Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1969-06-23-BOS-min 342 SELECTMEN'S MEETING I June 23, 1969 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, on Monday evening, June 23, 1969 at 7 :30 P.M. Chairman Cataldo, Messrs. Mabee, Kenney, Greeley, and Bailey were present.. Mr. Legro, Town Counsel; Mr. Gray, Execu- tive Assistant; Mr. Burke, Superintendent of Public Warks; Mr. McSweeney, Town Engineer, and Mrs. MoCurdy, Executive Clerk, were also present. Mr. Gray informed the Board that Mr. Burke has re- Woodhaven ceived a letter from the Federal Water Pollution Control Trunk Administration stating that they have processed the Sewer final payment of $14,556 on the Woodhaven Trunk Sewer. Mr. Gray said that bids were received by Mr. Burke for the flow induction equipment for installation at the old "res" on Marrett Road. Richards of Rockford, Inc. 6314 North Alpine Road, Rockford, Illinois, bid $6924. Mr. Burke has talked with them and they are holding two units for us. Old "res" The Chairman asked the status of the building at Equipment the "res. " Mr. Gray said that it was advertised and no bids were received; they are going to re-advertise. Mr. Burke reoosmaends that the bid. be awarded to Richards of Rockford, Inc. ; it has been checked out by the Electrical Inspector and the Health Officer. The Chairman asked about the electrical entrance to the Services? Mr. Gray said that he has talked with Boston Edison and hopes that some progress may be made in get- ting some answers. Mr. Adams said that he has heard that there will be no swimming before late August. He asked if this were true? Mr. Gray answered in the affirmative. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to award the bid for the flow induction equipment for installation at the old "res" to Richards of Rockford, Inc., in the amount of $6924 Mr. Legro requested the Board to sign the Order Kennecott of Taking for sewer easements in the land off Hayden Order of Avenue, owned by Kennecott Copper. The Board has made Taking the determination of damages. 34f upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the Order of Taking for sewer easements in the land owned by Kennecott Copper, for the Hayden Avenue trunk sewer. Mr. Legro requested the Board to sign the Order of Taking for sewer easements relating to the Spring Street- Order of Barberry Road sewer lateral. Taking Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to for Sprdnf sign the -Order of Taking for sewer easements relating to Street - the Spring Street-Barberry Road sewer lateral. Barberry Mr. Legro requested the Board to sign the instrument for the abandonment of certain parts of a drain easement in Peacock Farms Section 6 owned by Benjamin Franklin Homes, Inc. This easement was authorized by the Annual Town Meeting of March, 1969 and is satisfactory to the Benjamin Planning Board. Mr. Legro said that thisis for the re- Franklin location of a drain easement in that subdivision; Benjamin Homes Franklin Homes, Inc. granted easements to the Town, prior Drain to the subdivision. Wilson Farms relocated a. portion of Easement the brook and this had to be relocated. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the instrument for the abandonment of certain parts of a drain easement in Peacock Farms Section 6, owned by Benjamin Franklin Homes, Inc. Mr. Legro said that he had reviewed the contracts for the painting of the standpipe, which the Board had previously awarded, and requested the Board to sign the contract awarded to Inter-State Contracting & Coating Painting Co., Inc., C Industrial Park, Zelienople, Pa., of Stand- in the amount of $ ,500• Pipe Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the contracts for the painting of the standpipe, awarded to Inter-State Contracting & Coating Co., Inc. , in the amount of $14,500. The Chairman asked Mr. Legro about the easements on Laconia Street? Laconia Mr. Legro said that he is still waiting for a title Street a.aroh and expects to bring them to the Board on next Easements Monday evening. Mr. Burke informed the Board that bids had been taken on the bituminous concrete material for the current Pablic year. Bids were received from Mass. Broken Stone, Tri- Works mount .RI1 " 4' ou. Products and Warren Bros. Company, with Bids Mass. Broken Stone as low bidder at $5.85 per ton for 344 Class- 1 Top and Base;- Cold patch at $5.85 per ton; and tar patch at $7.00 per ton; all to be picked up at the plant. Mr. Burke recommended that the con- tract be awarded to Mass. Broken Stone Company, 133 Boston Post Road, Weston, Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to award the contract to the Massachusetts Broken Stone Company for the following: Class 1 Top and Base at $5.85 per ton; Cold Patch at $5.85 per ton; and Tar Patch at $7.00 per ton. Mr. Burke recommended that the contract be awarded to Trimount Bituminous Products Co., 1840 Parkway, Everett for sidewalk mix, base and top at $6.00 per ton; Berm Mix at $6.00 per ton; and Tar Patch at $7.00 per ton. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted Trimount to award the contract to the Trimount Bituminous Award Products Co. for the following: sidewalk nix, base and top at $6.00 per ton; Berm Mix at $6.00 per ton; and Tar Patch at $7.00 per ton. Mr. Burke recommended a split award on these bids and asked for, and was granted, permission to hold up on the notification of the award to Massachusetts Broken Stone Company, in order to check out the fig- ures. This company is presently billing the Town at last year's price of $5.75, as opposed to their pres- ant bid of $5.85. Mr. Burke said that the Bureau of Public Affairs is conducting a course on municipal collective bar- Seminar authoorization to9attendj,giftMr. Gray ie arunableeto go. