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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1963-05-02-min 314 lc C- SELECTMEN'S MEETING May 2, 1963 A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on Thursday, May 2, 1963, at 10:00 A.M. Chairman Cole, Messrs . Burnell, Brown and Cataldo were present. Mr. Gray, Executive Assistant, Mr. Carroll, Superin- tendent of Public works, and Miss Murray, Executive Clerk,cwere also present. Messrs . Mabee, Greeley, Campbell, Meyer, Mrs. Riffin, Mr. Adams and Mr. Fitzmaurice from the State Departmnet of Public Works. The Chairman said he would start the meeting by having Mr. Fitzmaurice talk regarding Route 3. Mr. Fitzmaurice said the Boards have the report of the Inner_ Belt and the only plan he brought in addi- tion was a topographical map which shows the consultants ' recommended line. He said this spring both lines were flown The department will now make a re-study of the lines; it is the recommended lines of the consultant and not necessarily the recommended line of the department Route 3 He said the department has not recommended a line at this time and this is just the engineer' s recommendation at the present time. He explained that the towns would be advised of everything that is going on and there will be a public hearing, at which time the department will show at least two alternate locations, something that the Bureau of Public toads insists on. He said before the public hearing, there will be a hearing, as is the de- partment ' s custom, with the elected officials of the town through which the route will pass . He said he could not give the Boards anything with regard to a final location at this time, and if there were any points they would like to take back to the department, he would do that . Mr. Carroll asked if funds had been appropriated, and Mr. Fitzmaurice replied that funds have not been allocated Mr. Carroll asked if funds were available, and Mr Fitzmaurice replied that funds are available each year and then allocated by the Chief Engineer's office for various projects, but no funds have been allocated for this job. Mr. Gray asked if this had been programmed, and Mr. Fitzmaurice replied that as of right now, not for any particular year. Mr. Cataldo asked if it would be 1963 or 1961.., and Mr. Fitzmaurice rep., ied that it would be 196L1.. 315 Mr. Cataldo asked if the earliest for construction would be 1965, and Mr.Fitzmaurice replied that he would think so . Mr. Brown asked if, in taking the property for Route 2, would they include what is necessary for Route 3. Mr. Fitzmaurice replied thathe was not sure but he did not believe so. Mr. Carroll stated that Mr.Hue said any takings for Route 2 did not extend beyond the limits of Route 2. Mr. Fitzmaurice said that xoute 2 is now in the design state: Mr. Greeley asked if it was in the design state from Alewife Brook Parkway, and Mr. Fitzmaurice replied in the negative. Mr. Greeley asked if Route 93 from Medford was in, and Mr. Fitzmaurice replied in the negative. He said before anything could be done on Route 3, approval from Somerville would have to be obtained. Mr. Greeley said that Route 93 would get into the Inner Belt before Route 2, and Mr. Fitzmaurice said it was possible The Chairman said no final decision had been made asto the route yet, and Mr . Fitzmaurice said that was correct. Mr. Carroll asked if the public hearings would be held in the Town or in Boston Mr. Fitzmaurice replied that no decision has been made but he thought it would be around here somewhere He explained that the preliminary hearing for town officials would be at Nashua Street and the public hear- ing would probably be held in some local place Mr. Carroll asked when the public hearing would be held, and Mr. Fitzmaurice replied that he did not know He stated that they would try to hold public hearings on the inner state system some time this year, but Route 3 would not be part of this. He explained that they have to have the inner state system completed by 1972 which would mean construction by 1970. Mr. Carroll said the plan for route 3 through Lex- ington seems a short cut for Route 128 and Route 2 and these two routes have the capacity to handle the addi- tional Route 3 traffic . He asked what consideration would be given to the fact that this is a short cut and will only save minutes through Lexington. He said Route 2 is in the design stage and he thought it should be looked into now. Mr. Fitzmaurice said both routes are on a 50-50 basis. Mr. Campbell asked if the Bureau leandd towards the primary route or the alternate route 816 Mr. Fitzmaurice replied that it makes no commitment until the department makes a recommendation. Mr. Mabee asked about the argument for the route going through Lexington. Mr. Fitzmaurice stated that up tc now the department has had an engineer who recorrm ,ended the route through Lexington and it is now faced with additional studies on this. He said there are no survey parties working on this and there has been no department choice at this time. Mr. Campbell asked if Mr. Fitzmaurice meant a complete relocation when he