in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building on Tuesday
evening, September 2, 1941 at 7:30 P. M. Chairman Giroux,
Messrs. Rowse, Sarano and Locke were present. The Clerk
was also present. Mr. Potter arrived at 8:10 i.M.
Messrs. William S. Scamman and Ralph E. Chadwick ap-
peared before the Board.
The Chairman said that Mr. Chadwick was Sealer of
Weights and Measures in Lexington and Belmont and was a
Deputy Tax Collector in Belmont. Belmont has a very
small amount of taxes outstanding and he wondered if they
were using some method of collection which it might be
well for Lexington to adopt. Mr. Chadwick said that they
had ten poll taxes for 1940 and five for 1941 outstand-
ing. Mr. Scamman said he had a Deputy Collector, a Mr.
Green who comes from Arlington. Mr. Chadwick said that
the success in Belmont was based upon the cooperation of
the Collector, the Deputy Collector and the Board of
Assessors. He said he had his own notices printed and
paid for them out of the money he received. Mr. Scamman
asked if they arrested many people there and Mr. Chadwick
replied in the affirmative. He said that after an arrest
the person must either take the Poor Debtor's oath or get
out on a bond.
Mr. Scamman said that his Deputy was given a list of
the outstanding accounts and that if a man was unable to
pay a bill, he didn't see what sense there was in taking
him to East Cambridge.
Mr. Chadwick said that when a warrant was issued,
the bills were sent out. At the end of thibty days the
Collector has the privilege of sending out a demand
notice and 35¢ is added on. At the end of fourteen more
days, the warrant is given to the Deputy and the Statute
requires payment of an additional dollar and this goes to
the Deputy. If an arrest is made, there is an additional
X0.00 cost and this goes to the Deputy. Mr. Rowse asked
how soon the Collector turned the accounts over to the
Deputy and Mr. Chadwick said in Belmont they were turned
over as s6oh as they possibly could be. Mr. Scamman said
that he turned them over after fourteen days and that Mr.
Green now had some 1941 poll taxes to collect.
The Chairman said that the purpose of this meeting
was to see if Belmont was doing something that Lexington
was- not doing, but it appeared that they were not.
Mr. Scamman and Mr. Chadwick retired at 7:55 P. M.
Application for permission to remove two poles and
set one pole on Follen Road near Smith Avenue was re -
20vl�
Tax
Collection
ceived from the New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. and
Pole the Boston Edison Company. Messrs. Cosgrove and Paxton
locations approved the removals and belocation.
Mr. Sarano moved that the permit be granted. Mr.
Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted.
A petition was received from the New England Tele-
B.E. Tel. phone & Telegraph Company for permission to increase the
Order number of cables and to enlarge the existing conduit in
Muzzey Street and Massachusetts Avenue.
Mr. Locke moved that the Order be approved and adopted.
Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted.
Mr. Allen Rucker appeared before the Board at 8:37
P. M. The Chairman told him that there would be an
Appr. article in the warrant to appropriate money fbr the Com -
Public mittee on Public Safety and that the Selectmen would pre -
Safety fer to have a member of the committee handle it at the
Co.=. Town Meeting. Mr. Rucker conferred with his committee
and said that they felt that they needed an appropriation
of $1,000.00.
Mr. Rucker retired.
Mr. Paxton appeared before the Board at 9:45 P. M.
Use of He said that the Lexington Minute Men would like to use
Hall Cary Hall on Seatember 26, 1941 for an Americanization
show. This will be open to the public.
Mr. Rowse moved that the use of the hall be granted .
Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so voted.
Mr. Locke moved that the bill amounting to $52.80 for
the stenographer's services at the hearing before the
Steno.
County Commissioners relative to streets in Liberty Heights
bill
be charged to the Law Department -Expenses Account. Mr.
Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted.
Mr. Locke moved that the bill of $6.81 for recording
Recording
the Boston & Maine deeds to land in depot square be charged
B & M
to the Law Department -Expenses Account. Mr. Rowse seconded
Deed
the motion, and it was so voted.
A request was received for a certificate of Character
Cert. of
in connection with Katherine E. Allcock of 152 Follen Road.
character
Mr. Sarano moved that the certificate be approved and
signed. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so
voted.
The matter of holding a Town Meeting to act on the
Building Line in front of the Scott property was discussed.
Mr. Potter moved that a Town Meeting be held on
Town
September 22, 1941 and that an informal meeting be held
Meeting
on September 15, 1941 to explain the matter in detail to
Town Meeting members. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and
It was so voted.
Mr. Allen Rucker appeared before the Board at 8:37
P. M. The Chairman told him that there would be an
Appr. article in the warrant to appropriate money fbr the Com -
Public mittee on Public Safety and that the Selectmen would pre -
Safety fer to have a member of the committee handle it at the
Co.=. Town Meeting. Mr. Rucker conferred with his committee
and said that they felt that they needed an appropriation
of $1,000.00.
Mr. Rucker retired.
Mr. Paxton appeared before the Board at 9:45 P. M.
Use of He said that the Lexington Minute Men would like to use
Hall Cary Hall on Seatember 26, 1941 for an Americanization
show. This will be open to the public.
Mr. Rowse moved that the use of the hall be granted .
Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so voted.
