HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971-01-18-BOS-min 358
SELECTMEN'S MEETING
January 18, 1971
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Bird
Room, Cary Memorial Building, on Monday evening, January 18, 1971 , at
7 30 p.m Chairman Cataldo, Messrs Mabee, Kenney, Greeley and Bailey
were present 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 also present
The Chairman informed the Board that an application has been re-
ceived from Ephraim Weiss for the use of Cary Memorial Hall on Wednes-
Open day, February 3, 1971 for an open meeting for concerned scientists and
Meeting on engineers on unemployment problems. Mr Weiss said he would pay the
Unemploy- rental fee and custodian's services. The hall is to be used from 8 00
ment p.m. to II 00 p.m Other towns are making facilities available for
meetings and I recommend that we waive the rental fee and just charge
for the custodian' s services. Mr. Weiss has invited the Board to at-
tend the meeting
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to garant the re-
quest of Mr. Weiss for the use of Cary Memorial Hall on Wednesday,
February 3, 1971 from 8 00 p.m to II 00 p.m. for an open meeting for
concerned scientists and engineers on unemployment problems.
The Chairman read a letter from Commissioner Ribbs informing the
Chapter 90 Board that a tentative grant, contingent upon legislative appropria-
tion and local action, for highway purposes in the Town, under the
provisions of Chapter 90, has been made to the Town as follows
State Town County
Maintenance $ 2,000 $ 2,000 $ 2,000
Worthen Road
East Street
Spring Street 29,700 14,850 14,850
The Chairman said that we have received a memorandum from the
Massachusetts League of Cities and Towns for the following suggested
Leagues of Article for the Annual Town Meeting "To see if the Town will vote to
Cities and support proposed revenue-sharing programs which will be before the
Towns 92nd United States Congress ( 1971 ) for the purpose of acquiring addi-
tional , needed revenues to assist in alleviating demands currently
imposed on local property taxes, and to inform the entire Massachu-
setts congressional delegation of this positive action by town
meeting members, or take any other action relative thereto." Our War-
rant has closed, what is the Board's feeling?
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to notify the
Congressional Delegation that the Board of Selectmen supports the pro-
posed revenue-sharing programs
Mr. Greeley abstained.
The Chairman read a letter from William R Page, 25 Oakland Street,
volunteering his services for the planting of the seedling forest in the
Town.
The Special Town Meeting of January II , 1971 approved the acceptance
of $ 1500 bequeathed to the Town by Katharine Harrington for the estab- Seedling
lishment of a seedling forest, subject to the wish of the donor that, if Forest
practical, it is planted and maintained by Junior or Senior High School
students
After discussion, the Board agreed to inform Mr. Page that Mr
O'Connell will contact him to discuss the matter.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to certify the
character of the following who have applied for Certificate of Incor-
poration
Cert of
Shirley M. Holdsworth 6 Coach Road Incorp
Albert J Mall 25 Dawes Road
"The New England Council of Figure Skating Clubs, Inc "
Louise Robinson 53 Downing Road
"Friends of 0 I C., Inc."
(Opportunities Industralization Center of Greater Boston)
Dr. Warren Guild 344 Lowell Street
"Fisherman Foundation, Inc "
Mr Alan Adams and Mrs. Anne Scigliano met with the Board.
The Chairman said that, as the Board knows, Mr Adams requested the
Board to have the minutes of our meetings made available to him, by means
of a copy of them. The Board discussed it and voted that the minutes
would be available to him at the Selectmen' s Office, after they are ap-
proved by the Board. Mr Adams interpreted this as being supplied with
a copy and Mrs McCurdy gave him a copy.
Mr Adams said I think you knew what I was talking about; the
reason I wanted you to do it is that I can't always get down here and it
is difficult to hear I thought to make an extra copy of the records Mr. Adams
would be quite simple and quite fair as it is almost impossible to go Minutes
over a copy of the records, which have been available for years. I
thought that vote granted what I asked
The Chairman said that we discussed it at length, as I explained to
you how it was intended and the vote of the Board.