referred to alternate routes Mr. Fitzmaurice said it would be complete, there will be an additional route, and they are flying both through Winchester Mr. Greeley asked if both alternates were through Winchester, and Mr. Fitzmaurice replied in the negative, and said the other alternate. He said the flying would give them a chance to modify both the recommended location of the consultaaitb and the alternate. He said they were flying a strip a mile wide The Chairman asked if there was any reason why the department would not crnsider Route 128 and 2. Mr. Fitzmaurice replied that he has not heard that mentioned and said that usually the cost benefit ratio would point to the direct route as being the proper route. Mr. Meyer said the width of the sections of Route 2 had him confused Mr. Fitzmaurice said they were proposing a four-lane and this is an eight-lane tied to where this route would come in. He said the number of lanes would have to be increased up to Route 128. Mr. Meyer said he understood that from Childs ' gas station to Alewife Brook Pr kway would be eight lanes, and Mr. Fitzmaurice stated that he would think the eight lanes would be retained. Mr. Campbell asked if there was any place else in the Commonwealth where they would take a six-lane road, dovetail another six-lane road and run it into an eight- lane road? Mr. Carroll said once it is built beyond Childs ' six-lanes wide, the argument is stronger that you can ' t use Route 128 and Route 2 as a short cut and he thought this should be settled now Mr. Fitzmaurice said he would relay this information to the Chief Engineer. Mr. Carrell asked about the Board' s position as to Follow up. Mr. Fitzmaurice suggested that the Board waite its suggestions to the Chief Engineer. He said he personally ri did not have a great deal he could tell th. Board officially The Chairman said the Town is on record as being op- posed to Route 3 going through it, and asked if any traffic counts had been taken saving Route 3 where it is and. seeing how many would go on Route 2 and Route 93. Mr. Fitzmaurice replied that there was a mass trans- portation study which included traffic The Chairman said rather than have Route 3 come to Route 2 and left where it is, the traffic might divide and not overburden either route. Mr. Fitzmaurice said the new study would give them information. Mr. Campbell asked if it didn 't seem more logical to determine the Inner Belt before Route 3, and Mr. Fitzmaurice said he knew the department would like to fix it. He said Route 2 has been in the planning for a long time . Mr. Campbell said if they were going to bring Routes 3 and 2 into the Alewife Brcok Parkway and have it vetoed on the Inner Belt, it would create a traffic problem beyond all proportion. Mr. Fitzmaurice said they hoped to get some approvals on the Inner Belt and explained th-t some of the towns feel now that the Inner Belt is going to help them. He said he thought some of the cities and towns might agree to a corridor. He said money could not be spent on some of those cities with veto powers Mr. Greeley asked if it wouldube of any value for Lexington to rhe help of as and Mr. Fitzmaurice replied that he thought it would. He said there is no question but the Town needs the Inner Belt He stated that the Department is going to study this further and no decision has been made on the actual location of the route at this time . He advised that the Board's next step would be to write to the Chief Engineer, Mr. McCarthy. He said he would also pass on the information given him this morning. Mr. Fitzmaurice retired at 10:30 A.M. The Chairman said there is now a four-man Board and the law provides a way whereby it can be made a five-man Board. The Selectmen can either call a special election although they do not have to, and if they fail to call Election the election, it can be called by a petition of 200 citizens. He said it is up to the Board to decide whether or not it is going to call a special election. Mr. Burnell said that he thought there is no question but that the Board should call a special election. He said he did not think the Board should go through another ten months with only four members, and he thought it would 318 be only fair to have the full complement . He said if the Board doesn't call the election, the citizens will. Mr. Brown disagreed and said that an election would cost approximately $3,000, and by necessity would be at least a month off. He explained that the candidates would have to have time to work. The candidate elected would be serving only eight months and would have to run for re-election. Mr. Cataldo agreed with Mr. Brown and stated that the Board has been stressing economy and this is one way to save $3,000. He said the Board is coming into the summer months when the meetings are schedied for every other week and then into budget period, at which time, the new member would not be of too much help. He said if the citizens petition, that would be fine; it is their money and if this is what they want, he had no objection; He said he would move that the Board not call a special election. The Chairman