HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971-09-08-BOS-min 52
SELECTMEN'S MEETING
September 8, 1971
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Bird
Room, Cary Memorial Building, on Wednesday evening, September 8, 1971,
at 7 30 p.m.
The meeting was opened at 7 30 p.m by the Executive Clerk.
Present were Mr. Legro, Town Counsel, Mr. O'Connell, Town Manager:
The meeting was delayed until 9 00 p.m. until the arrival of Board
members, Cataldo, Messrs. Kenney, Bailey and Buse, and Mrs Riff in
At the request of the Town Clerk, four jurors were drawn as
Jurors follows
Jacob B. Gardner 17 Normandy Road
J Paul Pemsler 6 Castle Road
Harry E. King, Jr. 578 l4arrett Road
Jerome Margolin 10 Thoreau Road
Mr. O'Connell read a request from Mrs. Gladys W. Katz, Publicity
U.N Chairman for the local Chapter of the American Field Service, for the
Flags United Nations' flags to be flown along Massachusetts Avenue in the
Center from Sunday, September 12, to Tuesday, September 14.
The Board had no objection, Mr. O'Connell is to inform Mrs.
Katz that arrangements will be made to have the flags on display.
Mr. O'Connell discussed the Emergency Employment Act and re-
quested the Board to vote to accept the consortium concept under the
Act to record its intention to enter into an agreement with the City
of Waltham as sub-agent, subject to terms of agreement yet to be
worked out.
The initial allocation of $57,000 was established on a popula-
tion basis; final allocation of $28,203 results from applying an
Emergency unemployment factor which is supposed to represent the relative
Employment unemployment among the six consortium towns The rules are being
Act changed daily and two significant ones in the past two days are
( I) 50 percent of the positions are around $7,000 and (2) the goal
of one-third minimum of jobs to go to special veterans Priorities
may be rearranged to fit available applicants. The result is prob-
ably one professional job and one or two clerical or low skill
requirement jobs. If we were given $57,000, we would have been , c.
allowed 6 jobs but we may now get 2} to 3 jobs
Chairman Cataldo: Are they the ones we want?
Mr O'Connell The professional job is very important to the
Town; the others are going to be clerical and does net represent
our top priorities
Chairman Cataldo We keep getting reductions We are losing
money on this bill .
5:3
Mr O'Connell I think we ought to continue in the program and,
after discussion with Town Counsel , I recommend that the Board vote to
accept the concept.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted to accept the
consortium concept under the Emergency Employment Act, and records its
intention to enter into an agreement with the City of Waltham as sub-
agent, subject to terms of agreement yet to be worked out.
Chairman Cataldo read a• letter from the Permanent Building Com-
mittee regarding the lack of attendance of Committee members at the PBC-New Jr
meeting with the Board on August 31 , 1971 and requesting that another High School
meeting be scheduled Wall
The Board agreed that Mr. O'Connell is to schedule a meeting with
the Permanent Building Committee to discuss the new Junior High School
wall .
Chairman Cataldo read a copy of a letter from the Concord Board
o,f Selectmen to the Acton Board of Selectmen stating that Acton's
suggestion of an ad hoc committee to be made up of a building commit-
tee member from each of the member towns to assist the Regional Regional
Vocational Technical School Committee in making its final building Vocational
decision is a most constructive one and it would appear that such a High School
committee would be most helpful in reviewing the work of the Sites
Sub-committee and in making recommendations to the Regional Vocational
Technical School Committee as to a final decision.
After discussion, the Board agreed to write to our representative
on the Regional Committee, Mr. Molls-Christensen, for his comments on
the proposed ad hoc committee.
Chairman Cataldo read a request from George A. Sinkevich, Presi-
dent of the Knights of Columbus, requesting that the name of the Liquor
Manager specified on the current Club Liquor License be changed from K of C
William F. Cobuzzi , Jr. to Mrs. Eva M, Burbidge of 9 Manning Street New Manager
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the
request of the Knights of Columbus to change the name of the Manager
on the Knights of Columbus Club Liquor License from William F.
