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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1942-12-28ff` W.P.A. School lunch project SELECTMEN'S MEETING December 28, 1942 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building on Monday evening, December 28, 1942, at 7:30 P.M. Chairman Giroux, Messrs. Potter, Rowse, Locke, and Sarano were present. The Clerk was also present. Mr. Paxton and Mr. Beach appeared before the Board at 7:30 P.M. The Chairman said that Mr. Beach had been asked to meet with the Board to discuss the W.P.A. lunch project. Mr. Beach said he thought the project would last until June anyway and probably would continue from June to the end of the year under some Federal Agency other than the W.P.A. Mr. Rowse said that he understood that the children were required to eat before they could go out to recess regardless of whether or not they liked the food. Mr. Beach said that some of the children did not want to eat and they have to have some sort of a rule, and they have not had very much trouble with it. Mr. Beach said that they were feeding 393 children; 230 of whom pay, leaving 20 State children being fed free, and 143 underprivileged children being fed free. He has asked for a list of underprivileged children so that it families' finances can be checked again. He said that he had nothing to do with the certification of the children -- that is up to the principal, of the school, Mr. Morse, and the teachers. Based on the average of 63,000 meals, the cost to the Town is 42� per meal. The charge has Pone from 6X to 10� a meal. The government used to furnish butter and cheese free, but now that has to be purchased. Mr. Rowse asked if Mr. Beach had ever considered the possibility of mak- ing the project pay and he replied in the negative. He said it would cost about 27X per meal if the Town has to pay for the labor. Mr. Rowse said that if it came to the point of whether to continue the project or not, it would seem to him that to put the burden on the Town to finance the project and give meals to children whose parents could afford to pay, would not be justified. The Chairman said he thought the question should be placed before the Town Meeting. Mr. Beach said that if the number of children Who paid dropped down, it would increase the number of children who do not pay. Mr. Beach said that he had about $3,000.00 left in his appropriation and would not have to ask for any more funds in 1943. Mr. Beach retired at 8:00 P.M. Oki �i LI 1 Mr. Paxton said that he received a request from Peter McDonagh, who operates the gasoline and fuel oil station in East Lexington, for permission to hire the Townts compressor for three hours. The fuel pipe to his tank was frozen. Mr. Paxton allowed him to use the compressor. Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. Paxton's action be approved. Mr. Potter seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Paxton said that Mr. Potter had spoken to him about the advisability of purchasing a heavy truck, pri- marily as insurance for heavy snow storms. There is about $6,000.00 or $7,000.00 available in the Road Mach- inery Account. Mr. Paxton checked with the Mack Truck Company and they had nothing on the floor and had no sug- gestions as to where they could pick one up. The Sterling Truck people recommended a 7 -ton Sterling truck which was on the floor. The latter, however, was sold last Satur- day. The end of the year will be here on Thursday and Mr. Paxton thought it would be impossible to purchase anything between now and then. Mr. Paxton said that the advantage would be the insurance that we would have a heavy truck to go to work in an emergency. One of his tractors was purchased in 1936. Another was purchased in 1925 and the third unit was purchased last and a V plow was put on it. If we run into a condition where we are unable to get any hired trucks to plow, we are going to be in a precarious position. Mr. Paxton said that right now it did not look too bad for the winter. He said that the small two -ton trucks cover practically no territory at all during sand- ing and a heavy truck is very helpful during a storm that requires sanding. Mr. Rowse said that he thought if the Board contem- plated purchasing any special type of equipment it should be shown specifically in the budget. Mr. Potter moved that the Board approve of Mr. Paxton purchasing the type of truck he is interested in if he can find one in the next three days. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Rowse wished to be recorded in opposition as he thought that this was not the correct way to handle the matter. At 8:30 P.M. Dr. Charles E. Scribner of 7 Highland Avenue appeared before the Board. Dr. Scribner said that before he moved into his house, Walter Black remarked that the type washing machine he had would use a great deal of water. Dr. Scribner therefore expected his bill to be high, but when he received his first bill of $23.13 he was astounded. He came down to the office and talked to one of the girls and also talked to Mr. Paxton. Later Equipment rental Heavy Truck Scribner water bill 110 he talked to Mr. Black again who said that he thought something was wrong. ' A couple of days later he asked his next door neigh- bor what his water bill amounted to. The latter's bill was about 1%3 lower than Dr. Scribner's and the bill of the neighbor on the other side was about 50% lower. He checked with his sister-in-law who has the same kind of a washing machine, and who washes twelve times a week, and her bill was usually between $7.50 and $8.00. He checked with the makers of the washing machine, and they said that the machine would not use all that water. Mr. Paxton agreed to test the meter and when the men came down to remove it, they and Dr. Scribner read the meter and it was something around 8,000. At the end of a few days Dr. Scribner read it again and it was down to 4,000 cubic feet. The meter was tested and found to be registering accur- ately. Dr. Scribner said that if the Selectmen felt that he used all the water, he would prefer paying the whole bill of $23.13 rather than having the Board adjust it as was approved last week. The Chairman.told him that the Board agreed that something was wrong but it did not know exactly what it was and the Selectmen felt that the best thing to do was to adjust the bill in the manner approved last week. Dr. Scribner said that that would be all right with him and he retired at 8:40 P.M. Mr. Paxton said he went over too the Barnes property of the ' with Mr. Moloy today to see if he could move some offices over the W.P.A. office and save some fuel oil. Barnes The Red Cross rooms are on the upper floor and Mrs. Mayo Property said she would not mind moving her office to some other part of the building. The lower part of the wing is used for Red Cross storage and the Fire Engineers meet there also. If the Fire Engineers could meet over here then the radiators could be shut off. The Board told Mr. Paxton to request the Fire Engineers to meet in this building and to shut off the radiators in the wing. Mr. Paxton asked what the Board wanted to do about next Saturday. The Board felt that the offices should be closed on January 2, 1943, in order to comply with the Governor's request for the conservation of fuel. Mr. Potter moved that the Town Offices be closed on January 2, 1943. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Paxton said that Mr. Giroux had asked him to look Into the matter of lighting the stairway into the parking space. Some years ago a light was attached to the Cary Light at Memorial Building, but that cannot be used now on account parking of the dimout regulations. Mr. Paxton thought that per - space haps an old conduit could be put into the ground and tapped ,' ' on to the present light but that would be an expensive proposition now because the ground was frozen. Mr. Paxton thought that some luminous paint on the steps would help. The Chairman suggested that some pipe be put down the middle of the steps and painted white so that people could take hold of it going down the steps. Mr. Paxton thought that that would be a good idea but found that some flanges and elbows would be necessary. He said he might be able to get these and it was left with him to work it out as best he could. Mr. Paxton retired at 8:50 P.M. 1 I� A report from the committee appointed to consider the advisability of moving the Report Center was received. The report said that the committee felt that the proper place for the Report Center was in the center of the Town's activities -- exactly where it is now. The com- mittee made the following recommendations: Report Center 1. Beginning January 1, 1943, the Report Center as a twenty-four hour duty for the citizens be discontinued, and that this function and duty be given to the Lexington Police Department direct and that the regular Police Force take the Newton Warning Calls and keep a log book reporting twenty-four hours a day. 2. We recommend that a siren button be placed beside the police desk exchange so that in case of a raid the of- ficer in charge can call all services and warn the town with the siren. 3. That if it is the desire or the order of the Select- men that the Report Center as now situated be moved, it be put upstairs in the Engineering Room and that that room be partitioned in halves, or not, as the Selectmen wish, so that the portion fronting on Massachusetts Ave- nue, and the room of the Plumbing and Building Inspectori§' office can be used for our telephone reports, without disturbing the present office arrangement, and these two rooms made into a report center; that all telephones and equipment be transferred into these rooms and blackout curtains be furnished together with other equipment to operate. This committee feels that without figures, this move would cost the town $300 at least. The Clerk was instructed to ask the telephone company for an estimate of the cost of moving the telephones and equipment upstairs to the Inspectors' room. She was further instructed to ask Chief Sullivan to meet with the Board next Monday evening to discuss the recommendations. 