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Mr. Paxton said he had requested the Boston Edison Co.
to submit a new layout of street lights on Follen Road and
they have submitted the layout from Pleasant Street to the
Tower Development. The actual maintenance charge will be
the same as at the present time, but there is a charge of
6*226.00 for shifting over the lights. Mr. Paxton said he
would like to see the work done while the Town is working
on the street, but there were not sufficient funds in the
Street Light Appropriation to take care of the additional
expenditure. He wondered if perhaps the necessary amount
could not be transferred at the next Town Meeting. The
Board thought that it would be better to let the matter go
until the budgets for 1942 were being considered.
Street
lights
Mr. Paxton said that he had an estimate of the cost
of erecting a stone fence at the Bashian property prepared.
The estimate is $210.00. The Board felt that it would not
be justified in approving an expenditure of this sum of Bashian
money and voted to take no action on Mr. Bashian's request fence
that a new stone fence be erected.
Mr. Paxton said that Anthony Rochette, assistant jani-
tor, would be employed here six months on October first and
according to the Board's vote he will be entitled to one
week's vacation in 1941. He is not entitled to it until Vacation
October first but Mr. Paxton felt it beet for him to take Asst.
it in September before the busy season starts. janitor
Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. Rochette take one week's
vacation in September. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and
it was so voted.
Mr. Paxton read a letter from Elmer A. Lord & Company
relative to the sprinkler equipment at the high school. The
system is complete and water is in the pipes but the Gate
Valves have been left closed due to the fact that Grinnell
Company have not been able to procure three valves and it
Sprinkler
is impossible to know when they may be obtained due to de-
system at
fense business. Mr. Hill talked the situation over with a
High Sch.
representative of the New England Fire Insurance Rating
Association and they agreed that it was better to have the
system in commission than to leave it as it is -at present.
However, the Grinnell Company would have to be relieved of
responsibility in the event of accidental discharge of water.
If this was done it would be necessary to carry an abnormal
amount of sprinkler insurance, say $125,000. on the building
and 421,000. on the contents. There would be' a temporary
reduced rate to be followed later by the promised reduction
when valves were installed.
Mr. Paxton asked what the Board wanted to do. It was
decided to adopt Mr. Hill's recommendation and to turn on
the water and to place the abnormal sprinkler leakage in-
surance and to change over when the valves were installed
and the system in proper working order.
The Chairman said that the Red Cross would like to
Barnes use the room in the Barnes nroperty down stairs until such
room for time as the Town needed it. Mr. Paxton had no objections.
Red Cross Mr. Paxton retired at 9:10 P. M.
A letter was received from Mr. Edward W. Kimball stat-
ing that with the opening of the Viano and Central Blocks,
Signs he hoped the Board would give consideration to the recom-
mendation of the Planning Board that signs be flat against
the building, only one major sign to a tenant and no over-
hanging signs.
The Clerk was instructed to acknowledge the letter with
thanks and.to tell Mr. Kimball that his redommendations
would be given due consideration.
A letter was received from Edward W. Taylor complain -
Complaint ing of the condition at the dump at the Public Works Build -
dumps ing and on the Dix Property on Ledgelawn Avenue. He said
that both constitute fire hazards and were also a health
menace.
A letter was received from the Health Inspector in-
forming the Board that he had talked with Irving R. Dix,
owner of the land on Ledgelawn Avenue, and that Mr. Dix
had promised to clean it up.
The Clerk was instructed to request Mr. Paxton to see
that the dump at the Public Works Building was properly
supervised and that the refuse was pushed back and covered
.with dirt.
Mr. Potter said he had investigated Mr.. Leslie Wood's
premises and he would recommend that Mr. Wood be given per -
Swine mission to keep twelve swine for a year anyway.
license Mr. Potter moved that the license be granted. Mr.
Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so voted.
The Chairman asked if there were any omissions or
errors in the records of the meeting held on August 25th
Records and the meeting held on August 27th. No omissions or
errors being noticed, Mr. Rowse moved that the records be de-
clared approved. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it
was so voted.
At 9:20 P. M. five members of the Planning Board ap-
Land at peared to discuss the proposed purchase of land owned by
Waltham the Lexington Trust Company and located at Waltham Street
St. & Park and Park Drive. Mr. Greeley, the chairman, said that their
Drive judgment was that the Town did not need the land for any.
purpose. They look on. Park Drive as a local artery and
their advice is not to buy the lots. They dl not object
strongly but see no reason why the Town needs it.
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Mr. Greeley said that last spring the Planning Board
talked about charts or measurements of the Town's expendi-
tures over a period of years but nothing was done about it.
They discussed the matter with the Appropriation Committee
who approved of the general scheme. A subcommittee of the
Planning Board handling this, submitted some forms to be
sent to the Department heads asking for estimated capital
expenditures over a six year period. They recommended
that these forms be filled in and submitted before October
1st. The Planning Board would then attempt to plan the
capital expenditures for the next six years. Brookline and
Winchester have done this and it has been very successful.
They believe it would be better for the forms to be sent
out from the Selectmen's office. The Chairman told the
group that the Board would be very glad to send out the
forms and to ask to have them returned by October lst.
The group retired.
Mr. Morse appeared before the Board at 10:16 P. M.
and retired at 11:04 P. M.
Board of Health abatements in the amount of 034.66
and Selectmen's abatements in the amount of 15.00 were re-
ceived.
Mr. Potter moved that the abatements be approved and
signed. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted.
Commitments of water rates and water liens were signed.
The meeting adjourned at 11:06 P. M.
A true record, Attest: 1-2
74
Clerk
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Planning Be
charts
Abatements