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to authorize Mr. Gray or Mr. Burke to attend the seminar on municipal collective bargaining. Mr. Burke informed the Board that when we went over the budgets in December, the Public Works Depart- ment was short five men; we spent $250 in advertising for new men, and we are now in the position of being short twelve employees; eight men worked in the high- way department, two were tree climbers, one was an equipment maintenance man and one laborer. We are un- able to get anyone and the situation is getting to the point of being quite critical. The Chairman said, as we discussed earlier, we agreed to sit down and go over the whale situation and see what satisfactory recommendations should be rade to the Board. 345 Mr. Greeley said that this may have a direct( ef- fect on the payroll when we take it to the Appropriation Committee. Mr. Burke said that some of the positions could be re-evaluated. Two tree climbers went to work for a private concern and one employee left for the matter of 0cents an hoar. When we receive an application for employment, we cheek out the individual with Chief Corr, in order to avoid any trouble. Mr. Greeley asked if he had made contact with any- one in Roxbury? You could get in touch with Mr. Weinstein as he may know people with higher skills. The Chairman said that we would take a half dozen laborers and bring them up through the ranks; there may be some with the attitude of wanting to learn and we will teach them. It was agreed to set up a meeting with the Superin- tendent or Public Works and the Executive Assistant to discuss the personnel problem. The Chairman read a letter from the Building Inspec- tor, requesting that he follow the practice of previous Building years by taking vacation days during the summer months, Inspector in moat cases on Friday. The Assistant Building Inspec- tor will be in the offioe to cover these days. The Board had no objection. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of the Selectmen's Meeting held Minutes on June 16, 1969. The Chairman informed the Board that as application for a Guide's License has been made by David Cantor, 29 Eastern Avenue. Mr. Leon Burke recommends that David be appointed as he has successfully passed the examination; Guide Chief Corr has approved the application. Ups ni motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to appoint David Cantor, 29 Eastern Avenue, as Guide of Lexington. The Chairman read a letter from Mrs. Sousa request- ing a change in the approved date for a square dance at Barberry Road on July 4 to July 3, 1969 from 7:30 F.M. Permit to 11 :30 P.M. Uponimotion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the new date, as requested by Mrs. Souza, for a square dance to be held on Barberry Road and the corner of Stonewall Read on July 3, 1969 from 7:30 P.M. to 11 :30 P.M. 34(; Upon motion dulymade and seconded it was voted to sign the Orders oSewer Construction for Manley Court and Whitman Circle. Mr. Greeley informed the Board that he had re- ceived a letter from the Chairman of the. Planning Board regarding the Workable Program and the Housing Inspector. He had received the letter today and Workable this is one of the things we will discuss later on, Program to see what approach the Board wantsto take. He suggested that the building inspeCton.-deportment work with the Planning Board on this. The Chairman said that this has t under b e un r the Board of Health. Mr. Greeley said that we agreed it would be under the aegis of the Board of Health. He felt that the staff people, the Building Inspector and the Board of Health, should get together and prepare a recommenda- tion. The Chairman instructed Mr. Gray to call a meet- ing of the three departments, Planning Board, Board of Health and Building Inspector, to discuss the ap- pointment of a part-time Housing Inspector under the Workable Program. The Chairman explained that the reason Mr. Adams had not been given publicity on the Workable Program was that he was waiting until next week to submit both the Workable Program and the Employment Express to the newspaper. The Chairman said that he had briefly discussed with Mr. Gray and asked him to bring up the subject of the approach the Board should take on evaluating how to assess betterments, our service fees, license and permit fees, etc. He asked the Board if they would like Mr. Gray to meet with all department heads and report back? We must keep in mind the legisla- tion we are bound by and Mr. Legro will give us some Betterments comments. We have been asked if we can assess the sidewalk betterments on both sides of the street, when we only construct it on one side, or can we put it all on the street betterments when we construct a street? Mr. Greeley said. that the people on the other side would think they got a better deal. Mr. Legro said that we assess under statute - sewer betterments under the Sewer Act and the formula set up by the Act. The Chairman asked it this is specifically con- trolled by the statue? What about a long frontage? Q 4 rt Mr. ILegro said that the statute did cover a corner