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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980-02-19-BOS-min SELECTMEN'S MEETING I II/ FEBRUARY 19, 1980 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, on Tuesday, February 19, 1980 at 7:30 p m. Chairman Miley, Mr. Busa, Mrs Battin, Mr Kent, Mr. Crain; Mr Hutchinson, Town Manager; Mr Cohen, Town Counsel; Mrs Banks, Assistant to the Town Manager; Mrs McCurdy, Executive Clerk, were present Chairman Miley read a letter from the Department of Housing and Housing Urban Development, dated January 21, 1980, requesting the Board's com- Authority- ments on the application of Moore Homes, Inc to HUD for funds for two Moore units at the Morrow Crossing condominium development for the Housing Homes/HUD Authority Mrs Mary Shunney, Chairman of the Lexington Housing Author- ity, was present and said that the the Housing Authority supports the application and they are working with their attorney to solve the legal problems. Moore Homes, Inc in its Memorandum of Understanding dated March 27, 1979 agreed to grant an option to the Lexington Housing Authority for the sale of not less than two units to the Authority for a period of 18 months from the time of Town Meeting approval or final completion date, whichever comes later The Memorandum further states that if the Housing Authority fails to exercise its option, the developer has the option to sell the units to either an existing non-profit organi- zation or one he may develop This HUD application will provide the funds for the non-profit organization to purchase said units should the Lexington Housing Authority not be able to do so Mrs Shunney said that this is something new and, as we all know, when working with the federal or state it takes so much time; we would hate to see Moore Homes tied up beyond a reasonable length of time. We are making every effort we can to take over these units Mr Nickerson of Moore Homes was present and had no comments . Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted unanimously to support the application of Moore Homes, Inc to HUD for funds to pur- chase two units at Morrow Crossing Chairman Miley read a letter from the Cary Library Executive Com- Appts - mittee submitting two nominees for an appointment to the Historic Hist Dists Districts Commission. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to appoint Mrs. Ann Wallace, 8 Glen Road, a member of the Historic Districts Commission, for a five year term of office expiring January 1, 1985, as a representa- tive of the Cary Memorial Library Trustees Chairman Miley recommended that appointments be made to the Pest Pest Control Advisory Committee Control Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to appoint the Adv Com. following members of the Pest Control Advisory Committee for a period of six months to August 19, 1980: John W Andrews, 22 Kendall Road; Ann Bond, 16 Franklin Street; Raymond Gabler, 10 Boulder Road; Barbara Green, 197 Grove Street; Paul V. Riffin, 6 Field Road; Martin K. White, 50 Bloomfield Street; ex-officio members Paul Mazerall, DPW, and George Smith, Health Director (15 Selectmen's Meeting - 2 - February 19, 1980 Resigna- Chairman Miley read a letter of resignation from Mr Fred C Bailey tion - Upon motion duly malde and seconded, it was voted to accept with re- Hanscom gret the resignation of Mr Fred C Bailey as an alternate to the Hanscom Adv Com. Advisory Committee Dogs Mr Busa informed the Board that the Neville/Verdonne dog hearing has been rescheduled to February 27 at 9 00 a m. Minutes Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of the Selectmen's Meeting of February 11, 1980 Traffic- Chairman Miley read a recommendation from the Traffic Safety Committee Stop that the request from Mr Neil Chamberlain, 121 Cedar Street, be approved Signs for the installation of Stop signs at Baker Avenue and Tucker Avenue; the E Lex committee also recommends the installation of additional Stop signs in the same area Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to amend the Traffic Rules and Orders by adding to Article VIII, Section 22, Schedule 7, the following STOP signs Tucker Avenue-Eastbound at Baker Avenue; Tucker Avenue-Westbound at Baker Avenue; Oak Street-Eastbound at Baker Avenue; Banks Avenue-Eastbound at Baker Avenue; Banks Avenue-Westbound at Baker Avenue; Tucker Avenue-Eastbound at Chase Avenue; Tucker Avenue-Westbound at Chase Avenue; Tucker Avenue-Eastbound at Tarbell Avenue, Banks Avenue- Eastbound at Chase Avenue; Ames Avenue-Eastbound at Baker Avenue; Bennett Avenue-Westbound at Baker Avenue; Butler Avenue-Eastbound at Baker Avenue; Taft Avenue-Eastbound at Baker Avenue; Chase Avenue-Northbound at Taft Avenue; Tarbell Avenue-Northbound at Taft Avenue; Carbille Avenue-Northbound at Oak Street; Charles Street-Northbound at Massachusetts Avenue; Bowker Street- Northbound at Massachusetts Avenue; Taft Avenue-Northbound at Massachusetts Avenue Traffic- The Traffic Safety Committee recommended approval of the installation Stop of Stop signs at North Street and Lowell Street as this intersection in- Signs dicates that Stop signs are warranted North St Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to amend the Traffic Lowell St Rules and Orders by adding to Article VIII, Section 22, Schedule 7, the following STOP signs North Street-Northeastbound at Lowell Street; North Street-Southwestbound at Lowell Street Traffic- The Traffic Safety Committee submitted recommendations relative to Brubeck- the requests received