HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977-11-21-BOS-min 71
SELECTMEN'S MEETING
November 21, 1977
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Select-
men's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, on Monday, November 21, 1977
at 7 30 p.m Chairman Battin, Mr Bailey, Mr Busa, Mrs Miley and Mr
Kent; Mr Hutchinson, Town Manager; Mr Cohen, Town Counsel (9 40 p.m );
Mr McSweeney, Director of Public Works/Engineering; Mrs McCurdy,
Executive Clerk, were present
At the request of the Town Clerk, the following jurors were drawn Jurors
Margaret Mary Johnston 94 East Street
Jonathan Granata 154 Grant Street
Anne Glassman 19 Hancock Street
James Kelly 55 Ledgelawn Avenue
Grace Souza 12 Eastern Avenue
Allan R Chase 28 Spring Street
John E Taranto 252 Marrett Road
Richard J Schmidt 6 Raymond Street
Frances Godoy 5 Wilson Road
Charles A Dexter 25 Young Street
John R Farmer 63 Hancock Street
Chairman Battin read a request from the Town Clerk for blanket Voter
approval of eliminating voter registration sessions Registration
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant the Town Election
request of the Town Clerk to eliminate precinct voter registration
sessions for future Annual Town Elections, with the understanding that
registration sessions will be held in the Town Clerk's Office
Chairman Battin read a request from Town Counsel to sign the ac- Drummer Boy
ceptance of a Conservation easement Conservation
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to accept and Easement
sign the Conservation easement granted to the Town of Lexington by
the Trustees of the Drummer Boy Trust over a strip of land situated
along the northerly and northeasterly and easterly boundaries of
Lots 1A, 3-C, 3-D, 3-E, 3-F and 3-G, shown on a plan entitled "Drummer
Boy Green (Phase II) Lexington, Mass Plan Showing Locations of Con-
servation and Pedestrian Easements" by Boston Survey Consultants, Inc
dated May 19, 1977 and recorded
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the Minutes
minutes of the Selectmen's meeting held on October 3, 1977
The Board discussed a letter from Governor Dukakis regarding the Court Reform
Cox plan on court reform which, if passed by the Legislature, would Legislation
remove the Counties from the business of running the courts This
would mean a substantial savings of $528,000 in the County tax for
s)
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Selectmen' s Meeting November 21, 1977
Lexington The State would take over the total cost in FY 82 Gover-
nor Dukakis recommended that the Board of Selectmen contact their legis-
lators and urge them to enact this legislation before the close of 1977
Mr Buse said that he had no objection to supporting court reform
but pointed out that there are three different bills - Cox, Sisitsky,
and one other and he questioned which one the Board would support
Mr Kent said that the Sisitsky version is closer to the Cox plan
but he believed that State assumption of court costs is part of all
three bills
Mr Kent was requested to draft a letter to our Senators and Repre-
sentatives urging their support for State takeover of the entire cost of
operating the judicial system The Board agreed to discuss the bills
at the joint meeting with Lexington's Senators and Representatives on
next Monday, November 28
S1378 Mr Zehner, Town Treasurer, met with the Board and recommended
support of Senate Bill 1378 which would authorize the Treasurers of
Cities and Town to pay one-half the sum of annual State assessments in
November and May
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to support S1378
which would enable Cities and Towns to pay one-half the annual State
assessments in November and one-half in May
The Board agreed to discuss this bill at the joint meeting on
November 28
1978 Chairman Battin read a list of renewal applications for 1978 Com-
Common mon Victualler licenses with no changes in the hours of operation
Victualler Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the.
Licenses following 1978 Common Victualler licenses, subject to period inspec-
tion by the Board of Health
Bernie & Claude Donuts, Inc
d/b/as Dunkin Donuts 373 Waltham St - 6 00 a.m - 11 30 p.m
7 days (same as last year)
Old Lexington Restaurant, Inc
d/b/as Mario's 1733 Mass Ave - 11 00 a.m - 11 00 p.m
7 days (same as last year)
Walnut Farm Trust d/b/as
Powder Horn Golf Club 4O Walnut St - 7 00 a.m - 10 00 p.m
7 days (same as last year)
Pine Meadows Golf Club, Inc Cedar St - 7 30 a.m until dark
7 days (same as last year)
Lexington House of Pizza 399 Lowell St - 10 00 a.m - 11 00 p.m
7 days (same as last year)
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Selectmen's Meeting November 21, 1977
Kentucky Fried Chicken 211 Mass Ave - 11 00 a.m - 9 00 p.m
7 days (same as last year)
Friendly Ice Cream Corp 60 Bedford St - 7 00 a.m to 11 00 p.m
(Sunday through Thursday)
7 00 a.m to 12 00 Midnight
(Friday and Saturday)
(same as last year)
Brighams 38 Bedford St - 7 00 a.m - 12 00 midnight
7 days (same as last year)
Chairman Battin read an application for a 1977 Common Victualler 1977 Common
license for the new owners of Christo's, 1 Meriam Street, Alan and Victualler
Patricia Stein, with a request for the same hours of operation of Christo's
6 00 a.m to 10 00 p.m The Board of Health has made a final in-
spection and recommends approval of the new license
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the
1977 Common Victualler license for Christo's 1 Meriam Street, ex-
piring December 31, 1977; hours of operation 6 00 a.m to 10 00 p.m
Chairman Battin informed the Board that, on Friday, November 18, Use of Town
she and Mr Hutchinson had met with Mr George Morey and Mr William Trusts
McEwen, Trustees of Public Trusts, Mr Leo Grace, bank representative
of the Trustees, to discuss the use of accumulated interest in some
of the trust funds. Mrs McCurdy, Executive Clerk, was also present
Mr Morey advised that these funds are not to be used for the
Town's operating expenses It will be necessary for the Selectmen to
make a written request for the use of the interest on the trust funds,
and Mr Morey suggested a joint meeting be held to discuss the requests
