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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1967-09-18-BOS-min 156 SELECTMEN'S MEETING ' September 18, 1967 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on Monday evening, September 18, 1967, at 7:30 P M. Chairman Cole, Messrs . Burnell, Cataldo, Mabee and Kenney were present. Mr. Legro, Town Counsel, Mr. Gray, Execu- tive Assistant, and Acting Superintendent of Public Works, Mr. Wenham, Assistant Superintendent of Public Works, and Mrs . McCausland, Executive Clerk, were also present . Mr. Gray reported receipt of a letter from the Town Report Massachusetts Selectmen' s Association, dated September 15, Award 1967, congratulating the Town of Lexington as a winner of one of the Awards in the 1967 Town Report Contest. It stated that the certificates would be presented at 9:00 A.M , as the first order of business at the meeting on Saturday morning, October 7, in the Casino Room of The Hotel Belmont, West Harwich. The Chairman stated he thought it would be fitting if in addition to a member of the Board attending as a repre- sentative, to invite Mr Zehner to go, and stated if the Board had no objection, he would take Mr Zehner with him. Mr. Gray referred to two requests for transfers from the Reserve Fund . The first is for the Police and Fire Medical. He stated there have been unforeseen expenses, Transfers that there is a fireman who has to have an operation. He said the Appropriation Committee is aware that the Board would request funds. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to request the Appropriation Committee to transfer the sum of $1,000 from the Reserve Fund to the Police and Fire Medical Account . Mr. Gray said the second request is for the Clerical Pool Account in the amount of $750. He stated this is due to extra summer help. The Appropriation Committee cut the amount in the budget and the Board was to contact Transfers them for extra funds Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to request the Appropriation Committee to transfer the sum of $750 00 from the Reserve Fund to the Clerical Pool Account. Mr. Gray stated at the last meeting of the Board, it requested him to write a letter to the Fire Depart- ment in reply to its letter of August 30, 1967, relative to a meeting with Local #11.1.91, International Association 157 of Fire Fighters, questions raised at the meeting, and action required . Mr. Gray stated he had talked with the Fire Depart- ment, and he felt recommendations would have to be made by the Board Mr. Gray read the following to the Board : 3. The Chairman felt should be a recommendation of the Salary Study Committee, and the Board would await its reply 4. Relative to the purchase of fire-fighting equipment--it was the Board ' s understanding this was taken care of, but if not , it should be taken care of. Mr. Gray said he would contact the Commissioners with regard to this item. 7. With regard to payroll deductions of union dues, the Chairman stated he was not in favor, but thought the Board should reserve its answer until it heard from the Salary Study Committee. Mr Gray stated he would get a report from the Town Treasurer. 8. Re: Fire fighters with more than five years of service, to live not more than ten miles from Town, and Mr. Gray said the department feels it is understaffed , that is one reason. The Chairman said all these matters would be held up pending receipt of recommendations from the Salary Review Board . The Chairman read a letter from the Middlesex County Commissioners, dated September 12, 1967, relative to an Lowell enclosed form of petition for specific repairs of Lowell Street Street . Upon motion duly made and seconded , it was voted to sign the petition, as requested Letter was received from Mr. and Mrs. Ralph G. Semon, 92 Bedford Street, relative to construction of Tewksbury Street, now that the Old Age Housing is underway. Tewks- The Chairman stated no petition had been submitted bury up to the present time, and there are no plans, and if Street they wish to have the street accepted, a petition should be returned to the Town that it may be considered for the 1968 budget. 158 The Chairman read a letter from Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd C Harding, co-owners of property at the corner of Tucker Tucker Avenue and Tarbell Avenue, in which they requested Avenue the acceptance of a small portion of Tucker Avenue from Chase Avenue to Tarbell Avenue. The Chairman stated they should submit a petition so it can be processed properly. Invitation was received from the Commonwealth of Mental Massachusetts, Department of Mental Health, relative to Health regional meeting to be held . Meeting The Chairman said he would represent the Board . The Chairman read a letter from Miss Mary McDonough, Clerk, Board of Registrars, relative to the recent act pertaining to Board of Registrars, and requesting a Transfer transfer in the amount of $300.00 from the Reserve Fund to cover the increase in her salary. Mr. Gray retired to the Appropriation Committee meeting with her request. Request from Mr. William R. Whalon, 14 Benjamin Road , Lexington, relative to permission to closing off a portion of Benjamin Road on Saturday, September 23, between the Block hours of 6:00 P.M. and midnight for a neighborhood square Dance dance and party, was read by the Chairman Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant the request subject to the approval of the Police Department. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to Cert. of certify the character of James L. Jones, 45 Middle Street Inc. and Robert Seaman, 17 Hancock Street, satisfactory refer- ences having been received from Paul Furdon, Acting Chief of Police Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to Minutes approve the minutes of the Selectmen' s Meeting held on September 11, 1967 Mr. Gray submitted a plan showing the situation at the Hamilton property. He stated there is an 18" drain Hamilton coming down Massachusetts Avenue to the corner of Drain Worthen Road and drains in the area Mr. Hamilton was com- plaining about. He stated this could be shut off at the corner of Woodberry Road . Mr. Cataldo wished to have the alternatives explained and see what can be done, although he said actually the brook is his property line. Mr Gray stated he would contact Mr. Conroy and see what recommendation they could come up with 159 Mr. Clancy and Mr. Hutchinson, Cabot, Cabot & Forbes, met with the Board