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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1966-01-24-BOS-min 505 SELECTMEN'S MJ:TING January 2L1 , 1966 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on Monday, January 24, 1966, at 7: 30 P.M. Chairman Cole, Messrs. Burnell, Cataldo, Sheldon and Mabee were present. Mr. Gray, Executive Aslistant, Mr. Carroll, Superintendent of Public Works, and Miss Murray, Executive Clerk, were also present. At the request of the Town Clerk, four jurors were drawn for jury duty. The individuals drawn were Martin Axelbank, 105 Simonds Road; Thomas D. Kennedy, Jr. , Jurors 1 Childs Road; Francis A. Geary, 17 Tarbell Avenue, and Jonah Kalb, 17 North Street. Mr. Arthur Burrell, Director of Civil Defense, met with the Board and reported that one week from tomorrow, he will be testing the Civil Defense Alarm System. He said he did not know how long this would take, but each of the eighteen stations will be checked separately. There are three or four of these on school buildings and those will not be checked until after school is out . The Chairman asked Mr. Gray to see that ample notice is given as a front page news item in the Minute-man. Mr. Burrell said he would like to test these on Saturday from twelve until two for two or three weeks. The Chairman slid there should be a notice in the paper on this also. Mr. Burrell retired at 7:L1.0 P.M. Mr. Gray reported receipt of a request from the Heart Association to declare the month of February as Heart Month. Heart Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted Month to declare the month of February Heart Month. Mr. Gray submitted two change orders, in connection with the Public Facilities Building; one for $500 and one for $56 which he said had been approved by the com- mittee. Change Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted Orders to authorize the Chairman to sign both change orders as submitted. Mr. Gray reported that some time ago, the Board re- quested the Traffic Study Committee to make a study of the Five Forks' intersection to determine whether or not any- 5 �`' 06 alw thing should be done. He informed the Board that Mr. Carroll was requested to have a detailed study made Five Forks of the intersection. The study was made and Mr. Gray traffic said he had a copy of it , including a history of the study accidents over the past five years. This report was submitted to the State Department of Public Works by Mr. Carroll. Mr. Gray read Mr. Carroll's letter to the State and also read the reply received by Mr. Carroll. In the department's opinion, no changes are necessary in the traffic control at this intersection. He said the committee feels there is nothing further to be done at this time . Mr. Carroll said if the Board would observe the windrow of snow in Lexington Center, and the operations Snow tomorrow, and relate this to the proposal of the EDA removal for Lexington Center, it would realize why he has a very serious concern about the snow removal problem. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant the petitions and sign the orders for the following pole locations, all having been approved by Mn. Carroll: Bennett Avenue, northeasterly side, at and north- westerly from Tarbell Avenue, -- Two (2) poles. Hudson Road, southeasterly from a point approxi- mately 314 feet southeast of Winston Road, -- Four (4) poles. Cutler Farm Road, southeasterly side, southwesterly from a point approximately 95 feet southwest of Hudson Road, -- Seven (7) poles. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted Pole, guy to grant the petition and sign the order for the following wire & pole, guy wire and anchor location, approved by Mr. anchor Carroll: ( ' r - Albemarle Avenue, northeasterly from a point approxi- mately 44 feet northeast of Anthony Road, -- Five (5) poles. Guy wire and anchor on first pole. The Chairman read a letter from the State Department of Public Works recommending favorable action on the Traffic proposal to erect stop signs to face westbound drivers Rules & on Coolidge Avenue at Hancock Street and southbound drivers Orders on Bow Street at Massachusetts Avenue. 507 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously voted to amend Article VIII, Section II (Isolated Stop Signs ) by adding to this section the following: Westbound drivers on Coolidge Avenue at Hancock Street. Southbound drivers on Bow Street at Massa- chusetts Avenue. Each member of the Board received, during the week, a letter from Delfino Apollonio, et als, opposing the proposed layout of Kendall Road from Marrett Road to Kendall Road 670 feet, more or less, north of Grapevine Avenue. The Chairman said the Board should acknowledge receipt of the letter and advise Mr. Apollonio that the hearing will be held Wednesday night, January 26. The Chairman read a letter from John D. Warner, Associate Commissioner, Dep-irtment of Public Works, dated January 13„ 1966, with reference to the portion of Route 2 from west of Park Avenue to the vicinity of Watertown Street . He said that Mr. Julian J. Bussgang and some of his friends from Peacock Farm area were present and that he had received a petition written by residents of Lexington protesting to the Deprtment of Public Works the needless damages to be caused by the present plan for the widening of Route 2. Mr. Bussgang said he was president of the Peacock Farms Association and very much concerned about the change at Watertown Street. He said his committee, Walter Pierce and Dave Cushman, were unanimous about the points raised in the petition. He said they were present this evening to discuss the steps they believe are needed to get the satisfactory solution. They have worked very close with t he Board' s committee headed by Mr. Cataldo and they have, at their own expense, retained a traffic Route 2 engineer to study this interchange. Mr. Bussgang read, from the petition, the requests the Association is making to the State Department of Public Works. He said the problem is one of bringing sufficient public and political pressure on the Department of Public Works for a review of the plans. He