112 ^' Mr. Morse appeared before the Board to discuss wel- fare matters at 9;00 P.M. and retired at 9;20 P.M. ' Letter was received from the Town Accountant inform- ing the Board that he had requested the Division of Ac- counts to make certain changes in the captions on the Account- Classification sheets. The cost of these forms will be ant 0276.80, or $72.80 more than if the present forms are forms used. Mr. White thought that the new forms would be much more satisfactory. Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. White be authorized to order the forms he wishes. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Letter was received from the Appropriation Committee Transfer informing the Board that the sum of $25.00 had been trans- ferred from the Reserve Fund to the Ambulance Account. A letter was received from the Appropriation Committee referring to uncollected bills. The committee recommended that the Tax Collector be requested, to turn over to the Treasurer unpaid tax accounts where tax titles should be Uncollect- taken. The committee felt that the Selectmen should take ed some action in the matter. The Clerk was instructed to bills. advise the Appropriation Committee that the duties of the Tax Collector did not come within the province of the ' Board of Selectmen and to suggest that the committee write directly to Mr. Scamman. Letter was received from Mr. Wrightington in reply to the Board's request for advice as to how to return to Mr. Edward W. Taylor the automobile he gave the Town. Mr. Wrightington said he know of no authority which the Select- men have to make gifts of property belonging to the Town. Taylor's He thought that no one would raise objections if a Town Car Meeting authorized the Selectmen to transfer title of the car back to Mr. Taylor. The Clerk was instructed to send a copy of the letter to the Fire Engineers and ask for their opinion on the subject. Letter was received from Mr. Wrightington saying that there would be a balance of $245.00 in the Law De - Law Dept. partment-Personal Services Account. He suggested that balance this amount be paid to Mr. George McLaughlin as a partial payment on account of his services in Fire Department mat- ters. Mr. Wrightington's reason for suggesting this was so that the whole of the bill would not fall in the same account in 1943. He made it clear that the suggestion was his and not Mr. McLaughlin's. The Board felt that it pre- ferred not to handle the -matter in the manner suggested 113 by Mr. Wrightington and to advise him that the Board would consider the bill when Mr. McLaughlin submitted one in full. Governor Saltonstall's executive order #44 was re- ceived. This executive order authorizes Town Treasurers Exec. to deduct the 5% Victory tax, effective January 1, 1943, Order from wages. Upon motion of Mr. Sarano, seconded by Mr. Locke, it was voted to grant the following licenses: M. Costa & M. Adamowicz, 76 Laconia St. Slaughter license Reed & Hunnewell 1840 Mass. Ave. Common Victualler F. K. Johnson, Inc. 39 Bedford Street Motor Vehicle Violet P. Burgess 34 Fletcher Ave. Board Infants Lexington Theatre 1794 Mass. Ave. Sunday movies 1/3/43 Letter was received from the Trustees of Public Trusts advising that the Town Meeting authorized the trans- fer of 0270.00 from the Taylor Flag Fund and not $300.00. Taylor The sum of 76.08 has already been transferred leaving a Flag balance of 193.92 to be transferred. This has been done. Fund ' The Chairman informed the Board that Mr. William A. Cam's term as a member of the Board of Assessors expired on December 31., 1942. App'mt. Mr. Sarano moved that Mr. Cann be reappointed to the to Bd. of Assessors for a three-year term ending December 31, 1945. Assessors Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Potter moved that Mr. Frederick J. Spencer be re- appointed an Assistant Assessor for a term ending December Asst. 31, 1943. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so Assessor voted. The Chairman said that some of the men on duty at the Observation Tower had difficulty in reaching there at night. Men on It was decided to ask Chief Sullivan next Monday if it would duty at interfere too much if the police car would call for the Tower men and take them home. The Chairman said that the Veterans of Foreign Wars wanted to know if they could hold. their meetings in Emer- son Hall as they have no place to meet now. The Board felt that it did not care to open Emerson Hall for meet- ings and the Clerk was instructed to ask Mr. Paxton if he knew of any place where the orLa_nization could hold its meetings. V.F.W. 114 a Water Department abatements amounting $21.62 were ' signed. Commitment of water rates and list of water liens to be recorded were also signed. The meeting adjourned at 10:30 P.M. A true copy, Attest: Clerk 1 1