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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972-11-06-BOS-min 548 SELECTMEN'S MEETING November 6, 1972 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Select- men' s Meeting Room on Monday evening, November 6, 1972, at 7 30 p.m. Chairman Kenney, Messrs. Bailey, Busa, Brown and Mrs. Riff in; Mr. O'Connell , Town Manager, Mr. Cohen, Town Counsel ; Mr. McSweeney, Director of Public Works; Mrs. McCurdy, Executive Clerk, were present. Mr. Mollo-Christensen requested the signature of Chairman Kenney. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to authorize the Minuteman Chairman to sign the certification that the Town had received notifica- Technical tion on September 19, 1972 of the vote of the Minuteman Regional School Vocational Technical School District Committee on September 15, 1972 that the sum of $12,900,000 is appropriated for the purpose of con- structing and equipping a regional vocational technical high school and, that this appropriation shall be raised: by the issue of bonds or notes of the District under Section I6(d) of Chapter 71 of the General• Laws, as amended and supplemented, such appropriation and borrowing to be in addition to the $900,000 borrowing previously authorized by this Committee and in addition to any Federal aid re- ceived for the aforesaid project. Mr O'Connell reported to the Board that the Treasurer had ad- Treasurer vised him that the last $2.5 M. in notes which were due on November 6 were paid off on November I . We switched our target date for paying it off and it means several thousand dollars for the Town. It was a good job done by the Treasurer and the Tax Collector in getting fast movement of receipts into the bank to be used. Mr. O'Connell informed the Board that he had received an inquiry from the Rotary Club as to whether the April 19 pancake breakfast could be held in Cary Hall , as it could seat more people and offers Cary Hall more space for standing inside than the previous location at the April 19 Church of Our Redeemer Chairman Kenney I would see no objection if they would pay the custodial fee Mr. Busa I would ask if the Bicentennial Committee planned to use it in 1975 and 1976. The Board agreed to having no objection to the Rotary Club using Cary Hall for the pancake breakfast on April 19, with the under- standing nder- standing that it might not be• ay/Ai/able 'tothem i n 1975 er 4976 Chairman Kenney informed the Board that it is important to re- solve the question regarding the responsibility for April 1975; is it 1975 the Town Celebrations Committee or the Bicentennial Committee? Mr. Alan Adams remarked that meetings have been held and the question is still open. i am sure they would like a ruling as there are some really major problems that have to be resolved. The Board agreed that a decision is to be made very soon. 549 Mr. O'Connell informed the Board that as a result of re-bidding on salt supplies, Eastern Minerals of Lowell bid $14 a ton, delivered, Salt Bids aM .$I2 a ton if' .pirked upw The other bids were $14, $15 and $17, as against all previous bids of $17. The Board agreed that Mr. O'Connell is to check to make sure that Eastern Minerals can supply us. Mr. O'Connell requested the approval of the Board of a transfer to the Board of Health, Account #3300, in the amount of $2,500. We put $1,000 in the budget for TB patients at the Middlesex County Sanatorium, which allows 40 days patient care at $25 per day. A patient had to have surgery and then return to Middlesex and it is expected we will have 179 days of patient care, making a total of $4,475. Insurance credit of $642.50 has been credited to this account. Transfer Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the Request request to the Appropriation Committee for a transfer from the Reserve Fund to Account #3300 in the amount of $2,500. Mr. O'Connell reported to the Board that he has received a reply from the Public Works Department regarding Mrs. Bernier's offer of a tree to be planted by the D.A.R. on Buckman Tavern grounds. Two large ash trees are scheduled to be removed and there would be a suitable location to plant a tree. Mrs. Bernier' s tree is not considered to be satisfactory to move to Buckman and it is recommended that a three to four inch sugar maple be planted; the estimated cost of the tree is D.A.R $185 on today' s market. A plan could be worked out with the D.A.R. Tree on that they buy the tree and it would replace a tree that is there now. Buckman The tree could be planted now and the ceremony could be held later. The Board agreed that Mr. O'Connell is to contact the D.A.R. to work out the details. Chairman Kenney read reports from the Planning Board, Conserva- tion Commission and the Director of Public Works/Engineering regarding the Environmental Impact Statement for Route 2 prepared by Howard Needles, Tammen and Bergendoff. The Board agreed to write to Commissioner Campbell and inform him that it is the consistent opinion of our three groups that the Draft Impact Statement contains insufficient information on the environmental impact of this project on some of the following areas, and that the final Statement should give complete consideration to its effect on these areas located within Lexington Route 2 Environ- 1 . Hobbs Brook Basin mental 2. Lexington's entrance to Minuteman National Park Impact 3. Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School Statement 4. Existing Massachusetts Avenue 5. Existing Route 2A (Marrett Road) 6. Mass. Department of Public Works Maintenance Depot 7. Cabot, Cabot, i Forbes - Minuteman Industrial Park (Honeywell) 8. Lexington Motor Inn 550 Chairman Kenney read a request from Arthur N. Landry, Jr . for a IIIreview of his sewer betterment of $1,772.62 He owns two adjacent parcels of land located at 5 Minuteman Lane; his home is located on Lot 16 and the contiguous, adjacent lot containing 90, 187 feet has been approved by the Board of Appeals as a building site for his daughter. A report from the Director of Public Works/Engineering was read stating that there is no Town sewer running past the frontage although a service could be extended across the street to the lot. This, plus the fact that the lot was non-conforming as a building lot, is why no Landry betterments were assessed against the lot at the time of construction. Assessment