asked that the Board of Selectmen endorse unanimously the points raised in the petition by letter to the Commissioner. He said the Association would also like a meeting held very soon with the Depart- ment of Public Works to discuss this particular inter- change, regardless of what is done with Worthen Road. The Chairman said, speaking for himself, he could endorse almost all of the principles except one and that is the one connecting Worthen Road directly to Route 2. He said they would have to look back as to how Worthen Road was sold. It was sold as a connector road and not a by-pass road. 508 v cl Mr. Mabee said he was on the Plannipg Board and that is very definitely true. Mr. Bussgang said most of their proposals are not connected with Worthen Road. Mr. Mabee said in paragraph b. , no one could argue but on page 1, paragraph 1, this is what the Board never suggested when it was first presented to the Town. Mr. Catii.do said that was true seven or eight years ago. Recent discussions were to name Worthen Rodd 4 & 225. He said, with reference to paragraph a. , to replace the loop ramp by a slip ramp in the northeastern quadrant of the Watertown Street interchance, he did not think the Board could possibly go along with this one . Mr. Bussgang said he recognized that . Mr. Cataldo said the night Mr. Abend was here, he said he would have to admit engineeringwise and traffic- wise, this was not the answer. Mr. Cataldo asked it they were widening the bridge at all. Mr. Pierce replied at this scale it is difficult to say because they dontt know where the abutments are. If they do widen it at all, it would be merely fifteen feet. The Chairman said the Board had written to the De- partment of Public Works and was waiting for a reply, and it seemed to him that very shortly the Board should make an appointment. Mr. Cataldo said the Selectmen should go to the Planning Board with this layout and the petition and see what its position is and then get the answer back on 4 & 225, and then go to the State. Mr. Bussgang said there seems to be very little time left. They are going on contract in July. They have already contacted the abutters requesting permission to do borings. Mr. Cataldo said the, Board has been trying to get an answer and he thought it should have the answers before it goes in to a meeting. The Chairman said a united front w w ld have to b e presented. Mr. Cataldo said an appointment could be requested and it may be two weeks before a meeting is held. The Chairman suggested that he go in to see dom- missioner Frank Sargent in anticipation of what is coming up. Mr. Cataldo suggested that Mr. Bussgang and his com- mittee go to see the Planning Board. Mr. Bussgang said one way or another a meeting will be necessary with the Department of Public Works and it would help to have an appointment at the earliest possible time. The Chairman explained Mr. Cataldo ' s point was that there is no sense in scheduling a meeting without having complete unaniminity. He said it was fine to make the 5U9 appointment in anticipation of this unaniminity and the onus would be on Mr. Bussgang to meet with t he Planning Board. Mr. Cushman asked if the program would be that the Selectmen will plan a meeting within three weeks and in that time, his committee can get the Planning Board' s opinion on this so a meeting can be had. The Chairman replied in the affirmative and said a meeting could be arranged and in the interim, the infor- mation could be obtained from the Planning Board. Mr. Cushman asked if the Board would write to the Department of Public Works regarding the petition recom- mending that it is considering a change of the loop itself. The Chairman said the Board should answer this letter correcting the Commissioner in the fact the Board still has objections and call his attention to the letter to Mr. Sargent from the Peacock Farms Association in whose cause the Board is sympathetic and send a copy of the letter to Mr. Sargent. The group retired at 8:15 P.M. Chairman Boughton, Messrs. Chapin, Longley, Davis and Mrs . Rawls, Capital Expenditures Committee, met with the Board. Mr. Boughton presented the Board with copies of the Annual Report of the Capital Expenditures Committee, January 1, 1966, and discussed thereport with the Board. ' The Board referred to the Figure of $150,000 under conservation and said he thought the figure recommended was $75,000. Mr. Loughton said $75,000 was recommended., after reim- bursement. He explained the committee' s thought is if the Town really wants to and needs to acquire land, it should be planned for. The committee is not saying this is what the Town wants to do or not , but has put in a program which would spend a fair amount of money over the next five years . Mr. Sheldon explained his only criticism he had of this figure is that people would assume this is going to cost the Town $150,000 whereas $150,000 would cost the Town $75,000 and with Federal aid, it might be less than this. He said this figure should not be reflected in any tax figure. Mr. Boughton stated in order to be consistent with the practice to be followed, the committee has to show the amount to be appropriated. Mr. Sheldon said there should be a star showing it is expected at least one half of this figure should be re- covered. Mr. Cataldo asked if the school was coming in this year or next year. Mr. Boughton replied they plan to come in this year and ask for money for an elementary school to be open in 1969 and they will justify the need of this school starting a kindergarten program beginning in the fall of 1967. The Capital Expenditures Committee is suggesting that they don' t do this. It feels there are other things the Town needs to do and for a long time, the school construction has preempted the capital dollars of the Town. The committee' s recommend- ation that the plans be postponed is not unanimous. CJ' 510 e7 x. The Chairman said the Board would look the report over and the committee would be available if the Board has any questions. The committee retired at 8:45 P.M. Letter was received from Norman May with reference to the Mothers ' March for the March of Dimes from January 27 to January 30. The Chairman informed the Board pictures would be taken tomorrow morning at ten otclock, Lexington Minute-man Office. Letter was received from Mrs . Morey, President of the Lexington Historical Society, suggesting that when the flag now flying twenty-four hours a day on the Green has to be re- placed, that it be given to the Society to be preserved along with the last one to fly there daily before the Act of Congress took effect November, 1965. The Board had no objection. A copy of the minutes of the Minute Man National Park Commission was received from Mr. Donald E. Nickerson, and Minutes placed on file. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to certify the character of Leo P . Kutrubes, 114 Waltham Street, who Cert. of has applied to the State for a Certificate of Incorporation, Inc . satisfactory character reference having been received from the Chief of Police. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to certify the character of Raymond J. Culler, 209 Lincoln Street, and Stuart C . Broderic, 25 Fair Oaks Drive, who have applied to the State for a Certificate of Incorporation, satisfactory character references having been received from the Chief of police. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to certify the character of Harold J. Andelman, 1130 Massachu- Cert. of setts Avenue , who has applied to the State for a Certificate Inc. of Incorporation, satisfactory character reference having been received from the Chief of Police. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted Use of to grant permission to the Lexington Lions Club to use hall Cary Memorial Hall for a Glaucoma Clinic on May 4, 1966. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant permission to the Minute Man Highlands Association Use of to use Estabrook Hall on February 1, 1966, subject to the hall usual limitations. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant a Taxi Driver license to John P. Chandley, 12 511 Grapevine Avenue, satisfactory reference having been IIreceived from the Chief of Police. License Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant a Common Victualler license to David Buttrick Co. , 38 Bedford Street. License Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant a Common Victualler license to William R. Moss, new manager of the Heritage Room Restaurant, 1720 Massa- chusetts Avenue. License Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of the Selectmen ' s Meeting held January 17, 1966. Minutes The Chairman asked if the Board thought it should transfer the policy in regard to stands on April 19 over to the Town Celebrations Committee. Mr. Cataldo said the Board should establish the policy on Town-owned land as the committee could not do that. Mr. Burnell said he thought it should remain where it is . The Chairman asked if the Board thcught it should establish a deadline on these. April 19 II Mr. Burnell said if the Board determines a policy, stands he did not think the time was important, and he thought picy was very important. The Chairman said one part of the policy is that on land not owned by the Town and the owners have granted permission, the Board has no objection. On Town-owned the Board has already stated that stands will not be on the Buckman Tavern land other than the Mariam Street corner. The Board does allow them on the Barnes' property and asked if it should ask the School Committee if it has any objection. Mr. Cataldo said the Boards never have. Mr. Mabee suggested a list of places available. Mr. Cataldo suggested that the Board color the areas on a Town map where it will not allow erection of a stand on town-owned land and once the area has been declared, that is it. Mr. Sheldon suggested that Mr. Gray prepare a chart for the Board' s approval The Chairman asked if the Board had given any thought to rules and regulations governing the use of the Public Facilities Building. Mr. Burnell said there are two excellent rooms in the upstairs section. Mr. Cataldo asked if the rules wouldn't depent some- Public what on the furnishings. Facilities Building 512 z ct Mr. Burnell said the Board could decide what it wants to use the rooms for and then furnish them. The Chairman said he would hold this subject over for another week. 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 which, if made public, Session might adversely affect the public security, the financial interest of the Town, or the reputation of any person. Following discussion with Mr. John Byrne, Plumbing Inspector, it was voted to resume the open meeting. At 9:50 P.M. , Chairman Parrish, Messrs . Zehner, Noyes, Clark, Gary, Kenney and Mrs. Souza, of the Appropriation Committee, met with the Board for the purpose of discussing, budgets. Budgets were acted upon as follows: Guides ' Director Approved $1,000.00 The Appropriation Committee agreed that if a job description is established with proven accomplishments this year, it would consider increasing the budget next year. Accounting - Personal 16,450.00 ' The Appropriation Committee did not feel an increase in grade for the Accountant was justified. Planning Board - Personal The Appropriation Committee was in favor of the recommendation submitted by the Planning Board that the Director go from S 25-III to S 25-V. Mr. Sheldon informed the committee that the Board of Selectmen has told other employees they should wait for the report of the newly appointed Salary Study Committee. The Appropriation Committee, after considerable discussion, agreed to review this budget. Police - Personal The Appropriation Committee felt ten additional men in the Department was too large an increase in personnel for one year. The members of the Board of Selectmen stated their position in regard to this budget and it was stated that the Board felt so strongly about additional 2) 1e) men for the department that it was prepared to dis- cuss the subject on Town Meeting floor. The Appropriation Committee retired at 10:40 P.M. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn at 101,41 P.M. A true record, Attest: / ive Sele ctm