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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1964-11-16-min 44 SELECTMEN'S MEETING November 16, 1964 A regular meetingof the Board of Selectmen was g held din the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, on Monday, November 16, 1964, at 7 :30 P.M. Chairman Cole, Messrs. Brown, Burnell, Cataldo and Sheldon were present. Mr. Legro, Town Counsel, Mr. Gray, Execu- tive Assistant, Mr. Carroll, Superintendent of Public Works, and Miss Murray, Executive Clerk, were also present Mr. Legro reported that he had a contract between the Town of Lexington and J. J. O'Brien & Sons, Inc. for highway work on Massachusetts Avenue Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted Contract to sign the contract as presented by Town Counsel Two copies are to be mailed to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Works . Mr. Carroll, Superintendent of Public Works, has the third copy. Mr. Legro asked when the Board would like to go over the motions for the Town Meeting to be held next Monday, November 23. The Chairman requested the Clerk to arrange a meeting with Mr Charles E. Ferguson, Moderator, for Saturday morning, November 21, at 9 :00 A.M. in the Selectmen's Room. Mr. Gray referred to Article 4 in the Warrant for the November 23 Special Town Meeting to see if the Town will vote to transfer to the School Committee all or a part of the parcels of land conveyed to the Town by Augustus E. Scott . He presEnted a General Site Plan, prepared by Samuel P. Snow, of the facilities for the Center Playground and indicated the land which is under the jurisdiction of the Board of Selectmen. He said the question is to obtain a description of the land to be transferred Mr. Cataldo egplained the basis of the article is to be eligible for State aid, and he did not think there would be any difficulty if approximate dimensions were used. Mr. Carroll explained that there should be some- thing that can be repordiced if need be 1 450 K!) crif Mr. Sheldon asked if the State aid would be affected if this article were postponed until the March Meeting. Mr. Brown suggested that the Board consider squaring the land off The Chairman asked if the parcel under consideration could be described properly at this time Mr. Legro advised the two Boards get together and decide what they want to do. He said he did not think a corner of the building should be left on land udder control of the Selectmen. Mr. Carroll said he would not guarantee that he could have a description for the November Meeting He explained it might take a week or two, or three weeks, to make a survey. He stated this is very old material and they might not find anything on the ground Mr. Sheldon suggested that the article be postponed and a correct survey be made if it will not affect the State aid. He suggested that Mr. Gray determine whether or not State aid will be affected. The Chairman asked if there was any way this could be done for the November Town Meeting, and Mr. Carroll replied that he did not know. It was agreed thst Mr. Gray would find out the first thing in the morning if this would affect the State aid and to contact Mr. Legro and Mr Carroll if it does. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant the petition and sign the order for the follow- ing j/o pole location: Sullivan Street, southerly side, westerly from a point approximately 12 feet west of Winter Street, -- Four poles. Letter was received from the Town of Bedford in regard to the agreement made on May 5, 1953 between the Town of Lexington and the Town of Bedford whereby Bedford is allowed to discharge sewage into the Lexington sewerage system. A copy of the communication was sub- mitted to Mr. Carroll and copies were mailed to the members of the Board. Mr. Cataldo asked if Mr. Carroll agreed with Bedford 's position, and he replied in the negative Mr. Carroll suggested that the next step would be a meeting with representatives of both towns, engineers from Haley & Ward and Whitman & Howard. It was agreed by the Board that Mr. Carroll should arrange a joint meeting 451 Form notice was received from the State Department of Public Works with reference to snow removal assistance. It was agreed to continue the arrangement whereby the Snow State willlow the entire length of Maple Street, and removal p g the Town of Lexington will remove snow from all of Massa- chusetts Avenue. The Chairman read a letter from Claire G. Ela, 77 Follen Road, requesting favorable action on the peti- Sewer tion to extend thessanitary sewer in Fallen Road. Mr. Carroll reported that the signed petition has been returned and the extension will be included in his budget for 1965. Letter was received from the Planning Board, together with a map of the Town showing all property lines and lands belonging to the Town, the first step in the land Land use use inventory and study now under way. map The Chairman stated the map would be kept by Mr. Gray for members of the Board to look at The Chairman read a letter from the Lexington Civil Rights Committee advising the Board it would like to have some sandwich signs carried in Lexington Center' Civil on Saturday, November 21. Rights ' The Chairman was authorized toadvise Miss Weinstein advertis- who signed the letter, that legally the Board has no right ing signs to deny the request, but it would not like to see this type of activity in Lexington, particularly in the Center. Further, it is the Board 's opinion that this might well establish an undesirable precedent which the Board con- siders not to be in good taste. Notice was received from Kevin B. White, Secretary of the Commonwealth, in regard to the State Decennial Decennial Census of 1965 to be taken as of January 1, 1965. census Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to delegate this work through Mr. Carroll, Clerk to the Board of Registrars, to the Board of Registrars . 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, might adversely affect the public security, the financial interest of the Town, or the reputation of any person. Following a discussion on the subject of water supply for Mr. Robert Rushton and matters of a legal nature with the Town Counsel, it was voted to resume the open meeting. 