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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976-03-31-BOS-min 41 SPECIAL SELECTMEN'S MEETING March 31, 1976 A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Select- men's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, on Wednesday, March 31, 1976, at 7 00 p.m. Chairman Kessler, Mr Bailey, Mr Buse, Mrs Battin, Mrs Miley; Mr O'Connell, Town Manager; Mr Cohen, Town Counsel; Mr McSweeney, Director of Public Works/Engineering; Mrs McCurdy, Executive Clerk, were present Mr Richard Michelson and the Bicentennial Corp , Inc met with the Battle Green Board Flagpole - Mr Michelson After analyzing the permanent memorial situation, we Bicentennial came to the conclusion that we would like to come to the Selectmen for Corporation approval to buy and dedicate a flagpole on the Green and to have a plaque on it There is an article in the warrant for the Town to raise money but we are saying that we have the money and, as we said on Town Meeting floor last year, money that would be returned to E & D Bicentennial ex- penses were less than anticipated We do feel that we will still be in a position to turn back several thousand dollars to the Town Chairman Kessler When you talk of a plaque, is it your intention to list the names of members of the Bicentennial Corporation? Mr Michelson Yes, because of the hard-working committee Chairman Kessler If the Selectmen did not vote to do this, then the entire amount would be returned to E & D? Mr Michelson Yes, our by-laws say so Chairman Kessler I, personally, would like to do something about this before I act on it Frankly, I have some difficulty in seeing a plaque with names on it; lots of people have worked very hard in the Town A plaque with a list of individual names would seem inappropriate whereas it would be appropriate to have on the plaque that it was a gift from the Bicentennial Corporation I would like to give it some thought Mr Michelson. When building have been erected, they have had a list of names on a plaque Mr Bailey The last Town building, Cary Memorial Library, that was completed did not have such a plaque and will not have such a plaque Mr O'Connell Town Counsel has prepared an alternate motion. If the point is raised on the appropriateness of such a plaque on the Green, per- haps there could be recognition of the work of the Bicentennial Corpora- tion at some other location in Town, such as the Visitors' Center Chairman Kessler This is the Battle Green and perhaps that would be more in keeping Ask the Bicentennial Corporation to think of an alterna- tive if you want them to be the ones to present the flagpole Mr Michelson We would like it up for April 19 but, if that is im- possible, a new target date would be July 4 It could be done faster by the Bicentennial Corporation than by the expenditure of Town funds Mr Jaquith, Historic Districts We have reservations about putting names on a plaque on the flagpole As far as saying how it was presented, 42 Special Selectmen's Meeting March 31, 1976 that is all right Mr Busa I think another motion could be drawn up We hope to take up this Article 32 on next Monday night Chairman Kassler- I would like to do it with the Bicentennial Corp- oration in full agreement Mr O'Connell There is a question of whether Historic Districts feels there is a requirement on a certificate of appropriateness, and whether Town Meeting wants to proceed Mr Jaquith. There is no question there; there could be a hearing by us because the material on the flagpole has changed I told Mr McSweeney that the best we could do would be to advertise next week and have a hear- ing in two weeks on the erection of the flagpole Mr O'Connell Mr McSweeney and I would bring the material on Monday night It was agreed that Mr McSweeney is to submit an application to the Historic Districts Commission immediately; Mr O'Connell is to present addi- tional information to the Board at the meeting on next Monday; the Bicen- tennial Corporation is to come back on next Monday with an alternative suggestion Transfer Mr O'Connell recommended that the Board approve a request for a trans- Request - fer of $20,000 to Account #5450-Road Machinery There has been an exceed- Road ingly high amount of major repairs, including parts and labor, coupled Machinery with the increased cost of parts and materials associated with vehicle supplies DPW is trying to improve preventative maintenance by operator training Management-wise, we are doing everything we can On the land- fill operation, we believe we are doing a better job but this does involve more machine hours per month Snow removal has been handled by DPW in-house and, therefore, this represents an increase in material costs and the cost of gas consumption By staying around $100,000, relatively old equipment would have heavy, constant use Next year, perhaps the Board should keep repair costs in mind A reserve transfer of $25,000 was given for snow removal and we will be returning about $20,000 to E & D Snow removal will balance out at $110,000 On the sanitary landfill, DPW acquired fill from contractors and Hinchey Road, and DPW machines hauled it Mr Bailey This is one of my tender spots, and I wish we could get this road machinery expense account under control Mr O'Connell I have asked Mr McSweeney to make the recording in- strument try-out to see if it tells more information on whether we are''a. overloading and accelerating the increase in breakdowns Mr Bailey A decision has to be made whether to repair something obviously in distress and not make a decision to repair those beyond re- pair Next year, we will know more Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to request the Ap- propriation Committee for approval of a transfer from the Reserve Fund to Account #5450-Road Machinery in the amount of $20,000 Rep Amick- The Board discussed a request of Representative Carol Amick for a H1792 position on her House Bill 1792, to establish the Tri-Town Regional Special Selectmen's Meeting March 31, 1976 Recreation Conservation District in the Towns of Burlington, Lexington and Bedford. Because of a lack of information, Mrs Miley agreed to investigate and come back to the Board with a report Chairman Kessler read a request from Lexington Friends for permis- Cary Hall sion to use Estabrook Hall for a reception after the jazz concert in Cary Permit Hall on April 3, 1976 Mr O'Connell The Board's original approval for the use of Cary Hall includes the entire building The Board agreed Chairman Kassler asked for the appointment of an Acting Chairman Acting during his absence on April 2 through April 5 at 5 00 p.m Chairman Mrs Miley moved that Mrs Battin be appointed Appointment Mr Busa moved that Mr Bailey be appointed Mrs Miley seconded the motion Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to appoint Fred C Bailey as Acting Chairman from April 2 through April 5 at 5 00 p m. Chairman Kessler informed the Board that Miss Sheila Busa had re- Article 71- quested this afternoon that Article 71, Public Drinking By-Law, be Public postponed as she would like to speak on this article but is unable to Drinking attend Town Meeting tonight There are also citizens who wish to speak but can't be there Mr O'Connell Material is available as of tonight Mrs. Miley If information is to be distributed for the first time tonight, I am concerned about getting it just a half hour before it is discussed The Board agreed to recommend to Town Meeting that Article 71 be postponed until later Chairman Kassler read a request from the Conservation Commission to Art 48 - sign the affirmation to assure a prospective seller of the land located Conservation at Clematis Brook and Hardy's Pond at Waltham Street of the Town' s good Land faith in purchasing the land Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted that the Board of Selectmen hereby affirms that the Town of Lexington fully intends to ex- ercise the option signed by Bonny's Landscape Service on March 27, 1976, as part of the implementation of Article 48 as passed by the 1976 Annual Town Meeting on March 29, 1976, regardless of the outcome of Town Meeting action on Article 92 of 1976, which includes interim wetland zoning over this land Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0 by roll call Executive vote, to go into Executive Session to discuss strategy with respect to Session collective bargaining or litigation, 7 40 p m. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn at 7 55 p m. A true record, Attest Executive Clerk, Selectmen