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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-11-05-BOS-min 239 SELECTMENyS MEETING November 5, 1973 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Select- men's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, on Monday, November 5, 1973 at 7 30 p.m. Chairman Kenney, Messrs. Bailey, Busa, -and Brown, and Mrs. Riff in; Mr. O'Connell, Town Manager; Mr. Cohen, Town Counsel; Mr. Coscia, DPW Manager of Operations; Mrs. McCurdy, Executive Clerk, were present. Chairman Kenney read a request from the Director of Public Works/ Engineering to add to Contract 72-5-E a 200 ft. sewer extension on Lowell Street at East Street. The estimated cost of this extension is $6,000; this estimate does not include ledge, which would be $2,000 extra. Betterments will be assessed for $780.85 for House No. 529 Sewer Lowell Street; all other properties are previously assessed. Contract Mr. Bailey Where is the money coming from? Is it left over from 72-5-E the appropriation? Mr. Coscia Yes. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the request of the Director of Public Works/Engineering to add a 200 ft. sewer extension on Lowell Street at East Street to Contract 72-5-E for sanitary sewer construction. Chairman Kenney read a request from the Traffic Committee to make application to the State Department of Public Works for stop signs. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to authorize the Stop Signs Chairman to sign the application to the State Department of Public Works for approval of stop signs at the following locations: Bridge Street Northwesterly Marrett Road (Rte. 2A) and Spring Street Spring Street Northeasterly Marrett Road (Rte. 2A) and Bridge Street Middle Street Southwesterly Lincoln Street Mr. O'Connell informed the Board that a new law goes into effect in December covering the operation of bicycles. Some of the provisions are that bicyclists may ride on all streets and roads in the state except posted limited access highways and expressways. They are required to ride single file with the flow of traffic, obey all traffic signs and Bicycles signals, give hand signals for making turns, yield the right of way to pedestrians and give an audible warning (with bell, horn or voice) when necessary. Outside business districts, bicycles may be ridden on side- walks where there are no bike paths. Violators of the road rules and equipment provisions may be fined up to $20. Police can give either a warning, a non-criminal ticket similar to a parking ticket, which can be paid by mail, or a court summons. If the violator is under 18, the bicy- cle can be impounded for 15 days. 300 Selectmen's Meeting November 5, 1973 Mr. O'Connell Obviously, this will call for a change in the Police safety program; they will have to crank this in and end up with the in- evitable enforcement requirements. It is my suggestion to use the pro- posed revision in the General By-Laws to forbid them from Meriam Street down to the Boston Edison Building; also, to provide some means of parking bicycles. If the Board concurs, we can go forward with the Traffic Committee to effect these changes. The law now authorizes the use of coin meters for bicycles but I would recommend it as it would add to the problems. We could make these revisions applicable to _the April 19 parade for the purpose of eliminating bicycles from the problem areas. Chairman Kenney We will reserve a space for an Article in the Warrant, and we will expect a recommendation from the Traffic Committee regarding the changes in the By-laws Mr. O'Connell We could also amend the hawkers' and peddlers' rules concerning vehicles making sales on Massachusetts Avenue from the Arling- ton line to the Lincoln line "nor within a distance of 200 feet of Massa- chusetts Avenue." Mr. Brown It seems to me there is a problem unless all the traffic laws concerning bicycles are clarified. Lexington strips its roads with a solid line and that would be a safe place for bicycles, but it needs to be made clear that automobiles are not allowed to cross that solid white line. Mr. 0.Connell If the road is wide enough. The Board agreed. Mr. O'Connell informed the Board that $16,568,293.08 had been col- lected for real estate taxes by Mrs. Barclay, Tax Collector, who has done an outstanding job; the money was collected during October but the greatest volume came during the last two days The Town was able to pay Real Estate off our tax anticipation loan on November 2 and, within 24 hours, it Taxes was possible for Mr. Zehner, Treasurer, to invest $1.5 million, which will yield the Town $9,000; $500,000 is being held for the County tax. The law forbids a Town from investing any tax revenue if there are any tax anticipation loans outstanding. Therefore, we are now in the investor's status for a short period of time. The Board members asked Mr. O'Connell to convey their appreciation to Mr. Zehner and Mrs. Barclay and her staff. Mr. Cohen recommended that a notice be inserted in the November 8 Lexington issue of the Lexington Minuteman that at the Selectmen's Meeting to be Housing held on November 19, 1973, the Board of Selectmen and remaining members Authority of the Lexington Housing Authority will vote by ballot to fill a vacancy Vacancy on the Lexington Housing Authority. (The vacancy was caused by the resignation of Temple E. Scanlon.) The Board agreed to insert the notice and to notify the remaining members of the Lexington Housing Authority. 