Cobuzzi , Jr. to Mrs. Eva M. Burbidge
Chairman Cataldo read a letter from MBTA Liaison Officer O'Brien
requesting that registration for Senior Citizens Half-Fare Passes be
held in Cary Memorial Hall on October 7, 1971 from 130 p.m. to MBTA Half-
4:00 p.m. Fare Passes
The Board agreed to submit a copy of the letter to the Minute-
man for publication of the registration date, and to inform the MBTA
that Cary Hall has been reserved for registration.
The Chairman read a letter from the Town Clerk stating that the 1971 State
1971 State Census for the Town of Lexington has been completed. The Census
breakdown of the Town population is as follows
54
Precinct One 6,440
Precinct Two (Includes 689 patients at
Met State Hospital) 6,022
Precinct Three 4,840
Precinct Four 4,933
Precinct Five 5,886
Precinct Six 5,291,
Lexington Population as of January 1, 1971 33,412
The Board discussed appointments to the Lexington Commission on
LCSR Suburban Responsibility.
Appoint- Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to appoint the
ments following members of the Lexington Commission on Suburban Responsi-
bility, for a term expiring June 30, 1972
Dr Robert Mann Council of Congregations Reappointment
Daniel P Buse Chamber of Commerce Appointed
Frank I Michelman Civil Rights Committee Appointed
Miss Anne Scotney Lexington High School Appointed
Joel Swets Lexington High School Appoieted
Daniel E. Power Housing Authority Appointed
Clarehee Dr Turner Interfaith Corporation Appointed
Mrs. Lois W. Brown Metropolitan Area Planning Council Reappointment
Dr Eric T Clarke Planning Board Appointed
Mrs. Elizabeth H Clarke School Committee Reappointment
Mrs. Frank Totman Comm. on Suburban Responsibility Reappointment
James McLaughlin Town Meeting Members Association Appointed
Mrs. Natalie H Riffin Board of Selectmen Reappointment
Mr Busa abstained from voting on the appointment of Daniel P Buse
as representative of the Chamber of Commerce
The Board agreed to hold the appointments of the representatives
Hold of the League of Women Voters, Route 128 Industries and Parent-Teachers-
Appts Student Association until three nominees have been submitted by each
organization
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to certify the
Cert of character of Robert J. Brennan, M D who has applied for Certificate
lncorp of Incorporation "Bay State Health Care Foundation, Inc " to be located
at 16 Clarke Street, Lexington
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to authorize the
I D Card Chairman to sign the Liquor I D. card for Kevin C Mulkerin, l4•,Ellison
Road
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign water
Water abatements for the following
' Abatements
John H Hinchcliffe 4 Washington St. $10.85 Wrong Meter Reading
Dorothy J Bowley 37 Webb St. 7 00 Wrong Meter Reading
55
IIIThe Board discussed Traffic Committee reports.
