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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977-03-21-BOS-min 385 ' SELECTMEN'S MEETING MARCH 21, 1977 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Meeting Room Town Office Building, on Monday, March 21, 1977, at 7 00 p m. Chairman Kassler, Mr Bailey, Mr Busa, Mrs Battin and Mrs Miley; Mr Hutchinson, Town Manager; Mr Cohen, town Counsel; Mrs McCurdy, Executive Clerk, were present 1 I 386 Selectmen' s Meeting March 21, 1977 Mr Reilly said that if the Bedford Site is selected, there would have to be an access road. If these two are combined, the amount of truck traffic on Bedford Street would be small After discussion, it was agreed to designate the sanitary landfill Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to designate the Hartwell Avenue sanitary landfill as a possible regional land- fill site Council/Aging Mr Hutchinson informed the Board that he had been advised by the Council on Aging that they support the Article on increased membership Also, details are to be given later to the Board on the status of collective bargaining School Sites The Board discussed the establishment of a Committee to Study Conversion Alternative Uses of Released School Buildings and Sites and the Committee charge to the Committee Mr Busa said that he would like to serve on the committee Mrs Elizabeth Reinhardt was present and said that the Histori- cal Commission is interested in representation on the Committee as they have special knowledge that would be very valuable The Board agreed In response to questions from the audience, Chairman Kassler said that having three citizens on the Committee from affected school areas would give an overview of all neighborhoods They will meet in open session and, with a Committee like this functioning, people will be able to get all input Also, he didn't expect this Committee to function as the sales group Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to establish the Committee to study Alternative Uses of Released School Buildings and Sites, to be comprised of - 1 Selectmen 2 Planning Board Member 3 School Committee Member 4 Permanent Building Committee Member 5 Business person/realtor 6 Economist/financier 7 Architect 8 Citizen) 9 Citizen) from affected school areas 10 Citizen) 11 Town Manager 12 Historical Commission Member The charge to the Committee is as follows 1 To determine the best short-term handling of the Hancock School 387 Selectmen's Meeting March 21, 1977 2 To determine the most advisable final disposition of the Hancock School building and site; bearing in mind, amonc all other considerations, the historic nature of the build- ing, the effect of various alternative uses on the immec.iate neighborhood, and the overall needs of the Town 3 To gather similar information pertaining to the alternative uses and final disposition of the other schools mentioned in the School Committee's letter of March 7, 1977 Parker, 1978; Munroe, 1979; Adams and Muzzey, 1980 The Board agreed to write to the chairman of the involved com- mittees requesting a nominee Also, all interested citizens could write to the Board concerning the three citizen appointments The Board agreed to make the annual appointments at the meeting Annual on Monday, April 4, 1977 Appointments Mr Temple Scanlon, Director of the Lexington Housing Authority, Housing met with the Board to request approval of amended contracts under the Authority/ Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program. The amendment con- HUD Contract sists of a 20 percent increase in the fair market rents; therefore, additional funds will be received from HUD in the amount of $44,7.72 00 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to authorize Chairman Kassler to sign the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program Amendatory Annual Contributions Contract between the Lexington Housing Authority and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Board discussed resolutions to be presented to Town Meeting Resolutions opening session this evening under Article 2, and it was agreed that for Town Mrs Battin and Mrs Miley would read the following for approval of Meeting Town Meeting Approval - Collective COLLECTIVE BARGAINING Bargaining- State Man- WHEREAS Compulsory and binding arbitration for public safety dated employees has been shown to undercut severely the Programs- 11 powers of home rule by requiring an outside arbitrator Local Aid to choose the final settlement; WHEREAS The effect of the trial period of this law has been :o undermine effective collective bargaining; WHEREAS This law has contributed significantly to higher local budgets and increased property taxes by raising the level of all local wage settlements; THEREFORE Be it resolved that the Lexington Town Meeting hereby votes to convey to the Governor and our elected Stats Representatives and Senators our desire that there ba no extension of compulsory and binding arbitration bs- 388 Selectmen's Meeting March 21, 1977 termination of1977, sothat 111 gond its e enation date June 30, final authority for determining local expenditures be returned to Town Meeting STATE MANDATED PROGRAMS WHEREAS State mandated programs which are unfunded by the State represent, in most cases, a continued erosion of home rule; WHEREAS State mandated programs make little allowance for the individuality of local governments; WHEREAS Such programs present an increasingly onerous bur- den on local budgets and on the property tax; BE IT RESOLVED That the Lexington Town Meeting convey to the Governor and our elected State Representatives and Senators our desire that there be no further legislation or executive actions mandating programs that require expenditures by cities and towns with- out providing for full State funding or local accep- tance LOCAL AID WHEREAS Uncertainties about the sum of money allocated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the various categories of local aid makes sound financial planning impossible for local officials; WHEREAS Local aid is, in many cases, partial State funding of State mandated programs imposed without the consent of local officials; WHEREAS Local real estate taxes have been impacted to the break- ing point by such mandated programs, THEREFORE Be it resolved by the Lexington Town Meeting that the Governor and State Representatives and Senators be urged to support an increase in the amount of local aid funding for fiscal 1978 at least sufficient to cover the increased costs of State mandated programs and inflation Sewer The Board discussed a letter, signed by sixteen citizens, request- Advisory ing the establishment of a permanent sewer advisory committee Committee Chairman Kassler said that this poses a problem on the position of the Selectmen regarding sewers but I think that a Committee is a good idea. Mr Busa disagreed and said that we, as elected officials, are the Board of Public Works and, if questions arise and with only less than 5 percent of the Town left to be sewered, we and the Town Manager can handle them 389 Selectmen's Meeting March 21, 1977 Mr Baileysaid aid that he was offended by one statement in the letter - "You will recall that last year the Town Meeting indicated its desire for a comprehensive review of the sewer program." - Town Meeting got it last year as Allen reviewed it and went through all the Articles Mr Bailey thought that calling it a permanent sewer advisory committee would be a fatal mistake He had no objection to creating a committee before our next Capital Budget sessions but it should be a one-shot thing to see if it is desirable next year Mrs Miley said that it is too late to be making a decision now Mr Hutchinson was agreeable to an advisory committee for next year's budget recommendations Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted 3-0 to estab- lish a sewer advisory committee and the Board is to develop a charge to the Committee and have them report back to the Selectmen prior to the 1978 Capital Budget schedule Mr Busa abstained Chairman Kassler requested approval of the Town Clerk's bond Bond - Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the Town Clerk bond for Miss Mary R. McDonough, Town Clerk, for $6,000 Chairman Kassler read a request from the Lexington Friends Com- Request for munity Residence, Inc to display a sign in front of Cary Memorial Sign at Hall advertising one week in advance of the Black Eagle Jazz Con- Cary Hall cert at Cary Hall on April 30, 1977 The Board agreed that the request for a sign required approval of the Building Commissioner, Board of Appeals, and the Historic Districts Commission The matter was referred to the Town Manager The Board discussed the dissention between the two baseball Baseball leagues ues in Town and it was theunanimous of the Board tc Leagues gopiniongu refer the matter to the Recreation Committee and request that they attempt to resolve the situation Action was deferred for one week on the application of the Lexington Little League for a one-day liquor license on April 30 The Board discussed Articles for Town Meeting this evening and then adjourned to Cary Hall Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn at 7 55 p.m. A true record, Attest Executive Clerk, Selectmen