Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-12-16-BOS-min 153 SELECTMEN'S MEETING December 16, 1974 Alregular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Select- men's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, on Monday, December 16, 1974, at 7 30 p m. Chairman Kenney, Messrs Bailey, Busa and Brown, Mrs Battin; r. O'Connell, Town Manager; Mr Cohen, Town Counsel; Mrs McCurdy,JExecutive Clerk, were present Memibers of the Committee on Aging of the Lexington Council of Con- Counsel gregations, met with the Board to request the Selectmen to consider en- on Aging dorsing an Article for the Town Warrant that would establish a local Article Council on Aging, under the provisions of G L Chapter 40, Section 8B Rev Shirley Goodwin We have explored the activities of other councils. that have been operatingconsidering a number of years When con ing the aspects of a Council on Aging in Lexington, a small committee was formed donsisting of people working with the elderly and also with the Council of Congregations, to study the needs of the aged in Lexington Of the 350 cities and towns, there are 240 councils on aging, whibh indicates there is a real function to perform and a real need to be fulfilled. There are 4270 people over 60 years of age in Lexington and 2494 over 65 We request that the Board endorse and consider this Article for the Warrant. Another special function is the council re- lationship to the state and federal programs and, as a Council of the Town, we would be eligible to receive funding It is difficult to pick out any particular community as an example of process, program or fund- ing The character is determined by the local people themselves Wel- lesley chid send us a newsletter regarding the activities of their council and there is a listing of 34 merchants cooperating in giving discounts to the elderly In our local organization, we have four co- operating merchants, which gives you an idea of what a Council on Aging can do to satisfy the needs of all aging people in the area. Rev Zoerheide I talked with Concord and I have material from Wellesley, Needham and Winchester I explored this regarding a budget model and what the performance is Concord is using the Council chiefly in the way of an administering program, such as meals on wheels; this is not our intent Some councils come in with a modest budget fig- , ure and it hasn't changed in years Needham has not changed, but Arling- ton has a huge budget. We have thought about the character of Lexington, based on our study of two years and, on that basis, we have agreed upon a budget request for a Coordinator at $2,500, or at a rate set by the Town; Concord sets the rate between $3-3 50 per hour, classified as a Clerk It would probably be $500 for telephone and office supplies, also for a newsletter and mailing (This is the key to communicating with 2,000 people in the Town in reaching them by a newsletter We view this as the ]fey part of the program; with possibly six mailings at $750 per year Many people aren't even able to subscribe to a newspaper ) 1254 Selectmen's Meeting December 16, 1974 $200 for travel, to visit other councils and area meetings The State Department of Community Affairs has $2,000 to start up with equipment and furnishings, but not salaries The monies available are starter monies but would only be available if you have a council Chairman Kenney What is Arlington's annual budget? Mrs Zoerheide They will be applying for $60,000 Rev Zoerheide We are interested in using the schools for mimeo- graphing We base our request on office space for free and volunteers to work with the council, and that is the area of growth we would con- sider Mrs Battin Are you thinking of staffing with senior citizens as coordinators? Rev Zoerheide That is a decision we can't make It would be done by the council It would depend on what you are able to get with job qualifications; if they are good, we would say, "great " We wouldn't want to be pinned to that. Mr O'Connell Clarify the legal status Who is his employer? Rev Zoerheide I believe he would be an employee of the Council on Aging Mr. McCrea, Regional Coordinator-Dept. of Community Affairs Yes, as a member of the Council on Aging Mr. O'Connell Is he eligible under the state retirement system? Mr McCrea He is a state employee Mr O'Connell Is that employer eligible for the state retirement system? This helps define the legal status Mr McCrea I am afraid I am not able to answer The question is, "Are part-time employees eligible for that which you specify?" Mr O'Connell There will be a host of questions Mrs Battin We could check with Concord. Mrs Zoerheide In Burlington and Woburn, they are considered town employees, although they answer to the Council on Aging Mr O'Connell I question whether that is legal Mr Scanlon They would have to work 25 hours or more Rev. Zoerheide This we would not view with practicality; we are thinking of not more than 12 to 14 hours a week Chairman Kenney Mr O'Connell is trying to zero in on who is re- sponsible for this employee, and if he is responsible in some way to the Town Manager That is why we are attempting to define the legal status Rev Zoerheide If the Selectmen approve it, this is something the Selectmen would have to work out Mrs Battin To answer in terms of the Town Manager Act, the Coun- cil on Aging would set the policy, but it would be under the Town Manager Mr O'Connell In that case, he would be an employee Mrs Battin The Council would set the policy and he would carry that out Mr O'Connell Is this budget intended to be in addition to what the Town spends on the elderly or