3 0 1 111 Selectmen's Meeting November 5, 1973 Mr. Cohen requested the Board to sign the order of taking of sewer easements off Woburn Street. Sewer Ease Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the order ments off of taking of sewer easements off Woburn Street. Woburn St., Chairman Kenney read a letter from Mr. G. Robert Melber, 97 North Street, regarding the intersection of North and Adam Streets. He re- quests that steps be taken to provide adequate warning to motorists approaching this blind corner as two cars were literally demolished last week. Two signs could be placed in each direction of travel and wide yellow caution bands could be painted across each of the roads at the top of each hill approaching the corner, or blinking caution lights could be installed. After discussion, the Board agreed to request the recommendations of the Traffic Committee, and to inform Mr. Melber that the Board essentially agrees with him regarding the seriousness of the situation but would point out that the accident he referred to was caused by one driver travelling at an excessive speed and failed to stop at the Stop Traffic sign. Whatever improvements are made here will be of little value in North and this type of accident. Also, the Selectmen attempted several years ago Adams Sts. to reconstruct the section of Adams Street from East Street to the Burlington line. However, principally due to local neighborhood objec- t' tion, this proposal was defeated by Town Meeting. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to refer Mr. Melber's requests to the Traffic Safety Committee for recommendations. Chairman Kenney read a recommendation from the Board of Retire- ment that Mrs. Marion H. Glenn, widow of former firefighter George W. Glenn Glenn, be granted an annuity of $2,000 starting November 1, 1973. Annuity Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to accept the recommendation of the Board of Retirement to grant Mrs. Marion H. Glenn a $2,000 annuity starting November 1, 1973, under the appropria- tion in the Non-Contributory Pension Fund, Account Number 7825. Chairman Kenney read a request from Big W. Trans., Ashland, for a license to travel over Route 128 from the Waltham to the`Burlington Town line. Big W Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to issue a Trans. license to Big W Trans. to travel over Route 128 from Waltham to the License Burlington Town line with the stipulation that no stops are allowed. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to certify the character of Juan C. Ryan and Leonor Ryan, 74 Blossomtrest Street, Cert. of who have applied to Secretary Davoren for a Certificate of Incorpora- Incorp. tion "Club Latino American Inc." I 302 Selectmen's Meeting November 5, 1974 Chairman Kenney read a letter from Mrs. Lester A. Duncklee of Mystic, Connecticut, asking if the Board would like to have a picture of the Lexington residents portraying the Rebel Army which Duncklee was taken during the 1925 Pageant. Gift Chairman Kenney Mr. Zehner would like to use the picture in the next Town Report. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to accept the gift from Mrs. Lester A. Duncklee of a picture of the Rebel Army taken during the 1925 Pageant. Mr. Bailey It would be appropriate to petition the Library Trustees to vote to accept it for display in the Lexington Room. The Board agreed. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to go into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing, deliberating or voting Executive on matters which, if made public, might adversely affect the public Session security, the financial interests of the Town, or the reputation of a person. After discussion of matters of financial interest to the Town, it was voted to go out of Executive Session. Police Chief Corr and the Appropriation Committee met with the Board. Chairman Kenney At the end of the last Town Meeting, it was agreed, for the benefit of the Appropriation Committee and the Select- men, to request Chief Corr to give the overall picture of his depart- ment and estimates for the next five or six years. Chief Corr There are presently 49 officers although the author- Police ized strength is for 51. My recommendation for 1974 is that there be Department 56 officers and by 1990 there will be a need for 65 men. Until the Civil Service Act was changed in 1966 to allow local communities to hire police officers from outside the Town, it was difficult to hire men for police duty because there was no one in Lexington who wanted to work for $125 a week. Rep. Cole introduced a bill to end that, and the next year Lexington was able to hire 9 police officers from Somerville. Since then, I have been coming to both Boards to ask for more police officers. Chief Corr explained detailed charts showing that Investigation- Complaints and Reports had increased from 3500 in 1962 to 8000 in 1972. For the most part, these are calls received at the switchboard which must be investigated. Serious offenses known to the police increased from 361 in 1961 to 1121 in 1972; by the end of 1973, these could total up to 1250.. Arrests, including summons, increased from 500 in 1955 to between 6000 to 7000 Fines increased from $4300 in 1955 to $65,000 in 1972; most of the money goes to the County Court and only about 10 percent comes back to the Town. Housebreaks increased from 303 Selectmen's