452 ,,6 01 Messrs. Legro and Carroll retired. , Appropri- ation The Capital Expenditures Committee and the pp ri- p ation Committee met with the Board. Mr. Blaisdell, Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, explained the purpose of the meeting was to go over the articles in the warrant for the Special Town Meeting, to be held next Monday. He advised that the Appropriation Committee proposes the following recommendations : Article 3 recommend $3,000 from the Excess and Articles Def iiency Account . Article 14. recommend favorable action. Article 5 recommend indefinite postponement . Article 6 recommend $1,400,000, bonded for 20 years Article 7 recommend favorable action $1,500,000 bonded for 20 years. Article 8 no recommendation. Article 9 recommend unfavorable action Article 10 recommend indefinite postponement . Article 11 recommend $7,000 from the Excess and Deficiency Account Article 12 recommend $16,500 from Water Available Surplus . Article 13 Nothing at this time . Article 14 Recommend favorable action Article 15 recommend favorable action. Article 16 recommend favorable action Article 17 no recommendation Article 18 no recommendation Article 19 recommend $5,000 from the Excess and Deficiency Account. 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 adversity affect the public security, the financial interest of the Town, or the reputation of any person. Following a discussion on Article 10 of the warrant for the Special Town Meeting, November 23, 1964, it was voted to resume the open meeting. Letter from the State Commission on Low-Income Housing was noted and placed on file. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted License to grant a Taxi Driver License to Gerald F. Alexander, 1 Neillian Street, Bedford, satisfactory character reference having been received from Chief John W. Rycroft. 11 453 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of the Selectmen' s Meeting held on Minutes November 9, 1964. Mr. Cataldo reported on a meeting held with the 1775 Trust in regard to the so-called Hunt Block, and informed the Board that Mr Carroll is going to prepare a plan to see what the Town might realistically exchange with the Trust. He said the group would like to know what the Board thinks of the plan as another meeting of the group has been scheduled 1775 Mr. Carroll presented the plan, referred to by Mr. Trust Cataldo, and 4r. Cataldo reported that the Trust is look- meeting ing for something interesting to make them tear the build- ing down. The only way the Trust will be interested is for the Town to make it interesting to it and that is by purchasing the building. He said it was left for the Trust to obtain figures on moving the existing building back twenty-six feet to the new building line, then come with a land exchange and the money involved Mr. Gray reported that a Mer. Errol Hopkins, a repre- sentative of the Commonwealtn, came in to see him about land takings made by the Department of Public Works . He State said the Town had an appraisal made by Mr. Harry Berglund takings of $3,225 and the State is offering $675 for the parcels in question. He explained this is all land along Route 128. Mr. Legro advised that the Town cannot sue the State. Mr. Gray also reported that the Baskin property was separate and the figure on that was $175. The matter was referred to Town Counsel Mr. Gray referred to Mr. Kenneth Kelley's offer to , purchase tax title lots on Earl and Orchard Streets and said Mr. Kelley still feels his offer of $50 is all he Tax title wants to pay with restrictions on this parcel Mr. Burnell said the offer was too small for the Board to be concerned about Mr. Cataldo said the Board has sold lots for less than that with no restrictions , and he mentioned a figure of $200 Mr. Gray was instr ,cted toadvise Mr. Kelley that the Board is not interested in disposing of the property fpr $50, and if he makes a relaistic offer, the Board will consider it 454 al Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted Meeting to hold the Selectmen's Meeting Monday, November 23, at 7 :00 P.M. At 10:50 P.M , Mr. Robert Meyer, Mr. Roland Greeley, of the Planning Board, and Mr. Zaleski, Planning Director, met with the Board. Mr. Meyer reported tht the Planning Board is in Planning favor of the three zoning articles in the Warrant for Board the Special Town Meeting, November 23, 1964, but it is not in favor of the article inserted at the request of 100 or more registered voters in regard to the Curtin property on Marrett Road. He unformed the Board that paragraph d. ) in Article 18 is to be postponed until March and under Paragraph i. ) they will change the description South Glen Road to Glen Road South Messrs. Meyer, Greeley and Zaleski retired at 11:00 P.M. Mr. Gray reported that he and Mr Carroll discussed Harrington's request for abatement of $2,140 street betterment assessment levied against his property on Betterment Volunteer Way Mr. Legro is of the opinion the property Assessment has been bettered by the construction of Winter Street and the Town has a legal right to assess such a better- ment. Mr. Cataldo said he recalled this subject was brought up three or four different times, and he thought the Board had abated it. He said definite action xay not have been taken, but it was more or less agreed by the Board. Mr. Gray is tocheck further. Mr. Gray r ported that he received a letter from the Board of Fire Commissioners advising that all bids for the new ambulance have been reviewed and they re- Ambulance commend the acceptance of the low bid $9,400, submitted by the Superior Funeral Coach Sales, 'Inc . , of Medford. The Commissioners also recommend an additional expendi- tures of $40 to enable t}.e ambulance to be wired for incubator use. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to accept the low bid of $9,400 submitted by the Superior Funeral Coach Sales, Inc. , and to approve an additional expenditure of $40 to wire the ambulance for incubator use. The meeting adjourned at 11:15 P.M. A true record, Attest : ec, ive/�lerr, Selec en