instead of? 1 55 Selectmen's Meeting December 16, 1974 Rev Zoerheide There again, the Selectmen would have to answer If some of the funds that were presently used, if the Selectmen feel would appropriately be Applied, that is a policy we would hot want to make This is something the Selectmen, in their wisdom, would hesitate to invade Mr O'Connell I didn't understand the mailing to 2,000 people Mr. Zoerheide There are 2,500 people who are 65 or over, 200 of whorl are not actively engaged Mr O'Connell You mentioned $700 for six mailings; it would run $1,000 juft for the postage Or is that just the printing cost? The Town is currently absorbing $500-600 in a newsletter to the elderly Rev Zoerheide It is our hope we could get a mimeographer from the To' n or the schools We don't have the program so we couldn't ask for it There is a lot of hope that the Town could cooperate with the mailings It is too bad if it is judged by a figure which is too low Mr O'Connell That is what I meant Rev. Zoerheide Unless it were dovetailed by something else Chairman Kenney to Mr O'Connell What is the membership now? Mr O'Connell Between 500-600. Mr Greeley. I believe we could call on the resources of the IIICommittee and we could stay within the budget Rev Zoerheide In Winchester, they have already achieved a co- ordinated newsletter that serves all the aging This, we could do and cut the cost. This would depend on the spirit of cooperation Chairman Kenney Get us additional information for a typical budget for other towns like Wellesley and give us one paragraph on what their program is so that we would have an idea Rev Zoerheide We have it but hesitated to give it to you be- cause we don't have any such contemplation Mr Bailey There is no problem of this Board supporting you but there is a problem in how far we go in supporting the funding Rev Goodwin We will get the material for you Chairman Kenney We will insert an Article in the Warrant for the establishment of a Council on Aging and we will look at the status of employees in terms of the Town Manager Act. When it goes to- Town Meeting, we would expect you to be prepared to carry the Article This is a new proposal and will take a great deal of explanation to Town Meeting Members Members of the Committee on Aging of the Lexington Council of Aging retired from the meeting Mr Robert Tarlin, Bicentennial Director, and Mr Roland Greeley, Bicentennial Committee, met with the Board to discuss emergency trail- Emergency er parl$ing Trailer Mr Greeley Town Meeting authorized the construction of emer- Parking gency camping facilities on Town-owned land and appropriated $3,500 for Area FY 75, Iwith the understanding that there would be funding of operations in FY 76. I would estimate another $3,000 for operating beyond FY 75 156 Selectmen's Meeting December 16, 1974 111 Mr O'Connell I agree with $3,500 but I believe Town Meeting said that would be all they would appropriate Mr Tarlin But we said that we must have money Mr O'Connell They heard you but didn't take action Mr Greeley The recommendation was to be on the condition to have emergency facilities to accommodate the demand We feel there is less likelihood now than we did a year ago I don't see how anyone could say it would be needed or not be needed We hope there would be enough volunteer offering of driveways pursuant to the zoning change and a clearing house operated by the Chamber of Commerce that would take care of emergency needs on driveways of citizens There was an amendment on Town Meeting floor that made the availability of those driveways, sub- ject to the condition there would be no charge for them. We are of the opinion that probably the Town could get by without an outlay for the High School parking lot to provide for these facilities, but to provide through private properties or by using the back of the Police Station or school building parking space, as is currently done in emergencies now Mr O'Connell is less optimistic than we are that emergency needs can be provided without special facilities Our biggest concern is the word-of- mouth advertising if we develop a facility and create a negligible demand for the use of the facility, and we don't see a clear way of keeping that demand down We are concerned about the amount of control we would have We feel sure that the Town doesn't want to run a commercial trailer facil- ity but don't see how we can limit it On the other hand, we could be in a position to take care of only self-contained trailers in driveways and out back here Those that need electricity and water hookups could not be accommodated I am trying to give a balanced picture Mr Bailey How do you interpret the Town Meeting vote - as per- missive or mandatory? Mr Greeley My interpretation is "authorization" but I do not have the wording Mr O'Connell My interpretation agrees with Mr. Greeley's If the Committee felt it had a mandate, they now have a different judgment Town Meeting was not mandating this but said, "If you need the money, here it is " The initial thinking in my view, was that it may be consistent to say that all we are providing is emergency; to supply water, sewer and power, that is permanent If providing for a stranded camper, all we could do is supply space If it is an emergency, I don't think the area has to be that handy to the Center Perhaps the whole thing could be met if we allocated a paved, lined area and to continue what we are doing now but only on a larger scale, or try to deal with the stranded camper Mr Greeley There are three major costs involved, (1) the installa- tion of services of water, power and, maybe, sewer; (2) when