Mr. Landry states this method of assessment is not consistent with that of the rest of the neighborhood; however, we would like to point out that this lot is also not consistent with the other lots in the neighborhood, because the average lot is only 16,000 to 20,000 square feet as compared with 90,000 square feet contained in this lot'. Mr. Landry has stated that the law does not specifically state that the betterment must be based on frontage. We must recommend that the betterment not be changed and that our present method of calculating charges in lieu of betterments for situations such as this remain the same The question was raised as to what would happen if Mr. Landry decides to subdivide this lot after being granted a lower betterment. The Board agreed to get a copy of the Board of Appeal's permit granted to Mr. Landry Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to table Mr. Landry's request for a review of his sewer betterment assessment. Cert. of Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve Incorp. 7 Carnegie Place, Lexington, as the mailing address of "Minuteman Feline Fanciers Inc." Chairman Kenney read a letter from Fae G Kass, 37 Barberry Road, requesting consideration of sidewalks on Concord Avenue from Five Fields to Waltham,Street. Sidewalk Mrs Riff in There are no sidewalks west of Concord Avenue on Concord Ave. Waltham Street. I know sidewalks are quite high but I feel it is an Five Fields Arterial road and should have a sidewalk on one side. If brought up Concord Avenue to Barberry Road, children could walk through the local roads to the main road. The Krebs School is interested in investigating the possibility of bringing it up part-way. After discussion; the Board agreed to refer the request to the Public Works and Engineering Departments and it will be reconsidered when the 1973 sidewalk requests are discussed. Also, to point out to Mrs. Kass that it is incumbent upon those requesting the sidewalk to determine the feelings of the abutters concerned and those in-the immediate area. Great Chairman Kenney read the recommendations of the Planning Board Meadows regarding the Great Meadows, stating that the objective both of the i51 majority of the committee and of the Conservation Commission is to re- tain the Great Meadows as a wildlife preserve and outdoor ecological classroom, possibly with walking and bicycling paths and the re- establishment of a natural pond for flood storage as well as other aesthetic, educational and ecological purposes. Theyspecifically Y wish to prevent the construction of a golf course and ask protective zoning to prevent this. We would like to see future plans developed, agreed upon and implemented which do not include a golf course. Methods for achieving this include I , acquisition (purchase) of the tract from Arlington by the Town of Lexington, giving the Lexington Town Meeting ulti- mate jurisdiction over what actually happens there; 2. acquisition (purchase) by the Commonwealth specifically for conservation purposes; 3. some form of binding agreement between the towns of Arling- ton and Lexington as to specific uses to be allowed. We see no need for a new committee, but recommend that the present joint committee be continued, with new appointments if appropriate, to investigate implications for both towns of these three courses of action, including legal problems of implementation and costs involved. This is in line with the suggestion contained in the final paragraph of the August 25 statement of the present joint committee. We support their requests that the joint committee "be empowered and funded to supervise the drafting of a compre- hensive plan for the specific end use of this land ..." We also recommend that this plan and the studies of the three alternatives we have suggested for implementation be completed within two years, resulting in proposals for action by the two Town Meetings in 1975. Mr. O'Connell I raise the question on the point of recommenda- tion of continued use of the dual committee. Studying it is one thing but Arlington's role as owner of the property and potential user is not the same as it was; their interests become quite divergent. Chairman Kenney I felt this but upon reading the Joint Arlington- Lexington Great Meadow Study Committee report, Arlington is saying we recommend protective zoning and that the land be used solely for a natural wildlife preserve and for an outdoor ecological classroom. These are similar to ours but whether Arlington agrees, I don't know. Mr. Busa Why are they looking for more funds for more surveys? A survey plan and study of what it can be used for could run another $5,000 or $6,000. I can't see what is going to happen to the Great Meadows immediately. Any pressure group has to get a permit from the Board of Appeals in Lexington. 552 Chairman Kenney Before they had any funds, the Committee would have to come back to us. We have to have them look at it and say we have to address ourselves to a plan. They can't answer right now. Mr. Buse If they came up with a definite recommendation, we could look into the matter of what we would give them. Chairman Kenney In the interests of the Town of Lexington, there ought to be an agreement; we are looking for a long-range answer. $2,000 or $3,000 would be money well spent for a study and a plan; we can't let it die now or sit on it. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to accept the Planning Board report on the Great Meadows. Mr. Busa was recorded in the negative. The Board agreed to take the necessary steps to re-appoint the Lexington Great Meadow Study Committee. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the Minutes Minutes of the Selectmen's Meetings held on October 10 and October 16, 1972. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign contract Contract 72-8-E for the painting of the Standpipe, which was awarded to Nick 72-8-E Drywall Construction Co., Inc., Woonsocket, Rhode Island on September Standpipe II , 1972 in the amount of $7,400. Contract is approved as to form by Painting Special Counsel Legro. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to go into Executive Executive Session for the purpose of discussing, deliberating or voting Session on 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 9 20 p.m. A true record, Attest Lrj j,,ot Executive Clerk, Selectmen