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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972-03-06-BOS-min 270 SELECTMEN'S MEETING March 6, 1972 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the 'Select- men's Room, Town Office Building, on Monday evening, March 6, 1972, at 7 30 p.m Chairman Cataldo, Messrs. Kenney, Bailey, Buse, and Mrs. Riff in; Mr. Legro, Town Counsel; Mr. O'Connell , Town Manager; Mrs, McCurdy, Executive Clerk, were present. Mr. O'Connell informed the Board that the Selectmen are invited to attend a meeting with the School Department concerning collective bargaining on Thursday, March 9, at 10.00 a.m. at the School Adminis- tration Building . Members of the Board will attend, if it is possible. Mr. O'Connell informed the Board that a policeman is on duty at Eldred and Bedford Streets each morning from 7 30 to 9 00. The police Traffic Department is studying the situation and if the results show that he Bedford & is needed, a policeman will be assigned to duty in the late afternoon. Eldred Sts. Chairman Cataldo Is there a backup of traffic? Mr. O'Connell There is no report on this. Chairman Cataldo Is Chief Corr keeping it documented day by day? Mr. O'Connell Yes. The Board agreed to wait for the results of the study. Chairman Cataldo informed the Board that an application has been received from Lexington Enterprises, Inc. for the transfer of Common Victualler Liquor License from Anthony' s Restaurant at 27 Waltham Transfer Street. Liquor Mr. Legro I reviewed the application and it is signed by one License individual of the corporation and it must be signed by a duly author- ized officer of Lexington Enterprises, Inc., and the application must be accompanied by a certificate of the vote authorizing the official to sign the application, a certificate of the vote appointing the manager named in the application, a certificate of the incorporation of Lexington Enterprises, Inc. The Board agreed that Lexington Enterprises, Inc. be informed of the discrepancies in the application. Mr. Legro is to check with the Alcoholic Beverages Commission on the requirements regarding the transfer of a liquor license. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the Ambulance request of the Collector of Taxes to sign the ambulance abatements Abatements for 1970 and 1971 , as the bills are uncollectable. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign and for- Number of ward to Secretary Davoren the certification of 33,428 Lexington Residents inhabitants 271 IIIChairman Cataldo read a report from the Superintendent of Public Works regarding the request from Mrs. Mary Rudd, 7 Tewksbury Street, Housing to relieve a hazardous tree condition on Sargent Street. The, report Authority states that the Public Works Department reviewed the problem area Trees and, as the trees are the responsibility of the Housing Authority, the recommendation is that this condition be referred to them. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to refer the matter to the Housing Authority with the understanding that if any assistance is needed in analyzing the problem to contact the Super- intendent of Public Works. Chairman Cataldo read a letter from Mrs. Julie Cadle, 15 Meriam Street, regarding parking on Meriam Street. Parking Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to refer the Meriam St. letter to the Traffic Committee for a recommendation. Chairman Cataldo read a letter from Mr. George Matheson, Man- hattan Builders, Inc , stating that during the construction of the newly erected Sherwin-Williams building at 25 Waltham Street he had found it necessary to remove a rear chain link fence. Because the Sherwin lot is 40 feet wide, he requests that he install 30 feet of fence, Williams and be allowed to keep the remaining 10 feet open for delivery; Delivery this would alleviate delivery problems for Sherwin-Williams and the Area Town and also would make it the only store in the municipal parking area without a service area. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to refer the request to the Traffic Committee for a recommendation. Chairman Cataldo read a letter from the Massachusetts Legisla- tive Research Bureau requesting that a questionnaire on Real Estate Real Estate Property Tax Exemptions be completed. This agency has been directed Exemptions by the legislature to study and report on the feasibility of the Tax Study state assuming the financial burden now borne by cities and towns by reason of property tax exemptions accorded to governmental and non- governmental real estate used for statewide or regional purposes, as contrasted with such properties dedicated primarilyto services within the communities in which they are situated. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to refer the questionnaire to the Board of Assessors. Chairman Cataldo read a letter from Mr. Frank I . M chelman stating that he could meet with the Board to discuss scattered sites proposals Scattered Mrs. Riff in LCSR reviewed the four points set forth by Mr. Sites Michelman and they approved, in essence, the points that he made on Article I ) restriction to single family dwellings, 2) ownership-type housing, 3) authorization limited to Lexington Housing Authority or private non-profit organizations as sponsors, 4) authorization limited to a small number of specifically described lots. The Board agreed to schedule a meeting with Mr. Michelman before the Article comes up in Town Meeting. 272 Chairman Cataldo read a letter from Commissioner Campbell of the State Department of Public Works stating that the legislature has Highway recently provided funds for the continuation of the Department's High- Safety way Safety 'Program by providing SI M for reimbursipg cities and towns for the Commonwealth' s share of the cost of installation of traftid control devices at high accident locations. To establish a more equit- able implementation of this program, first priorities where possible are to be assigned to the communities not eligible for participation in the TOPICS program. I urge each municipal official whose function involves highway safety to review high accident locations and submit the proposed safety projects to the local District Highway Engineer for his review and recommendation Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to refer the letter to the Traffic Committee, Engineering Department and Police Department for comments. Chairman Cataldo read an announcement from