agreed with Mr.Burnell, and said he could not see going eight months with the possibility of having two to two votes that could cost the Town sums greater than $3,000. He said there would be matters of importance coming up and a two to two vote could be detrimental tothe Town. He strongly recom- mended that the Board take the leadership in calling a special election. He said he thought the citizens would petition for one if the Board did not call the election. Mr. Cataldo said if the citizens petitioned for a special election, that would be all right . The Chairman said June 17 would be the date of the election and twenty-eight days before that would be the closing date of nominations which would be ample time for the candidates to get papers filled out and returned. Mr Adams said that in previous times, the Board has done this . Mr. Cataldo said whoever was elected would have to run again for the March electicn and he dould not see any- thing coming up that would cost the Town that much money. Mr. Adams said the Board would be getting into budgets and many times there has been a three to two vote. Mr. Burnell said co-operation has existed on the Board but there have not been too many problems, but he thought it would be wrong for the Board to continue almost a year with less than the full complement. Mr. Cataldo said he was approaching the subject strictly from an economical point of view. The Chairman said, for the record, he thought a motion should be made and seconded and acticn taken Mr. Meyer said he thought June 17 was too close as nominations would close May 20 and the first public notice 319 would be May 9 so it would only give a person eleven days. He said it seemed to him this was cutting it too close to make this decision . The Chairman said the Town is aware ofthe situation and many people regard this with great interest, and he suspected that the Board would receive a petition not later than Monday night . Mr. Brown said if the Boarn is required to call an election, because of public opinion, a week or two from today, then the election would be the end of June or early July Welch is en unfortunate situation. The Chairman said if the Board acts now, it can have an election June 17, or it could go one more week, June 24. He said he thought June 17 was the best date Mr. Campbell asked if the election had to be held on a Monday rath;r than on a Saturday. The Chairman replied in the negative . Mr. Cataldo asked if there was anything in the statute as to how long a period of time there is to petition for a special election, and the Chairman replied that it may be done anytime provided it is submitted to the Board of Selectmen more than 100 days prior to the next election. Mr. Burnell moved that the Board of Selectmen call a special election to be held June 17, 1963, for the pur- pose of electing a fifth member to the Board of Selectmen. The motion was not seconded. The Chairman said he wished to be recorded as being in favor of calling a special election. Mr. Cataldo moved that a special election not be called unless petitioned for by the public . Mr. Brown seconded the motion. Two members of the board we. e in favor and two members were opposed, and the motion was, therefore, lost. Mr. Campbell said he would like to have the election held on a Saturday. The Chairman said it was stated to him that the peti- tion would read "that the Board of Selectmen call an election as soon as possible" . Mr. Cataldo said if he thought there should be an election, he would so vote. Mr Mabee said he could guarantee the Boat that a petition could be prepared right now Mr. Cataldo said if Mr. Mabee wanted to do that as a private citizen, that was his prerogative Mr. Carroll referred to the discussion pertaining to Route 3 and asked what the Board's decision was. Mr. Greeley asked if the Selectmen wanted the Plan- ning board to work with Mr. Car oll on drafting a letter 320 The Chairman asked who should send the letter Mt. Cataldo said he thought the Board of Selectmen should send the letter but Mr. Carroll could work with the Planning Board in deciding what is to be submitted for the Department 's consideration. It was agreed that Mr. Carroll should follow the same procedure as he has in the past relative to official communications to the Department, which was to work with the Planning Board and submit a draft for the Selectmen's approval and signature Mr. Brown reported that George P. Morey had sub- mitted the name of Lawrence A. Sullivan, 8 Warren Street, to fill the vacancy in the Trustees of Public Trusts caused by Mr. Donald R. Grant ' s resignation, and sug- gested that if the Selectmen could vote on the subject this morning, it would not be necessary for him to keep the appointment he made for next Monday night . Trustees of The Chairman said the Selectmen were on notice that Public Trusts Mr Morey would be present next Monday for the purpose of electing a member to the Trustees of Public Trusts to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Grant 's resignation. The meeting adjourned at 10:55 A.M A true record, Attest ec itivei Cler , Selecn b t 1