Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977-05-31-BOS-min 465 SELBCTMEN'S MEETING May 31, 1977 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Select- men's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, on Tuesday, May 31, 1977 at 7 30 p m. Vice Chairman Battin, Mr Bailey, Mr Busa, and Mrs Miley; Mr Hutchinson, Town Manager; Mrs McCurdy, Executive Clerk, were present Mr Hutchinson informed the Board that a meeting has been Water - arranged at the Burlington Town Hall on June 16 for the Burlington, Burlington Bedford and Lexington Boards of Selectmen to discuss problems of Bedford mutual concern, primarily water problems Lexington All members of the Board and Mr Hutchinson are to attend Mr Hutchinson said that he will bring in the contract on the 1/I Study Inflow/Infiltration Study as soon as amendments to the contract are completed Mr Hutchinson recommended that the contract for sidewalk con- Contract struction on Forest Street and Massachusetts Avenue be awarded to 77-2-E the lowest bidder, LiDonni Incorporation, in the amount of $32,790 Sidewalks Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to award Con- tract #77-2-E to LiDonni Incorporated, Newtonville, in the amount of $32,790, for the construction of sidewalks on the North side of Forest Street and on the South side of Massachusetts Avenue The authority is contained in Article 19 of the 1975 Annual Town Meeting; Account #5400 of the F Y 77 and F Y 78 operating budgets Mr Hutchinson informed the Board that Selectmen representa- HUD Flood tion is unnecessary at the meeting on June 23 in the Planning Board Insurance office for a review of the Preliminary HUD Flood Insurance Rate Study He will attend and report back if any action of the Board is necessary Mr Hutchinson requested the consideration of the Board in Burglary declaring June as Burglary Prevention Month in Lexington He Resolution read a resolution prepared by the International Association of Police Chiefs, and added that the real goal would be to involve the citizenry concerning neighborhood alert Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adopt the resolution declaring June as Burglary Prevention Month in the Town of Lexington Mr Hutchinson discussed the letter from Dr Manfred Friedman Mosquito stating his objection to mosquito spraying on the basis that it Control provides no benefit, other than a brief respite, and could be of lasting harm Mr Hutchinson said that comments on the subject it 466 Selectmen's Meeting May 31, 1977 111 will be forthcoming from Mr George Smith and Dr Michael Erdos of the Lexington Board of Health after their meeting tomorrow with State officials to discuss pesticide control Mr Smith and Dr Erdos feel that the program should continue Mr Hutchinson added that Town Meeting did discuss this issue and authorized the appropriation, and he did not feel that we are in a position to abate the execution of the will of Town Meeting to conduct the program unless there is a demonstrated health problem or environ- mental Problem necessitating a decision of the Board Vice Chairman Battin said that there were other sides involved - what the Board of Selectmen does about what the Town Meeting had authorized, and what we would put in the budget next year Mr Friedman was present at the meeting and said that Town Meeting had approved the expenditure but, in the past, it has been decided not to spend the money A vote of 98-94 was not an overwhelming vote Mr Busa said that Town Meeting voted the program under the auspices and direction of the Middlesex Department of Health or the State agency that handles it, and that should go forward unless it is a health hazard in the minds of the Health Officer and the Town Manager to curtail it Next year, Mr Friedman could address it at Town Meeting and that's the time to curtail it Vice Chairman Battin read the questions raised by Mr Fried- man in his letter Is the spray equipment calibrated for range and quantity so that correct insecticide density is delivered to proper areas? Are operators trained? Who monitors the work? How is effectiveness determined? Are areas measured for mosquito counts before and after spraying? Has it been confirmed that the poisons used will not combine to form a more harmful and/or long lasting product? What precautions have been taken to prevent con- taminating Bedford and Burlington water supplies? Are the insecti- cides damaging to bees? What precautions are taken to warn the public, organic farmers, home gardeners and sick people of the time and location of spray operations? After discussion, the Board agreed to proceed with the mos- quito control program pending a report from Mr Smith and Dr Erdos on their meeting with State officials Next year, perti- nent information in response to the above questions will be com- piled for the Board's consideration during the budget process Mass Ave / Mr Hutchinson reported to the Board on the State Functional Pleasant St Design Report on high hazard location projects at Massachusetts & Waltham St Avenue/Pleasant Street and Waltham Street/Marrett Road intersec- Marrett Rd. tions There are differences of opinions of the Engineering De- Intersections partment, Planning Board, and the State Department of Public Works but a public hearing will be conducted by the State in Lexington for the purpose of re-addressing all issues Mr Hutchinson agreed to contact Town agencies and will come back to the Board when the hearing date is set 467 Selectmen's Meeting May 31, 1977 Vice Chairman Cha rman Battin read a report from Mr William Martin, Fence Assistant Town Engineer, concerning a letter from the Fence Responsibility Viewers requesting a determination of the lot line and the Hancock School responsibility of maintenance and repairs to a fence located 43 Forest St. between the Hancock School and the property owned by Mrs Raymond Nickerson at 43 Forest Street The report states that, after review of the records and investigation in the field on the location of the fence, the conclusion is that the fence is either on or faces on the lot line between these two