from Mrs Lois Brubeck, 12 Adams Street Reflectors Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to accept the recom- mendations of the Traffic Safety Committee that (1) reflectors be installed on the small island at Massachusetts Avenue and Harrington Road to define the location of the island; (2) Small reflectors be installed on the trees on East Street approaching Adams Street to define their locations; (3) With the recon- struction of Hancock Street to begin in the spring, which will include granite curbing, the committee recommended that no action be taken to install reflectors at the intersection of Hancock Street and Adams Street Selectmen's Meeting - 3 - February 19, 1980 Chairman Miley read a request for permission to conduct a road race Permit Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant permission St Brigid's to St Brigid's Church to conduct a road race on Sunday, March 2, 1980, Road Race at 2 00 p m. with proceeds to go to the "Boat People " Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to table the re- Band quest of Mr Donald J Gillespie for the use of the Battle Green on Concert Sunday, May 25, for a High School band concert, pending clarification of the question raised as to whether Mr_ Gillespie would prefer to use the bandstand at Hastings Park Chairman Miley read a request for a change in the name on a Common Sheraton Victualler license and an Innholder Liquor License Motor Inn Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the Licenses change in name on the Common Victualler license and Innholder Liquor license from the Sheraton Lexington Motor Inn to Dunfey Hotels Corpora- tion d.b a. Sheraton-Lexington Motor Inn The Board signed new licenses Mr Hutchinson informed the Board that proposals have been received Solid on solid waste and are still under review; one form is for a transfer Waste station and the other is for consideration of collection in the town Proposals It looks as if, economically, the most viable proposal would be for the collection of the town and we will address this at one of your meetings before Town Meeting Mr Hutchinson said that the Board has been provided with the most Munroe recent estimate of Hamner, Kiefer and Todd regarding the Munroe School School We are continuing to look at cost data, and looking at this recent proposal at $518,000, his recommendation would be for the Board to continue to undertake the renovation of the school Looking at our debt service area, this is compatible with the capacity of the town The actual permanent borrowing would reflect in our 1982 fiscal year when we are dropping from our debt service the Clarke Jr High School and some other items, We have shown that the estimated borrowing costs, including operating costs, would be approximately $190,000 and we allowed for debt service at $165,000 His recommendation was predicated upon the idea of having Town Meeting authorize a 1-step process, which hasn't been done in the past In other words, to take preliminary plans and go forward with implementation of that project and take advantage of construction schedules The other choice would be to get a figure for just completing detailed plans and specifications for the building, receive bids, etc and come back at a subsequent Town Meeting for authorized implementation of the pro- posal The problem is that construction costs go up He has spent time with the Treasurer and the Comptroller and they did not see any- thing that will dramatically change our cost figures We believe that the town should go forward on the human services center and you will have to decide who the tenants will be Mr Busa said that this is an improper approach to the human services problem in Lexington as the need has not been shown A majority of them are satisfied with the facilities at the church and so not support going into a senior center of that magnitude The town should not be burdened with another $750,000 The Board agreed to continue the discussion at a later meeting after additional information is received [- 1 Selectmen's Meeting - 4 - February 19, 1980 Plan Bd Members of the Planning Board Central Business District Committee 111 Central met with the Board to discuss the Committee's recommendations for town Business action Representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr John Packard, District Mr George Wadsworth, Mr Eric Clarke, and Mrs Jacqueline Smith were Committee present Mr Friedman, Central Business Committee, said that the Planning Board and the committee have been meeting over the past two years with interested citizens and businessmen, and three different meetings have been held to listen to concerns of the groups Last December, we prepared a summary of a report and suggestions, and we came up with 14 recommendations; 13 involved the selectmen and 1 cmtthe sign by-law, which the Planning Board is working on now There had been talk of the possibility of a parking garage and the feeling was that it was not necessary at this time There was a comment about the tourist sign and some people said that the season was really short, and wondered if the April 19 parade and one or two specials really pro- vide an impact on the community The Colonial Garage offers a lot of potential to the town; Ms Wisotsky, a resident and business person in the town, wrote a letter and she felt that most of the problems in the center are not things that can be faced by the town There is the question of diversity, and we discussed this a year ago about the possi- bility of having special