we talk of the location, the important factor is policing We think we should not go into it with custodial services during the night, and that would be the third basic factor If these are not needed, would some place like the 'High School be sufficiently well lighted or visible? The place out back here, however small, is easier to police 157 Selectmen's Meeting December 16, 1974 Chairman Kenney That still may be the best place Mr O'Connell We may be subject to the EPA revised control laws If the Police put vehicles in there to solve some traffic hazard, that would make a difference Mr Greeley I agree to using the High School but don't know the problems In Town Meeting, we talked about having someone there at night but if we do not supply services, we don't need him If just park- ing there for the night, I think it would fill the bill Chairman Kenney to Mr O'Connell How many are parking out back now? Mr O'Connell One or two a night. Providing running water would be no problem. The Town has a problem it is going to have to answer about a. sewage disposal arrangement Just to take care of private park- ing, on, the matter of power, I think it could be done but if it is,a matter of true emergency, the more hookups you have, the more inviting it becomes Mr Bailey What are the possibilities of walking up to this as we go along? To use this area as "the" area this year and the minute we get into trouble you could probably cause some other area in the Town to be "the" place We should have some central disposal place Mr O'Connell Yes Chairman Kenney: The only thing you wouldn't have would be FY 76 money Maybe we could hold over the $3,000 Mr O'Connell If just a little of this was spent for a water tap, you would have much money Mi. Tarlin You are on the way to providing a dumping station; Mr McSweeney verbally told me he will do it at the Barn What we are talk- ing about is an emergency place and this requires no running water or power, and also means some place to go late at night I agree with Mr Bailey of walking up to it, and provide no power, and they could come in at 8, 9 or 10 .m. and be out P by 6 or lam , at the latest 7 30; and not interfere with daily traffic They might be unhappy to get out by 7 or 7 30 but it is an emergency area If there is not sufficient space in back of the Police Station, I would say it should be in the area but moved out a bit Mr O'Connell Who would police it? Mr Tarlin A Policeman Mr O'Connell No, they don't police it Mr Tarlin I meant just as they police every street in Town Mr O'Connell Nobody tells them to get out - at no time Chairman Kenney We can walk up to that element when we get to it Mr Tarlin If we do anything on a formal basis and other towns are not establishing them, they will say, "Lexington has one 11 M$ O'Connell I think the Information Center can handle it Mr Greeley If this is a concurrence, we won't ask for money in the FY 76 budget. We can walk into this and do better than break even 1 158 Selectmen's Meeting December 16, 1974 Mr O'Connell I believe the Board of Health would ask us to have running water Mr Greeley Are there taps on the High School building? Mr. O'Connell Yes It was agreed by all that the Bicentennial Committee would not re- quest funds for FY 76 camping facilities Mr O'Connell advised the Board that we have finally received ap- Additional proval from Civil Service, after two painful years of difficult delays, Policemen for six permanent Police Officers Additionally, we are awaiting approval to transfer into Lexington a very promising man with three years of police experience These six, plus the transfer, will fill seven of the vacancies in the Police Department Mr O'Connell informed the Board that the resignation of Mr Paul Personnel Sidman has been received Advisory Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to accept, with Board regret, the resignation of Mr Paul Sidman as a member of the Personnel Advisory Board Mr O'Connell informed the Board that he had conducted a meeting with representatives of the People's Bicentennial Committee-Randy Barber People's and Pamela Shea, Mr Busa, Chief Corr, and Mr Tarlin Mr Barber ex- IBicentennial plained that there would be two kinds of a Bicentennial observance on Committee April 19, the one which the Town planned and the one which they plan as a preliminary protest We explained the procedures in applying for approval of activities and specifically asked them to apply to the Bicentennial Committee for participating in the parade and to put on skits That their application would be given consideration under the same criteria as others We also explained the method of applying for consideration of the literature booth and for applying to the Board for permission to use Hastings Park Chairman Kenney I agree with the procedures you are requesting that they follow The Town Board or Commission which has to make the recommendation could, and should, look at the merits of each request Our primary responsibility is to the people of Lexington Is he going to proceed and apply to the Bicentennial Committee? Mr O'Connell That is up to them Burri Land - Chairman Kenney read a request from Town Counsel to sign the deed Reconveyance conveying part of Holland Street back to Mr and Mrs Lucidino Burri, in accordance with the vote of the 1974 Annual Town Meeting-Article 62 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the follow- ing deed reconveying a portion of Holland Street to Mr and Mrs Lucidino Burri, 14 Holland Street, Lexington . 