at 8:00 F.M. relative to the drain on Hartwell Avenue . Mr. Clancy submitted a plan and stated this is a different plan, showing the possibility of combining the SDC drain with the drain they will put across the street . Hartwell He stated they have done this to see how this could be Avenue accomplished and have come up with this plan to show how Drain this is engineered to be done. He explained the plan to the Board, and said it could be done this way, that the only thing is, it has to be completely revamped . The markings in blue would cost $30,000 versus the red, $60,000, and he stated it makes it extremely expensive, but the answer is it can be done engineeringwise. Mr. Legro said as far as the Town is concerned, it is just a much of a legal problem, and the Chairman asked if it was capable of being solved. Mr. Gray said the fee for Hartwell Avenue is in the State, and as far as placing a structure, permission would have to be gotten from the State, that the biggest problem is the maintenance. Mr. Clancy stated the people who drain into the system would be the ones to be involved, that it would not involve the Town in any way whatsoever. Mr. Cataldo said, say we have to move this; that this is Mr. Legro' s reservation, and asked whom the Town would get permission from to move this drain. Mr. Hutchinson said the sewer is below everything else. Mr. Cataldo stated the Board wanted to get this done, and Mr. Clancy said they would do whatever the Board wants them to do. Mr. Legro said he did not see any change. First of all the Town does not own the fee, the Commonwealth does. He said the most the Town can do is to give the right to open and construct the way for restoring the services of the way and indemnify the Town. He said if the ownership is going to remain with CC & F and some subsequent owners , the Town wants some lease from the organization to main- tain the drain; indemnification from any damages which may come from the obstruction. If there is a flooding condition the Town wants no part of it. The Chairman said this would entail an agreement with those provisions Mr Clancy said the problem is, you need some in- demnification for any problems that might come up. Mr. Gray stated, rather an agreement that the Town has no responsibility at all. Mr. Clancy stated to cross the street with a 36" I pipe. The Chairman asked what method should be used. 160 c' ze Mr Legro said if CC & F gets permission from the State to lay a drain in there, if the Board is so minded, it can give an agreement that it will issue a permit to open the street, subject to the usual bond and the agree- ments in the bond, so if anyone is injured, etc. , and to have adequate insurance coverage. Mr. Clancy said he understood that the jurisdiction has been turned over to the Town, and Mr. Legro said, the control. Mr. Clancy said he would like to get this going, and Chairman said he would have a letter prepared . Mr. Legro said he would not be able to touch it this week. Mr. Leslie York met with the Board, and referred to the diorama base. He stated he had a sketch from the Universal Cabinet Company in Arlington which is a concern well recommended to him by Mr. Nickerson, and this is a sketch for approval of what he would do. He said the sides are made of birch, the front is a single thickness Diorama of glass; the frame is soft pine molding, the frame up to the top presently has an oak frame around it which holds the name to the Diorama. He said when this was shipped out of the Worlds' Fair it looked horrible He said there is a question in his mind , and he thought it ought to be done in the same keeping as the rest of the building, panelled pine stain, the same color as the rest of the building. They will put in a door with a piano hinge and two locks, and it will be plate glass He described the sketch to the Board . Plexiglass, what is there now is plastic. He said the in- terior will not be disturbed at all, and it will cost $900 to $1,000. Mr. York said he talked with Bob Custance today, and he had only figured on a plywood base for $300 Mr. York will take the sketch up to him to compare prices He stated the present fund balance is $867 89, but they did charge the chairs and tables against this year' s fund rather than taking it out of the furnishings . If the tables and chairs come out of the current fund, there would be $867 for the base of the diorama, as there is $500 in the budget for furnishings. Mr. York said it would be something that the Town would be proud of, and said a continuous tape can be put in. Mr. Cataldo spoke of lowering it down, and Mr. York said it is about right for the average adult , that the children have to step up on the step; that they are drop- ping it down about two inches without having to go down through into it. The Chairman stated the Board would wait to hear from Mr. York again with the other figures, and Mr York said he would have it before next Monday. 161 1 Mr. Kenney referred again to Worthen Road, and the Chairman said he had been in touch with the State as late as today. He said the field work is all done, but the Worthen State was not ready to send the traffic counts out yet. Road He said he had sent them a letter today and also clarified a couple of other points. Mr. Kenney said it would probably take two or three weeks, and the Chairman said he did not think it would be that long. Mr. Cataldo asked if anything had been heard from Mr. Morey relative to the letter sent , and the Chairman said Public Mr. Morey would let the Board know, that he would go over Trust the funds again. Funds Mrs. Frederick Frick, Logue of Women Voters, was present at the meeting and asked if she could ask what the Executive Sessions are about. The Chairman explained to her the substance of what Executive an Executive Session was, and until it was released to Session the public, it was confidential. That the Selectmen ' s Minutes are a public record. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to go into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing, deliberating or voting on matters which, if made public, Executive might adversely affect the public security, the financial Session interest of the Town or the reputation of any person. Following discussion relative to legal matters, and departmental matters, it was voted to resume the open meeting. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn at 9:15 P.M. A true record, Attest: /*(24,,,k6'42 E cutive Clerk, Selectmenn ,) R (,) ) I 1