permits for all businesses in the ,town, and we were told in rather clear terms that it was questionable for the types of businesses We all have to face the reality that we are competing with the Mall, and it would be better if we could accentuate the positive in the town and maybe the sign by-law can help The committee recommends11/ that the merchants, businessmen, Chamber of Commerce, and property owners provide a continuing effort toward marketing and promotional work to enhance the center Mr Friedman read the Central Business District Committee's recom- mendations 1 Rewrite the sign by-law so as to make it easier to identify businesses while maintaining the attractiveness of the Center 2 Develop more signs directing traffic to parking areas, and replace those that are non-standard Mr Friedman said that he was not aware of signs existing in the Center 3 Develop a way to direct overflow traffic from the Muzzey Street lot to the other parking areas Mr Friedman said that it is very diffi- cult in coming out of the Muzzey Street lot to find your way to the other parking lots 4 Allocate a portion of each parking area for small cars 5 Put a 2-hour parking limit on the unmetered portion of Mass Ave between Woburn Street and Harrington Road 6 Permit diagonal parking in front of the Edison building and the Post Office There is mixed feeling on this suggestion as it would add a few parking places but could impede continuous traffic flow into the Edison Way parking area Selectmen's Meeting - 5 - February 19 , 1980 7 Expand the Meriam Street lot and develop another access to it; meter all Of this lotrwith a .lihited section dedidated to all-day parking 8 Improve the design of parking areas and traffic flow in the Muzzey Street lot and behind the Cambridgeport Bank Mr Michelson said that the traffic flow and the Muzzey Street lot have been topics of discussion for years He would hate to see another study as everything;that was done in 1966 is still feasible now as far as a study goes He was disappointed that the only action by this Town Meet- ing is the sign by-law, and we will have another year of chaos in the Center People are parking all day in the Meriam Street lot and taking the bus to work. 9 Utilize the railroad right-of-way to connect the abutting parking lots in more than one place The right-of-way might also be used as a by-pass around the Center, for more parking or for a bike path leading to the Center 10 Traffic circulation around the back streets of the Center should be re- viewed for smooth traffic flow and for effectiveness in getting into or out of parking lots 11 A review should be carried out of the impact of by-passing the Center com- pletely by taking cars away from the Waltham Street/Mass Ave intersection 12 Obtain rights to use the rear of the Edison property for parking 13 Allocate a portion of the parking meter receipts to a specifically dedicated fund to be used for improving conditions at the Center One suggestion is to install business directory signs in each parking area and possibly in the Center The information contained on these signs could be maintained and updated by the Chamber of Commerce 14 Study the feasibility of allocating a portion of the school administration parking area to all-day parking for postal employees The Central Business Committee believes that implementation of these recom- mendations would help improve conditions at the Center Mrs Battin said that the Board of Selectmen has adopted two objectives Recognizing the need for a vital center as the community's civic, commercial, social and cultural focus, a plan for revitalizing the Center shall be prepared by the town, the Chamber of Commerce, Lexington banking and lending institutions, and Lexington industries Such a plan shall be completed by December 1, 1980 and submitted to the appropriate Town Boards, Town Meeting Members, Commercial inter- ests and citizen groups for action It shall include but not be limited to methods of achieving commercial diversity, increased social and cultural activity, improved traffic flow and increased parking. A second objective was adopted to increase parking availability looking specifically at the Metcalf & Eddy report and their recommendations for improved parking, and at reducing number of all-day parking for commuters Mrs Battin said that this is in line with the suggestion of Mr Sacco of the Chamber of Commerce, that a group get together and develop a work plan The town is saying that it is committed to it and this is what should be included Selectmen's Meeting - 6 - February 19, 1980 Suggestions were made on bypassing the Center by going forward with the study on the extension of Worthen Road to Route 2; reversing the direction of Clarke Street by going toward Forest Street; paving the end of Fletcher Avenue to Grant Street to reach the Saddle Club Road area Parking for postal employees was discussed and Mr Busa said that he had met with the Postmaster of Boston, and he and,Ihis staff had approached Edison about using the land behind their building but Edison is not interested and does not even want to lease the land The Postmaster's office is pursuing the proposal of four or five years ago to move out of the Center to another area in town and to consolidate three towns The immediate solution would be for the suggested 2-hour parking and long range planning Mr Crain said in the report, there is an alternative suggested regarding the use of school property The time has come for action and the Manager could consider the report, come