properties as well as other properties abutting either the Hancock School or Belfry Hill It is fur- ther concluded that the fence was erected by the Town since it is uniform in construction throught its length During discussion, it was noted that the Hancock School is due to be phased out in September, 1977 The Board agreed that the responsibility of repairs and maintenance of the fence lies with the Town and, therefore, to refer the matter to the Town Manager Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to the Town Manager the matter of the fence located between the Hancock School and 43 Forest Street Mr Hutchinson was requested to talk with Mrs Nickerson Vice Chairman Battin read a letter from the New England Tele- J/0 Pole phone Company requesting formal approval of the relocation of a Relocation J/O pole on Adams Street south of Myrna Road As a result of an Adams St accident on Adams Street, it was necessary to replace the pole immediately because of the loss of electrical service and tele- phone outages A report from the Director of Public Works/Engineering recommended approval of the formal request After issuing verbal permission to relocate Pole 1/45 on an emergency basis, DPW had reviewed the new location and found the new location to be an improvement in traffic safety in the area Upon motion duly made and seconddd, it was voted to approve the formal petition of the New England Telephone Company and the Boston Edison Company for the following relocation of a J/0 pole Adams Street, on the easterly side, approximately 74+ feet south of Myrna Road, one pole; one pole to be removed Vice Chairman Battin read a request from the Elks Lodge to Permit - use the Battle Green and an invitation to the Board to partici- Green - Elks pate in a ceremony on Flag Day Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant permission to the Lexington Lodge of Elks #2204 to use the Battle Green for Flag Day ceremonies on Tuesday, June 14, at 7 00 p.m subject to Police and Town Manager regulations 468 Selectmen's Meeting May 31, 1977 Mr Busa agreed to represent the Board at the ceremony Rummage Vice Chairman Battin read a request for the Order of Eastern Sale Star to conduct a rummage sale at the Masonic Temple on Saturday, June 11, from 10 00 a.m. to 3 00 p.m The Board had no objection Auctioneer Vice Chairman Battin read an application for an Auctioneer's license Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the Auctioneer's license for Mr Robert P Fenochetti, 53 Reed Street, expiring on March 31, 1978 Minutes Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of Selectmen's Meetings held on May 10, May 13, and May 16, 1977 Cooke Vice Chairman Battin read a request from the Conservation Land Commission for the Board of Selectmen to vote to take by eminent Taking domain for Conservation purposes the Cooke land located off Massachusetts Avenue in the amount of $6,000, as authorized under Article 63 of the 1971 Annual Town Meeting Lex Rep Vice Chairman Battin read a letter from the Middlesex County Middlesex Advisory Board regarding the appointment of a representative of County the Board of Selectmen to serve on the County Advisory Board Advisory Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to reaffirm Board the appointment of Mrs Mary W Miley as the representative of the Board of Selectmen and the Town of Lexington on the Middle- sex County Advisory Board Appt Vice Chairman Battin asked the Board for recommendations to Sewer fill the vacancy existing on the temporary Sewer Advisory Committee Advisory Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to appoint Committee Mr Richard J Rycroft, 9 Rockville Avenue, a member of the Sewer Advisory Committee Revolutionary Vice Chairman Battin asked Mr Hutchinson for a recommenda- War Hero tion on the request from the Minuteman Chapter of the Sons of the Grave Plaque American Revolution to plant a special S A R brass marker on the grave of Hammond Reed, a Revolutionary War hero who is buried in the old Colonial Cemetery in back of the Unitarian Church Mr Hutchinson had no objection and recommended that the Sons of the American Revolution representative contact Mr Richard Spiers, Cemetery Superintendent, to work out the details for the ceremony on July 9, 1977 The Board agreed Mr Bailey informed the Board of the number of calls he has 469 Selectmen's Meeting May 31, 1977 receivedpiledBrush from concerned citizens about brush still being by many in front of their homes Those who are inquiring are the Violations people who have taken their own brush to the dump He pointed out that tremendous fire hazards are created because of those who put it out in the street What, if anything, will the Town do about it? Mr Hutchinson replied that he had also been receiving com- plaints It was reported today that a boy was injured today in trying to avoid brush left on the street, this was not Town brush as neighbors had seen it being dragged from the backyard. We have to ask people to be responsible for their own We have about 75% of the Town done but people are still dragging it out from their backyards to the street We are still arguing with people about it and eventually, because of operational restraints, we will get to it Mr Busa said that people are taking advantage of the situa- tion by clearing out their yards He recommended that it be pub- licized that a citation for littering will be given to violators Mrs Miley agreed and stated that people should be responsi- ble for the area in front of their homes School children have to walk around the brush and it is dangerous Mr Hutchinson said that if it is possible to prove, we will Ill move against the people and even consider moving against neighbor's complaints Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted 4-0 by roll Executive call vote to go into Executive Session for the purpose of dis- cussing strategy with respect to collective bargaining, with no intention of resuming the open session After discussion, it was voted to go out of Executive Session and adjourn at 8 40 p.m A true record, Attest Executive Clerk, Selectme