Mrs. Scigliano said that minutes of the School Committee meetings
are available to everyone when you attend their meetings.
The Chairman said they meet every two weeks.
Mrs. Scigliano showed a copy of School Committee minutes of Decem-
ber 7 that she received on December 21st You said if we wanted a copy,
everyone would want one
The Chairman said that you are talking two different things; they
have a staff and a budget
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Mr. Bailey asked are these minutes valuable to you two weeks from
now?
Mr Adams replied, yes; some weeks we don't have room for all
these things and, if we are preparing a story, we could look back at
your records
Mr. Mabee said in view of the fact the School Committee is so
free with their minutes, I don't see why we couldn't very easily mail
or make some arrangements with any bona fide newspaper publishing house
and we wouldn't get involved with other than a publishing newspaper
because of this. I see no problem in mailing them to them
Mr. Kenney said he had no fear of precedence in forwarding them
a copy
Mr Mabee said it must be a local bona fide newspaper
Mr Greeley asked if the Lexington Civil Rights Committee wants
a copy what would you tell them?
Mr Mabee said it must be a commercial , profit-making organization.
Mr. O'Connell asked if he would furnish them to the Boston press?
I get many inquiries from them concerning votes of the Board.
Mr. Mabee replied that he said local .
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to mail a copy of
the minutes of the Selectmen's meeting to any publication of general
availability in the Town, which is published in the Town, at the time
the approved minutes are included in the book.
Mr Adams said we can pick them up at your office when they are
ready.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign water
Water abatements for the following:
Abatements
Carlisle Dieter $ 6.08
John Golden 13 33
Air-Base Hanscom Field 6,359 86
Leroy Howland, Jr 46 12
Mr O'Connell recommended that the Board grant permission to the
Lions Club to conduct the annual 4th of July celebration at the Cen-
4th of ter Playground on July I - 5, 1971 , subject to the rules and regula-
July tions established in 1970, plus one further restriction that we get,
Celebration in writing, an agreement from the concessionaire concerning set-up
time
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant permis-
sion to the Lions Club Inc. to conduct the annual 4th of July celebra-
tion at the Center Playground on July I - 5 1971 , subject to the
concession layout and the operating rules and restrictions established
in 1970 and, also, a written agreement from the concessionaire concern-
ing set-up time.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to delete the
Bevington Article for the Warrant of the 1971 Annual Town Meeting for the acqui-
Article sition for general purposes of the land owned by Alfred J. Bevington
and Mary E Stankard.
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The Chairman said that a letter is supposed to be coming from the
Conservation Commission on its Article for the Bevington land; on the
strength of this, we can vote to delete the Conservation Article Conserva-
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to delete the tion
Conservation Commission' s Article for the Warrant of the 1971 Annual Article
Town Meeting for the acquisition of the land owned by Alfred J.
Bevington and Mary E. Stankard, subject to receiving a request for de-
letion from the Conservation Commission.
Mr O'Connell reported to the Board that he had finally received
an answer from the School Department regarding a school employee as a
temporary crossing guard on Maple Street at the Harrington School and
the answer is no. They are reluctant to use a custodian because of
collective bargaining and legal liability problems and feel it is es-
sentially a police matter
The Chairman asked if he had any recommendation to solve the Crossing
problem. Guard
Mr O'Connell recommended hiring an additional school guard tempo-
rarily.
The Chairman asked where would we get the money?
Mr O'Connell replied that he would try to do it without the
uniform I could talk with Chief Corr and if he has any applicants who
are interested in a future position, I could try and get one for three
or four months
The Board agreed that Mr O'Connell is to talk with Chief Corr.
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 secu- Session
rity, the financial interests of the Town or the reputation of a person
After discussion of matters of 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 10 p.m
A true record, Attest
Executive Clerk, Selectmen