back to the Board and make recommendations Mr Kent said that short-term as well as long range planning should be done Mr Michelson said that all of the ideas have been aired at various committee meetings and he hoped this doesn't get shelved Recommendation #7 is to meter the Meriam Street lot with a limited section dedicated to all-day parking The town has to realize that this is critical and you can't have a limited section or you would have parking all along the streets; you need a larger section Chairman Miley said we hoped that Lexpress might help your situation You have reported it and we are all aware of it We will all work together on the Center, and she agreed that we do not need more studies Mrs Battin and the Manager will pull it together and work with the committee and the Chamber of Commerce Chairman Miley thanked all for coming and they retired from the meeting E Lex Mr Hutchinson said that he had received a petition regarding concerns Fire that the East Lexington fire station might be closed He will respond and Station point out that of the shifts that are there, 99 6 percent of the hours our people are there or responding to fires Periodically as an exception, we do wind up holding central training at the main fire house to maximize the advantage of instructors who are available and moving the small amount of employees to the central fire house We think this is an effective use of the firemen's time and not necessarily have them there waiting at the East Lexington station for a fire to happen Because it is the exception, and when we point this out to the residents, they should feel more comfortable. Mr Busa said that the citizens ' greatest concern was that the station would be closed 32 hours during the month of February and if you think E Lexington would be adequately served, they would say to close the station completely; you are telling them that regardless of how long a period of time, they can be protected out of the central fire station Mr Hutchinson said that we gear to the norm rather than the exception We have an obligation to train the men and the minimum amount of men on an engine is three men We are maximizing the talents of men by town inspections; we have legal obliga- tions to provide these inspection services If the town were to decide not to conduct joint training sessions as a policy it would require spend- ing $12 00 per hour for an outside instructor to do the East Lexington station The cost for 88 hours would equal $1,056; assuming that the instructors could be made available for extra sessions in the town when their demand is statewide Chairman Miley said that since they cover the state, not necessarily would there be an instructor available to do both the main station and E Lexington; so, it would be double the cost Selectmen's Meeting - 7 - February 19, 1980 Mr Hutchinson said that there are times when we aren't going to have the men available if we are fighting a grass fire, and we have to call another town in under the regional agreement Mr Crain asked when was the last time there was a critical analysis of where the fire houses should be located? Mr Busa said that it was probably in 1968 Fire Chief Bergeron was present and said that in the larger cities, they would use a model; in a small town, you would look at your past experience to see if it is reasonable for the dem mand you are getting for fires Mr Crain said that if it has been 10 years, we should have administration take a look at all the variables and go into them. Mr Hutchinson said that he would report back to the Board Mr. Hutchinson recommended approval of a request received from the Use of Girl Scouts Buckman Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the re- Grounds quest of the Lexington Girl Scouts to demonstrate their skills on the grounds between the Buckman Tavern and the Old Red Cross House on Sunday, May 18, 1980 from 130 p m to 500 p m Mr Hutchinson reported to the Board that a meeting had been held Street with members of the Police Department regarding the letter from Mr Cravis Lights/ of Rogers Road concerning recent vandalism in the area and the lack of Vandalism street lighting. Mr Hutchinson had instructed the Public Works Depart- Rogers Rd ment to increase the lighting in the area, and he will respond by letter to Mr Cravis Mr Hutchinson discussed the location of the telephone booth in the Center Center The Historic Districts Commission turned us down on the proposed Telephone location between the trees at Colpitts on Mass Avenue Mr Cohen advised that the Selectmen have authority for the location. Mr Kent offered to meet with the Historic Districts Commission and, hopefully, resolve the situation The Board agreed Mr Crain said that he had attended a meeting of the Transportation Lexpress Advisory Committee and they are coming to grips with the fee structure before Town Meeting He felt it advisable for the Board to address sub- sidization or no subsidization, and if we do not get $60,000 from the MBTA, this Board should give conscious attention to that Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted 5-0 by roll call Executive vote + Mrs Miley, Mr Busa, Mrs Battin, Mr Kent and Mr Crain - to Session to into executive session for the purpose of discussing strategy with respect to litigation and real estate, with no intention of resuming the open meeting After discussion, it was voted to go out of Executive Session Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn at 10 10 p.m. A true record, Attest ecutive Clerk, Selectmen