lot and, to his recollection, on the longer side. The Chairman said that the betterments for each one goes with the petition„ He had asked the Town Engineer to hold up. Mr. Legro asked, on all types, sewer, sidewalks, etc.? The Chairman answered in the affirmative. Mr. Legro said that you have a mixture of statu- tory 1pw and policy. Mr. Greeley said that he felt the sensible thing to do would be to come up with what we want to do and ask Town Counsel if we may do it. Mr. Legro said that it would be helpful if the Board Would tell him what they want. The Chairman said that we will come up with all of the statutes we are going, by today. Mr. Legro said that he works with them all the time. The Chairman said that you are saying, if we have a specific thought, you will tell us if we can adopt it as a policy? Mr. Legro said, or what you would have to do to accomplish it. One of the things that brought it up 1 was the petition by the Superior Court on a lot that appears to be a corner lot and isn't. The Chairman asked if it would be agreeable with the Board if he and Mr. Gray came back to the Board with some thinking and recommendations? The Board agreed. Mr. Legro said that this was brought up in Janu- ary and, if he could get some ideas on what the prob- lems are, he would be glad to help. He got a letter on the statutory policy and he is looking for the background. The Chairman said that we never went to that point; we will get it now and get it to you. Mr. Kenney said, for example, the sidewalks - if we wanted to go to $2.00, instead of $1.00. Ma. McSweeney said that if we build a new street, to include the sidewalk and not to assess a better- ment only on one aide. Now, the direction of the sewer lateral, the direction they come along in, that is the way they are bettered - a policy in one sense and a law in another. We should also consider the possible fees for subdivision inspection. The Chairman said that we will cover the whole thing. 1 34S Mr. McSweeney said that we give out a tremendous service for subdivisions and we would like to get some money for it. The Chairman told Mr. McSweeney to make the recommendations. The Recreation Committee met with the Board: The Chairman informed them that they were asked to meet with the Board to discuss fees on the Recreation Program. We talked of charging fees at the "res" and asked you to come back and tell us -what fees and how you are going to collect them. The main reason is, you are coming into a new season and, if there is some pilot project you would like to try i tt or go into in a specific way, or run some studies on what fees to charge. These a*e the two areas to dis- cuss. He asked if they had gone into the matter of charging fees since the last time they met with the Board? Mr. Bond said that it is simply that they dont want to charge money for anything we are currently doing unless we do it in a different manner; on the old res" there should be a way to charge in order to keep out-of-town people from using it. The Chairman said that they would register, re- Recreation gardless of charging fees. Committee Mr. Bond said that they would want to register Fees to cover the coat of registration; it would be well to charge a yet undetermined fee. The Committee doesn't feel we should charge for present services unless we can aid or abet with additional income to be used for additional activities. The Chairman asked if they would charge one tee at the old "res"? Mr. Bond replied that their original thinking was to do what other towns have done - to register. Mr. -Kenney asked how they would propose to keep out-of-towners from using the pool? Mr. Bertini said that they have a card system now. Mr. Bond said that this comes under the category of a new facility. Mr. Kenney asked if they would charge for the new wading pool? Mr. Bond said that they hadn't planned on charging. The Chairman said that the Bbard'wopld like the Recreation Committee to look at this very seriously :14 111 and come back with a program of charging, or go into the summer evaluating the program to see if they would charge fees or go into it in a delayed way and come up with a final decision-one way or anther. Mr. Bond said that they have arrived at a deci- sion on the "res" and lighted courts. The Chairman said that the Recreation Committee feels that no fees are to be charged on existing faci- lities and to charge fees on anything new or subse- quently improved on. Mr. Bond agreed. He said that in the interest of making it a better activity, we would have to pay a man on weekends. To regulate the registration - to get that done - we would have to charge for Saturday or Sunday. There are some members on the Committee that compare us with the Library as they only pay a penalty for the misuse of the property. Mr. Denney said that the Appropriation Committee has a feeling on this - the general feeling is that these ape particular facilities that benefit parti- cular people and a fee should be charged. Mr. Bond said we agree that there are a lot of people who want more recreation facilities and don't want to pay for them. We have tennis, swimming, little league, etc. and they are all aimed at a small group of people. Mr. Greeley asked if more tennis courts were put in at the Harrington School, would they oharge for them. Mr. Bond said that they would be faced with the problem of collecting fees and policing them. Mr. Mabee said that he has been in favor of put- ting all