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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1942-04-27492 SELECTMEN'S MEETING �I April 27, 1942 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building on Monday, April 27, 1942 at 7:30 P.M. Chairman Giroux, Messrs. Potter, Rowse, Locke, and Sarano were present. The Clerk was also present. Mr. Paxton appeared before the Board at 7:30 P.M. Hearing was declared open upon the petition of Pole the Boston Edison Company and the New England Tele - Location phone and Telegraph Company for a joint location of a pole on Gleason Road, approximately 20 feet southeast of Williams Road. Mr. Allen R. Dougherty appeared at the hearing. The notice of the hearing was read by the Chair- man. He asked Mr. Dougherty if he had any objection i Mr. Dougherty said he to the location of the ole and y P g was going o be merelywanted to see where the ole s t P g � located. The Chairman showed him the plan and he ,said he had no objection. Mr. Potter moved that the petition be approved and the order signed. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Dougherty retired. Petition was received,from the Boston Edison Company and the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company for permission to transfer the locations of five existing poles on Spring Street, northerly from a point approximately 105 feet north of the Waltham - Lexington line. Mr. Sarano moved that the petition be approved and the order signed. Mr: Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Paxton reported that the Women's Division of the Committee on Public Safety wished to hold a dona- Use of tion day on May 9, 1942 in Cary Hall from 10:00 A.M. Hall to 5:00 P.M. for the purpose of receiving donations of clothing. Mr. Rowse moved that the use of the hall be granted free of charge. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Paxton reported that he received an answer from the office of Emergency Management pertaining to thepurchase of two trucks. That office has dis- approved the request because it claims the Town failed to establish urgent need. [7 J Mr. Beach reported to Mr. Paxton that W.P.B. head- quarters have been anxious to get the Town to remove the car tracks. Iir. Beach and Mr. Cosgrove went in town and talked with Mr. Cole in the W.P.A. office about it. The Salvage Committee of the Town would like imme- diate action as follows: 1. The Town to obtain deed to the rails; 2. Get W.P.A. to approve a project to remove them; 3. Notify Mr. Cole when the rails are ready to be delivered. We have approximately 70 tons of rails in Lexington and probably could get about $1400.00 for them. If the W.P.A. took out the rails, it would be necessary for the Town to & the patching afterwards. Mr. Paxton said that there also was the question of rotting ties which should be removed sometime. This means we will have a stretch approximately nine feet wide to be patched. There would be about 2100 yards of surface that would have to be re- placed which would cost about $2300.00 or $3000.00. Mr. Paxton said that there was about 1/2 mile of rails. Mr. Potter said that sometime the rails and the ties would have to come out and if the Government is anxious to get steel he thouhgt,as a patriotic measure, they should be removed now. Mr. Paxton said his figures did not include the sponsor's contribution on the W.P.A. project. He thought the Middlesex and Boston would take out the rails if we did not ask them to take care of the street and told them they could dispose of the rails. Mr. Rowse said he would prefer not to get involved in a W.P.A. project on this. It was decided to hold the subject over for one week in order for Mr. Paxton to get some information from the. Middlesex and Boston as to whether or not they are interested in removing the rails and ties. .49 Car tracks Mr.Rowse asked how the Liberty Heights sewer pro- ject was coming along and Mr. Paxton said that they Liberty had rut out of the ledge, but then ran into underground Heights springs. He asked Mr. Paxton to look into the advis- sewer ability of closing down the project in a couple of weeks. Mr. Paxton said that last week he forgot to mention an increase in pay for one man. He forgot Charles Brenton in the Park Department who has been receiving $32.00 per week and who probably works more than 50 hours par week. The foremen in the other Public Works Departments average $36.00 per week and Mr. Garrity recommended that Mr. Brenton be paid $35.00 per week the year round. Mr. Potter moved that the salary of Charles Brenton be increased from $32.00 to $35.00 per week, beginning April 24, 1942. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so voted. in 2. Handling of traffic serving the new Bedford airport. 3. Connection between the proposed Middlesex Turn- pike and the present Cambridge -Concord Turnpike. The Chairman suggested that a copy of the letter be given to Mr. Paxton and that he take the matter up with the State. Letter was received from Evelyn M. White of 11 Belfry Terrace requesting that repairs be made to the fence • Mr. Paxton presented amendments to the Traffic (Traffic Regulations which the State Department of Public Works Regula- recommended. It was decided to have the amendments tions put in proper form for the signatures of the Board. Letter was received from Mr. Wrightington rela- tive to Mr. O'Connell's letter advising that Mr. John 'Sullivan Sullivan would not sign the agreement in connection agreement with the abatement of his water betterment assessments. Mr. Wrightington said that Mr. Sullivan had a perfect right to claim damages for the taking and to contest the betterment assessmentsif he wished to. He said the agreement which Mr. O'Connell referred to was drawn up by him on the understanding that Mr. Sullivan had al- ready agreed to sign it. He said that there is no way in which