Chairman Cataldo read a recommendation from the Traffic Committeerre-
garding the request of the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway Co. for
a change in route for the bus which comes from Waltham to turn around
the safety island at Massachusetts Avenue and Woburn Street, instead of
around the Battle Green onto Massachusetts Avenue. M & B Bus
The Traffic Committee recommends, and the M & B Street Railway Co Route
doncurs, that the Board approve a modification of the original request Change
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to accept the
recommendation of the Traffic Committee to grant permission to the
Middlesex and Boston Street Railway Co. for the northbound bus coming
from Waltham Street onto Massachusetts Avenue to make a stop in the
Center` and-continue on Worthen Road southeasterly to Waltham Street
with a possible stop near the High School and then turn right onto
Waltham Street bound southwesterly, rejoining the present route
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted that the Traffic
Rules and Orders of Lexington adopted by the Board of Selectmen Novem-
ber 13, 19647 are hereby amended as follows
Traffic
"VOTED That the traffic rules and orders of Lexington Rules
adopted by the Board of Selectmen November 13, Change
196 are hereby amended as follows Waltham
Street
By deleting rom Article V, Section 3, Schedule No 2 the following Worthen
III
LOCATION SIDE FROM TO Road
Waltham Street West 132 feet south of Massa- 188 feet south of
chusetts Avenue Massachusetts Avenue
and by adding to same:
Worthen Road West 35 feet south of Hayden 95 feet south of Hay-
Center Driveway den Center Driveway
Worthen Road West 75 feet south of Baskin 135 feet south of
Road Baskin Road
The Traffic Committee report states that the M & B Street Railway
Co. has also requested that the stop at Depot Square be extended by
removing one parking space as it is a transfer point which at times must
accommodate two buses; recommendation on this additional request is with,-
held
ith-held pending a review by the Traffic Committee
Chairman Cataldo read a recommendation of the Traffic Committee not
to erect Caution Children signs near No. I and No. 30 Grassland Street Traffic
since this street does not meet any of the several warrants for the in- Grassland
stallation of such signs. Recently constructed sidewalks obviate the St Signs
IIIneed for the use of this street by pedestrians
5€
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to accept the
recommendation of the Traffic Committee not to erect signs on Grass-
land Street, and to so inform the residents of Grassland Street who
have petitioned for the erection of the signs
Chairman Cataldo read a recommendation of the Traffic Committee
that no action be taken on access to the Franklin School through the
Junior High construction site In the opinion of the Traffic Com-
Franklin mittee, the installation of a guard rai,l in the grass plot separating
School the sidewalk from the pavement on Waltham Street is not warranted or
Access necessary The Committee has discussed the matter of an additional
pedestrian walkway across' the Junior High construction site with
Mr Whitman of the Permanent Building Committee and he concurs with
the earlier position of the School Committee Chairman that while the
school is under construction, the builder controls the area and would
be responsible for any accident to outsiders permitted on the site.
Crossing the construction area would be infinitely more hazardous
than the use of a sidewalk along Waltham Street, particularly since
it would be impossible to prevent the children from straying off the
designated path. The Traffic Committee reiterates its position that
no special problem is evident now but that a dangerous situation
would be created if the builder could be induced to permit children
on the construction site
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to accept the
recommendation of the Traffic Committee that no action be taken until
the new Junior High School is completed
Chairman Cataldo read a letter from the National Organization for
Women and the legal Task Force of NOW requesting that the report of
the Town Counsel be made public so that Lexington citizens may be made
aware of what procedure has been used for jury pool selections in the
Jury past, and what changes, if any, have been suggested by him and whether
List any will be implemented in the future
Chairman Cataldo The 1971 jury list has been compiled and sub-
mitted The 1972 jury list will not be compiled and submitted until
July, 1972; therefore, Mr Legro' s report is expected some time in
April, 1972 and at that time the Board will evaluate this report and
implement whatever recommendations it sees fit. We will not discuss
the jury list again until that time
Woman in the audience Town Counsel does help with the select
tion?
Chairman Cataldo No, he does not
The Board agreed to inform the National Organization for Women
of its position on the jury list
Chairman Cataldo read a letter from Mr. Caswell, Chairman of
SILO SILC, regarding support of a Hanscom circumferential road
Hanscom Chairman Cataldo I talked with Mr Rader of SILC and assured
Circum. him that we would neither support nor oppose the program at this time
Road as our top priority is still our access road, as originally submitted.
The Board agreed to reply to Mr Caswell in this manner.
57
Chairman Cataldo Last week, we appointed Mr Wenham and Mr Empey
as members of the Safety Committee Has the Board given any thought to
the appointment of a citizen-at- large?
Mr O'Connell I would suggest that because safety is involved, Safety
I could contact our insurance agencies Committee
The Board agreed that Mr O'Connell is to talk with our insurance
agencies and make a recommendation on the appointment to the Safety
Committee.
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 secutity,
the financial interests of the Town or the reputation of a person Executive
After discussion of matters of financial interest to the Town, it Session
was voted to go out of Executive Session
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn at
10:35 p.m
A true record, Attest
)0/41' 4/6„a,x,,, -0)22
Executive Clerk, Selectmen
1