1eei9 Selectmen's Meeting December 16, 1974 "!Phe Town of Lexington, a municipal corporation in Middlexex County, Commonwlealth of Massachusetts, acting by and through its Board of Select- men undier and by virtue of the power conferred on it by a vote of the Town Meeting duly called, warned and held on March 4, 1974, namely at an ad- journed session held on April 22, 1974, a copy of which is hereto annexed, and every other power it hereto enabling, for consideration of One Dollar ($1 00) paid, grants to Lucidino Burri and Marguerite Burri, as tenants by the entirety, all its right, title and interest in and to a certain parcel of land situated in said Lexington, bounded and described as follows, Bleginning at a point on the southerly sideline of Holland Street, said point being N 44°-58'-11" W distant 54 82 ft from the point of intersection of a non tangent curve of 33 00 ft. radius and 43 59 ft length; thence N 46°-53'00" E distant 40 29 ft. to a point on the northerly sideline of Holland Street; thence N 30°-39'-35" W distant 30 72 ft to a point; thence S 46°-53'-OO" W distant 48 00 ft to a point; thence S 440-58'-11" E distant 30 02 ft. to the point of begin- ning all as shown on a plan entitled, "Plan of Discontinuance of a Portion of Holland Street, Lexington, Mass , Scale 1" = 20' Jan 15, 1974, James Z. Chase, Town Engineer," to be recorded herewith Said parcel con- tains 1329 square feet of land, more or less, according to said plan IllThis conveyance is made subject to the rights of the Town of Lexing- ton to a 25 foot drain and sewer easement as shown on said plan For title of grantor see an Order of Taking recorded with the Middlesex South Registry of Deeds on May 10, 1973 in Book 12430, Page 6 No documentary stamps are attached hereto, none being required by law In Witness Whereof the name of the Town of Lexington has been hereto affixed, and the instrument has been executed in its name and on its behalf by a majority of the Board of Selectmen and sealed with the Town Seal this Sixteenth day of December, 1974 TOWN OF LEXINGTON By Allan F Kenney Fred C Bailey Alfred S Busa Sanborn C Brown Margery M. Battin 1 Marjority of the Board of Selectmen" lb Selectmen's Meeting December 16, 1974 II/ The Board discussed an award of damages to be made to Mr and Mrs Burri Burri An appraisal had been made by W H Lyon for an award of $500, Damages and the Board agreed to $480 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to award damages in the amount of $480 to Lucidino and Marguerite Burri, 14 Holland Street The Board approved the request from the Director of Public Works/ Maguire Engineering to sign the contract with C E. Maguire on the Turning Mill Turning Mill Road Sewer Sewer Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the con- tract with C.E Maguire, Inc for engineering services, ecological monitoring, and inspection of the Turning Mill Road sewer project in an amount not to exceed $10,050 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to table the re- quest of the Massachusetts League of Cities and Towns to endorse a resolution for the continuation of the revenue sharing program. Resignation Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to accept the Town Celebra- resignation of Mr James F Fenske as a member of the Town Celebrations tion Comm. Committee, effective immediately Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the Minutes minutes of the Selectmen's meetings of November 18 and June 17, 1974 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to certify the character of the following who have applied for Certificate of In- ' Cert. of corporation l Incorp Paul F Duggan 70 Freemont Street "Van Line Agents Protective Com. , Ind " Martha H. Ziegler 11 Walnut Street Federation for Children with Special Needs, Inc " Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign liquor licenses for the following Mr Busa abstained. 1975 Liquor Package Goods Stores Address Licenses Lexington Liquor Mart, Inc 58 Bedford St Clubs Knights of Columbus Building Association Inc 177 Bedford St B P 0 E Lexington Lodge #2204 959 Waltham St 16IL Selectrryen's Meeting December 16, 1974 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the 1975 Common Victualler licenses for the following Common Victualler Amick Enterprises, Inc , d/b/a Dunkin Donuts 373 Waltham St. License Sutton Place, Inc 399 Lowell St Blrigham's d/b/a Buttrick's 34 Bedford St. Jeffro, Inc d/b/a Deli-Shuss 1841 Mass Ave Brigham's 1775 Mass Ave Minute Man Restaurant 1715 Mass. Ave Take Home Foods of Lexington, Inc d/b/a Kentucky Fried Chicken 211 Mass Ave Hbward Johnson's Route 128 Harold Butler Enterprises d/b/a Denny's 438 Bedford St Le Bellecour Restaurant 10-12 Muzzey St. The Board discussed a request from Mr William J O'Neil for Request for consideration of changing the street name to Lee Lane for the three Street Name homes now located at 905A, 905B, 905C Massachusetts Avenue A re- Change - port from Mr McSweeney recommends against it because there are Wm. J O'Neil presently two streets named Lee in the Town. The Board agreed to accept Mr McSweeney's recommendation and to so inform Mr O'Neil Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to go into Exe- cutive Session for the purpose of discussing, deliberating or voting on matters which, if made public, might adversely affect the public Executive security, the financial interests of the Town, or the reputation of a Session person After discussion with the Conservation Commission and the Appro- priation Commission concerning land acquisition articles, it was voted to go out of Executive Session Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn at 10 40 p.m Af true record, Attest Executive Clerk, Selectmen 1