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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1973-03-12-BOS-min 80 SELECTMEN'S MEETING March 12, 1973 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Select- men' s Meeting Room on Monday, March 12, 1973, at 7 30 p.m Chairman Kenney, Messrs. Bailey and Brown, Mrs. Riff in; Mr. O'Connell, Town Manager, Mr. Cohen, Town Counsel; Mrs. McCurdy, Executive Clerk, were present. The meeting was called to order by the Clerk, who declared that nominations were in order for the election of the Chairman of the Organization Board. of the Board Mr Allan F. Kenney was nominated and the nomination seconded. There were no other nominations. Upon motion duly made and seconded, nominations were closed. Upon motion duly made and seconded, Mr. Allan F. Keeney was unanimously elected Chairman of the Board of Selectmen for the ensuing year. Chairman Kenney requested a vote of the Board for the reappoint- ment of Mr. Walter C. O'Connell as Town Manager. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to reappoint Mr. Walter C. O'Connell as Town Manager, in accordance with the terms of the Selectmen-Town Manager Act. Reappoint- Chairman Kenney read the following statement ment Town "By this vote, the Board is expressing its confidence in the Manager work of Walter C. O'Connell by reappointing him as Town Manager because the Board feels a great deal of progress has been made in the past three years during this difficult transitional period in our local government. This appointment is in accordance with the terms of the Selectmen-Town Manager Act whereby he serves at the pleasure of the Board but, in no case, longer than the maximum term specified in the Act. The Board and the Town Manager are acutely aware of some of the current areas of difficulty relative to the smooth functioning of Town government. The Board and the Town Manager are, therefore, in the process of evaluating their roles and will be consulting with each other and other boards and committees in this effort to improve the effectiveness of the implementation of the Selectmen-Town Manager form of government in Lexington." Mr. O'Connell expressed his appreciation for the Board' s confi- dence in him. 51439 Mr. O'Connell informed the Board of hearings scheduled for next Zoning week by the ,joint Committee on Urban Affairs on 51439. On March 15, Enabling a bill will be presented seeking to amend certain procedures of the Act Board of Appeals On March 20, Senate Bill 1439 will be heard; this 81 Selectmen' s Meeting March 12, 1973 seeks to change the present requirement of a two-thirds majority vote for re-zoning to a simple majority. This is the same bill which was presented last year as House Bill 5009 and was sent back for review. Chairman Kenney As I understand it, the Board would be opposed to changing to a simple majority rather than a two-thirds majority vote. Mr O'Connell Last year, the Planning Board' s position was favorable. The Board agreed that the Planning Director could attend the hearings and report back with further information. Chairman Kenney read a report from the Director of Public Works/ Engineering stating that as a result of the request from residents of Fairfield Drive and Brookwood Road, he had been requested by the Board to submit his recommendations on the installation of Town and Country street lights in that area After review, he found that their luminaire and standard do not provide sufficient footcandles and good quality lighting per unit to meet our current lighting policy for public ways. Therefore, the Boston Edison approved Contemporary Street Street Light is not recommended for general use because it does not Lights meet the required standards for roadway safety in a public way, both Fairfield 8 for pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Brookwood Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to instruct the Road Director of Public Works/Engineering to make arrangements to install standard street lights on Fairfield Drive and Brookwood Road in the same manner as other streets in the Town. Mr. McSweeney was requested to contact the Boston Edison Company and inform them of the above vote and to request that the installa- tion of standard street lights be taken care of as soon as possible The Board discussed the intersection of Bedford Street and Eldred Street. The Town has been informed that mandatory Right Turin signs have been received by the State DPW and will be installed on Traffic March 19; left turns from the jughandle to Bedford Street will be Bedford S permitted as a result of the revised traffic pattern. Following a Eldred Sts. 30-day trial period, the matter will again be discussed with the State DPW. Chairman Kenney read a request from the President of the Kiwanis Club for the Knights of Columbus to extend hours of operation on April 13, 1973. K of C Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant permis- Extension sion to the Knights of Columbus to extend the hours of operation under of Hours their Club liquor license on Friday, April 13, 1973 to 100 a.m. Chairman Kenney read a request from the Elks Lodge #2204 for hours Elks Lodge of operation on Patriots' Day, April 16, 1973, under their Club liquor Holiday license, for 100 p.m. to 12 00 Midnight. Hours 82 Selectmen' s Meeting March 12, 1973 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant permis- sion to the Elks Lodge (2204 for hours of operation on Patriots' Day, April 16, 1973, for 1 00 p.m. to 12:00 Midnight. Chairman Kenney informed the Board that the Lexington Golf Club Lexington has made application for renewal of their Club liquor license. Golf Club Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the Club liquor license to the Lexington Golf Club, with the following hours of operation Monday through Thursday 11 30 a.m. to 6 00 p.m. Friday and Saturday 11 :30 a.m. to 10 00 p.m. Sundays 1 00 p.m. to 10 00 p.m. Holidays by special permission of the Board Chairman Kenney read a letter from Charles H. Spaulding, Presi- Spaulding & dent of Spaulding and Slye Housing Associates, offering the Town Slye Bedford an expense-free option to study the Bedford Street property and to Street prepare a plan of development best representing community needs. The Board agreed to discuss the matter with the Planning Board. Chairman Kenney read a request from the Director of Public Works for water abatements. Water Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign water Abatements abatements for the following Pasquale Luongo Buckman Drive $ 8.75 Water off-meter taken out Frank Hazel 4 Mason St. 70.98 Wrong reading by owner Chairman Kenney read a request from the Tax Collector for abate- Ambulance ment of 1971-1972 uncollectable ambulance bills. Abatements Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign abate- ment of 1971-1972 uncollectable ambulance bills, as submitted by the Tax Collector. Minutes Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was vatoed to approve the minutes of the Selectmen's meeting of January 22, 1973. Chairman Kenney informed the Board that application has been Sheraton received for the transfer of liquor license of the Sheraton-Lexington Lexington Motor Inn from the Dunfey Corporation to the Dunfey Family Corporation Liquor by way of statutory merger. License The Board agreed that Mr. Cohen is to talk with the attorney for the applicant, Mr. Nicholson, and come back to the Board. 1 (30 Selectmen's Meeting March 12, 1973 Application has been received from the Sheraton-Lexington Motor Entertain- Inn for renewal of the Entertainment license for 1973. ment Lic. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the Sheraton- Entertainment license for the Sheraton-Lexington Motor Inn, expiring Lexington December 31 , 1973, fee of $5.00, for entertainment to range from single performers to full orchestra playing music in both traditional and contemporary styles; 6 Day license-Sundays excluded. Chairman Kenney informed the Board that eight applications for Liquor Identification cards have been received. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to authorize the Chairman to sign Liquor Identifications cards for the following Liquor I .D. Cards Ronald Allen Jones 15 Bates Road Benjamin D. Lawhorn 98 Spring Street Carol Dyke 17 Minuteman Lane Renee O'Neil 173 Waltham Street Peter Kent 12 Hudson Road Arlene Coates 31 Pine Knoll Road Patricia L. Churchill 35 Brandon Street Carolyn S Rice 12 Sylvia Street Mr. Cohen requested the Board to sign an amendment to the contract for financial assistance for the Clarke Junior High School involving Clarke Jr the increase from $800,000 to $850,000. High Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the Financial amended contract for financial assistance for the Clarke Junior High Assistance School from $800,000 to $850,000. Chairman Kenney informed the Board that the contract for the re- Contract pair of sewage pumps at the Brook Street Pumping Station, awarded by 73-2-E the Board on February 26, 1973, is ready for signature. Brook St. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign Contract Pumping Ste. 73-2-E awarded to Hall Pump Sales and Service Corp , 56 Montvale Avenue, Stoneham, in an amount not to exceed $ 15,000 for all labor and materials, including transportation to Hall Pump Sales and Service Corp , as authorized under Article 4 of the January, 1971 Special Town Meeting. Chairman Kenney read a letter from the Conservation Commission regarding the acquisition of the Baldwin land on Concord Avenue. The letter states that the Commission has received authorization from the Conservation Department of Natural Resources to proceed with acquisition and the Commission Commission requests that the parcel be taken by eminent domain for Baldwin Land $92,000. The owner of the 24 83 acre parcel is the Florence Baldwin Trust, Althea B. Sadder, Trustee, 3 Kensignton Avenue, Woburn, Massachusetts. 84 Selectmen' s Meeting March 12, 1973 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to instruct Town Counsel to prepare the necessary papers to take by eminent domain the land of Baldwin Trust, Lot 96A, Map II , as authorized under Article 79 of the 1970 Annual Town Meeting and Article 57 of the 1972 Annual Town Meeting, in the amount of $92,000. Chairman Kenney read a report from the Chairman of the Traffic Committee in response to a request from Mrs. June Woodland, 15 Hibbert Parking Street, for parking ban on Hibbert Street from 8 00 a.m to 5 00 p.m. Hibbert St. The report states that the Police Department investigated the complaint and the Traffic Committee determined that no problem existed and there was no basis for the complaint. The Board agreed to so inform Mrs. Woodland. Mr. G. Warren Butters and Mr. Roland B Greeley of the Historical Society met with the Board to discuss the repairs to Buckman Tavern. Mr. Butters There has been some confusion and misunderstanding between restoration and reconstruction; a lot of people think it is to be restored to its original form, but this was done in 1920. Re- construction of a repair nature is what is now being undertaken. Instead of $100,000, it looks like $120,000 is the best professional Buckman figure to use now. Tavern Mr. Cohen We had a meeting with Mr. Muirhead and he brought Repairs some plans and specifications and there are some things he would want to put in the contract. It developed there might be some sub- contracting that might be more than $1 ,000. They have to be adver- tised but, first, the specifications have to be drawn up. I talked with Mr. Furash and Mr. Perry, and I don't know what the Appropriation Committee will decide I asked Mr Muirhead for a firm figure and he thought the $112,000 to $120,000 was firm and realistic but I don't know about meeting a deadline to appropriate money on that basis without a firm bid. Mr. O'Connell As I understand it, $120,000 would cover all the remaining costs. Chairman Kenney The Tavern would be reconstructed from a structural viewpoint for the next 30 or 40 years? Mr. Butters Yes. Mr. Greeley Anything that is to be done will be originally authentic Mr Bailey We take the position we support $120,00 appropria- tion even though bids aren't in hand. The Board agreed Mr. Butters and Mr. Greeley thanked the Board members and the Town Manager Before they retired from the meeting, permission was given to store some of the Buckman Tavern supplies in the Visitors Center. 85 Seitebtmen s Meeting March 12, 1973 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to go into Execu- tive Session for the purpose of discussing, deliberating or voting on Executive matters which if made public might adversely affect the public security Session the financial interests of the Town or the reputation of a person After dfscpssion 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 11 .20 p.m. A true record, Attest Executive Clerk, Selectmen 1._,<J1) 1 I