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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1973-12-03-BOS-min 10 )ei SELECTMEN'S MEETING December 3, 1973 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Select- men's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, on December 3, 1973, at 7 30 p.m. Chairman Kenney, Messrs Bailey, Busa, Brown and Mrs Riffin; Mr. O'Connell, Town Manager; Mr Cohen, Town Counsel; Mr McSweeney, Director of Public Works/Engineering; and Mrs McCurdy, Executive Clerk, were present Mr O'Connell recommended that Town Offices, except emergency ser- vices departments, be closed on Monday, December 24 but normal working Town hours be established on Monday, December 31 Offices Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to close Town Christmas Offices on December 24, 1973 Mr O'Connell discussed plans for the conservation of energy All department heads have been requested to look at reductions in the use of heating oil and gasoline; these will be given to the Board next week. Regarding Cary Hall, it can be kept between 50 and 55 degrees; it is not safe to lower it more We will cancel the use of Cary Hall except for priority needs We are now looking at locating committee meetings at Town Offices on two evenings a week and, also, use the Visitors Center and the Police Building Chairman Kenney- What about the Senior Citizens using Cary Hall? Mr O'Connell Now, they can get by but the next step would make it unusable as it would be 10 degrees lower Chairman Kenney Have you computed what we would save? Energy Mr O'Connell Cary consumes two-thirds of the heat the boiler Crisis puts out. You could consider acting on this next Monday Mrs Riffin Could the small tots' program be in a school where it might be used anyway? Mr O'Connell Mr Maclnnes advised me that the school depart- ment is devising a plan for little or no use of school buildings in the evening We were told that Clarke Junior High would stay warm from the heating during the day Chairman Kenney• Then we could probably put people there for evening meetings Mr O'Connell In the Police Department, if there is a major re- duction in the availability of gasoline, they could only recommend decreasing the number of cruisers; in other words, reduce the level of service In my opinion, that is only at the emergency level. We will have a specific set of regulations for DPW next week. They point out that under these conditions, all water and sewer instal- lations could be curtailed after December 15 They are taking a good look at snow operations, as this uses large amounts of fuel, especially in hauling Chairman Kenney We will take a further look and discuss it next week. 354 Selectmen's Meeting December 3, 1973 Mr Cohen requested the Board to sign the deed conveying tax title lots 125-126 Sunset Avenue to James A. and Joanne L. Pallis Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the deed conveying tax title lots 125-126 Sunset Avenue to James A. Pallis and Joanne L. Pallis, husband and wife as tenants by the entirety, 19 Hay- Pallis ward Avenue, for the sum of $1,000 plus $11 64 for taxes for the Tax portion of the remaining year, subject to easements and restrictions Title of record, if any, so far as are now in force and applicable to said land, and subject also, for a period of 99 years from the date hereof, to the restriction that for the purposes of building said land be com- bined with other land with the buildings thereon of the grantee known as 19 Hayward Avenue in said Lexington and that only one building, together with customary accessory buildings, shall be maintained on the combined lot Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the Poles petition of the New England Telephone Company for the transfer of owner- Mass Ave ship from joint owned poles to Boston Edison Company for 6 poles at the Wallis Ct follow locations Massachusetts Avenue Northwesterly, approximately 1 foot from Wallis Court - 2 poles Massachusetts Avenue Southwesterly, from Wallis Court, northwest- erly side, approximately 174 feet - 4 poles111 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to rescind the vote of November 19, 1973 to abate ambulance bills which have been paid Ambulance by the following Abatements Bruce Campbell 198 Grove Street $20 00 Robert McLaughlin 25 Brandon Street 10 00 Christopher McNeece 77 Spring Street 10.00 Harry Sweeney 28 Temple St , Arlington 10 00 Virginia Mollica Battle Green Inn 10 00 Chairman Kenney informed the Board that favorable reports have been received from the Board of Health regarding applications from Sutton Common Place, Inc , 399 Lowell Street (formerly James H McManus Co ) and Victuallers Arno's Associates, Inc , 321 Woburn Street d b.a Arno's Deli under new License ownership of George Sergios Sutton Place, Inc requests the hours of 7 00 a.m. to 11 00 p m. After discussion, the Board agreed that 10 00 p m. was late enough for this area Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the Common Victualler license for Sutton Place, Inc , 399 Lowell Street, with the hours of operation of 7 00 a m. to 10 00 p m. - 7 days i (z� 6n cs Selectmen's Meeting December 3, 1973 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the Common Victualler license for Arno' s Associates, Inc. , 321 Woburn Street, with the hours of operation of 5 30 a.m. to 7 00 p.m. Monday through Saturday Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the Minutes minutes of the Selectmen's Meetings of July 2, July 16, July 30, 1973. Chairman Kenney read a report from Mr McSweeney, in reply to a request from Mrs Kinney, 202 Waltham Street for a sidewalk in front of her property , stating that the Engineering Department is in the process of preparing a formal petition for house #202 Waltham Street and house #55 Winthrop Road , which will be sent to Mrs. Kinney for signatures. As soon as the signed petition is returned, we will review our sidewalk appropriation to see if it is feasible to add this to our present con- tract for street and sidewalk construction. If feasible, I will report Sidewalk to the Board for approval As a result of our review, we would recom- Waltham mend that the entire portion between Vynebrooke Village and Winthrop Street Road be constructed , either by including it in the 1974-75 budget or by voting it as an extra work order on Contract 73-6-E if the funds allow. The present walking area is hazardous in areas where no paved walk exists and in disrepair where there is paving and is used exten- sively We might also recommend that future consideration be given to Waltham Street between Winthrop Road and Worthen Road. We estimate the cost for constructing the sidewalk from Vynebrooke Village to Winthrop Road at $9,000. Betterments would be assessed for this im- provement except where a paved walk presently exists. After discussion, the Board agreed to inform Mrs. Kinney that the Director of Public Works/Engineering has been instructed to make ar- rangements to install a sidewalk in front of her property at #202 Waltham Street Mr. McSweeney is to come back to the Board if funds are available to install a sidewalk from Vynebrooke Village to Winthrop. Mr. O'Connell mentioned the sidewalk in front of 222 Waltham Street Mr McSweeney agreed to submit an estimate for next year's budget. Chairman Kenney read a report from the Traffic Safety Committee in reply to a letter from Mr. G Robert Melber., 97 North Street, concerning traffic conditions at the intersection of Adams Street and North Street. Traffic Mr Melber had requested two signs, yellow caution bands at the top of Adams St each hill approaching this corner, or the installation of blinking cau- North St, tion lights The report states the Department of Public Works/Engineering is being requested to locate two intersectional warning signs at the inter- section of North and Adams Streets. But major reconstruction would be required at the following locations I r () Selectmen's Meeting December 3, 1973 I At the intersection of North Street and Adams Street on the southerly Adams Street approach to North Street; 2. At the guard rail location on the Adams Street southerly travelled way between house #76 and #92 Adams Street 3. On the Adams Street southerly approach near the intersection of Adams Street and East Street. Chairman Kenney to Mr. McSweeney Do you think that we could apply for spot improvements for some of the Chapter 90 money? Mr. McSweeney They use the term "highway safety" and the Com- missioner emphasized this 1 don't know if it is all allocated. Chairman Kenney We will inform Mr. Melber that two warning signs will be installed at the intersection, and we will contact the State on the three areas for spot improvements. The Board agreed Chairman Kenney read a report from the Traffic Safety Committee in Traffic reply to a request from Mr. Harvey Gray, 22 Tucker Avenue, for a traffic Mass Ave. signal at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Oak Street. The Oak St report states that this location could not make the warrant for a traffic signal and it is recommended that no action be taken at this time. Chairman Kenney We could request Chief Corr to alert the crossing guard to be alerted to take the license numbers of violators The Board agreed. A letter is to be sent to Mr Gray informing him that this. location could not meet the warrant for a traffic signal. Chairman Kenney informed the Board that applications for renewal of Package Goods licenses have been received, with a certified check for Liquor $ 1 ,500 from each store. Package Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the 1974 Goods Package Goods license for the following Licenses Mr Busa abstained Bermans Market, Inc 55 Massachusetts Avenue Busa Bros. Liquors, Inc. 131 Massachusetts Avenue Lexington Liquor Mart 58 Bedford Street Joseph Trani , Inc. 1775 Massachusetts Avenue Vinebrook Corporation 1700 Massachusetts Avenue The Board signed the forms notifying the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission of the renewal of the licenses for the five Package Goods Stores Street Board members agreed to attend the hearing on 1974 streets in Hearings Estabrook Hall on December 11 at 7 30 p.m. I 0', Selectmen's Meeting December 3, 1973 The Board discussed a survey contract on the Porter Land, which has been requested by the Conservation Commission. Porter Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the contract Land with Joseph W. Moore for engineering services on the 20 acres of Porter land, not to exceed $2,000, to include field surveys and title research. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to go into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing, deliberating, or Executive voting on matters which, if made public, might adversely affect the Session public security, financial interests of the town or the reputation of a person. After discussion with the Conservation Commission, it was voted to go out of Executive Session. The Appropriation Committee and Fire Chief Spellman met with the Board. Chairman Kenney The purpose of this meeting is for Chief Spell- man to give an overview of the Fire Department as it stands today and projections for the future. Chief Spellman I would like to show the necessity for additional manpower and give a resume of from 1963 to 1973. We had a complement of 14 men in 1963 and have a complement of 15 men in 1973. We now have 1 ,925 runs; our ambulance runs have increased from 425 to 725. Also, inspection services increased from 2,300 in 1963 to over 6,000 in 1973. We inspect tanks, issue blasting permits, propane gas and oil Fire permits, do school inspections, commercial buildings, as required by Department law, and some single buildings Chairman Kenney You have an evening fire inspection of this building. Chief Spellman: Yes, we have evening inspection of Town Offices, Police Station, Cary Memorial Building, and the Libraries. We have had increased inspections since 1965 when it became necessary because of the growth of the Town, activity in the schools, and increased con- struction. Chairman Kenney In 1970, didn't the Town Manager ask you to inspect these buildings? Chief Spellman: Yes; the men inspect the buildings under con- struction as you have more fires in buildings under construction. We have grass and brush fires but the number of outside fires has been reduced considerably. On mutual aid, we have assisted other towns 46 times and have given mutual aid to Arlington 32 times. On each shift, we have 15 men A Deputy and a Dispatcher; 4 men on Engine 2; I on the Ambulance; 2 on Ladder Engine 2; 2 on the Rescue Truck; Engine 3 is used for mutual aid and Engine 5 for grass fires. In the Massachusetts Avenue Station, we have 3 men on Engine I and I man on Engine 4. During the vacation period, we run into problems and we operate Massachusetts Avenue with 3 men. We have 3 men on vacation at each time and have to call in off-duty men to man the stations. We had a bad year with sick leave. 358 Selectmen's Meeting December 3, 1973 Mr. Bailey: What is the figure? Chief Spellman: The figure is projected at $1 ,400. We have to cover l6} square miles and we are the largest of the q 9 surroundingtowns in mileage. Based on population figures, Lexington 9 P P 9 9 is slightly less than half the full complement recommended by the National Fire Prevention Association. Mr Bailey: Are all the towns working the same shift? Chief Spellman: All but one. For a population of over 25,000 there should be a total of 36 men on duty. For each position, It takes 4.41 men. Chairman Kenney: How many call men? Chief Spellman We have approximately 9 men. Our problem is getting the men immediately. With an undermanned company, your hazards are greater and your injuries are greater. It is necessary for the Town to look ahead for its manpower. We are requesting 4 men this year, to increase from 15 to a complement of 16 men and that man will be in headquarters and would be assigned to the rescue truck or the ladder, or wherever he is needed; he would be capable of operating the ambulance. We have the finest ambulance service. Chairman Kenney In 1963, you had 14 men and 15 men in 1973, but working hours decreased to 42 hours, In 1964, they were working 50.4 hours. Mr. Bailey We built up to the point where we feel we need 16 men on a shift. We went back down when the hours were reduced and we are going back up. Chairman Kenney In other words, we have made no significant progress. Mr. Bailey We have regressed. Chief Spellman: I agree. I will say that the Town has kept the Fire Department well supplied with good equipment. Chairman Kenney thanked Chief Spellman for his presentation. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn at 9.55 p.m. A true record, Attest' 4-0-44---v -22'2 Fxdcutive Clerk, Selectmen I