Meeting November 5, 1973 100 in 1961 to 350 in 1972; 85 percent of these are committed by out- siders and 15 percent by Town youngsters from 13 to 18 years old. Auto thefts increased from 40 in 1961 to 120 in 1972. Value of property stolen increased from $50,000 in 1962 to $500,000, and the value of property recovered is $200,000 per year. Accidents have increased from 400 to 1100 in the last 15 years, and 20 percent of these occur on Route 128. From 1957 to 1967, there was no change and then we put on 9 men from Somerville. We have not put anybody on since 1967, with two excep- tions as a result of 4 and 2; last year, we put on one police officer. Our current authorized strength is 51 men. We have 3 provisional men, 2 of which we hope to keep. In 1965, I became Chief and in 1966 I sub- mitted a master plan on coverage which was the absolute minimum for Lexington. We have 4 one-man cruisers in the four sections of Town plus 1 two-man cruiser plus a Patrol Supervisor. On coverage, we have 1 Com- manding Officer, 1 Desk Officer, 1 Center officer, 4 one-man cruisers, I two-man cruiser, 1 Patrol Supervisor, 1 Detective, plus 1 Civilian Dis- patcher; a total of 11. Civilian Positions 4 Clerical, 2 Dispatchers, 1 Mechanic who is also on meters, 6 Police Cadets - 3 actually as there is a full complement only during the summer. Mr. Bailey Do you stretch the use of civilian personnel as far as you can? ' Chief Corr Yes. Mr. Furash From the way you are currently operating, where are the five men needed? Chief Corr If we get the five men, we need them during vacations and for cruiser coverage and if the men are out sick. We have two men at the District Court, two at the schools, and a photographer .and devel- oper of film during the daytime. Mr. Mitchell: Could the photographer be a civilian? Chief Corr I looked into it and it would cost just as much as a full time officer, and maybe more so; we don't think we would be getting the full use of him. Mr. White To what extent could you use more cadets? Chief Corr: I felt if I asked for police officers and cadets, it wouldn't go through, so I ask for officers to perform the law. A cadet is in the learning process and is not supposed to be used as a full time police officer. They fill in on surveys, school crossings, etc. and I would like to see the program expanded in future years. Mr. O'Connell Explain the problem. Chief Corr: Twenty years ago, Civil Service said you had to pick residents but the Lexington community has college graduates, lawyers, etc. We should be able to entice citizens and convince Town Meeting and the Board to go into a cadet program and at the end of five years when they have received a degree in criminology they would want to come and work for us. With the six we have now, who are residents of the Town, we have a waiting list of approximately nine more. We have the 1 3U= Selectmen's Meeting November 5, 1974 111 cadet with us for five years, and because of Civil Service and it pro- cedures, we are unable to tap them. If a police cadet went in and took the open examination at this time, he would come out 7 or 8 on the list and the only way we can pick him is over a period of time when the list expires. Legislation passed last year which said if a resi- dent took the exam, if he was a resident for one year he would go to the top of the list. The Attorney General said it was unconstitutional. With the population at 33,000 in 1973, it is estimated to be 48,000 in 1990. In 1973, our authorized figure is for 51 police officers; in 1974, we recommend 56; in 1990, it is estimated we will need 65. By giving us the proper amount.of additional manpower, I do feel we would have coverage for our shifts. Chairman Kenney What is the effect on your work load as the re- sult of drugs and the 18 year old being able to drink? Chief Corr They have increased tremendously in drugs, and our problems have increased 500 percent since they have been allowed to drink at 18; also, they are going to the recreation areas. The Board thanked Chief Corr for his presentation and he and the appropriation Committee retired from the meeting. Mr. Donald Glennon, Veterans' Agent, met with the Board to request approval of a veterans' memorial plaque, dedicated to the men and women of Lexington, at a cost of approximately $650. Chairman Kenney It is to be understood that names of individuals Veterans' are not to be inscribed. The price of $650 for a Vermont granite Memorial memorial is within the appropriation approved under Account 7150 - Veter- ans' Benefits. Mr. Glennon There are several proposed locations and after approval of the Selectmen, we would have to go -before the Historic Districts Com- mission. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the ex- penditure of $650 for a Veterans' Memorial Plaque, and to take the necessary steps to place the plaque at the base of the flagpole located on the lawn at Cary Memorial Hall. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to go into Execu- Executive tive Session for the purpose of discussing, deliberating or voting on Session matters which, if made public, might adversely affect the public security, the financial interests of the Town, or the reputation of a person. After discussion of matters of financial interest to the Town, it was voted to go out of Executive Session. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn at 10:45 p.m. A true record, Attest Executive Clerk, Selectmen