to force him to do it. The Board felt that inasmuch as it had been will. Ing to abate the assessments until such time as use of the main was made, and Mr. Sullivan had agreed to sign an agreement, and then changed his mind, it did not._ ot_-.care careto take any further action on the matter. Letter was received from the Planning Board rela- tive to a report of the Massachusetts Selectmen's Asso- ciation on traffic problems. The Planning Board felt that the Town could properly ask the State to survey traffic conditions in the following three connections: 1. The possibility of the installation of signs or markers on all State highways in Lexington, similar to those found in other towns, with a view toward the alleviation of the very real problem created by the inadequacy of our present signs and route markers. (No better example can be found than at the foot of your own street, where large numbers of tourists become confused at the fork of Lincoln Street and Mass. Avenue, looking for the route to Concord). 2. Handling of traffic serving the new Bedford airport. 3. Connection between the proposed Middlesex Turn- pike and the present Cambridge -Concord Turnpike. The Chairman suggested that a copy of the letter be given to Mr. Paxton and that he take the matter up with the State. Letter was received from Evelyn M. White of 11 Belfry Terrace requesting that repairs be made to the fence • between her property and Belfry Park. The Chairman re- quested Mr. Paxton to look into the matter and to bring it up again next week. Mr. Paxton retired at 8:20 P.M. Mr. Morse appeared before the Board at 8:23 P.M. and retired at 8:50 P.M. Letter was received from Governor Saltonstall advis- ing that vastly expanded duties would shortly be thrown upon the Rationing System of the Country. He requested that every assistance be given the local Rationing Board. The Governor said he understood that the Federal Govern- ment would supply administrative and clerical assistance when needed. The Chairman said that the only question now on this was payment of a telephone bill and the Rationing Board was checking to see if the Federal Government would pay the bill. Letter was received from Sally M. Anderson offer- ing to pay the sum of 6300.00 for lots 32 and 33 on Shade Street. The Clerk told the Board that some time ago the Selectmen agreed to sell lot 33 to Mrs. Ander- son for $150.00. Both Mr. Potter and Mr. Spencer approving the deal, upon motion of Mr. Rowse, seconded by Mr. Sarano, it was voted to sell and convey lots 32 and 33 on Shade Street to Sally M. Anderson for the sum of $300.00. Upon motion of Mr. Sarano, seconded by Mr. Locke, it was voted to grant the following licenses. Gustavo Hurtado 53 Westview St. 15 swine Fair Oaks Dairy 9 Sheridan St. Past. of Milk Walnut Farms Trust Walnut St. 900 swine Letter was received from Brigadier General Erickson recommending the establishment of a State Guard in the Town of Lexington. The Chairman said that there was a regulation now that State Guards could not be ordered out of Town except in the case of invasion, and this was one of the chief objections previously. He asked the Board's opinion in the matter. It was the feeling of the Board that the time had come when it should con- sider seriously the establishment of a State Guard, and that the matter should be discussed with the Committee on Public Safety. The Chairman said that he would con- vey this opinion to the Committee on Public Safety. Mr. Raymond L. White, Town Accountant, appeared be- fore the Board at 9:05 F.M. 4955 Rationing Boards Lots 32-33 Shade St. State Guard He said that Miss Charbonneau in his department had told him that he could consider that he had her resigna- Miss tion if she did not receive an additional increase in Charbonneau salary of $1.00. He said that Miss Charbonneau was doing a very good job, and the Board voted last week not to in- crease her salary. He wondered if the Board would reverse its decision. He said that both girls knew that $2.00 had been recommended for each and only $1.00 had been given and subsequently Miss Clifford was given an extra dollar. The Chairman said that any diversion from the policy recommended by the Salary Committee would have to be ap- proved by the Appropriation Committee and the Selectmen. Mr. Rowse suggested that the matter be held over for one week and that Mr. Paxton be asked next week what effect, If any, an increase for Miss Charbonneau would have on the girls in his Department. Mr. White retired at 9:13 P.M. The Board reviewed the expenditures for the first three months. The matter of Police Regulations was discussed. The Police Chairman said that after looking over the regulations he Regula- thought it might be well to appoint a committee to study tions the subject and to submit a new set of regulations. He thought a committee of three might do and that Chief Sullivan should appoint one of the men. The Chairman asked permission to write the Allied Veterans Council and ask that that ,body serve as the Committee to handle transportation, etc. for the boys leaving to enter the Armed Forces. Mr. Potter moved that the Chairman be given this permission. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. The Chairman said that Mrs. Chester Cook informed him that the Field and Garden Club was discouraged in Emery trying to keep Emery Park in order. The Club has put in Park shrubs and the chains are going to be put up during the next week. It was decided to write Chief Sullivan a letter and demand that the children be kept off Emery Park and also to write the Lexington Minute -Man and re- quest that an editorial on the subject be put in the paper. It was also decided to call the Chief's attention to parking in restricted areas in Lexington Center and to speeding down Concord Hill. The meeting adjourned at 9:32 P.M. A true record, Attest: f� Clerk. f • •