the tennis courts in one place. The Chairman said that, on that basis, your policy is dead if there were new facilities at Harring- ton and you won't charge for them. Mri,. Bond said that by that time, they might pro- pose to charge. The Chairman said that the Board would like to get this resolved, one way or another. Personally, he felt it should be like the Library, but he is only one person. Mr. Gallagher said that they had met with the Ap- propriation Committee and they know that the Appropria- tion Committee would be more likely to grant our requests if we had a user fee program. Our program should be geared to the youth of the Town and we don't want to discourage it. He worries about the problems that might come up, that it would cost more to collect 1 the fear than they take in. U The Chairman said that no one has come up with 111 the numbers on what it would cost to collect the fees. Mr. Greeley asked how they control the number of people who use the pool? Mr. Bertini said that at one time, they had 600 people who wanted to come in, and they had to shut the gate and let' one-half of the people use the pool and then let them out and the other half come in. Mr. Greeley said that the old "res" is peculiar in that you have a number you want to keep it to. Mr. Bertini said that the mothers would sit in the sand and the children would use the pool. We have a specific numbers control there that is differ- ent from any other in Town; we have a• specific policing problem there that is different. It is more expensive to operate the "res" because it is on a major road. The Chairman said that it will take more manpower to operate it as it is not as easily policed; it is on a major road and the children can hop over fences. Mr. Kenney said that if they are going to charge for one swimming facility, we should take a look at the others; your argument is a bit weak. Mr. Bond said, speaking of policing, from a stand- point of keeping people out, because of this type of facility, there is going to be more of a need for life- guards and the cost would be much higher than the pool. The Chairman asked if it would be much higher than the $7,000 budget? Mr. Bond said, no. Mr. Mabee said that he detects a note that part of the problem of the Recreation Committee is they are afraid that the operating cost is going up. Because of the new swimming pool at the old "res" they are afraid that the Appropriation Committee will say they will have the same amount next year and charge fees - and they are saying we will supply the same old ones and the new ones will be self-supporting. The real culprit is, and the real situation you go for is, to make it clear to the Appropriation Committee that you need more money to operate the Recreation Committee. The Chairman -said that the Recreation Committee is to give the Board the numbers on what it costs to col- lect the money. For example, we could probably collect $6,000 in fees but what does it cost to collect it? This is why we called you in so that you can work this out before the next budget comes up. Mr. Boiid said that the Committee is strongly sup- porting the use of the users ' fees. 1 3 '4 Mrs. Mabee said that if they are going to do it, they are going to do it across the Board, you can't be selective about it. Mr. Bertini said that the problem is, where do you start and stop? The Chairman said that the Recreation Committee should go into this in great depth and come back with a recommendation or justification of delay. Mrs. Greeley said that if, in order to get some experience, you want to do some inconsistent things this summer, try them; if you want to do some experi- menting, do it. My guess is, if you start charging a fee at the. old "res", you will get some comments. 0.5. get them. Mr. Gallagher said that he hoped the Board -will be sympathetic when they go in looking for capital im- provements; when we boil it down, the Planning Board wants something, the League of Women Voters its some- thing -, $30,000 doesn't go very far. We are hoping you will be more generous the next time around. Mr. Bond asked if they had permission to try it at the old urea"? The Chairman said that you can try any pilot plan you want - whatever you have to do to get the informa- tion you need. Come back to the Board when you have it. Mr. Bond said that he has received a telephone call from Logan Clarke asking if it is possible in the intereatt of using the fill at Harrington, to regrade, to st-ant eliminating the water that is there. We got some plans but we couldn't proceed without approval of the school department; we want to run plastic pipe. The Recreation Committee retired from the meeting. The Chairman said that, with the establishment of a Personnel Board, appointments should be made on next Monday evening and the charge given at the same time. Personnel There will be five members; he has talked to Don Noyes, Sidney Williams and Nancy Hudson. The information will be mailed to the Board before the next meeting. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to go into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing, Executive deliberating or voting on matters whish, if made public, Session might adversely affect the public security, the financial interests of the Town, or the reputation of a person. After discussion of a matter 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 111 adjourn at 8:50 P.M. A true record, Attest : Executive Clerk, Selector