the State Department of Education of an open discussion on Senate Bill 958 - an Act to equalize fiscal ability for support of schools and other municipal 8B-958 services, on March II at the Northeast Regional Educational' Center, School North Andover Chairman Cataldo This has to do with the Regional Vocational Technical School and would change the formula on reimbursement both to Lexington and the region. Mrs. Riff in is to contact Mr. Mollo-christensen and request that he attend the meeting with her. Mr. and Mrs. David Franklin, 4 Rolfe Road, met with the Board Mr Mr. Franklin I would like to discuss priorities for snow re- moval . We live in Countryside and have difficulty getting snow removal so that children can cross safely to school . Last year and Snpw this year I have had conversations with Mr. McSweeney and he said if Removal we would like the priorities changed to get in touch with the Select- men. Is this truer Chairman Cataldo. It is. This Board leaves it directly and specifically within the priority of the Town Manager and the Super- intendent of Public Works. We don't get into that area as such. I think you should meet with Mr. O'Connell and ybu will end up with satisfactory answers. The Board agreed that Mr. Franklin is to meet with Mr. O'Connell to discuss the priority of snow removal . Chairman Cataldo read an invitation from the Girl Scouts to at- Girl tend the Diamond Jubilee Exhibition at Hanscom Air Base on March Irk, Scouts 1972. Due to the work schedule, no member of the Board is able to attend. !�A '4‘.3 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to certify the Cert. of character of Herbert S. Kassman, 5 Stonewall Road, who has applied Incorp for Certificate of Incorporation "Norumbega Foundation, Inc." Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the Bond bond for Constable John J. Shine, Jr. in the amount of $3,000. Constable Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of the Selectmen' s meetings held on November 29, 1971, Minutes February 14 and February 23, 1972. Mr. Herbert Eisenberg, Chairman of the Street Advisory Committee met with the Board to give a report on the Spring Street question- naires. Mr. Eisenberg The results reveal a strong consensus on three issues, and a near-consensus on one other a) A majority (54%) agree that the street should be reconstruced to a width of 24-26 feet with a strong feeling (69%) against the 30-foot width, and a significant undertone (39%) that only 20-22 feet would be desirable. (Note In all cases the figures of percentage are on a base Spring of 93 returns, with no answer to a question being counted Street as if the respondent had checked "neutral" ) Report b. There is a distinct preference for 1 sidewalk (67%), with only 2% favoring two sidewalks, and 26% suggesting no sidewalk at all . c. Two out of three said that betterments for cost of sidewalk should be shared by properties on both sides of the street d. Although many did not seem to feel the sidewalk alignment to be important (half expressed no preference), of those who did the consensus was about 3 to 1 in favor of a meandering sidewalk to avoid trees; however, they were evenly divided as to whether they would grant easements to facilitate the meandering. Of the 39 who advocated the meandering alignment only II would not grant easements Perhaps surprisingly, there was no agreement as to which side of the street should bave the one sidewalk most advocated: 21 agreed and 17 disagreed with the even-numbered side; 24 agreed and 26 dis- agreed with the odd-numbered side; this seems to average out to 47 to 41 in favor of even. On the same basis of tabulating, those living on the odd-numbered side opted, 35 to 12, for the sidewalk on the even side; and those living on the even side favored a sidewalk across the street by a 29 to 12 margin. The consensus clearly stated is for one sidewalk on the other side of the street. Answers on this item should be studied further by the engineering department to ex- plore correlations between the answers on sidewalk number, placement, easement and betterment. 274 More than a third of the respondents submitted comments (36). The great majority of these developed the notion that excessive speed would vary directly with the width of the paved surface. Many emphasized inadequate enforcement as a critical problem. A few commented on parking, but there was no clear agreement here. A few mentioned shallow front yards as an argument against roadway widening, or against sidewalk construction. Very few expressed strong feelings about trees - perhaps most respondents assumed their feelings on this issue were contained in other responses. The Committee concludes that the questionnaires bear out, rather directly, the opinions expressed at the January 5 hearing and at our meeting with representative residents of the area on January 23. We shall continue to study the problem, and expect soon to sub- mit to the Town Engineer suggested design criteria to be incorporated in a study plan, which we believe is desirable before another hearing is held. We assume the appropriation to be sought under Article 25 can be applied, as necessary, to plans for Spring Street. We see no likelihood that the Street Advisory Committee will have any specific recommendation to make under Article 31 . Chairman Cataldo I have one comment regarding enforcement. When we had the radar there, I would say 75 percent of residents re- ceived violations I think they have a policing to do within them- selves. Do you have a schedule set up? Mr. Eisenberg As I understand the procedure, the preliminary informational hearing has been held, the procedure then is, based on information, the Town Engineer has to come up with a study plan. We expect to make recommendations to him and after the study is pre- pared to have the preliminary hearing. Chairman Cataldo When will you be ready for this? Mr. Eisenberg 1 have no idea. Chairman Cataldo When you have the schedule, get in touch with Mr. McSweeney; before any final decisions are made, we will have another hearing. The Board agreed that Mr. McSweeney is to spot check the plan in two or three locations for the location of trees on the layout and, also, to check lot lines. Mr. McSweeney was instructed to start on the preliminary study to be presented to the Street Advisory Committee. Mr Eisenberg retired from the meeting. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn at 8.25 p.m. A true record, Attest Executive Clerk, Selectmen