Mr Hutchinson agreed to come back to the Board with recommenda-
tions
Mr Hutchinson recommended that the Board approve an abatement Abatement-
for the sewer betterment assessment to the Metropolitan District Sewer Better-
Commission on Lot 4/11 Walnut Street in the amount of $346 56 A re- ment M D C
port from Mr McSweeney recommended abatement as this portion of land Walnut St
is a right-of-way off Walnut Street leading to the M D C water stand-
pipe The present use forms a permanent and integral part of the
M.D C 's water distribution system and, as such, the availability of
sewer to the land serves no present or foreseeable purpose
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to abate the
M D C sewer betterment assessment on Lot 4/11 located off Walnut
Street in the amount of $346 55
Mr Hutchtnson recommended that the Board approve a deferment of Deferment-
sewer betterments assessed to M Joseph, Lawrence M and P Edward Sewer Better
Carroll on Lots 48A, 9 and 8 located on Waltham Street A report Carroll
from Mr McSweeney recommended deferment until such time as the land Waltham St
Selectmen's Meeting November 21, 1977
is sold or built upon as it is undevelopedagricultural land arid, assess-
ments of approximately $11,000 would confititute a hardship The land
is presently being used by the Carrolls as a pasture for grazing and
permits have been issued to the Carrolls to keep livestock and other
farm animals at this location
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, under the provi-
sions of Chapter 159 of the Acts of 1950, to defer payment of sewer
betterment assessments levied on Lots 48A, 9 and 8, Waltham Street,
without interest, until said land or any part thereof is built upon,
sold or until the expiration of three years from the date hereof,
whichever event occurs first; provided, however, that this extension
of time shall terminate immediately if said land or any portion thereof
is built upon or sold
Map 16, Lot 48A M Joseph, Lawrence M & P Edward Carroll - $3,954 14
Map 16, Lot 9 Michael Joseph & Lawrence M Carroll - $5,946 53
Map 16, Lot 8 Joseph & Lawrence M Carroll - $ 813 14
Deferment- Mr Hutchinson recommended that the Board approve a further defer-
Sewer & ment of sewer and water betterment assessed to Frank J and Charlotte
Water Sanderson on Lots 289 to 296 Blossomcrest Road and Lots 215, 297, 298,
Betterment 299 Meadow Brook Avenue A report from Mr McSweeney recommended a
Sanderson further deferment be granted
Blossomcrest Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, under the
Meadowbrook provisions of Chapter 159 of the Acts of 1950, to again defer payment
of sewer and water betterment assessments for the following lots owned
by Frank J and Charlotte Sanderson of 5 Meadow Brook Avenue, without
interest, until said land or any part is built upon, sold or until the
expiration date of November 1, 1980, whichever event pccurs first
provided, however, that this extension of time shall terminate im-
mediately if said land or any portion thereof is built upon or sold
Blossomcrest Road Sewer Water
Lot 289 $436 14 $169 50
Lot 290 356 03 90 00
Lot 291 169 10 -
Lot 292 338 20 66 00
Lot 293 338 20 66 00
Lot 294 338 20 66 00
Lot 295 338 20 66 00
Lot 296 375 82 156 8o
Meadowbrook Avenue
Lot 215 328 70
Lot 297 321 48
Lot 298 321 48
Lot 299 366 48
Selectmen's Meeting November 21, 1977
The Appropriation Committee, Capital Expenditures Committee, Rec- Capital
reation Committee, Conservation Committee, Mr McSweeney, Director Budgets
of Public Works/Engineering and Mr Jerry Martin, Assistant Town Engi-
neer, met with the Board to discuss Capital budgets
Preliminary presentations were given on Recreation, Conservation
and D P W capital items and it was agreed to more detailed discussions
at future meetings
All committee members retired from the meeting
Mr Hutchinson recommended that the Town Manager's Office c be des- Unemployment
ignated as the Town's administrative for handling unemployment claims, Compensation
and to further designate the method of payment as reimbursable by
being self-insured He advised the Board that one of the problems of
the unemployment act is that school crossing guards are eligible unless
they are funded through the academic budget and have a reasonable assurance
of return to work after the summer season The School Committee could
be asked to provide the necessary monies in the school budget for the
school crossing guards; last year, the cost was $42,000
Mr Bailey suggested that the crossing guards be hired on a con-
tract basis
Mr Hutchinson agreed to pursue the matter with the School Depart-
ment
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to designate the
Town Manager's Office as the Town's administrative agent for handling
unemployment claims, and to further designate the method of payment as
reibursable by being self-insured
Mr Hutchinson informed the Board that, according to current es-
timates, he is including $60,000 in the budget for unemployment compen-
sation
Mr Hutchinson read a report from Mr George Smith, Director of Noise
Public Health, stating that upon receipt of complaints relative to Complaint-
excessive noise levels emanating from the refrigeration units atop Highland
the Highland Food Mart at 321 Marrett Road, he had investigated the Food Mart
premises in August and September and no apparent violations were
found In October, daytime noise level readings taken by the State
Department of Air and Hazardous Materials revealed no discernible
violations at that time; however, night time readings will taken in
December Mr Smith suggested that if no violations can be deter-
mined, the Board may want to address a possible nuisance condition
which may have been created
The Board agreed to await a further report from Mr Smith before
taking action
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted 5-0 by roll call Executive
vote to go into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing Session
strategy with respect to possible litigation
76
Selectmen's Meeting November 21, 1977
After discussion, it was voted to go out of Executive Session
and adjourn at 10 1+5 p.m
A true record, Attest
Z-16.viti) 22?
Executive Clerk, Selectmen /