HomeMy WebLinkAbout1942-07-27576
SELECTMEN'S MEETING
July 27, 1942
A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was
held in the Selectmen's Room on Monday afternoon, July
27, 1942 at 4:30 P.M. The members were told of this
meeting by the ¢chairman at the meeting held on July
20, 1942. Chairman Giroux, Messrs. Potter, Rowse, Locke
and Sarano were present. The Clerk was also present.
At 4:30 P.M. Mr. Leo Matthews, attorney, and Mr.
John B. Richardson of Arlington appeared before the
Board. Mr. Richardson has purchased the old Rest Inn
Richardson property for the purpose of altering it into small
res Rest apartments. Mr. Matthews said he had talked with Mr.
Inn prop. Wrightington and asked if Mr. Richardson might be re-
lieved of fulfilling the requirements of the Tenement
House Act, inasmuch as the Town has voted to petition
the Legislature to release its acceptance of the Act.
Apparently Mr. Wrightington believes that Mr. Richard-
son can have no relief from the requirements of the Tenement
House Act.
Mr. Matthews said that when Mr. Richardson first
applied for a building permit he submitted his plans
which were approved as submitted and the permit was
issued. Mr. Richardson then started work and after
. about ten days he received a call from Mr. Cann stat-
ing that something was wrong and that he would have
to stop work. eMr. Matthews said that of course Mr.
Richardson could not comply with the requirements
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of the Tenement House et because it would take steel
and other materials not available and because the cost.
H would
like to proceed with
would be rohibitive, e p
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the work but did not want to comply with the Tenement
House Act.
Mr. Richardson said that in accordance with Mr.
Cann's suggestion he went to the State Department of
Public Safety which approved of his plans. Mr. Cann
thought that as long as that department had approved
the plans, it was all right for him to go ahead and
grant the permit.
The Chairman asked if the Building Inspector
told him that the Board of FireEngineersthought
sprinklers should be installed in the house and Mr.'
Matthews said that that was a condition on the per-
mit. The Chairman said he could not think of any
power that any Board of Selectmen had to waive any
laws. He said that the Board would have to discuss
the subject with the Town Counsel.
is
Mr. Matthews said that they had a permit which had not
been revoked but that they had been requested to stop
work for the time being. He said that where the Town
Meeting members had voted to petition the Legislature
for relief from this Act, probably no one would complain
if Mr. Richardson did not comply with it. He will make
the building fireproof and put in a sprinkler system.
Mr. Richardson took title to the property on July 3, 1942
and the building permit was taken out on July 7,1942.
They have gont to considerable expense arranging for the
mortgage etc.
Messrs. Matthews and Richardson retired at 4:37 P.M.
Mr. Wentworth of Metcalf & Eddy and Mr. Paxton then
appeared before the Board.
Mr. Wentworth said that Metcalf & Eddy have been
employed by the War Department to study the matter of
water and sewerage for the Bedford Airport. The War
Department made some preliminary surveys and thought
it would like service from Lexington if Lexington was
agreeable. The Town would have to go to the State for
permission to do this as Bedford is not in the Metro-
politan District but the Governor now has emergency
powers and probably the tie-in would be permitted. The
Chairman asked if the government would expect to pay
for the water. Mr. Wentworth said that the rule had
been that it cannot pay more than the regular local
rates. Mr. Paxton said he thought the M.D.C. would
install and maintain the meter and measure and charge
the Federal Government for the water. Mr. Wentworth
said that there were about 1,000 men at the base and
they estimate 70 gallons per capita which would mean
a daily consumption of 70,000 gallons, but he thought
it would exceed that amount.
The Chairman said that the only question as far
as the Selectmen were concerned was the formal action
on the part of the government in requesting this. Mr.
Rowse asked if our mains were large enough to supply
the base and Mr. Wentworth said he understood that
they were not. A reservoir will probably be built at
the airport. Our main ends 1250 feet from the Bedford
line and probably the government would pay for the ex-
tension from the present end. It was left that nothing
further would be done on the matter until the Board
heard from the government or from Metcalf & Eddy.
Mr. Wentworth retired at 4:50 P.M.
• Mr. Paxton said that he had received a request
for a water main extension in Grassland Street for a
distance of approximately 100 feet. The abutters
have signed the petition. Mr. Rowse moved that the
extension be authorized. Mr. Sarano seconded the
motion, and it was so voted.
.577
Re: Water for
Bedford
Airport
Water Main
extension
573
Letter was received from the Appropriation Com-
mittee advising that the sum of 0225.00 had been trans -
Transfer ferred from the Reserve Fund to the Public Works Build-
ing -Wages & Expenses Account for the purchase of 25 tons
of coal to be stored outside the Public Works Building.
Letter was received from the Appropriation Committee
advising that the sum of 460.00 had been transferred from
Transfer the Reserpe Fund to the Assessors' Department to pay the
salary of an extra clerk for four weeks.
Letter was received from the Appropriation Committee
advising that a sum not to exceed $600.00 had been trans -
Transfer ferred from the Reserve Fund to the Police Department -
Expense Account to take care of the additional cost of
j the purchase of two new police cars.
Letter was received from the Appropriation Committee
Transfer advising that the sum of $100.00 had been approved for
the purchase of food and coffee for the Observation
Tower.
Mr. Paxton retired at 4555 P.M.
Letter was received from the S filer of Weights &
Measures advising that, due to tequests for additional
Req, for services from the State and Government, the amount of
gasoline travel necessary for him had increased. He requested
that the Board authorize him to obtain thirty gallons
of gasoline per month from the Public Works Building.
Mr. Kowse said that his idea was for Mr. Chadwick
to pursue his regular duties and not to take orders
from the O.P.A. and O.P.M. He thought that if he
did get requests from these agencies that he should
consult with the Board before complying with them.
The Board felt that if Mr. Chadwick would confine his
efforts to the line of his regular work no additional
allowance would be needed.
The Governor's Executive Order #31 was received.
Letter was received from the State Department of
Public Health relative to the inspections of piggeries
Piggeries in Lineotp, Lexington and Bedford. The piggeries in
Lexington were reported to be in excellent condition
but those in the other two towns were not. The State
thought that those piggeries were source of our fly
nuisance.
The Board considered again the offer of Daniel J.
Offer to O'Connell to pay $100.00 for the lot on Fletcher A venue,
purchase formerly in the name of Pearce and Kendall. Mr. Potter
lot said that his committee felt that the offer was inadequate
but would accept $500.00 for the lot. The Clerk was
instrucAed to so inform Mr. O'Connell.
0
579
The offer of Neil McIntosh to pay $250.00 for lot
139, Cary Avenue was again considered. After some dis- Lot 139
cussion on the matter, Mr. Rowse moved that the offer Cary
be accepted. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it
was so voted.
Letter was received from Mr. Carroll recommending
that bids be taken on a loan of $753000.00 in antici- Lean
pation of revenue. It was decided to hold the matter
over until next Monday.
Mr. Locke moved that Miss Hazel J. Murray be ap-
pointed temporary Agent for the Board of Health from
August 1, 1942 through August 8, 1942. Mr. Potter
seconded the motion, and it was so voted.
A bill of $1.50 for repairs to service flags was
received. Mr. Locke moved that th_s bill be charged
to the Unclassified Account. Mr. Sarano seconded the
motion, and it was so voted.
The meeting adjourned at 5218 P.M.
A true record, Attests
Clerk