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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971-10-18-BOS-min 92 SELECTMEN'S MEETING October 18, 1971 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Select- men's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, on Monday evening, October 18, 1971 , at 7 30 p.m. Chairman Cataldo, Messrs. Kenney, Bailey and Biisa Mrs. Riff in, Mr. Legro, Town Counsel ; Mr. O'Connell, Town Manager; Mr McSweeney, Town Engineer and Acting Superintendent of Public Works, and Mrs McCurdy, Executive Clerk, were present. Chairman Cataldo opened the first meeting of the Board of Select- men held in the Selectmen' s Meeting Room of the new Town Office Build- ing. He expressed his thanks on behalf of the Board to the 'fawn Office Building Committee, especially to Mr Kenney, Chairman, for the New Town effort put forth and the final results. He thanked Mr O'Connell and Offices Mr McSweeney for the work involved in the move back into the new building and, also the work done by Mr Cirqua, the Superintendent Mr Kenney On behalf of the Town Office Building Committee, we consider the building to be substantially complete and we were pleased with the Bonfatti Company, particularly with the job done by the Superintendent, Mr. Cirqua I move that the Board authorize the Chairman to sign the certificate of substantial completion, subject to the approval of Town Counsel Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to authorize the Chairman to sign the certificate of substantial completion, sub- ject to the approval of Town Counsel . Pictures were taken to be inserted Fin the next issue of the Minute-man. Chairman Cataldo reminded everyone of the no smoking ban in the Selectmen' s Meeting Room, which is to be enforced. Mr Zenner, Chairman of the Town Report Committee, met with the Board to present the award received by the Town for first prize in Town the Town Report contest conducted by the Massachusetts Selectmen' s Report Association. The award was accepted by Mr Bailey at the State-wide Award Town Meeting held in Amherst on October 9, 1971 . Chairman Cataldo We thank you wholeheartedly for the job you have done and the honor you have brought to the Town of Lexington for the three consecutive years we have won the award. Mr Zehner thanked the Chairman for the help given by the direc- tive to the department heads to send in the material for the Town Report Chairman Cataldo We bhall send out a memo within the next two weeks to have the reports submitted on time. Vet Day Chairman Catlado read an invitation from the Town Celebrations Parade Committee to participate in the Veterans' Day parade which is to start I 93 at the Munroe School and proceed to the Green on October 25 at 10.00 a.m. Members of the Board are to participate in the parade. Chairman Cataldo read a petition from residents of Prospect Hill Road regarding traffic conditions and requesting that the speed limit of 30 miles per hour be enforced and, also, the posting of a speed limit sign of 25 miles per hour near Marrett Road at the top of the hill and/or Prospect a sign reading Watch for Children, or the positioning of a radar speed Hill Rd trap midway between the top of the hill on Prospect and Outlook Drive Traffic which intersects Prospect Hill Road near Middleby Street. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to refer the peti- tion to the Traffic Committee for a recommendation Chairman Cataldo read for the information of the Board, a notice from Attorney General Quinn of payment to the Town in the amount of Concrete $96 80 as the installment settlement in the Concrete Pipe Anti-Trust Pipe Anti- Case. Subsequent installments will be forthcoming over the next four Trust years Case The check has been received by the Town Treasurer Chairman Cataldo read a letter from the Lexington Arts and Crafts Housing Society stating that it was voted at its meeting to accept with sincere Authority thanks the offer of the Town to sell the right-of-way next to the Society, plus the land in back that is not going to the Lexington Housing Authority. Chairman Cataldo As we talked earlier, we agreed that when a plan was submitted as to what we would convey to the Housing Authority, we would go forward on what we would convey to the Arts and Crafts Society. We haven't seen a plan yet. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to certify the character of the following who have applied for a Certificate of Incor- poration Horace M. Besecker, Jr. 8 Eastern Avenue "RE-ADS, INC " Cert. of Incorp George & Cherry Clemow 37 Highland Avenue Paul B. & Elsie A Dorain 31 Locust Avenue Ruth L Corson 24 Bloomfield Street "Air Team, Inc " Helen Millican 908 Hancock Street Jane Davis 40 Middleby Road Susan Tillman 42 Reed Street "The Children' s Center of Lexington, Inc., to be located at 1580 Mass. Ave " Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of the Selectmen' s meeting held on August 16, 1971 . Minutes 94 The Chairman read an invitation from the Social Action Committee of Temple Isaiah to attend a Mult-Media Service followed by Marc Invitation Slotnick, Executive Director of Newton Community Development Founda- tion, speaking on "Subsidized Housing in Newton-Suburban Response" to be held on Friday, October 22, at 8 15 p.m Chairman Cataldo and Mrs Riff in will make every effort to at- tend. Chairman Cataldo read a request from James F. Mazyck, 38 Reed Street, requesting an abatement of street betterment assessment of $ 184.00 and sidewalk betterment assessment of $93.40. Chairman Cataldo A report has been received from the Town Engineer stating that street betterments are assessed on corner lots Mazyck Re- or lots fronting on two streets on their longest frontage In MM-. quest for Mazyck' s case, he was previously assessed for 75 ft. of frontage on Street and Vail le Avenue, he has 93.40 ft. of frontage so, therefore, he was Sidewalk assessed on 18.40 ft. on Vaille Avenue, which is in the amount of Abatements $184.00 as Mr Mazyck so states Sidewalk betterments are charged on all sides of a corner lot or on any lot fronting on two streets. Mr. Mazyck states that the previous year he had been charged with a sidewalk betterment assessment for the front of his property on Reed Street, and there are no provisions for previously assessed sidewalk betterments and the Town Engineer recommends that the request for abatement be denied. Mr. Kenney I concur with the recommendation regarding the street but I have a question regarding the sidwalk, which he normal- ly doesn't use. Mr McSweeney explained the layout to the Board and said that a person only pays on the longest side. Mr. Bailey A sewer can only increase the value of the prop- erty once but having paved streets can increase it considerably. Mr Busa I feel that instead of making a policy change on one issue, make a policy change that sidewalk betterments be split on both sides of the street, which has been discussed previously to this. The Board agreed that the Town Engineer is to report back to the Board before a decision is made. The Chairman read a request from the Town Engineer for a water abatement for ltek in the amount of $7,367.48 Water Chairman Cataldo This was the account we talked about with Abatement the problem with the meter and the reason for the original billing was for charges and interest over and above the actual amount, the abatement is to cover any penalty charges incurred on the bill . Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the water abatement for ltek in the amount of $7,367.48. Urban Mr. McSweeney reported that he had discussed with the State DPW Highway the proposal for the Town to participate in the urban highway system. System They had originally proposed it from the Arlington line to Pleasant Street, just Massachusetts Avenue After reviewing it, we added Waltham Street, Spring Street, the rest of Massachusetts Avenue, Lowell and Adams Streets Last Friday, the State DPW asked the Chairman to sign as it was originally proposed. I asked about our plan and they said they would re- view it at a later date, as this plan had to be drawn in October After discussion, the Board agreed to authorize the Chairman to sign the agreement Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to authorize the Chairman to sign the agreement with the State Department of Public Works for the Town to participate in the urban highway system, from the Arlington line on Massachusetts Avenue to Maple Street Chairman Cataldo informed the Board that he and Mr McSweeney met with Commissioner Bruce Campbell regarding the Hartwell Avenue access road to Route 128. We discussed many phases, including the SILC peri- meter road, and everybody agreed they should be discussed separately It was left thatthey would come back to us in two months with some design drawings. They are putting us on notice; they are not asking for commitments of money We said to take one at a time and if we are Hartwell agreed 4pn the design, we would take the next step and recommend to the Avenue Board to research every avenue for money, whether Air Force or what Access other organizations would want to participate For the time being, we Road can expect a design drawing to come to us in two months. Representative Cole was present at the meeting and said it has worked for cities and towns to file legislation to construct a road; it doesn't need Town approval and it doesn't necessarily mean they are going to build it right away. Chairman Cataldo With the commitments we received today, we wouldn't want a bill to be filed as it might make the State DPW feel we didn't believe what they told us. The Board agreed. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to go into Execu- tive Session for the purpose of discussing, deliberating or voting on matters which, if made public, might adversely affect the public Executive security, the financial interests of the Town or the reputation of a Session 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 8:50 p.m. A true record, Attest xecutive Clerk, Selectmen